Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

THE CANADIAN MUSLIM MUSSA F.

The Canadian brother Mussa F. embraced Islam and wrote his story to Noor Al Islam Magazine.

My name is Moussa but it was not always Moussa, and, in fact, it still isn’t but I prefer to remain anonymous in telling you about myself for family reasons that will become obvious later on in my story.

I was born in a normal middle class European family, and I had a normal middle class upbringing with no particular problems other than the usual problems which any western family experiences. My parents did their best to make sure that I had a good education, the usual toys, Christmas presents, outings, and holidays away from home etc. that other children around me had.

Religion was a subject rarely discussed in my family and was generally confined to marriages, baptisms, and funerals. Islam, although a major influence on the history of humanity in the past to my well-read mother, is now regarded by my parents as a hindrance to modern day progress, an oppressor of the rights of women, and a general all-round source of terrorism, fanaticism, and political problems for the world as a whole. What is worse it is, to them, a strange and foreign religion.

A previous incident in my family, on the subject of religion, has left me in no doubt that my conversion would not be accepted and that it would only lead to division if I told them about it. Thus, although I have been Muslim now for several years, I have not yet dared to tell my family about it, and this has been made easier by the fact that I live far from them. I do phone them regularly and write letters as often as possible: however, visiting them would be a little difficult without them discovering, because of prayers, eating habits etc.

Since the death of my Grandfather, when I was an adolescent, I started to try to talk to God, and the first thing I asked God was to help my Grandfather to get to heaven. Since then I have always believed in God, but it was not until I found myself teaching in an international school in India, several years later, that I first began to question the fact that Christianity might not be the true religion from God.

The question I first asked myself was« Why did God only give prophets to the Jews and then later to the Christians? » Did He really leave all the Indians, Africans etc. without a prophet throughout most of their history?»

The answer to this question came to me through a German family I met who were Bahais. They told me that every nation has had its own prophet. They did not, however, tell me, and I don’t think they knew that the origin of this valuable piece of information was the Qur’an. (See sourate No. 10 (Younes) verse 47, Sourate No. 19 (Ibrahim) verse 4)

This revelation made a lot of sense to me, and I began to look into other religion’s beliefs and to have respect for the Bahais’ beliefs to the extent that when asked by a Muslim friend a few years later which religion I liked, I replied that I think the Bahais have the right idea about religion. The Muslim friend seemed very perturbed at this as he asked me what these Bahais believed in. I told him that they believed in lots of different prophets including Mohammad (P). He said that if they believed in Prophet Mohammad (P) and in The Quran they should be Muslims. When I asked why, he said that in The Quran there is a verse which states that Mohammad is the last Prophet (Sourate 33, verse 40).

I did not, at all, like the idea of being a Muslim as it carried with it many associations of violence, fanaticism, being undemocratic etc. but I decided that, as someone who considers himself to be open minded, I ought at least to read The Quran before making any definite decisions. Upon reading The Quran (in translation), I learnt that the Muslim does not have the right to attack anyone unless he is attacked first, that there is no compulsion in religion, that the best men are the ones who treat women well, that Muslim men and women were encouraged to get an education, that Muslims should give to the poor, and many other things which seemed to be the opposite of how I viewed the behavior of the Muslims of the world at the time.

After stalling as long as I could and getting my Muslim friend and others to verify the translation of the verse about Mohammad (P) being the last Prophet, fear of not following the Prophet whom God wanted me to follow and the realization that Mohammad (P) was that prophet who pushed me to admit to myself that I was a Muslim so I had better start getting used to it.

My first two years as a Muslim were a bit difficult as regards the attitude of the Europeans around me; but then they turned marvelous as I discovered more and more about this totally comprehensive religion which God has given us. And, to my great surprise, not only were the Muslims not at all violent or unfriendly, they were the warmest, friendliest, and certainly the most hospitable community I had ever met, and when they called me their brother you could see that the Islamic idea that all Muslims should consider themselves as members of one family was a powerful sentiment that even the egoism and selfishness of the modern world had not yet managed to eradicate.

