Being Muslim

Caroline,

Your posts are very touching to me. To witness (via internet) your innermost struggles between Christianity and Islam is a unique experience. I sense that both you and your husband are extraordinary people and I admire the love and respect that you have for your husband. You are wise to be cautious and to not jump into a decision of such significance to your life. Frankly, I would encourage you to talk as openly to your husband about the religous questions that you have so that you can learn together. It seems important to you that you follow his lead, but one thing to remember is that on Judgement Day we will stand alone before Allah to give an account of our own lives.

There are a lot of similarities between Christianity and Islam, but there are also some fundamental differences. I have listed some comparisons in the following post http://www.islamicboard.com/comparative-religion/54502-compareing-islam-christainty-2.html#post880932 and GraceSeeker followed with a counterpart from his perspective as a Methodist Minister.

One of the fundamental differences is, as you have pointed out, the beliefs about Jesus (as) (short for alayhim salaam - 'peace be upon him' when a prophet is mentioned). Muslims highly respect Jesus (as) as a Prophet and Messenger of Allah. Let it be known that there is absolutely no greater distinction and honor among men than the title "Prophet and Messenger of Allah". However, at no time does a Muslim confuse who it is that he (or she) is worshipping other than the One God - Allah (swt) (short for Subhanahu wa Ta'ala - 'Glorious is He and He is Exalted').

Yes, in Islam the human focus is on the life and teachings of Muhammad (saaws) (peace be upon him specifically), because he is the pattern for our lives and he is the one who established Islam as our way of life. At no time do we worship or associate Muhammad (saaws) with Allah. Christians believe that Jesus was at the same time Son of God yet fully God. From a Muslims perspective this is ascribing partners with Allah, which is the greatest sin of all - shirk. Likewise the greatest good deed is the Islamic testimony of faith before witnesses - the Shahadah "La illaha ila Allah wa Muhammadun rasoolollah" (There is no god except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. This single deed will carry the greatest weight on the Judgement Day. This site might be useful for you http://www.islamic-dictionary.com

You speak of the love that is growing within you for Muhammad (saaws). I can relate to that, particularly after reading "The Sealed Nectar" http://www.amazon.com/Ar-Raheeq-Al-Makhtum-Sealed-Nectar-Biography/dp/1591440718 When one learns of the hardships and humiliations that he suffered just to establish the worship of One God, that person can't help but have a deep sense of affection for him.

While in Christianity the means to salvation is belief in Jesus (as) as the Son of God and that he died on the cross for your sins and accepting him as your personal Lord and Saviour, in Islam the belief in Allah (One God without son, father, mother or equal) and following the Sunnah of Muhammad (saaws) is the straight path that leads to paradise. As you can see, it is a choice of one or the other. Continuing to be a Christian is the easy road, while becoming a Muslim is the steeper, more difficult road. The question is what is at the end of the respective roads?

format_quote Originally Posted by snakelegs

if you want to check out the book mustafamc mentioned, "the sealed nectar", it is available on line here:
http://kalamullah.com/Books/Ar-Raheeq%20Al-Makhtum.pdf

Thank you, Snakelegs. I didn't know it was available as a PDF. I also liked this 2-volume biography of Prophet Muhammad (saaws) http://www.dar-us-salam.com/store/ma...rophetMuhammad

Assalam,

Its very pleasing to see you being attracted by Islam. Inshallah, allah (s.w.t) will grant you and your husband the will power and wisdom to revert to Islam.

Assalamu alaykum sr. Caroline..

Well to be honest, I consider myself as a not-so-regular visitor to this forum. In fact the last time I ever posted anything must have been months back. I glance over the top 5 posts every once in a while when I am stressed out at work. I must tell you that the first few words of your original message got me completely hooked on and I tried to read most of the messages in this thread. That was a wonderfully crafted post and all I can say is SubhanAllah walhamdulillah. Truly Allah inspires people in amazing ways. I was so happy to have a non practising muslim colleague of mine come over and ask me questions on Islam and join me in regular salat recently. I am more happy for you and pray that Allah(swt) blesses you and your husband with the best of imaan.

