I'm not making any difference in the world, and I want to change this...

[Jalal~]

I feel like a very useless Muslim. At school, I talk about Islam and share what I know, but its just not enough. The only reason people see me as a Muslim is because of the beard I am trying to grow and the food I eat and don't eat during lunch. Here is basically a summary of what my friends probably know about Islam:
1) Got to grow a beard
2) Can't eat pork, drink alcohol, touch women, dance, etc.
3) In Paradise, you might get a lot of virgins.....
4) They know what Halal food is and Haram food
5) No gambling, playing cards, no watching inappropriate things, no illicit relationships before marriage, etc.
6) Muslims don't believe in original sin. Muslims don't believe that Jesus is God or the son of God. Muslim's do not believe in the trinity.
7) Muslims aren't bad guys and are definitely not terrorists who want to blow up the school, but i think they already figured that out.

Yea I think that's it. But I still think my colleagues have the wrong impression about Islam and believe that it's a wacky religion. And I don't want to contradict their religion either, as that will only make them angry, and they won't listen to me about my religion. My job is to prove my religion, not disprove anyone else's.
I just don't think I'm doing a good job in telling people about Islam. Whenever I start talking about my religion, my friends immediately joke around about pork, gambling, and virgins (not to hurt my feelings, but just to be funny)
People do however see me as a nice, encouraging, and helpful person, but that's not going to convince anyone that Islam is the truth. I know I have enough power, patience (popularity wise) and influence over my friends to convince them that Islam is the right religion, but i just dont know what to say. The quality of the content I present is just horrible. I feel like the majority of the time, I'm explaining a fatwa from ISLAM QA instead of actually talking about my religion. TBH, I am really shy when I talk about Islam because i dont want to say anything wrong or stupid that might lead someone away from Islam, but i think I've already done enough damage.
Example::: A christian desi colleague of mine recently got a girlfriend. I know that in Islam, its haram to have these kinds of relationships before marriage. Allah says if you have these kinds of relationship, then he will mess up your marriage and make your affairs difficult for you. But i dont want to say that, because its not going to have any affect on him. So I ended up telling him that having this relationship is going to be bad, dont do it, etc. He jokingly replied "Allah isn't going to send me to Hell." and he shunned what i had said.

Now im kinda worried.....

I dont want to be the cause of their doom after they die. Their very nice people who stick up for me whenever someone accuses me as a terrorist or some stupid person who doesn't know anything about life. Whenever we discuss Islam in class, people look towards me as the guy with all the knowledge, but i know i am not the guy with all the knowledge. There are one or two other Muslims at are school, but they aren't in any of my classes---...
I may seem like a Muslim on the outside, but on the inside, I know i don't understand my religion well enough to talk about my religion without screwing up.
I feel like I should have never brought up discussions about religion with my friends, because now, I don't think they know what it really is and it may be my fault they end up worshiping the wrong God. i guess you could say i sort of let Allah down, by not spreading the message correctly. So...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................What do i do?

 

[Hamza Asadullah]

I feel like a very useless Muslim. At school, I talk about Islam and share what I know, but its just not enough. The only reason people see me as a Muslim is because of the beard I am trying to grow and the food I eat and don't eat during lunch. Here is basically a summary of what my friends probably know about Islam:
1) Got to grow a beard
2) Can't eat pork, drink alcohol, touch women, dance, etc.
3) In Paradise, you might get a lot of virgins.....
4) They know what Halal food is and Haram food
5) No gambling, playing cards, no watching inappropriate things, no illicit relationships before marriage, etc.
6) Muslims don't believe in original sin. Muslims don't believe that Jesus is God or the son of God. Muslim's do not believe in the trinity.
7) Muslims aren't bad guys and are definitely not terrorists who want to blow up the school, but i think they already figured that out.

