Trusting in God, and having a lump in my throat, I set off to meet this wonderful woman and what I supposed to be her intimidating family. I arrived in Washington DC right before sundown, collected my bags, and waited for a taxi. When it was my turn for a taxi, I jumped in...
Both of my parents were in the US military and my upbringing was very strict. My father was very racist, and because of this, I also was very racist myself until about the age of 24. I can remember as a child listening to my father lambaste and attack Arabs and Muslims and bash their religion...
Muhammad Ali said: “I am Muslim. Islam has no relationship with the murderers who massacre the innocent in Paris or elsewhere in the world. Muslims have to remain vigilant about such people who use Islam for their ulterior motives…Such murderers, killing the innocent, leave a wrong impression in the mind of the people.”
It was very important for me to have Jesus. I love the stories in the Bible, and then when they told me that he’s a Prophet of God, he’s better than us, he’s a perfect human being… that really set proper in my heart. Then the Quran, being an owner’s manual, a way to live, it was amazing because I was looking for structure.
Being in London around that time, in 2005-2006, it was after the London terror attacks and obviously the 2001 events, the media was savage about Islam generally and I knew for a fact that it simply can’t be; you can’t be painted in such a picture where you have the complete extremes.
I started to become concerned and worried that if I become Muslim, am I going to be a terrorist? Am I going to fight and become like one of these guys? I didn’t know that anything about suicide bombing or any of these stuff, or any proofs that some of these people use…
At first I did not like to read Quran, but the Muslims I knew, I took them as my example of what a Muslim is like and saw that the stereotype I had been raised with just didn’t fit. I wondered how I knew Bible was right and Quran was wrong, especially when so much was similar between them, they seemed to originate from the same source.
One day while reading the Quran, I began to cry and fell to my knees and thanked Allah for guiding me to the Truth. I found out that there was a Mosque by my house so I went one Friday to see how Muslims prayed and conducted their services. I saw that people from all races and colors attended the Mosque.
Mansa Musa had chosen to place his vast West African empire firmly in the Muslim world and Islam was the state religion. His experiences at from Hajj taught him a great deal about Islam and when he returned he bought back with him, a library of Arabic books, religious scholars...
My love for all of humanity and the peace in my heart increased greatly with my spiritual search and growth. I came to be most interested in "metaphysical studies," and some sort of Eastern-type meditation and yoga. I adhered mostly to these. However, I wanted more. I wanted someone to tell me exactly what to do and how to do it.
I went on holiday in Turkey and visited a great mosque. With every step I took, the more I felt the presence of God with me. It was such a great feeling…like home. I felt calm and peaceful. A Muslim taught me more about Islam and I felt confused and prayed...
“Why did I expect anything less,” Fuller’s former youth pastor wrote. “I am an infidel according to your cult so therefore I am your enemy. Such a shame you have chosen to turn your back on a loving God and serve a false prophet who preaches hate for anyone not of said cult.”...
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