The following is an article taken from Saudi Gazzette, 23.08.2010
By Nazeeha Renard
You can ask me what I had for dinner yesterday, and I will stop and think. But ask me at any time, on any day, when I reverted to Islam… and the answer comes quickly to the surface of my mind.
Before I tell you “when,” I will answer the question of “why?” I was waiting to die. No, there was no illness of the body. My heart and soul were dead. My body felt like it existed without purpose.
It was not a morbid feeling; I just didn’t connect spiritually, in my mind, to any faith. My family (who will remain private) and I were raised under the religion of Catholicism. Believing in God and knowing God, I believe, are very separate concepts. I attended church on the obligatory holidays. I would drop my coins in the faded gold box that was firmly welded to the candle offerings table. Kneeling down, I closed my eyes and prayed to any and all saints to help me.
College life, married life and divorce – all were basically lived without a firm grasp on faith. I was always spiritual (or so I thought), but did not claim any one religion as my own. It was only after having my son that I contemplated something more, a desire to be better and to find something greater in this world.
I was a stay-at-home mom doing my best to raise a “good person.” To give my son unconditional love, and provide him the opportunity to give back to this world. The strange thing for me was I could teach my son how to pray, however, I was unable to teach him about faith.
One day while I was doing my routine housework, I started watching a documentary about the fastest growing religions in the world. Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism were the featured religions. When the history of Islam was featured, I thought, “This is it!” My heart literally changed its rhythm. I can’t explain it… it can only be experienced. My eyes cried over the sound of the Adhan (the call for prayer) until I could barely see the screen. I remember going to the PC and searching frantically for this “music” I had heard. It was not music, but a call to worship Allah.
The year was 2007 and I said my Shahada and became a Muslim. I have a faith that is more important to me than anyone and anything in my life! Life for me revolves around Islam, not the other way around. I have lost some friendships, but I will not compromise my beliefs for anyone.
My family is very small, and is not what I would call practicing Catholics. My announcement that I was a Muslim came over dinner and was greeted with complete silence. I mean, crickets chirping… But as time passed and my mother and son (who is 21) saw that I was very serious, they still said nothing. My son is accepting and my mother feels I am “sad and unhappy” or going through a phase. You have got to love her. Well, at least I have to love her.
That is all I will say about them for now. I love them deeply and will always make supplication for my mom and son to accept Islam, Insha Allah. Each day, I love more, and learn more. Does Islam assure me happiness? No, but it does give me the freedom to be a stronger woman.
I started wearing the Hijab in stages. Six months after taking my Shahada, I felt the desire to cover yet, I was still nervous of public reaction. The wearing of a bandanna became my introduction to my new life as a Muslim. The first time I went outside a sense of calm overwhelmed me… even though my neck was still visible a transformation of spirit was occurring.
Within two months I was wearing the Hijab full-time! I still tear up thinking about seeing myself for the first time in the mirror. No longer was I seeing myself. Subhan Allah, the reflection looking back at me was of a woman who was grateful. For the very first time I saw an outward appearance, that matched my feelings inside. I saw a Muslimah at peace with herself.
I wear my Hijab only to please Allah. There are no Muslims in my family, and I am not married. So the answer to if I am being forced to cover is a happy and sincere “No.”
My beauty and femininity are not displayed for the public, or defined by what the fashion magazines say is beautiful. In fact, my makeup routine consists of a clean moisturized face and vanilla scented lip balm.
My Hijab is not worn as a political symbol. The way I tie it, or the pins which may adorn it are not the issue. More recently increasing government pressure is mounting to ban the wearing of the Hijab and veil. It is beyond comprehension how a group of non-Muslim elected government officials can speak for the choices made by Muslim women!
They say “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Maybe someone should tell these government leaders and their supporters… “Don’t judge the Muslimah for her cover!” – SG
Showing posts with label Converts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Converts. Show all posts
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Saturday, February 21, 2009
New Nation: White, Welsh and Muslim
Taken from Daily Post North Wales
STUART Williams and his wife Kate are expecting their first baby.
Like many young couples on the brink of this life-changing event, they are full of anticipation. But Stuart and Kate are especially excited because they believe their baby will be the first white Muslim born in Wales.
The couple, who live in Port Talbot, are part of a growing UK trend of white Islam converts, and a new BBC Wales show, New Nation: White, Welsh and Muslim, follows their experiences.
The documentary also meets Stuart’s older brother Omer – formerly known as Owain – who converted to Islam at the age of 17. Omer feels when religious relations are so delicate, he’s in a unique position to challenge racism and stereotypes.
“Just the way I look, I could quite as easily be a Hell’s Angel,” says Omer of his beard, the only visible clue to his faith.”
Omer lives near Newport with his wife Shereen, who is originally from Singapore and embraces multiculturalism. Together with Omer, she hosts radio programme Salaam Shalom, an innovative idea aimed at bringing Jews and Muslims together.
The arrival of Stuart and Kate’s baby, named Adam, is joyful for the whole family. “This little one is born Welsh and Muslim from the start,” says Omer, a proud uncle. “Home-grown Muslims like little Adam will be able to bridge the gap even better than we’ve done. There’s a lot of hope, I think, in the younger generation.”
The documentary was broadcasted on BBC One, 10:35pm Monday 19th January 2009.
Narrated by Siwan Morris.
Part-1 of 3
Part-2 of 3
Part-3 of 3
STUART Williams and his wife Kate are expecting their first baby.
Like many young couples on the brink of this life-changing event, they are full of anticipation. But Stuart and Kate are especially excited because they believe their baby will be the first white Muslim born in Wales.
The couple, who live in Port Talbot, are part of a growing UK trend of white Islam converts, and a new BBC Wales show, New Nation: White, Welsh and Muslim, follows their experiences.
The documentary also meets Stuart’s older brother Omer – formerly known as Owain – who converted to Islam at the age of 17. Omer feels when religious relations are so delicate, he’s in a unique position to challenge racism and stereotypes.
“Just the way I look, I could quite as easily be a Hell’s Angel,” says Omer of his beard, the only visible clue to his faith.”
Omer lives near Newport with his wife Shereen, who is originally from Singapore and embraces multiculturalism. Together with Omer, she hosts radio programme Salaam Shalom, an innovative idea aimed at bringing Jews and Muslims together.
