Accepting Islam, Bringing Imaan…At the Tender Age of Eight

Blessed are we to witness, interview and read about the reversion of a multitude of people from different and varied backgrounds, cultures, nationalities and ethnicities. The discovery of which only serves to strengthen our Imaan as we sit in awe of ALLAH’s wondrous ways of dispersing His Guidance. In this month’s edition of the series In The Embrace of Islam, we are privileged to encounter yet another beautiful story of reversion but from a rather unique angle. This is the story of the American Muslim child Mohammed Abdullah, who studied religions at the mere age of six, accepted Islam and brought Imaan at the tender age of eight…

“Alexander Fretz was born to Christian parents in 1990 and his mother ensured from the very beginning that she would allow him to choose whatever religion he wished to pursue for himself. She bought him various religious books and after a close look, at the tender age of eight he announced that he was now a Muslim. Moreover, he learnt everything about Islam such as prayer, the importance and benefit of Qurâan memorization, calling the adhaan, and many of the Shariah laws before even meeting one Muslim, SubhanALLAH!

He chose to be named Mohammed Abdullah, following the example of the Prophet whom, through learning about, he confessed he loved.

He was invited by one of the Islamic channels accompanied by his mother and while the host was preparing to ask the young child questions, he was surprised to find that the child would be doing the questioning. Mohammed Abdullah, brimming with the innate curiosity and enthusiasm of a child asked, “How can I perform Hajj and Umrah? Is the travel expensive? Where do you buy the clothes of Ihraam from?”

The young child, while popular in his school, yet shared that when the time of prayer comes, he stands alone calling the adhaan and prays. The host asked him, “Do you face problems or disturbances with that?” He innocently replied with the tone of a broken heart, “Some prayers pass me sometimes because I do not know the exact time for prayer!”

He was asked, “What attracted you to Islam?” He replied, “The more I read about it, the more I loved it.”

He was asked, “What are your dreams and aspirations?” He replied with longing, “First that I become a photographer so that I can show the world the real and true way of Muslims because it hurts me much to see the filthy American films which tries to destroy the image of my beloved Mohammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam. The second is to go to Makkah and kiss the black stone.”

He was asked, “What are some of your other dreams?” He replied, “I hope that Palestine will return to the Muslims one day as this is their land.”

He was asked, “Do you eat pork with your parents?” He replied, “Pigs are very filthy animals, I do not eat it and I don’t know how other people can eat it.” He was asked, “Do you pray in school?” He smiled and replied, “Yes, and I have found a secret place in the library where I can pray everyday.”

Then the time for the Maghrib prayer entered, while the interview was still in progress. Young Mohammed Abdullah looked at the host and said, “Would you allow me to call the adhaan on television?”
Then he got up and called the Adhaan which could not but cause the host to tear up and cry.”

SubhanALLAH! How heart-warming and imaan boosting are such tales of reversion. Intriguing indeed are ALLAH’s Magnificent ways in leading young and old to the sanctified shores of Islam. Our Beloved Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, “There is none born but is created to his true nature, that is, Islam. It is his parents who make him a Jew or a Christian.” Sahih Muslim.

The rather unusual aforementioned story of reversion has been detailed from the book: Well of Wisdom ”Food for the Muslim Soul”, a book designed to boost your iman daily through inspirational reminders as well extracted from the dawah website http://turntoislam.com

With intent on aspiring and inspiring towards the ‎​Love and Pleasure of ALLAH subhanawa’ta’ala,
Rehana Shah-Bulbulia, the author of ‘Falling In Love With Muhammad SAW’, blogs here and tweets as @muslimahatpeace

Let His Love lead the way, in the blessings & obedience of ALLAH endeavour to live you day…RSB

“Choosing Islam For My Unborn Child”

From the moment her child is conceived and her body begins to transform itself to meet this new physical adjustment, a woman, a mother also finds herself metamorphasising emotionally and mentally. Her ideas, values and aspirations alter to accomodate and anticipate the new life growing within her. Such is the power of motherhood, SubhanALLAH! Every mother will attest to the numerous choices and changes that only motherhood had the ability of introducing her to.

In this month’s series In The Embrace of Islam we encounter Sister Mae, a South African revert who researched and chose Islam for the sake of the future of her unborn child. With aspirations for the best upbringing for her unborn baby, her heart found itself drawn to Islam. We traverse her rousing tale of reversion…

“Like most Europeans in South Africa, I grew up as a Christian. However my family was a bit more religious than the average “Christian” family. We attended church every Sunday morning and evening as well as on Wednesdays and Fridays. My family did not consume pork nor alcohol. They also did not smoke. Foul language was not allowed in our home. My mum always used to cover her head with a hat or scarf when she went to church and she always dressed modestly.

As teenagers we were not allowed to go to parties or dances. So as you can imagine I had a fairly strict upbringing. After school I went on to study Theology. After completing my degree, I furthered my studies by studying fashion design and that was where the external influences began. I was suddenly exposed to gay and bisexual people as well as other religions and races. I entered the working world and also had various relationships with men.”

Sharing with us her initial introduction so Islam, Sister Mae continued, “I ended an almost five year abusive relationship with my then boyfriend due to his ongoing drug addiction. I was almost thiry at the time. I made the decision to concentrate on my work and focus on rebuilding my life. During this stage of my life most of my clients were Muslim.

After a two year break, I felt ready for another relationship and I decided to pray to God to guide me to it. Two weeks later I met a Muslim man. He showed a keen interest in me. After a couple of weeks, I asked him not to make contact with me as my biggest concern was our religious differences. However, he continued to pursue me and during a ten month period I requested three times that he not have any contact with me. He would respect my wishes for a couple of days but then would once again contact me or come to my home declaring his undying love. Sixteen months into our relationship I fell pregnant. Due to our religious differences as well his confusion as to how to deal with his sin and family, he ended the relationship with me. I was six months pregnant at the time.”

Enlightening us as to how, when and why she decided to take the shahaadah and enter Islam, Mae shared, “My company closed during the December holidays and that was the time that I really did some soul-searching. I realised I was going to be a single mother and that I needed to be able to give this unborn child of mine the best possible upbringing I could as a parent. I looked at my own life and weighed up Christianity, as well as the Catholic and the Islamic religion. Christianity got a mental no from me, as I felt that it had never taught me any discipline. Sending my child to a Catholic school was also a no-go for me, as my mind kept recalling the many articles circulating about Priests molesting children. And so I found myself choosing Islam. I visited the library every day reading up on Islam. I found that Islam answered many questions that I had about Christianity, which Christianity could not. It was on the 12 February 2010 that I took my Shahadah. My son was born a couple of weeks later. Despite having hatred towards the father for leaving me during my pregnancy, it did not deter me from accepting Islam. I could not blame Islam for his choices.

It was a difficult time for me as I was alone during the delivery. My family and I were not on the best of terms. The father of my child also only came to see the baby later on after the delivery. Yet to me gratitude, I knew this Muslim family that had sort of ‘adopted’ me, as I had no family in the province I stayed in. The mother and her daughter in-law visited me at my home regularly and kindly showed me how to do many things the Islamic way.

My son was four months old when the father finally approached me to make Nikah.
Allah (SWT) has blessed us with another boy during the course of our marriage and we are still happily married, Alhamdulillah. Having worked through our differences and some marriage counseling.”

In the journey of life, we are all faced with challenges, perhaps moreso those who revert to Islam. Yet Sister Mae strongly shares her fortune in not experiencing many, “I have not really experienced too many challenges since reverting. I never really had much contact with extended family as they reside in other provinces in South Africa. However, my mum and I have our differences as she is very set in her ways and is not prepared to read or learn about Islam. Yet, my closest friend has accepted my decision.”

