Why Women Are Coming to Islam
Source: Ad-Da'wah ilAllah -
A Womens' Islamic Magazine
By the editors of Ad-Da'wah
ilAllah
There are many
stories of conversions to the deen of Allah. Many are very touching
and poignant and serve us as a reminder that Allah guides who he
wills often in ways and in circumstances we would never imagine. We
would like to highlight in this article that among the most inspiring
and illustrative of the fact that a pure heart and intention is
rewarded with guidance, are those stories of our Muslim sisters who
have accepted Islam.
Considering the intense anti-Islamic and
hostile media propaganda these past few years, some with a
particularly strong emphasis on the 'supposed' degrading position of
women in Islam, we feel that those women are exceptional who accept
Islam and who were able to separate the negative stereotyping and
nonsense from the reality of faith. Women are most clearly the
signposts of Islam and whether we Muslim men like it or not, we are
often judged by the perception people have of just how we treat our
women. Muslim women stand out more so than men when they fully
practice their religion, one reason obviously being their observance
of Islamic dress or hijaab that covers and obscures the shape of
their bodies completely and in many cases the face as well. However,
what most people are not aware of is what is 'beyond the veil' (to
borrow a title from one of the plethora of anti-Islamic books on
Muslim women).
Seeing Through The
Fog
Muslim women, especially
converts, are by no means the empty-headed, submissive, rejects of
western society that some essays and articles written by so-called
journalists and researchers would have us believe. Most of those
non-Muslim writers in many cases just seek to find the sensational or
even make it up to sell books or papers or to serve their own preset
agendas or to validate their own philosophical or ideological
positions. They usually fail miserably to understand or relate the
true underlying reasons for so many Muslim women's acceptance of and
strict adherence to Islam. It is this writer's opinion that much of
what is written by such people, especially the women amongst them,
stems from their inability to face the reality of the true
motivations of intelligent, thoughtful, western women, both young and
old, for accepting Islam. It would be an indictment of the
shortcomings within their own culture and lifestyles and perhaps
force even their own personal revaluation which often involves the
type of critical examination that most people simply choose to avoid.
Biased, slanted, and incomplete reporting is often due to plain old
ignorance and significant doses of arrogance and pride.
The
acceptance of Islam by women has mostly nothing to do with mere
rejection of cultural tradition, men, or economics so much as it does
with a sincere search for the truth motivated by a strong desire to
serve Allah properly. It becomes clear to the thoughtful, truth
seeking woman that what western society and culture (or eastern for
that matter), even at its highest levels has to offer, is a far cry
from what they, and all women, need. Namely, true freedom from the
oppression of men and the tyranny of religion. Spiritual fulfillment
and right guidance and living that leads to real happiness and
satisfaction as well as true success in this life and the life to
come is what they seek. Only real Islam offers this.
We
present the true stories of two such thoughtful women to serve us all
as a reminder of the substance of this great deen and the kind of
consideration each and every person should give to his or her role
and purpose in life and their relationship with Allah. Some editing
has been done only for the sake of space and minor grammatical
corrections.
Background Of A
European Catholic Girl
"As
a child I believed in God. My family was Christian (Catholic). After
the death of my mother ... we did not often go to church but
Christian values were a part of my upbringing. I had a strong faith
in God. At school we were taught that Jesus ('alaihi salaam) was the
son of God who came down to earth to save us from our sins. For some
reason, alhamdulillah, I never took these stories seriously. I
believed of course in Jesus ('alaihi salaam) but not really as the
son of God. Christians pray to Jesus ('alaihi salaam): I prayed only
to God....As a teenager I questioned my faith for the first time. I
wanted spiritual fulfillment for I did not feel at ease in the
culture I was growing up in. However, I always felt disappointed when
I went to churches. I could not accept the words in the hymns and
prayers that spoke of father God and a son Jesus. The church failed
to touch my heart and so I turned away from religion altogether as
many western people have done....For many years I was then lost and
confused. Christianity, being the only faith I knew had let me
down."
Early
Analysis
"Western
culture promotes materialism at the expense of the spiritual. It
pretends to have liberated women and the western media frowns upon
Islam as oppressive to female rights. However, I struggles to fit
into this culture. At the age of 16 I remember feeling alienated,
unable to fully participate in the social and cultural
environment....I became extremely conscious of my appearance at all
times, insecure about the shape of my body and the clothes I was
wearing. So much pressure is placed on women in the west to conform
to an impossible ideal of beauty that demands them to be thin, fit
and wear provocative clothes. Women are not allowed to grow old and
their bodies are for public scrutiny. Eating disorders (anorexia and
bulimia nervosa) are very common. At the same time they have to have
brilliant careers and be good partners to their husbands, boyfriends
and children. Family values are weakening amongst the youth so that
there is an increasing number of single parents...."