Sometimes, I would discover later that those who at first seemed overawed about the fact that I had become a Muslim were in fact not too strict in their practice of the religion, but there was, nevertheless, a definite bond between all Muslims which only someone who had not been Muslim before could fully appreciate. One brother in particular that I met struck up an excellent friendship with me in a very short time and basis for this friendship was our attachment to Islam. However, I noticed that he seemed reluctant to pray with me and always seemed to have an excuse not to do so. Finally, during a discussion about politics, he mentioned that he liked the political system in Iran.« Just a minute, » I said,« Are you a Shiite?’’ I could tell that my brother in Islam was not too comfortable with this question, and to be honest, I was kind of dreading the reply as I had grown to like this particular brother a lot but had serious doubts about the Shiites.

Weren’t they the ones who thought that Ali (A.S.) was a prophet instead of Mohammad (P)? My first Muslim friend had told me that he was not sure whether the Shiites were Muslims or not.

« I prefer Muslim, » was the reply given by my brother. When I insisted on this point, he said that he was Shiite, and I then asked him what the difference between Sunnis and Shiites was. Already I sensed another few weeks, possibly months, of heavy reading ahead of me, but I listened intently to everything that he said as I loved this brother a lot, and I did not like this new division which had come between us.

From the very beginning of this latest research, I knew that once again, as with other religions throughout history, politics had reared its ugly head in our religion and had led my brothers in Islam astray but I did not know whether God wanted me to try to put my brother on the right track or whether, in fact, 1 was the one who would once again have to admit that I had been on the wrong track.

At first, I thought that the division had been created after what I knew to be the four enlightened Caliphs: Abou Bakr, Omar, Othman and Ali (A.S.). In addition, I realized that I could not trust what the ShiiteHadiths say to prove the case of the Shiites and that I could not trust what the SunniHadiths say to prove the case of the Sunnis. I decided to start by reading Sunni books about Ali and the other Caliphs.

My first book was a Sunni book about the life of Ali (A.S.). Although it did not mention any of the GhadeerHadiths it did mention that Ali was to Mohammad« as Haroun was to Moussa » . I also noted that before the battle of Siffin, Ali said to Mu’awiya’s messenger« I had a problem with Abou Bakr, Omar, and Othman as I believed the Caliphate to be my right’’ - a statement which he also made, according to another Sunni book about Abou Bakr, six months after the beginning of Abou Bakr’s rule and thirty years before the battle of Siffin.

No research into SunniHadiths would be complete without a look at the collection of Boukhari’sHadiths and the local Sunni imam helped me in this by pointing out the section which is about the qualities of the Prophet’s companions. After reading three pages about Abou Bakr, two pages about Omar, one page about Othman, and one page on how Aisha was the best, favorite wife of the Prophet and the mother of the believers, I finally came across threeHadiths about Ali. The first was about how he didn’t like a certain nickname that people gave him. The second was: «I (Prophet Mohammad (P)) am the city of knowledge, and Ali (A.S.) is its gate ».

And the last was the one about Ali (A.S.) being to the Prophet (P) as Haroun was to Moussa.

There was also a footnote which suggested that one should be suspicious of anyHadiths about Ali.

Later, I discovered SunniHadiths such as:

« Ali is the leader of all believers after me’·’ (Attirmidhi vol 5, Page 296).

« Whosoever accepts me as leader must also accept Ali, may God protect his followers and defeat his enemies » (Muslim vol 2, Page 362) etc.

I also read manyHadiths and parts of the Qur’an which refer to Ahlul Beit.

But I loved this person called Ali (A.S.) from the very first book I read about him. I loved the way he tried, to the end, to do what he believed to be right even though it seemed that everyone was against him. I know that, in politics, those who win are usually the most corrupt, and I certainly did not like this character called Mu’awiya who seemed to me to be in search of political power above all. Also if Ali (A.S.) was the gate to the city of knowledge, how could he not know that Abou Bakr, Omar, and Othman were the best men for the job of caliphate after the Prophet’s (P) death?

