Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Khadijah Jones

From a very young age I have always believed in God. My mum used to send me and my elder sister to places such as Kiro Club, there we would all play games and the team leaders would read stories from the bible and before we went home we would all pray in a circle. This took place at the Primary School we went to St Mark’s C of E.

Then to get me into the high school where my mother wanted me to go, St Peter’s, I had to go church every Sunday, so my mother has always encouraged me and my sister to go to religious events, but on the whole my family is not a practicing Christian family. Everyone in my family was christened, and all the weddings take place in churches.

I started having contact with my father when I was 11 years old, as he thought that he was going to die in hospital and he wanted to see me and my sister before. But Alhamdulilah my dad survived, as he got better me and my sister stayed in touch with him and his family and this was when I got introduced to Islam. I used to go and see my father veryoften, he lived with my nan and cousin, and next door lived my Aunty, her husband and her son. Both my Aunty and my cousin had embraced Islam for different reasons. So as I used to go very often I saw how differently my Aunty and Cousin lived, they were so dedicated to God it was unreal to me. I respected them in a big way,As I used to see them praying I started asking questions, like why?

I didn’t really understand as at this point I had only just turned 12 years, so they explained Islam to me in a very easy way. I started going to Islamic circles with them, I went to conferences. After 10 long months of dedication to Islam I converted. I converted in my Aunty’s house with all the sisters there who had helped me, my Aunty made lots of food, I had to do my Ghusl (Bath) so I was pure and then I was sat down on a prayer mat and I read the Kalima three times. Everyone brought me presents and advice it was lovely.

As a treat my father paid for me and my aunty to go to Leicester for a four day Islamic event. It was the best four days of my life, I met so many new friends, everyone there was a Muslim,it was just like how an Islamic state would be. Everyone was treated the same, it was wonderful. My dad paid for that because he new how my mother and the rest of the family were treating me, so he lied to my mother and told her that I was going somewhere with my Aunty because he new that if my mum new the truth then she would not allow me to go.

My sister and father were the only one’s who accepted me, my mum’s side of the family hated Islam, they said I could be a Muslim but not dress like one, so once I had put my views across to them that no matter what they said or did I would not compromise Islam for NOTHING! They had to except it. They all thought it was a phase I was going through as I was only12, I converted on the 22 November 1998.

My father passed away in 1999, I was devastated as I had got so close to him through Islam, as I could talk to him about anything and I don’t have that kind of relationship with my mum, but as I studied death so many times I new that Allah would not give me something that I could not bare. After this my mum’s side of the family had learnt to accept it. Now 5 years later everyone is fine, my advice to people thinking about converting is to study hard and stick with it, Islam is a beautiful way of life and you will thank yourself at the end, people learn to accept you for you and if they don’t then you may realise who your family and friends are.

Holy Quran 8:4These are the believers in truth; they shall have from their Lord exalted grades and forgiveness and an honorable sustenance.

Antoinette Azim

What can Isay, Allah (swt) called me to Islam. It seemed to happen so fast, only 28 days passed since I opened my heart to Islam and when I said Shahadah, the happiest day of my life. I grew up in a Catholic family, not just Catholic in name, but practicing also. I went to a Catholic grade school, went to church on a consistent basis, and said my prayers every night. My mother always hoped for me to become anun, that was her dream before she met my dad, and I was the youngest of four girls. I thought I was a good Catholic too. I believed. I prayed. But I didn’t agree with everything in my religion, which to me seemed ok, it was enough to believe in God, but I also believe in divorce, I don’t agree with the church hierarchy, and I don’t like the fact that there is a priest between God and me. But I was brought up Catholic and that was the way it was always going to be.

I lived in Russia for two years teaching English. When I was there I went to a Catholic service twice. It was four hours long and they told me I needed to go to confession before I could take communion. These werebelievers, that wasn’t for me. I got no spiritual fulfilment from the Russian Orthodox Church even though the icons are beautiful. When I came back after two years of not going to church I thought my faith was renewed. The first time I went I actually listened to the Gospel. I continued to go and even found a church when I moved out to DC. I always said I was part German, Polish, Irish and Belgian, but one hundred percent Catholic!

Then I met Mounir. This changed my life in many ways, some good, mostly bad, now that I look back I understand that I had to go through all of this to get to the Truth. Mounir is from Morocco. On our first date he told me about the five pillars of Islam while drinking an Amstel light. I didn’t think anything of the Amstel light, but I thought telling me about the five pillars of Islam on a first date is strange. In order to understand my Muslim boyfriend I wanted to understand Islam. I bought a book, and at the same time I bought a book about Catholicism, I wanted to get closer to my faith too.

