A Jewish American Embraces Islam

I saw her radiant face in a mosque that is located on a hill in a small American state, reciting a translation of the Noble Quran. I greeted her and she returned the greeting warmly and cheerfully; we got talking and became good friends in no time. One night, we were on the shore of a beautiful lake, where she related to me the story of her conversion to Islam. I want to share her experience with you, dear readers, so we can deduce some wisdom from it.

The sister, who was a new Muslim, related, 

 

"I grew up in the Jewish American home of a dysfunctional and broken family; after my parents' divorce, my father married another woman. My stepmother tortured and mistreated me a lot; this drove me to run away from home when I was seventeen. I moved to another state where I met some young Arab men who were, as my homeless friends told me, 'generous'. All a girl needed to do was to give one of them a smile and she would find someone to buy her dinner and offer her a cozy place and a comfortable bed to spend the night.

 

“I followed in the footsteps of my homeless girlfriends, but at the end of each night I would run away; for I did not like such illicit relationships and I hated Arabs. Nonetheless, I was not happy with my life at all and I never felt safe or secure; I was haunted all the time by distress and a sense of loss.

 

“At this stage of my life I resorted to religion, to relish the sweetness and warmth of spirituality, hoping to find in it the motivation to keep me going in my harsh life; however, I found my religion, Judaism, unconvincing. I found it a religion that does not respect women or humanity. I realized that Judaism is a selfish religion that fosters backwardness; I did not find in it my objective, for I do not believe in superstition or myths, so I embraced Christianity. 

 

"However, in Christianity I found even more contradictions and unbelievable things which Christians were expected to believe in without questioning. I frequently asked questions such as: how could the Lord kill His son? How could the Lord have a son in the first place? How can one believe in three gods and not even be able to see any of them?I was bewildered and perplexed at all these unanswerable questions, so I gave up Christianity, yet I always believed that this universe, definitely, has a Creator. I used to spend my nights thinking and pondering on this thought until morning. 

 

"One bleak and gloomy night when it was almost dawn, I was about to commit suicide due to my state of depression. I hit rock bottom and nothing in the world made sense to me anymore. It was raining heavily that night and thick clouds had gathered, enveloping my universe as if they were imprisoning me. Watching the trees around me, I felt as if the crowding trees were looking at me furiously and the drops on rain were playing a hideous and dull melody, as I peered out of the window of an abandoned house. 

 

"For some reason I found myself praying to God, saying: ‘O my Lord, I know that You are out there… I know that You love me… I am a prisoner… I am one of your weak creatures; guide me to the right path. O my Lord, either guide me or let me die.’ I kept praying and crying bitterly that night until I fell asleep and in the morning, I woke up with a cheerful heart, but I did not know the reason behind this unfamiliar feeling. I went out on my daily pursuit of livelihood. Perhaps I would find a young man to pay for my breakfast, or wash his dishes and earn some money.

 

 

 

"Then, I met a young Arab man and we talked and talked for a very long time. After breakfast, he asked me to go with him to his home and live with him. I accepted his offer and went with him. 

 

 

“While we were having lunch, drinking and laughing, a bearded young man named Sa’d – as I came to know later when my Arab friend called out his name in surprise – visited us. This bearded young man took my friend by the hand and drove him away. I stayed there shaking; there I was, face to face with a terrorist! However, he did not do anything scary but politely asked me to go home. I told him that I had no home; he looked at me sadly and I saw on his face how he pitied me, and said, ‘Alright, you can stay here for tonight’ – since it was bitterly cold outside – ‘but you should leave tomorrow. Take this money to live on until you find a job.’

 

 

"He headed towards the door, so I asked him to stop and said, ‘Thank you! Please stay; I will leave, but I want to ask you a favor: could you tell me why you did what you did with me and your friend?" He lowered his gaze while he spoke to me, saying, ‘It is Islam; it forbids what is unlawful and makes permissible what is lawful. It also forbids sitting in seclusion with a non-Mahram (marriageable) woman and drinking alcohol, and Muslims are enjoined to treat people kindly and adopt high morals.’