The arrival of Stuart and Kate’s baby, named Adam, is joyful for the whole family. “This little one is born Welsh and Muslim from the start,” says Omer, a proud uncle. “Home-grown Muslims like little Adam will be able to bridge the gap even better than we’ve done. There’s a lot of hope, I think, in the younger generation.”
The documentary was broadcasted on BBC One, 10:35pm Monday 19th January 2009.
Narrated by Siwan Morris.
Part-1 of 3
Part-2 of 3
Part-3 of 3
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Number of people adopting Islam rises by 71% in Dubai
Taken from The National, 29.01.09
ByRasha Elass
DUBAI // The Government said yesterday that 2,763 people converted to Islam in Dubai last year, 71 per cent more than in 2007.
The Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department said the converts, from 72 countries, included 1,869 women.
Dr Hamad al Shaibani, director general of the department, said: “We are delivering our message properly by spreading Islamic culture. ... We are lending special care to new Muslims, providing them with all they need from audiovisual materials, books, lectures and training programmes in all languages so as to become true Muslims.”
Conversion to Islam is a simple process that requires the convert to say the shahada in front of two witnesses. He or she must then adhere to Islam’s four other pillars, including prayer, fasting during Ramadan, giving an annual percentage of net worth to charity and going to Mecca at least once for pilgrimage.
Non-Muslim men who marry Muslim women are required by Sharia law to convert to Islam. Non-Muslim women, however, do not need to convert to marry Muslim men, though many do.
The Dubai Islamic authority did not say how many converted for the sake of marriage. But the report indicated that all those who converted did so willingly.
“The converts last year came to us by their free will, and showed a sincere desire to embrace Islam out of personal conviction that it is the true way,” said Ayesha al Kash, the head of education and training at the department.The Quran has been translated into almost all languages and the authority gives it free to anyone who is interested.
Zayed House in Al Ain also provides services to new Muslims, including helping them with Arabic, Islamic jurisprudence and Quran memorisation. and teaching them how to worship.
Last year Zayed House extended such services beyond the country by inviting delegations of non-Arabic-speaking Muslims, including a group of American women and Malaysian government employees, to teach them about Islam.
ByRasha Elass
DUBAI // The Government said yesterday that 2,763 people converted to Islam in Dubai last year, 71 per cent more than in 2007.
The Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department said the converts, from 72 countries, included 1,869 women.
Dr Hamad al Shaibani, director general of the department, said: “We are delivering our message properly by spreading Islamic culture. ... We are lending special care to new Muslims, providing them with all they need from audiovisual materials, books, lectures and training programmes in all languages so as to become true Muslims.”
Conversion to Islam is a simple process that requires the convert to say the shahada in front of two witnesses. He or she must then adhere to Islam’s four other pillars, including prayer, fasting during Ramadan, giving an annual percentage of net worth to charity and going to Mecca at least once for pilgrimage.
Non-Muslim men who marry Muslim women are required by Sharia law to convert to Islam. Non-Muslim women, however, do not need to convert to marry Muslim men, though many do.
The Dubai Islamic authority did not say how many converted for the sake of marriage. But the report indicated that all those who converted did so willingly.
“The converts last year came to us by their free will, and showed a sincere desire to embrace Islam out of personal conviction that it is the true way,” said Ayesha al Kash, the head of education and training at the department.The Quran has been translated into almost all languages and the authority gives it free to anyone who is interested.
Zayed House in Al Ain also provides services to new Muslims, including helping them with Arabic, Islamic jurisprudence and Quran memorisation. and teaching them how to worship.
Last year Zayed House extended such services beyond the country by inviting delegations of non-Arabic-speaking Muslims, including a group of American women and Malaysian government employees, to teach them about Islam.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Ex-Christian helps Welsh-Muslim converts adapt
New project set up to switch to Islamic way of life
Taken from alarabiya.net
Deciding to change religion can be a daunting and confusing process; luckily for those in Wales that decide to convert to Islam there is something called the New Muslim Project Wales (NMPW)--an initiative set up to help new Muslims make the transition.
Whether it is dealing with negative family reactions or finding the nearest Halal meat shop, the project aims to welcome people to the faith and offers educational classes, social activities and a buddy system.
Abdul Rahman, a 57-year old previously called Richard Fairclough, set up the initiative with fellow "reverts" as they are known, basing it on the U.K.-wide New Muslim Project.
The group said it is compiling a register of new Muslims across Wales, and noted the number of people converting to Islam had rapidly grown in a short time frame.
“I don’t want to play the numbers game…but I was surprised when I was updating the database that we had such a large number in such a short time,” Abdul Rahman was quoted on the Welsh website, WalesOnline, as saying.
Conversion
The report said Abdul Rahman was an active Christian for most of his life until he moved to South Africa, where he was intrigued by the call to prayer and felt compelled to learn more about the Prophet Muhammad.
“I went there [Capetown] in 1992, just post apartheid, when Muslims were put on a par with the main black group…I noticed that every Friday [Islam's holy day] many of the shops that were run by Muslims shut and that there was something spiritual going on," the website quoted him as saying.
“And in my neighborhood there were three or four mosques. I heard the call to prayer and it was lovely…Then I heard about the Prophet Muhammed and wanted to find out more,” he added.
“I had belief and understanding as a Christian, but what I have found with Islam is so much more straightforward," said Abdul Rahman.
A new Muslim's life
Abdul Rahman—who converted to Islam in 2002 when he returned to Wales—said he was well equipped to help deal with the negative reactions some converts face from family and said most new Muslims may have to give up some of their old ways of life.
This includes drinking alcohol, which can mean changing social habits and even finding new friends.
“As a Muslim I don’t drink because Allah doesn’t want us to drink, it says so in the Quran, so that meant I had to part company with all the friends I used to go drinking with,” he said.
“As a revert to Islam, people may have to cope with negative reactions because of the way the media often portrays Muslims as terrorists [but] as with all belief systems, you will get fanatics who interpret things badly and perhaps use religion as justification for their actions, but that is simply not true with the vast majority of Muslims," Abdul Rahman said.
Abdul Rahman stressed that the initiative was only for adults that had made the decision to convert by themselves and said the only purpose was to help people come to terms with Islam.
Members can gain access to a variety of services ranging from a pack that includes a copy of the Quran, a prayer mat and a biography of Prophet Muhammad. Although the website is still bare boned there is also a mailing list on offer that promises to connect converts to other members of the community.
