Journey out of Darkness

[Ibn_kumuna]

Salaam Alaikum!

I dearly appreciate it, sister!

JazakAllah Khare!

Ibn Kumuna

Alhamdulelah wa iyakum brother

I am trying to do some reorganization for more benefit of the visitor. Insh aAllah may Alla help me do so

[Dan]

Bismillah

As salam alaikum

Br. Ibn kumuna, could you please tell me more about your background? I am curious as I converted to Islam when I was 21.

Jazak Allah Khair.

As salam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu

[Muslimah]

as salam alykom Ibn

I ve been messing up lately a lot sorry, instead of quoting u I edited your message. I did this a lot lately dont know what is wrong with me:o

[Muslimah]

Bismillah


Jona:


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I have a story to tell ..


This story is mine but it could happen to anybody in this world… the light that God brought in my heart ISLAM.


It is so special to me and I want everybody to know it.


I am Albanian…. I was 24 years old at that time residing and working in Egypt.


I was in love with an Egyptian and our relation was very honest and serious. We were giving each other time to finalize our relationship.


My boyfriend was a Muslim as the majority of people in Egypt (Alhamdulelah).


Now let me start from the beginning, I was born in Albania in 1974 in a Christian Orthodox family during the reign of the communist regime. We were not allowed to believe in God (God Forbid). Who does this RISK their lives and their children lives for generations to follow. We were an atheist country (God Forbid) and there were no churches or mosques in Albania. This made my religious background to be very poor.


All I could remember is that my mother made colored eggs discreetly for me and my brother to eat. I still remember the taste of those eggs, which differed from normal ones I had every morning. But I was told not to talk about this with my friends in order to avoid jeopardizing my parents. I did not know the meaning of those eggs, I didn’t even know that God existed. But I knew that there is something up there in the sky with an incredible power Who can help me in difficult moments. So at every time I needed this power, I used to look to the sky from my room and feel very comfortable after asking for help.


So without being conscious about the identity of the super power up there, it still made me feel content and relieved. I established a secret link between the SKYS and me (at that time). This was sublime and confidential that no one knew about it for years.


In 1990 Albania witnessed Democratic changes associated with the permission for people to practice religion. This was manifested in re-establishing churches and mosques.


People were relieved and started to be content about believing in God.


My mother has Greek origins and one day she told me that we were Christians in terms of religion which included so, so, and so.


When I went to church for the first time, I had a very special feeling that I can not explain until today.


But I had to kiss or touch all the pictures of Saints spread around the church, light candles and pray. I did this for several times and then I became confused.


Which one of these pictures that I touch or kiss will help me ??????????


I used to ask my mother why the preist says about the wine after the service“ That is Christ’s Blood”. But she always replied “shshshsh”.


I was not regular on attending church services or confessions and other practices. Also I did not pray to Jesus Christ or keep his, Saint Mary’s or other Saints pictures as most of the people do.


Even when I used to go to church, I only did that because I felt warm and relieved in the house of God. I used to go to church and speak only with God and not with the surrounding pictures.


Then at the age of 18 I went to Greece at my mother’s relatives where I was baptized. During the whole ceremony I was so tense and nervous, I did not understand anything from the whole process. Why they pour oil and sink me in the water for several times ??? I even asked my mother and my Nuna (grandmother) but they said something that I did not understand.


I remember that I was happier that day with the new clothes I received than about the baptism itself.


From this day on, my religious practices came to a complete stop. I had so many questions bothering me, which had no answers or explanation.


I started thinking and thinking all over again. I realized at the end that I was more conformable when Albania was still under a dictatorship ruling - when I used to look into the sky and pray - than all the confusion I experience in church.


So what I did is I created my own religion “ME and God one channel”.


I used to pray only to Him without having to go to the church. I felt more content when I was in the window looking up to the sky and praying than having to kiss Priests hands and drink this thing they called “Christ’s Blood” (God Forbid) when I had more nice wine at home.


For various reasons I had to live in Egypt and there I met the Muslim man I referred to in the beginning. While I was around with him I always tried to take as much useful knowledge. I learnt from him and what helped me even more is living in a religious country which made me think that it is the right time to find the right path. I can not spend the rest of my life looking up to the sky from my window and pray. I should look and find the truth.


I got to know many people in Egypt and started asking questions which were cooking in my mind. I started collecting information from every possible source.


But the day I will never forget in my life will be the day I was introduced to this woman who was capable to explain to me in details whatever could be clarified for hours and hours with so much patience.


She brought in front of me the beautiful aspects of ISLAM, strength and power of Allah, which was not much different from what I believed in since long ago. ONLY ONE CHANNEL BETWEEN ALLAH AND ME.


She showed me the light and Allah opened my heart to accept THE ONE and only ONE religion on earth…ISLAM. I took the Shehada at 3.00 in the morning during a very touching and meaningful moment. Now I’m a Muslim Alhamdulelah, proud and happy to be one. No doubts about my religion and I wish everybody could be gifted with the same gift.


Now I’m back to Albania for GOOD.