Concerning her favourite aspects of Islam, she said, “My favorite aspect of Islam is the protection I find in that I can now cover my beauty and body. I can safely and comfortably walk anywhere without getting those lust-full stares from men. No wolf-whistles nor pet names like “baby” or “sexy” being directed at me anymore.”

With regards to her goals and objectives as a Muslimah, she shared, “I am currently busy writing a book about women in marriage and In Sha Allah I will find a publisher when its complete.”

In her concluding sentiments and thoughts, Sister Mae effectively conveyed, “The message I would like to share with other Muslims, me being a revert, is to never stop learning about Islam. Read ahaadith and you will beautify yours and your families’ lives.

My message to Non-Muslims would be to read and learn about Islam. It is the opposite of what the media portrays it as. It is beautiful and simple. Read, for truly knowledge is power.
A cousin of mine once said that Allah is not a real “God”. How wrong a statement that was! If you find Him and come to know who ALLAH really is to us His creation and read Al Quran there would never be a doubt in your mind about the existence of our Merciful Creator.
As a Non-Muslim do not condemn Islam and Muslims if you yourself have never attempted to learn anything about Islam.
May Allah continue to guide us. In Sha Allah.”

Indeed through witnessing Sister Mae’s reversion to Islam, we reflect on the safety and sanctuary that Islam affords us as Muslims and of course, our precious children too, ‎​Alhamdulillah.

Extracted from the SA print mag- The Muslim Woman Magazine 2013, Edition 4

With intent on aspiring and inspiring towards the ‎​L♥√ع and Pleasure of ALLAH subhanawa’ta’ala,
Rehana Shah-Bulbulia, the author of ‘Falling In Love With Muhammad SAW’, blogs here
And tweets as @muslimahatpeace

“Inspired by Islam”

During the ‘madness’ called youth and those tumultous teenage years, we find ourselves constantly searching. Searching for happiness, love and affirmation; searching for direction and purpose; undoubtedly searching for inspiration. How fortunate are those who find all that they are searching for in the haven called Islam! How blessed are those who experience the inspiration of Islam. In this month’s article in the series In The Embrace of Islam, a young Irish sister shares her story of reversion and of simply being…inspired by Islam.

“Assalaamualaikum. Bismillahirahmaniraheem. Praise be to ALLAH, the Lord of the worlds and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad sallallahualaiwassallam. I was born in the UK, to a Catholic family originally from Ireland. I was an only child and during my childhood and youth, I preferred not to intermingle with the opposite sex as well as preferring to stay away from alcohol, smoking and going to nightclubs as was the way of my friends and classmates.

However, I never really thought about religion or even the purpose of life. The first time that I came across Islam was during a World Religions class at the age of sixteen. I studied all the religions but the only religion that captured my heart was Islam. First I studied and learnt about the basics of Islam. For example the five pillars of Islam: praying salaah five times a day; fasting in Ramadaan; giving zakaah and supporting the needy; going for pilgrimage to Makkah and the testimony of faith.

There were a few aspects that truly inspired and drew me to Islam. Firstly, that all our bad and evil deeds are forgiven upon embracing Islam and becoming a Muslim; emigrating for the sake of ALLAH and doing the pilgrimage of Hajj. Secondly, was the belief in One God, Who has no partners as well as belief in all the Messengers including Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Mohammed (Peace be upon them all). ALLAH says in the Holy Quraan, “Do not worship anyone but me.” And the final thing which truly inspired me was the fact that most Muslims come across as very devoted to their Lord, completely submitting themselves to their Creator by not only praying five times a day but also by utilising every second to please Almighty ALLAH.

Even the Prophet sallallahualaiwassallam said, “The least amount of faith is to remove an obstacle from the road.” So I became a Muslim at the age of seventeen and I have been inspired by the discovery that Islam is the straight path; a religion of truth, logic and reason. In Islam I could find answers to all my questions. I learnt that on the Day of Judgement we all have to answer to ALLAH concerning the record of our deeds. No matter what anybody does, we will not be able escape that day. Becoming a Muslim is thus a salvation for us and In Shaa ALLAH we will be rewarded for our good deeds.

When I found Islam, I acknowledged that this was the truth; the straight path and I shared this with my mum and uncle who too accepted Islam, Alhamdulillah. Now they also lead good Muslim lives.

I would like to take this opportunity to share with you some information about Islam. Islam means peace and the word Islam originates from the root word salaam, which means peace. Islam also means to peacefully submit to Almighty ALLAH’s Will. Throughout the history of man, prophets have come to each nation to encourage people to worship ALLAH alone and not to associate partners with Him.

To become a Muslim, all you have to utter with your tongue and believe in your heart is the shahadah. That is, to bear witness that there is no God but ALLAH and that Muhammad sallallahualaiwassallam is His final servant and Messenger.

Islam is not a new religion. Every messenger came with this very same message. If it was the time of Abraham, we would have obeyed him; if it was the time of Moses, we would have obeyed him; if it was the time of Jesus, we would have obeyed him. The only way for salvation is to obey the Prophet of our time, Muhammad sallallahualaiwassallam, who was the final Messenger as there is no Prophet to come after him. This too has been mentioned in the Holy Quraan, which firmly remains a guidance for mankind till the Day of Judgement and will be preserved by ALLAH SWT without a single change.

I would like to conclude by sharing that it is three years since I have become a Muslim and embraced Islam. I absolutely love to wear the Islamic type of dressing and have become particular about halaal food. Alhamdulillah, I have recently married a Muslim brother and I fervently wish to dedicate my life for the sake of ALLAH by spreading the message of truth and justice; by spreading the religion of Islam.”

Like this young sister, many people, whether confronted by the searching period of their youth or the reflective moments of their latter years, have been deeply inspired by the world and way called Islam.

Extracted from the column in the series In The Embrace of Islam
With intent on aspiring and inspiring towards the ‎​L♥√ع and Pleasure of ALLAH subhanawa’ta’ala,
Rehana Shah-Bulbulia, the author of ‘Falling In Love With Muhammad SAW’, blogs at
https://muslimahatpeace.wordpress.com
And tweets as @muslimahatpeace

“Miracles of ALLAH…Al Muqeetu: The Controller of All Things “

We imagine and sometimes believe, that we are the navigators of our lives sailing across the ocean of our destiny. Yet we are many a time corrected by ALLAH, that our lives are navigated as according to His Will, His Decree and that He is indeed Al Muqeetu: The Controller of All Things. And when we finally place our complete trust, reliance and hope in His Capable Hands, we find that our sojourn is not as difficult as we imagined and as long as we allow ourselves to be swept with the current of His navigation, good sailors we will be

Returning to our series, Miracles of ALLAH, in which we share the miracles of ALLAH’s various qualities in real life circumstance, we recommence this month with an inspirational interview with young and vibrant Sister Sumaya Kola. A dynamic muslimah who currently awaits a heart and lung transplant. She shares her life experiences as a pulmonary hypertension patient and the realisation and acknowledgement that ALLAH is undoubtedly the Controller of All Things. We believe that her story will leave us inspired, educated and enlightened regarding the chronic illness PH as well as in awe of ALLAH’s complete control over all our affairs. Walking us through the journey and challenges that has come to be her daily life, Sister Sumaya began…

“Bismillahirahmaniraheem. Being diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension just over ten years ago at the age of fourteen was life changing and slightly overwhelming but with time and faith in ALLAH SWT I have managed to somehow pull through. Simple things that were previously easy for me to do and that most would refer to as normal-everyday tasks, has become somewhat difficult. There are times when I can’t walk from one room to another in our home without getting severely out of breath. Even brushing my teeth, going for a shower and getting dressed in the morning has become a challenge. Sometimes just a mere long conversation with someone over the phone can be most tiring. The feeling of being fatigued all the time and having no energy can become depressing. And there are days where you feel helpless and wish you could do more for yourself but it’s on those days you have to gather extra strength, pull yourself together and place your trust in ALLAH, that with His Help everything is somehow going to be ok.

Emotionally, when I was first diagnosed I was terrified and overwhelmed because at that time, being fourteen years old, I didn’t really know what PH entailed or what was going to happen and to make matters worse,  I was given the notion that I probably wouldn’t live to see my twentieth birthday. But Alhumdulillah by the grace and mercy of ALLAH I overcame my fears and developed the courage, hope and strength to carry on and also surpassed the life expectancy set by the doctors.
 
I have found that through my link with ALLAH SWT, learning more about PH and the support of my family, friends and doctors, accepting this illness as part of my life has become easier. I have lived the past few years of life as normal as possible. I completed school, began working at a corporate IT company and made the most of life by spending each day to the fullest. Two years ago, however, the inevitable had happened. My PH had begun to progress, it was something I dreaded but knew would happen at some point in my future; a reality that my doctors had warned me about. With the progression of the disease came the talk of a heart/lung transplant.

From thereon my condition became a little more complicated and I had to take extra precaution when doing things out of the ordinary. I started having severe dizzy spells or fainting when walking up hills or stairs; I would become fatigued doing little or no activity and would develope severe chest infections every few months. Eventually after being hospitalised twice in early 2012 I was told that I needed to make a decision about going onto the list for the heart/lung transplant. Making the decision was the most difficult step and one of the biggest tests I have ever faced. At first I experienced anxiety to the extent of losing hope. Needless to say this feeling of anxiety was the scariest feeling in the world. Alhamdulillah through the help of ALLAH and the people He put in my path, I made the decision to proceed with the transplant. It was through this period of my life that I found my true strength and had begun my journey of self-discovery.

I have learnt through all my experiences that our emotions are mostly mind over matter. I have also learnt to fully and truly put my faith in ALLAH SWT and hand my life over to Him completely. I have learnt that I am far stronger than I think I am and most of all I have learnt to never give up hope no matter how bad a situation may seem. I have come a long way since being diagnosed and being told that I needed to be listed for a transplant. I feel like all the confusion, the anger, the anxiety, the fear and the pain seems worth it because through all of this I am closer to my ALLAH SWT than I could have ever been. My life has changed in so many ways; ways I can only be grateful for and although I‘m still a tiny bit afraid, I feel like hope has replaced most of the fear and I now look forward to the day that I will be able to breathe easy and live a normal life once again.
 
Explaining to us exactly what PH entails and the reality of living it, Sister Sumaya continued, “Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) is a rare lung disorder where the blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs elevates, thereby putting pressure on the heart and reducing the amount of oxygen that should reach the tissues of the body, causing shortness of breath and exhaustion. This can significantly impact the sufferer’s ability to lead a normal life. PH often leads to heart failure and death. Pulmonary Hypertension may be a standalone condition or it may develop during or after pregnancy, due to Congenital Heart Disease/Defects, Hypothyroidism, Pulmonary Embolisms, Deep Vein Thrombosis, autoimmune disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, or an HIV infection. It can also be a result from the use of drugs such as appetite suppressants, oral contraceptives, and other illegal drugs such as Cocaine. It is frequently misdiagnosed due to its similarities to Asthma, Chronic Bronchitis, Congestive Heart Failure. Living with the condition can be extremely difficult, what would seem simple for other people is far harder for patients suffering from PH, for example walking in a mall, going for grocery shopping, having a shower, getting dressed, bending down and sometimes even eating can be exhausting.

Most patients look almost absolutely normal but are suffering invisible pain on the inside, we feel like someone who has run a mile even on a good day. People who don’t understand put us down a lot of the time telling us things like we should exercise more or we should stop stressing so much in order to feel better, not realising that exercise makes us worse and even if we didn’t stress we would still have PH. Most patients are on oxygen at least some part  of the day, depends on the severity of their PH. I am currently on oxygen 16 – 20 hours a day and there are others who use it 24/7. Young women with PH are told from the onset that pregnancy is a huge risk and should be avoided and so finding a companion who is willing to accept you, considering all this, can be difficult.
There are currently 9 FDA treatments available in the USA, UK, Canada and even places like China, Saudi Arabia and India but we in South Africa have only one of those treatments available here which many patients cannot afford..

In her concluding sentiments Sister Sumaya shared with us, wherefrom she draws her strength, “From my deen, from talking to and making du’aa to my ALLAH SWT, durood recitation and remembering the difficulties that each and every Ambiyyah went through, the greatest of which were faced by our beloved Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. He was Allah’s most beloved yet Allah tested him greatly. I believe that Allah SWT chose me to go through this trial for a reason, and that He is in Control of my life. The reasons I might not understand right now but one day In sha ALLAH I will look back and everything will make perfect sense. A Qur’aanic ayah which has helped through many of the decisions I have made in life including the decision to be listed for the transplant is, “Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allah, certainly, Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him) (42:43). I find that reading Salaah, Qur’aan and Islamic literature has played a huge part in helping me deal with my struggles. It gives me a joy, peace and contentment deep within my heart knowing that ALLAH is there, watching, guiding and helping me through each day.

One other thing I draw strength from is observing those who are going through far more than I ever will: the orphans, those who suffer poverty, those in war torn countries and the oppressed Muslims in Palestine, Syria, Burma, Afghatistan, Kashmir, Mali. I observe their steadfastness despite their adversities and my problems don’t seem that big anymore.”

We fervently hope and pray that Sumaya continues to draw strength from her greatest passion- her deen, as she awaits a heart and lung donor and that ALLAH grant her and all those who are faced with illness, a complete and perfect shifa, ameen. And May our Kind ALLAH also fulfill her wishes and aspirations for the future : in creating awareness about PH; in being a patient advocate; in inspiring and motivating others as well as assisting and striving for the cause of Palestine and Syria, ameen Ya Rabb.

As we reflect on Sister Sumaya’s challenges and life’s journey, we comprehend the importance and value of placing our trust completely in ALLAH Subhanawata’ala and in consciously recognising and acknowledging that no matter what, ultimately He is Al Muqeetu- The One Who Controls all things.

Extracted from my series “Miracles of ALLAH” in the monthly edition of The Muslim Woman …In memory of the late sumaya kola…

“ALLAH The Best of Planners, The Architect of Our Lives”

We begin our every new day, new month and new year with a myriad of goals and plans. Goals and plans regarding every sphere of our lives: personal and professional. Many times though, things don’t happen according to our plans. But everytime, all the time, they transpire according to the Greatest Architect’s Plans, ALLAH Subhanawata’ala.

In this month’s series In The Embrace of Islam, we find ourselves inspired by Sister Sharrifa Carlo’s intriguing tale of reversion. Currently residing and working in the city of Kuwait, she shares her journey through and to Islam and how, while she planned, ALLAH had better plans. For even though she was recruited to ‘free’ Muslim women from oppression, she ended up accepting Islam, SubhanALLAH!

Enlightening us as to how she came to actually accepting Islam, proved compelling. She shared her riveting tale, “Prior to Islam and during my childhood, I was your typical American girl. I was what you would call, ‘an Army brat’, travelling around the world with my family, from military base to military base.

