What gave you the urge to become more Practising?

[- Qatada -]

:salamext:


What made you want to grow the beard/wear the hijaab? What was your first step, were you ready for it? Did you think twice about it before doing it? And when you did it, how did you feel? What did others say?


Look forward to some responses which might encourage other brothers and sisters to become more practising too insha'Allaah. :)

[- Qatada -]

:salamext:


I remember at the beginning, when i started reading about islaam, i had the urge to be more practising. So if i read a verse from Qur'an, i felt guilty if i never applied it. I learnt alot from this forum alhamdulillah and as time passed by, i felt that i had to be more practising because with islaam [which means submission to Allaah] comes responsibility.


Anyway i used to first of all avoid the topics about the beard, because i felt guilty whenever i read the fact that its waajib [compulsary] to grow one. I was stupid for doing that, but as time passed by.. the number of threads on the beard increased, people kept proving that it's waajib instead of sunnah. I gradually started reading these threads, but i still felt guilty for not doing what i was told to by Allaah Azawajal and His Messenger (sal Allaahu alayhi waSalam.)



When i would read the stories of the people of old [the jews and christians] i would see that Allaah humiliated them because they would take some part of the scripture and follow only what they desired. So this made me feel even more guilty, because i felt i was doing the exact same thing!

Anyway now i would try to see why it was so important to grow it. I would try to see why it's so important. I realised that the muslims have their own identity because if we follow the way of another nation - we will be imitating them and might be classed as one of them due to that. I wanted to be raised on the day of judgement with the prophets, the righteous. Because i loved them, i did want to be with them.. but how can i truely show someone i love them if i don't love what they love? So by the will of Allaah, i took that first step.. i decided that i would grow my beard insha'Allaah.


I remember when i kept looking on the forum, someone said something really special which changed the way i think. They said, 'how can you say your faith has value if you can't even make any sacrifices for it?' That hit me, because i had looked at the lives of the righteous before us and how they had sacrificed so much for the sake of Allaah.. yet here i am, i can't even grow a little bit of hair on my face? I even read an article where us guyz who wna imitate thugz, throw a brick to a window.. but when someone says grow the beard, i'm scared to be locked up? Why? cuz of the police? What about that brick you threw in the window?


Before i was trying to practise islaam in manners and sincerety etc. But now i was going to take an outward change, something physical.. which would change the way others would view me.. i wouldn't be that normal guy in the street, but the guy with the beard.. the one who's practising now. Which mean's whatever i do, i'm representing islaam - because the beard is proving that identity.




Anyway as time passed by, the beard started to grow.. 'you got some hair on your face bro.' 'Yeah i know that..' 'oh.. thought you forgot.' 'Nah.. erm.. *hesitates* i think i'm goin to keep it from now on insha'Allaah.'

'Why not give it a lil trim?' 'Its not allowed.' 'The barber said it is, serios. My dad does the same.' 'Oh.. but the Messenger of Allaah said grow it, and when he commands the believers to do something generally, that means its an obligation for us to do it i think..' 'Ok-kayy.. safe.' 'Even the 4 Imaams of Fiqh all said its an obligation to grow the beard bro.' 'The scholars say its sunnah, thats what i've heard.' 'But didn't you say you follow the hanafi madhab?' 'erm...'



Deep down inside, i wasn't comfortable with it.. but i prayed to Allaah to make my heart content, and because i'm doing it for His sake - please make it grow good so it doesn't make me look all ugly. Why not do that? Because one of the reasons why brothers don't want to grow the beard is because they feel they won't look good, but isn't it Allaah who gave us those looks in the first place? So why should we be so disobedient to Him? What if Allaah removes those good looks from us because this blessing stopped us from obeying Him? Remember that it's Allaah who raises your rank in people's eyes, so even if you grow the beard - you might get better friends, in this world and the next.


So the beard grows as time passes by, and people get shocked.. you wasn't like this before? Are you growing a beard!? Respect! Love the beard bro! Er.. my dad's a barber - need any help?

Nah its okay thanks.



I've had a beard for a year alhamdulillah and guess what people say now? They actually say i suit it alhamdulillah [praise be to Allaah.] My prayer to Allaah worked because i did it for His sake and insha'Allaah for His sake Alone. This has been a trial for me, and its a constant struggle and the greater the struggle - the greater the reward.

Your struggle might be the beard, hijaab, your gaze etc. Whatever it is, if you do it to gain Allaah's Mercy and Love - Allaah may admit you into paradise for that. Who could imagine that a little bit of hair could lead a person to paradise? But why give up hope? Allaah is the Most Merciful, All Knowing. He knows how we feel inside, what we're going through. And if we doing something for His sake, then He will reward us and make things easier for us insha'Allaah in this world and the hereafter!

[mustafaisb]

:salamext: My process was a long slow one, but Alhumdulliah I've changed considerably over the last 3 years. What caused me to grow a beard and pray 5 times a day was one factor and one factor alone, Heaven and Hell. I remember I used to think a lot about life when I wasn't practising then and thought how great life was, but also how empty it seemed. It looked so great so beautiful on the outside, but also so empty....so cold. I mean you live and you die, and then in 20 or 30 years from now everyone will forget about you, unless your famous. However, even though your famous you get used to being famous or rich or anything. That's when I started to read about the hereafter and how scary it is if your not a practising muslim and how great it is if you are a believer. I started thinking, reasoning, and wondering about what drives all human beings. I figured out that all human beings are always looking for peace, happiness, glory, and the satisfaction of their desires. Looking at the world now I can see that. However, Allah(swt) and the Prophet(saws) say that this life IS NOTHING compared to the Akirah and that if you achieve Jannah you would never want to go back to this duniya even if you had EVERYTHING IN IT. So I thought to myself that people are going after only transitory happiness and that all this will end soon. So why don't I go after the ULTIMATE HAPPINESS, why don't I strive for Jannah. I know I'll be missing out on the pleasures of this world, but I'm trading it for something much better. So Inshallah my goal is to go to the best part of Jannah which is Jannah Al Firdous. Some people might think of this as a very selfish reason for practising Islam. I can %100 insure you that it is quite the contrary. You have not only have to Pray, Fast, and give to the poor, but also have good manners with the people. I've found myself helping others more and respecting my parents more. :wasalamex: HERE IS A GOOD LINK ABOUT THE DUNIYA. http://www.**************/Resources/...0004P0055.aspx

[Kittygyal]

salamualikum.
sowiee this has to be very short can't write long inshallah i will edit some other time && get back to it inshallah :)
what made me wear a hijab? *well just wana remind everyone i can't always wear it because of family issues :cry:* but it all started gradually when i converted but it was like after couple monthsbut when i met an Aalimah && first thing she gave me was Qari-Basits reciation which really made not ever utter a sound why? because by me listning to that i really felt that am a muslim subhnallah!, so moving on when i really wanted to know more about islam i used to love listning to Ahmed Ali's talk && that dude really got to me, one day the Aalimah offered me some classes that will take part in summer holidays && i wasn't really sure but later by my friend whom is a muslim she told me to go for it so for the first lesson i went (Aalimah came to me house) she read to me a story of hell && paradise i was really into tears after she finished reading the story because i was happy in a way i have became a muslim but i was upset in a way where me family don't like me being a muslim :cry:

later by my Aalimah became a full Aalimah for me like every day coming to me house alhamdulillah may allah subhwnatallah reward her inshallah, she bought me a scarf along with an english translation Qura'an which i use everyday now, she spoke to me that i should wear the scarf but i told me Aalimah it is very very hard for me to wear it because if my brothers found out i wear the scarf they will batter me up imsad, alhamdulillah i do wear it at night when i go asleep but thats ONLY i have to hide && wear it :(. inshallah my story is short but i am kinda revising along with being on LI so yh please make dua'ah inshallah i become a pious Aalimah inshallah, i am just ALWAYS wondering how long am i going to hide this issue from me family/jounarsions :(

day by day inshallah am getting closser to me lord inshalllah one day i will be right closser to him inshallah!!!! && me beloved prophet inshallah!!, i know i have sincerly changed not only in the 'hijab' way but actually after a convert now alhamdulillah am becoming an Aalimah && becoming an Huffaz i love me Aalimah for the sake of me lord mashallah if she wasn't here && if i never met her i will be stuck in nowhere land alhamdulillah she's done soo much dawah! subhanllah