"We are not converting people. These are adults who have already made that decision and just want to know where their nearest mosque is, where they can buy halal meat or if they have to wear funny clothes – which they don’t." he said, adding “we don’t go around banging on doors. The only time a Muslim will knock on your door is to offer hospitality.”
According to Abdul Rahman many of the NMPW members are converts, but the organization is open to born Muslims who want to learn more about their religion or those who have strayed but have decided to return to the fold.
Taken from alarabiya.net
Deciding to change religion can be a daunting and confusing process; luckily for those in Wales that decide to convert to Islam there is something called the New Muslim Project Wales (NMPW)--an initiative set up to help new Muslims make the transition.
Whether it is dealing with negative family reactions or finding the nearest Halal meat shop, the project aims to welcome people to the faith and offers educational classes, social activities and a buddy system.
Abdul Rahman, a 57-year old previously called Richard Fairclough, set up the initiative with fellow "reverts" as they are known, basing it on the U.K.-wide New Muslim Project.
The group said it is compiling a register of new Muslims across Wales, and noted the number of people converting to Islam had rapidly grown in a short time frame.
“I don’t want to play the numbers game…but I was surprised when I was updating the database that we had such a large number in such a short time,” Abdul Rahman was quoted on the Welsh website, WalesOnline, as saying.
Conversion
The report said Abdul Rahman was an active Christian for most of his life until he moved to South Africa, where he was intrigued by the call to prayer and felt compelled to learn more about the Prophet Muhammad.
“I went there [Capetown] in 1992, just post apartheid, when Muslims were put on a par with the main black group…I noticed that every Friday [Islam's holy day] many of the shops that were run by Muslims shut and that there was something spiritual going on," the website quoted him as saying.
“And in my neighborhood there were three or four mosques. I heard the call to prayer and it was lovely…Then I heard about the Prophet Muhammed and wanted to find out more,” he added.
“I had belief and understanding as a Christian, but what I have found with Islam is so much more straightforward," said Abdul Rahman.
A new Muslim's life
Abdul Rahman—who converted to Islam in 2002 when he returned to Wales—said he was well equipped to help deal with the negative reactions some converts face from family and said most new Muslims may have to give up some of their old ways of life.
This includes drinking alcohol, which can mean changing social habits and even finding new friends.
“As a Muslim I don’t drink because Allah doesn’t want us to drink, it says so in the Quran, so that meant I had to part company with all the friends I used to go drinking with,” he said.
“As a revert to Islam, people may have to cope with negative reactions because of the way the media often portrays Muslims as terrorists [but] as with all belief systems, you will get fanatics who interpret things badly and perhaps use religion as justification for their actions, but that is simply not true with the vast majority of Muslims," Abdul Rahman said.
Abdul Rahman stressed that the initiative was only for adults that had made the decision to convert by themselves and said the only purpose was to help people come to terms with Islam.
Members can gain access to a variety of services ranging from a pack that includes a copy of the Quran, a prayer mat and a biography of Prophet Muhammad. Although the website is still bare boned there is also a mailing list on offer that promises to connect converts to other members of the community.
"We are not converting people. These are adults who have already made that decision and just want to know where their nearest mosque is, where they can buy halal meat or if they have to wear funny clothes – which they don’t." he said, adding “we don’t go around banging on doors. The only time a Muslim will knock on your door is to offer hospitality.”
According to Abdul Rahman many of the NMPW members are converts, but the organization is open to born Muslims who want to learn more about their religion or those who have strayed but have decided to return to the fold.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Islam in America: The American Crescent
Islam in America: The American Crescent & Islamic Stars & Stripes
This is a very good two part documentary presented by Rageh Omaar that were shown on the Al-Jazeera news agency.
In the first episode of a special two-part film (shown on 19 Oct 08 ) Rageh Omaar looks at why Islam has come to be described by some people as a "very American faith".
The American Crescent - Part 1/4
For the other parts...
The American Crescent - Part 2/4 - Click Here!
The American Crescent - Part 3/4 - Click Here!
The American Crescent - Part 4/4 - Click Here!
In the second part of his journey across the US (shown on 26 Oct 08), Rageh Omaar looks at how America's Muslims have coped with the aftermath of the events of 9/11, exploring the demands of patriotism and belief.
Islamic Stars & Stripes - Part 1/4
For the other parts...
Islamic Stars & Stripes - Part 2/4 - Click Here!
Islamic Stars & Stripes - Part 3/4 - Click Here!
Islamic Stars & Stripes - Part 4/4 - Click Here!
This is a very good two part documentary presented by Rageh Omaar that were shown on the Al-Jazeera news agency.
In the first episode of a special two-part film (shown on 19 Oct 08 ) Rageh Omaar looks at why Islam has come to be described by some people as a "very American faith".
The American Crescent - Part 1/4
For the other parts...
The American Crescent - Part 2/4 - Click Here!
The American Crescent - Part 3/4 - Click Here!
The American Crescent - Part 4/4 - Click Here!
In the second part of his journey across the US (shown on 26 Oct 08), Rageh Omaar looks at how America's Muslims have coped with the aftermath of the events of 9/11, exploring the demands of patriotism and belief.
Islamic Stars & Stripes - Part 1/4
For the other parts...
Islamic Stars & Stripes - Part 2/4 - Click Here!
Islamic Stars & Stripes - Part 3/4 - Click Here!
Islamic Stars & Stripes - Part 4/4 - Click Here!
Friday, May 30, 2008
Latina converts look for answers in Islam
Latina converts look for answers in Islam
from greatreporter.com
Written by Pilar Conci, Tuesday, 27 May 2008
Increasing numbers of Latinas are converting to Islam, for love, faith and, some say, a sense of respect. But some find acceptance from family and friends is harder to come by.
When Beatriz Kehdy was growing up in Sao Paulo, Brazil, she felt uncomfortable with the standards of beauty that she says were a part of the culture in which she was raised.
An emphasis on external beauty and the body, she says, became increasingly foreign to her own personal values.
Kehdy moved to New York City almost 10 years ago and eventually discovered a sense of place in Islam and in the hijab, or headscarf worn by women in the faith.
“When I wear the hijab, I feel more respected, people talk to me with respect,” she said.
The now 27-year-old architect converted from Catholicism to Islam four years ago, but didn’t tell her family until a few years later, in a letter.
“When I started wearing the hijab, there was a problem,” she said.
“My father didn’t want me to wear it in public in Brazil.”
Kehdy is one of many Latin American women in the US who have embraced the Islamic faith.
