Stories that make my eyes water
Conversion stories. Or reversion stories, if you may like.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to listen to a conversion story of an American man who came to Malaysia as a Christian preacher serving in the jungles of Sarawak (and a medical doctor by profession); but who then reverted to Islam. Alhamdulillah.
The really interesting part about his story was that he was never coaxed or even preached to about Islam. In fact, he had been brought up with people telling him that the holy Qur'an contained messages of sin and of satan. Muslims were the enemy.
A well-read and learned man, his knowledge is not only bound to detailed studies of the Christian scriptures; but also to knowledge of the other religions and their histories. Through this thirst of knowledge, he discovered the truth about many things and it was this truth that he preached.
The day that he informed his congregation that Christmas was and is actually a celebration with pagan roots; his life took a turning point.
It is most unfortunate that people would rather turn away and live a life of lies when confronted with the truth; rather than simply accepting the truth.
Not understanding why people would rather live believing something that was based on many conjectures, he decided that there was no point in going to church anymore.
It was on fateful night that he took a look at all the books that he had in his library, and decided to read the one book that he had never had the chance to read - a translation of the holy Qur'an.
He opened the book, hoping to find mistakes. And for one who knows the Christian scriptures like the back of his hand; it amazed him that he could find none.
He wept. All his questions were answered in the Holy Qur'an. No more confusion.
He read the translation of the Holy Qur'an cover to cover and finished the whole translation in 3 days; stopping only when his eyes would not keep open.
After he finished, he said the syahadah. He had finally found the truth and he was not going to let it go.
He had become the 'enemy.'
Alhamdulillah.
Sure, he has gone through AND is going through some really tough tests in his life because of this choice, but then again, who doesn't?
“Do men think that they will be left alone on saying ‘We believe’, and that they will not be tested? We did test those before them, and Allah will certainly know those who are true from those who are false.” (Surat al-Ankaboot, 29:2-3)
The feeling of knowing what the truth is after being lost for so long... is something to hold on to strongly. And when the truth is right in front of your face, there is no way that you can deny it.
That same feeling, when someone relates it time and again - is always enough to make my eyes water, and to bring back memories of the time when I said the syahadah.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to listen to a conversion story of an American man who came to Malaysia as a Christian preacher serving in the jungles of Sarawak (and a medical doctor by profession); but who then reverted to Islam. Alhamdulillah.
The really interesting part about his story was that he was never coaxed or even preached to about Islam. In fact, he had been brought up with people telling him that the holy Qur'an contained messages of sin and of satan. Muslims were the enemy.
A well-read and learned man, his knowledge is not only bound to detailed studies of the Christian scriptures; but also to knowledge of the other religions and their histories. Through this thirst of knowledge, he discovered the truth about many things and it was this truth that he preached.
The day that he informed his congregation that Christmas was and is actually a celebration with pagan roots; his life took a turning point.
It is most unfortunate that people would rather turn away and live a life of lies when confronted with the truth; rather than simply accepting the truth.
Not understanding why people would rather live believing something that was based on many conjectures, he decided that there was no point in going to church anymore.
It was on fateful night that he took a look at all the books that he had in his library, and decided to read the one book that he had never had the chance to read - a translation of the holy Qur'an.
He opened the book, hoping to find mistakes. And for one who knows the Christian scriptures like the back of his hand; it amazed him that he could find none.
He wept. All his questions were answered in the Holy Qur'an. No more confusion.
He read the translation of the Holy Qur'an cover to cover and finished the whole translation in 3 days; stopping only when his eyes would not keep open.
After he finished, he said the syahadah. He had finally found the truth and he was not going to let it go.
He had become the 'enemy.'
Alhamdulillah.
Sure, he has gone through AND is going through some really tough tests in his life because of this choice, but then again, who doesn't?
“Do men think that they will be left alone on saying ‘We believe’, and that they will not be tested? We did test those before them, and Allah will certainly know those who are true from those who are false.” (Surat al-Ankaboot, 29:2-3)
The feeling of knowing what the truth is after being lost for so long... is something to hold on to strongly. And when the truth is right in front of your face, there is no way that you can deny it.
That same feeling, when someone relates it time and again - is always enough to make my eyes water, and to bring back memories of the time when I said the syahadah.
posted by Rayhana at 3/20/2006 04:38:00 PM
8 Comments:
Rayhana, may I ask you a question? Do you believe/ agree that Muslims who converted to other religions should be put to death?