 

 

“I was perplexed and surprised at his answer; were these the Muslims who were being called terrorists? I thought they carried guns and killed everybody they met; for this was the image drawn by the American media of Muslims. I told him, ‘I would like to know more about Islam, can you tell me?’ He responded, ‘I will take you to a religious Muslim family and I know that they will teach you Islam in the best way.’

 

“The next day at ten o'clock, he took me to this Muslim family who welcomed me warmly. I kept asking them about Islam and Dr. Sulaymaan, the head of the family, answered me until I was totally satisfied and convinced with everything he said about Islam. At that moment, I knew that I had found what I was looking for: a clear and straightforward religion that is compatible with common sense and I did not find any difficulty in believing what I heard about it; it was the truth.

 

 

“That day, I felt ecstatic and savored a sense of bliss when I announced I had embraced Islam, and wore the Hijaab immediately on the same day!

 

“Late that evening, Dr. Sulaymaan's wife took me to the best room in the house and told me, ‘This is your room and you are welcome to stay here as long as you wish.’ She saw me looking out of the window, smiling with tears running down my cheeks. She inquired about the reason behind my tears. I said, 'Yesterday, exactly at this time, I was standing next to a window, praying to Allaah The Almighty and imploring Him either to show me the right way or let me die. He guided me to the Right Path and now I am an honorable Muslim woman who knows her Lord, her Creator and knows the path that leads to Him; Islam is the path to Allaah.’ Dr. Sulaymaan's wife burst into tears and hugged me affectionately."

SUZAN: AMERICAN NEW MUSLIM'S STORY OF CONVERSION

Suzan married Abdul Qadar, a Burmese Muslim residing in Maryland. He was a manager of a shoe company and frequently attended Sunday services in Laurel Mosque. One day he expressed his difficulties to me. He said, "I am married to a Christian lady. We are blessed with twin daughters. I am worried about the future of my children. I tried my best to bring my wife to this mosque but she refused totally. What should I do?" I advised him to bring her to our house for a dinner. She will meet my wife and would feel more comfortable. This approach worked. Suzan started coming to the mosque and also started attending adult sessions for Tafseer of Quran. Few weeks passed very well. One Sunday I was conducting the Tafseer Session. I gave an explanation of a few verses of the Quran and then I invited questions from the participants. Suzan asked a question. Another gentleman responded even before I could say anything. To my surprise Suzan started crying bitterly while sitting in the session. Everybody was confused. Abdul Qadar led her out of the mosque and drove her home. 

Later on I asked Abdul Qadar the reason for her crying. He said, "Suzan refused to go to mosque again. She felt that her question had annoyed the person who answered her with a very serious face. She did not like to annoy anybody."

To the best of our knowledge and judgement the respondent was not annoyed. He only had a serious look. I said to Abdul Qadar, "Please explain to her calmly and cool mindedly that most people from India and Pakistan have serious faces.

You can see this at any airport or bus station or shopping center. This is our cultural drawback." Suzan gradually digested this idea and after few months returned to the mosque. She learned more and more about Islam every week. She found question and answers session very beneficial in understanding Islamic values and faith. She developed friendship with many other ladies in the mosque and received lots of encouragement and respect.

She liked this new way of life and wished to embrace Islam. I had the honor to make her recite Shahada, the Islamic pledge. After that she was a Muslima and our sister. I also performed the Islamic marriage between them in the mosque the same day. Suzan was enjoying a new life under the blessings of the Islamic faith.

During the Islamic marriage I explained them that it was mandatory for the husband to give Mahr to his wife. It can be in coin or kind. I also reminded them that Mahr is the personal property of the wife and she can use it the way she chooses. Husband has no say in it throughout his life. Abdul Qadar eagerly agreed to pay Mahr. Suzan was amazed to see the respect accorded to a woman in Islam and the way her rights were preserved. It definitely strengthened her Islamic Faith. This situation took place in the State of Maryland.