The story of how I reverted to al Islam is a story of plans. I made plans; the group I was with made plans, and ALLAH made plans. And ALLAH is the Best of Planners. When I was a teenager, I came to the attention of a group of people with a very sinister agenda. They were, and probably still are, a loose association of individuals who work in government positions but have a special agenda to destroy Islam. It is not a governmental group that I am aware of, they simply use their positions in the US government to advance their cause. One member of this group approached me because he saw that I was articulate, motivated and very much the women’s rights advocate. He told me that if I studied International Relations with an emphasis in the Middle East, he would guarantee me a job at the American Embassy in Egypt. He wanted me to eventually go there to use my position in the country to talk to Muslim women and encourage the fledgling women’s rights movement. I thought this was a great idea. I had seen the Muslim women on TV; I knew they were a poor oppressed group, and I wanted to lead them to the light of 20th century freedom.

With this intention, I went to college and began my education. I studied Quran, Hadith and Islamic history. I also studied the ways I could use this information. I learned how to twist the words to say what I wanted them to say. It was a valuable tool. Once I started learning, however, I began to be intrigued by this message. It made sense. That, for me, was very scary. Therefore, in order to counteract this effect, I began to take classes in Christianity. I chose to take classes with a certain professor on campus because he had a good reputation and as well as a Ph.D. in Theology from Harvard University. I felt I was in good hands.
In reality I was in good hands, but not for the reasons I thought. It turned out that this professor was a Unitarian Christian. He did not believe in the trinity or the divinity of Jesus. In actuality, he believed that Jesus was just a prophet.

He proceeded to prove this by taking the Bible from its sources in Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic, conveying where they had been changed. In doing this, he showed the historical events which shaped and followed these changes. By the time I finished this class, my deen [religion of Christianity] had been destroyed, but I was still not ready to accept Islam. As time went on, I continued to study, for myself and for my future career. This took about three years. In this time, I would question Muslims about their beliefs. One of the individuals I questioned was a Muslim brother with the MSA [Muslim Students’ Association]. Alhamdulllah, he saw my interest in the deen, and made it a personal effort to educate me about Islam. May Allah increase his reward. He would give me dawaa [i.e. tell me about Islam] at every opportunity which presented itself.

One day, he contacted and informed me about a group of Muslims who were visiting in town. He wanted me to meet with them and I agreed. It was after the Ishaa [night] prayer that I made my way to where they were residing. I was led to a room with about twenty men in it. They all made space for me to sit, and I was placed face to face with an elderly Pakistani gentleman. Mashallah, this brother was a very knowledgeable man in matters of Christianity. He and I discussed and argued the varying parts of the Bible and the Quran until the fajr [dawn prayer].

At this point, after having listened to this wise man tell me what I already knew, based on the class I had taken in Christianity, he did what no other individual had ever done. He invited me to become a Muslim. In the three years that I had been searching and researching, no one had ever invited me to Islam. I had been taught, argued with and even insulted, but never invited. May Allah guide us all. So when he invited me, it clicked. I realized this was the time. I knew it was the truth, and I had to make a decision. Alhamdulillah [All praise be to Allah], Allah opened my heart, and I said, “Yes. I want to be a Muslim.”

With that, the man led me in the shahadah [the testimony of faith] – in English and in Arabic. I swear by Allah that when I took the shahadah, I felt the strangest sensation. I felt as if a huge, physical weight had just been lifted off my chest; I gasped for breath as if I were breathing for the first time in my life. Alhamdulillah, Allah had given me a new life; a clean slate; a chance for Jannah [Paradise]; and I pray that I live the rest of my days as a Muslim and that I die as a Muslim, ameen.”

Highlighting us as to her current projects and endeavours, as a Muslimah, Sister Shariffa said, “I work in Kuwait and have travelled around the world teaching people about the beauty of Islam. I talk about the duties of Muslims; the beauty of this religion and also about Christianity versus Islam. I also manage two twitter accounts for the purpose of giving dawah to Islam, @SAndalusia and @MuslimTweeting

Regarding the pivotal moment and point that lead her to accepting Islam, she stated, “When I realized that I couldn’t run from the truth. I knew from all that I had read and learned that it was the truth but I kept denying it because my heart was still so attached to the dunya. But Allah opened my heart and I finally realized that I had to submit to Allah, ‎​Alhamdulillah.”
 
For many reverts to Islam, there exists many hurdles and challenges. Perhaps mostly with regards to their relationships with family and close friends. Concerning the reactions of her close family, relatives and friends, Sister Shariffa responded, “My father disowned me and I lost many friends. But in return I inherited millions of brothers and sisters feesabeelillAllah (in the path of ALLAH).
Mostly, it has been a wonderful experience. My life has changed for the better and undoubtedly my perspective on life has changed. I realized that how I look at the world now is better and more positive because I now have a better understanding that whatever comes along is good for me, for it is a part of my destiny, ALLAH’s decree.”

Simply and profounding put, she shared that her favourite aspects of Islam is,”Knowing Allah.”

Her message to Muslims and non Muslims was, “Read! Read! And then read more. Know your deen and put everything you know into practice regardless of what others around you say or do. Learn about Islam from the Quran and the authentic teachings of the Prophet SAW so you will discover ad know the truth. Also, ask God to open your heart to this truth.”

Conveying to us her final and concluding sentiments, Sister Sharrifa beautifully articulated, “Islam isn’t something from our fathers or forefathers. It is a religion sent by our Creator and its truth is easy and clear to find and follow. All we have to do is read and understand the Quran and the sunnah. If we take Islam from its sources we will never go wrong.”

“Why Islam? Because every soul craves contentment, peace, truth, guidance, love, enlightenment and home and all of these are only found with Allah.
Why pray? Because gratitude, humility and forgiveness are the keys to Paradise.
Why Quran? Because a Merciful Creator would never leave His slaves without Guidance.
Why hijab? Because that which is valuable must be shielded and protected and nothing is more valuable than an honorable woman.” @SAndalusia

Extracted from the column in the series In The Embrace of Islam
With intent on aspiring and inspiring towards the ‎​L♥√ع and Pleasure of ALLAH subhanawa’ta’ala,
Rehana Shah-Bulbulia, the author of ‘Falling In Love With Muhammad SAW’, blogs at
https://muslimahatpeace.wordpress.com
And tweets as @muslimahatpeace

“Touched by The Adhaan in the Land of Senegal”

A scent and a sound has the ability to evoke much…Sometimes all it takes to urge on a memory or promote a change is a subtle scent and a sweet sound. When the words of the adhaan “ALLAHu Akbar…ALLAH is the Greatest” coincides with the whispered yearnings of the heart, it lays the foundations for change. And so was the case of an American brother, whose life’s journey changed its course through the sweet melody of the adhaan…

“Bismillahi Walhamdulillah, Assalaamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatu. I begin in the Name of ALLAH. All Praise, bounteous Praise and never ending praise be for Him and may peace and blessings always be conveyed upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW. I would firstly like to begin by discussing the difference between being born a Muslim and reverting, that is, accepting Islam from your own free will. Reality is, we all are not born with personal values and morals. Our personal values and morals are developed by our guardians and parents. Taught to us by them and as such it becomes our foundation. In actuality, their values and morals become ours.