May Allah suabwhnatallah make my life easier && also those whom are in same pain like me inshallah :(

just wana say I LOVE YOU ALLAH SUBHWNATALLAH!!!!!! NO ONE IS GOING TO COME IN BETWEEN MY LORD ALMIGHTY!! NO ONE I HAVE TO STAND UP FOR ME CREATOR!! :( i love you allah suabwhnatallah! mwah!
Ma'assalama

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[Shukria]

:sl:
I used to be interested into the deen like reading the books and doing the 'bare minimum' sometimes. I would sometimes pray and sometimes put on my scarf. Somehow I knew I had to pray and do wear the hijab but my life was basically like a yo-yo. What had really affected me was a dream that I had. In this dream, I was being asked the questions in the grave such as “Who is your lord” etc…

I passed that stage of the trial but afterwards I don’t what happened but I was told by a voice “You could’ve been in Jannah but you failed. I don’t know exactly what I had failed in because I remember some bits. The most important thing from the dream was I was being told that to change my ways. Subhanallah what had really shocked me was I hardly used to remember my dreams when I woke up. From that point I had started getting into the deen more and also learning it.
:w:

[IbnAbdulHakim]

^ WHOAH!!

:salamext:

i was always interested in islam, neva liked the pick n mix, but after i saw the death of someone very close (may Allah bestow his infinite mercy on him) it gave me the slap i needed, i still got a long way to go, still so many sins i need to atone for, no where near what i'd like to be but im on ma way, may Allah make me reach the prophet saws in jannah!!! AMEEN

may he make us all reach that stage!!!

[Umm Yoosuf]

:salamext:

Masha Allah nice thread. Inspiring stoires. I look forward to more.

[khushnood]

Salam!i Started Wearing A Hijab Very Recently And Many Of My Friends And Relatives Were Surprised,rather Shocked.ihad To Endure Many Taunts And Jokes Which Grieved Me.but I Never Got Discouraged,alhamdulillah.i Feel More Like A Muslimah Now,and I'm Trying To Be A Better Muslim And Urging Others To Be Better Muslims,although Its A Very Discouraging Job,as Very Few People Are Interested In Bringing The Real Islam Into Their Life.

[cihad]

9\11
the war in Iraq
everything against muslims
made me think oh and of course ..the Internet *yay*

islamicboard thanks guys

[IceQueen~]

just one word-REALITY

I saw people dying all around and others ignoring it carrying on with their own lives as if they were going to live forever...thats what scared me- even though we see people dying all the time but we never think it a reality for ourselves...

why? that was the turning point
because we're scared of death-of reality, but I realised that I couldn't run forever-
right now if I'm afraid to sleep or uneasy about anything I can run to my mother and have her arms around me, but if I died?

who would be with me in my grave?

how would the Angels treat me at death?

It struck me that I didn't really have anyone except Allah- and Him I'll always have no matter where I am or who I'm with- only He can truly understand and comfort me so why run away from Him?
why run away from reality?
when I can't run forever and eventually life will catch up with me and then who will I turn to..?

May Allah Guide us all and keep us Guided amiin

[jzcasejz]

Sorry 4 Bringing This One Back Up...But I Just Wanted To Reply To It :D

Ma Reazon Would Be That...How Can A Person Who Converted To Islam Practice Islam...But Yet I Was Born A Muslim And I Can't Even Compare To Them In Terms Of Worship...