 It will be very interesting to mention another similar situation that took place in the state of Michigan a few years later. As Imam of the Tawheed Mosque, it was one of my duties to perform marriages in this State. A Muslim youth requested me to perform his marriage with a lady. I explained them the rights of men and women in Islam and about the Mahr. Both of them filled the prescribed forms for the marriage and the form for payment of Mahr. After that I asked them if they had any question on their minds before entering into a marriage bond? The lady said, "I have no question". The young man said, "I have an important question to ask you". He said, "I understand that I am supposed to give her Mahr and that will be exclusively her personal property. Is she not similarly supposed to give me Mahr?"

I told him that in Islam the Mahr is for wife only. He was very much surprised to learn this. The lady was amazed, like Suzan, to see the dignity and honor accorded to a woman in Islam. She was also somewhat amused by this conversation.

She chose to be called Saeeda since she was very gentle and nice to everybody. She embraced Islam with clear knowledge, utmost sincerity and full commitment. She immediately started observing full Islamic dress irrespective of fear from neighbours and general public. Her daughters were going to elementary school at that time. She motivated them and asked them to wear scarf in school in spite of the fact that the children tried to make fun of them. I told her that it was not necessary for the young girls for the time being to face the difficult situation in the school. But Saeeda emphasised that they should learn and observe Islamic way of life from their younger age. Saeeda and her two young daughters dressed in accordance with the Islamic code looked very outstanding and graceful when seen in shopping center or other public places.

This was her level of faith and commitment. Her husband used to laugh at himself. He felt that we born Muslims take Islam very easy and hence our commitment is shaky. Abdul-Qadar and Saeeda have a very peaceful and enviable family life.

[Source: Madrasah In'aamiyah]

Prayer of a Sick Person

Imam Baihaqi has stated on the authority of Hadhrat Ali (ra) who stated: "Once, I was present with the Prophet (peace be upon him). At that time, I had fallen so much sick that I prayed to Allah Almighty to grant me death if I am destined to die so that I may get relief from the sickness, otherwise, I may be restored to normal health from the sickness if I have to live for sometime. I, also, prayed for being granted patience if this sickness is a test for me from Allah Almighty." Hearing that, the Prophet beat Ali with his foot and observed: "Oh Ali! repeat what you were saying." Ali (ra) repeated his prayer. Then the Prophet prayed to Allah Almighty: "O Allah! Heal him from the sickness." Ali (ra) stated that he became healthy the same day and the pain never appeared again.

Source: From the book "The Miracles of the Prophet Muhammad" by Shaikh Ahmed Saeed Dehalvi.

The Pious Man and the Shopkeeper

There lived a pious man all by himself, who spent most of his time in praying, fasting and praising Allah. Almost all his waking hours were utilized in meditation and devotions. He was very happy with his spiritual progress. No wicked thoughts came to his mind and no evil temptations entered his heart.

One night, he dreamt a rather disturbing dream. He saw that a shopkeeper in the town was far superior to him in spirituality and that he must go to him to learn the basics of true spiritual life.

In the morning, the pious man went in search of the shopkeeper. He found him busy with his customers, selling goods and collecting money with a cheerful face. He sat there in a corner of the shop and watched the shopkeeper carefully. No signs of any spiritual life at all, he said to himself. His dream could not be true. But then he saw the shopkeeper disappear to pray his Salah. When he returned, he was busy dealing with money matters again.

The shopkeeper noticed the pious man sitting in the corner and asked: "As Salamu Alaikum, would you like something, brother?"

"Wa Alaikum As Salam. Oh! No! No!" said the pious man. "I don't want to buy anything, but I want to ask you a question." He then related his dream.

"Well, that is very simple to explain," said the shopkeeper, "but you will have to do something for me before I answer your question."

"I will do anything for you," replied the pious man.

"All right! Take this saucer; there is some mercury in it. Go to the other end of the street and come back fast within half an hour. If the mercury falls out of the saucer, you will hear nothing from me. There you go now."

The pious man took the saucer and started running. The mercury nearly wobbled out of the saucer. He saved it just in time, and slowed down. Then he remembered he had to return within half an hour, so he started walking at a fast pace. At long last he returned puffing and panting. "Here is your mercury, safe and sound," he told the shopkeeper. "Now tell me the true interpretation of my dream."

The shopkeeper looked at the pious man's weary condition and asked him: "Well, friend, how many times did you remember Allah while you were going from this end of the street to the other?"

