Assalam Alaikum (May Peace Be Upon You)!
Respected Sister,
Erica Campbell!
I am highly esteemed after reading your Conversion story yesterday on the Internet. They say it is never too late to be what you would have been. I understand that such decisions require a very brave attitude. This also means you had that. Even greater is the need of courage when your decision demands sticking to the newly chosen, fresh path. That requires additional caution, reason, and most importantly, self satisfaction. It seems you have achieved a lot of these too. But as you know very well, complete cure comes only through the most appropriate combination of diagnosis and medicine. A problem in any of the two does not treat you perfectly. Likewise, complete Peace comes only and only through a doctrine that is reasonable as well as fitting to your other considerations and needs of mind.
Praises be to the Lord that such awe-inspiring path exists. I, as a Muslim brother, say that because the God who created us has also provided us a path that without any intermediaries connects us to Him. He understands our needs the best.
“Should He not know what He created? And He is the Subtile, the Aware”. (Qur’an: 67:14)
You are in full authority to turn a deaf year to what I am trying to tell you. But before you chuck this mail please consider that I am not asking anything from you, no money, no fame, and no favors at all. You and I have all of that sufficiently enough. I am writing to you from Gandhi’s country – India. My simple request to you is for small time taken out for self-introspection. Help me to answer the interpretations of the Bible that are contradictory in many places. Has not the denial of lawful and just sexual ways for the Popes and Nuns resulted in extremely perverse cases of sexual crimes, that too of immeasurable magnitude? What are the present series of sex scandals, including the child-predation, against the venerable most of Christianity, a manifestation of?
I am extremely sorry if I hurt you in the slightest. But my intention is nothing but an honest and very reasonable dialogue on our religions, the two major most monotheistic faiths – Christianity and Islam. Because I have a feeling that if God is merciful enough to take you out of an Abyss of Struggle and Drugs, if He can rescue you from the ‘trap of Sin and Destruction’, He can, and He alone can, install in you the perfect-most levels of satisfaction over the very basic questions of existence, the meaning of life, not excluding the amazingly serene peace of mind.
But Erica! You have to be very sincere and honest – like a humble child waiting for her need to be fulfilled. Ask yourself, “Is he who goes groping on his face more rightly guided, or he who walks upright on a beaten road?” - (Qur'an 67:22)
Erica! You are very noble to give up the path of Devil after mindfully estimating its pros and cons. But how unbearable it must be when you get an un-anticipated state of affairs in the pious domain you thought to adopt with proud. Is the second mistake bigger or lesser loss than the first mistake? The more become devoted to wrong principles the more heavily burdensome they become.
Please forgive me for the language errors and whatever you thought was mistake. English is not my mother-tongue. I ask you to look beyond my words. The truth alone can banish all burdens.
Another Sister named Ericka has become Muslim recently. I read this story online:
Salam Alaikum! (May Peace Be Upon You)!
My name is Ericka, I live in the United States, I am a housewife and I am 27 years old. I am of Mexican origin and born and raised in a "Catholic" atmosphere, my family so far is somewhat "devout" in the traditions surrounding this "religion". About three years ago by invitation of a friend, I visited a "Christian" church, they were Evangelists, they seemed very similar to me in that time and assisted me many times and I understood many things among them the discipline to read the Bible and although I did not always understand it at least I took the ideas to study for the following class on Sunday. On one occasion the Reverend made an assertion that Muslims "hated" Jesus and that they worshipped another God who was called Allah. I decided to investigate ISLAM to confirm what he said. To my surprise I met Muslims who loved Jesus as much as Christians (we who wait for his coming), and that Allah means God in the Arabic language and it is another way for us to speak of Him. (The term Allah has no plural or gender.
This shows its exclusivity when compared to the word ‘god’ which can be made plural, i.e. ‘gods’ or Feminine, i.e. ‘goddess’). I investigated and I realized that in effect Jesus is not God as people now affirm by the Christian belief, because the same person Jesus prayed to the same One God, just like us.
