In the Spotlight

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This month our Spotlight Speaker is Laura Diab (Sister Hoda). She was born and raised in the United Methodist Denomination of the Christian Church, but on September 9, 2001 she took Shahada and became Muslim, Alhamdullilah!

Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim

How do they really know, just because their parents told them so??" These were some of the questions that tormented me as a Christian. Allah (SWT) gives all of us these doubts out of His Mercy and Wisdom, as a system of forcing us to seek the path of Truth. For those of us born outside Muslim families, this instinctual need to evaluate the religion of our parents is often the basis of our discovering Islam. But likewise, it can cast doubt in the minds of those born into Muslim families as well, who thankfully have so many signs and such great evidence that yes, in fact, their parents are right.

I found myself riddled with frustration about contradictions I found in the biblical texts and in the general theology of Christianity. As I learned more, and studied more, I only became more perplexed with the flaws that were undeniable. It truly weakened my faith. I felt my spirit grow heavy with sorrow and my heart ached for the Truth. I prayed many times for God to lead me to the Truth, never imaginging that Truth would be a different religion entirely.

I tried to approach different people with my questions and found the same answer each time. "We aren't meant to know everything and we just have to have faith." Many Christian people believe that if you ask too many questions you are bound to find Shaytan giving you the answers. In a sense this is true, because in Islam, we are warned against asking such things as where did Allah (SWT) come from.... There is indeed a limit to where our questions should go. However, the questions I was asking were not sacriledge. They were just unanswerable from a Christian perspective. I was asking things such as, "If the book of Mark is the *oldest of the New Testament, and yet it was first put into textual form about five or six decades AFTER Jesus, then how do we know it's accurate?" And things like, "If we have over 100 different versions of the Bible, with different interpretations and implications, then how do we know we're using the right one?" These were things that the people around me were not capable of explaining. In my personal search for answers, I acquired the Apocryphal Christian books (those that were considered for canonization but ultimately rejected for inclusion in the official compilation of books we now know as the Bible) and studied the origins of Christianity at UNCG, which greatly prepared me for the knowledge that was to come. After a prolonged period of intensive research, I waivered in my faith. I never gave up my belief in God, but I was no longer convinced that Christianity was completely and solely the True Path to Allah (SWT).

It was during this period that I was led to seek a second job because of some changes in my living arrangements. For reasons at the time unknown to me, I desired to pick up a shift at Ghassan's. It is a sandwich shop in Greensboro, NC. My family used to eat there when I was much younger, but I had not been there in over a decade. So, my family was surprised that I sought a second job there. It was strange even to me that I felt so drawn to that place for no apparent reason. I graduated from UNCG with honors, and my mother was irritated that I would even consider taking a minimum wage job in a sandwich shop, but Allah (SWT) is the Best of Planners, and He had a Plan for me and a definite reason for Guiding me there. I still had my main job, working with developmentally delayed and autistic children, and the Ghassan's job was not really necessary, but the extra income just gave me some peace of mind as I dealt with greater demands on my finances at the time. It was at Ghassan's that I met Brother Lotfi Diab, and some other Muslims. I had never known any Muslims before, at least not that I was aware of. It would change my life.

My first impression was amazement at the devotion of these people. It seemed all of their conversations were sprinkled with Arabic terms praising God such as "Bismillah", "Subhan'Allah," and "Alhamdulillah" and even the most seemingly unimportant details of possible future events would be prefaced with the words "Insha'Allah." They of course had to tell me what these phrases meant, and I was just dumbfounded to see how they incorporated their religious beliefs into every aspect of their lives, Mashi'Allah. In many of my previous jobs, the employees would take cigarette breaks. These employees took prayer breaks. I was exposed to a sort of faith and reverence for God that I had never seen before. Brother Lotfi is a graduate of Al-Azhar University in Cairo, the world's oldest university (building began in 971 A.D) and the most renowned Islamic University. He was able to teach me about Islam with patience and from a basis of sure knowledge, having memorized the entire Qur'an by the age of ten, Mashi'Allah. May Allah (SWT) Reward him with the Best of Rewards. I had never heard any Qur'an and knew absolutely nothing about Islam. Of course, as a Christian, my feelings were mostly sympathy and regret. I felt sad that these men, with such enormous love for and obedience to God, were destined for the Hellfire since they did not believe Jesus died for their sins. This was before I came to understand the Reality.

Even as a Christian, I never prayed "to" Jesus (SA). It seemed to me that even if Jesus was the son of God (Astaghfir'Allah) as we were taught to believe, that it made more sense to pray to the father than the son. So, even as a Christian, I always directed my prayers straight to Allah (SWT) rather than Jesus or any intercessor. I also had trouble accepting the concept that Allah (SWT) would need to come to earth in human form to experience life as a human. I knew as a Christian that Allah (SWT) already knows everything and does not need to take human form to better understand humans. The theory that God "needed" Jesus to die in order to forgive our sins also seemed unnecessary. There were millions of people who lived before Jesus, so what would happen to them? This point alone made it clear that there must be other ways for people to receive God's forgiveness for their sins. If belief that Jesus had died for them was a pre-requisite, that would be an impossibility for them if they were already dead and buried long before he was even born. God is All-Powerful, and can Forgive anyone He pleases, and He does not even need to test people to know whether they have faith or not. He is All-Knowing. (The testing is only for our own benefit, as all of our actions and words are recorded as proof for our own eyes on the Day of Judgment, lest any of us claim we have been wronged.)

As I struggled to form some concrete base of things that I "knew" as opposed to things I merely "believed," I found Islam to be a great relief, and infallible in this respect. Islam was not just about relying on faith alone. Islam offered sound and indisputable proof. Many of the contradictions within Christianity had resulted from people altering the original texts for political or personal motives. As time passed, more and more variations were produced and it became harder to determine which passages were authentic. All of the contradictions in Christianity were like pieces of a large jigsaw puzzle that had gone missing. But Islam made that puzzle complete. There were provocative pieces of evidence for the validity of Islam; and any questions I had were met not with disdain but with eager and sensible answers, and encouragement to ask more questions.

My coworkers had begun teaching me about Islam. I had tried teaching them about Christianity and hoped to convert the lot of them, only to find myself more and more convinced that they held on to the Truth. One by one, the issues that had me opposed to Islam fell away. And one by one, the ties that held me to my former belief system disintegrated. I found myself convinced from a logical standpoint by six distinct arguments. But it was the seventh thing, the illogical one, that won me in the end.

The six points that I found most logically convincing were:

Muhammad (PBUH) was illiterate.
The majority of people in that time period were unable to read or write, and so being illiterate would not have been something Muhammad (PBUH) would have felt he must hide. It was nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about. As such, and being that he was fully integrated into his community for forty years before he began receiving Divine Revelation, (and seen as a pillar of its members, being called The Truthful and The Trustworthy), it was no secret that Muhammad (PBUH) was unable to read or write.

Now, take this book, The Qur'an, which is considered the Pinnacle of Achievement in all of Arabic Literature. This book whose 114 chapters (Suwar - [plural of Surah]) are filled with great wisdom, prophecy, and history, which rhymes and dances with such melodic grace, and which revealed things that at that time no man could have possibly known.... is a miracle. It is nothing less than miraculous that an illiterate man would be able to bring this book into being, and it could not have possibly come from him alone, but from a Higher Power, from Allah (SWT).

The Miracles of Scientific Revelation within the Qur'an convinced me of its validity as the Word of God.
No man in Muhammad's time period could have possibly known the things that are presented in the Qur'an. Microscopes, telescopes, and all of our modern-day technological advances were non-existent. Such detailed information about the universe was completely inaccessible to humanity in that time. And yet, there are revelations of a scientific nature that have throughout history been proven accurate and have stood the tests of time and technological progress. These revelations have even shaped our understanding of the natural world, and have made an indelible impression on the medical world as well. Topics such as embryology, geology, physics & astronomy, potamology (study of rivers), oceanography, meteorology, even neurology, are discussed in the pages of the Qur'an. The information presented about these subjects has amazed scientists who are now able to discern these things through modern advances in our machinery and tools and improved research methods. But it is no wonder to those of us who accept the Qur'an as Divine Revelation. Who could possibly know more about the universe and the workings of the natural world, than the One Who Created it all?

In addition to scientific revelation, there are convincing prophetic revelations in the Qur'an as well.

"The Romans have been defeated in the nearest land (to the Arabian Peninsula), and they, after their defeat, will be victorious within bedd’ (three to nine) years...."
(Glorious Qur'an, 30:2-4)

This passage came true as the Persian forces were victorious over the Romans in 613. However, in 622, nine years after their initial defeat, the Roman army rose against the Persian army and this time won their victory and fulfilled the prophecy in the Qur'an. The initial defeat of the Roman army in 613 was highly unanticipated and predicting such a defeat would have been met with great skepticism. It was only Divine Revelation that would have allowed such insight.1

"And We brought the children of Israel across the sea; and Pharaoh and his hosts pursued them wrongfully and aggressively, till, when the calamity of drowning overtook him, he said, 'I believe that there is no God but He in Whom the children of Israel believe, and I am of those who submit to Him.'