Yea I think that's it. But I still think my colleagues have the wrong impression about Islam and believe that it's a wacky religion. And I don't want to contradict their religion either, as that will only make them angry, and they won't listen to me about my religion. My job is to prove my religion, not disprove anyone else's.
I just don't think I'm doing a good job in telling people about Islam. Whenever I start talking about my religion, my friends immediately joke around about pork, gambling, and virgins (not to hurt my feelings, but just to be funny)
People do however see me as a nice, encouraging, and helpful person, but that's not going to convince anyone that Islam is the truth. I know I have enough power, patience (popularity wise) and influence over my friends to convince them that Islam is the right religion, but i just dont know what to say. The quality of the content I present is just horrible. I feel like the majority of the time, I'm explaining a fatwa from ISLAM QA instead of actually talking about my religion. TBH, I am really shy when I talk about Islam because i dont want to say anything wrong or stupid that might lead someone away from Islam, but i think I've already done enough damage.
Example::: A christian desi colleague of mine recently got a girlfriend. I know that in Islam, its haram to have these kinds of relationships before marriage. Allah says if you have these kinds of relationship, then he will mess up your marriage and make your affairs difficult for you. But i dont want to say that, because its not going to have any affect on him. So I ended up telling him that having this relationship is going to be bad, dont do it, etc. He jokingly replied "Allah isn't going to send me to Hell." and he shunned what i had said.

Now im kinda worried.....

I dont want to be the cause of their doom after they die. Their very nice people who stick up for me whenever someone accuses me as a terrorist or some stupid person who doesn't know anything about life. Whenever we discuss Islam in class, people look towards me as the guy with all the knowledge, but i know i am not the guy with all the knowledge. There are one or two other Muslims at are school, but they aren't in any of my classes---...
I may seem like a Muslim on the outside, but on the inside, I know i don't understand my religion well enough to talk about my religion without screwing up.
I feel like I should have never brought up discussions about religion with my friends, because now, I don't think they know what it really is and it may be my fault they end up worshiping the wrong God. i guess you could say i sort of let Allah down, by not spreading the message correctly. So...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................What do i do?

Asalaamu Alaikum, jazakallahu khayr for sharing your issues brother.

Firstly brother concentrate on bettering yourself as a Muslim. That means by concentrating on the most important things first like your fard Salaah. Try to increase your worship of Allah by remembering and glorifying him no matter what you are doing, by making long and sincere dua's and by reciting the Qur'an with its meanings as much as you can. Concentrate on making yourself better in character. For the best person is he who is best towards others. So be the best towards others epescially your family and relatives. Maintain ties of kinship.

Also learn as much knowledge as you can of Islam. Partake in short and long Islamic courses whenever possible as there are a lot nowadays set up by online Islamic organisations like Zaytun, Tayiboon, al kauther etc as well as local community centres and Masjids etc.

I would also recommend listening to comparitive religion lectures by the likes of Abdur Raheem Green, Yusuf Estes, Zakir Naik and the legendary Ahmed Deedat, as they are actually daees and are brilliant at refuting non Muslim and showing the best ways to propogate Islam to non Muslims.

You must not get frustrated because guidance is not in your hands, All you can do is show Islam in the best light possible. The best way for you to do this is to use the best approach and use wisdom and tact. If someone asks you a question about Islam and your not sure about it then say to him that you are not sure and that you do not want to give him the wrong reply so you will go away and research the answer and then get back to him. What is so shameful about that? Your not expected to know everything. If you don't know then say so and be honest. Being hhonest, truthful, humble and showing humility and good character is the best dawah you can give to any Non Muslim!

So do not get frustrated as you are learning all of the time and you are trying your best. Just be natural towards non Muslims when talking to them about Islam. Know that guidance is ONLY in the hands of Allah so even if you spent your whole life trying to give dawah to one person but if Allah does not want to give guidance to him then NO ONE on this Earth can change that person or give them imaan. Imaan ONLY comes from Allah.

So just do the best you can and leave the rest to Allah. It maybe that if not now then in the future one of those non Muslims may remember something you mentioned or talked about regarding Islam which may incline them towards looking more into Islam. Consequantly Allah may guide them from just one good word you said. So we should never under estimate one good word that we may say to a non Muslim which may cause a change in their hearts.

Be the best Muslim you can be in order to please Allah and get closer to him and be the best towards others, being truthful, honest, reliable, humble and showing humility and you will always have good things happen to you in this life and the next.

 

[Flame of Hope]

My job is to prove my religion, not disprove anyone else's.

My dear respected brother, Islam is indeed the right religion. But it is best proved by your actions and conduct as a Muslim.

So just focus on what is in your power to do and strive to become a better Muslim. Don't try to prove anything to anyone.

If you do that.... your friends will certainly get the message. And you would have done your job.

 

[Salahudeen]

I found handing out dawah lectures on a cd or forwarding links to video's on youtube, that answered their question to be a good way of making up for my lack of social skills :hmm: