buriedaway_4536
Junior Member
Source: http://myresourceislam.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-abu-khadijah-learned-to-embrace.html
More Stories: http://myresourceislam.blogspot.com/p/convert-stories.html
More Stories: http://myresourceislam.blogspot.com/p/convert-stories.html
How Abu Khadijah Learned To Embrace Religion
Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.
As I have probably alluded to in past posts, I am a revert to Islam. Not a new Muslim, however. I came to Islam many years ago. Alhamdulillah.
I just thought I'd take a quick time out from my usual posting to post up my revert story for one and all to see.
When I embraced Islam, I was still a teenager, alhamdulillah. Not even yet legally considered an 'adult', in the Australian context of the word.
Before coming to Islam, I indentified myself as Agnostic, and rather indifferent towards all organised religion. I was very critical of religion, and religious people - but that all changed over time.
It all began as I was supposed to be studying for highschool exams, but was instead Googling around the internet. I was just doing the usual - you know, time wasting, reading, looking up things of interest. When I had remembered a lot of media hype about Muslims in Australia, thus sparking my curiousity. I Googled around to find a Muslim news group online, which I in turned joined to ask some questions. From this, I not only had my questions answered, but over a legnthy stay made a lot of friends and contacts.
Honestly, if I was asked about my participation at the time I would have told anyone 'I'll stay until I lose interest', which couldn't be too long. I'd been through so many phases of my interest in the past that I initially saw this as the same as any other. I'd also participated in so many online communities in my time on the internet that I could already see myself (in the future) growing inactive and moving on, as I always seem to do.
For some reason this time it was different, I stuck around for a long time. I engaged in discussion on this site and numerous others, and even took such discussion to secular sites for differing views. I would always stick up for Islam, despite in the past being quite critical of it and all other religions. Online, or in person.
Only a couple of months later, in a book store I came across an English translation of the Qur'an - so going along with my current interest, I purchased it and began reading. At home, at school, on the train. I was just forever reading it. Now, my mistake was buying a copy that was in Shakespearean English (yes, 'thou', 'thee' etc.) it really confused me more - so to be honest. Even an English translation of the Qur'an, at the time I didn't understand. However, in all other areas with Islam I was met with nothing but agreement. Islam had a certain appeal to commonsense I had never seen in any kind of ideology before. I was in a bind.
After more reading, more questions, and finding a more 'user-friendly' translation of the Qur'an - and after a few more months. I was set, I was intent, it was in my heart. Islam is perfect, in a perfect world I would be a Muslim. But I was so scared. My friends, my family, my classmates. What would they think of me?
A new mission arose in my head. I knew, after so long (as it had become truly more than just a phase) and so much intellectual activity/time invested in my research of the deen I couldn't just drop it like it never happened. If I was to do that, to me it would always seem like unfinished business and I'd possibly come back to it. My new mission was to find something in Islam that would close my heart to the deen so I can leave humouring the possibility of becoming a Muslim to rest, and make history of it. For further months I searched. I wanted to find that weak spot, that flaw.
Alhamdulillah, this search brought me to a crossroad. I had to choose the way of life I knew and have been living my whole life (which, I now saw as false, and that I wasn't at peace with) - or go for a new life, one full of changes and unfamiliarity. But one I was content with, and felt right about. One that satisfied me in every way.
In the end, it was a no-brainer. I went with the new way of life. The one my heart had warmed to. The one I loved, and still love.
Alhamdulillah, I said the shahada - this was many years ago too.
It was the best thing I did in my entire life.
Wasalaam
for sharing this brother.Very inspiring.Allah guides whom He wills.