What! Now! While thou wast disobedient before this and wast of those who create disorder.

So this day We will save thee in thy body alone that thou mayest be a Sign to those who come after thee. And surely, many of mankind are heedless of Our Signs." (Glorious Qur'an, 10:91-93)

The Biblical account of this story does not make any mention of the Pharaoh's body being preserved as a sign for later generations. The body was indeed preserved, in spite of the tremendous physical stresses that must have been exerted upon it with the crashing of the sea. Therefore, prophecy of Pharaoh's body being preserved was also fulfilled.2
"In truth, God fulfilled the vision of His Messenger: You will surely enter the Sacred Mosque, if God wills, in full security; you will have your heads shaved, your hair shortened, and you will have nothing to fear. He knew what you knew not, and He granted, besides this, a near victory. He it is Who has sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth, that He may cause it to prevail over all religion. God is enough for a witness." (Glorious Qur'an, 48.27–8)

This passage of the Qur'an foretells the conquest of Makkah two years before it came to pass.3

Prophecies within the Hadith also convinced me that Muhammad (PBUH) received divine revelation from Allah (SWT).

According to Sahih Muslim, narrated by 'Umar:

‘Before the Battle of Badr started, God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, walked around the battlefield and pointed to some locations, saying, Abu Jahl will be killed here, ‘Utba here, Shayba here, Walid here, and so on. By God, we found, after the battle, the dead bodies of all those men in the exact places that God’s Messenger had pointed out.’4

Muhammad (PBUH) also predicted that his daughter Fatima would be the first member of his family to die after his own death, and she died within six months after him.5

He (PBUH) predicted the invasion by the Mongolian army. "The Hour will not come before you fight against a people with red faces, small, slant eyes and flat noses. They wear hairy leather boots."6

He even predicted what the government would be like after him.
"This affair began with Prophethood and as a mercy; then it will be mercy and Caliphate; afterwards it will change into a cruel monarchy, and finally into an iniquity and tyranny. He also prophesied: Surely, the Caliphate after me will last thirty years; afterwards it will be a cruel monarchy."7

Some of Muhammad's (PBUH) predictions we can plainly observe being fulfilled all around us every day:

The worst and most ignorant will become leaders and they will be oppressors.8

Nakedness of women while still being dressed.9

The increase of sexual promiscuity, and new diseases that people had not heard of before spreading amongst them as a consequence of that.10

Men will wear silk and gold.11

The Mosques would be like palaces, in spite of Muhammad (PBUH) commanding that the houses of Allah (SWT) should be simple and modest..12

The increase of musical instruments, and the Muslims making it lawful even though
the Prophet has forbidden them.13 There are many more predictions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that I did not list here, but all have come to pass. One lady who heard me speak at The Daughters of Abraham Conference in 2003 suggested that Muhammad (PBUH) must have received his information about science and future events from demons (jinn) or from Shaytan (Satan). I explained to her that Shaytan would never encourage people to worship the One True God, forbid from evil and guide toward monotheism and practicing acts of righteousness, purification, and humility. The fundamental principles that Muhammad (PBUH) brought were not new or in contrast to those revealed by prophets preceeding him, but strengthened the existing orders of Allah (SWT) and sought to tear apart the lies and deceit assembled by Shaytan in regards to Prophet Isa (Jesus) (SA). Jesus (SA) said he was not here to abolish the law but to uphold it (14) and that the Spirit of truth would continue to reveal the things that he was unable to reveal at that time. He did not reveal all things himself out of mercy for his people. He said that there was much more he needed to tell them but that they could not bear it at that time. But he also said that the Spirit of truth would come after him and reveal all things. (15)I believe that Muhammad (PBUH) is the Spirit of truth about whom Jesus (SA) spoke. I believe that his mission on earth was to fulfill Jesus' (SA) prophecy by revealing all that was left for mankind to know about how to properly worship and live in submission to the Will of the One True God. While each prophet (SA) who preceeded him was sent to a specific community, Muhammad (PBUH) was sent to the whole world, to all of humanity, to perfect our faith, our religion, as the Seal of the Prophets (SA). For anyone to suggest that his message of Truth was revealed by demons shows a complete lack of understanding or intellect. Or it suggests that the person does not actually know what is contained within his message that they would suspect such an atrocity.

