|
From: Peace Now
How Did You Accept Islam? How Did You Accept
Islam? - By Yahiya Emerick
Administrivia
As enthralling as many
present-day conversion stories may be, it is to the first converts to Islam, the
Sahaba, that we should look for inspiration, writes American convert, Yahiya
Emerick.
Many people have asked me
lately how I came to Islam. It is not an unusual question for a convert to be
asked. Every person who accepts Islam has a unique story and tale to tell. I
remember getting one of the books filled with "convert stories" and being
enthralled for days at the variety of experiences people
have.
Many "born" Muslims, as
they call themselves, take a great interest in such convert stories as well. It
reaffirms their faith and strengthens their resolve. After all, if people are
accepting Islam in droves today, even though Islam has been stigmatized in
popular and secular culture all over the world, there must be a hidden value.
Reading what others see in accepting the Islamic Way of Life reinforces our
awareness of this value.
There is another valuable
source of convert stories as well. A source which can have an even greater
effect on your Eman and Taqwa than contemporary sources. I would recommend that
people spend more time reading these stories than those of modern converts. This
other source is the stories of the Sahaba (Companions of the
Prophet).
Did you know that almost
all of the Sahaba were converts to Islam? Every last one of them has a unique
story and quite a few have suspense-filled adventures on their way to the truth.
Sometimes when I read about one of them, I find parallels in my own journey to
Islam. Other times I find myself amazed at the power of the human spirit to
overcome even the most insurmountable obstacles.
My personal favorites among
the Sahaba are Fatimah, Salman al Farsi, Abu Darda, Abu Dharr al Ghiffari,
'Umar, Mu'adh ibn Jabal and Umm Ammarah. (My wife holds the story of Julaybib
close to her heart.) In my humble understanding, I feel every Muslim should make
it a point to be familiar with the stories of at least ten of the Sahaba. Skim
through a book of their biographies, pick a few that seem to interest you and
then read in detail. Compare their examples. How did they interact with the
Prophet and others? What lessons are there for our own lives
today?
I sometimes find myself
wishing that in study circles and Tarbiyya sessions that Muslims would move away
from repeating the same worn-out old topics (lessons of the Hijrah, significance
of Surah al 'Asr) and explore other, deeper themes that are more relevant. The
struggles, achievements and trials of the Sahaba have a timeless relationship to
what people face in every age.
Is it any wonder that the
Blessed Prophet advised us to follow the example of his Sahaba and even Allah,
Himself, praises the Sahaba in many places in the Qur'an. Today our children's
heroes are basketball players, fashion models, singers and movie stars. People
who do nothing important. All they are is entertainers. They teach nothing good
in a real sense, they contribute nothing to society and all they do is present
an example of a wild and wealthy lifestyle which makes our children want to
duplicate it.
What of the Heroes of
Islam? Time and time again I have seen Khatibs, lecturers and scholars mention
the names of Sahaba and others to an audience which was filled with people who
didn't know anything about those names. The speaker may feel flushed with pride
mentioning those names, but his or her listeners don't know the deep
implications and significance.
That's a whole other topic,
of course: the gap between the scholars (who live in a dream world) and the
masses of the Muslims (who are cut off from most Islamic knowledge). I'll save
that for another column. Suffice it to say, by reading the stories of those who
have accepted Islam, we ourselves can learn jewels of wisdom which can permeate
our own experience and make us better Muslims.
Every parent, school and
teacher must make certain that our children know at least ten Sahaba stories in
a meaningful and relevant way. Then our children will look to the real giants of
history as their heroes and born Muslims can get a sense of pride in their way
of life that goes beyond, far beyond what stories those of us converts of today
can tell.
Do I have any suggestions
for you to begin? Of course, that's the whole reason I write this column month
after month. I want improvement. Business as usual may be fine in a dilapidated
Muslim country, but the Islamic movement is alive and kicking in America. I want
to see it stabilize and become a permanent part of this nation's
fabric.
As far as books to read for
the stories of the Sahaba, there are three main sources I recommend: "The Beauty
of the Righteous and Ranks of the Elite" (Akili) "The Companions of the Prophet"
(Hamid) and "Hayatus Sahaba" (Kandhalvi). These three sources are available just
about everywhere. If you don't know where to get them you can call a Muslim
bookstore and they can send them to you. Here's a couple of phone numbers you
can try: 1-800-337-4287 or 1-718-721-4246.
There you have it! The
names of three great sources for learning and the numbers where to get them. It
just doesn't get any better than this! After reading one or all of these books,
choose ten Sahaba which you feel most drawn towards and then accept this further
challenge. Sit down with some paper and a pen and write a short essay to
yourself about what impresses you most about each Sahaba and what lessons you
can draw for your own life.
Save those essays and read
them again every few years or months as you need to. If you're feeling down or
helpless or stressed you can center yourself by reading the examples of others
who had even tougher struggles than us and who came through with flying colors.
Let's not be like the people that Allah spoke about, the people who are like
donkeys carrying piles of books. Let's apply our reading, make it meaningful for
our lives and do something with it. Will you accept this challenge? I
will.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- All views expressed herein belong to the individuals concerned and do not in any way reflect the official views of Hidayahnet unless sanctioned or approved otherwise. If your mailbox clogged with mails from Hidayahnet, you may wish to get a daily digest of emails by logging-on to http://www.yahoogroups.com to change your mail delivery settings or email the moderators at [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the title "change to daily digest". YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS
|