Finding
A Muslim And Islam
"I
was clever at school, alhamdulillah, and came to study German and
Russian at Cambridge....I was more concerned with seeking emotional,
spiritual as well as intellectual fulfillment. Yet, at this point I
did not know Islam....Thus the difficulties I encountered in trying
to belong to a culture which was alien to my nature, in trying to
conform to the social expectations of women, prepared me for
(acceptance of) Islam, since it is in the light of these personal
struggles that I was first able to appreciate its true sense and
beauty; how it is really a religion which accords with human nature
at the deepest level....I met a Muslim who inspired me with her
serenity, the light which seemed to somehow emanate from her whole
being; the light of faith, deep and untroubled. I still had many
insecurities about myself and was unable to find a way out from my
troubles which often seemed to engulf me completely as often happens
when people do not know God....This friend told me of Soorah
Al-Ikhlaas:
Say: He is
Allah the One and Only
Allah The Self-Sufficient Master Whom all
creatures need
He does not have children, nor was He given birth
to
And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him
I
became drawn to Islam, for this was of course what I already
believed.... Alhamdulillah, the sisters in Cambridge welcomed me with
their hearts and helped me to gain knowledge I needed to become a
Muslim. After five months I knew that it was right and said the
shahaadah....There is not a day when I do not thank Almighty for
responding so completely, with such love and mercy to my needs.
Alhamdulillah."
Allahu Akbar! This women is like so many
others whom Allah has opened their hearts. Perhaps the non-Muslim
reader of this will reflect. Read the next story of Sister
Haneefah.
Another Singer, A
Different Tune, Yet The Same Song (Sister Haneefah)
"As
a Christian convert to Islam I can only present my personal
experience and reasons for rejecting the "freedom" that
women claim to have in this (western European) society in favor of
the only religion that truly liberates women by giving us a status
and position which is completely unique when compared with that of
our non-Muslim counterparts."
"Before coming to Islam I
had strong feminist tendencies and recognized that where the woman
was concerned, a lot of shuffling around had been going on...new
'women's issues' being raised without the previous ones being
satisfactorily resolved. Like many women of my background I would
accuse Islam of being a sexist religion, discriminating, oppressing
and giving men the greater privileges. All this coming form a person
who didn't even know Islam. One who had been blinded due to ignorance
and had accepted this deliberately distorted definition of
Islam."
The Quest For
Truth Reaps Its Rewards
"However
despite my criticisms of Islam, inwardly I wasn't satisfied with my
own status as a woman in this society....There was clearly a great
contradiction between what women are told in theory and what actually
happens in practice....The more I pondered, greater emptiness I felt
within. I was slowly beginning to reach a stage where my
dissatisfaction with my status as a woman in this society, was really
a reflection of my greater dissatisfaction with the society itself.
Everything seemed to be degenerating backwards, despite all the
claims that the 1990's was going to be the decade of success and
prosperity. Something vital seemed to be missing from my life and
nothing would fill this vacuum. Being a Christian didn't do anything
for me, and I began to question the validity of only remembering God
one day a week - Sundays! As with many other Christians too, I had
become disillusioned by the hypocrisy of the Church and I was
becoming increasingly unhappy with the concept of the Trinity and the
deification of Jesus ('alaihi salaam). Eventually, I began to look
into Islam."
"I was surprised. What I read and
learned taught me a lot about myself as a woman, and also about where
the real oppression of women lies: in every other system and way of
life outside Islam. Muslim women have been given their rights in
every aspect of the religion with clear definitions of their role in
society - as have men - with no injustices against either of
them....So having amended my misconceptions about the true status of
women in Islam, I was now looking further. I wanted to find that
thing which was going to fill the vacuum in my life. My attention was
drawn towards the beliefs and practices of Islam....By this time I
had begun to meet practicing Muslim women and how I felt so secure
and welcome in their company! There was a sense of humility about
them and I wanted to share in that....Alhamdulillah, I accepted Islam
willingly."
Living, Learning And Never Turning
Back
"Through my reading, researching and attending
lectures, I have come to know my Rabb. I have come closer to
understanding some of His names and Attributes....I can appreciate
much more why the true Muslim scholars emphasize so strongly for
Muslims to learn about Allah - His Asmaa wa Sifaat - before trying to
reason with Allah's laws. Unfortunate I would have been had I taken
the stance that 'Islam gives the best deal to women' and made this
the reason for embracing Islam, because then my faith would have been
without a firm ground and sooner or later I would have come across
some laws ordained by Allah that I couldn't logically/rationally
understand or see the wisdom behind.[Islamic law never contradicts
sound reason and rationale, however each individual may or may not
have reached understanding of it. The writer is making clear that she
learned that one cannot make Islam into what they percieve it should
be, but should rather accept it as it is. - Ed.] Had I not studied
the foundation of belief, namely Tawheed and looked at how Allah
describes Himself in His Book, perhaps I would still be in
darkness."
The Main Reason For Women Turning To Islam
In A Muslim Woman's Own Words
"The reason why women
why women are turning to Islam must certainly have something to do
with the honor that Islam gives them and the equality with which it
deals with people, not only in gender, but also in terms of race,
nationality, class etc. However, the overriding reason why I and so
many others like me were attracted to Islam was because Islam
answered the most important question which I had ever asked: 'Why am
I here on this earth?' So I crossed the divide and managed to see
what lies on either side...Alhamdulillah I chose Islam."
Well
said. And may Allah reward you and all those brave women like you and
keep you strong and growing in the Deen, Ameen.
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