This story is taken from Sister @HijabiRevert Blog and published here after seeking the Sisters approval. The original post can be found here THE REVERT LIFE

REQUEST TO READERS: Please make dua for her mother who took her shahada and returned to Allah.

May Allah have mercy on her, widen and lighten up her grave and grant her Janaat ul Firdous. Ameen 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

(Throughout this blog post the sisters involved will be referred to by letters to avoid using their real names)

I remember looking into Islam probably early 2013 and read a few things online but again was basic information but more than before. Having alevels I stopped my study of Islam and didn’t bother until late 2013 ‎‎‎سبحان الله. I still didn’t feel anything for Islam like I do now when I originally kind of looked at first because I was always just Jodie, Jodie who didn’t care about religion, Jodie who for a joke would say “well, I’m going hell anyway” I was very joky and sarcastic about even my own “religion” never mind learning about any other. I had a very loud college tutor who loved to talk about Christianity in a class full of Muslims, so obviously when the time came to debate I was obviously on the side of Christianity not knowing a single thing and throwing facts, I think it was then I realised Issa عليه السلام was a prophet which I can still remember being confused and curious if the difference of Issa  عليه السلام in Christianity and Issa عليه السلام in Islam but I still didn’t straight away further my research on this. 

This story is taken from Ummah Forum after seeking the Sisters approval to publish it on TalibEIlm. The original post can be found here UMMAH FORUM THREAD

(This was written in place of a attending a talk and speaking in front of people. Thought I would share it with you guys) 

Bismillah, alhamdulillahi rabbil alameen wasalaatu wasalaamu ala rasoolullah. 

Asalaamu alaykum dear brothers and sisters. Who am I? I am thirty something convert to Islam. Two weeks before Ramadhan in 2011, I took my shahadah. Alhamdulillah. This was the best thing I had ever done. 

I came from a background where Islam was not really looked at in a good manner. Muslims were 'bad people' and 'terrorists'. They are evil, they kill Indians, and their religion is wrong. I hated Islam, and I didn't really care for Muslims either. I did not like to really socialise with them, or befriend them or have any interaction with them in my life.

The Muslims that were in my life, well, I did not think much of them. Why would I? I was living a life of jahiliyah. What would I know about siratul mustaqeem (the straight path). As you can imagine, anything Islam related, I would not be interested to know, hear or see. I was full of hate towards Muslims, and towards the religion. It was not a pro active kind of hate; it was more of a warning button that would go off should i be in the company of Muslims. I just did not trust them. 

I'm a teenager of few words. I'm probably the most boring person you'll ever meet. But one day, something happened that changed my life completely. Verily, whoever Allah guides, none can misguide him and whoever Allah misguides, none can guide him. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad (saw) is his slave and final messenger.

This is my story about how I came to Islam.

I was born to a father who was a Catholic and a mother who was Buddhist. When I was 3 months, I got baptised into the Catholic Church. When I was 2, my father suffered an asthma attack and was in a coma for 21 days, and so I was in the care of a family friend. During that time, my mother would pray to her statues, asking them to help my father get better and all of that. Basically, the doctors were like how if my father lived, then he would have to be in a wheelchair, he would be drooling. To sum it up, they said he would be an invalid. But then on the 21st day, there was a loud crash of thunder and my father immediately woke up. He was perfectly fine. The doctors had been proven wrong. This was not what they had expected. There was no wheelchair, no drooling. About a month after, believing that the statues had somewhat saved him, he converted to Buddhism, and I was dragged along with this too. My father eventually died 8 days after 9/11.

How I came to Islam…I left my hometown back in Italy, in January 1998. I wanted to study English in London and then back at home I would have found a job. My idea was to be a tourist guide in Rome or around Italy. I needed English as the main language. So I left Italy. I was only 18 and I didn’t know anyone in London but it was an adventure…

Once in London I started to look for a place where to sleep…yes I know crazy!! But really I didn’t know anyone… In the end I found this place and stayed for the night. The day after, I was already in search of a job and a college. As days went by I was getting more apprehensive as I couldn’t find any job and money was running out very quickly…I found myself, in this chapel in central London and decided to go in and pray. I was really sad and felt lonely… I knelled down and started to pray to God. I was never the kind of Christian who would pray to Jesus. I prayed to God alone and asked Him to help me. While I was crying to God, a priest came out and was surprised to see a young lady crying and praying. He came over and asked if I was ok. He said to have patience because God rewards those who have patience… I felt better and left…But my prayer on that day was answered one year and a half later…

The first time I was introduced to islam was in fourth grade, but I didn't know it yet. I  woke up and heard my dad yell "holly shit! Someone just ran a plane into the towers" for many years I though islam and terrorist went hand and hand. Potato patato. I thought islam was another word for terrorism. That's just what the media and society taught me.

The next time I was introduced to islam was freshman year of high school. We went on a camping trip with family friends. And one of the people that always come with, had brought a friend. Who went in the tent five times a day for some reason. I wonder why.......

At about junior year in high school I knew there was a difference between islam and terrorism.  Senses can remember, I went to church almost every Sunday. if I spent the night at a friends house on a Saturday night, my mom would pick me up Sunday morning to go to church. There was this man who went to church with us and he was getting married to a Muslim woman. And her family disowned her. This also put another negative image of islam in my thoughts.

The summer of 2010 hit and I had just graduated! I was ready to get my party on. i was always so shy until this point. i was ready to break out of my shell and actually be a social person for one in my life. There is no better way to get rid of nerves than downing a few shots of liquid courage!Like most of the teenagers it was time to party and do things which we see normal. Fall came, I was going to college at the local community college. I was still a Heavy party goer.