(Please take no offense Sis Muslim InshaAllah,I don't meant to be rude in my post)
Assalaamu alaikum Signor and everyone,
(smile) No offence taken. I rather meant what you wrote, but perhaps I was not clear. Thank you for clarifying it so nicely. I was trying to answer in a way that would be comfortable for Abigail. When you are new to Islam, all the new terminology and things to learn can be pretty overwhelming.
(smile) I was reminded of a beautiful story, that I would like to share with you all.
I met a man in his 70's in rural Nova Scotia, Canada about 11 years ago. He saw me in the market, and approached me because I wear a headscarf. I got to know him a little before he died.
When he was young man (and remember, Islam was very unknown in that time and place), he found a copy of Yusuf Ali's English translation of the Qur'an. He read it with interest, and decided he was a Muslim. Then he told his young wife about what he had read, and she decided she was a Muslim, too. But they had a problem: they didn't know how to pray, but they felt they ought to do
something. So they decided that when they went to bed, that they would lie down and hold hands and recite the Fatiha (the first surah in the Qur'an; it means "the Opening") before going to sleep.
(smile) And this is what they did. And, slowly, slowly, over time, they learnt more about Islam, and they finally met an Egyptian diplomat while travelling, who gave them a prayer rug and taught them how to pray.
I was at this man's funeral. Oh, you should have seen how loved he was in his tiny community! They knew he was Muslim, and they respected him so much, because he was a very kindly and sincere man.
(smile) Do you think, Abigail, that Allah did not Love this young couple when they prayed to him in bed?
(smile) So don't worry. We all had to learn to walk with tottering steps. No one expects a child new to this world to be able to dance.
May God, our Loving Creator, Bless all those who sincerely strive towards Him.