I love reversian stories to!!! Practically every time I hear of one or read one, tears start to come, they are just so beautful how each person comes from a diffrent background and how Allah led them to Islam.
Love and Hugs,
Sister Heater
Dear Infidel,
I believe in the divine rules.
There is no compulsion in religion, i.e. if you want to embrace Islam, you embrace it wholeheartedly. There will be no such thing as leaving the religion. For we believe it is the truth. Why turn away from the truth. Why leave the truth.
It is not my opinion that matters, but what God has ordained.
Dear sister Heather,
Thanks for dropping by :)
Yes, Allah touches lives and guides in many different ways.. everyone has a different reversion story!
Love you for Allah's sake,
sister Rayhana
Dear Rayhana,
Be that as it may, there are Muslims who want to leave the faith (I know of at least one, who narrowly escaped death just 2 weeks ago...), herein begs the question if these people should be put to death.
I am afraid you have not answered me. I suspect I already know what the 'official' Islamic stand on this issue is. However I would very much appreciate your personal opinion and answer on this matter.
Cheers
Dear Infidel,
Taken from Studies In Islam, edited by Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, pg. 213 - Apostasy:
Because Islam is not just a religion and the private concern of the individual, but a system of state government as well as individual guidance, apostasy is equivalent to treason, for which people are executed in other countries. Apostasy represents the greatest crime that an individual can do against himself and society, as the ultimate act of rebellion against God. Consequently, though there is not compulsion in joining the religion of Islam, one must be sure when joining and not just make it a game or join for ulterior motives."
Contrary to popular belief, Islam does not mean peace, only. Salam, is peace. Islam also means submission to the will of Allah.
My stand is as what I have said. I abide by what Allah has ordained. In all that He ordains, there is certainly a wisdom in it. And He is All-Wise.
And Allah knows best.
Dear Infidel
Were we created?
Yes?
Who created us?
Allaah!
Were we created without purpose?
No!
What is our purpose?
To worship Allaah, and know, that obedience to what He has commanded us with and refraining from what He has forbidden us from is also included in the definition of worship.
This life is just a temporary abode and is full of trials and tests, and at the end of it we are held to account and all that we will have as currency on that day are our good and our bad deeds.
The best of the good deeds is “there is no god who deserves to be worshiped except Allaah and Muhammad is His slave and Messenger”, but I do not mean that it is sufficient to utter the statement; rather, one must live in a way which acknowledges the implications of such a statement.
So if Allaah created us and He gave us life and provisions, and if He created us for a purpose and that purpose is to worship Him then surely His rights take precedence over my rights and over your rights, that is not to say that we do not have rights, so the worst crime is a crime against the One who created us.
In the West religion has become something which is seen as a personal choice, and due to this mindset it is not surprising that the death penalty for the apostate is an issue which raises may eyebrows.
However, we should put the death penalty for the apostate into perspective. Many countries in the world to this very day still have the death penalty as a punishment for various crimes, and from these countries in America, for indeed it still has the death penalty in place in well over half of its states.
The death penalty in the UK was only abolished 41 years ago, however, although the death penalty was abolished for most crimes there were still some crimes that a person in the UK could do that would earn him or her the death, such as treason and setting fire to the Queen’s ships and dockyards, and this was the case up until 35 years ago.
Here we see that crimes against the creation, result in punishment by death in some countries, and in others one can only receive the death penalty for crimes against the state or against state property, let me repeat that, state property, so a person could be punished by death for setting fire to something (even if nobody was killed), but a person who murders somebody is not put to death as long as the person who was murdered was not the head of state, sounds fair?
Please read the following few points:
http://www.learn-islam.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=13&d=1145510204
May Allaah guide you to the truth and may he guide you to accept the truth, aameen!
Regards
Aboo Uthmaan
Aboo, I am afraid I have to disagree with the answers to all 4 questions you have posed as well as most other points you have brought up. I am not a Muslim, you see...
Anyway, we are all entitled to our own opinions.
However, I would like to ask you both (Aboo & Rayhana) a hypothetical question: Say if your own child decides to leave Islam, and have defied all your reasons/ pleas to re-embrace Islam:
1. Would you report him/ her to the authorities (assuming that you live under a Muslim Sharia government), knowing that he/ she would be put to death?
2. If, by foreign intervention, or any other reasons, your apostate child is released, what would you do to him/ her?
Understand that I am just trying to understand the Muslim psyche, so I would appreciate an honest answer from you.
Cheers!
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