The American Muslim Council, based in Chicago, estimates that there are more than 200,000 Latino Muslims in the United States.
Women make up 60 percent of conversions to Islam, according to experts.
Mosques around the country have begun to offer special classes where women converts can learn about Islam.
The North Hudson Islamic Educational Center, in Union City, N.J., offers both English and Spanish Language classes.
Mariam Abassi, vice president of the Da’wah (outreach) program at the center, said about 500 members of the center are Latino converts.
There are between 4,000 and 5,000 members in total.
Many Latinas choose to accept Islam because they marry Muslims.
Others convert when they’re single, often because they feel unfulfilled by the religion in which they were raised.
For a large number of Latinas, that faith is Catholicism.
“Some of them really have doubt about the Trinity,” a central belief in Catholicism that says God exists in three beings, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; said Chernor Sa’ad Jallah, assistant Imam at the Islamic Cultural Center, in East Harlem, the largest mosque in New York City.
“They find it really confusing,” In his community of about 1,500 people, between 10 and 15 percent are Latinos.
Some said they were uncomfortable making confessions to a priest and feeling as though they had no direct relationship with God.
“I was raised as a Catholic but I didn’t like it.
I felt this emptiness,” said Mayeline Turbides, a 21-year-old Dominican student who lives in West New York, N.J.” I was never convinced.” She took the name Leila after she became a Muslim.
Before discovering Islam, Turbides had explored evangelical Christianity and Mormonism, which failed to draw her in.
About two years ago, her Muslim boss started talking to her about Islam.
“I used to go out, to drink.
I got drunk 500 times,” Turbides said in Spanish.
“But nothing made sense.
I wanted rules.”
When it comes to assimilating to a new faith, Islam appeals to Catholic Latinas for several reasons.
“There are many similarities between Catholicism and Islam,” said Ibrahim Hooper, Communications Director and spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, based in Washington, D.C.
“Both have principles that need to be followed, regarding how you conduct yourself as person, how you operate in a community.”
Others find a new religion to be an escape from the confines of machismo, or chauvinism.
“I feel more protected,” Turbides said.
“Men used to shout things at me when I was walking down the street.
They would honk their horns.
When I wear the hijab, nobody says anything.”
For New Yorker Yuri Lara, the 23-year-old daughter of Ecuadorian immigrants, understanding the role of women in Islam, and dispelling what she considers to be stereotypes, was one of her biggest concerns when she was studying the religion.
“We have rights, we have a voice, it’s all in the Quran,” said Lara, who studied psychology at SUNY Albany.
But for many Latina converts to Islam, conversion brings with it the challenge of gaining acceptance from their own families and other non-Muslims, a process that takes time.
“At first my family was unhappy,” said Demaris Tapanes, 32, who was born and raised in Union City, N.J., to a Puerto Rican mother and a Cuban father.
“'Why do you have to cover?'" she said of her family’s objection to the hijab.
“One of my brothers told me he didn’t want me to cover because after 9/11, people resented Muslims,” she said “He was concerned for my security.”
Wearing the hijab presents other challenges, as Turbides found out when she wore the head covering to the grocery store where she works.
“People would ignore me,” Turbides said.
“My boss is a Muslim, but they’re nice to him because he is an Arab.
Since I am Latina, they tell me that I’m pulling away from my religion.
I felt very bad that day.”
Despite the obstacles they face to practice their adopted faith, many women converts say Islam changed their lives.
“I’m a better version of myself now,” said Lara.
“I’m closer to my family than I ever was.
I think more about others, as opposed to me, me, me.
I think about what I’m going to eat before I take the last bite left.”
Estela Ramon, who attends the class at the North Hudson Islamic Educational Center, in Union City, became interested in Islam after her husband, Delfino, who was born in Mexico, converted to Islam four years ago.
“At first I asked him if he was crazy,” said Ramon, who is also from Mexico and was raised a Catholic.
Ramon, 34, says that her husband changed for the better when he turned to Islam.
“He used to drink and get angry,” she said.
“Now he is more confident in himself, he is more responsible.
And he doesn’t drink anymore.”
Ramon is reading a Spanish translation of the Quran and is thinking of converting too.
Although she says she is drawn to the lifestyle that Islam proscribes, Ramon says she is not ready to accept the faith.
“My time to say yes has not come," she said.
“When God wants me to, I will accept it.”
Read stories from other Reverts (from within this blog)
(1) Mum, I've decided to follow Allah
(2) Why British women turn to Islam
(3) A woman on a mission
(4) Women converts to Islam after 911
(5) Turning Muslim in Texas, USA
(6) Turning Muslim in Australia!
(7) The boys call me beardo - I'll live with it!
from greatreporter.com
Written by Pilar Conci, Tuesday, 27 May 2008
Increasing numbers of Latinas are converting to Islam, for love, faith and, some say, a sense of respect. But some find acceptance from family and friends is harder to come by.
When Beatriz Kehdy was growing up in Sao Paulo, Brazil, she felt uncomfortable with the standards of beauty that she says were a part of the culture in which she was raised.
An emphasis on external beauty and the body, she says, became increasingly foreign to her own personal values.
Kehdy moved to New York City almost 10 years ago and eventually discovered a sense of place in Islam and in the hijab, or headscarf worn by women in the faith.
“When I wear the hijab, I feel more respected, people talk to me with respect,” she said.
The now 27-year-old architect converted from Catholicism to Islam four years ago, but didn’t tell her family until a few years later, in a letter.
“When I started wearing the hijab, there was a problem,” she said.
“My father didn’t want me to wear it in public in Brazil.”
Kehdy is one of many Latin American women in the US who have embraced the Islamic faith.
The American Muslim Council, based in Chicago, estimates that there are more than 200,000 Latino Muslims in the United States.
Women make up 60 percent of conversions to Islam, according to experts.
Mosques around the country have begun to offer special classes where women converts can learn about Islam.
The North Hudson Islamic Educational Center, in Union City, N.J., offers both English and Spanish Language classes.
Mariam Abassi, vice president of the Da’wah (outreach) program at the center, said about 500 members of the center are Latino converts.
There are between 4,000 and 5,000 members in total.
Many Latinas choose to accept Islam because they marry Muslims.
Others convert when they’re single, often because they feel unfulfilled by the religion in which they were raised.
For a large number of Latinas, that faith is Catholicism.
