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Islam
- the name alone brings tears to my eyes, for just as certain
as the heavens above us and the earth below us, Islam is the
truth from Allah to all humankind. I was born on an island in
the Caribbean named Barbados. As a child I heard the adhan
(Muslim call to prayer) every morning and evening, yet the
word of Allah was never shared with us as a people. Islam was
observed by the Asians of the island, and for reasons known
only to themselves, we were never invited to the mosque or
taught anything about Islam. So, on hearing the adhan, we as
youths would laugh, thinking that this was something exclusive
to the Asians alone, and thus the words were not only
different, but completely incomprehensible.
Some
years later, I joined my mother in the UK. This time, those
funny words were to give me an experience of living that I had
never known. Although I was raised in a Christian environment,
religion was never forced upon us. We would attend the Sunday
morning service weekly, which never rested well with me even
as early as seven years old. I found it difficult to
understand the difference in the teaching. What is called the
Bible today and what the preacher spoke about never met as
equals. The Bible told me, “Thou should have no other God
but me,” and yet the preacher insisted on a three-in-one
God. For the life of me, I could not comprehend the Almighty
making a contradiction. I was still unhappy.
The
beginning of my change came in the late 70s and early 80s when
I came into contact with the many Arabs that were tasting
London for what seemed like the first time. As I met these
people, the conversation always seemed to return to the
Prophet Muhammad’s being the last prophet of Allah. I was
told so much about the Prophet - it was as if I knew him
personally. These people truly loved him. I must relate this
experience in truth and say that I was initially not that
excited because I wanted to find God and not a man. I was,
however, impressed with the life of the Prophet.
Additionally,
my own people were opposed to Islam. The official word was
that we cannot trust the Arabs (i.e. Muslims) because they
historically enslaved black people. Islam was seen as an Arab
religion and not for us. It is so easy to laugh now as I
reflect, but in the early days it was no laughing matter.
I
was spiritually lost and searching for direction. I was also
somewhat dishonest. During one of my many brushes with the
law, I was locked up. I told the officers that I was a Muslim,
and so I was allowed to visit the mosque. I told the Imam that
I wanted to be a Muslim, and he spoke some words that I failed
to comprehend or remember. Still I was now a Muslim. As I had
to attend court, I asked the Imam to give me a prayer to
protect me from the earthly judge - I was guilty but I did not
want to return to jail. He wrote in Arabic a excerpt from the
the Qur'anic chapter "Yunus," a sentence that
protected the Prophet Jonas from the three levels of darkness
with the Mercy of Allah, as he lay in the whale's belly.
I
washed myself, as the Imam told me to do, and I placed the
copy of the verse in my right-hand coat pocket with the word
bismillah (in the name of Allah) on my lips. I entered the
court with again with bismillah while shaking with fear. The
rest is history; I walked free that day.
I
headed directly to the central mosque and Islamic cultural
centre in London. I was greatly affected by what took place.
At the mosque I asked for work of any kind. I was told that no
work was available, given a copy of Qur'an and Imam Nawawi's
Forty Traditions, and offered food. This hurt my pride and I
refused the food though I was hungry having come directly from
court. I left shouting something like, "You never really
love us do you!" I must have appeared crazy, but I was
still bitter from my time as a child in the Caribbean when the
Muslims did not share Islam with us.
Nevertheless,
I kept going to the mosque. The Imam and I became close
friends and so my knowledge of Islam increased quickly. I
would feast on Islamic knowledge for breakfast, lunch and
dinner. I began to believe that I would be an Imam someday and
bring this Truth back to my people. To learn Arabic was all
that I needed, for I understood and spoke English well, thus I
could understand the language of the Qur'an and explain it to
them in English. Unfortunately, the Imam left the mosque, and
I began visiting a different mosque where I felt that Islam
was being practiced in reality.
I
found myself one day driving through a place in the west of
London, I noticed a building bearing the name "the
Islamic College." I raced inside, and to my surprise, the
Imam from the central mosque in London was in charge of the
college and also a professor. We hugged and talked, and I told
him that I wanted to be like him by working to save my people
by telling them the Truth and letting Allah work on their
hearts. An appointment was made for me to revisit him, and I
returned to find a letter written for me in Arabic that I
could not read. I was told how to fulfill my dreams.
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Two
weeks later, I was onboard an aircraft bound for the Arab
Republic of Egypt. I arrived at Cairo international airport
and went through customs relatively easily but became stuck
when I was asked where I wanted to go. I could not reply as I
did not speak Arabic. I gave the letter that I carried to one
man who took me to a taxi, he told me in English not to pay
more than ten pounds when I arrive at my destination. The taxi
pulled up next to a very large building which had many young
men outside buying food and talking.
All
of the brothers came to me with big smiles on their faces and
wanting to help me with my bags. I could only reply,
"as-salaam aleikum" (peace be upon you). None of the
men could speak English. Soon a brother came to ask if I was
alright. I gave him the letter and the head of security
arrived. There was a small problem - I was at the gates of the
dormitories for the students of al-Azhar university. It was
explained to me that no one stayed in the dorms without a
scholarship. In the end Allah helped me, for the security
officer asked the brother if he would take care of me until I
met the head tomorrow. The brother said he would, and I became
the first foreign Muslim to be given shelter at the dormitory
without a scholarship. I was offered all the help I needed
after some three months.
I
took my official shahada (public declaration of Islam) in the
office of the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, the late Gud al-Haq
(Allah have mercy on him). I agreed that I would stay without
a scholarship or food, and in return I was allowed to stay in
the dorms and attend a beginners program to learn the basics
of Arabic.
I
would later travel to Kuwait, but when that didn't work out, I
returned to Cairo. I began to teach English in order to
survive. Ultimately, I met a most beautiful Muslim brother who
offered me a job in the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia. May Allah
reward this brother generously for his helping a Muslim in
need.
All
praise and thanks are due to Allah. He has sent us the
Glorious Qur'an and our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings
be upon him). May Allah bless his family, his Companions, and
all those who struggle in their daily lives to follow His
Sunna.
Many
will visit this world and pass away, but until the Last Day,
Islam will be here for those who truly desire a better quality
of life for themselves and those they love. The Prophet, his
Companions, and the early generations gave their entire lives
so that Islam may reach the masses. Today, all we need to do
is live as true Muslims so that the masses will see the beauty
and Truth that is Islam. May each and everyone of us receive
the Rahma (mercy) of Allah during these trying days. Amin!
Allah
is the Greatest!
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