Howdy folks

[ncdrawl]

I just wanted to say hello and say that I look forward to learning from everyone.

Some background.. I was raised in the deep south, had pentacostal holiness values beaten into me from as early as I can remember. Something about it didnt seem quite right, so when I got old enough to get away from it, thats what I did.

I have always made money as a musician and a voice over actor, so from age 18 until age 24 or so, I did just that, indulging in the pleasures of the world until I was so burdened with addiction and lust that I scarcely had time for anything else. How I managed to secure a college degree in that time remains a mystery. I was also burdened down with college loans so when the opportunity came to join the military I did that as well, thinking it would be an easy way to pay off loans and whatnot. I joined as an infantryman because they offered me a 25,000 dollar bonus. This was in July 01. We all know what happened in September, but in March of 03 I found myself in Iraq and Afghanistan, wondering why I was there.


It was during that time that I became acquainted , or should I say very good friends with my room-mate, Rafik, who was from Pakistan, and who was obviously a devout muslim. I learned as much as I could from him, putting a lot of stupid notions that we americans have been conditioned to think by Dubya and the terror brigade aside. Rafik stayed in Iraq, but I got my discharge papers. He made an impact on me that was profound, and this is what brings me here.


I am white, country, and southern. I dont fit the stereotype of a "redneck" I dont think, as I am educated and not racially motivated, I dont listen to country music and I dont drive a pickup truck. I do have a large farm , but thats not anything too bad I dont guess.

I do have a copy of the Qur'an , but I would like to maybe be pointed to some books that accompany it, or maybe something that explains Islam in ways that someone that has been living outside of the faith can understand? I am seeking knowledge and an open mind.


Also.. and this is a stupid question, I know.. but is Islam for non-whites only?

I also hope to make friends here and to get to know yall better.

thanks for any resources, and Bless yall

trb

[Hamayun]

Welcome to LI

Islam is against discrimination of any kind. Islam is for every human being whether he is Black, White, Brown, Yellow, Pink, Blue or Green. :)

Allah(God) hates people who discriminate in any shape or form.

Concept of Islam is simple...

There is only one God. He is eternal. He has no partners. He created everything but he is not part of the creation himself.
Muhammad (peace be upon him) was his messenger as was Jesus (peace be upon him) and all the prophets before him.

Reading the Quran is very beneficial but if you just want to know what Islam is then have a look here: http://www.islamicboard.com/discover...tart-here.html

Hope that helps :)

Peace :)

[ncdrawl]

Thanks, Hamayun. I will continue to read the Quran, and to learn all I can from you folks.

Welcome to LI

Islam is against discrimination of any kind. Islam is for every human being whether he is Black, White, Brown, Yellow, Pink, Blue or Green. :)

Allah(God) hates people who discriminate in any shape or form.

Concept of Islam is simple...

There is only one God. He is eternal. He has no partners. He created everything but he is not part of the creation himself.
Muhammad (peace be upon him) was his messenger as was Jesus (peace be upon him) and all the prophets before him.

Reading the Quran is very beneficial but if you just want to know what Islam is then have a look here: http://www.islamicboard.com/discover...tart-here.html

Hope that helps :)

Peace :)

[FatimaAsSideqah]

Hello NcDrawl.

Welcome to LI Forum. Hope you will have enjoying time in here!

You can ask ANY of questions to us then we can do trying our best to answer back to you.

Also you can going to look up at this website and it is about any of informations about Islam, Quran and etc.

http://www.beconvinced.com/

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[The Ruler]

Also.. and this is a stupid question, I know.. but is Islam for non-whites only?

It's not for non-whites only. Just as it's not an Arab religion. You'll find many muslims who are white and yet have a firm belief in Islam. They're respected and loved just like any other muslim on planet earth. Allah (swt) sent Islam to Mankind; not Mankind minus whites. That's the type of ideas that erupt when monsters come together.

Welcome.

[Güven]

NOWHERE in the Quran says :" oh arabs or oh arab people orsomething ",
Allah says "OH MANKIND", that says enough dont you think ? :)

anyway Welcome to the forum !
I hope you have a very enjoyable and beneficial stay in here :)

[Nájlá]

welcome to the forum

[Hamayun]

I am learning about Islam still and I have to admit the Quran can be hard to understand sometimes.

I think you need a quick intro on what Islam is and why it makes perfect sense to even some world famous scientists who have reverted to Islam.


Here is a Video by Sheikh Yusuf Estes an White American Ex-Christian Priest explaining Islam. I have great respect for him. You will enjoy it I am sure :)

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MlJSut9icl4

[glo]

Welcome to LI, NcDrawl

Pull up a chair and make yourself at home. :)

[UmmSqueakster]

Welcome to the forum! I like to joke that I'm a white trash muslim, although now that I've moved to the big city, I'm a white ghetto muslim :D

I have a list of net and real life resources I usually recommend to converts, although I think they'd be helpful to an interested non muslim as well - http://rahma.hadithuna.com/converts/

[Re.TiReD]

[MOUSE]velcum[/MOUSE]

[Ar-RaYYan]

hey :D
WELCOME to the forum :)
Enjoy ur stay....

[ncdrawl]

Thanks for the kind words, friends.

I am very glad to have stumbled on this forum. Ive been reading the referenced sites all day and have been enjoying you tube links as well, so much to learn, but the experience is very exciting after a life of stale Christianity.

trb

[TrueStranger]

Welcome to the board, and enjoy the link below

http://kalamullah.com/

[glo]

Ncdrawl, I think unless one truly internalises a faith it will always seem lifeless and stale.

