Tariq Baker
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In Allah's (swt) Name, hello.
My name is (or will be, once it's legally changed) Tariq. And I am a Muslim! I reverted about 2 years ago, more or less. Why? Because it is the right thing to do...the only thing to do. I was born, raised and educated (kindergarten to college) Lutheran. I was active and faithful in that church...because its how I was raised...because its all I knew. But I knew something wasn't right. I'm sure my problems with Christianity mirror most of you other reverts...how can God have a son, if He did how could He die and die and still be God, all the othere conflicts. Still, I believed like a good little sheep.
Blessed be, Allah called me from that church by using that church. Part of my churchwork was leading an adult Bible class that I helped design (searching for answers I became something of a Lutheran scholar, if I do say so myself). One topic we discussed was World Religions (this was the summer prior to 9/11, BTW). To prepare myself, I read The Qu'ran. Peace and clarity came to me moreso than the thousands of times I had read the Bible. After several months (almost a year) of praying, studying, reading, learning everything I could, I bolstered my courage and contacted my local Islamic center, attended and soon took the Shahada.
That was then. Being that the center was about 30 miles away, and I was the only caucasian and only revert there, and the half-dozen or so brothers only met for Friday prayers, my contact was not what it should have been. Making things worse, in my small town I was surrounded by Lutherans in every segment of my life. Eventually the "brainwashing" (for lack of a better word) kicked in and I went back to my old ways, "renewed in the faith."
As much as my mind wanted to, after all, this was what I knew and where I belonged, I could not forsake Islam. There I was, too Muslim to be Christian too Christain to be Muslim. And I am ashamed to say, I kept going back and forth.
I want to be Muslim. I do believe that there is no God but Allah ("He begets not, nor is Her begotten") and Mohammad (pbuh) is His prophet. I love the unity, the culture, the purity of 'doctrine', the strength of belief. I am proud to say I am a Muslim. But the truth is, I am having so much trouble cutting the mental and emotional ties, I sometimes wonder if I truly am.
Sorry this has come out long. I didn't mean it to be. But I guess I am seeking prayers and guidance that I way always walk in the right path. Thanks and I look forward (Isha'Allah) to chatting with you all.
Blessings
My name is (or will be, once it's legally changed) Tariq. And I am a Muslim! I reverted about 2 years ago, more or less. Why? Because it is the right thing to do...the only thing to do. I was born, raised and educated (kindergarten to college) Lutheran. I was active and faithful in that church...because its how I was raised...because its all I knew. But I knew something wasn't right. I'm sure my problems with Christianity mirror most of you other reverts...how can God have a son, if He did how could He die and die and still be God, all the othere conflicts. Still, I believed like a good little sheep.
Blessed be, Allah called me from that church by using that church. Part of my churchwork was leading an adult Bible class that I helped design (searching for answers I became something of a Lutheran scholar, if I do say so myself). One topic we discussed was World Religions (this was the summer prior to 9/11, BTW). To prepare myself, I read The Qu'ran. Peace and clarity came to me moreso than the thousands of times I had read the Bible. After several months (almost a year) of praying, studying, reading, learning everything I could, I bolstered my courage and contacted my local Islamic center, attended and soon took the Shahada.
That was then. Being that the center was about 30 miles away, and I was the only caucasian and only revert there, and the half-dozen or so brothers only met for Friday prayers, my contact was not what it should have been. Making things worse, in my small town I was surrounded by Lutherans in every segment of my life. Eventually the "brainwashing" (for lack of a better word) kicked in and I went back to my old ways, "renewed in the faith."
As much as my mind wanted to, after all, this was what I knew and where I belonged, I could not forsake Islam. There I was, too Muslim to be Christian too Christain to be Muslim. And I am ashamed to say, I kept going back and forth.
I want to be Muslim. I do believe that there is no God but Allah ("He begets not, nor is Her begotten") and Mohammad (pbuh) is His prophet. I love the unity, the culture, the purity of 'doctrine', the strength of belief. I am proud to say I am a Muslim. But the truth is, I am having so much trouble cutting the mental and emotional ties, I sometimes wonder if I truly am.
Sorry this has come out long. I didn't mean it to be. But I guess I am seeking prayers and guidance that I way always walk in the right path. Thanks and I look forward (Isha'Allah) to chatting with you all.
Blessings
eace:
