Author Topic: People who have become Muslim  (Read 134850 times)

a_ahmed

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #500 on: September 14, 2013, 10:04:44 AM »

a_ahmed

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #501 on: September 14, 2013, 10:09:00 AM »


A "Typical" American Police Supervisor Finds Islam...
Impressed by My Friend's Wisdom and Patience

My name is William, and I live in a large Midwestern city in the United States.

I am a typical American in many ways that are reflected in both my professional and personal lives. Professionally, I am a supervisor with a major police department, and I have been in the military, both active duty and in the reserves for the majority of my adult life.

Personally, I live in the suburbs with my wife and child, drive a pickup truck and occasionally wear cowboy boots. I pay my bills, treat my neighbors well, and prior to my reversion/conversion to Islam, I followed my religion in the manner in which I had been instructed.

As I said, my life was that of a typical American, with my main concerns being the little details of everyday life that everyone worries about. Little did I know that my religious beliefs would take me out of the “typical” life that I lead, and that they would instead become a major factor in my life, providing me with a sense of peace and completion that only a short time before I would not have thought possible.

My journey to Islam began with my association, and later friendship, with a man named Nasir. I met Nasir through work in the late 1980’s, and was impressed with his manners and the way that he treated me. I had met very few Muslims, and I was always a little uneasy around them as I was not sure how they would accept me.

Besides having the appearance of a pickup-driving-shotgun-toting-redneck, I was also a Jew, and the combination often seemed to unsettle people. Nasir, however, took everything in stride, and as a result a friendship slowly bloomed. Through Nasir, I really formed my first impressions of Islam and its adherents.

Over the years I watched how Nasir dealt with different situations, and was constantly impressed with the wisdom and patience that he displayed when he was dealing with difficult people or situations. He always took the high road, even at times when I, if I had been in the same situation, would have been tempted to treat the persons differently.

If I asked him why he did certain things, he would tell me a bit of wisdom which guided his actions. Most of these, (I realized later), were direct or indirect quotes from the Quran, which he told me not in a proselytizing way, but in a gentle manner as if he were teaching a child the proper way to conduct itself in the world.

In fact, prior to reading the Quran, I often marveled at how one person could be so wise and knowledgeable! Little did I know that those guiding principles were written down where I or anyone else could read them. I realize now how blessed I am that I was exposed to Islam and Muslims in such a positive way.


Around the winter of 2000, I began to have a serious interest in Islam. I read the Quran, but could not seem to fully understand it. Despite this difficulty, I continued to have a nagging feeling that I should continue, and so I studied other books about Islam. I learned a great deal, but in an academic and not in a spiritual way.

I double checked the dates of many of the modern “discoveries” that had been addressed in the Quran, and was astounded at what I found.
Again I attempted to read and understand the Quran, and again I had difficulties. I finally resolved to ask Nasir for help, and then the 9-11 incident happened. Suddenly I had a host of new worries, and I put my questions on hold. During this time period, I had a great deal of exposure to Islam, however very little of it was put to me in a positive manner.

As a police supervisor, I was constantly receiving warnings about perceived Islamic threats, and as an officer in the reserves I was around people who perceived Islam as a direct threat and Muslims as possible enemies. So, to my shame, I continued to wait and kept my studies on the Islamic world to those areas that directly influenced my professional life.


Then, in the late summer of 2004, that nagging feeling that had persisted suddenly intensified, and I finally asked Nasir for guidance. He told me about the tenets of his faith, and about the nature of the Quran. More importantly, he told me how crucial Islam was to his life, and how strongly he believed in it, not only as the word of God, but as the way in which man was meant to live.

He and his brother Riyadh then provided me with booklets about Islam that had answers to many of the questions that I had. With this knowledge in hand, I again approached the Quran, and suddenly found that it was not only readable, but that it made sense! I can only think that either I was not mentally ‘ready’ before, or that I simply needed the extra input in order to properly understand and process the information. Either way, I read and re-read everything that I had been provided, and then double checked the facts that had been presented to me. The more I read, the more amazed I was.

I found that the information that was in the Quran would have been impossible for Muhammad to have known had he not been a Prophet. Not only would it have been impossible for a man of his background and geographic location to have known many of these things, it would have been impossible for anyone of his time-period to have known them. I double checked the dates of many of the modern “discoveries” that had been addressed in the Quran, and was astounded at what I found. Not only did the Quran contain information that was centuries ahead of its time, but it did so with details, many of which could not have been known until this century.

I did not receive any new information or beliefs, but was instead capable of understanding that which I had already learned.
I became convinced that Muhammad was indeed a Prophet that had been inspired by God through his angel. Despite this, I still faced a dilemma. Although I now believed that Muhammad was a Prophet, I still was confused about what to do. Everything that I had ever believed was suddenly turned upside down, and I was at a loss for an explanation.

That night I prayed for guidance and understanding. I only believed in one god, but I wanted to know the manner in which I should hold that belief. The prayer was simple, but heartfelt, and I went to sleep full of hope that I would receive an understanding of the situation. When I awoke, I did so with the feeling that I had experienced an epiphany.

Everything was suddenly clear, and I understood how all the things that I had practiced before were simply observances that had been contrived by man in an attempt to follow religious principles that had changed over the millennia. I did not receive any new information or beliefs, but was instead capable of understanding that which I had already learned. I felt exhilarated, happy and at peace, and that morning I said the shahadah.