"Remember Allah!" exclaimed the pious man. "I did not remember Him at all. I was so worried about the mercury in the saucer."

"But I do remember Him all the time," said the shopkeeper. "When I am doing my business, I am also carrying mercury in a saucer. I am fair, honest and kind to my customers. I never forget Allah Ta'ala in my dealings with other men."

"Men whom neither trade nor sale (business) diverts from the remembrance of Allaah (with heart and tongue) nor from performing As‑Salaah (Iqaamat‑as‑Salaah) nor from giving the Zakaah. They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned (out of the horror of the torment of the Day of Resurrection). That Allaah may reward them according to the best of their deeds, and add even more for them out of His Grace. And Allaah provides without measure to whom He wills" 
[Al Quran, Surah an-Noor 24:37-38]

Did You Thank Allah for Your Eyesight?

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat.

A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?"

The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way."

What he had written was: "Today is a beautiful day and I cannot see it."

Do you think the first sign and the second sign were saying the same thing?

Of course both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

"It is He, Who has created for you (the sense of) hearing (ears), sight (eyes), and hearts (understanding). Little thanks you give." [surah Al-Mu'minun; 78]

The Other Doors

Our 4 year old son has some fairly serious health problems, so we are "frequent fliers" at the local children's hospital. Two weeks ago, our son was there for several days having surgery.

As stressful as that was for us, my visits to that hospital almost always leave me feeling grateful. Why? Because of "the other doors."

As I walk the corridors of that hospital, I pass doors leading to many different departments. I pass the department where surgeons reconstruct children's faces. I pass the department where specialists treat children who have been tragically burned. I pass the department where children with cancer spend their childhoods battling a disease that terrifies most adults. Every day, people walk through those doors. I keep walking.

Occasionally, I walk through a ward, past the room of a dying child. I look in at the child, unconscious amid a mass of tubes and machines. I see the family, staring blankly into space, grieving for what is to come. I keep walking.

On the fourth floor, I pass the "catacombs" where parents with children in ICU watch their days and nights stretch into weeks and months, hoping against hope for good news. I keep walking.

It's late one evening, and I walk to the waiting room. Only one family remains, and their doctor arrives from surgery. He begins to tell them about the patient's injuries....a shotgun blast, self-inflicted ....massive facial damage.... a dozen more operations to come....a lifetime of disfigurement...a lifetime of asking "why?" I sit, half-listening, considering the doors, this family will face in the years ahead.

I stood up. I walk back to the preschool ward, to the one door I seek. Behind this door, our son is slowly recovering from surgery. And in a strange way, I am grateful for the "situation" that we live with.

Because there are a hundred other doors in this place that are far worse. And we could just as easily be in one of those rooms.

As you pray for strength to open the doors you face, be sure to thank Allah Ta'ala for the doors he has spared you.

New Muslim and his mother

The following is a touching story about a new Muslim and his mother. Before he was a Muslim, he lived with his mother until he was about 18 years old. Then he moved out of his home and lived in a different place on his own. During those days, he met some Muslims and became a very close friend of them. Eventually he himself became a Muslim after learning about the beautiful religion of Islam from them. He made an effort every day to learn more and more about Islam. One day, he came to learn about the benefits of being good to one's parents. He learned that a person who looks at his parents with the eyes of obedience gets the reward of one accepted Hajj! (The reward is mentioned in an authentic hadith of Sahih Muslim). After knowing this, he decided to visit his mother whom he did not visit for many years. He bought some flowers and fruits for her on his way. His mother was very pleased to see him after so long. He started spending lots of time with his mother on a regular basis. During his visits, he would stare at his mother and tears would roll down from his eyes. The mother noticed this happening many times and asked him one day the reason why he visits her so much all of a sudden and why he cries. He told her about how he became a Muslim and that the position of a mother in Islam is very high. He also told her about the reward he gets for looking at her. But while looking at her, he cries because the mother is not a Muslim and would not be able to save herself if she dies in this state. The mother immediately recognized the beauty of Islam and became a Muslim.

Allah K Napsandidah Log-peoples