“Some of them really have doubt about the Trinity,” a central belief in Catholicism that says God exists in three beings, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; said Chernor Sa’ad Jallah, assistant Imam at the Islamic Cultural Center, in East Harlem, the largest mosque in New York City.
“They find it really confusing,” In his community of about 1,500 people, between 10 and 15 percent are Latinos.
Some said they were uncomfortable making confessions to a priest and feeling as though they had no direct relationship with God.
“I was raised as a Catholic but I didn’t like it.
I felt this emptiness,” said Mayeline Turbides, a 21-year-old Dominican student who lives in West New York, N.J.” I was never convinced.” She took the name Leila after she became a Muslim.
Before discovering Islam, Turbides had explored evangelical Christianity and Mormonism, which failed to draw her in.
About two years ago, her Muslim boss started talking to her about Islam.
“I used to go out, to drink.
I got drunk 500 times,” Turbides said in Spanish.
“But nothing made sense.
I wanted rules.”
When it comes to assimilating to a new faith, Islam appeals to Catholic Latinas for several reasons.
“There are many similarities between Catholicism and Islam,” said Ibrahim Hooper, Communications Director and spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, based in Washington, D.C.
“Both have principles that need to be followed, regarding how you conduct yourself as person, how you operate in a community.”
Others find a new religion to be an escape from the confines of machismo, or chauvinism.
“I feel more protected,” Turbides said.
“Men used to shout things at me when I was walking down the street.
They would honk their horns.
When I wear the hijab, nobody says anything.”
For New Yorker Yuri Lara, the 23-year-old daughter of Ecuadorian immigrants, understanding the role of women in Islam, and dispelling what she considers to be stereotypes, was one of her biggest concerns when she was studying the religion.
“We have rights, we have a voice, it’s all in the Quran,” said Lara, who studied psychology at SUNY Albany.
But for many Latina converts to Islam, conversion brings with it the challenge of gaining acceptance from their own families and other non-Muslims, a process that takes time.
“At first my family was unhappy,” said Demaris Tapanes, 32, who was born and raised in Union City, N.J., to a Puerto Rican mother and a Cuban father.
“'Why do you have to cover?'" she said of her family’s objection to the hijab.
“One of my brothers told me he didn’t want me to cover because after 9/11, people resented Muslims,” she said “He was concerned for my security.”
Wearing the hijab presents other challenges, as Turbides found out when she wore the head covering to the grocery store where she works.
“People would ignore me,” Turbides said.
“My boss is a Muslim, but they’re nice to him because he is an Arab.
Since I am Latina, they tell me that I’m pulling away from my religion.
I felt very bad that day.”
Despite the obstacles they face to practice their adopted faith, many women converts say Islam changed their lives.
“I’m a better version of myself now,” said Lara.
“I’m closer to my family than I ever was.
I think more about others, as opposed to me, me, me.
I think about what I’m going to eat before I take the last bite left.”
Estela Ramon, who attends the class at the North Hudson Islamic Educational Center, in Union City, became interested in Islam after her husband, Delfino, who was born in Mexico, converted to Islam four years ago.
“At first I asked him if he was crazy,” said Ramon, who is also from Mexico and was raised a Catholic.
Ramon, 34, says that her husband changed for the better when he turned to Islam.
“He used to drink and get angry,” she said.
“Now he is more confident in himself, he is more responsible.
And he doesn’t drink anymore.”
Ramon is reading a Spanish translation of the Quran and is thinking of converting too.
Although she says she is drawn to the lifestyle that Islam proscribes, Ramon says she is not ready to accept the faith.
“My time to say yes has not come," she said.
“When God wants me to, I will accept it.”
Read stories from other Reverts (from within this blog)
(1) Mum, I've decided to follow Allah
(2) Why British women turn to Islam
(3) A woman on a mission
(4) Women converts to Islam after 911
(5) Turning Muslim in Texas, USA
(6) Turning Muslim in Australia!
(7) The boys call me beardo - I'll live with it!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Turning Muslim in Australia!
Turning Muslim in Australia!
This is a video shown a couple of years ago in Australia called - The Australian Experience: Embraced - Turning Muslims In Australia.
Source: lugzlebo of Youtube
This is a video shown a couple of years ago in Australia called - The Australian Experience: Embraced - Turning Muslims In Australia.
Source: lugzlebo of Youtube
Some links to interesting reading:
(1) The lure of Allah - article by James Murray of The Australian - muslimvillage.com
(2) Allah in suburbia - article from Sydney Morning Herald - smh.com.au
(3) Muslim Australians - report by by Professor Abdullah Saeed about Islam and Muslims in Australia with Statistics - PDF document
(4) Why We Became MuslimsExclusive By Anita Quigley, Original article taken from The Daily Telegraph - muslimvillage.com
Friday, March 7, 2008
Turning Muslim in Texas
Turning Muslim in Texas
This is a documentary about Americans reverting back to Islam in President Bush's home state, Texas. This was shown on Channel 4 a couple of years ago.
About the video
Source: channel4.com
------------------------
George W Bush may be backed by Christian fundamentalists but in his home state of Texas, Islam is the latest big draw. The Bible belt is transferring its allegiance to the Qur’an because, for many erstwhile Christians, believe it or not, the church is too liberal.
Eric was a Baptist preacher before he became a Muslim 14 years ago. Now he prays five times a day – even in the middle of watching a football game. His wife, Karen, also a convert, is covered from head to toe in the traditional Muslim burka. Islam, says Eric, ‘is everything I wanted Christianity to be’. His mother has found it hard to come to terms with her son’s conversion and believes he will return to the Christian faith: ‘Then he will be a dynamic preacher.’ Eric says: ‘Maybe some day she’ll embrace Islam.’
Women are also becoming followers of Muhamed. Yasmine (previously Mindy) arranged a marriage for herself and has three children. Islam, she says is ‘the solution to a lot of the prevailing evils: drugs, adultery, fornication…’ Converts often see the religious laws more clearly than those who have been brought up as Muslims and Yasmine can spot a mistake at 20 paces. She believes that she has a unique opportunity to help people who are born into the religion get back to the fundamentals.
Catherine has been a Muslim for two weeks. She came from a privileged background – private school followed by a career in PR. Now the established Muslim women guide her through the purification rituals as she washes before prayer and removes her nail varnish.