I didn’t get into Islam right away, but I started asking a lot of questions. I spent five weeks in Russia that summer. When I came home I discovered that Mounir didn’t miss me as much as I missed him. The break up was devastating tome, so much that I didn’t even realize what I was really going through at the time. My only consolation was drinking and partying. I still went to church during this time, but I couldn’t find the spirituality I needed to get me through this without losing all my self-respect. Meanwhile, I studied Islam a little more, but to me it was purely academic. I decided to declare it as my minor in graduate school and started studying Islamic fundamentalism in Central Asia. But I thought the more I study Islam, the more I need to study Catholicism.

Come spring semester I signed up for the class Conflict Resolution in Islamic Studies with Professor Abdul Aziz Said. One day he gave us a copy of the Noble Qur’an. I couldn’t believe it! I was so excited that I had a copy of the Qur’an. I had never read the Bible. I took it home but didn’t start reading it right away. I started talking with a Moroccan at work. He started to tell me certain Surahs to read and then he said that once you start digging into Islam you can’t stop. I just laughed and assured him that I was very secure in my Catholic beliefs.In order to make myself believe that I started to research Catholicism. It was short lived though.

One day all of this changed. I was doing some tabling at the university to get some support for our human rights group.Another girl from the organization, Mandy, came with me. I knew her, but not that well. As we sat there for two hours I discovered that she was a Muslim, she converted from Catholicism. When she told me this, I started to feel like maybe it was ok, the feelings that I was having, I’m not alone. After that I started reading the Qur’an. It was beautiful. Two weeks later I went to the mosque with her for Friday prayer. I’ll never forget her tying the scarf on my head for the first time and teaching me how to say ‘salaam aleykom.’ I felt an incredible sense of unity with the women there. I kept reading the Qur’an, it is so logical, it fills in the gaps that Christianity had,it answered the questions. I knew I couldn’t give up drinking and partying. I read about Muslim women on the Internet and discovered the Muslim dress and got scared! That wasn’t forme, I couldn’t give up my shorts and skirts.

Mandy left and went to New York for six weeks. I stopped drinking, kind of asan experiment, also because I was tired of making mistakes when I was intoxicated. It wasn’t hard at all. It came easy, I didn’t miss drinking, I didn’t miss feeling intoxicated,I felt great. Not only that, but things I thought were impossible at first started to make sense, like dressing modestly, praying five times a day; it became fulfilling. I realized the more you sacrifice, the closer you are to the Creator. Before I thought it was enough just to believe, but now I understand that in order to be close to God I need to live my life the way He intended.

Two weeks after my first visit to the mosque I had a Friday off of work, something that never happens. I decided to go to Friday prayer by myself. I don’t know what force took me there, but I went. There was Sohair from Egypt. She was so excited to see me back. She showed me how to perform ablution and how to pray. After prayer we went down for lunch and she introduced me to Hayat. I’ll never forget that conversation. She asked me why I was there and what was holding me back. I started crying, I couldn’t hold it in, and I didn’t even know why I was crying. She took my hand and said, “It’s ok, Allah calls whom he wants.” Those words changed my life.

I went home after that and was in a cloud for the rest of the day. I started praying that day. It was March 2, 2001. I was helping my friend move and as we were driving it just hit me that Allah (swt) had called ME. The feeling of peace from that moment on was so incredible. I continued to go to Friday prayer, this time at AU. The first day I walked out of the prayer room and Yasmin, the president of the MSA, was standing there waiting for me. She was so excited that I was there and started asking me questions. I knew that I believed in the Oneness of God and Mohammed his Prophet (pbuh), but I didn’t know what to do with this belief – I was CATHOLIC!

I went to talk to a priest, he was very nice, but didn’t know much about Islam. He told me that Catholics respect Muslims because they are people of the book. I left feeling good because I hadn’t wavered in my belief, after all, I was quoting from the Qur’an to a priest. But the biggest test was telling my mother.

I called her on a Sunday night. I was so scared. I was trying to convince myself that it would be easier just to stay Catholic than to have to tell my mother about this. But I knew that I had found the Truth and there was no turning back now. I knew it would be hard for her, but I was so happy to have found the Way and so filled with peace I didn’t understand how someone could NOT be happy for me and embrace Islam themselves. She was shocked, to say the least, but I don’t blame her at all, she didn’t know anything about Islam and was brought up to believe that Christianity was the only way. After a long conversation she agreed to get a copy of “their book” as she called it, so it was a step in the right direction. That whole week I was dreading what would happen. I was so worried that she was going to tell me I wasn’t her daughter anymore. A week later, it seemed a lot longer, I called her back. I was very reassured that she still loved me and wasn’t going to disown me. She said that she had to talk to a devout Catholic who teaches world religions at a college in our hometown. At first I panicked, but then I was reassured that it would be ok. I believe that Islam is the Straight Path and Allah (swt) would make my mom understand.