So if your parents raised you as a practicing Muslim, your morals and personal values are then beautifully structured by Islam. Islam becomes your foundation And in fact structures how you think, how you act, even your attitude and personality. For those non muslims like myself, who have investigated islam, we have found that Islam proves itself to be a light of guidance. I am also quite sure that you will all agree that Islam provides solutions to all of life’s questions, problems and differences. Now if you were born with this manual for your life and if you were raised as a practicing Muslim you probably wouldn’t know the issues or the doubts or the emptiness or hopelessness that those outside the fold of Islam deal with and we have always dealt with since we were born. We were not raised in a structured or proven lifestyle like Islam is. We were instead given the incorrect fundamentals by our parents, which we assumed were correct. And at the very least we thought that they were good enough to get by. So we were left with nothing more than what our parents taught us, to assist us in dealing with all that life threw at us. As for that emptiness and hopelessness, we learnt that it was a natural part of life and we learnt to suppress it and pretend it is not there.

Looking at children in today’s time, we observe that they they are so immersed in all the technological gadgets which western society provides like computers, electronic games, internet and cellphones that they don’t really have the inclination to look at the natural world that surrounds them and reflect on it. Similarly from the time we are young we fill our lives with all these activities, supressing those feelings of emptiness and those unanswered questions but as the years pass we realise that those feelings and that emptiness are still there. It is the memory of that life, a life of trial and error; a life of hopelessness and uncertainties; a life of confusion and doubt…that you leave behind when you grasp the strong handhold of Islam. No matter what age you embrace Islam, you finally find peace, purpose and meaning to your life. And it is never too late and you are never to old to investigate and discover Islam. Islam, which is indeed a detail map and manual for our lives and really how much easier is it to do things with a manual.

I, like so many others, was not born Muslim. In fact I was not born into any religion at all. I was born in a suburb of New Jersey and later we moved to a country or rural area just outside of the city of New York. In a place like this where we were raised without the television and computer games, we learnt to occupy ourselves as children. We would spend much time outdoors with nothing but nature to keep us busy and entertained. I believe that this had been the beginning of me contemplating my world and surroundings from a young age.

While I believe that these positive effects of my childhood weren’t completely lost, but the acts of youth, the teenage years and adolesence had covered up the light which ALLAH had put in my heart as a child. From the age of eighteen I pursued a number of varied lifestyles, I took up sky-diving, jumping out of a plane at high altitudes. I thought that the thrill of having near-death experiences might help me to ascertain my purpose in life. While trying to fit in with that crowd, I realised that this was not a lifestyle that had any truth to it and so I ventured through a few regular mundane jobs. Thereafter I joined the navy in the United States.

Still dissatisfied and searching, I moved back to New York and became involved with a small group of African musicians from Senegal. At the core of the lifestyle of these musicians was the drug marijuana. As weeks and months became years I became very addicted to this drug. Amidst this mental confusion and fog I had the opportunity to travel to the land of Senegal. And one of the first mornings that I was there, about five in the morning, I heard, “ALLAHU Akbar, ALLAHuakbar!”, which of course is the adhaan and that moment was a life-changing one. For as you can imagine, my searching heart was greatly touched by it.

So when I returned to America, I was intrigued by what I ignorantly perceived to be Senegalese customs but were in fact a part of Islam. I started researching and investigating and discovered that I was in fact becoming magnetically drawn to Islam. Coming across a book of Islamic invocations, I memorised it. And as time passed, even though I wasn’t yet a Muslim, I would read the English translation of the Quraan and pray what I had memorised. Then I decided to embark on a spiritual and physical cleansing for ten days. So I stopped eating pork; I stopped drinking, smoking and taking drugs, Alhamdulillah. After the fourth day of changing my lifestyle completely, again even though I was not yet a Muslim, I now found myself saying the shahadah.

However, because I had no contact with any Muslims and knew of no masjids, I took the shahadah with just ALLAH as my witness and just endeavoured to live the best Islamic lifestyle that I could live for the next couple of months. I then had the opportunity to fly to the capital of the island of Bahamas which had one Mosque and about twenty Muslims. I took the shahadah again at this Mosque and actually took shahadah and made nikah on the same day. I married another revert who had also taken the shahadah at this very same Mosque in the Bahamas. ‎​Alhamdulillah, we have lived as practising Muslims and have been blessed with a child.

I believe that when you can revert to Islam in the middle of nowhere, on an island and without being in contact with other Muslims, it is only by the Will of ALLAH. It proves that ALLAH chooses you for Islam. I strongly assert that Islam has all the solutions from personal hygiene to how you treat your parents. Personally my parents have no problem with me being a Muslim. They have witnessed first hand what it means to be a Muslim child…to treat your parents correctly, with the dignity and respect they deserve; it means you love them more because you have motivation to and you maintain family ties because Alhamdulillah, it is an opportunity to give them dawah too.

Islam is a light that diffuses all darkness and depression, bringing with it tangible peace…it is as simple as that, SubhanALLAH!” ‎​

Extracted from the column in the series In The Embrace of Islam
With intent on aspiring and inspiring towards the ‎​L♥√ع and Pleasure of ALLAH subhanawa’ta’ala, this is the blog of
Rehana Shah-Bulbulia, the author of ‘Falling In Love With Muhammad SAW’, who tweets as @muslimahatpeace.

“Not Love At First Sight…But Love With Every Glance”

“Love is patient, love is kind. Love looks with the heart, not just the mind. Love does not exist for the moment but for eternity.” While the western world is motivated by fairy-tales of ‘love…at first sight’, we behold the real-tales of the beautiful example of Muhammad sallallahualaiwassallam and his inspirational teachings of ‘love…with every glance’. Such was the love of Muhammad sallallahualaiwassallam, conveyed successfully not merely to one wife but to all of his wives; even more than his words and ways with them, yet his every glance too…was a gentle caress of love. From Khadijah to ‘Ayesha…may ALLaH be pleased with them all.

Muhammad and His Khadija
From the moment she encountered him, she was captivated and enthralled: by his beautiful manners; his unparallelled honesty and trustworthiness; the light of his countenance. Earnestly, her words gushed forth, “I love thee for my kinship with thee and for that thou art ever in the centre; and I love thee for thy trustworthiness and I love thee for the beauty of thy character and I love thee for the truth of thy speech.” Such was her love for him that she proved to be his comfort, companion and most loyal supporter. When he returned as the Messenger of ALLAH, shaken and bewildered from the Cave of Hira, her soothing words provided him with deep solace, “Peace be upon you O Messenger of ALLAH,” she said. “Rejoice! By ALLAH I am certain that ALLAH will only bring you that which is good. I certainly hope that you are the Prophet of this nation.” Such was her love for him that she sacrificed her wealth and all that she possessed for his cause, the cause of Islam. This was the love of Khadija for her Muhammad.

While he was fifteen years her junior, he treated her with every care and courtesy. Such was his love for her that he assisted her with her business as well as the household chores; such was his love for her that he trusted and heeded her words of advice; such was his love for her that even many years after her death, he still deeply mourned her. He would clasp her necklace tightly to his chest as his tears cascaded in full view of grown men, his companions. The memory of her, their lives and their love would urge him to profess, “She believed in me while the people disbelieved. And she trusted in me while the people belied me. And she helped and comforted me, in person and wealth, when the people would not. ALLAH provided me with children only by her.” Tragically, she passed away, in what became known as the Year of Sorrow; a year in which Muhammad sallallahualaiwassallam, lost both his dear uncle and beloved wife. History narrates that while he may have remarried, as according to ALLAH’s decree, he certainly never failed to mention her; never stopped missing her and never forgot…his Khadijah. This was the love of Muhammad for his Khadijah.