Once again I realized that I had to change tack, and once again I was worried in case the people around me would take it badly. But my fears were unfounded as the Sunnis in my community who were on the whole very good and serious Muslims accepted my change of opinion and direction in a brotherly way. They tried to convince me that I was wrong at the beginning (the imam even spent ten weeks talking about the qualities of the Prophets’ companions), but when they saw that I had done a lot of research they saidAlhamdulillah you are Muslim. I continued going to the same mosque until I eventually left again to work in Pakistan, and both my Shiite Muslim brother and my first Muslim brother still treat me as if I were their real brother, and they are both like brothers to each other.

I plan to tell my parents of my conversion to Islam when I get married in the hope that this would be easier for them to accept on such an occasion. Please say some prayers for my family as well as my new found brothers and sisters in Islam.

Spanish Sister:

Yolanda Martin (Zeinab)

● With Islam I got rid of the psychological and ideological unrest that had haunted me.

● I was guided and woreHijab in a hostile milieu, never cared about wealth or offensive remarks.

It is the journey from doubt to certainty, the journey of questions and constant search for the truth, the goal of the wise who seek it everywhere. How can the one who has a sound nature and an interrogative mind go astray? Here is Sister Yolanda Martin driven by her questions to the land of Islam. She has left her relatives and country to enjoy a life with her Muslim family in her husband’s homeland, Lebanon.

Q. Before talking about the reasons that made you embrace Islam, we would like you first to give us a glance about your childhood and the place where you grew up?

A. I was born in Granada (Spain). I was the second child in a Catholic humble family whose faith was innate; that is the Catholic Church and its teachings meant nothing to them, because they observed sublime values and morals. Perhaps this was an indirect element in my inclination to the Islamic faith that always concentrates on high ethics and sound behavior.

Q. What about the Spanish society today?

A. As for the Spanish society in which I lived, it is one ruled by immoral disintegration and absurdity that drive the youth to lead lives of debauchery; they spend their time in nightclubs, drink alcohol, use drugs, and have illicit sexual affairs, including homosexual ones. All this takes place under the banner of personal freedom which the Western materialistic civilization calls for. This also leads the youth not to care about the marriage institution which they view as a chain and restriction of freedom.

However, these atmospheres in my motherland have not influenced me due to the decent upbringing I had received in my family.

Q. Has the intellectual atmosphere in the school or in the university had an effect as far as you choosing the Islamic faith is concerned?

I studied in Catholic schools from the age of three until I was 17. Education in those schools was good, and the teachers and the administration took care of students. As for religious teachings, they were restricted to Lady Mary (a.s.) hymns and going to church on Sundays to listen to some sermons given by the priest during Mass. But those sermons were superficial and monotonous, so they could not draw anyone’s attention. We did not get any in-depth knowledge in the teachings of the Gospel. This has cast doubts within me concerning Christian beliefs.

When I became 14, I quitted going to church on Sundays because I saw that that was useless.

Two years before I went to college, the Religion teacher asked the following question: What is the difference between Christ (a.s.) and the rest of the prophets? I concluded that there was no difference, that he was a prophet just like the other prophets, and that he was not the son of God. These questions and conclusions were the beginnings of my actual interest in the issue of faith and the hereafter.

Q. When did you embrace Islam, and what was the reaction of your family and the people around you?

A. When I was 17, I met Muslims from different nationalities: Morocco, Lebanon, and Iran. This happened as I frequented cafes that do not sell liquor. Muslim students went to those cafes where serious discussions on faiths took place. At this stage, I read the Gospel thoroughly along with a number of Islamic books about Islam and its teachings. I used to raise all the questions on Islam that came to my mind and discuss them with the Muslim people I met. At that time, I also began to take interest in the history of my town that had wide fame during the era of the Islamic State in Andalusia. I knew that most of its people were Muslims before it was regained by Catholic kings in 1492, and that those kings annihilated Muslims and forced who remained alive to embrace Christianity.

