As Salaamu Alaykum Sister...Casper! ;D
just pickin' on ya.
In Sha'a Allah [if Allah wills it], you will get your laptop back soon.
there MAY be some Muslims in your area, google your city name along with halah food or restaurant. IF there any stores or restaurants of said variety, you will find some Muslims there, In Sha'a Allah.
learning the various aspect of the Religion takes time; as Mufti Menk often says, "no one expects you to "become Pope" over night!" [sorry, it just cracks me up that he said Pope instead of something Islamic]
i was raised Catholic, but that was a long time ago. been Muslim for 4.5 years now, Alhumdulillah [ALL heartfelt thanks and praise are due to Allah]. i can't even read Arabic yet, but as soon as i finish a project that i am working on, In Sha'a Allah, that is next on my list as i need read/recite the Qur'an in the proper fashion.
i currently make lots of dvds and pass them out at the various Masajid in the area. most of the Muslims i know do not have English as a first language, nor did they study their Din too much although some are Hafiz [they have memorized the ENTIRE Qur'an, May Allah reward them]. so as a result, i'm the best media resource in the area for English materials, as Allah so wills. May He allow me to continue!
for an English speaker, Br Bilal Philips is the penultimate source. His BA, MA and PhD are ALL in Islamic studies AND he assisted MANY knowledgeable in Saudi Arabia, especially in translating their works. 90% of his video and audio work is available for free listening/downloading. he ha a website here:
http://www.bilalphilips.com/index.php
if you go to the video download page, AT THE VERY BOTTOM, you will see a section called Foundation of Islamic Studies. it is a video record of a series of lectures he gave in Toronto in the mid 90's. it is over 17 hours long, but it is a VERY thorough explanation of EXACTLY Islam is and isn't. if you can, watch at least the first 2 parts for an overview.
next, we have the Mufti of Zimbabwe, Ismail ibn Musa Menk. he presents Islam in a manner that thrills most of the Asian and African Brothers. his English is better than mine and he truly understands the beauty of Islam. alot of his lectures are available here:
http://www.muftimenk.co.za/Downloads.html
if you have time, listen to some oft he ones in the section marked, Mufti Ismail Menk Lecture Series - Volume 1. AFTER you get a chance to listen to Dr Philips, then proceed to the one marked Social Conduct - Ramadaan 1425 (2004).
if you would like a truly enlightening experience, the Tafseer series called 6. Tafseer - Ramadaan 1426 (2005) Klerksdorp (Reasons of Revelation of verses of the noble Qur'an) is Very Nice as it explains some of history behind Quranic revelation.
there is a Cardiologist in Tennessee named Dr Bashar Shala, who claims NOT to be a Scholar, BUT he gives the most heartwarming lectures on Islam! he has a series on Islamic History and the Seerah [life of the Prophet] as well as some "Reflections" on stories from the Qur'an. the site is here:
http://www.pleasantviewschool.com/media/default.asp?q=f&f=/Seerah of the Prophet (pbuh)
IF you have time, try to listen this THIS lecture - Stories of Quran-46 The Owner of the two Gardens (Surah Al-Kahf v 28-49) ; Speaker: Dr. Bashar Shala 03-23-2008 The Man of the Two Gardens:
http://www.pleasantviewschool.com/m...tories+of+Quran/14_Stories_from_Surah_Al-Kahf
it is a STELLAR lecture that shows Dr Shala's love and understanding of the Qur'an!
May Allah assist you and guide you!
Wa Salaam,
Yusuf