Muhammad And His ‘Ayesha
Young and vibrant, she loved him with all her heart from the time she was a little girl. She would passionately state, many years after his death, “When the women of Yusuf AS time saw his beauty, they were so entranced that they cut off their hands. Had they seen the beauty of my Muhammad, they would have cut out their hearts.” Such was her love for Muhammad sallallahualaiwassallam that when she was wrongfully accused and slandered, she became greatly ill and could not bear to live, separated from Muhammad sallallahualaiwassallam, until ALLAH sent revelation concerning her innocence. This was ‘Ayesha’s love for her Muhammad.

When questioned by his companions, in the absence of ‘Ayesha RA, regarding whom he loved the most, he shied not away from the love overflowing from his heart. He would always reply , “Ayesha”. Conveying and voicing his love for her in the most apparent and vivid descriptions never failed him. When she would continually ask him to describe his love for her, he would answer, “My love for you is like a strong binding knot.” And sometimes, she would playfully ask again and again, “How is the knot?”
Muhammad SAW would always sincerely reply, “As strong as the first day that you asked.” Such was his love for ‘Ayesha RA that he once ordered his marching army to stop at a location without water, just to easen his young wife’s worry and search for the necklace she had lost. Such was his love for ‘Ayesha RA, that his response to her would be overwhelmingly poignant. Once while he was busy mending his shoes and ‘Ayesha RA glanced at his face, glistening with beads of perspiration, so in love and mesmerized was she by the sight of him, that she could only stare at him tranfixed. Until the moment he noticed and asked her, “What’s the matter O Humayrah (his endearment for her)?”
She responded, ” If Abu Bukair Al Huthali, the poet saw you now, he would know that his poem was written for you.”
Muhammad SAW intrigued questioned her, “What did he say?”
When ‘Ayesha RA replied, “Abu Bukair said that if you looked to the majesty of the moon , it twinkles and lights up the world for everybody else to see.”
On hearing thisMuhammad SAW stood up and walked over to his ‘Ayesha RA, kissed her between the eyes and said, “Wallahi ‘Ayesha, you are like that to me and more.” That was the love of Muhammad for his ‘Ayesha.

Such was the love conveyed by the Noble Prophet Muhammad sallallahualaiwassallam, for each of his wives that he would kiss them whenever he exited, even to lead the salaah; such was his love that he stopped drinking his favourite milk and honey drink to please them because they complained of its scent; such was his love that he would assist them in the cooking, mending and household chores; such was the love of Muhammad sallallahualaiwassallam…a love not established “at first sight”, but rather “with every glance.” SubhanALLAH!

Extracted from my feature column As Seerah, in the South African print magazine..The Muslim Woman Magazine @TMW_Magazine …To read and learn more about the Noble Prophet Muhammad SAW, get a copy of my debut book, Falling In Love With Muhammad SAW. Available in print in South Africa or on Kindle via Amazon.com or Amazon.UK…for more info contact me via email at rsbulbulia@gmail.com or rsbpublications@gmail.com

Let His Love lead the way…in the Blessings of ALLAH endeavour to live your day! RSB
@muslimahatpeace

In the Embrace of Islam “From Monk to Muslim”

In the voyage across the ocean of life, everything may be perceived as relative. Like the morning ocean breeze, carries and dissipates droplets of salt water to those in its vicinity, so too do the winds of guidance dissipate truth and faith to those who are in search of it.

Encounter a man who studied and searched for the Almighty to such a degree that his entire life centred around serving Him and His creation. So while, even though his course was not the right and required route, his intent of purpose was so sincere, that eventually he was guided to the reality of his true goal and objective. This is his story of reversion; from Monk to Muslim…

“Assalaamualaikum and I thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my story. I was born and brought up in Malaysia. I accepted Islam in 1978. But before that I was a monk for twelve years. From an early age I would attend Church quite regularly with my parents, every Sunday, as the religious and practicing Christians would. As I grew up, I realised that I wanted to become a priest, so that I could help many people, those who were poor and those who were suffering. So when I completed school in 1954, I began my studies and work as a Roman Catholic Monk.

Throughout the course of it, I travelled to many countries and my parents were very proud of me. I received a scholarship from the German government, in West Germany for theological studies. After completion of training in 1971, I became a chaplain for the hospital that I was attached to. I was also given the power to forgive sins. In fact I was given the title and vocation of being an international forgiver of sins. This work of mines took me throughout the world, from South America, to Asia and Africa.

During this period I met many Muslim people. Wonderful and practicing Muslims, who would pray five times a day, not drink alcohol and even fast the way the Holy Bible described all the Prophets’ manner of fasting. I would often wonder and find myself plagued by the thought, “How come they are not going to Heaven just because they have not been baptised? But we Christians would be entitled to Heaven simply because we had been baptised.”

I would always have in my possession the Holy Water to baptise and absolve the repentant Christians. So while I worked in the hospitals, I would request the nurses that they inform and call for me whenever any of the patients were nearing death, be they Christian or not and no matter what their religion, so that I may baptise them before their death so that they would now have a hope of entering Heaven. And of course, for the Christians I was their international forgiver of sins and would assist them by forgiving them at this vital moment. This was important for me because I was trying to find a way to help these Muslims get to Heaven.

Also because my homeland was Malaysia, filled with many Muslims, I wanted and needed to know more about Islam so that I could revert them as this was my desire. Contacting my superiors, I informed them of my eagerness to study comparative religion between Islam and Christianity and also shared my purpose for wanting to do this. They agreed and sent me to London to acquire this degree. In London I met many Muslims and had been given much Islamic literature. One of these works was the translation of the Quran by Mohammed Marmeduke Pickthall. I read it froms start to finish, searching for errors and faults, but I could find none. The more I read, the more I realised what a good book it was and that even the Bible was not as good.

That’s when I started praying to God for guidance, to enlighten my heart and convey to me the Truth. Thereafter I wrote to my superiors sharing with them my deep desire to now become a Muslim. They immediately recalled me to Germany and were in fact quite angry and disappointed, especially after all they had invested in educating me for the efforts of the Christian missionary work. They angrily stated that they would take a picture of a mock grave with my name on it and send it to my family and people in Malaysia informing them that I had met with a terrible accident and had passed away.
Of course, I became terribly afraid and decided that perhaps I had studied too much and was now confused. I shared this with them and worriedly enquired if there were any other options left for me. They suggested that I repent and that perhaps I did need help of some sort and sent me to a mental institute for three months.

At this institute I met a famous writer and theologian, who had many works on the divinity of Christ. Hoping to make sense of it all, while my heart still found itself attached to Islam, I asked him , “Do you really think Jesus Christ is God?” His reply left me without any further doubts, “No, I just use the concept to write my books and make money.” Now I was in a hurry to become a Muslim. However, I knew that I had no proper vocation to return to other than being a monk and a forgiver of sins, so I approached my superiors and explained to them that I had been confused about wanting to be a Muslim and that I wanted to continue my missionary efforts at the hospitals and thought that I also needed to do a three medical lab training course for this. My hope was to be sent back to Malaysia.

However, my superiors decided on sending me to South America, a continent filled with mainly Christians. I then started praying fervently to God, even though I didn’t even know the Fatiha-Opening chapter. It just happened, by the great Will of God, that the monk at the lab in Malaysia fell and broke his arm and they needed to replace him within forty-eight hours. My prayers had been answered, I was to return to Malaysia, a land filled with mostly Muslims. In Malaysia, I met the German Writer Johannes Snyman, who too had accepted Islam and changed his name to Yahya Snyman. Whilst in Malaysia I wrote to my superiors and asked for them to release me from all the vows that I had taken as a monk and from the monastry as well. Reiterating that I wanted to become a Muslim. Again they reacted as before, threatening me now with no compensation.

