Aprender (to learn) Can you speak Spanish?
Yes.
Well, the Quran 10:24 says that Muhammad should consult with them if he should doubt his prophet hood. Isn't that true? I guess Allah expects me to be people of the Book because he hasn't called me to the Quran.
The example of [this] worldly life is but like rain which We have sent down from the sky that the plants of the earth absorb - [those] from which men and livestock eat - until, when the earth has taken on its adornment and is beautified and its people suppose that they have capability over it, there comes to it Our command by night or by day, and We make it as a harvest, as if it had not flourished yesterday. Thus do We explain in detail the signs for a people who give thought. (
24) And Allah invites to the Home of Peace and guides whom He wills to a straight path (
25)
Yunus [10:24-25]
Beautiful Surah in the Quran. There are many lessons to be learned from it. I think that the fact that you are trying to learn about Islam right now is enough. Like I said before, it took me 4 years before I decided to take my shahada and become a Muslim. It's usually not something that happens overnight although there are some that accept it much sooner than others. I went from being born and starting out in a Baptist church, to a Jehovah's Witness in my childhood, to considering Catholicism in my early teens to just non-denominational all together. I spent many nights crying and praying about what was happening but in the end Allah (swt) led me to Islam and alhamdulillah I haven't been happier. I asked for signs and He sent them directly to me.
Before I took my shahada, I read the Quran, studied the authenticity of it. Studied many of the scientific miracles in it. Then after that satisfied me I wasn't so sure that Muhammad (pbuh) was really a Prophet. I had heard from many Muslims that his name was prophesied in the Bible but removed. So I went to back to the Bible, earlier versions of it translated from earlier manuscripts and I studied that to see what in the world they were talking about. Now, some people say that it was a word that meant something else that was simply translated in Hebrew. So I went to the Hebrew, to listen to how it is pronounced when recited in the text.
Then of course I read about the Gospel of Barnabus, and how it was left out of later versions of the Bible? Why? Once I read it I saw why since it referred to Muhammad (pbuh). But I wanted to know more. How was this different from Jospeh Smith? So I read the Book of Mormon. :heated: Let's just say that was a dead end for me. Then I read some biographies about the life of Muhammad (pbuh) and that helped clarify a lot for me.
You could benefit by watching this video. This brother in the video used to be a Christian youth minister as well. If you think that Islam teaches a different teaching then this video will show you that what we do in Islam follows some of what was said in the Bible but is not currently practiced by many Christians today.
We encourage you to keep learning and keep asking questions, brother. And we will answer them for you. But first you really have to let go of all of the misconceptions, false information and other lies that you've heard and I also encourage you not to read the ignorant comments from atheists or people who hate Muslims and the Islamic religion from various YouTube videos as well. That's what I had to do. One minute it all makes sense then you read a comment from some miserable lost person and you're back to doubting everything again just the way Satan likes it.
Also, if you really want to know what Islam is like, I encourage you to visit a local mosque. Find a Muslim brother where you are and ask him questions and ask him to take you to the masjid. Before I converted I visited one. I was at first afraid to go in because I had heard all of these rumors about how I would be shouted at or disrespectful if I went in with my hair uncovered but that's not how it was at all. I asked one of the sisters to take me and give me a tour and to my surprise, two other sisters came with her that day and we all walked over to the masjid together. I was happy that I wasn't going alone. I noticed even while walking with them the blatant ignorance that people had toward Muslims. Giving the sisters nasty looks--we even got forced OFF of the sidewalk. The amazing thing about it was all of those sisters just smiled and kept on going to the masjid like it was nothing. Back in my old neighborhood if someone did that it was grounds for being kicked.
When I got there, no one made me put on a hijab but I had to take off my shoes. Then we went and we did wudu and went upstairs to the prayer area. SubhaanAllah it was soo peaceful and lovely in there. I had never been in a place quite like it. There was a sister there watching the sunset out of a window and when I looked at her she smiled. She looked like she was in a very serene place. I really just wanted to stay there all night. I didn't want to leave but I had a class that I had to get to. No one tried to blow me up. No one shouted at me. No one was rolling around on the floor shaking and speaking in tongues like they do at some churches. It was just very calm, very serene and a great place to be. I couldn't even explain the feeling I was feeling to myself if this place was supposed to be bad. So, before I left, I got an English translation of the Quran and that was the first time I had read the whole thing. Nothing about murdering all non-believers and killing everyone on the street. Think about it. Over one billion Muslims in the world. If the religion taught to kill all non-Muslims the world population wouldn't be where it is right now. What I learned from the Quran was quite the opposite of everything that I was told about the religion and everything that I was told about my own Christian religion was quite the opposite of what I learned by going directly to the Biblical texts and studying them.
Keep searching. Keep asking questions and keep looking. May Allah have mercy on us all and may He, The Most Exalted, help you find the truth and the peace that you are looking for in your heart. Ameeeen