I told Nasir, and he took me to a nearby mosque for the Friday prayers. At the mosque I was lead to the front by Nasir, and I told the assembled congregation about why I had come there. Then Nasir and the Iman helped me repeat the profession of faith in Arabic.

Although I was a little nervous, the joy I felt upon doing this far outweighed any other feelings that I had. Afterwards, I was welcomed by the majority of the members in a manner that was so welcoming that I can hardly describe it. Most of the congregation shook my hand and welcomed me to Islam, and many of them offered to help me or to answer any questions that I might have. It was a wonderful experience which I will never forget.

In closing, let me say that the feeling of peace that came over me is still with me, and although I am still very early in the learning stages, I am happy and confident that I made the right decision. I am still a redneck-looking, pickup truck-driving, typical American.

Only now I am a Muslim American, and with the continued guidance and assistance of people like Nasir and Riyadh, I hope to one day set as good an example for others and they have been for me.

a_ahmed

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #502 on: September 14, 2013, 10:22:43 AM »

Gonuclear

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #503 on: September 14, 2013, 11:51:23 PM »
lol i think you have some English comprehension skill problems. "People who have become Muslim" is not a thread for people who have converted from Islam whatever their case.

There is an appropriate thread for those who have left Islam and you are more than welcome to post in that thread in fact I bumped it for you. Unless your intentions are clearly to derail this thread out of hate. If you want to inform people of those who have 'left' islam, you can post in that thread and not in this thread where people embrace Islam.

I don't see it that way.  There are people who have become Muslims who found great fulfillment, but there are also those who, once they converted, felt disappointment and left.

There are also converts who did not leave, but are troubled by some of the doctrines of Islam.

It seems to me perfectly appropriate to post experiences of converts in this thread whether positive or negative.

Unless you are interested in promulgating the notion that Islam is perfect and anyone who has even the slightest negative views about it is a charlatan or liar.  That does seems to be your view.  Perhaps you should reflect on that. If you can.

avxo

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #504 on: September 15, 2013, 02:59:50 AM »


A "Typical" American Police Supervisor Finds Islam...
Impressed by My Friend's Wisdom and Patience

My name is William, and I live in a large Midwestern city in the United States.

I am a typical American in many ways that are reflected in both my professional and personal lives. Professionally, I am a supervisor with a major police department, and I have been in the military, both active duty and in the reserves for the majority of my adult life.

Personally, I live in the suburbs with my wife and child, drive a pickup truck and occasionally wear cowboy boots. I pay my bills, treat my neighbors well, and prior to my reversion/conversion to Islam, I followed my religion in the manner in which I had been instructed.

As I said, my life was that of a typical American, with my main concerns being the little details of everyday life that everyone worries about. Little did I know that my religious beliefs would take me out of the “typical” life that I lead, and that they would instead become a major factor in my life, providing me with a sense of peace and completion that only a short time before I would not have thought possible.

My journey to Islam began with my association, and later friendship, with a man named Nasir. I met Nasir through work in the late 1980’s, and was impressed with his manners and the way that he treated me. I had met very few Muslims, and I was always a little uneasy around them as I was not sure how they would accept me.

Besides having the appearance of a pickup-driving-shotgun-toting-redneck, I was also a Jew, and the combination often seemed to unsettle people. Nasir, however, took everything in stride, and as a result a friendship slowly bloomed. Through Nasir, I really formed my first impressions of Islam and its adherents.

Over the years I watched how Nasir dealt with different situations, and was constantly impressed with the wisdom and patience that he displayed when he was dealing with difficult people or situations. He always took the high road, even at times when I, if I had been in the same situation, would have been tempted to treat the persons differently.

If I asked him why he did certain things, he would tell me a bit of wisdom which guided his actions. Most of these, (I realized later), were direct or indirect quotes from the Quran, which he told me not in a proselytizing way, but in a gentle manner as if he were teaching a child the proper way to conduct itself in the world.

In fact, prior to reading the Quran, I often marveled at how one person could be so wise and knowledgeable! Little did I know that those guiding principles were written down where I or anyone else could read them. I realize now how blessed I am that I was exposed to Islam and Muslims in such a positive way.


Around the winter of 2000, I began to have a serious interest in Islam. I read the Quran, but could not seem to fully understand it. Despite this difficulty, I continued to have a nagging feeling that I should continue, and so I studied other books about Islam. I learned a great deal, but in an academic and not in a spiritual way.

I double checked the dates of many of the modern “discoveries” that had been addressed in the Quran, and was astounded at what I found.
Again I attempted to read and understand the Quran, and again I had difficulties. I finally resolved to ask Nasir for help, and then the 9-11 incident happened. Suddenly I had a host of new worries, and I put my questions on hold. During this time period, I had a great deal of exposure to Islam, however very little of it was put to me in a positive manner.

As a police supervisor, I was constantly receiving warnings about perceived Islamic threats, and as an officer in the reserves I was around people who perceived Islam as a direct threat and Muslims as possible enemies. So, to my shame, I continued to wait and kept my studies on the Islamic world to those areas that directly influenced my professional life.


Then, in the late summer of 2004, that nagging feeling that had persisted suddenly intensified, and I finally asked Nasir for guidance. He told me about the tenets of his faith, and about the nature of the Quran. More importantly, he told me how crucial Islam was to his life, and how strongly he believed in it, not only as the word of God, but as the way in which man was meant to live.

