It was still so vivid in my memory. The first time I ever stepped on a plane to travel to a foreign country, unclear of what’s ahead of me.

I would say at that time I was so impulsive that I don’t care if I leave everything behind to try something new.

Little did I know, that trip will change the rest of my life.

I had traveled to the United Arab Emirates, as a tourist to begin with, then months later ended up in a well-known carpet and fabric company and worked as a sales representative.

In between these periods was when I took a great deal of interest about what Islam is all about.

The Adhan

There was something about the adhan that really made me stop and listen and for a moment let myself be completely drawn to what it was trying to say even though I cannot understand a word in it.

What is more surprising was when it had started to fill my eyes with tears.

“What is going on with me?” I asked myself. Feeling strange of how something I didn’t understand can touch my heart so deep that it gave me a teary eye.

The Covered Women

I became so fascinated and amazed seeing women completely covered in veils.

Thinking that maybe it was just all about culture and tradition, I didn’t dig so much of it and just thought it’s beautiful, for whatever purpose it serves.

Hidayah

My interest didn’t stop at just admiring covered women nor hearing the adhan.

I wanted to know more. So I read books or sometimes just browse articles or simply ask Muslim women nearby.

And it just feels fulfilling whenever I learn something new.

It was then I had known about hidayah. It’s the correct guidance from Allah. And only Allah can open hearts and guide it to understand the religion of Islam through the Quran and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad,peace be upon him.

Tawheed

As somebody who is very new to all of that, I find it a relief I was in the right place to learn freely and gather as much information as I can to truly accept Islam in my life.

To wholeheartedly accept Islam is to have a strong grasp of Tawheed.

Trust me, there is no any other way. Because accepting Islam as a religion is just the beginning, however to continuously live up to it and act upon it in every fraction of a second of our existence is where the real Islam is all about.

In the Tawheed book written by Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, though there are so many other references that you can find that suits you and your understanding, he had defined it simply as unification or asserting oneness.

And when used in reference to Allah, Tawheedullaah, it means the realizing and maintaining of Allah’s unity in all of man’s actions which directly or indirectly relate to Him.

It is the belief that Allah is One, without partner in His dominion and His actions (Ruboobeeyah); One without similitude in His essence and attributes (Asmaa wa Sifaat); and One without rival in His divinity and in worship (Ulooheeyah/’Ebaadah). I will leave you at it and  just let you read about the subject further. In Shaa Allah.

To believe is something and to act upon it is another.

In Islam believing is not only by the tongue or words, it is more importantly and greatly shown by the movements of the limbs or by actions, this is where the challenge lies.

We cannot believe and act upon anything that we don’t have a clear understanding of to begin with.

The principles of Tawheed is the bedrock of what Islam is all about.

And also the only thing that one must always go back to whenever being shaken in faith. And Allah knows best.

Islam as A Way of Life

To this day there are still so many things I am discovering, about Allah, our Prophet, peace be upon him, and his companions, the other prophets that came even before him.

May Allah accept them all. Because our religion, as a way of life, is knowledge-based and requires continuous efforts to be learned and applied in our daily lives.

Life as we all know, is not always smooth sailing, we will encounter waves, sometimes overwhelmingly huge waves that seems endless.

In these trying times, we must hold firmly to the knowledge of who Allah is and our religion to make us reach our destination safely. In Shaa Allah.

But those firm in knowledge among them and the believers believe in what has been revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what was revealed before you. And the establishers of prayer [especially] and the givers of zakah and the believers in Allah and the Last Day – those We will give a great reward. (Quran 4:162)

I ask Allah to make us among those who are steadfast in the religion and among those whom He has guided and granted beneficial knowledge to act upon. Ameen.