Shameful Isn't It? Which Is What Forced The Change...:D
Soooo...This Was The Factor That Contributed To Me Deciding To Practice My Religion...Properly :):D

[Maidah]

mashAllah nice thread, well i just have to tell my story then:happy: ;

It took me 2 years from thinking to acting. I was born into a muslim family but as an individual i feelt like the true link was missing between me and islam. I kept on avoiding the question and was happy in my little world, scared to look outside the box.

But there was always a feeling inside me, like a firm voice that kept my mind coming back to it. I always felt guilty when i used to look at other practicing sisters and i couldn't relate myself to anyone. Allah was being so merciful on me and i was doing nothing in return. Then one day allhamdulillah i finally put on the hijab and the abaya. I felt so much better in it and beleive it or not it felt like this was the thing that had been missing in my life. yes it took me time to get there with lots of struggle, but it was worth every minute of it:statisfie

I just had to share my story with you lot cuz i feel so much better now that i am practicing. But even yet i can't dare 2 call myself that because there is still sooooooooo much i need to learn and understand inshAllah.:D

[IbnAbdulHakim]

^ subhanAllah, your post made me understand better why they say that hijaab is half a womans imaan... subhanAllah jazakAllah khair to the brothers and sisters for sharing these great stories.

[England]

:salamext:


What made you want to grow the beard/wear the hijaab? What was your first step, were you ready for it? Did you think twice about it before doing it? And when you did it, how did you feel? What did others say?


Look forward to some responses which might encourage other brothers and sisters to become more practising too insha'Allaah. :)

I haven't got a beard, nor do I wear a hijab :uuh: I don't practice either!

[strider]

I haven't got a beard, nor do I wear a hijab :uuh: I don't practice either!

Then don't reply.:D

Being conscious of God did it for me, i guess.

[IbnAbdulHakim]

I haven't got a beard, nor do I wear a hijab :uuh: I don't practice either!

lol your also not muslim, even though i know deep down inside you really want to be ;)

[- Qatada -]

:salamext:


lol may Allaah reward you all for posting your stories. :) ^ England, no worries.. i think once faith touches the heart, a person can overcome anything they face in this world.. so we should strive for that first. :)

[England]

lol your also not muslim, even though i know deep down inside you really want to be ;)

lol yeh...:muslimah: :coolious:

[NoName55]

:salamext:


What made you want to grow the beard/wear the hijaab? What was your first step, were you ready for it? Did you think twice about it before doing it? And when you did it, how did you feel? What did others say?


Look forward to some responses which might encourage other brothers and sisters to become more practising too insha'Allaah. :)

:sl:
I don't know cant really explain, Allah made it grow and I never removed it from the begining (except during period of NBC training or I would have choked to death with leaky respirator/mask)
:w:

[Nσσя'υℓ Jαииαн]

Lets see...

Well obviously I was a born Muslim, Alhumdulillah. I was usually taught little by little and I remember I always had the urge to learn about Islam. I loved wanting make Salaah, even when I didn't know how. But for some reason my determination slowly deteriorated and I was unaware of my responsibilites. My mom always taught me to dress modestly, not to eat pork say my du'a before I went to sleep. Cause I was always told to dress modestly, I liked the idea of the Hijab. I dont remember ever seeing people wear it. I dont even remember if I was told about it. But since Junior High I wanted to wear the Hijab. My mom never let me. So I stopped asking.

Then I got too high school and I had the urge to want to wear it, again. But she still didnt let me. Basically I guess she was afraid of what people thought. She said when I get too college then I can. So I forgot about it for a few years. I never learned anything in depth until one incident in 9th grade in my Global class. We were learning about religions and we were on Islam. I remember we watched a video and they showed the Kaaba and this girl asked the teacher what the "black box" was. I got excited cause I knew what it was lol. There was this girl who asked me why I dont believe Jesus(pbuh) to be God when he performed miracles. I said the stupidist thing EVER and I still regret it till this day. I said I dunno I didnt make the religion :offended: Thats when it hit me, that I didnt know anything. So I would go home and ponder about Islam. Then one day I asked my mom something an atheist would ask. How was God created? What created Him. And to be honest, I used to be really scared when I thought about it. I thought about this constantly, over and over. I still dont know why, but I did. All I got from my mom was, "Don't talk like that." Obviously that wasnt the answer I was looking for lol.

