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I would never give up my Islam

What little knowledge I have about Islam has been gained through reading everything I can find on the internet, and through my true friends and family on the Internet. I will never give up.

According to rahyafte (the missionaries and converts website) I was born in Arkansas to Christian parents. I was raised here all my life on a farm. My father was a Baptist minister, which is just a sect. of Christianity, such as Catholics, Methodist, etc. The town that I lived in was completely white raced and all Christians. In fact this was the scenario in a 300 mile radius of me. So I had never been exposed to any other cultures or religions. But I had always been taught that we were all created equal in the eyes of God, and that there was no difference in race, color, culture or religious practices. Later I discovered that this was easy for them to preach and teach as long as they stayed closed minded and these other people did not invade their world.
The first time I seen a Muslim was while I was in college at the University of Arkansas. I will admit at first I stared at the women in their “different clothing” .But the first time I had the opportunity to get to know a Muslim lady that I felt comfortable with in asking questions, it started a thirst in my heart and soul that will never be quenched. Alhamdulillah!!!
I will never forget her, she was from Palestine and I would sit for hours listening to stories about her country and the culture, but what intrigued me most was her religion … Islam. This lady had an inner peace about her. Like no one I had ever seen. I can remember so well even today her telling me about the prophets, peace be upon them, and ALLAH. Even though I had never voiced this to anyone, I had always questioned in my mind the concept of what Christians called the “trinity” and why we had to pray to Jesus (peace be upon him) and not to God directly, and why so much emphasis was put on “Christ” and not God.

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My friend did everything she could do to convince me that Islam was not just another religion, it was a way of life. My friend graduated six months later and returned to Palestine. She was killed two weeks later outside of her home. I was devastated, it was like a part of me had died with her. We knew that when she returned home our chances of ever seeing each other again in this life was very unlikely, but she told me that what was most important to her was that she seen me in the here after in “Paradise”.
During this time I had met and made friends with a lot of people from the Middle East. They also helped me deal with the lost of my friend. This was also when I came to love the Arabic language. It was beautiful. I would listen to Qur’an for hours, even though I didn’t have any idea what they were saying. Even today, I love to have someone read to me from the Qur’an, and I still can’t understand what is being said, but it still touches my heart and soul.
After I left college and returned to my “community”, I didn’t have the honor to be around Muslims any longer. But the thirst had never left nor had my love and desire for the Arabic language. Which I might add infuriated my parents and other friends.
Then in the Spring of 1995, Allah brought someone into my life. This person was such a wonderful example of what a Muslim should be and what Islam was about that once again, I began to ask questions. I was even taken to my first mosque. That will be a memory that shall forever be etched into my memory.
For 8 months I studied everything he could possibly find me and read and listened to tapes continuously. Then on February 15,1996, I officially embraced Islam. Our engagement was broken because his parents were against the idea of him marrying an American. Even though we are no longer engaged, I respect and admire him greatly. And I would never give up my Islam.
I lost most of my friends. But when I embraced Islam, my family first tried to have me committed to a mental hospital, when that didn’t work, they completely disowned me. They did make calls to me to tell me that they hoped I rotted in hell. Yes this hurt, even though my family and I had many differences, I still loved them deeply. Thanks god my faith in Islam was strong.
One day when I returned home one afternoon I found that someone had shot at windows of my home, and spray painted “TERRORIST LOVER” down the side of one of my vehicles. The police were no help to me at all. That same night while chatting ,I heard gun shots ring out. They had returned, and finished almost all the remaining windows that were left in my home, and killed my pets that were outside.
Last week when I went to pick up my clothing at the dry cleaners I was informed they had been lost, these articles included all my scarfs,hijabs, jilbabs,. How convenient for them to lost these items.
The town I live in is very small and there are no other Muslims. The closest mosque is 120 miles away. Even though I am alone as to the fact that I do not have any other Muslims to visit with and learn from, but ALLAH is always there!!
What little knowledge I have about Islam has been gained through reading everything I can find on the internet, and through my true friends and family on the Internet. I will never give up.
I am not writing this story in hopes of gaining pity. I do ask that everyone continue to pray for me, or anyone that is reading this to be assured that ALLAH will never let you down. But the injustices and prejudices that we Muslims face here in the United States and around the world has got to come to an end. It has to be acknowledged and dealt with, I know I am not alone in this fight. It is time that the media print and show the “TRUE” side of Islam. ALLAH will prevail!!!!
I love you all.
Amirah

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