Two days later I got an email from Mom saying that Brian had emailed her and told her that Islam was not a pagan religion, but deeply rooted in Judaism and Christianity. At that moment I felt ready to declare my faith. I was planning on doing it April 6, but then the open prayer date got pushed back to April 13. I knew that I couldn’t wait that long but I wanted all of my friends to be there. I was at Jumah prayer at AU and afterwards Yasmin told me that I could talk to the Imam about the life of the Prophet (pbuh) if I wanted. We started talking. I asked him questions and then he started to ask me questions. After two hours he told me that I was ready and very strong in my faith. He didn’t pressure me to say Shahadah, but told me that we don’t know what could happen tomorrow. I still said that I wanted to wait because of my friends. We continued to talk and then I said that I was ready. Right at that moment Yasmin walked in, the timing could have only been Allah (swt). I’ll never forget that moment, repeating the words after theimam, it was the most beautiful moment of my life. Yasmin and I were crying and then the imam started crying, I can’t describe how much that touched me. The peace that came over my body and soul was more than words can say. My heart is so full, Insha Allah it will always be this way. I said Shahadah again two weeks later in front of my friends. The actual words did not move me as much that time, but afterward I felt like I was even more ready to accept a life of Islam, the way Allah wants. When I pray I feel so close to Him.

As I pray every day I pray that Allah (swt) will guide me and keep me on the Straight Path, and I’ll do my part to follow Him in every way. My goal is to educate people about Islam and to wipe away the damage that the US media and US foreign policy have created. I realize that I am very lucky to have the support from my friends and family that I have, not all converts have this. Islam is so beautiful, soloving, it accepts everybody, every religion. Insha Allah I can help people to see the beauty of Islam the way that I do.

Holy Quran 11:120And all we relate to you of the accounts of the apostles is to strengthen your heart therewith; and in this has come to you the truth and an admonition, and a reminder to the believers.

Brother Yusuf

Since I was a little boy (I am 31 now) I was always very Christian. Although myfamily were torn apart with sectarianism since my Mother was of an Irish Catholic family and my Father of Scottish/Irish orange Lodge Protestant. They fought so much over religion that my brother was baptised protestant and I was baptised Catholic. This caused a great divide because it meant we went to separate schools - we were even given different names since my Father declared that any son of his who was Catholic could never have his name - therefore I was given my Mother’s maiden name as my surname.

When I was older I joined a monastery and trained to be a Catholic Monk (a Priest) and lived in Dublin Ireland for three years. The Monks are very strict and we were not allowed to leave, in fact it was so strict that mirrors were banned and we dug our graves with a spoon, a little every day to teach us humility. We could only speak half an hour each day and had no access to the outside world, even our mail was censored. They say that austerity is a way to God and although I do not agree with this way of life - it does make you more spiritual and has certain benefits.

Because thesedays people of this generation do not join these monasteries, they gave the younger people a few concessions. We could leave for half days once a month but only to go to certain places with our leaders. So I was taken to the Mosque in 1999 to try and talk to the Muslims into becoming Christian but they immediately invited us for dinner and were so very kind and gave me a Koran and other books. This started my interest. Later that year I became Muslim and left the monastery,with no job, no place to live, nothing . When living there, I had to take a vow of poverty so they owned everything I had. They even assigned my Pension benefits to them! Eventually I came back to the UK and am happy here living near London, in Berkshire (but could be much happier). I’m finding it hard to settle because I’m working in the Finance world which I feel I was never meant to do but Alhamdulilah.

I only found Shia Islam recently and this was through a very kind brother and Sister at the website convertstoislam.com. I was never told about Shia before in fact most Muslims I knew became angry at the name even. I am happier and much more contented and peaceful the Shia way and feel much more satisfied generally. Alhamidilah all is well with me and Allahhas been very kind to me.

I know I have a long way to go and much to learn but Inshallah Allah will make it easy for me.

I am a bit worried about the Sunni brothers and the really deep hatred they have for shias in fact I’m really scared to tell them! They are so kind yet this word “shia” makes them like savages - it brings up such conflict, the like of which I have not seen since I was a child - with Protestants and Catholics.

I don’t know much about politics but I know a lot of the nature of God thanks to my time as a Christian.

Inshallah, may Allah bless you all.

Holy Quran 13:1 Alif Lam Mim Ra. These are the verses of the Book; and that which is revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, but most people do not believe.

Abdur Rahman

(Formerly ‘Stewart Humes’ Australian Aboriginal)

I would like to go back in time and tell you a little bit about my history. My culture is one of the oldest cultures in the world. I love creation. The history of aboriginal people, we connect so close to theEarth, that we are like the Earth. In my younger days as a child I grew up knowing about the mysteries and spirits, that everything that is made in creation has a spirit, a formedspirit, that guides it and looks after it and also guides us.

