Shakeel Romero is a Muslim convert from South London. He explains how two gunshots set him on the path to Islam.

Shakeel was 11 when events happened in his life that shaped the way his life would turn out. He was the youngest of three and his childhood was peaceful without many problems. This changed when his older brother got into a dispute with another family.

The area of South London where Shakeel grew up is known for gang activity so the family had to take this situation very seriously. This changed Shakeel’s life dramatically.

After his mother dropped him at school, he overheard his mother call the police for help. He realized that his family was in grave danger. He raced home back to his family and his mother told him to hide upstairs.

He could hear the intense conversations being had by the adults. He heard some people come to his house and threaten his brother.

He saw about 15 people come outside his house and ask for his brother. He suddenly heard two gunshots. Thankfully, his family was unharmed and the police arrived to stop the situation.

Over the next few years this family dispute worsened and his family faced abuse wherever they went. This drove Shakeel to seek out coping mechanisms. At first he looked to hip hop artist 50 Cent for inspiration. However, his life changed again when he was 15.

Many people in his neighbourhood had started to accept Islam. He was disinterested and hesitant. That changed when he decided to go into a mosque one day. He was greeted inside and walked through the conversion process. He was then officially a Muslim.

He was still only a kid so it took him another 2 years before he embraced the religion as his own. Osama bin Zaid became his role mode and sparked a genuine interest in Islam.

He believes that Islam has set him straight and overcome flaws in his character. He stresses importance on understanding and gaining knowledge in Islam.