I am a revert, I did not convert from anything. I was born Muslim but life lead me on a path that did not follow Islam. After 65 years of traveling down this path called life, I realized I was Muslim. I said the shahadah and returned to where I belonged. I was the long lost orphan who was finally reunited with my family.
It was a long twisted path, but it eventually lead me back to who I always was, but did not know.
Therefore I am a revert, I did not leave anything, it just took me a long time to learn I was Muslim.
I made a post once in my and The Ruler's blog, and there I first time heard of someone preferably being called 'convert'. Here's the comment:
*Converts. I’m Muslim but I don’t believe that everyone is born Muslim. They’re born in fitrah, that is a natural inclination towards the truth. The truth being Islam, obviously. Differences in opinion I guess. Allahu ‘alim.
I told myself to try to read some more about it, but still haven't gotten to it. InshaAllah, I'm waiting for your post.
“If only I had checked myself”
—
Guy who wrecked himself
True leaders don't create followers...
.... They create new leaders.
^ yh it goes back to what the 'fitrah' is. Being upon the 'fitrah', does that you're already Muslim? etc
"So direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah of Allah upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah . That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know." [Soorah Room, V.30]
***** قال ابن أبي مليكة : أدركت ثلاثين من أصحاب النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - كلهم يخاف النفاق على نفسه
Ibn Abī Mulaykah said: "I encountered thirty Companions of the Prophet, every one of them fearing hypocrisy for himself." [Muslim]
Should I seek a source of law other than God, when it is He Who has sent down unto you the Book (Qur'an) fully explained? And those whom We have given them the Book know that it has been sent down from the Lord with truth, so be not of those in doubt.
To be honest I've always thought of the 'revert to Islam' business a strange one..
Let's take it in steps..
How are people born Muslim?
Muslim means submissive to the creator.. muselim.. I don't know the roots of this word fully.. so I'm not so sure if everything is born submissive to the creator.. surely they'd have to firstly find out if they believe in God and then see if they submiss/submit?
Islam comes from the word salam.. which means peace.. I believe it also has some accordance with submission..
This is a common misconception. Salaam is not the root word of Islam. Rather, both words (Islam and Salaam) share a common root which is the triliteral root S-L-M (or Seen Laam Meem)
"I spent thirty years learning manners, and I spent twenty years learning knowledge."
This is a common misconception. Salaam is not the root word of Islam. Rather, both words (Islam and Salaam) share a common root which is the triliteral root S-L-M (or Seen Laam Meem)
Oh..
Thanks for that, Osman, I never knew..
Should I seek a source of law other than God, when it is He Who has sent down unto you the Book (Qur'an) fully explained? And those whom We have given them the Book know that it has been sent down from the Lord with truth, so be not of those in doubt.
Well didn't rasoolullah salAllaahu 'alayhi wasalam say, ''everyone is a born a Muslim, but they only change due to their parent's religion (ie. Hinduism, Christianity, Buudhism etc.)''? May Allaah forgive me if I am even slightly wrong.
Everyone is born upon the fitrah of Islaam, but your first years of life are inevitably influenced by your parents. So you end up following what they do, until you find Islaam again and come back, ''revert''.
Converting implies that you were never a Muslim to begin with, which is wrong, because we believe in fitrah.
Last edited by Intisar; 04-15-2009 at 01:09 AM.
Reason: On the request of br. Ali.
I think I'll edit my first post to avoid any more confusion like this..
Should I seek a source of law other than God, when it is He Who has sent down unto you the Book (Qur'an) fully explained? And those whom We have given them the Book know that it has been sent down from the Lord with truth, so be not of those in doubt.
Well didn't rasoolullah salAllaahu 'alayhi wasalam say, ''everyone is a born a Muslim, but they only change due to their parent's religion (ie. Hinduism, Christianity, Buudhism etc.)''? May Allaah forgive me if I am even slightly wrong.
My parents are Christians, but I've never considered myself a Christian.
It's pretty strange to be told that I was born a Muslim, because I've never considered myself a Muslim either.
I believe that everyone is born with some sort of conscience, but that they are completely unaware of religion until someone mentions it to them in their life.
I am an atheist but assuming Islam is right and Adam was created by Allah and was the first man and phrophet then rever is the truth. Other wise cover. =D
Peace
Mick
My parents are Christians, but I've never considered myself a Christian.
It's pretty strange to be told that I was born a Muslim, because I've never considered myself a Muslim either.
I believe that everyone is born with some sort of conscience, but that they are completely unaware of religion until someone mentions it to them in their life.