As time passed and after a lot of inspection and contemplation, I became certain that Islam was the final heavenly message and that its magnanimous teachings get along with human nature besides being good for every time and place, for Islam came for life in this world and the hereafter. I realized that I have become a Muslim, and I was convinced that Allah has guided me to the Right Faith.

Afterwards, I began to frequent the Islamic Center in Granada where lectures on Islam were given; there I met my husband who gave lectures on Ethics and Fiqh (jurisprudence) in the center although he was a Medicine student.

Position of Family and Society

At first, I did not tell my family that I had become a Muslim, but they noticed that something within me has changed. In the beginning, I did not dare to wearhijab for fear of their reaction. I used to wear it when I went to the Islamic Center and when I visited my Muslim friends. After that, I used to keep it on everywhere except for the neighborhood where I lived. However, my parents knew about that from the neighbors. My father did not oppose my conversation to Islam saying that I had the right and freedom to choose the faith I wanted; and so did my mother, but at first she opposed my wearing thehijab , especially as she had been subjected to enormous pressures, for the audiovisual media fights Islam violently, and the Spanish society can take everything, even the worst immoral acts, so if you are a Muslim it means that you are a terrorist, reactionary, besides the other false charges leveled against Muslims in an expression of hatred.

As for my sister, she got very angry and was ashamed to walk with me because I wore the Islamic attire, but now she understands me and respects my decision.

As for the other people in the neighborhood, they chattered a lot and made offensive remarks, but I did not care.

In the university where I studied nursing, I faced no problem with the students or the administration, for they respected my will to do what I did. Then I worked as a nurse in a public hospital for ten years with no problem worth mentioning.

Q. What are the positive things that happened to you after you had embraced Islam at the personal level and as far as your relationships with others are concerned?

A. At the personal level, I feel considerable relief; my thoughts are now clear, and so is my goal in life. I got rid of the intellectual and psychological unrest that had haunted me before I converted to Islam. I have landed on a safe shore. I thank Allah that my family has accepted my conversion to Islam.

As for my relationships with people in motherland, they are limited. I get in touch with those who respect my Islam. I don’t care about those who are malicious towards Islam.

Q. What is your opinion about hijab and what some people say about it and how it is being fought?

A. Some people viewhijab as a minor issue that should not be given all this interest and believe that it should not be observed. But in truthhijab is protection for the Muslim woman. It is a defense line for her as it forces her to take care of her actions, movements, choice of places she frequents, and selection of friends; so it prevents her from being absorbed by atmospheres that are far from religion and morals.

Q. What is the best way to invite people to Islam in your opinion?

A. The best way to do this is by action not words. A Muslim must be a model of the good human being in his country and society. His Islam must be a reflection of his good deeds.

Q. What are you doing now? Do you encourage non-Muslims to embrace Islam?

A. Currently I live in Lebanon with my husband and children, for it is difficult to raise the children in a non-Islamic society because they spend long time outside the house which makes them subject to being absorbed by Spanish society that is hostile to Islam and because a human being always tries to be like the group among which he lives in order to guarantee that they accept him.

As for inviting people to Islam, this is the duty of every Muslim. I reiterate, the best way to do this is by action not words.

Q. Is there a chance for inviting people to Islam in you motherland?

A: Chances are not null, but there is considerable difficulties to do so in light of the power of the anti-Islam media. This requires doubled efforts from those working in this regard.

Nevertheless, what is more important than this is that Muslims in Spain preserve their Islam and that of their children preventing them from melting into the Spanish society. This can be achieved only through opening Islamic schools and centers so that these children can be taught the teachings and values of Islam besides academic courses.

Russian Converted Sister

Dagina Kirkoz

● My conversion to Islam is reflected as psychological tranquility which I have known after I began to communicate with Allah, a gift I had not been enjoying before that.

