TomTom you said:
"OK if a person is scared and is not 100% committed then the chances are that person will not stay the course but somewhere along the line she will abandon what she started. It's true satan will cast doubts in her head, even as something as simple as a friend making a derogatory comment about her conversion she will quit. Once you become a muslim and you turn away Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala says that is an unforgivable sin. One must be able to die for their belief and for God. There are no half ways about it. Either you are a muslim or you are not. Simple."
I have a question... What about all those who were born into Muslim families, but weren't exactly practicing.. Or those who did read Quran but without understanding Arabic. You know there are many cases like that... I am one of them. I was a bad Muslim, but did try to pray but truth is i never understood what I was doing or why. I just did because i thought such things had to be done...
Then came the time I AlhamduLillah took to understanding things. I was all alone with no teacher other than Allah SWT. Naturally I got a lot of hate Islam websites. And so many other doubts that you get. I was challenged. I challenged every question that i could ask. Call it my immaturity or lack of knowledge, i was very upset. I wasn't sure what was right and what was wrong. Didn't know whether Islam was right or wrong, mostly because my elders said it was right. No evidence of why! I do not want to blame anyone but myself that I failed. But i did not leave Islam. i struggled for it.. No matter how much I was challenged, I prayed that I be guided to the true God. It was very tough... still is. I still haven't recovered because my ideas of God and Islam were too childish... based on objective thoughts. But obviously God isn't how we think He is. He is how He is and how He states...
So my question is, those doubts... those contradictions... That almost giving up of faith.. is it unforgivable? Will He not forgive? I slipped and I know it is my fault... I did not have adequate knowledge and I was leading a life that was according to my desires and religion was just a part of it. Everything happened because I wanted to correct things. I prayed for guidance and here I am. Though I know if a person doubts something, and then gets to the evidence of its truth, the lesson is worthier. Its learnt the hard way around...
It breaks my heart that AuzuBillah I may not be forgiven. I never meant to do it. I still don't mean to do it. i want to be a person who believes in God, no questions asked! :S In all that I never for once wanted to give up the struggle... I prayed that I become a Muslim not because i was born into Islam, but because the true religion has to be that of submission to God, i.e. Islam.
So...? What do you think?
brother i do agreee and i did go ahead and find a video on Youtube to walk me through it. before anyone thinks i'm being flip... no you wouldn't believe how much i've learned off youtube ... other than the forums its been my best source of islamic teaching and inshallah it will continue to be. everyone here has been so helpful and the videos help to give me the visuals i was needing for it
serena
:salam2:
okay... as foolish and as stupid as this will probably sound.... i plan to take the shahada in the next week weeks... but i am scared... i wasn't baptized in any of the christian churches as a child.. my baptism and later my confirmation into the catholic church... were done as an adult... so its not like this is the first time i've ever made a big decision concerning religion... i probably in some ways cheated my way through the catholic instruction for adults because the teacher was sympathetic to the assualt i'd been through and i just couldn't handle a class at night ... and so she met w/ me once a week... gave me a topic for the next week and then asked me if i had any questions ... i was too nervous to have any and i did a LOT of reading on my own ....
this is different.. i'm so afraid i won't get all the prayers in every day.... i know there are some things i will have to continue due to where i live...
doesn't mean i don't want to take the shahada i do.... very much.... but i can't help but be a bit afraid of it....
sister Hajjerr
i agree Allah (swt) should bless you your words were spot on as to what i needed to hear and i hope if others in a simillar situation read the thread that your words are able to touch them as well.
Serena
As'alaamu Alaikkum
Sorry to be negative but you are not ready.
Are you a Muslim ?
cos the way you think is realy sad
Are you a Muslim ?
cos the way you think is realy sad
As'alaamu Alaikkum sis Serena,
My intention was not to discourage you Astaghfirullah! but to make you aware that you are not ready to take the Shahada. I was like this also, I knew the truth but I was hesitant and stalled as long as I could. The muslim friends I made online used to encourage me every day to take the Shahada but I used to ignore them. I feel that everybody has a right time in their life when they NEED to make a life changing decision. As human beings we need re-assurance that we are doing the right thing. As christians are we betraying our heritage and upbringing, are we betraying our forefathers, all these will cast doubt in our enquiring minds. The worst of all is probably the fact that we are afraid of what other people will think especially our family and friends. What if they don't want to know you once you become a muslim? What if you are persecuted? All these questions are normal for a normal human being.
However, what you have to understand is that you are here for a reason. Ask yourself why are you interested in the Holy Qur'an? When you read it you are absolutely sure that it is the words of our Lord and Creator Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala. He has challenged mankind to create a surah like it. I think there are arrogant people who try to challenge the Almighty, but each to their own I suppose. You are being guided to the Striaght Path, that is the only conclusion that we can come to because you know in your heart that Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala is your God and Muhammed (peace be unto him) is the slave and final messenger of Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala and Islam is the religion and the way of life that YOU want. So in that respect follow your heart, deep down you want to save your soul and you want to spend eternity with your Maker.
When you decide to take the Shahada do it wholeheartedly and sincerely believe it in your heart and imprint it in your soul. You MUST realise that once you declare that there is no turning back. Once you declare the Shahada and you reject Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala there is no salvation. So this is very serious, it is matter of life and death.