Please see these few verses from Qur’an:
“(And remember) when the angels said: O Mary! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a word from Him, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, illustrious in the world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near (unto Allah). He will speak unto mankind in his cradle and in his manhood, and he is of the righteous. Chapter 3, Verses 45 and 46)
“And He (Allah) will teach him the Scripture and wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel.” (Verse 48)
“And (I come) confirming that which was before me of the Torah, and to make lawful some of that which was forbidden unto you. I come unto you with a sign from your Lord, so keep your duty to Allah and obey me.” (Verse 50) “Lo! Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path.” (Verse 51)
“But when Jesus became conscious of their disbelief, he cried: Who will be my helpers in the cause of Allah? The disciples said: We will be Allah's helpers. We believe in Allah, and bear thou witness that we have surrendered (unto Him).” (Verse 52)
I investigated the origin of the Bible and its authors and discovered that it has many contradictions and unknown authors. Some are Jews and some of the authors didn't even know Jesus but nonetheless wrote what he said. I resisted it in the beginning but I began to see the truth with my own eyes because it was sad to think that my so sacred and well-regarded book, which to me was the word of God, was distorted. I prayed to the All-powerful God to guide me and let me see the truth, and He guided me to worship Him without worrying about the consequences.
One of my major doubts was what if the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was not prophesied in the Bible, because if the Bible said that, it was truth. However I encountered many proofs on it later on and my heart already felt the correct guidance, so I commenced to read on about Islam. I discovered that the Qur’an is the pure word of God and this one is not corrupt. (Its actual scripture is still available). I discovered that it is a right and logical religion with all the answers for this life and the other, it is a religion of peace and of delivering yourself wholly to God, with blessings for the believers. (the word ‘Islam’ comes from Arabic root word ‘Salama’ which means to ‘submit’ and ‘be peaceful’. Hence Islam is actually attaining peace through submission to Allah). After much time thinking, I wanted to be Muslim and one day I went to my husband, who is also a Muslim and he helped me to say my testimony and when I did I felt a great weight lifted from my shoulders, I felt free, clean, and with much faith, since then I wear my veil and obey the living God peacefully, armored with the faith of which each day Allah gives us, because Islam is not a mere ‘religion’ but a way of life. I have not had any major changes, my family has accepted it, and I am very happy.
(Note: You can read Sister Ericka's introduction in Spanish and many other sisters’ stories on attaining peace).
Respected Erica!
The purpose of every Science is to make discoveries. And all such discoveries more or less upset the accepted opinions. But should we abandon our science and reason for that fear? I have a perception that you might be carrying the images of Islam in your heart which you acquired through ‘Propagandist Media Machine’ or hearsay and Films or all of them. But the reason demands that you refer the primary sources through self reliance. Then what stops you? To let you know, three out of every four converts to Islam in the west are women at present, despite Islam’s popular image of being ‘anti-women’. Please do investigate if you thought to prove me wrong.
Now!
I very humbly and honestly invite you to the fold of Islam. “There is no compulsion in religion. The right direction is henceforth distinct from error. And he who rejected false deities and believeth in Allah hath grasped a firm hand hold which will never break. Allah is Hearer, Knower.” (Qur’an: Chapter2, Verse 256)
I expect at least that you will agree to study further. I am aware that the question of ‘the way of life’ needs the best of introspection and reflection before rejection or change. But the death is very uncertain of its time and very certain of its occurrence. Those are God’s plans. And He has full control over them.
I am waiting here in New Delhi, for your response, a very positive, warm, and pious reply. May Allah enable you and me to be perfectly equipped for the righteous actions. And please do not forgive to ask for Almighty’s help even if you decide to disagree with my point(s) because I might be harmful (Allah forbid me from that) but the Creator can never be so for you, for me and for everybody.
Thanks a million for Reading. You can do this again, hopefully, if you like.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
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