● The Muslim woman must be aware and cautious in order not to be turned into merchandise by the media.

● I hope that all Muslims show the pure image of Islam which is being fought ferociously by its enemies.

You can feel transparency, sincerity and tranquility as she talks about her conversion to Islam... Dognia Kirkoz, who was born in Latvia, is one of those who have joined the convoy of Divine Light: she is reassured and satisfied thanking Allah - praised be His name - Who has guided her to Islam.

She did not suffice herself with the Nursing Diploma from the University of Latvia; she felt it was necessary for her to learn Arabic; the language of the Quran and Islam, although she is a mother of two girls.

She has felt the overwhelming desire to acquire knowledge of the bases of her faith and its rulings, so she is attending Arabic classes in an institute in Beirut.

Q. How many members are there in your family? And how was your relationship with them before you embraced Islam?

A. My family includes my father, mother, and my elder sister. My parents worked all day long, and sometimes at night. This made my sister and me shoulder the household responsibilities. Our parents’ long absence from the house made our emotional ties to them cold, although my mother tried to be close to us urging us to learn, acquire culture, and engage in school activities.

Q. Were there specific values that ruled in your town?

A. We were brought up in the small town of Madonna Latvia. Although the town was small, individualism governed the residents’ lives; everyone lived in semi-isolation. There were a lot of quarrels among family members due to the parents’ using alcohol and the resulting terrible fights that usually end up in divorce and family disintegration.

Q. It is known that the communist regime has left its marks on the intellectual and cultural life in the former USSR. To what extent did this affect your educational milieu?

A. This is true. The communist regime’s ideology influenced the intellectual and cultural life, including the educational system. The political regime had activities in all schools and universities. You had to join the party’s scouts, or you would be looked at with suspicion and caution.

However, my mother believed in Christianity. She used to take us to church, and we felt threatened by the regime for going there. Communist thoughts found their way into my sister’s mind, so she started to contradict my mother’s faith and thoughts, and my mother started to listen secretly to anti- USSR radio stations.

Q. What are the circumstances that led you to embrace Islam?

A. My attention was drawn by the Muslim students, and how they dealt with others politely and ethically. Besides, they were serious in studying, and they undertook the responsibilities of their alienation and schooling with seriousness contrary to the other young men and women in the university who indulged in the life’s pleasures.

It also drew my attention that they did not use alcohol or go to notorious night clubs. My husband was one of them. I admired Islam more as I - along with my family - saw how he treated me and all those around him in line with Islamic ethics.

My husband was the wide door through which I entered Islam, for he answered all my questions about this new faith. He has convinced my mind and not only my emotion.

Q. What were the reactions in your community to your conversion to Islam?

A. When my relatives knew that I had been married to a Muslim, they felt pity for me thinking that I would face a doomed fate. However, there were others who respected my decision. My parents were pleased with my marriage, for they rejected atheism and my faith in Allah - praised be His name - meant a lot to them since they rejected the communist ideology. They admired Islam more as they saw how my husband treated me - in line with Allah’s orders - politely, patiently and kindly.

As for my friends, they thought I was forced to embrace Islam and wearhijab , because they believed thathijab lowers the woman and makes her a maid and prisoner of her husband. They did not believe that my husband had not forced me to do anything, and that my acts were the result of my full conviction.

Q. What were the positive results of your conversion to Islam?

A. The major thing that was reflected on my life after my conversion to Islam was the psychological tranquility that I have known since I began to communicate with Allah - be He exalted - through my religious duties. I feel great relief when I perform the prayer or fast. I have found myself in a social life that is remote from individualism for Islam invites us to visit our relatives and neighbors and to check if they have any problems be it in good times or bad times.

Q. Do you suggest specific means to invite non-Muslims to Islam in light of your experience?

A. The enemies of Islam are using all their resources to distort the image of Islam. That is why you find that ordinary non-Muslims are afraid of Islam. Therefore, those who seek to serve this monotheist faith need to show its reality and clear its image through satellite channels and internet in foreign languages as much as possible.