He and his brother Riyadh then provided me with booklets about Islam that had answers to many of the questions that I had. With this knowledge in hand, I again approached the Quran, and suddenly found that it was not only readable, but that it made sense! I can only think that either I was not mentally ‘ready’ before, or that I simply needed the extra input in order to properly understand and process the information. Either way, I read and re-read everything that I had been provided, and then double checked the facts that had been presented to me. The more I read, the more amazed I was.

I found that the information that was in the Quran would have been impossible for Muhammad to have known had he not been a Prophet. Not only would it have been impossible for a man of his background and geographic location to have known many of these things, it would have been impossible for anyone of his time-period to have known them. I double checked the dates of many of the modern “discoveries” that had been addressed in the Quran, and was astounded at what I found. Not only did the Quran contain information that was centuries ahead of its time, but it did so with details, many of which could not have been known until this century.

I did not receive any new information or beliefs, but was instead capable of understanding that which I had already learned.
I became convinced that Muhammad was indeed a Prophet that had been inspired by God through his angel. Despite this, I still faced a dilemma. Although I now believed that Muhammad was a Prophet, I still was confused about what to do. Everything that I had ever believed was suddenly turned upside down, and I was at a loss for an explanation.

That night I prayed for guidance and understanding. I only believed in one god, but I wanted to know the manner in which I should hold that belief. The prayer was simple, but heartfelt, and I went to sleep full of hope that I would receive an understanding of the situation. When I awoke, I did so with the feeling that I had experienced an epiphany.

Everything was suddenly clear, and I understood how all the things that I had practiced before were simply observances that had been contrived by man in an attempt to follow religious principles that had changed over the millennia. I did not receive any new information or beliefs, but was instead capable of understanding that which I had already learned. I felt exhilarated, happy and at peace, and that morning I said the shahadah.

I told Nasir, and he took me to a nearby mosque for the Friday prayers. At the mosque I was lead to the front by Nasir, and I told the assembled congregation about why I had come there. Then Nasir and the Iman helped me repeat the profession of faith in Arabic.

Although I was a little nervous, the joy I felt upon doing this far outweighed any other feelings that I had. Afterwards, I was welcomed by the majority of the members in a manner that was so welcoming that I can hardly describe it. Most of the congregation shook my hand and welcomed me to Islam, and many of them offered to help me or to answer any questions that I might have. It was a wonderful experience which I will never forget.

In closing, let me say that the feeling of peace that came over me is still with me, and although I am still very early in the learning stages, I am happy and confident that I made the right decision. I am still a redneck-looking, pickup truck-driving, typical American.

Only now I am a Muslim American, and with the continued guidance and assistance of people like Nasir and Riyadh, I hope to one day set as good an example for others and they have been for me.

And all was right in the world... ::)

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #505 on: September 15, 2013, 09:17:18 PM »
Someone who became Muslim and had second thoughts:

Former Catholic Convert to Islam: Study Islam and Leave It

by J.J.

21 Nov, 2008

I was raised in a very strict Catholic family and grew up in a loving environment. I converted to Islam long ago. Even though my conversion was a big shock for my parents, they always considered me as their beloved son.
Many people convert to Islam because their partner is Muslim. They think Islam is equal to Christianity plus Muhammad: a type of 2.1 version of the Windows of religion. For men like me this is because it is a (legal) obligation or necessity to marry a Muslim woman. Women mostly convert because their partner shows so much love for his religion and the rituals (praying, fasting, ...) have a charming effect, and to come closer to their partner, they just want to join in and convert. One falls in love with the so-called Islamic atmosphere and solidarity without knowing what Islam really is about.
When I proposed to my fiancé, she wanted me to convert to Islam, which I did. I realize now that it was not wise to convert to a religion, which I hardly knew anything about. So I converted to Islam without studying it carefully.

This is a very common phenomenon; I’d even say it’s typical. The Muslim(a) with whom one has a personal friendship or relation knows very little about Islam her/himself, did not study it systematically and does not even know how to start studying it.

If one asks information about Islam to Muslims, they will give you a few innocent books to show how beautiful Islam is. These books are mostly misleading and even texts written by the "Centre for Islam in Europe", linked to the University of Gent (Belgium) are a twist of "real Islam" and a denial of the teachings of the four main Schools of Islam. The pattern of their thinking is that the good verses of the Quran are generally applicable and the passages that call for violence are contextual and only meant for a specific situation. The Quran however does not make this distinction. These books justify the negative side of Islam by very “creative” reasoning, by concealing things, by wrong translations from Arabic and by outright lies.

My conversion to Islam was in a period of my life in which I was building up my career and family life and there was no room for studying Islam. As a matter of fact, I had no idea how to start studying it. At the time, there was no Internet yet.

I think very few people, Muslims as as well candidate-Muslims, understand anything of the Quran. The reason is simple: the Quran is badly structured, very confusing and jumps from one subject to another. It’s an endless repetition of the same theme: believe in Allah and his Messenger Muhammad or you will receive the most horrible punishments in hell. This is repeated endlessly. Hundreds of times.

I have never met anyone, who can tell me which verses he or she was moved by or found touching, or new things Muhammad brought that weren’t already in Christianity or Judaism except the well-developed Jihad doctrine, and the threat and declaring as enemy anyone who does not believe in Allah and Muhammad. There must be war until the whole world accepts Islamic laws, as illustrated in the following Quranic verses and in a tradition/hadith considered as authentic:
Quran 2:193. "And fight with them until there is no persecution, and religion should be only for Allah, but if they desist, then there should be no hostility except against the oppressors."

Quran 8:39. "And fight with them until there is no more persecution and religion should be only for Allah; but if they desist, then surely Allah sees what they do."

Bukhari 2:24: Allah's Apostle said: "I have been ordered (by Allah) to fight against the people until they testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah's Apostle, and offer the prayers perfectly and give the obligatory charity, so if they perform a that, then they save their lives and property from me except for Islamic laws and then their reckoning (accounts) will be done by Allah."
The Quran is undoubtedly the miracle of Islam. I really think Muhammad was an incredible genius to “sell” a book with....
Absurdities (the sun goes down in a muddy pond Quran 18.86)

Contradictions (initially everyone has the right to choose his own religion, Quran chapter 109, and in the end polytheists have to be killed in Quran 9.5),

Logical mistakes in thinking (according to the Quran, verse 4.157, the Jews say that Jesus is the Messiah and a Prophet of Allah, which they never did)

threats (the unbelievers are fuel for hell Quran, 2.24)
... as a book coming from Allah and the top of communication between Allah and mankind—the perfect book. In the meantime this book became so holy that mistreating it can be a legitimate reason for murder.

As a matter of fact, even devout Muslims will confirm that the Quran is hard to understand. They even prove it by the existence of the so-called tafsirs, Quranic commentaries. The Quran claims to be a guide for the believer but to understand it one needs 10 more books. This cannot be right! A guiding book has to be clear!

In one respect the Quran is rather harmless for a candidate-Muslim. It is so boring and unreadable that hardly anybody gets any further than the first few pages, then gives up. Personally, I don’t know any book that is so confusing. I think there is none. It wouldn’t get published anyway.

A few years ago, I mentioned to my wife that all news about Islam was so negative that I wondered what Islam really teaches. She told me there were no secrets and that everything was written in the books. Of course, I had Muslims confirm that these were the best sources and I could buy them from online Islamic bookstores. I searched the Internet to make a list of original source-books on Islam and I purchased these books. I have read the following 20 books:

1. The Quran

2. The authentic traditions of Muhammad (Sahih Hadith) by Bukhari: 9 books

3. A summary of the authentic traditions of Muhammad by (Sahih) Muslim: 2 books

4. Life of the Prophet: oldest biography by Ibn Ishaq

5. Life of the Prophet: Tabari: 4 books

6. Life of the Prophet: Ibn Sa'd: 2 books

7. Shariah book called Umdat as-salik / Reliance of the Traveller of the Shafi'i school (1 of the 4 large schools of Islam recognized by the Al-Azhar university in Egypt). This is not an original source but it is how the Quran, the hadith and the biographies of the Muhammad are interpreted by Muslim scholars and are being turned into laws. This book is incredibly user-friendly and I use it to check my interpretation of the Quran and the Hadith.

This Shariah book does not contain any surprises because it is consistent with the Quran and the Sahih Hadith.

After reading these books, I could no longer remain a Muslim. There is no greater insult to Muhammad as a prophet and for Islam as an ideology, than the Quran and the original sources of Islam: books written by Allah and Muslims for Muslims. That is why websites that criticise Islam advise everyone to study Islam from these original sources.

What is written in these books is too crazy for words. Many practices that we consider as immoral in the 21st century have been permitted by Muhammad.

I have found the following issues very disturbing:
1. Slavery

Muhammad was keeping slaves and made trade in them. This means that slavery is part of Islam forever. Slavery has only been abolished in Muslim countries under Western pressure. Therefore, slavery can be reinstated at any time. Islamic legislation concerning slavery is being reprinted up till today by the main schools of Islam, so that scholars are aware of it. Furthermore Islam allows female slaves and female prisoners of war to be raped on condition that well-established rules are followed.

Muhammad himself encouraged this, see the following authentic tradition/hadith transmitted by Muslim. The title of chapter 29 is already very revealing:

Sahih Muslim 8:29: “IT IS PERMISSIBLE TO HAVE SEXUAL INTERCOURSE WITH A CAPTIVE WOMAN AFTER SHE IS PURIFIED (OF MENSES OR DELIVERY) IN CASE SHE HAS A HUSBAND, HER MARRIAGE IS ABROGATED AFTER SHE BECOMES CAPTIVE.”

Sahih Muslim 8:3432: “Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that at the Battle of Hunain Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) sent an army to Autas and encountered the enemy and fought with them. Having overcome them and taken them captives, the Companions of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) seemed to refrain from having intercourse with captive women because of their husbands being polytheists. Then Allah, Most High, sent down regarding that:" And women already married, except those whom your right hands possess (verse 4:24)" (i.e., they were lawful for them when their 'Idda period came to an end).”


2. The humiliating position of women

They cannot decide whom they get married to and can be divorced any time without any formality. ... or can be exchanged for another woman. Quran 4:20 says:

“And if you wish to have (one) wife in place of another and you have given one of them a heap of gold, then take not from it anything; would you take it by slandering (her) and (doing her) manifest wrong?”