I noticed that you had raised some concerns about music and that you are a proficient singer and musician. All I can say is what everyone else has pointed so far. Music is considered haraam in islam and is viewed as a waste of time. Why need an instrument when all that Allah wants is for you to directly communicate with Him!!! But thats not to say that you need to stop singing. You are perhaps blessed with a beautiful voice. Why not use the Gift of Allah to please Allah? You could perhaps learn Quran in arabic and also learn to recite it in a beautiful way. Just a thought.

I guess others have answered most of your questions. But I would anyway chip in what I know

Are there paid pastors or ministers in Islam?

Well there are what we call Imam (or Shaikhs). Most of the established mosques (or masjid) would have an Imam. You can find info about the mosques in your location at www.islamicfinder.org This site also would have links to islamic businesses around your place

What about humanitarian aid workers? Do Islamic organizations support NGO's and poverty relief efforts?

With all the struggles that muslims are going through, it wouldnt be possible to live without relief organizations. Islamic Relief is a wonderful charity organization. It is rated above red cross as it incurs only 2% of the donations for its administrative efforts and uses the remanining 98% of the donations for the intended cause. There are also other organizations. Islamic relief has an orphan sponsorship program as well. You could also look at Red Crescent. Also if I may add, Islam is probably the best example of supporting humanitarian efforts and charity as it enforces it as part of its core belief. I am unaware of any religion enforcing the concept of zakat.

Can husband and wife worship and pray together in the mosque or only at home?

Men and women cannot mingle in the mosque. But you could very well pray together (with the woman behind the husband) at home.

It's prayer time. I downloaded that software that gives the call to prayer at the times in my town. I don't know what any of it means but I love hearing it. And I just say my own prayer and think about the fact that over a billion people are praying at the same time all around the world.

Well my colleague wanted to learn how to pray as well. There is a book by Shaikh Albani. you can find it here: http://qss.org

Also this site has all the instructions too: http://www.islam1.org/iar/about/arch...ow_to_pray.php

First of all, I am waiting on God to show me through my husband if this is the right path for us. Second, I am still uncomfortable with the was Jesus is portrayed as not so important in Islam. It seems that Mohammed is glorified and Jesus is sort of ignored.

Well you may want to watch this video, especially the 2nd part: http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...ruben+abu+bakr

Allah has His own ways of changing people's heart and we need to be patient. Regarding your other question, Prophet(saws) *HAS* died. There is no question of him (saws) returning back EVER. Isa (as) or Jesus has been elevated to heavens and would return back to earth to establish Islam. I don't know what makes you think that Isa(as) was ignored. Could you please elaborate on that? Each prophet had a mission. Musa (as) had the mission of uniting the jews and bring them back to the folds of worshipping Allah. Isa (as) tried to do the same and was blessed with the power to bring the dead back to life. We wouldnt know the entire history of those prophets as their life hasnt been recorded authentically. What we do know is that the life of Prophet Muhammad (saws) has been recorded thoroughly and has been proven to be authentic, both before he (saws) was a prophet and after he (saws) became a prophet. His (saws) mission was to spread the word of Allah to the whole of humanity. This is manifest in the fact that you are interested in Islam today inspite of all that is going on in the media and in the muslim world! Every nation had their prophets .People from the time of Jesus (as) would be judged based on what Jesus(as) taught and people of contemprory times would be judged based on what Muhammad(saws) preached. How many people became christian (or rather muslim) during the time of Jesus(as)? During the last hajj sermon of Muhammad(saws), it is recorded that there were close to 124,000 muslims performing hajj. Going by your assumption, it would only be logical to assume that some people during the time of Jesus(as) would have assumed that Jesus(as) was given more importance than any other prophet. In fact Jesus(as) has been elevated to such high position in christianity (When compared to islam honoring Muhammad (Saws)) when compared to other prophets that people literally worship him!

And I am not yet certain about Mohammed. What I have learned about him so far has made me love him and the things he taught, but I am still very devoted to Jesus and consider him the Messiah of God and I fear that Islam would force me to put Mohammed above Jesus. That is not feeling right for me.

Very valid point considering that you have a christian upbringing. But think about this, both Jesus(as) and Muhammad(saws) preached about the oneness of Allah. Considering all that is going on in the name of christianity today, do you think Jesus(As) wouldnt have wanted you to follow the preachings of Muhammad(saws)? If ever Muhammad (saws) wanted you to follow him instead of Allah, your question would have made more sense. Muhammad(saws) was the very final prophet to mankind and because of that, had the very toughest task of preaching, living and leaving behind the true teachings of the oneness of Allah. Muslims DO LOVE AND REGARD all prophets in high esteem. You CANNOT be a muslim without loving and accepting Jesus(as) (or any other prophet for that matter) as the messenger of Allah. One of the reasons why JEsus(as) is so special is because of his birth and the way he would bring the world back to Islam when he comes back. Apart from that, he is the same as any other prophet, in that his original mission was to preach the oneness of Allah.

I (or anyone else in this forum) can only answer so much. I suggest you talk to some scholar. You can actually chat with Yusuf estes on www.chatislam.com and get all your questions answered inshaAllah.

What about people who convert OUT of Islam? Is it true that they can be prosecuted by law?

As per sharia they would be executed. But then Sharia law would be practised in an islamic state. As such there is no such one. The question is simple, why would anyone who had accepted the oneness of Allah, then go back to worshipping Allah and Jesus, or perhaps multiple Gods? I myself know people who became christian. Honestly, humans could do only so much. A muslim can very well secretly practise christianity (like you are doing right now by accepting Islam). Didnt you hear about the muslim guy from Afghanistan, who became a christian and was given refuge in Italy? Their punishment is with Allah and Allah is ALWAYS just.

I will be very honest and frank. I don't want to enter into anything lightly. Especially if its something I can never get out of. And I certainly don't want to do anything that could possibly lead my husband into Hell. I would die first.

Honestly, I dont think anyone is trying to make you a muslim. Our job as a muslim is only to make sure we delivered the message. Its between you and Allah. Allah is just the same whether you are a muslim or a christian. Take your time, be patient and follow your heart. You should perhaps read this story to learn a little more about patience - http://www.famousmuslims.com/Aminah%20Assilmi.htm I only wish all muslims had such levels of patience.


Finally sorry for such a long post.

Wow. thank you so much for your post! There is so much information in it. And so much encouragement.

I have gotten a lot of understanding and encouragement since coming to this forum and I am so very grateful. I have always appreciated the courtesy and humility of Muslim people.

Last night, my husband and I had a long talk and we got out the Bible and looked through it. He said he had been thinking about Islam and doesn't like that they don't believe Jesus is the son of God or that he is God. He also doesn't like that they don't believe in the Holy Trinity. I said, yes, I know what you mean... that bothered me too. That's why I am searching the Bible to find proof of those things.

And so he started searching too. He could only find places where Jesus said things that could be construed as saying he was God but I said, no -- I want to see a place where Jesus said for us to worship him and that he IS God. And I want to see a place that clearly proves the triune nature of God.

He couldn't find it. He was still arguing it and looking for it and found lots of places where you could stretch the meaning to fit but no passage where Jesus says that he IS God or that he should be worshipped as God.

Jesus did say that he is the way and no man comes to the Father unless it is THROUGH him. I take that to mean that we must follow his message and example to reach God. But that's all he found.

Then later he said there was a family from Palestine in the clinic where he works that day and he was going to call me and have me come and meet them but I was in a meeting at that time. He said he wanted me to have a chance to talk to the woman and that they were very nice people and that they were dressed modestly, the woman in hijab.

I think it's heartwarming that he wanted me to meet them. Because that tells me that he is not opposed to Islam. There is a tugging in his heart -- I feel that.

I wish we had someone who could sit down with him and show him things from the Bible and the Quran but I don't want to call the Islamic center and have some stranger come here because I don't want my husband to feel pushed.

So I continue to be patient and let God have His way. My husband has been surprised at many of the things I have shown him like the scripture that proves that Hagar was Abraham's WIFE. When we read that my husband told me that his deep belief was that Sarah was the one who acted wrongly and that rebelliousness followed the seed of Isaac on down through time to this very day and that Hagar was the victim in this situation and her seed to this day.

So many things about him are more Muslim than Christian, just like me. But we are both searching because we don't want to take a wrong way.

Thank you all for you help and I hope you will continue to pray for us. If we do convert to Islam it will change MANY things. Our NGO will then change from Christian to Muslim. The entire community we serve in Haiti will probably be exposed to Islam for the first time EVER. Most of our donors will drop us and we'll have to find new funding support. We'll lose our church and many of our friends. The ripple effect will encompass a relatively large territory. Or so it seems to me.

The are we work in Haiti has no Muslims anywhere. I am serious when I say that community has never been exposed to Islam in any way shape or form. The only thing they know is the Methodist mission that's been there for almost 50 years and done nothing except make the people poorer and more dependent.

Thank you all so much. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Salaam

Subhan'Allah! What a really beautiful thread. I have enjoyed so much reading the posts of Caroline which show a beautiful and sincere love of God and a truly earnest desire to know the truth and worship Him as He wishes to be worshipped. I have also gained a lot from reading the replies of the Muslims here, may Allah ta'ala bless and reward each one of you, and guide Caroline and her husband to the beauty and truth of Islam, and keep us all on His straight path, ameen.

I can relate to your concerns about Jesus pbuh. I was raised a Christian and remember how I was taught to love and revere him and be so grateful to him for his 'sacrifice'. It was all mixed up with a kind of sense of guilt though, and it's hard to reject the belief of 'the cross' when you are constantly being told that "he DIED for YOU! he suffered UNBELIEVABLE TORTURE so that YOUR sins could be forgiven!" I remember looking at a crucifix hanging on the wall at school and just shuddering at the nails hammered in to the hands and feet, and the blood dripping from them. It actually revolted me. What kind of God would demand such torture as a price for forgiving our sins? but thinking like that just led to a crippling sense of guilt that I was somehow 'betraying' Jesus pbuh.

It was such a relief when I could finally declare that I truly believe God does not require anyone's blood to wash away sins. He is the One who loves to forgive, and He does so freely, only asking for our sincere repentance.

and now I am a Muslim, alhamdulillah, I love Jesus pbuh as a prophet and as one who was devoted to God and His service. I love prophet Muhammad pbuh, who was chosen to deliver the message of Islam and who was a beautiful example for us to follow. But God......Glory be to God! He is my Creator, the only One worthy of worship and the only One to whom I direct my prayers and ask to fulfill my needs, and forgive my sins. He is the source of all love and the source of all mercy. That was the message that all the prophets brought.

Good luck! I hope things work out for you and your husband. Take your own time, realizing that there is only time left till we die, before which we can proclaim our faith.

And keep us posted... Its been a nice experience reading your posts so far!

Also see if this would be of any help: http://www.islamicfinder.org/cityPra...?country=haiti

I have been reading and searching, reading and searching. I also have been sharing more with my husband. He is really scared, I can see that. He is so sure about things then when he looks in the Bible to find it and it's not there he gets such a confused look on his face. Then he turns on his gospel music to sooth him and last night I thought about our conversations about music and suddenly saw how the music played on our emotions and swayed us in one direction...

Hmmm...

I also am reading about the trinitarian debate at the counsel of nicea and that is pretty eye opening. My husband and I are discussing the dogma of the Holy Trinity and just finding out where it actually came from.

Wow...