Q. After you came to Lebanon, have you ever returned to Latvia, and has the position of your relatives and friends remained the same?

A. I have visited my motherland. My relatives and friends were greatly surprised as they felt that I was happy after I converted to Islam and in my new homeland. I clarified to them a lot of the faith teachings stressing on the social aspects because this side is missing in my town. And as for those who do not enjoy a great deal of thought and education, I chose to speak to them in a simple language that they could understand.

Q. Is it possible to invite people to Islam in Latvia?

A. The Latvian state has allowed the Muslim minority to build its first mosque which needs preachers and imams to guide the people, for Muslims in Latvia know only a little about their faith. It is difficult for those people to invite non-Muslims to Islam as those who lack something cannot give it. Thus, it is the duty of theUlama throughout the Muslim world to prepare preachers in Latvia and elsewhere in the world. The Eastern and Western Europeans view Islam with contempt and disdain; the politicians there sense its threat because of its universal message. Therefore, all Muslims have to be concerned with invitation to Islam in word and deed.

Q. How do you view the Muslim woman in your new homeland, Lebanon?

A. I see that most of the women here are absorbed by the details of the house chores and do not take interest in what is taking place in the society, although Islam has permitted them to go out of the house, work, and study in a manner that does not contradict their marital or motherhood duties.

The Muslim woman has to be aware and cautious; she must not be attracted by the media that tries to make her a merchandise; she has to acquire knowledge about Islam and finish schooling, because the educated mother is better than the ignorant. Her face is the face of the country, and she is the one supposed to prepare the children, so that they do what pleases Allah - be He exalted.

Q. Is there a comment that you would like to address to Muslims through the magazine of Noor Al- Islam?

A: I hope that all Muslims show the pure image of Islam for the faith is being fought ferociously by its enemies. I pray to Allah to remedy the Muslims’ inner and outer selves so that the deeds and words become identical, and praise is Allah’s, the Lord of the worlds.

The American Muslim Sister:

Zaynab Shareef

Zaynab Shareef « Ann Marie » ,is pursuing a master’s degree in psychology and community counseling, BS in Science, and minor in Biology (with a concentration in education and psychology). She has a Medical Assistant Associate Degree. She works as a Program Director and a Child Care Administrator in the USA.

Q. Why did you embrace Islam?

A. I was working with refugee children and had not practiced any organized religion since I was 18 years old. I had turned away from my faith because of a deep feeling that it was not right. I believed in God, but I did not believe that Jesus was God. I had been raised as a strict Catholic and had problems with the role of the priest as« Christ » on earth. When I met these children and their families I was impressed with the total obligation of faith; it was not something that existed for just one hour per week. It rather was in everything and in every part of the life. Then I bought an English interpretation of the Holy Quran and read Surah al-Rad. This changed me forever and opened my eyes.

Q. What about your social environment and upbringing before embracing Islam?

I was divorced from my husband and am raising two daughters alone. I did not participate in the comings and goings of society. I was dedicated to my daughters and the work that I was doing with children in early childhood education. I was also attending college.

I was raised as a Catholic - a strict Catholic. I grew up next door to a church and lived with my grandmother (who was handicapped from a stroke). I helped her and went to Catholic schools, including an all-girl high school. We were taught to respect ourselves and give our lives to God.

Q. How did you embrace Islam? And what was the impact of your embracing of Islam on your milieu?

A. My family of origin - my mother and my father - has had a hard time still with accepting the change in me. They would be quite happy if I do not cover my head, because then I would blend in with the rest of our society. We are very distant, but they see the strength that this has brought me. I am blessedAlhamdulillah to have a good job. I am an administrator at a large child care center for the YMCA. I am free to cover my head and worship as I please. They respect my faith and my observances. It has not always been that way, but someone told me once if I have peace about what I do, so will others. I have had more problems with Muslims who did not revert, judged me harshly, and told me things that were wrong when I first reverted. There is a lot of ugliness in people, and I had to learn to be more assertive in questioning their statements and also to check on the validity of what they were telling me. I sometimes think that those who were handed this faith and this way of life - those who were set on this path at birth - don’t understand why we choose it, because they don’t understand the beauty in it or can’t see the beauty in it and the way of life that the Holy Prophets, the Imams (May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon them) and The Holy Quran call us to live.