David is the only white Muslim in his little town on Route 66. He believes his new religion makes him a better American and, far from undermining liberties, gives the individual more rights. He had an arranged marriage and his wife, who was born a Muslim, was shocked by the strictness with which he insists they live their lives. His family – a white man with his wife and daughter dressed in their hijabs (headscarves) –are stared in the streets and supermarkets of their one-horse town.
There are 400,000 Muslims in Texas alone and Islam is the fastest growing religion in the USA.
Since 9/11 there have been more converts to Islam than ever. Eric believes that people are trying to understand Muslims and want to learn about their religion. Yasmine says: ‘America should not be afraid. If it would be better Muslims were the majority. If a child asks me: “Who made this leaf?” I say, “Allah. Allah made everything.”’
This is a documentary about Americans reverting back to Islam in President Bush's home state, Texas. This was shown on Channel 4 a couple of years ago.
About the video
Source: channel4.com
------------------------
George W Bush may be backed by Christian fundamentalists but in his home state of Texas, Islam is the latest big draw. The Bible belt is transferring its allegiance to the Qur’an because, for many erstwhile Christians, believe it or not, the church is too liberal.
Eric was a Baptist preacher before he became a Muslim 14 years ago. Now he prays five times a day – even in the middle of watching a football game. His wife, Karen, also a convert, is covered from head to toe in the traditional Muslim burka. Islam, says Eric, ‘is everything I wanted Christianity to be’. His mother has found it hard to come to terms with her son’s conversion and believes he will return to the Christian faith: ‘Then he will be a dynamic preacher.’ Eric says: ‘Maybe some day she’ll embrace Islam.’
Women are also becoming followers of Muhamed. Yasmine (previously Mindy) arranged a marriage for herself and has three children. Islam, she says is ‘the solution to a lot of the prevailing evils: drugs, adultery, fornication…’ Converts often see the religious laws more clearly than those who have been brought up as Muslims and Yasmine can spot a mistake at 20 paces. She believes that she has a unique opportunity to help people who are born into the religion get back to the fundamentals.
Catherine has been a Muslim for two weeks. She came from a privileged background – private school followed by a career in PR. Now the established Muslim women guide her through the purification rituals as she washes before prayer and removes her nail varnish.
David is the only white Muslim in his little town on Route 66. He believes his new religion makes him a better American and, far from undermining liberties, gives the individual more rights. He had an arranged marriage and his wife, who was born a Muslim, was shocked by the strictness with which he insists they live their lives. His family – a white man with his wife and daughter dressed in their hijabs (headscarves) –are stared in the streets and supermarkets of their one-horse town.
There are 400,000 Muslims in Texas alone and Islam is the fastest growing religion in the USA.
Since 9/11 there have been more converts to Islam than ever. Eric believes that people are trying to understand Muslims and want to learn about their religion. Yasmine says: ‘America should not be afraid. If it would be better Muslims were the majority. If a child asks me: “Who made this leaf?” I say, “Allah. Allah made everything.”’
Friday, November 16, 2007
HAJJ - Useful Media Clips
Here's some nice clips of Hajj I've found from the Internet
1. Hajj Videos - Hajj-videos
This is a very good website with information on what to do and what to avoid during Hajj. Most of the videos are the same as (or maybe taken from?) al-islam.com step by step interactive web programme. It's worth a look. Make sure you have real-player installed!
2. Hajj - A Journey of the Heart (Source: Youtube jannah7)
This clip from Youtube has lots of pictures of the Hajj Pilgrimage.
3. The Pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah (Source: Youtube akakakakakah)
This is a clip of Hajj pilgrimage from new muslims from North America, which they explain their feelings about Hajj and their new life.
4. A Guide to Hajj in English (Source: idauk.org)
Lectures on Hajj by Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullah
Please visit http://idauk.org/dawah/hajj_english.html to licten/ download for your convenience.
Note to readers:
If you find any interesting video's/ pictures of Hajj please let me know and I'll post them here.
1. Hajj Videos - Hajj-videos
This is a very good website with information on what to do and what to avoid during Hajj. Most of the videos are the same as (or maybe taken from?) al-islam.com step by step interactive web programme. It's worth a look. Make sure you have real-player installed!
2. Hajj - A Journey of the Heart (Source: Youtube jannah7)
This clip from Youtube has lots of pictures of the Hajj Pilgrimage.
3. The Pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah (Source: Youtube akakakakakah)
This is a clip of Hajj pilgrimage from new muslims from North America, which they explain their feelings about Hajj and their new life.
4. A Guide to Hajj in English (Source: idauk.org)
Lectures on Hajj by Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullah
Please visit http://idauk.org/dawah/hajj_english.html to licten/ download for your convenience.
Note to readers:
If you find any interesting video's/ pictures of Hajj please let me know and I'll post them here.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Woman who lost eight relatives to 9-11 converts to Islam
Faith's friction
Taken from St. Petersburg Times, Florida, USA, Published: September 9, 2006
By Sherri Day (with contribution from Times researcher Cathy Wos)
A Tampa woman who lost eight relatives in the attacks converts to Islam as tensions simmer from the memories and new terror plots. But she presses on.
Her mother named her Elizabeth after the queen of England. More than four decades later, she took another name: Safia Al-Kasaby, reflecting her new identity as a Muslima.
Safia, 43, is an unlikely candidate for conversion. She claims Jewish and Puerto Rican ancestry.
She is a former sergeant first class in the Air Force National Guard. And she lost eight relatives - one uncle and seven cousins - in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.
Back then, Safia did not imagine the faith professed by the hijackers would one day become her own.
"It didn't really matter who did it," says the Tampa woman now, reflecting on the 2001 attacks.
"I just never hated Islam. I never hated Muslims. For me to be angry about what happened to the twin towers would be like me hating all the Germans that killed the Jews."
Safia embraced Islam last year, coming to the faith at a time when it is seemingly maligned anew with each new report of terror plots, wars in far away lands and dead American soldiers.
Like other Muslims, Safia feels the tension all around her: curious stares because she wears the hijab or head scarf and store clerks who ask for extra identification.
Just last month, officials at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo turned down an initial request from Safia's Egyptian fiance for a temporary visa. Safia was certain bigotry played a role.
Her new faith also has widened the chasm among her Christian family. Her mother, three sisters and one of her daughters question her choice.
Safia presses on.
"For her to accept Islam, making that decision especially in this day and time, it says you're ready to step up and deal with the challenges of this journey," said Pat "Aliyah" Cruse, a fellow Muslima and 11-year convert.