Women have to obey their husbands and if the husband fears she will not obey she may be beaten. Quran 4:34:

" Men are the maintainers of women because Allah has made some of them to excel others and because they spend out of their property; the good women are therefore obedient, guarding the unseen as Allah has guarded; and (as to) those on whose part you fear desertion, admonish them, and leave them alone in the sleeping-places and beat them; then if they obey you, do not seek a way against them; surely Allah is High, Great."

Note: "beat them (fem. pl.)" in Arabic, is often translated by "discipline her" or “scourge her” because the translator is obviously too ashamed to use the word beating.

One of the four schools of Islam, namely the Shafi'i school, states without shame that the only duty of a woman is to sexually satisfy her husband. Through her dowry he gets a one-off payment. This reminds me of the oldest profession in the world. Scholars of the Shafi'i school do not make this up. They simply learn this from the Quran:

Quran 4:24. “...Then as to those whom you profit by, give them their dowries as appointed...”

Quran 4:20. “And if you wish to have (one) wife in place of another and you have given one of them a heap of gold, then take not from it anything; would you take it by slandering (her) and (doing her) manifest wrong?

Quran 4:21. “And how can you take it when one of you has already gone in to the other and they have made with you a firm covenant?

This also has been confirmed by authentic traditions of Muhammad, which clearly state that the dowry is only linked to sexual intercourse with the husband. If he divorces her after having sexual intercourse even only once, he loses this money. (Muslim, Book 9, number 3557.)

3. The killing of apostates

Most Muslims and non-Muslims think this is an anomaly. They are wrong. This practice is not only in the collective memory of the population in Muslim countries, but all shariah handbooks tell the same story. Everyone who has studied Islam seriously knows that Shariah prescribes the death penalty for apostates. This is based on the authentic traditions of Muhammad who said:

"If somebody (a Muslim) discards his religion, kill him." (Bukhari, Book 52, Number 260)

and

"The blood of a Muslim who confesses that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that I am His Apostle, cannot be shed except in three cases: In Qisas for murder, a married person who commits illegal sexual intercourse and the one who reverts from Islam (apostate) and leaves the Muslims." (Bukhari, Book 83 Number 17)

In most Islamic countries the death penalty for apostasy is not applied because this is an inhumane law. In these countries however apostates are harassed administratively by all possible means or are punished in one way or another. In the so-called moderate Muslim country Malaysia they have sent a woman to a psychiatric institution and her child has been taken away from her because she had turned away from Islam and became a Hindu. Fortunately she lives in "moderate" Malaysia. If she were living in Saudi-Arabia, she would be beheaded.

4. Polygamy as legalized adultery.

Contrary to what some Muslim(a)s claim, polygamy is not an exceptional situation and the first wife does not need to give permission. The man has the unconditional right to four wives if he gives them a dowry according to their status and if he can provide for them. Women who don’t grant this right to their husbands are ungrateful and therefore they will go to hell. This is described in the tradition of Muhammad narrated by Muslim in Book 1, Number 142.

5. The call of the Quran and Muhammad for eternal war until Islam is the dominant system everywhere (see above)

6. The inhumane punishments for theft and adultery with the idea in mind (Tradition by Muslim in Book 1, Number 171) that Allah can forgive anything except worshipping other gods besides Him. If one says that Jesus is the Son of God one goes to hell, but when one commits theft or adultery and only believes in Allah one can go to heaven.

7. The double personality of Muhammad, who on one hand was completely reliable, beloved, patient, and even timid and who on the other hand encouraged killing, torture, robbing and rape.

8. The inconsistence of the Quran.

It is hard to believe that this is the work of a Supreme Being. One has to be unbelievably brainwashed to think this is sublime. In Pakistan however, you will be beheaded if you throw the Quran in a waste-bin.

Many a Muslim will claim that what I have written has nothing to do with Islam and that all of it are culture-related issues. This is completely false. The situation of the Muslim has nothing to do with a so called backward culture in Islamic countries but has everything to do with true Islam itself.

In my opinion Islam is in violation with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on many issues and poses a danger to society. Reformation of Islam is impossible since everything is described in detail in the Quran and the Hadith/traditions of Muhammad. The Quran and the Hadith are complementary and provide explanations for one another. The so-called reformers or moderate Muslims pretend that a large part of the Quran does not exist. Or they try to distort the truth because it so ugly.

The extremists (Wahabi, Salafists, ... ) or so-called “radicalized youth” just go for the whole story. If in the West Islam is considered as an “approved” religion, one cannot blame these people that they use their right to effectively follow the Quran and the Hadith.

One forgets that Islam is not only a religion but also a culture, a social system, a legislation, a political system, a military system, ....and that these cannot easily be separated.

An example: one would expect that prayer belongs to the religious domain. During prayer muslims read a chapter of the Quran. When they choose chapter 9 and recite that polytheists should be killed (9:5) and that Christians and Jews have to be fought until they submit (9:29) and that you may not spend time with your ‘unbelieving’ family members (9:23), one enters in the military, social and political domain. And then muslims are surprised that they have to explain to those Polytheists, Jews, Christians or atheist relatives that these verses are no longer valid and were meant only for specific circumstances, wherease Islamic scholars claim the exact opposite.

When I put everything in perspective I cannot understand how anyone who has studied Islam thoroughly on the basis of the Islamic sources, still can remain a Muslim. I am no longer a Muslim. i hope every Muslim will study Islam thoroughly and follow suit.

