LI Islamic Forum - View Single Post - Stories of Muslim Reverts!

miizcamel · **Re: Stories of Muslim Reverts! - Post yours here! -** 06-23-2008

Salam Alakium Brothers and Sisters.

I am a Muslim revert for the past year. I became a Muslima when I was 16 going onto 17 I am now 18. My story is very short but to me has a ton of meaning.

I was born Cassandra Mae Pazdel. I come from a very diverse family as my dad is Persian and my mother being a White American. I grew up in a complicated house hold. My dad was not religious and neither was my mother. There wasn't much of "rules" in our house. When I was 6 years old my mother gave birth to my little brother and shortly after my parents had divorced. My dad was into doing illegal things and eventually his bad caught up with him and he landed himself in jail and then eventually prison. When I was about 8-10 years of age my mother was doing drugs and would neglect me and my two brothers. Eventually they took away my older brother to foster care and I at the age of 10 was taking care of my little brother who was only 4. We had drug users coming in and out of house non-stop. I remember wondering why my mother would be in the bathroom for 2 hours and I found a peek hole and I looked through and I was SHOCKED at what I seen, I was so very young and didnt know what to think so I shield myself and pretended I never seen a thing. My dad would write us letters and we would go to visit him with my grandpa and my uncle (my grandpa was never allowed to go in he was not an american citizen) so my uncle would walk with me and my little brother in. It was very sad not being able to see my father on a daily basis and having to conversate through letters. I hated going on the trips to see my father, and I hated the trips back to my mother. Eventually my dad was released and he came home to us. I became "daddys girl" .

This was about the time I had first head of ISLAM. My father said a lot of people in prison convert to Islam. And I said ISLAM? What is Islam? He said it's a religion of peace and beauty. I was so young I did not know much of it. Shortly after a day or two 9/11 struck! And all we seen over the news "terrorist attacks" "Muslim Terrorists" It was very confusing to me, if my dad says it is a religion of peace why would they hijack planes and kill people? Eventually as I grew older I found out the REAL story of 9/11. I had a friend named Rita, a beautiful Afghan girl who I became great friends with among my elementry school years. One day as I remember we were in the car her exact words were "do you believe in God?" I was stuck I couldn't answer I said "I dont know, Do You?" She replied "Of course how else did you come to earth?" lol. Eventually we went our seprat ways in middle school. I can honestly say I was very lost at this time. I was so confused as a child and had nobody to talk to that i was running to alcohol fight my depression. I eventually decided "enough is enough!" I quit going to public high school and went into private home study. I quit all my bad doing and stayed home out of trouble and far from the people I thought were my "friends". I kept a couple friends and they were ALLMuslim. It's funny how that works isnt it? I started to research on Islam and I found myself researching it DAY and NIGHT! I eventually asked my friend Taminah how do you become a Muslim and she told me I have to take my Shahada. I went to my grandpa and told him to tell me more about Islam and he told me to wait because I was still young and keep doing research and when I feel the time is right then I can convert.

Then a really shocking thing happend in my city Fremont, Cali. A Muslim woman who was walking with her daughter to go pick up her children from school was shot and killed in front of her own daughter only a block or two from the school. The man did not like her scarf/body covering. I was so shocked that someone so cruel could shoot and kill a woman in front of her child. I became scared to convert to Islam, my family was very concerned for my safety. I assured them after a week that everything will be fine. About 6-7 months later I finally told my friend Taminah and Nazi I wanted to take my Shahada. So January 21, 2007 I become a Muslima. I had asked my father if he would come and listen to me take my Shahada he cried and said NO. He feared that people would treat me differently. I cried that my own father would say no. He said "why Islam?!" I replied "your very words to me was that Islam is a peaceful religion, so why are you so worried?" He told me to take time and think about my decision and I said I have thought about it for the past 3 years. My dad had became a Christian and had been dating a Christian woman who had a big influence on his life and her family wouldn't be accepting to have a "step-daughter" as a Muslim. But he realized it is my life and my choices. I think Islam has changed my life completly. I am so thankful for those who have opened my eyes to Islam and I hope that one day Inshallah I can open someone elses eyes to Islam as well.

Islam is not what the media makes it out to be, If one non-Muslim person was to spend at least a day with a Muslim the world would see half as much hate towards Islam and its believers. I hope that one day we could all reach peace and happiness.

Thank you for taking your time to read my road to Islam.

*Azrah Pazdel.