You are probably better off being a believing, God-seeking, God-serving Muslim than a non-believing, non-committed and non-practising Christian.

Either way, you don't sound like an atheist to me at all ... more like a seeking theist.
May God guide you. :)

[noorseeker]

Assalamalikum brother, and howdy partner

[ncdrawl]

You are completely correct, I appreciate the words. Ive always felt as if there were something up there, something outside of what I learned in Pentacostal/Baptist/Holiness/Methodist/LDS/Presbyterian/Lutheran/

churches, but I never could put a finger on it.. My buddy from Pakistan really flipped my conceptions of Islam upside down and really inspired me to learn more. He is the most "at peace" person ive ever met.
Growing up where I did(and believe me, I love the South, there is nowhere like it, the culture, the books, the people.) it was really hard to venture outside of the established norms (Basically Baptist, Pentacostal and Methodist) but I always wanted to..

Ncdrawl, I think unless one truly internalises a faith it will always seem lifeless and stale.

You are probably better off being a believing, God-seeking, God-serving Muslim than a non-believing, non-committed and non-practising Christian.

Either way, you don't sound like an atheist to me at all ... more like a seeking theist.
May God guide you. :)

[Uthman]

Greetings ncdrawl and welcome!

I really look forward to having discussions with you! :)

[MustafaMc]

I just wanted to say hello and say that I look forward to learning from everyone.

Greetings, May the One God (Allah) guide you to and along the Straight Way that leads to Paradise.

I am white, country, and southern. I dont fit the stereotype of a "redneck" I dont think, as I am educated and not racially motivated, I dont listen to country music and I dont drive a pickup truck. I do have a large farm , but thats not anything too bad I dont guess.

You sound a lot like me except that I drive a truck, but don't own a large farm - just a 3 acre lot in the country.

I do have a copy of the Qur'an , but I would like to maybe be pointed to some books that accompany it, or maybe something that explains Islam in ways that someone that has been living outside of the faith can understand? I am seeking knowledge and an open mind.

Which translation do you have? I assume that it is Yusuf Ali. I have 5 translations, but I like the Majestic Quran by the Nawawi Foundation best. I recommend Islam: Beliefs and Teachings by Ghulam Sarwar and Islam in Focus by Hammudah 'Abd al 'Ati.

Also.. and this is a stupid question, I know.. but is Islam for non-whites only?

Absolutely not. That is one of the beauties of Islam to me that all races and nationalities are welcome. I (a white, country, and southern American) pray alongside without distinction Americans of African descent and others from Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Libya, Uzbekistan, and Malaysia. However, in my 26 years as a Muslim I have encountered in person only 3 additional white American males, but there are others here on LI. God willing (insha'Allah) one day you may be the fourth white American Muslim male that I will meet.

I also hope to make friends here and to get to know yall better.

thanks for any resources, and Bless yall

trb

I think that was the first time I saw yall since my own post at http://www.islamicboard.com/introduc...tml#post691402

My reversion story is here:
http://www.islamicboard.com/new-musl...tml#post694454

[Ansariyah]

hey welcome, nice intro.

[Muhammad]

Hello ncdrawl,

Welcome to the forum! It's a pleasure to have you aboard. I hope you will have a pleasant and beneficial stay here, God-Willing :).

Here is a list of resources that was compiled some time ago for anyone studying Islam - you might find it helpful to have a quick browse. There's a small list of links at the bottom too:

http://www.islamicboard.com/discover...resources.html


Peace.

[Pk_#2]

Ncdrawl, I think unless one truly internalises a faith it will always seem lifeless and stale.

You are probably better off being a believing, God-seeking, God-serving Muslim than a non-believing, non-committed and non-practising Christian.

Either way, you don't sound like an atheist to me at all ... more like a seeking theist.
May God guide you. :)

Hallo :thumbs_up

A theist sounds cooler,

Welcome to the forum.

[ncdrawl]

Hallo :thumbs_up

A theist sounds cooler,

Welcome to the forum.

Thank you Sir, and all.

Ive been reading like mad, learned something new every day..

[barney]

Hyup NC and welcome.
Similar background here, just older and more british.

Have fun.

[north_malaysian]

On behalf of all Malaysian forummers in this forum:

[banana]Selamat Datang! (Welcome!) :D[/banana]

[kwolney01]

Welcome to the forum!

I wanted to answer your question if Islam is for non-whites only...

I am a recent convert to Islam and I am Native American and white I have lived in America all my life and was raised as a Catholic. Islam is for all of man kind people of all backgrounds come to Islam. I respect your question and I hope I answered it in a respectful way.

I hope you learn as much as you can everyone here is very nice and knowledgeable and are willing to answer any questions you may have in the future! I wish you all the best! And again welcome to the forum!!

[alcurad]

hyo, enjoy:sunny:

[Woodrow]

Welcome to the forum. Glad to have you here.

Muslim's come in all colors shapes and flavors. I'm a former Texas cowboy who recently moved up here to Minnesota. My wife is native American, Cheyenne. We are currently trying to help some of our reverted brothers and sisters of the Lakota and Oglala Sioux tribes on the Pine Ridge and Cheyenne River Reservations. One nice revert we have met is a French Revert who was born in Belgium and currently living in South Dakota.

[Pk_#2]

Thank you Sir, and all.

Ive been reading like mad, learned something new every day..

You're welcome!

You learnt something new everyday? Woaaaaah E-z,

How come I dint pick up nothing yet.. :mmokay: