Allahu-akbar! Allahu-akbar! Allahu-akbar!

Alhamdullillah! I am so happy and thankful to Allah (SWT) for guiding me and helping me find the company of the righteous here in cyberspace.

I am also glad to find a fellow former seminarian (Woodrow) who also discovered the truth and embraced the true religion preached by all prophets sent by Allah, One God Almighty.

My journey in discovering Islam is one long and lonely road. I really never had any chance to come across any Islamic material or literature whatsoever before and I would say that my entrance to Islam was a divine journey.

Eversince I was a child… I read in the bible that we shouldn’t be calling anyone father… since there is only One father… but how come I need to call the Jesuit Rector in my school as Father Lutz?.... I grew up with this hanging question in the back of my head. I joined many sects of Christianity in their Sunday services before I entered the seminary in 1986. My entry into the seminary was actually accidental… I was frustrated with so many things that time – I wanted to enter a Monastery and be a monk… even Shaolin Monk or Budhhist – whatsoever – as long as I can live in seclusion and be away from the cares of this world. It turned out to be a secular order seminary… Nevertheless, I though I can find the answers in this formation house.

I didn’t, however – I learned many things… in fact, I learned a lot…. Since it was a formation house… I have to live there with problematic adolescents… so I learned to drink, smoke and everything that is associated with alchohol and nicotine and Bars.

Since I befriended the Bishop and some Major Seminarians… I have advanced my Regency… but it’s actually an excuse to get out of the seminary and get busy with the family business.

To cut a long story short. I became a man of the world… Been there… done that…. You name it… I’ve been it. And eventually, got married… had a child… became domesticated by a Christian wife… underwent into a long marriage crisis. Lost one of the family houses… Lost 2 family Businesses… Family broke apart…. Almost lost my own family… Almost died for about 7 times more or less, Became down and out… Hitting rock bottom. I have been at many times experiencing the downs of life… but this time 2 years ago – was the lowest and the darkest. I locked myself in a room and faced the floor with my hands stretched… crying and surrendering. I knew that there are only two things that can happen to me after this. It was –1. asking for the devil and end my life… or 2. Surrender to God. I cried so hard until I couldn’t cry anymore… talking to God directly… somewhat having a conversation with Him. I have seen my life flashing back in front of me starting from the day I was born to the turmoil to the present… all the bitterness, hardships and pain… all rushed in as if it was a wild stream. And suddenly… it was peace and calm. I felt like a veil was suddenly lifted up and it’s as if I can see the sun rising for the first time in my life. I felt like it was the first day of my life…

After that incident… I attended my brother in laws Ecumenical Prayer Group and also my Mother in Laws Protestant Church… I became active in both and they all wanted me to become a pastor since they were all touched by my testimony.

My brother in law who knew me for so long couldn’t believe that I really have changed. He recall that I was always critical about protestants before… due to my Catholic family background. But I was ecumenical already even before I entered the priesthood seminary. I just became my real self once again before I was introduced to the dirty world.

But, this was just a short introduction to where I was truly led for. I was without a job for about a year already and the small business I am setting up was cut short due to my raptured appendix last January 2006. Since I surrendered to God, I will accept whatever He will provide for me… no matter what. I was prepared to accept even a small job like selling Fishballs in the market – and I will not be ashamed – even if this will be embarrassing for somebody whom a lot of people in my area would consider as among the upper class of society. I really don’t care about family pride anymore, I was already a new man. As most Christians would say… I was born again.

Then after a few weeks… although my family is still at the risk of breaking up… I asked and prayed with the Christian Groups I was involved in and I was only encountering miracle after miracles. But this is not yet the gist of the story.

I just received a call from Saudi… I never wanted to go in this place, I never applied for any job whatsoever specially not here anyway. It was a job offer… and it was an offer I cannot refuse. The job was something I always dreamed of doing for so long since childhood. To cut the long story short…

I asked my Saudi employer when I got here last September to buy me an English Qur’an… after he heard my story, he told me… my friend… you are a Muslim. I was shocked to hear it… I asked how and why? He told me the definition of Muslim and Islam… and eventually, bought me an English Qur’an.

I read it and I was crying while I was reading it. At last! I have found the truth! I FASTED that October since it was Ramadan after I made my informal Shahadah… I made 3 informal Shaddahs since every place I visited thought I didn’t made shahadah yet. But I Didn’t have a Muslim guide who can always be with me… but the Qur’an. I have read it day and night… prayed in the mosque 5 times… Been friends with the Imam… The Imam who don’t speak a word in English except Good Morning! whose name is Muhhamad always kid me that I will become Imam when he goes back to Egypt. I never took him seriously… I know he’s just kidding – It was impossible for me to learn Arabic… it was like a tongue twister… moreover, I am nearly 40 and memorizing a foreign language would be really difficult.

