From: jodar@chaph.usc.edu (Nicholas Jodar)
Subject: Reverting to Islam....
Originator: zeeshan@occs.cs.oberlin.edu (Zeeshan Hasan -Moderator)
Organization: Oberlin College Computer Science
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 23:33:48 GMT
X-Posted-From: occs.cs.oberlin.edu
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol.ctr.columbia.edu


Assalamu Alaikum....

Auzu Billahi Min Ash-Shaitan Nirajeem.  Bismillah...

The following is a copy of a letter which I thought to share with
the net, since some of this may be of use to others.

-AQ

--------------------------------------------------------------------

To 	CHOWDHURY@axe.humboldt.edu
>From 	Brother Abdul Qadir
Cc	soc.religion.islam

Assalamu Alaikum....

Auzu Billahi Min Ash-Shaitan Nirajeem.  Bismillah...


>(4) The [below] questions were asked of you solely to increase my 
>understanding of your situation and to help address the situation of a 
>friend. Please do your best with that intention in mind.

:-)

Inshallah, I always try do my best with that intention....

>(1) You describe in your account about a voice saying, "You want 
>answers. You've got answers." Was this in a state of sleep or were 
>you awake? 

I was conscious.  Beyond that, I can't say.  If you want my best
guess, I'd hazard to say that I had an 'out of body experience,'
and that the 'voice' was that of one of my guardian angels.

Allah (SWT) knows best....

>You also mention that you remembered almost nothing but 
>that your life was changed forever. Could you elaborate on this? 

Compared to what I knew at one point in time, (probably more than 
you could ever understand), the knowledge I have now is so minute
as to be almost inconsequential.  I managed to remember a few
things, though....  Answers to questions like:  'What is Life?'
'Why are we here?' 'What is Death?' 'What is Love?' 'What is
Reality?' 'What is Truth?' et cetera....

>It 
>also seems that between the time you had this experience and the time 
>you met your Lebanese friend, there was a period of hiatus. What was 
>your state of mind during this period?

The 'period' was one of approximately six years.  My experience
drastically reduced my stress level, gave me the proper
perspective of Reality and my place within it, increased my
spiritual sensitivity, greatly increased my taqwa ('God-fearing'
or 'God-consciousness'), and caused me to abandon the psychic and
emotional barriers I had erected about myself for protection over
the course of my lifetime.

In other words, I came back to my true self, the way I had been
as a small child, long before the world had beaten me to a pulp.
My state of mind was one of peace and contentment, with a strong
determination to fulfill the duties which have been placed upon 
me by Allah (SWT).

>(2) As a Christian who accepted Islam, how has your life changed in 
>tangible form? 

First of all, I was not a Christian.  I was a believer in Allah
(SWT), and his Prophet Jesus (AS), but I had never swallowed the
part about the Trinity and Jesus (AS)'s being divine.  The
Crucifixion bit bothered me, too, but I didn't know enough to be
able to refute it.

In any case, I was 'religious,' but I wasn't Christian.  (At
least, according to other Christians....)

How has my life changed?  That's easy to answer! :-)

The changes that occurred immediately were:

- learning how to make proper ablution;
- adding formal prayer, at specific times, to my praying;
- a refusal to eat pork altogether;
- a complete reading of the Qur'an as soon as possible.

Now, a year after the fact, differences include:

- dressing differently (optional);
- new habits (Sunnat) which I didn't have before (optional);
- going to church regularly (optional);
- MORE KNOWLEDGE.

The last one is the most important.  Finding out I was Muslim was
spiritually and intellectually similar to trading in a bicycle 
for a car.

>What would you recommend to another such person who is 
>contemplating doing the same thing? 

1)	TAKE YOUR TIME.  Allah (SWT) judges us on our intentions,
	not on what we accomplish.  If you have the intention to
	find the Truth, and you refuse to give up, you will find
	it, sooner or later.

2)	BEWARE OF SATAN.  The closer you get to Allah (SWT), the
	more Satan will fight to keep you from finding 'Him.'
	Trust in Allah (SWT), ask 'Him' for help, and seek refuge
	in 'Him.'  Satan has no real power over you.

3)	REMEMBER THAT THE TRUTH IS SIMPLE AND CLEAR.  Allah (SWT)
	gave us our conscience, our heart, and our intellect to 
	point us right to 'Him.'  Use them.  Ask for 'His' help.

4)	REMEMBER THAT MEN ARE IMPERFECT.  Only the Words of 
	Allah (SWT) are perfect.  Even the words of the Prophets 
	are subject to error and misinterpretation.  Take them
	with a grain of salt.  You should place all of your faith
	in Allah (SWT), not in anyone/anything else.

5)	YOU AREN'T ALONE.  The strongest Faith, and the truest
	people, are made the hard way; with lots of work!  The 
	basis of Truth is in the belief that 'There is naught
	worthy of worship or servitude except Allah.'  Once you 
	have that down, the rest will come, but it may help you 
	to remember that others have tread the path you're on and
	will support you in your search for the Truth.  It will 
	be very difficult at times, but never give up!  Allah (SWT) 
	never abandons those who seek 'Him,' and you will be 
	greatly rewarded for even the smallest effort.

>(3) Keith Marino is the person to whose question you responded in the 
>soc.religion.islam network. I don't have access to that network and I 
>would like to get in touch with Keith. If you can help me in this regard, 
>I'll be grateful. 

Well, Keith...  Here's an opportunity for more feedback.... :-)

-AQ

[I beg Allah's forgiveness for my weakness and insufficiency in ]
['His' service, and I ask for his protection from Shaitan and   ]
[from my own Desires.  None can protect me except Allah.  If I  ]
[have made any errors, I beg Allah to bring them to my attention]
[so that they may be corrected.  If I have made none, then it is]
[only through the Grace of Allah and all praise is due only to  ]
['Him.'                                                         ]


Newsgroups: soc.religion.islam