Q. What are the tangible positive changes in your life since you adopted Islam?

A. I have found peace inside myself. I have attained greater things. I returned to school to continue my education and have built a stable life (Inshallah ) for my daughters. I have found peace inside my heart and out.Alhamdulillah ! I have also learned just how strong I can be when I walk the path of lslam!

Q. On the personal level, do you feel more peaceful, secure, and relieved?

A. Yes,Alhamdulillah . I am more relieved and I find peace in my prayers, in fasting, and in my practice, and yet, I have so much to learn- so very much! For all that I have learned there is a massive amount I have yet to learn; it is just a molecule in a universe of knowledge. Life is so short, and there is so much to learn!

Q. On the social relationship level, do you feel the difference between your relations with Muslims and those with non-Muslims in past?

A. I have met some absolutely faithful people who have walked the path and do it with the grace goodness that should be there. I wish I could say that all the Muslims I have met have been good people, but this a very bad world, and it is easy to be tempted to do wrong and practice« gheebah » and other sins. I wish that Muslims were as good as The Quran tells us to be. Non-Muslims respect me more, and so many have been so supportive.Inshallah , Allah leads me to more good Muslims and less bad!

Q. Based on your own experience, do you suggest any specific methods to call non-Muslims to Islam?

A. Yes, that is possible through practicing what I preach, remembering Allah in all that I do, and remembering what the Prophet Mohammad and the Holy Imams (Allah’s blessings on them all) told us to do and how to act and behave! Speak softly, be at peace, and carry a strong faith!

Q. What is the role you are personally assuming or the role you intend to assume in serving the Islamic Call?

A.Inshallah , I will be the best Muslim I can be. That is all that I wish to be. I am at Allah’s beck and call.Inshallah , I won’t let Him down.

Q. What are the potentials and prospects of the Islamic Call in your country?

A. Islam can save my country from the downward slope it is on. It can save us from the base instincts that man has enslaved him to. Islam can pull one back from the brim of hell and lead him to Jannah. But it entails fully surrendering one’s self to the will of Allah and to follow the guidance of our Prophet Mohammad and his Ahlul Bayt (peace and blessing on them). It can be done, and it is up to every Muslim everywhere to live his life as an example on how we can enrich the world through our actions and our submission to the will of Allah and the requirements of our faith.Alhamdulillah , Allah has given us a key to heaven; all we have to do is to use it and to work for it in all that we do.

Q. How do you view Muslims’ current state of affairs?

A. I pray every day in every way that Muslims will live up to the legacy that we have been chosen to carry.Inshallah , we will find the courage, the wisdom, and the discipline to follow Prophet Mohammad and his Ahlul Bayt (PBT). But it is hard work, and many are lazy and want to enjoy this life. They sacrifice eternal life for the pleasure in this one, and this will be the doom of our people. Each of us must set the highest standard for ourselves first and for others second. We must sacrifice all that we are for what we can become; but we are so attached to the pleasure of this world that we become easily blinded.

Q. What is your view to the state of Muslim women?

A. I teach my daughters that they are precious and that they should not give themselves away a penny at a time. Women should hold what they are: the key to the future and the mothers of tomorrow. They are sacred and should insist on the respect and consideration that is their due. It is up to all Muslim men to protect the women and for women to transcend and become powerful over everything including the ignorance of all the cultures that tend to corrupt the truth and beauty that Allah has told us regarding our roles as providers, as harbors of life, love, comfort, and joy.