	(#302 (permalink))
miizcamel Limited Member Status: Offline Posts: 3 Reputation: 43 Rep Power: 0 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Bay Area California Gender: Way of Life: Muslim	Re: Stories of Muslim Reverts! - Post yours here! - 06-23-2008 Salam Alakium Brothers and Sisters. I am a Muslim revert for the past year. I became a Muslima when I was 16 going onto 17 I am now 18. My story is very short but to me has a ton of meaning. I was born Cassandra Mae Pazdel. I come from a very diverse family as my dad is Persian and my mother being a White American. I grew up in a complicated house hold. My dad was not religious and neither was my mother. There wasn't much of "rules" in our house. When I was 6 years old my mother gave birth to my little brother and shortly after my parents had divorced. My dad was into doing illegal things and eventually his bad caught up with him and he landed himself in jail and then eventually prison. When I was about 8-10 years of age my mother was doing drugs and would neglect me and my two brothers. Eventually they took away my older brother to foster care and I at the age of 10 was taking care of my little brother who was only 4. We had drug users coming in and out of house non-stop. I remember wondering why my mother would be in the bathroom for 2 hours and I found a peek hole and I looked through and I was SHOCKED at what I seen, I was so very young and didnt know what to think so I shield myself and pretended I never seen a thing. My dad would write us letters and we would go to visit him with my grandpa and my uncle (my grandpa was never allowed to go in he was not an american citizen) so my uncle would walk with me and my little brother in. It was very sad not being able to see my father on a daily basis and having to conversate through letters. I hated going on the trips to see my father, and I hated the trips back to my mother. Eventually my dad was released and he came home to us. I became "daddys girl" . This was about the time I had first head of ISLAM. My father said a lot of people in prison convert to Islam. And I said ISLAM? What is Islam? He said it's a religion of peace and beauty. I was so young I did not know much of it. Shortly after a day or two 9/11 struck! And all we seen over the news "terrorist attacks" "Muslim Terrorists" It was very confusing to me, if my dad says it is a religion of peace why would they hijack planes and kill people? Eventually as I grew older I found out the REAL story of 9/11. I had a friend named Rita, a beautiful Afghan girl who I became great friends with among my elementry school years. One day as I remember we were in the car her exact words were "do you believe in God?" I was stuck I couldn't answer I said "I dont know, Do You?" She replied "Of course how else did you come to earth?" lol. Eventually we went our seprat ways in middle school. I can honestly say I was very lost at this time. I was so confused as a child and had nobody to talk to that i was running to alcohol fight my depression. I eventually decided "enough is enough!" I quit going to public high school and went into private home study. I quit all my bad doing and stayed home out of trouble and far from the people I thought were my "friends". I kept a couple friends and they were ALLMuslim. It's funny how that works isnt it? I started to research on Islam and I found myself researching it DAY and NIGHT! I eventually asked my friend Taminah how do you become a Muslim and she told me I have to take my Shahada. I went to my grandpa and told him to tell me more about Islam and he told me to wait because I was still young and keep doing research and when I feel the time is right then I can convert. Then a really shocking thing happend in my city Fremont, Cali. A Muslim woman who was walking with her daughter to go pick up her children from school was shot and killed in front of her own daughter only a block or two from the school. The man did not like her scarf/body covering. I was so shocked that someone so cruel could shoot and kill a woman in front of her child. I became scared to convert to Islam, my family was very concerned for my safety. I assured them after a week that everything will be fine. About 6-7 months later I finally told my friend Taminah and Nazi I wanted to take my Shahada. So January 21, 2007 I become a Muslima. I had asked my father if he would come and listen to me take my Shahada he cried and said NO. He feared that people would treat me differently. I cried that my own father would say no. He said "why Islam?!" I replied "your very words to me was that Islam is a peaceful religion, so why are you so worried?" He told me to take time and think about my decision and I said I have thought about it for the past 3 years. My dad had became a Christian and had been dating a Christian woman who had a big influence on his life and her family wouldn't be accepting to have a "step-daughter" as a Muslim. But he realized it is my life and my choices. I think Islam has changed my life completly. I am so thankful for those who have opened my eyes to Islam and I hope that one day Inshallah I can open someone elses eyes to Islam as well. Islam is not what the media makes it out to be, If one non-Muslim person was to spend at least a day with a Muslim the world would see half as much hate towards Islam and its believers. I hope that one day we could all reach peace and happiness. Thank you for taking your time to read my road to Islam. *Azrah Pazdel.