Without money this time and no airfare and plane as the manner I was usually accustomed to when visiting my parents, I had to take a train. When I reached my home and met my mother, I immediately told her of my reversion to Islam. Normally a loving mother to me, she became very angry and accused me of wanting to be like the Malays. The Muslims of Malaysia were known as Malays and most of those whom my parents knew were not good examples of Muslims and Islam. Sadly, my mother kicked me out and told me that she used to be so proud of me and my international missionary efforts but now I was no longer her son.

I then went to Kuala Lampur to stay with my elder brother. He kept me for two weeks with him, but stated quite emphatically that I was not to share or display my Islam, as his in laws were strict Catholics and he didn’t want to encounter any unneccessary problems. It was at this point that I was notified of a world health six month counseling course on family planning in Australia. I decided that this would be my best bet considering the current circumstances. While I was there I was on the lookout for job opportunities in the Arab countries. I came across a position in Jeddah. After applying and being interviewed my application was accepted.

Before commencing my new life and job in Jeddah, I returned to Malaysia where I met Dr Johannes/Yahya Snyman and with his assistance finally officially took the Shahaadah and accepted Islam on the fourth of September 1978, even though my heart had embraced Islam a long time ago.”

Witnessing such an extreme change of circumstance and life condition, from being a Monk to being a Muslim, we take cognisance of the fact that when there exists such a strong desire for Guidance and Truth, the ocean of life will bring one to the sanctified shores of Islam, through the Will and Plan of ALLAH.

Extracted from the column In The Embrace of Islam from the South African based print magazine_ The Muslim Woman…With intent on aspiring and inspiring towards the ‎​L♥√ع and Pleasure of ALLAH subhanawa’ta’ala,
Rehana Shah-Bulbulia, the author of ‘Falling In Love With Muhammad SAW’, tweets as @muslimahatpeace

Let His Love lead the way…in the Blessings of ALLAH endeavour to live your day! RSB
@muslimahatpeace

Attracted to Islam…Captivated By It’s Morals & Disciplines

Like a precious pearl in the oyster of the clam; like a glint of gold in a treasure box…one solitary glimpse and the eye and mind is attracted and held captive to the endless possibilties. Similarly, for those who have cast that first solitary glance at the precious dimensions of Islam and have glimpsed the tempting treasures within, they would agree that their hearts and souls have been attracted and captivated…by all that is Islam.

Being the human beings that we are, comprised of a mind, body, heart and most importantly, a soul, we find that we are naturally inclined and attracted to all that is good, all that is pure. Our hearts recognise it; our souls yearn for it; even if our minds are not yet ready to embrace it. But there are always those who courageously journey towards what their hearts have recognised and their souls have yearned for. Encounter brother Hendrik Van Dyk’s attraction to Islam, it’s morals and disciplines and his courageous choice of embracing that which his heart had recognised and his soul had yearned for, SubhanALLAH!

“Bismillah hirahmaan Nirraheem. While I have taken the Muslim name Ridhwan, my birth name is Hendrik Van Dyk. I grew up in an Afrikaans Christian family and we attended the Dutch Reformed Church commonly known amongst Afrikaners as the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk. I was your typical Afrikaner boy in a small town wherein friends, braai and socialising was the ultimate goal. I was comfortable at that time with being Christian and it was by chance that I met a few Muslim people via social networking and later became good friends. I was very attracted to their moral values and discipline, like the praying, not drinking and abstaining from sex etc.

However, I often wondered how is it possible that Muslims live the way that a Christian is supposed to live, yet according to Christian belief only Christians would go to Heaven. This thought, that how could a loving God send my Muslim friends to Hell and I to Heaven, especially if I was not such a religious practicing person, gnawed at my conscience. The more I thought of it, the more questions arose that needed to be answered and I just had to know. I was very eager to know more. One of my friends, now my wife, Alhamdulillah, sent me an English translation of the Holy Quraan and some booklets that made for easy reading. This was during 2008.

The Quraan translation was very clear about belief, that is, Allah being One and Only. However, while reading the translation I was constantly looking for debatable points, this due to the fact that I was used to discovering the many gaps in Christianity. I wanted to find something wrong in the Quraan. But I never could! Alhamdulillah.

The Islamic booklets raised many more questions and I approached a few churches and pastors in town to help find some answers. The answers were not satisfactory at all. I then asked around and discovered a few Muslim families residing in my town. I approached the haafidh of the local Jamaat Khana, who gave me extra reading material as well as DVD’s by Sheikh Ahmed Deedat. At this juncture Allah in His Infinite Mercy and Wisdom was already lifting the veil from my eyes and heart. During December of 2009 I knew that I wanted to be Muslim. However, I was just so scared about what my family and friends would think and say. The Muslim brothers I spoke to gave me the confidence and courage to take that first step and in January of 2010 I took the Shahaadah before the maghrib salaah.”

After sharing his amazing discovery and journey to Islam, brother Ridhwan conveyed the effect his reversion had on his close family and friends, “Most of my family knew of my spiritual journey because they were also questioned during my research. I tried to use the best approach when I told my family about my reversion. Even though they suspected that I might revert they were still very shocked by the news. We have our fair share of debates but we also have a mutual respect for one other and they have accepted who I am as a Muslim.”

Discussing the challenges of reverting, he stated, “Alhamdulillah Allah has blessed me and made it easy for me in so many ways. But let it be known that being a young new revert has its challenges. For me the biggest challenge was trying to inculcate and live a halaal lifestyle in a very non-halaal environment. And with that I’ve ‘lost’ ‘friends’. I reiterate that Allah has really blessed me and given me the strength to overcome these challenges.”

Looking through the eyes of a revert, enables us to deeply comprehend and realise the beauty of our faith, especially when they share what they love about Islam, as Brother Ridhwan has, “My favourite aspects about being a Muslim are: the God consciousness, hearing the Adhaan, the brotherhood and Jumuah!”

Sharing his message to Muslims and non-Muslims, he said, “You are really blessed by being born a Muslim, don’t take it for granted. We should be strong and be proud to be Muslims and try to educate others with our character. It you are a non-Muslim and you’re reading The Muslim Woman Magazine, then what are you waiting for?! Build up your courage and say the shahaadah before it is too late. May ALLAH guide you and make it easy for In Sha ALLAH.

Conveying his concluding sentiments, Brother Ridhwan’s heartfelt advices were, “Death is inevitable, therefore let us try to live as Allah has commanded us to. We are only here to be tested in order to obtain the best in the Hereafter. Live and do for the Pleasure of ALLAH only. And remember, if ALLAH is with you nobody can stand against you. Also Jazakallahu khair for this opportunity to share my story. In Sha ALLAH, I hope that it will serve as a means to encourage and assist someone in a similar situation. Please remember my family and me in your special duas.”

With a powerful magnetic force, Islam continues to attract the multitude of searching souls through many of its dimensions, morals and disciplines…to all that is Islam, SubhanALLAH!

Extracted from my article, from the SA print mag- The Muslim Woman Magazine.

With intent on aspiring and inspiring towards the ‎​L♥√ع and Pleasure of ALLAH subhanawa’ta’ala,
Rehana Shah-Bulbulia, the author of ‘Falling In Love With Muhammad SAW’, tweets as @muslimahatpeace

Let His Love lead the way…in the Blessings of ALLAH endeavour to live your day! RSB
@muslimahatpeace

In the Service of Humanity…a Stone Creating Ripples

Rarely does reading a newspaper leave one with a positive feeling and state of mind. Reports of every feasible crime, perpertrated by fellow homosapiens are enough to incite one’s last meal to threaten abandonment and also enough to limit the intake of reading or listening to the news. However, there are times when one is pleasantly surprised and fortunate to encounter a captivating story of goodwill, compassion and hope. “Unity In Diversity” reported by Faatima Mahomed of the Rising Sun-Lenasia, proved itself to be one such story and served as my introduction to a truly inspiring group of young humanitarians and their very intriguing project.