When we walked night and day in the bush or wherever, we knew that there was a spirit, a powerfulGod, that looked over us, all the time. Then as I grew up I went to high school, was taken away to high school, then I met this other God, same God but in a different form, had to go to Church and pray. I also learnt about racism, I was taken and put in a hostel with about 180 children, 90 boys and 90 girls. It was frightening really in a way because I didn’t know anybody and I didn’t know what to expect, but I stayed there for three years, and in that three years I learnt about God, Jesus and I learnt about other races. I learnt how to be hurtful, I learnt how to make people cry and it was sad really because where I come from, we were all sort of one, the white children and the black children grew up together, sort of as one family.

I left high school and then I went back home. I worked and then I wanted to know God more. I got baptized in the Church of England and I wanted to know more about God, so I read the Bible a bit, and had meetings with people and I still had my Aboriginal God too, spirits, and it was very hard to know that there is this other God, that is the same God you know?

Anyway, I went to heaps of Churches. I went to the Catholic Church, the Methodists’ Church, and every Church that came from England, every church that came fromAmerica, I was a part of it. I went from one Church to another, trying to find this God. In 1967 I went to the University of Western Australia, that’s where I met Brother Mohammed Rais.

Brother Rais is a Muslim (revert) now. Anyway I knew that I had to find something because I became kind of ruff, for ten years, I became like a madman, I’m only small but I’ve done some things, some real bad things, and I needed to find a God, so I tried again, I went to people, to houses, people would slam doors on your face. I was a person, I had a hard life,I wanted everything to change for myself, so anyway I struggled on in life. I used to read the Bible to people, people used to come to me and ask me questions and I’d be out there talking about God and Jesus and I’d be fighting the next day. I would think why am I doing these things, when I know there’s someone more powerful, aGod, that can help me?

So I was like in a washing machine, I was tumbling around, good times then the bad etc. I said I don’t wantthis, I want more good times in my life. I’d give talks at schools, and I’d tell children what to do and I wanted a better life for myself. So anyway, I met this lady. We were together for a while, then we fought, then we’d get back together again. Then we started looking into Muslims. I was with the lady that I’m now with, and I was going to the Seventh Day Adventist Church, one day a week. Then my family would come along and I’d go to the Jehovah Witnesses. I was a little mixed up as to where I was.

So anyway we went for a drive around and tried to find a Mosque. We went to one Mosque and I think it was the right time for me. We went away and we met another brother. The lady I’m with rang up one Brother and they said “Oh yes come around” so we went around and anyway his sister was home and he said can you wait outside and she’ll talk to your missus. And I thought this was a bit strange, because any other time everybody piles into the house, and don’t care less. Anyway, I was waiting outside. My missus spoke to the lady and her sister and we left. Then we were invited back again, and this time the Brother was there. We spoke to the brother, he was a very nice brother, and he told us as much as he could at that time about Islam, and about being a Muslim. I had about ten cups of tea! It was nice, and his wife was very nice.

So anyway we went to Thornlie Mosque, I was wandering around there and I met this brother and he said “I know you” and I said “You know me” and it was Brother Rais back from university in 1967. He was there. I remember I was at my Mum’s once and she got burnt and she was in hospital and he took me to the hospital to meet her. I nearly cried because he was such a nice person at the university, and I hadn’t seen him for so long, and I met some of the other brothers. I felt good you know, it was all men, ladies were one side and we were just having a yarn.

I’m not trying to put other churches down, but I feel this one. I feel better. When you’ve got the ladies and men altogether, you don’t know what’s going on, a lot of things happen in Churches. When you are with the brothers you know where you are, you find a place where you belong, and I felt that this is what I want, what I need in my life. So I went there for a time, and I said well I want to do this for myself, and I become a Muslim.

In the Quran, I hadn’t forgotten Jesus and the Prophets. I haven’t forgotten the followers of Allah, because they are all still in there. What I read in the Bible is still here in the Quran, and it makes me happy, it makes me feel good. Muhammad (Peace BeUpon Him) is something I need in my life. I read about his life, things he’d done and I feel free now, much freer than I used to feel.

I used to go to the Churches and I don’t know what sort of under arm I used to wear but nobody used to sit next to me. I said “gee” and I felt a little bit shy, but I didn’t worry. I don’t care what people are, I love them, because the Creator made them. He managed to love everybody and if you can’t love somebody with your heart, you can’t love Allah.

Allah created all things for all of us to enjoy, and I love creation.

When I look at creation, I see beauty. I see life. If you laugh with somebody, then someone’s laughing with you.

So I’d like to thank everybody for listening to what I’ve had to say.

Holy Quran 46:4 Say: Have you considered what you call upon besides Allah? Show me what they have created of the earth, or have they a share in the heavens? Bring me a book before this or traces of knowledge, if you are truthful.