I thought more and more about it. Slowly I asked my mom questions and Alhumdulillah she was usually able to give me answers. So I got my info from some books that we had. My aunt came from Saudi Arabia and she had books on Islam, so I used to ask her for it so I could read. So some time went on and I would always read and learn. It only made me thirsty for more knowledge and I loved that. So as I kept learning I became more aware and so much less afraid about people would think. So about 2 yrs ago there was a bazaar at the Masjid. They had stalls up and this was my chance to buy some Hijabs. My mom bought me some and I wore it when I was there . Mind you, I never actually really made Salaah in the Masjid. I always went on Eid and thought it was something you had too do. At one point I hated going. I dont know why, but I got annoyed. Anyways, it was time for Asr and I went in and made Salaah, for the first time in a Masjid. It felt so good, honestly :statisfie. After we left, I never took off the Hijab. It was my first semester at college and was mid semester. I started wearing the Hijab to class and I remember I got stares as I walked in. I was scared because everyone looked at me. And SubhanAllah, I've never felt afraid of anything anymore after that :)

Anyways, yea, there's my life story :p Sorry if its long and too detailed :D

:sl:

[al Amaanah]

masha Allah thread!

jazaakum Allahu khairan 4 the stories.

:w:

[Eric H]

Greetings and peace be with you all,

Some inspiring stories and faith in God seems a struggle through all religions.

My faith in God started when I was around fifty, and it has been a slow realisation. The turning point for me was when a relative said if you have faith in God you have to do something; he did not say what and that was left to me to find out.

Doing something has often involved some kind of struggle and sacrifice, and I am starting to understand this needs to be done willingly and freely. It often takes me outside my comfort zone and into the unknown.

I feel passionate about the meaning of One God the creator of all mankind, and despite all our differences my beliefs drive me towards greater interfaith relations, justice and charity.

I often feel very weak in my resistance to temptations, reading the Bible has been a struggle because it reminds me of what I should have done in the past and what I should be doing now. I struggle with prayer when I am not feeling close to God and that is the time I should be praying more.

Life is a journey always one day at a time, knowing that our God holds us in the palm of his hand.

In the spirit of striving towards One God the creator of all that is seen and unseen,

Eric

[------]

:sl:

Last year in April, I came across a website. It was a really good forum, Masha'Allah

I came across this video on that forum, which was: A guy was sitting and typing on the computer while his dad went to the mosque to pray. The guy just sat there and just typed away on his laptop until it got dark and it was time for Isha prayer. All of a sudden, he died... :eek:
This video moved me in such a way that I've changed ever since...ALHAMDULILLAH Allah swt guided me to the right path through that video on the forum. (Guess what forum it was :p - yup! LI FORUM!)

Also, I used to listen to music 24/7, blasting it on my walkman everywhere, but after I watched that video, Alhamdulillah, it made me think that life is so short, and look at us, we delay the thought of death, until it comes to us we say 'O, I wish I had done more good deeds and listened to Allah swt'....know what I mean?

Thats about it lol, All Praise is to Allah swt, Who guides. :D

:w:

P.S. Link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL_DzakQvj8

P.P.S - Not for the SENSITIVE!