When encountering such dynamic initiatives at ground level, one finds the conscience positively re-asserting, “Not all of us can do great things but we can do small things with great love. For I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples,” as said Mother Theresa. This story conveys just that: a somewhat unique project in the service of humanity…a stone creating ripples.

What makes this project unique? I hear you ask. Encounter the members of this diverse team and you will comprehend the certainty of its uniqueness. A uniqueness that through its objective finds the opportunity to challenge the dictates of society, change perceptions and bridge gaps, all in the service of humanity. Over a year ago, the project BABY-Bara Alliance of Blessed Youth was born. With project members comprising physiotherapist Marilyn Bassin and her students, as well as teacher Moulana Riaz Simjee and his students…Jewish and Muslim students.

As to the birth of their project as well as the initial stages of its implementation, Moulana Simjee generously shared, “To be honest the project started by chance. I was attending a meeting and met Marilyn Bassin, a physiotherapist who has founded her own NGO, the BOIKANYO-Dion Herson Foundation, and was involved in an effort to raise funds in order to supply ‘Shona’ buggies for Cerebal Palsy children. I approached her, not knowing at the time that she was Jewish, but with the sole intent of my students and I being a part of such noble community efforts. She informed us that we could meet her and her students at the Baragwanath hospital every Friday afternoon. So, the following Friday we met at Bara, each of us accompanied by four of our students. It was at this, our first meeting, that we actually discovered that we would be working with Jewish students. The greatest part was when our Muslim students met up with these Jewish students, none of them turned away from the other. Religion came under discussion when I raised it and an interesting conversation broke out. Though, we have always steered clear of politics.”

Marilyn enthusiastically affirmed and shared, “I don’t think Moulana or I realised the effective change such a project would bring. At the hospital, we decided to pair the kids up, each pair being a Muslim and Jewish student who would pursue their objective for that afternoon in bringing cheer to those special, challenged, maimed or abused children; those children who never receive visitors. And in the interim of this project, a community outreach project, in which our kids from private schools and privileged backgrounds have the opportunity to give back to their community and society, we have watched in awe a seed of a different nature germinating. We have witnessed a comraderie and friendship founded on the desire of a common goal in serving humanity. This project opened their minds to the prejudices of media and society and enlightened them to the fact that there is another side to every story. If these kids of ours can grow up not being brainwashed by the media and not allowing the media and society to dictate to them, we have the opportunity of our youth getting right, what the adults could not; an opportunity to serve humanity in a greater way.”

With Marilyn working in the community for over twenty years and at the Baragwanath Hospital for the past four years, the project BABY, named by the students themselves, has received an overwhelmingly positive response from both the students and parents. As Moulana Simjee stated, “Parents from both the parties have no issue with the idea that their kids are working alongside Jewish or Muslim children for the betterment of the larger community.”
One of the parents, a teacher herself, Saudah Mayet positively re-inforced, “This project has been amazing for my daughter in a sense that she has had the opportunity to make a difference to these special kids as well as nurturing her ability to display compassion. I have always felt that all mothers are a community and this project has intrigued us for we have witnessed something phenomenal, our younger generation coming together for a common cause in serving humanity.”

Speaking to the students themselves, one cannot help but notice their fulfilment and enjoyment in this project. A Muslim student, Rumaanah Mayet aged 13, explained what the project has meant to her, “It has been a really good experience. By spending time with these underprivileged children, we feel like we have accomplished something good. It has also taught us to be unselfish and also it has opened for us a means to communicate with other people, teaching us that everything is not as it seems.” Gina Bassin, a 16 year old Jewish student shared her sentiments,”
It has been very fulfilling to brighten up these kids’ week. But I think one of the best parts of the project was the opportunity to work alongside Muslims of the same age group. We have never, like, been exposed to such an idea before and it was amazing. It has really changed the way we look at things.”

When questioning both Marilyn and Moulana Simjee, regarding any challenges that they have faced to date, they both concur, “There have been none, other than the hospital itself.”
Moulana Simjee further expounded, “Well, the project went from strength to strength, resulting in the first child from the Tembelilhle informal settlement, who was discharged with tracheostomy (a hole in her neck through which she breathed), being operated on in a private hospital, Netcare-The Park Lane Clinic. And thus soon after, the child was discharged. At eleven years old and unable to speak, burnt and disfigured, such efforts proved to be the humane thing to do. Alhamdulillah, it was successful. This child, who for three years could only make click noises to communicate, began to talk. This was followed shortly thereafter by another similar burnt child who is currently undergoing numerous procedures to close her tracheostomy too.
Inexplicably, last month the hospital PRO, for no given reason, contacted us, and by the time we received the email regarding the interview with the Muslim Woman Magazine, we had been instructed not to continue our efforts at the hospital and quite simply asked not to return. However, we have enlisted assistance in solving our current dilemma.” And as Marilyn passionately stated, “We won’t rest until we have come to some solution. For we have witnessed the difference it has made to these kids lives, who come charging and running towards us when we enter their wards. Not to mention, how this project has revolutionised the thinking of our kids from these private sector schools, allowing them the opportunity to step out of their comfort zones and be unique in their peer groups.”

While, the immediate future of this project at Bara remains unknown, Moulana Simjee shared, “We are going to continue working together, in other projects, mainly in the outlying areas but we shall continue to keep in contact and work together in serving our community.”

In concluding both Marilyn and Moulana Simjee expressed their final sentiments. Marilyn stated, “”This project has been life changing for both the students and special children involved. While it may seem co-incidental that we were grouped together, ultimately we chose to continue together. Sadly, it was the most simplest of things and yet, had not transpired before. Hopefully, this seed will have the opportunity to blossom into a most beautiful plant. Changing and harmonising the future of our community, society and humanity at large.”

Moulana Simjee’s message was heartfelt, “I believe that, while we as Muslims, acknowledge that Islam is the best way of life, it needs to be exposed to the world. We need to understand that the beauty of Islam needs to be expressed more than it needs to be documented. Enough is written about our Islam, however, we as Muslims have forgotten how to practise on this beautiful religion. So while we do not expect the entire Ummah to join in our project, but we do expect them to be ambassadors of our beautiful religion; always exhibiting exemplary character, beautiful words and ways in their interaction with non Muslims, as was the example of our beloved Nabi Muhammad sallallahualaihiwassallam. I pray that the Almighty, Allah SWT guide us, bless us, have mercy upon us and accept our weak efforts in serving the Ummah of Muhammad sallallahualaihiwassallam and humanity at large.”

As the Prophet Muhammad sallallahualaiwassallam urged, “Be kind to those who are in this world and the One in the Heavens will show Kindness to you. For the main part of wisdom after religion is love for mankind and doing good to everyone.” (Mishkaat Al Masabih Vol1)

So as this unique group continues to create ripples through their service of humanity, we ponder the reality of such efforts, “In recognising the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.” Thurgood Marshall

Extracted from my article, from the SA print mag- The Muslim Woman Magazine.

With intent on aspiring and inspiring towards the ‎​L♥√ع and Pleasure of ALLAH subhanawa’ta’ala,
Rehana Shah-Bulbulia, the author of ‘Falling In Love With Muhammad SAW’, tweets as @muslimahatpeace

Let His Love lead the way…in the Blessings of ALLAH endeavour to live your day! RSB
@muslimahatpeace