***
Some demographers consider Islam to be the fastest-growing religion in the world. Of the 1.3-billion Muslims worldwide, 4.7-million live in the United States, according to the Association of Religion Data Archives.
One of the world's oldest religions, Islam has been in the United States for generations. But the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, thrust the religion and its adherents into the spotlight.
Before the attacks, American Muslims largely kept to themselves. Now, many feel the public expects them to answer for the actions of those who commit heinous acts in the name of their faith.
Across the country, some Muslims complain of stereotyping, racial profiling and discrimination.
Others pine for the days when Islam was rarely mentioned in headlines. Most dare not complain openly, religious and civic leaders say, for fear of being labeled unpatriotic or sympathetic to extremists.
"There's a certain sense of indignation to being treated the way they've been treated," said Imam Mahdi Bray, executive director of the Muslim American Society's Freedom Foundation in Washington, D.C. "There's a kind of rage. The challenge is to make that a healthy rage."
Many American Muslims say extremists misrepresent their faith. But convincing the public to separate Islam from terrorism at times seems an insurmountable hurdle.
Opinion polls back up what American Muslims say they feel every day: Masses of the U.S. populace view them negatively. In a USA Today/Gallup poll released in August, 39 percent of Americans said they feel prejudiced toward Muslims. Nearly one quarter of Americans polled said they would not want a Muslim as a neighbor. Another 39 percent want Muslims to carry special identification at all times and undergo enhanced security checks when boarding airplanes.
Anti-Muslim sentiment also has popped up in the Tampa Bay area, home to an estimated 45,000 Muslims. In 2002, federal agents arrested a Seminole podiatrist, Dr. Robert Goldstein, on charges of plotting to blow up a mosque.
Fearing for their wives' safety after Sept. 11, husbands of immigrant Muslim women pulled them out of leadership roles in Islamic women's groups. Fathers encouraged daughters to remove their hijabs in public to avoid harassment. Muslim women complained of verbal abuse in retail stores. One woman's hijab was ripped from her head by a customer in her husband's store.
Children get few passes. Last spring, athletic officials benched Temple Terrace's Briana Canty when she refused to remove her head scarf in an amateur youth basketball league tournament.
Rather than recognize Islamic holidays, the Hillsborough County School Board voted to rescind all religious holidays, a move it later reversed.
This is the new reality for American Muslims. Advances are often eclipsed by setbacks.
Quoting Charles Dickens, Ihsan Bagby, a leading Muslim demographer and associate professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Kentucky, said this is the best and worst of times for Muslims in America.
"This frustration, this pressure will ultimately produce positive results as Muslims continue to strive to become full members of this society," Bagby said. "Overall, everybody will look back at this period, they'll see this possibly as a turning point in the history of Islam in America."
***
Taken from St. Petersburg Times, Florida, USA, Published: September 9, 2006
By Sherri Day (with contribution from Times researcher Cathy Wos)
A Tampa woman who lost eight relatives in the attacks converts to Islam as tensions simmer from the memories and new terror plots. But she presses on.
Her mother named her Elizabeth after the queen of England. More than four decades later, she took another name: Safia Al-Kasaby, reflecting her new identity as a Muslima.
Safia, 43, is an unlikely candidate for conversion. She claims Jewish and Puerto Rican ancestry.
She is a former sergeant first class in the Air Force National Guard. And she lost eight relatives - one uncle and seven cousins - in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.
Back then, Safia did not imagine the faith professed by the hijackers would one day become her own.
"It didn't really matter who did it," says the Tampa woman now, reflecting on the 2001 attacks.
"I just never hated Islam. I never hated Muslims. For me to be angry about what happened to the twin towers would be like me hating all the Germans that killed the Jews."
Safia embraced Islam last year, coming to the faith at a time when it is seemingly maligned anew with each new report of terror plots, wars in far away lands and dead American soldiers.
Like other Muslims, Safia feels the tension all around her: curious stares because she wears the hijab or head scarf and store clerks who ask for extra identification.
Just last month, officials at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo turned down an initial request from Safia's Egyptian fiance for a temporary visa. Safia was certain bigotry played a role.
Her new faith also has widened the chasm among her Christian family. Her mother, three sisters and one of her daughters question her choice.
Safia presses on.
"For her to accept Islam, making that decision especially in this day and time, it says you're ready to step up and deal with the challenges of this journey," said Pat "Aliyah" Cruse, a fellow Muslima and 11-year convert.
***
Some demographers consider Islam to be the fastest-growing religion in the world. Of the 1.3-billion Muslims worldwide, 4.7-million live in the United States, according to the Association of Religion Data Archives.
One of the world's oldest religions, Islam has been in the United States for generations. But the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, thrust the religion and its adherents into the spotlight.
Before the attacks, American Muslims largely kept to themselves. Now, many feel the public expects them to answer for the actions of those who commit heinous acts in the name of their faith.
Across the country, some Muslims complain of stereotyping, racial profiling and discrimination.
Others pine for the days when Islam was rarely mentioned in headlines. Most dare not complain openly, religious and civic leaders say, for fear of being labeled unpatriotic or sympathetic to extremists.
"There's a certain sense of indignation to being treated the way they've been treated," said Imam Mahdi Bray, executive director of the Muslim American Society's Freedom Foundation in Washington, D.C. "There's a kind of rage. The challenge is to make that a healthy rage."
Many American Muslims say extremists misrepresent their faith. But convincing the public to separate Islam from terrorism at times seems an insurmountable hurdle.
Opinion polls back up what American Muslims say they feel every day: Masses of the U.S. populace view them negatively. In a USA Today/Gallup poll released in August, 39 percent of Americans said they feel prejudiced toward Muslims. Nearly one quarter of Americans polled said they would not want a Muslim as a neighbor. Another 39 percent want Muslims to carry special identification at all times and undergo enhanced security checks when boarding airplanes.
Anti-Muslim sentiment also has popped up in the Tampa Bay area, home to an estimated 45,000 Muslims. In 2002, federal agents arrested a Seminole podiatrist, Dr. Robert Goldstein, on charges of plotting to blow up a mosque.
Fearing for their wives' safety after Sept. 11, husbands of immigrant Muslim women pulled them out of leadership roles in Islamic women's groups. Fathers encouraged daughters to remove their hijabs in public to avoid harassment. Muslim women complained of verbal abuse in retail stores. One woman's hijab was ripped from her head by a customer in her husband's store.
