Hi all .....about time I introduced myself :)
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welcome Imaani1 -- um, March 2009? you've actually been longer here than me... anyway still welcome
Congratulations on your first year embracing islam to the one God. Alhamdulillah. I'm a little curious about that muslim lady who advised you to read just the Quran... does she know about this forum, too?
Recently studying 2125 made me realize that Prophet Ibrahim--who by God's will established the foundation of islam--together with his son Ismail, began developing a family, a community of muslims through openness and hospitality. That's just exactly what we need in the world today, innit? Reading your intro, i know you have grasped the essence of islam, which is indeed a "peaceful, loving, logical system" (no nonsense, please!) handshake
Let's learn together and stay humble to each other... we have all the hope in the world to live together in islam to Allah -- islam as it's meant to be...
group
Peace
P.S. Best wishes to your family and children and the little 'one on the way'  
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Salaam Imaani,
I am deeply sorry for the emotional trauma that you went through on the special day of your shahada. What you went through was caused by a classic case of Religion vs Culture. Allow me to explain
You explored Islam as a religion, you took it precepts seriously as an agent of change and evolution in your life. It is something functional and not simply nominal. The opposite is true with these folks. For them, it is the labels which matter. Your husband may be the most peace-loving human being who believes in God and would give his last penny to the needy but it doesn't matter. He doesn't wear the Arab-Islamic guise. He doesn't pray in Arabic or use Arabic litanies to demarcate his sentences. THAT is what makes him a 'non-muslim' to them. That is culture. It has no function except to distinguish with other cultures.
Well done on seeing past this culture and concentrating on religion. If you read Quran, you will notice that it doesn't care about your cultural expression as long as your ethic is aligned to what it considers to be natural law.
thanks.
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Hello everyone, I have been a member for a while but have never introduced myself but enjoy reading all your posts. Ill try to explain as best I can how I came to god alone excuse me if its not clear or its longwinded.....
I converted to Islam in February and thats where my story starts. Prior to converting (like most I assume) I began reading the Quran and various articles, sites on Islam. What I read made sense and being confused about my birth religion (roman catholic) in regards to who wrote the bible and various other issues I went with my instincts and visited the local mosque. Im happily married (5 years) with two wonderful children and one on the way. My husband was happy for me to explore anything that made me happy and had no issues with my growing interest in Islam.
Cutting a long story short, I met some likeminded (or so I thought) people who encouraged me that the time was right to take my shahadda. On the day I was to take it I was excited yay I was taken aside by the women who would take me through it and another witness.....just as I was about to begin the woman said "I hear your married" i replied that I was and she said well before I begin im just letting you know your marriage will not be valid after shahadda -....she quickly continued with my shahadda and i went through it a bit numb and shocked I felt too embarressed to question what she ment but too stuborn to say "well ill not take my shahadda then" ...I was then led to a women who looked soooo miserable that she looked on the verge of tears...I was introduced to her and told this is so and so...she has the same issues as you and made the brave decision to leave her husband and children for her faith any advice you need just ask her hypno......WHAT ARRGGHHH...my exciting day had been ruined (to soft a word) and I was now completley dumfounded
I sought advice with a muslim lady I knew as I was so upset that this peaceful loving and logical system would insist I break my family up because id found the truth. '(.I was advised (all be it very discretley) to read the Quran without hadith (or the view of the women in charge of the sunday mosque meeting) for myself. I did but still found contradictions everywhere. I decided to ask god for his advice and in the mean time went on a basic residential Arabic course at a local institute. Whilst there one of the organisers heard my concerns and provided me with a copy of a fatwa which explained i didnt need to leave my non muslim husband and children...more confusion ???
so phew (sorry for waffeling) I went back to the mosque feeling that I may have been misinformed and would give the women the benifit of doubt. Two or three visits later i realisied that i was continually witnessing a total lack of regard for Quran. All lessons, talks , advice and religious views were based on hadith....when i questioned this I was repremanded ...there is soooo much more I could tell you about how i was treated (all because I went away and researched myself or tried to help ladies who were being given frightening advice as regards divorce , custody and domestic violence all based on hadith).
