Saturday 4 June 2011

Officially Taken Shahada!

Assalamu Alaykum.


I consider myself to have three birthdays. Three, why? I have my real birthday (as in when I was born), the day I decided I was going to be Muslim, and the day I actually went to the mosque and took shahada.


Ever since the day I decided I was going to be Muslim, in my heart, I was already Muslim - I was already a revert. But I only made it official last week. Masha'Allah it was an amazing experience, not only because I reverted, but also because it was my first time at a mosque.


It was a fun day.


To get an excuse of leaving the house, I told my parents that I was going to watch a film in Burton (which I did, after taking shahada) with some friends. (It's true!)


I went to Burton on the bus with my friend Ed, an agnostic who wants to learn more about Islam. On arriving to Burton, as with most voracious teens, we set off to find somewhere to eat. Subway!


I very nearly decided to get the Subway Melt (my favourite sandwich from subway); unfortunately, it contains bacon, and I chose otherwise. Much later, with a lot of help (basically a 20 minute conversation) from TheSisterWhoSmiles who was on Google Maps at her house, while Ed and I were being guided by her via phone. JazaakAllah kheir, TheSisterWhoSmiles, for your excellent navigational skills!


Then we found the mosque. It was around 2pm.


I was very scared to enter because I thought it was prayer time, and we did not want to cause  any disruptions to the prayer. So I asked TheSisterWhoSmiles when the prayers would start. I believe I must have said "the asr prayer" which is obviously later in the afternoon. I thought she said that the prayers won't start until the afternoon, but what I did not realise that the zuhr prayer was why there were a lot of people coming into the mosque!


So Ed and I walked in, thinking that there were no prayers happening. I got in to the place where you take the shoes off - but there was no one there. Then someone walked in. I asked where the imam was, explained why I was there, etc. Then suddenly he took me into the wudhu room, and began to instruct me to perform wudhu, which I gladly did. It turns out that he was the junior imam at the mosque.


What a blessing... to walk in the mosque just before the imam does. Allah subhana wa ta'ala does work in wonderful ways! SUBHAN ALLAH!


Then Imam Zia led me to the prayer room, and I followed the actions of the brothers there, praying the zuhr prayers. It was beautiful, very peaceful... and very awkward! I wasn't totally sure whether I was doing the right actions, etc. but it went well.


Later on, after a length sermon in Arabic (which I could not understand, to my dismay), the head imam called me to the front of the congregation, and he asked some questions, and then I took shahada.


After lots of talking, and many of the congregation leaving, I had a chat with the imams and they gave me lots of books about Islam, and they also gave me a copy of the Holy Qur'an! :)


So grateful...


Anyway, I wrote a poem about the day's proceedings:




A beam of light shines, blinds
stirs me from my sleep.
The rusty mind creaks, bends,
unravels mysteries, upon mysteries.
All my life waited for this...

one moment
one chance
one time

to break out, step out of line,
and into a new one,
the line leading to the circle of the...

one life
one cause
one God.

The path of truth begins...

brilliance
sparkle
smiles

and the truth quest for...

knowledge
truth
love

commences. The ship of life beckons
and I must embark on a journey;
I depart.
Take the plunge.


ALHAMDULILLAHI RABIL ALAMEEN!

7 comments:

  1. ASALAMUALIKOM WAHRAHMATULLAHI WABARAKATUHU!! Mash'Allah, brother I'm so happy for you!!! Just know that it can be hard not having an Islamic support structure so I advice you to ask Allah swt for help along your road to junnah. ALLAH SWT is the best helper you can have. And ofcourse you have a whole new family, the Muslim ummah, it is our duty to help a brother in need. So don't ever hesitate to ask for help. Salam to you from the USA

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  2. Wa alaykum salaam! Thank you so much! I find it rather unexpected that so many people are wishing me well and are happy in welcoming to the circle of Islam. SubhanAllah!

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  3. Well done Marco. I was happy to help.

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  4. Welcome to Islam brother! May Allah (swt) shower his blessings and keep you happy in this world and the hereafter ameen.
    Have your parents found out you've become a Muslim yet?

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  5. Thank you Hannah! And, no! I am not going to drop such a bombshell on them, just yet. I know they should be accepting as parents, but Islam is just something that I know will be difficult for them to accept, and I cannot be dealing with a rift between my parents during an exam period. InshaAllah when I have left home, I will tell them. Thanks for the concern. :)

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  6. salamunalaikum akhee nasir.

    Alhamudlillah! Merhaba akhee merhaba.YOU have got the most valauble treasure one can have. i.e true faith. Im very glad to hear this,but akhee how come ur parents didnt knew when u took it offficially?

    Neverthless i ask Allah to ease ur life's journey, strengthen your faith, increase your trust and show guidance to your parents. A'meen.

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  7. Wa alaykum salaam, Hamid. Unfortunately, my parents are firm Islamophobes. They hate all things Islamic, and constantly talk about killing Muslims. But without this huge Islamophobia, I would have never began my journey to Islam.

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