Finally I wish peace to all my Muslim and non-Muslim brothers and sisters!

This article first appeared in Faithfreedom.org. It has been slightly shortened.

-- http://www.islam-watch.org/leavingislam/Catholic-Convert-Leaves-Islam.htm


Gonuclear

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #506 on: September 16, 2013, 02:40:35 AM »


A "Typical" American Police Supervisor Finds Islam...
Impressed by My Friend's Wisdom and Patience

My name is William, and I live in a large Midwestern city in the United States.

I am a typical American in many ways that are reflected in both my professional and personal lives. Professionally, I am a supervisor with a major police department, and I have been in the military, both active duty and in the reserves for the majority of my adult life.

Personally, I live in the suburbs with my wife and child, drive a pickup truck and occasionally wear cowboy boots. I pay my bills, treat my neighbors well, and prior to my reversion/conversion to Islam, I followed my religion in the manner in which I had been instructed.

As I said, my life was that of a typical American, with my main concerns being the little details of everyday life that everyone worries about. Little did I know that my religious beliefs would take me out of the “typical” life that I lead, and that they would instead become a major factor in my life, providing me with a sense of peace and completion that only a short time before I would not have thought possible.

My journey to Islam began with my association, and later friendship, with a man named Nasir. I met Nasir through work in the late 1980’s, and was impressed with his manners and the way that he treated me. I had met very few Muslims, and I was always a little uneasy around them as I was not sure how they would accept me.

Besides having the appearance of a pickup-driving-shotgun-toting-redneck, I was also a Jew, and the combination often seemed to unsettle people. Nasir, however, took everything in stride, and as a result a friendship slowly bloomed. Through Nasir, I really formed my first impressions of Islam and its adherents.

Over the years I watched how Nasir dealt with different situations, and was constantly impressed with the wisdom and patience that he displayed when he was dealing with difficult people or situations. He always took the high road, even at times when I, if I had been in the same situation, would have been tempted to treat the persons differently.

If I asked him why he did certain things, he would tell me a bit of wisdom which guided his actions. Most of these, (I realized later), were direct or indirect quotes from the Quran, which he told me not in a proselytizing way, but in a gentle manner as if he were teaching a child the proper way to conduct itself in the world.

In fact, prior to reading the Quran, I often marveled at how one person could be so wise and knowledgeable! Little did I know that those guiding principles were written down where I or anyone else could read them. I realize now how blessed I am that I was exposed to Islam and Muslims in such a positive way.


Around the winter of 2000, I began to have a serious interest in Islam. I read the Quran, but could not seem to fully understand it. Despite this difficulty, I continued to have a nagging feeling that I should continue, and so I studied other books about Islam. I learned a great deal, but in an academic and not in a spiritual way.

I double checked the dates of many of the modern “discoveries” that had been addressed in the Quran, and was astounded at what I found.
Again I attempted to read and understand the Quran, and again I had difficulties. I finally resolved to ask Nasir for help, and then the 9-11 incident happened. Suddenly I had a host of new worries, and I put my questions on hold. During this time period, I had a great deal of exposure to Islam, however very little of it was put to me in a positive manner.

As a police supervisor, I was constantly receiving warnings about perceived Islamic threats, and as an officer in the reserves I was around people who perceived Islam as a direct threat and Muslims as possible enemies. So, to my shame, I continued to wait and kept my studies on the Islamic world to those areas that directly influenced my professional life.


Then, in the late summer of 2004, that nagging feeling that had persisted suddenly intensified, and I finally asked Nasir for guidance. He told me about the tenets of his faith, and about the nature of the Quran. More importantly, he told me how crucial Islam was to his life, and how strongly he believed in it, not only as the word of God, but as the way in which man was meant to live.

He and his brother Riyadh then provided me with booklets about Islam that had answers to many of the questions that I had. With this knowledge in hand, I again approached the Quran, and suddenly found that it was not only readable, but that it made sense! I can only think that either I was not mentally ‘ready’ before, or that I simply needed the extra input in order to properly understand and process the information. Either way, I read and re-read everything that I had been provided, and then double checked the facts that had been presented to me. The more I read, the more amazed I was.

I found that the information that was in the Quran would have been impossible for Muhammad to have known had he not been a Prophet. Not only would it have been impossible for a man of his background and geographic location to have known many of these things, it would have been impossible for anyone of his time-period to have known them. I double checked the dates of many of the modern “discoveries” that had been addressed in the Quran, and was astounded at what I found. Not only did the Quran contain information that was centuries ahead of its time, but it did so with details, many of which could not have been known until this century.

I did not receive any new information or beliefs, but was instead capable of understanding that which I had already learned.
I became convinced that Muhammad was indeed a Prophet that had been inspired by God through his angel. Despite this, I still faced a dilemma. Although I now believed that Muhammad was a Prophet, I still was confused about what to do. Everything that I had ever believed was suddenly turned upside down, and I was at a loss for an explanation.

That night I prayed for guidance and understanding. I only believed in one god, but I wanted to know the manner in which I should hold that belief. The prayer was simple, but heartfelt, and I went to sleep full of hope that I would receive an understanding of the situation. When I awoke, I did so with the feeling that I had experienced an epiphany.

