Is there questionaire

[amyaishazouaoui]

:salam2:

Thi has been bugging me for months now.

Unfortunately we keep coming across many reverts who have had little or no support in the community, which is really sad.

After discussing things through about converting etc and our sories with quite a few other sisters, it seems that there are common things "lacking " in our experiences.

I was wondering if anyone knows of any large qustionaire that is specifically for reverts or newly practicing muslims or infact anyone can fill in about their experiences and what the ummah needs.

I feel this is really important a when we try to go and address some organisations about certain issues we are simply told to go away or to stop being silly or that it doesnt happen here, typical reaction. Or for example if we try to get more islamic instruction in english, often I have found tha people are shunned and are told to stop disrepecting their elders.

If, for example we could compile a a questionaire and get as many people to fill it as possible, then when we need change, IE more khutbahs in an understandable language, that the majority of people can understand, then when "they" tell us to go away, we can actually proove to people that 10,000 muslim reverts filled in this questionaire and they all said yes to this particular question.

Does anyone know if there is one?
Can you direct me?
Does anyone want to compile one?
Does anyone understand what I'm on about?

I'm just trying to think of ways to make peoples introduction to islam a bit easier and not have to go through some of the struggles that I have had to endure. Inshallah

 

[Globalpeace]

Asslamo Allaikum,

My thoughts & a future project from 27MAR07...But take it on please.

Well! Not take it on; its yours.

 

[amyaishazouaoui]

Assalamu alaikum

I cannot possibly take it on alone....... I have a house to run, tutoring to do, a new baby to look after, a huband and a PGCE to do. aaaaaaaaaagggggggggghhhhh.

I was actually thinking there might be one of those useful questionaire design people haning around here somewhere we could make use of. You know the ones who design those anoying market research q's for them people who keep annoying me everytime i go to town sice i got my baby!! gggrrrrr Me nooooo speeeeki engliiiissshhh!!!!

Hey, market research for muslims......there we go!!

 

[Globalpeace]

Asslamo Allaikum,

I have got a dissertation to write, school to run, 2 Kids & 1 on the way...And a wife

Have you seen the FOSIS one:

http://www.fosis.org.uk/committees/iac/images/newmuslim/New Muslim Support_Questionnaire.doc

Are you also in touch with the Revert Sisters Group in Birmingham, I think they also do a Radia program (or something)??? They might have some data

There are also revert help groups in the Muslim directory?

 

[Abdul-Raheem]

:salam2:

I haven't personally met too many new reverts but I always hear stories of how they're more or less deserted by other muslims on conversion, despite being treated so kindly before becoming muslim. Makes me sad really

wasalam

 

[visionusman]

Is there an organization or a charity that helps reverts? We all know how much importance was given to the reverts in the times of the Prophet SAW, in both their training as well as in their financial needs. The training aspect is probably more important. I would love to help if I could. Every revert brother I have come across, I've tried to maintain a relationship with. However without more structured help from the general community individuals can only do as much.

For example even in the masjid, all sermons and announcemnts are usually only in Urdu, even though everyone is aware that there are reverts amongst them. I have tried pointing this out many times in different places with out luck. Hope Allah helps us all. InshAllah.

 

[hussain.mahammed]

I haven't personally met too many new reverts but I always hear stories of how they're more or less deserted by other muslims on conversion, despite being treated so kindly before becoming muslim. Makes me sad really
wasalam

^^ thats so true. I have seen it myself. Before they become muslims, they get a lot of support from islamic cultural centres. But after becoming muslims not much of importance is given to them. I am not generalising the whole idea. But it becomes the responsibility the people who helped them in giving knowledge about Islam and not the mosque or Islamic Centres. May Allah give us hidayah and give us Hikmah and guide us with His Noor.

 

[Globalpeace]

Asslamo Allaikum,

That is precisely why a study is needed to udnerstand the problem & then address it...

Problem is we are all giving our experiences & they all need to be considered & then critiqued.

It has honestly been on my mind for sometime & on my project for 27MAR07 (or post dissertation); but the sister is a better person to conduct & streamline it.

 

[hussain.mahammed]

What I feel that reverts should be helped by muslim brothers or sisters by marrying them?
Suppose a brother reverted and if a sister , who is a born muslimah and practising her Deen, marries him so much of Barakah they will get. Ofcourse marriage is not a simple matter but if its possible then its a good way too. I am not saying its the only way but its also one of the ways.
Similarly its possible with revert sisters as well.
Sorry I hope I am not going off-topic. But helping the reverts should be the topmost priority.

 

[Globalpeace]

Asslamo Allaikum,

Good point brother...

Inter-race marriages are great for breaking down barriers & killing Nationalism in its tracks but they do have their inherent problems & there is no 1 size fits all solution.

Ottoman Empire dealt with "Reverts" from Europe hundreds of years ago & they were a common site in Istanbul & also the Mamluks were mainly a Revert Army & then they formed the Empire (exploited to their full potential: I must add); so there are models in Islamic history

Point is that "Reversion of Europeans" to Islam is not new.

 

[virtualeye]

:salam2:

Thi has been bugging me for months now.

Unfortunately we keep coming across many reverts who have had little or no support in the community, which is really sad.

After discussing things through about converting etc and our sories with quite a few other sisters, it seems that there are common things "lacking " in our experiences.

I was wondering if anyone knows of any large qustionaire that is specifically for reverts or newly practicing muslims or infact anyone can fill in about their experiences and what the ummah needs.

I feel this is really important a when we try to go and address some organisations about certain issues we are simply told to go away or to stop being silly or that it doesnt happen here, typical reaction. Or for example if we try to get more islamic instruction in english, often I have found tha people are shunned and are told to stop disrepecting their elders.

If, for example we could compile a a questionaire and get as many people to fill it as possible, then when we need change, IE more khutbahs in an understandable language, that the majority of people can understand, then when "they" tell us to go away, we can actually proove to people that 10,000 muslim reverts filled in this questionaire and they all said yes to this particular question.

Does anyone know if there is one?
Can you direct me?
Does anyone want to compile one?
Does anyone understand what I'm on about?

I'm just trying to think of ways to make peoples introduction to islam a bit easier and not have to go through some of the struggles that I have had to endure. Inshallah

AssalaamuAlaikum,

Sister I had made one Quiz with similar motives to clear the minds of nonmuslims as well as to assess their knowledge about Islam. But it happened that very few people got notice of it. Here it is if it helps:

http://www.turntoislam.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7806


Wassalaam.
VE

 

[American Muslim]

I am lucky enough to live near a madrassa. One day I walked in a simply said, "What can you guys tell me about Islam?" I found that I was welcomed there immediately and helped all the way. One of the teachers takes time out from his schedule to help me learn to read the Qu'aran. I have access to scholars a mere mile or two from my home. But I do recognize that I was truly blessed by Allah Ta'ala, and that this is not the typical revert story.

One of the brothers gave me a book after I took shahada called Ta'leemul Haq : An Authentic Compilation on the Five fundamentals of Islam, edited by Shabbir Ahmed E. Desai. It is published by Abdul Naeem for Islamic Book Service (www.islamic-india.com). I believe it was compiled to help children in South Africa in rural areas where little of the deen was known.

I think of it as my Muslim Handbook, as it contains just enough of the basics to give someone a working practice. Everything from shahada, to prayer, hajj, burial rites, marriage, etc. Obviously, everything is greatly simplified both for its intended audience (children) and the vast amount of the subject matter. I'll look into it further, but I gotta boogie, time for prayer.