[NobleMuslimUK]

:sl: A born muslim Alhamdulillah. I come from a strict Pakistani family. I was 5 years old when I first went to Pakistan. It was for almost a year due to some family problems. The only other kids I could play with were either at school or mosque, I used to be a naughty child and a very spoilt one at that. My mum decided to enrol me at the local mosque, as school in Pakistan was of no use to me. At that early age I learnt how to pray salaah. Since I didnt know what letters what of arabic and I didnt know how to read the Holy Quran at the time also. I was taught just from memory. The joy I felt when I first learnt salaah, I was ever so eager to get home and show to my mum what I had learnt, she told me to demonstrate. So I started I was reading aloud of course while standing and reading salaah I saw an ant crawling onto my prayer mat (I knew what an ant was but this one had wings). Being only 5 yrs old my natural reaction was to inform my mum of the ant to find out whether it will do me any harm or not. As soon as I started to speak to tell my mum about it a slap came across my face and a warning that it is strictly forbidden to speak during salaah or look around, I still remember that slap as it taught me a valuable lesson. Since learning salaah I was very regular and eager about salaah, I would promptly get up for fajar in the dark to go to the mosque and then I would also offer my other salaah at mosque. This eagerness then led to learn more and so I was enrolled at a madrasah where scholars who had studied from abroad were teaching me and many other young boys how to read the Holy Quran. Surprisingly I was a fast learner and learnt how to read the Holy Quran, and then I completed the Holy Quran within a year. The Molana teaching me was so impressed because I was pronouncing the words so well, that he told me to read in front of other Molana's and they were equally impressed. On return to the UK at the age of 6 yrs old I enrolled at the local mosque where the Molana's were again impressed that I had completed the whole Quran and could read fluently at such an early age where kids older than me had achieved very less learning wise, I then went on to start learning the Holy Quran by heart. With time my attitude changed, my family's strictness was bringing out the rebel in me now as I hit my teens. I stopped learning the Holy Quran by heart as I was too much to handle for the Molana's at the local mosque plus I was 15 by now so they told me I couldnt come to the mosque any more as I was too old, and the pressure of mock exams and then the actual GCSE's at school was mounting.
After leaving school my ways had become too corrupt and I was going on all the wrong paths I should have not. It came to a point that I lost faith, I was caught up in worldly desires and really upset with cultural ways of doing things and the way my family was so strict with me when it came to Islam. Now I understand the reason for this was because what my parents told me is wrong, I didnt realise because they didnt really explain why it was wrong and I darent ask them about something they have already told me about. Since college days upto Uni days I was not practicing at all then there would be times where I would, then I would totally stop.
Like someone mentioned before since 9/11, I saw Afghanistan a poor muslim country getting ruthlessly attacked, this was obviously very upsetting to me also the fact that the whole world was now talking about Islam, because the US was blaming Islam for 9/11. This made me stop and think, thats when my journey began into deeper learning. At first charged with all the knowledge I had learnt I felt I am ready to take on people, and refute their false claims, but I was wrong as I didnt have enough knowledge even then. So I learn something new all the time, but of course I have come to grips with the basics.
I remember when Afghanistan got attacked and so many mujahideen were going from around the world to fight the kuffar, someone told me that Islam is under attack, and its times like these when Allah SWT will see what his slaves will do to fight sworn enemies of Islam. That really hit me and I realised I have to do more, if muslims are generally weak in many ways like the way I was then it would be a very losing battle the first thing I naturally thought to do best would be to gain as much knowledge and better myself and help the people I know with knowledge.

Allah SWT has ways of calling people closer to him, and I can say I have had more than my fair share of chances. The most recent was when a few people in my family were going to umrah, out of the blue everyone asked me if I wanted to go, I had no intention or plans to go, also I didnt feel I was prepared, but I still went and it was an experience that I cant describe, the most amazing experience. An experience that still brings tears to my eyes, despite my sins and my ungratefulness the most merciful called me to His house and the mosque and resting place of his most beloved messenger Mohammed PBUH. I hope to go back InshAllah for Hajj.

May Allah SWT make us all fortunate enough to do a pilgrimage to Makkah and Medina whether it be for Umrah or Hajj. Ameen.

[Nσσя'υℓ Jαииαн]

^^Masha'Allah. Insha'Allah bro, Ameen.

[al Amaanah]

Masha Allah story, walhamdulillah! Allahumma ameen on the du3a

[Irfan's Wife]

Mashallah