My dear Brothers and sister… for the past months… I was occasionally the Imam and I don’t recall how it happened and when it happened. I am recognized already a the official Muazzine. I sometimes wonder… how it could be.

But – I have never felt more happier… “a day in the courts of the Lord is better than a thousand elsewhere…” -

Please pardon me for writing long… since this is not off topic… it is still introducing myself. I tried my best to summarize my story but it’s hard to give the big picture without showing the small ones that make the connection.

What I really wanted to say… “When Christ mentioned in the book of Timothy: Ask anything to my Father using my name, cast evil using my name… but there will come a time when you can pray directly to the Father without using my name,” - I am not sure what verse but I was grasping the context of that chapter. I was wondering why… no apostle of Jesus (Issa AlleihiSalaam) asked.. WHEN?

Then I found myself into Islam… all my hanging questions were answered.

I believe!… I surrender!…. I submit!…. I follow!...

May Allah be pleased with us all and Bless Us always to Say the Right words, think the Right Thoughts, Do the right Deeds and all at the Right Time, all the time.

Sallaamu Alikum Warahmatullahi wabarakathu Brothers and Sisters in faith!



A Believer.

Welcome to the forums brother

Welcome to islam as well to the forums brother,

may Allah swt keep you firm on islam ameen

Ameen....

Alhamdullillah! after so much effort... I am able to post back my introduction. I just registered yesterday and posted... but it was deleted for some reasons.

some of the Welcome messages that were deleted have deeply touched my heart and I am happy they were saved in my email...

Here is from Woodrow... whom I can relate strongly with.

Welcome to a fellow former seminarian. Although it took me almost 40 years to find
Islam after I left the Seminary.

I know one question I frequently get asked is how could a seminarian ever leave
Christianity. Oddly, I feel that the more I learned about Isa(as) the more I was led to search
for the truth and that search eventually brought me to Islam. I believe I finally
found Jesus(as) through Islam and that the truth is much more beautiful than what I had
been taught.

Welcome to the forum. Share, learn, teach and enjoy yourself.

And another warm welcome from "Al Mu'minah":

Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatulaahi Wa Barakatuh

Welcome on board brother. I have you have a benefical stay!


And another inspiring welcome post from "PurestAmbrosia":

Masha'Allah akhi, you have warmed my heart with your story, and certainly made up for
some of the less than stellar posts that I have encountered today.. May Allah always
guide and illuminate your path, make you an instrument to do good in the name of Islam on
this earth and may people introject from you the voice of conscientiousness and embrace
this great religion of ours as you have
.. Ameen
to LI



I would say... this is another miracle... I have prayed to Allah (SWT) for the past weeks that I would have the blessings of being in the company of the righteous.... Alhamdulillah! - and here I am.

If we are to thank Allah for all the blessings and provisions and sustenance He is providing us... even if all the seas of the earth is an ink to write thanks to Allah! - it would not be enough.... considering every breath we take... is a ceaseless mercy and grace... we can never count it. Truly... our lifetime would not be enough if we will only be thanking Allah for everything. Truly... an Amazing Grace...

Subhanallah! Allahu akbar!!!

Welcome

sadly some of the posts for this thread have been lost during the recent server problems.

Yet, the important message remained intact and was not lost even though nearly 1000 other posts have been lost to the idiosyncrasies of cyber mechanics.

Perhaps, just perhaps there is a subtle lesson for all of us. Perhaps there is a gentle reminder that no matter what our strngths are, we do not control the world. Perhaps there is a reminder that truth will always exist and resurface no matter what or who buries it..

Once again Brother Believer it is good to see you posting. I would like to say that I believe you found as I did that to honestly follow Christianity and especially Catholicism the only logical destination is Islam. There is no way I can turn back now as to do so would be a complete violation and denial of Allah(swt) as I learned in both Christianity and Islam.

I did not leave the truth of Christ(as) I just now use the deeper Alhamdulilah instead of Dominus Vobiscum.

Welcome from a fellow revert.
Your story ...MashaAllah...

Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh

Salaamu alaikum warahmatullah Brother Woodrow!

I totally agree with you 1,000,000%, to add... there were books written like "Imitation of Christ"... and other similar to it which we have come across in the seminary. And if we really seek and observe the way of life of Issah (Aleihi Salaam) - it is no different than a real Muslim. In fact, all the Prophets (PBUT) from Adam to Abraham up to Muhhamad (RAW)... they have lived a life of complete dependence to Allah. Allah has given his word to all his slaves and servants that He will take care of everything... this is literally speaking. I bear witness to this truth. Since I started depending on Him completely last year up to the present... my life has just been a series of miracles happening after another. Before - it was merely a string of accidents.