Children get few passes. Last spring, athletic officials benched Temple Terrace's Briana Canty when she refused to remove her head scarf in an amateur youth basketball league tournament.
Rather than recognize Islamic holidays, the Hillsborough County School Board voted to rescind all religious holidays, a move it later reversed.
This is the new reality for American Muslims. Advances are often eclipsed by setbacks.
Quoting Charles Dickens, Ihsan Bagby, a leading Muslim demographer and associate professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Kentucky, said this is the best and worst of times for Muslims in America.
"This frustration, this pressure will ultimately produce positive results as Muslims continue to strive to become full members of this society," Bagby said. "Overall, everybody will look back at this period, they'll see this possibly as a turning point in the history of Islam in America."
***
Despite challenges for Muslims, Islam continues to grow, buoyed by births and new converts such as Safia.
Raised by her grandparents in Puerto Rico, Safia grew up in a home of melded cultures and faiths. Her grandfather was a Jew, who fled Germany during the Holocaust. Her grandmother was Catholic. Safia ultimately chose Judaism, a faith she believed was her birthright.
But Judaism eventually let her down, Safia said. In 1997, nearly destitute, she approached a North Tampa synagogue for help. Officials at the shul wanted to know if she was a member. She was not. They asked her if she was really Jewish.
"They said just because I had a relative along the line didn't make me Jewish," said Safia. "That was the first wall. That I wasn't pure."
Battling rejection, Safia left the synagogue. For eight years, she did not participate in organized religion.
She found Islam in 2005 on the third day of a Moroccan vacation.
"I just felt like God was there," she said, recalling her visit to a mosque during the call for prayer. "I said, 'This is it. I believe there is only one God. His name is Allah, and his messenger is Mohammed.' "
At first, Safia's family didn't take her seriously. And some colleagues at her banking job looked askance at her new Moroccan-inspired Islamic attire. Safia quickly toned it down, wearing scarfs only around her neck. She dared not pray at work.
Mostly, Safia kept her new faith at home, learning about her religion on Web sites and Islamic chat rooms.
Safia went to the Islamic Society of Tampa Bay Area in June and asked for the imam. She wanted to renew her shahadah, the formal declaration of the Islamic Creed. Safia also was out of work. The imam gave her a job managing the society's office. The group also stocked her refrigerator and paid her rent and electricity bill.
At last, Safia said, she had found a spiritual family. It helps blunt the sting of the rejection from her biological one.
Safia's eldest daughter, Sylvia, wants little to do with her. A Baptist and young military widow, Sylvia berated Safia when she showed up at her husband's funeral wearing a hijab and carrying a Koran.
At home in Town 'N Country, Safia raises two daughters. Ten-year-old Natalia says her mother's religion is cool. Ada, 18, appreciates Safia's transformation and doesn't put up with people who make fun of Islam or stereotype Muslims.
"I say, 'Wait a minute. My mom's a Muslim,' " Ada said. "She's not a terrorist."
Safia hopes the world will see her as an example of what Islam really is. Still early in her conversion, she is a Muslima in transition.
She studies the Koran and prays five times a day. She also wears makeup and has French-manicured acrylic nails. Sometimes she covers and sometimes - when she fears heckling or worse - she does not.
There are victories: Her fiance received his visa and the two married Friday.
She looks forward to the day when her religion is not an issue.
"I don't want to have whispers behind me, whispers in front of me," she said. "I want to be able to blend in, keep my faith and blend in."
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Useful reading:
Why I decided to submit? - The story of Angela Collins (from the USA), Source: Islamicity.com
Useful Viewing:
Family Member of 9/11 Victims Converts to Islam
Raised by her grandparents in Puerto Rico, Safia grew up in a home of melded cultures and faiths. Her grandfather was a Jew, who fled Germany during the Holocaust. Her grandmother was Catholic. Safia ultimately chose Judaism, a faith she believed was her birthright.
But Judaism eventually let her down, Safia said. In 1997, nearly destitute, she approached a North Tampa synagogue for help. Officials at the shul wanted to know if she was a member. She was not. They asked her if she was really Jewish.
"They said just because I had a relative along the line didn't make me Jewish," said Safia. "That was the first wall. That I wasn't pure."
Battling rejection, Safia left the synagogue. For eight years, she did not participate in organized religion.
She found Islam in 2005 on the third day of a Moroccan vacation.
"I just felt like God was there," she said, recalling her visit to a mosque during the call for prayer. "I said, 'This is it. I believe there is only one God. His name is Allah, and his messenger is Mohammed.' "
At first, Safia's family didn't take her seriously. And some colleagues at her banking job looked askance at her new Moroccan-inspired Islamic attire. Safia quickly toned it down, wearing scarfs only around her neck. She dared not pray at work.
Mostly, Safia kept her new faith at home, learning about her religion on Web sites and Islamic chat rooms.
Safia went to the Islamic Society of Tampa Bay Area in June and asked for the imam. She wanted to renew her shahadah, the formal declaration of the Islamic Creed. Safia also was out of work. The imam gave her a job managing the society's office. The group also stocked her refrigerator and paid her rent and electricity bill.
At last, Safia said, she had found a spiritual family. It helps blunt the sting of the rejection from her biological one.
Safia's eldest daughter, Sylvia, wants little to do with her. A Baptist and young military widow, Sylvia berated Safia when she showed up at her husband's funeral wearing a hijab and carrying a Koran.
At home in Town 'N Country, Safia raises two daughters. Ten-year-old Natalia says her mother's religion is cool. Ada, 18, appreciates Safia's transformation and doesn't put up with people who make fun of Islam or stereotype Muslims.
"I say, 'Wait a minute. My mom's a Muslim,' " Ada said. "She's not a terrorist."
Safia hopes the world will see her as an example of what Islam really is. Still early in her conversion, she is a Muslima in transition.
She studies the Koran and prays five times a day. She also wears makeup and has French-manicured acrylic nails. Sometimes she covers and sometimes - when she fears heckling or worse - she does not.
There are victories: Her fiance received his visa and the two married Friday.
She looks forward to the day when her religion is not an issue.
"I don't want to have whispers behind me, whispers in front of me," she said. "I want to be able to blend in, keep my faith and blend in."
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Useful reading:
Why I decided to submit? - The story of Angela Collins (from the USA), Source: Islamicity.com
Useful Viewing:
Family Member of 9/11 Victims Converts to Islam
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