Peace
we believe everyone is born in submission to the creator, i.e muslim. islam means submission, a muslim is the one who submits. you probably notice the simularity between the letters islam and muslim. another example, jihad is to struggle in the path of Allah against the evils and wrongs in the world, and the mujahid is the one on that path.
so every child is born in this natural state of submission, submitting to the creator and with an inbuilt natural reverence instinct to worship their creator.
however later on they are diverted away from this natural instinct or it is perverted into the worship of something else, but always there is a part of them which recognises islam as pure and simple, the truth about the creator which makes them want to return, to revert back to this natural state of submission - islam.
we believe everyone is born in submission to the creator, i.e muslim. islam means submission, a muslim is the one who submits. you probably notice the simularity between the letters islam and muslim. another example, jihad is to struggle in the path of Allah against the evils and wrongs in the world, and the mujahid is the one on that path.
so every child is born in this natural state of submission, submitting to the creator and with an inbuilt natural reverence instinct to worship their creator.
however later on they are diverted away from this natural instinct or it is perverted into the worship of something else, but always there is a part of them which recognises islam as pure and simple, the truth about the creator which makes them want to return, to revert back to this natural state of submission - islam.
Can you show me that newborns are born submiting to Allah? please. Newborns have no concept of Allah/God ergo they are atheist. atheist does not beilive. A new born does not understand thw concept of Islam and Allah there for is an atheist.
so every child is born in this natural state of submission, submitting to the creator and with an inbuilt natural reverence instinct to worship their creator.
however later on they are diverted away from this natural instinct or it is perverted into the worship of something else, but always there is a part of them which recognises islam as pure and simple, the truth about the creator which makes them want to return, to revert back to this natural state of submission - islam.
This is all just speculation with no necessary connection to the real world.
The explanations of words you posted are quite well known, I think.
I realise that your post wasn't directed at me but since Dawud_UK hasn't responded yet, I thought I would.
format_quote Originally Posted by ATHEISTofPEACE
Can you show me that newborns are born submiting to Allah? please.
If you are asking for scientific evidence/proof then I am not personally aware of any.
format_quote Originally Posted by ATHEISTofPEACE
Newborns have no concept of Allah/God
How do you know this?
format_quote Originally Posted by ATHEISTofPEACE
A new born does not understand thw concept of Islam and Allah
How do you know?
Realise that when we refer to Islam in this context, we are referring to it's fundamental principles i.e. Tawheed rather than the full religion of Islam in all it's complexity.
Regards
"I spent thirty years learning manners, and I spent twenty years learning knowledge."
if you want to find out what understanding of god newborns might have, try asking several young children what they think about god. You'll get many different answers, and I guarantee that many of them will not be in line with the teachings of Islam.
if you want to find out what understanding of god newborns might have, try asking several young children what they think about god. You'll get many different answers, and I guarantee that many of them will not be in line with the teachings of Islam.
Young children are not newborns though, are they. By the time they reach an age where you are able to sustain a meaningful conversation with them, there will have been plenty of time for their Fitrah to have been corrupted by parents and/or society.
Just out of curiosity, what makes you say that you would get many different answers and how are you able to make such a confident guarantee? Have you tried this yourself or something?
Regards
"I spent thirty years learning manners, and I spent twenty years learning knowledge."
I will have to check again but I heard lecture by either Suhaib Webb or Ali at-Tamini where they mention that those in the first generations who left Islam were said to have reverted to kufr.
Also, I find the term revert is a very conceited, presumptuous term. It can give many converts complexes and make them think they are not good enough unless they change their name to Muhammad, wear thobe and imamah to work, and run off to the Arabian peninsula. It can also lead to an attitude where they cut off and alienate themselves from their families.
Hi czgibson, Young children are not newborns though, are they. By the time they reach an age where you are able to sustain a meaningful conversation with them, there will have been plenty of time for their Fitrah to have been corrupted by parents and/or society.
Young children are obviously not newborns, but they are as close as we can get. Interviewing a newborn baby is rarely successful and can often end messily...
Just out of curiosity, what makes you say that you would get many different answers and how are you able to make such a confident guarantee? Have you tried this yourself or something?
Yes. I teach young children every day and I've had plenty of opportunities to find out what they think about all sorts of things. I never tell them what I think about god - it's best to let them form their own opinions.
Hey there! Looks like you're enjoying the discussion, but you're not signed up for an account.
When you create an account, we remember exactly what you've read, so you always come right back where you left off. You also get notifications, here and via email, whenever new posts are made. And you can like posts and share your thoughts.
Sign Up
Bookmarks