I too, feel a huge sense of guilt for even thinking about abandoning the belief that Jesus is God and that he died on the cross for our sins. It is frightening after a lifetime of hearing that straying from that belief will get you ****ed to hell.

It's a difficult and sometimes confusing journey but I continue to search and learn.

Thank you all for your help and prayers.

format_quote Originally Posted by muslim1

Why should Jesus sacrifice for us? Shouldn't everyone be responsible for his/her deeds? How about bad people? Did He sacrifice for them too? Will bad and good people be equal then?!

Yes. That's why you hear the phrase, "saved by Grace." It means that anybody can come to God, through Jesus whose sacrifice paid for all our sins. I've always had a hard time believing that a person could live a horrible life and as long as they cried out to Jesus before the moment of death they could go to Heaven. I never did believe that but a lot of people do.

What I'm starting to see is how far the religion of Jesus has strayed from the original message. The gospels were written after his death and then the church of Constantine, the Catholic Church took all the Christian writings they could find at the time and had a huge editing convention, deciding what went in and what went out and hashed out whether or not they were going to believe in the Holy Trinity or not. Once they decided they burned everything that disagreed with their decision and called those beliefs heresy.

Then the Catholic Church continued to create rules and beliefs till it split and you have the birth of Protestant Christianity. And from there, aren't there something like 25,000 denominations or something?

And in my studies I'm also finding that Paul contradicted Jesus on many points. Then I find out that Paul wrote most of the New Testament that the whole religion is built on. Some people believe that Paul was a false prophet. I'm thinking of what is called "Christianity" as "Paulism" these days.

Not only that, now it's even worse. Now the United States religious right has taken the religion over and you have hundreds of thousands of fundamentalist christian zionists and the like.

How can we possibly know what the original message of Jesus really was? I have taken to reading the words of Jesus only in the Bible to try to figure something out but how do I know if they were altered as well... at the councel of Nicea.

Not only that, I don't care much for the way that most Christians act. I'll be honest about that. Most of us don't take the time to learn about much of anything before we start spouting off at the mouth. Sorry to say.

<sigh>

Salaam
My name is Hussain by reading your story i give you credit from all directions and to your husband. Ive come across so many reverts but your story or should i say a big change in life has to be the best out of them all. This was written for you before you was even born or should i say before we were even created. Let me tell you one thing i know it is hard for you to expose what is in you hearts but when you have faith in the One and Only Allah nothing can harm you.Accept islam fully and openly before it is too late because you dont no when death can come it could be just round the corner. I dont need to tell you how beautifull Islam is you no that yourself. If your Husband is still in two minds or has doubts about coming into islam tell him to research on Dr Zakir Naik. Thats as much as i can say at the moment just keep praying to Allah the One and Only because everyting happens from his permission.

Inshallah you will suceed
keep me updated

I will try to explain the belief. Because humans are incapable of perfection and God is perfect there is no way that we can live a holy enough life to be acceptable in his eyes. Before Jesus, we were bound by the law of the Old Testament which was very difficult and almost everybody fell short. The New Testament scripture says, "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."

So God, in his mercy, chose to send his perfect son to walk the earth as a human and be the final sacrifice. That final sacrifice, being so perfect, paid for everybody's sin who would accept Jesus as the perfect son of God and their savior. Therefore we're saved by Grace. "there is none righteous, no not one." "But our righteousness is as filthy rags."

And so, our sacrifices weren't sufficient. And our humanity made us incapable of being righteous enough to enter into heaven. Jesus was the supreme sacrifice, a gesture by God to prove his love for us. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world, through him, might be saved."

That's how it works.



I'm just not sure where I stand on it. It's been a part of me all my life so right now I'm pretty much confused. But I am not worried about it because I love God/Allah and He knows that. He sees into my heart and I believe he will show me the right path in His way, in His time. And my husband also loves God and he will find the truth as well.

In the meantime, I remember a statement in the Bible that says, "Study to show thyself approved." So that's just what I'm doing.

God is good -- there is none like Him. No not ONE!