I decided that I would rather be alone and follow Quran and try to gain knowledge enough to dispute issues with authority rather than my gut feelings, than be part of a group following hadith and see injustice done. Im a trainee Barrister and it is second nature to me to use the primary source for informationand try to evidence things and not to advise without knowledge....but I was made to feel i was wrong for doing this. i also really disliked teh constant reference to how much reward i would get for this and that and how i would be overlooked or not heard by god if i missed just one ritualistic instruction (like not washing hands so many times or pronouncing my arabic incorrectly)....i got the impression that it was all about reward and standing out as a muslim via my choice of clothes than it was about love, good deeds, peace happiness and pleasing god thorugh helping others.
Waffle over.......so here I am im still very much a learner and always will be......my stab at Arabic wasnt great and im still trying to learn ...but i love to learn so its a joy. The more of Quran I read the more I know I have made the right decision and my family continues to be happy healthy and my husband continues to enjoy hearing about what ive learned and becoming more open to teachings or healthy debate on subjects arising in the Quran....
I am happy to have found the group and thank you all for the interesting and thought provoking posts you write they have are both helpful and encuraging ....I hope one day I will be able to contribute at the same level of understanding.
bravo welcome
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welcome
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Peace,
Hello Immani, welcome ot the forum, I was raised Roman Catholic myself, became a Quran alone muslim about 5 years ago. Dont let anyone else tell you what you have to do or believe, just read and learn on your own, and ask others for advice when your confused, things will work out if you just keep praying and searching for answers sincerely, God will always help you and guide you, I usually say a little prayer from the Quran, "Please God guide me even closer than this to the truth," whenever im confused over an issue. Also, there are many very intelligent, wise, and kind people on this forum that will help you figure things out if you need. Just start posting your questions and comments on the forum and you will see how much help you will get, just put all your trust in God and dont worry about the minor stuff, just be happy and enjoy your family. God places no burden on us that we cant handle.
Kurt
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Selam Immani
Welcome to the forum (family ;D). Your story is a touching one which reminds me of my disputes with family members and friends, which continues to this day as they feel I am misguided not accepting Hadith stories. I feel you have very simular experiences to many in this forum, even those who were born to a muslim family. The thing that gets to me is after I started to read the Quran and read articles on the net/books and read peoples posts in the forum, I have realised I have been misquoted by many people about things which were claimed to be in the Quran, but were not. Now people ask me you must do this and when I say way, they say its written in the Quran. When I ask them to show me and we can discuss it, they get very upset and say they will but that day never comes. I believe what abdalquran said about mixing Islam with culture, many people do this but the funny thing is they don't know they are actually doing it. Anyways, I wish you well in your journey and enlightenment to find the true meaning/message of The Gods system.
P.S. I advice you to read this article about The Shahada
http//www.free-minds.org/testimonypeace
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Hi Hope4 thanks to you and everyone else for your welcome.
I have just finished reading the article you suggested...very interesting ). Its such a shame that without realising it a huge proportion of "new muslims" head in the wrong direction thinking that they are doing the right thing. Im thinking back now to my first visit to the mosque and all the free literature I was given that contained mostly hadith and such but I was so desperate for knowledge and to find others like me I was blind to questioning it.
I was explaining to my mother the other day that many of her assumptions about the muslim faith are wrong after she jokingly said to me how can you be a muslim when you dont wear a headscarf and do this and that I asked her if she had read the Quran and she was a bit taken aback but she understood what I ment. Since then I took the time to read fully the front/welcome page of this web site which out lines some misconceptions held by non muslims and muslims alike and have decided !that ill print it off a few times and hand it to my mum and my sisters and anyone who would like to know more, as its a brilliant introduction.
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Its such a shame that without realising it a huge proportion of "new muslims" head in the wrong direction thinking that they are doing the right thing. Im thinking back now to my first visit to the mosque and all the free literature I was given that contained mostly hadith and such but I was so desperate for knowledge and to find others like me I was blind to questioning it.
Selam Imaani1
Yes its a shame that they head in the wrong direction even though the answer is right there infront of them, starting from topic 1
11 In the name of God, the Almighty, the Merciful.
12 Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.