Everything was suddenly clear, and I understood how all the things that I had practiced before were simply observances that had been contrived by man in an attempt to follow religious principles that had changed over the millennia. I did not receive any new information or beliefs, but was instead capable of understanding that which I had already learned. I felt exhilarated, happy and at peace, and that morning I said the shahadah.

I told Nasir, and he took me to a nearby mosque for the Friday prayers. At the mosque I was lead to the front by Nasir, and I told the assembled congregation about why I had come there. Then Nasir and the Iman helped me repeat the profession of faith in Arabic.

Although I was a little nervous, the joy I felt upon doing this far outweighed any other feelings that I had. Afterwards, I was welcomed by the majority of the members in a manner that was so welcoming that I can hardly describe it. Most of the congregation shook my hand and welcomed me to Islam, and many of them offered to help me or to answer any questions that I might have. It was a wonderful experience which I will never forget.

In closing, let me say that the feeling of peace that came over me is still with me, and although I am still very early in the learning stages, I am happy and confident that I made the right decision. I am still a redneck-looking, pickup truck-driving, typical American.

Only now I am a Muslim American, and with the continued guidance and assistance of people like Nasir and Riyadh, I hope to one day set as good an example for others and they have been for me.


Would you mind sourcing this?  I am not saying it's fake, but the markings on the police car seem to be photoshopped, and that does not look like a police uniform.   Plus, the oversized shades.  Not to mention the reference to being a redneck with a shotgun and a Jew as well.  Weird.

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #507 on: September 16, 2013, 08:03:33 AM »

Would you mind sourcing this?  I am not saying it's fake, but the markings on the police car seem to be photoshopped, and that does not look like a police uniform.   Plus, the oversized shades.  Not to mention the reference to being a redneck with a shotgun and a Jew as well.  Weird.

Ahmed just copy-pastes stuff uncritically. Makes for fun reading...

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #508 on: September 16, 2013, 12:18:35 PM »

Gonuclear

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #509 on: September 16, 2013, 01:14:06 PM »
Ahmed just copy-pastes stuff uncritically. Makes for fun reading...


I did find it on multiple Islamic sites.

It's odd how on the pro-Islam sites, the Muslim way of life is portrayed as one of endless joy, peace and happiness, while there are many anti-Islam sites that portray Islam as violent and oppressive.  I have not found one that takes a middle course.

In any case I find this purported officer's account suspicious.  He says that before his conversion, he followed his religion (which he says was Judaism) "in the manner in which I was instructed."  That is a very odd thing for a Jew to say.

Also, when I enhanced the photo of the officer, the uniform looked wrong - what I thought was a badge, which should be metal, is actually a fabric patch on the shirt.  Finally, I have never heard of a "Police Supervisor".  That is not a job title or rank used in the USA, to my knowledge.

avxo

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #510 on: September 16, 2013, 02:09:16 PM »


We'll conveniently forget that Carley/Fatima didn't need to adopt or even discover Islam in order to stop "going wild, flashing [her] body and falling out of nightclubs." But it makes for a neat narrative, doesn't it?

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #511 on: September 16, 2013, 02:41:44 PM »
Ahmed just copy-pastes stuff uncritically. Makes for fun reading...

Atleast people can follow basic instructions and post in the relevant threads.no names of course.

The Ugly

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #512 on: September 16, 2013, 10:05:52 PM »
Who in their right mind would "become" Muslim? I mean, fine, you're born into it, that's one thing. You really have no choice. But to actually transfer over to that garbage? It just boggles the mind.

avxo

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #513 on: September 17, 2013, 12:23:45 AM »
Atleast people can follow basic instructions and post in the relevant threads.no names of course.

I don't think you understand how public fora, like this one, work.

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #514 on: September 17, 2013, 07:50:23 AM »
I don't think you understand how public fora, like this one, work.

"fora"....learned another new word!

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #515 on: September 17, 2013, 02:26:10 PM »

Gonuclear

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #516 on: September 17, 2013, 09:53:06 PM »
That's the first time I have seen someone flipping the bird with prayer beads.


Gonuclear

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #517 on: September 19, 2013, 06:49:58 AM »
Another person who became Muslim and then left in disillusionment:


First I would like to thank those of you who are taking the time to read my story. This is about my short journey with Islam and why I left, never to look back. I do not intend on offending anybody, but I am trying to warn future converts about Islam.

As a young, naive college student, I met a muslim arab guy. We began dating and he promised me a lifetime of happiness and love. Luckily I did not give him my life, but the in the time I did give him, I learned a lot about the muslim community. Soon after we started dating he began commending me on my innocence of being a virgin and he explained that he could never marry a non-virgin, mind you that he had many sexual partners and was far from a practicing muslim. I should have taken this as a sign of his character. Anyways, soon he explained that he could not marry me because I was not one of the three religions of the book (christian, jewish, muslim). I was so broken. I was not going to change religions for him but at the time I was going through times of disbelief of my own religion. I looked into other religions and made a muslim friend at my university. After studying the religion for about two months, I decided to convert. The guy I was dating did not try to persuade me, but he was happy to hear about my decision.

