What gave you the urge to become more Practising?

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!

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 * 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

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 , 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

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.

^ WHOAH!!



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!!!

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

islamicboard thanks guys

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

^ 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.

format_quote Originally Posted by England

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

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

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 ffended: 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 . 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 Sorry if its long and too detailed