13 The Almighty, the Merciful.
14 Sovereign of the Day of Judgment.
15 You alone we serve, and You alone we seek for help.
16 Guide us to the straight path.
17 The path of those You have blessed, not of those who have incurred
the wrath, nor the misguided.peace
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Hi Hope4 thanks to you and everyone else for your welcome.
I have just finished reading the article you suggested...very interesting ). Its such a shame that without realising it a huge proportion of "new muslims" head in the wrong direction thinking that they are doing the right thing. Im thinking back now to my first visit to the mosque and all the free literature I was given that contained mostly hadith and such but I was so desperate for knowledge and to find others like me I was blind to questioning it.
Yes, I feel sad for these 'new Muslims' as well. What's ever worse is that they tend to leave their critical thinking faculties at the door of the shahada-taking office! However, I do think some of them are seeking out an alternative religious expression than Christianity. So intead of worshipping Jesus, they end up worshipping Muhammad.
I was explaining to my mother the other day that many of her assumptions about the muslim faith are wrong after she jokingly said to me how can you be a muslim when you dont wear a headscarf and do this and that I asked her if she had read the Quran and she was a bit taken aback but she understood what I ment. Since then I took the time to read fully the front/welcome page of this web site which out lines some misconceptions held by non muslims and muslims alike and have decided !that ill print it off a few times and hand it to my mum and my sisters and anyone who would like to know more, as its a brilliant introduction.
Notice even your mum goes for the outward signs (headscarf) before she looks at the theological/ethical elements. It's funny how the 'meat' of the faith is overlooked yet the packagining (which is unnecessary and often at times spoiling the meat it contains) becomes more important.
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peace and welcome.
Your experience of externals taking precedence over the internals is sadly not unique. It is the plague of group mentality, not exclusive to religion either.
From my studies, The Quran utterly smashes these superficialities.
You may find the following site useful
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Welcome Imaani1.
Nice story on your path to God alone and good to see how your profession helped you in someway to keep critical thinking ahead of your emotional feelings to a new religion, which mind you the quran states islam as a system (deen in arabic) and NOT a religion. The article on front page will explain the difference which many people still don't know.
Looking forward to your questions and contributions on this forum.
PEACE
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Peace,
Respect.I read your story, sister and I can see that you are clearly more brave then I was in the beginning.
When I questioned, I diodn't ask anyone, I simply isolated myself from sunnis with a copy of The Qur'an.
Glory be to God, now I follow Qur'an and nothing else and I'm not worried nor afraid regaridng sunnis.You have gone through a war with sunnis, from what I read and I hope that God gives you more strength, more patience which is why you should keep up with The Qur'an and don't mind people;s opinions, even mine, ;D
Anyway, God bless you and keep up the good deeds.
Peace. -
Hello Imaani,
Congrats for you.. Maybe you can recognize that there is no such thing called "Religion of Islam" in Quran, on your next journey. It's proper translation is "The Way/System of Peace". God's final message beyond of languages, cultures and religions. It's not necessary to call or convert yourself to Muslim/Islam anyway after you recognized that The Quran is pure God's word.
Regards
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Hi Exodus and Alen
I have to say that since my first post Ive come on leaps and bounds and whilst Ive had a few stumbles ive always found myself being called back to Islam.....and Exodus you are so right, once you get the point of Islam you understand that converting and some ritual things are not the be all and end all.......its who you are in Islam and not how you package and advertise yourself via clothing and sect yeyeyeyeyyeyeyeyey im so glad god guided me to the forum hail
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I can't believe something, you're more courageous than me, if it was a few weeks ago and came to ask me, i would have told u the same, your husband is not lawfull to u, wow, i can't believe i was like that, it was hard for me to go for the true message of islam, well, i pull my heat for you lady, you're more rationel and courageous than me, but thanks allah we're in the same line , one thing is for sure, when i get married, i will never ask my wife to wear a scarf over her head, thanks allah i never wear a beard and the midieval cloths , i never like them and to tel you the truth, look at religious people who pretend to represent god, jews, christians, sunnis, shi'a ... with their beards and medieval cloths, allah put a curse on them because they lie to much on his name so he made them look like monkeys , just like he said in his verse from the koran
