My Journey to Islam

Most people are surprised to learn that I am a convert to Islam. I do not cover my hair with a scarf, and I am most certainly not Middle Eastern. But this is my religion, and without it I would be lost. Choosing to change my religion took time, patience and perseverance. It was by no means an overnight decision. This is my story of how I came to know and love a religion by the name of Islam.

My journey into Islam began on September 11, 2001. After getting over the initial shock of what had happened to our nation on that fateful day, I began asking questions. For example, what kind of God would condone the killings of thousands of innocent people? None of my American friends and family seemed to know the answer; the only reply that I was met with was, “Well, that’s part of Islam.” I knew that this could not possibly be the truth. So, as the weeks went by, I became more intrigued by this religion and began researching Islam. To my surprise, I found out that Muslims and Christians worshipped the same God. I actually agreed with most of the teachings, and came to realize that Islam condemns terrorism. Terrorists are fundamentalists who skewer the teachings of the Koran to how they see fit. They are not even considered true Muslims, for they dishonor the teachings of God.  I also saw that women were valued highly in Islam. In fact, there is a verse in the Koran that says: “Heaven is at the woman’s feet.”

 I continued my studies into Islam until one night I felt as if God had spoken to me in dreams. On this particular night, I had four separate dreams in which I kept seeing this website address flash before my eyes. It read: www.thetruereligion.org, which I had never seen before in my life. Curious to see what this website was about, I awoke and ran to the computer. I felt chills as I saw that this was a website geared towards people who were considering converting to Islam. At that moment, I knew right then and there that this was the path for me. The very same day I went to the mosque to take my declaration of faith. As I repeated the words of the Imam, I began to cry tears of joy, as I was now officially a Muslim.

                       Islam is a beautiful religion, and I am still learning more as each day passes. Although I do not wear a scarf just yet, I know that in due time I will inshallah. It has now been a little over two years since the day in which I officially became a Muslim. My journey took quite some time, but with patience and perseverance I finally found the true meaning of joy in my life. And that joy is Islam.