This is where I want all of the 'future converts' to really listen. When i told my friend I wanted to convert, she became more than excited and began to take me under her wing. She could not wait to take me to the mosque and she told me we are now sisters. She introduced me to a ton of people who were congratulating me and teaching me how to pray and make wudu, etc. The night I converted everyone was SO nice to me. All of the ladies hugged and kissed me and told me that I am now their family. It was a beautiful night for me, but I did not now what I was getting into. My family is very strict and did not know I converted. They all assured me that it doesn't matter because I did the right thing for Allah.

As soon as I converted, the first thing my boyfriend told me was, 'so u are going to start wearing a hijab (head scarf) now, right??' I was astonished that someone so non-religous was putting such demands on a new convert. Even the girl from my university that took me to convert told me that real muslim girls cover their head, but she was understanding that my parents did not know so I could not do that. Then all of the 'friends' I met at the mosque began judging my actions. If I was seen talking to a boy or even out at the movies at night, they all told me I could not do that anymore. They all told me to wear a hijab, even though they knew that my parents did not know I converted. They said to just put it on after I left home. At first they tried to tell me in a joking way, then they starting bad-mouthing me to other people. They all either gave me dirty looks or tried to convince me that I was not living a moral-life. The arab guy I was dating started lying and cheating on me.

I felt like a prisoner. I truly felt like I lost my freedom and I was SO envious of the non-muslim girls, who could live a comfortable carefree life. The muslim guys drank, smoked, dated multiple girls, and lived a very liberal lifestyle. They received no repercussions. After months and months of constantly feeling guilty and isolated, I decided that God does not want people to be miserable. Most of the muslim girls I know are truly miserable. I did not want to waste my life wishing that I was 'free' again. The day I realized this, I ran to paint my nails again, something I had not done since converting to Islam because it breaks wudu and invalidates your prayer. I felt SO free. It was the best day of my life. It was when I began to be myself again. I stopped dating that guy. This was about 3 years ago. I am now in a very healthy relationship with a non-muslim (thank God) and I could not be happier.

I highly warn future converts to try to live a muslim lifestyle for a month before converting. If you like this lifestyle, then you know what to do, but if not, don't make yourself miserable. DO NOT listen to muslims when they try to convince you to convert. They are trying to convince you for their own selfish purposes and will often tell lies to lure you into Islam. After studying the religion from a non-biased standpoint, I believe Muhammad had Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. Many things in the Quran can be proven incorrect through modern science. The religion is against music, television, photography of living things, playing chess, and much much more. I personally feel that these beliefs are not valid and make no sense. My story is very mild compared to what some other converts went through. I am just thankful that I did not marry the guy I was dating.

I hope that my story can prevent someone else from going through what I did. Best wishes and God bless.

-- http://exmuslim-n-free.blogspot.com/2011/12/best-day-of-my-life-leaving-islam.html

a_ahmed

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #518 on: September 19, 2013, 02:41:57 PM »
^So she knew nothing about Islam, dated a guy which is against Islam, a guy that did not practice Islam, and 'became muslim' without knowing anything nor wanting to know or do anything. Great story. Seems like all these stories are written by the same angry person that knows nothing about Islam and always get spiced up with the same style of insults and slurs once the anger is vented.

MOS can you kindly move his posts in the appropriate thread relating to ex mozzlems.

http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?topic=477475.0

Gonuclear

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #519 on: September 19, 2013, 05:59:19 PM »
^So she knew nothing about Islam, dated a guy which is against Islam, a guy that did not practice Islam, and 'became muslim' without knowing anything nor wanting to know or do anything. Great story. Seems like all these stories are written by the same angry person that knows nothing about Islam and always get spiced up with the same style of insults and slurs once the anger is vented.

MOS can you kindly move his posts in the appropriate thread relating to ex mozzlems.

http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?topic=477475.0


MOS

My view is that a thread titled "People who have become Muslim" should include accounts of both positive and negative experiences of converts with Islam or Muslim culture.  a_ahmed believes only positive experiences are permitted for posting.  

The fact that there is another thread covering the more general topic of people who have left Islam, seems to me irrelevant.

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #520 on: September 19, 2013, 07:26:38 PM »
^So she knew nothing about Islam, dated a guy which is against Islam, a guy that did not practice Islam, and 'became muslim' without knowing anything nor wanting to know or do anything. Great story. Seems like all these stories are written by the same angry person that knows nothing about Islam and always get spiced up with the same style of insults and slurs once the anger is vented.

MOS can you kindly move his posts in the appropriate thread relating to ex mozzlems.

http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?topic=477475.0

Why do you insist with this? You started the thread, but that doesn't mean that you can decide what goes in the thread. Other posters are free to post here to. Some may agree with your viewpoints, and some may disagree.

Frankly, having a thread where you incessantly post stories of conversion and nothing else seems, to me, a pointless waste of electrons. If you want that, why not start your own tumblr account and post this stuff there?

a_ahmed

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #521 on: September 19, 2013, 07:50:23 PM »
I think you're missing the point of this thread it's people who became Muslim and are Muslim. Including positive and negative experiences while becoming Muslim (struggling with their families, amongst other things, etc...)

However those that left islam you are welcome to post in the thread about 'ex-muslims'. This is not an 'ex-muslims' or 'people who have left islam' thread.

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #522 on: September 22, 2013, 08:02:32 PM »

a_ahmed

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #523 on: September 26, 2013, 10:25:00 AM »

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Re: People who have become Muslim
« Reply #524 on: September 26, 2013, 05:35:42 PM »
"White Widow" Samantha Lewthwaite