If I were to use Parretos Law in this case... the golden 20% of everything we do makes up for the 100% of everything that happens in our life... If we place this golden 20% in the effort for the cause of Allah, then we will be more Happy 1,000,000 times more than before.

The beauty of Islam is that we are all duty bound as prophets in our own spheres of influences... Our obligation to Allah (aside from the Five pillars of Islam) is only to spread the Reminder and Promise of Paradise and the Warning about Hell to everyone - including the Mushrikins... after that... It's up to Allah to guide them... only if they would excersice their own free will... the mystery of pre-ordainment is a subject left alone for Allah. But our territory is only on that within coverage of our controls.

Truly... we have no control over anything in this world except with Allahs permission and provision.... but Allah gave us the gift of free will and we can only will to believe, surrender and submit. I believe every Muslim is a prophet in his own right and the need to reach those who know not Islam is our big responsibility.

I come from a country where Muslims are mostly, generally depicted as the minority tribal people. Most of the so called Muslims there are stereotyped as pirates, terrorists, rebels, kidnappers and drug dealers...or vendors of pirated CD's and VCD's... very far from the real picture (perhaps a black propaganda).

I hope I can make myself stronger in terms of Islamic insights and knowledge in this community. I have a strong feeling I will be needing it when I go back to my home country and start my dawa that will include even the Muslim community...

For people who are born Muslims... they have no idea How Sweet Islam is for somebody who was born and raised in a Catholic world.

May Allah be pleased with us and bless us always with wisdom and good judgement... Ameen.

Hi & Welcome

Assalamu alaikum, brother, your story is truly amazing. I too am a revert to Islam and started practicing consistently in June 2001. May Allah continue to guide you on the Straight Path.

Waa'alaikum Salaam Warahmatullah MustafaMc! do you have a link of your story? I would like to know more stories of reverts like me. I could say that the process of reversion is the crossing of a bridge to the point of no return. And it realy took a lot of courage for one to do so; specially when the reversion takes place when you have only read a few pages of the Qur'an.

May Allah be pleased with us and bless us and guide us always...

Waa'alaikum Salaam warah'matuh-llah Medina83! I am happy to come across fellow reverts... since my revertion last Ramadan.... I havent' really met reverts until now. My life since I embraced Islam is only with 1 Saudi Muslim, 1 Indian Muslim and a few other Muslims by birth in the small community I am currently staying at... 99% of them don't speak any english and 100% of them cannot relate since they donot have any idea how it is for someone being a former Christian... I cannot speak good Arabic, just a few lines which I learned from my workers... only a few words... except the Quranic Verses and salah and a few Surrahs. But for some reason, I became a Muazzin and occassional Imam recently - how it happened and when is still hazy to me, it's too soon... My Saudi Sponsor is now forced to be Prayer Imam whenever hes around since I came to this level, I thought it was too soon... however, I have a great feeling of serenity while calling the Athan. It's more than a melodious prayer... It's like singing a song, but its more than just a song. I somewhat developed my own melody which just came out naturally without any effort. I believe ones' uniqueness in spirit is reflected in the calling of the Athan... since the official Imam 'Muhhamad' went back home to Egypt... there was a void left in our small Masjid... and the poius Muslim brothers only do it occassionally... I ma the one living nearest to the Masjid - to some extent - I think they were all hoping I would the task of Muazzin and Imamship on Ocassion when needed. Allah truly guides whom He wills.

When I became a revert, being a Muazzin - moreover - Occassional Prayer Imam for Fajr or Maghrib and Isha specially has never really entered my imagination... Never in my wildest dreams or fantasy.

For the peope who know me personally or publicly - this is really unthinkable. I used to have a growing career in Motorsports in my country... most people in my sphee of influence sees me as a guy who loves fast cars, drives hard, lives hard, plays hard, and all the other things associated with this image. It will be very hard for them to see who I am right now and what I have become. We dont have HUDA channel in my country... I hope Insha'aallah soon we can have Huda so it won't be difficult for me to spread the Message, Promise, Warning and the Remembrance of Allah to them. But - I could really use stories of revertion... they wont be able to relate very well with celebrity stories so I need to share with them non-celebrities stories.

Masha'allah! brother - and I am indeed Happy to be in the company of the righteous! Allhamdulillah! Ameen!

Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh brother.



Yes it is, I can say as a former Catholic like yourself, but I think anyone who experiences the 'taste' of Islam will find its Sweetness no matter what religion they come from.