I want to tell my ex- boyfriend that he is excused for the pain he caused me and I pray to Allah to forgive him Inshalla.


I also want to tell everybody who reads this story that Having God in your heart is incomparable. Try to keep Him there always.


.

[Muslimah]

Bismillah


Amira


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This is a story which I do ask and supplicate GOD Almighty to reach everyone who is looking and seeking salvation and truth. To those who are honest with themselves. May Allah open and reveal the truth for all.


I was born as a Christian among an orthodox family, in which I had a very strict and prejudiced father and mother. Since we were 8 years old they took me and my sister weekly to the church so as to put the seeds of Christianity inside us to grow up and live with it. First, I did not understand the rules and teachings of the church due to my young age. When I started to grow up all my intentions and plans were to avoid these obligatory visits to the church which were not interesting to me. Inside me I had a feeling of rejection and refusal may be due to a psychological reaction of refusing orders and instructions. At that time my doubts were only limited to the strange and vague behavior of the church in some matters such as confession, touching the saints pictures to gain their blessing, drinking and eating flesh and blood of my LORD Jesus!!!!!!.


On the age of 19 I fell in love with a Muslim man regardless of any religious conflict. Our story ended with marriage. I stuck more to my religion demonstrating to my family and myself that I did not change by marrying a Moslem. Also the objective was to protect and save the relation with my family. I faced a lot of problems with my family to the extent that I was prevented from visiting them. I was not forced or obliged from my husband or any member of his family to think about changing my religion .One day I found by chance some books about comparative religion. I locked myself in a place alone so as not to let anyone know or feel that I am reading something out of my religion. I also wanted to avoid any external influence on me. From this moment I decided to read and think more and never to take anything as it is…you know why because I discovered that Buddhism and many other creeds are based upon the trinity belief, which made me really confused. I started to doubt about Jesus picture which I kept beside my bed. Is that his real picture or I am running after a mirage? especially after I visited the Far East and saw Jesus and virgin Mary pictures and statues ……but in Chinese features!!!!


I started to compare between my prayer and the Muslim prayer as supposed to be standing in front of GOD. I found that first condition is washing as to be clean from any dirt, get rid of the shoes which of course will be dirty, covering the hair for respect. In contrast, I used to enter the most sacred place (church) wearing any kind of clothes, shoes and without the kind of respect that the place deserves. I started to realize in my mind the picture of my GOD –JESUS- hanged on the cross and the Jews are spitting on him and he is in serious trouble asking his father to save him…. A GOD need help from another GOD I am confused, and if that was right; was not GOD capable to find a more respectful way to send his only son who is another – GOD -!!!!I decided to study and learn about my religion and other religions. …Thank God this was THE BEST DECISION I TOOK IN MY LIFE. ANOTHER important point that come to my mind is that when Jesus: my GOD! Was put to death in the grave who ruled the world is it his second hidden half: the father or whom …I can not understand is that the son or the holy ghost or the father or the father and the son or the son and the holy ghost or the father and the holy ghost I am getting crazy…..


I confess to the priest and the priest confesses to the cardinal and the cardinal confesses to the pope and the pope confesses to…………I do not know?????Is it to GOD so why all this Tom and Jerry stuff and mediators? Is not the priest a person like me who commit sins and make faults or he is raised above the human level to have the power to forgive me …..I do not think so.


IN CONTRAST I found that if a Muslim commits any sin he could easily wash and ask GOD FOR REPENTANCE WITH NO NEED FOR ANY MEDIATORS IN BETWEEN.Which is the logical and easiest way.


I started to receive my first shock and surprise upon reading (which I before consider GOD words) a lot of contradictions, sexual verses, adultery stuff, copying faults, wrong numbers, false incidents and insect stories that if you have kids you will feel shy of reading the bible words in front of them.


All that pushed me to feel for the first time that I am really in need to call only one GOD, I looked at the sky one night crying and asking (I do not know who) could show me the right way and if Islam is the right religion please make me submit to it.


The next day I kept crying I do not know why, ALL OF A SUDDEN I felt my self in need to pray. I asked my husband to whom do you pray and how. His answer was very simple and logic, to one and only GOD Who has no partners, the supreme, almighty, powerful and the only one. From the moment I prayed, my whole life changed. Thanks GOD now I can call Him without mediators.


Three months later from becoming a Muslim I started to think about HIJAB (woman’s dress in Islam including a head cover) which I detested as a Christian. I used to consider it as a sign of deterioration for women. In contrast now I really feel it is a high degree of respect to the woman who is seen in Islam as a precious pearl that should be protected against thieves and be revealed only to my husband. Thus I put my scarf on and showed it to my husband who was really proud of me. During all those 7 years since I embraced Islam, I passed through very tough time and received bad treatment from my parents. However, I was compensated with faith and calmness that never felt like before.


Now I am spending my time in a more useful and valuable way to gain GOD acceptance. I thank Him constantly for His great gift. At last I want to add that if I had the chance to write thousand pages of what I feel it will not be enough.

[Muslimah]

Bismillah


Insh a Allah Mutawakkil is fine.