The miracle of the Qur'an remaining intact for 14 centuries also convinced me.
Having tutored linguistics at UNCG and holding slightly more than a layman's understanding of linguistics, I knew that it is nothing less than a miracle that any book could survive so many centuries with NO CHANGES to the text. In the Arabic Qur'an, every single letter is the same as it was when it was first written out, Subhan'Allah. The translations into other languages may vary in the translators' interpretations from Arabic to the new language; however, if you go to any country on earth and purchase an ARABIC Qur'an, and then go to any other country and purchase an ARABIC Qur'an, you will find that the texts are identical, to the letter. The preservation of the Qur'an was promised and guaranteed by Allah (SWT). There is only ONE version of the Qur'an in its native tongue, only ONE.

"We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly Guard it (from corruption)."
(Qur'an - Chapter 15, Verse 9)

*Important Note: In many places in the Qur'an the word "We" is used interchangeably with "Allah." "We," in this context, is the plural of "Majesty," and not to be misunderstood as the Christian concept of trinity.
"We: #5. Also called the "royal we." (used by a sovereign, or by other high officials and dignitaries, in place of "I" in formal speech: 'We do not wear this crown without humility.'"
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Strangely enough, the Bible also helped to convince me of the Truth of Islam.
I had been reading my Qur'an one night, while still unsure of which religion I believed. I came to a point of desperation and prayed that Allah (SWT) would guide me, give me SOME SIGN, ANY SIGN, that would help me decide which was the Truth. I prayed that when I opened the Qur'an again, Allah (SWT) would guide me to some passage that would shine a light for me and illuminate the Path I should take. Subhan'Allah....

When I opened the book, I looked down at the page and even now as I write these words I feel overwhelmed with emotion in remembering this moment... Before me, I read...

"Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad PBUH) whom they find written with them in the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel), - he commands for them Al-Ma'ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam has ordained); and forbids them from Al-Munkar (i.e.-disbelief, polytheism of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden); he allows them as lawful At-Tayyibat (i.e. all good and lawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods), he releases them from their heavy burdens (of Allah's Covenant with the children of Israel), and from the fetters (bindings) that were upon them. So those who believe in him (Muhammad PBUH), honour him, help him, and follow the light (the Qur'an) which has been sent down with him, it is they who will be successful." Qur'an 7:157

To me, this was a major sign.
Before this moment, I had not even realized that the Bible made any reference at all to Islam or Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). It was the part that said, "...the Prophet who can neither read nor write whom they find written with them in the (Torah) and the (Gospel)..." that stirred my feelings so greatly. I remember my heart racing wildly with sheer electricity coursing through my veins as I tried to stop shaking long enough to look up the Biblical verses quoted in the footnotes at the bottom of the page. It was such an awakening! I found, in all of the examples listed, evidence that Allah (SWT) had inspired men, who wrote in the Old and New Testaments, prophecies of the coming of Muhammad (PBUH). The one that I found the most awe-inspiring was a quote of Jesus (SA) in the book of John.

"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come." 16 New Revised Standard Version Harper Collins Study Bible: John 16:12-13

Now think about this, very carefully. First, he refers to someone as the "Spirit of truth" who will come after him. He says that he still has many things to say to his people but they cannot bear any more than he has already told them. He presents this as the reason for another who will follow after him; someone who will apparently finish bringing all the information God needs the people to know. One of my family members who is a Christian, when presented with this passage, claimed it refers to Allah (SWT). It is quite obvious with only a little further reflection that Jesus does not refer to Allah (SWT) by this term, because he says this Spirit of truth "will not speak on his own," and obviously Allah (SWT) would not need anyone to dictate to Him what He should say. When I asked her who was telling God what He should say, she quickly changed the subject.

Who do we know of that might be called the "Spirit of truth?" Can you think of anyone who was nicknamed The Truthful? Muhammad (PBUH) was known as "as-Sadiq" and "al-'Alamin," "the Truthful" and "the Trustworthy." With those for nicknames, Jesus (SA) was practically calling him by name. And to obliterate any notion that he might be referring to someone else, the description becomes even more clear. "...For he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears..." Muhammad (PBUH) received his Divine Revelation from Allah (SWT) through the Angel Gabriel (PBUH) and literally recited what he was told by the Angel. Because we know he was illiterate, he could not have possibly written the text of the Qur'an.

In Deuteronomy 18:18, "I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will put My Words in the mouth of the prophet, who shall speak to them everything that I Command. Anyone who does not heed the words that the prophet shall speak in My Name, I Myself will Hold Accountable."

There are many other prophecies in the Jewish and Christian texts which foretell the coming of Muhammad (PBUH), the unlearned prophet, but these are the ones that impacted me most.

So now I was confronted not only with scientific evidence for the validity of Islam, but with my very own sacred texts revealing the secret.... that in fact there was another prophet after Jesus (SA), foretold by Jesus himself, who proclaimed the very same thing as Jesus and all the prophets who came before them, (SA), that there is ONLY ONE GOD AND WE SHOULD NOT WORSHIP FALSE GODS.

Muhammad's (PBUH) message was this command of monotheism (Tawhid- ONE GOD) and to remind us that Our Creator is All-Knowing and All-Powerful, having Created all that exists, and Who is continuing always to maintain the universe and everything in it, a Self-Sufficient Being with no need of helpers or partners, having no offspring or parents, and with an All-Encompassing Love and Mercy for mankind. Subhan'Allah! Al-hamdulillahi Rabil-Alamin!

But still, as the logical understanding seeped into my consicousness, an inner voice rebelled, as a greater reality became apparent. Accepting Islam would simultaneously reject all that I'd believed and held true. It would mean that those I loved the most were condemned....along with every....single....person....I'd....ever....known. Try to wrap your mind around this.... try to feel it with me.

When the horrible shooting took place at Virginia Tech last week, we felt sympathy for the victims but especially for the survivors. Those who knew the victims held a special place in our thoughts. In mentioning surviving students, the press would mention how many of the victims this survivng student had known or that one had known, because we tend to assume that their grief is doubled by each person they lost.This is only natural because of course we do feel greater grief with greater loss.

But imagine if you lost not just one or two friends -but your entire family, including aunts, uncles, cousins and other extended family, all of your close friends, and every person you ever considered a friend or even acquaintance. As I mentioned earlier, I'd never known any Muslims before I worked at Ghassan's, so to me, it was like I was losing everyone I'd ever known or cared about.

Now, of course, I was not faced with the same sort of grief and sudden shocking loss as those people whose loved ones were so cruelly and unfairly stolen from them at Virginia Tech, and I don't mean to lessen the tragedy of their loss or make my own seem equal, because it is a different sort of loss. For me it was not such an immediate loss, or a guaranteed loss, because who knows what Allah (SWT) has in store for any man, no one except Allah (SWT). But it was the anticipation of loss, in the Hereafter. All of them, condemned because of their associating partners with Allah (SWT) in their ignorance and even with all their good intentions and good deeds.

It was the tragedy of this loss that held me still gripped in indecision. It was shocking for me to suddenly see how cleverly Shaytan had crafted his web, and how many millions had been unknowingly ensnared. As saddened as I was that my own family was among them, I had to give thanks to Allah (SWT) for at least opening my own eyes, and I still cling to the hope that my own faith and the changes in my own life will create within them enough curiosity and interest to finally give an honest and open heart to my pleas and ultimately embrace Islam, Insha'Allah. But I know that Allah (SWT) is the Most Just, the Most Merciful, and finally that we will each reap what we sow.

This is the last thing that convinced me... the one which I mentioned earlier that was not logical like all the rest, but was a Blessing from Allah (SWT) and severed the last bindings of ignorance that enslaved me.

I came to a point of true despair, and I just got down on my knees and I prayed for Allah (SWT) to Guide me to whatever Path was the True One.

When I finally realized that I could not make the choice without Him, that I would not receive true peace (or confidence in my decision) if I relied solely on my own intellect and my own powers of discernment, but that ultimately Only Allah (SWT) can Guide to the Path of Truth... that was when I let go of my rigid need to control and analyze and shape the course of my spiritual journey. That was when the veil was lifted in a very tangible sense. I could almost feel it being pulled from my body at the point of my spiritual surrender, when I finally yielded all my resistance and collapsed in a heap of grateful tears in prostration to My Creator...

...that was when I knew and believed.. and embraced...

Suggested Reading:

THE GLORIOUS QUR'AN (of course!)

Any books by Ahmed Deedat! I especially like "The Choice" and "Crucifixion: Fact or Fiction." He also made some wonderful videos. May Allah (SWT) Reward him with the Best of Rewards.

A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam, by IA Ibrahim (Author),William Peachy (Editor), Michael Thomas (Editor), Harold S. Kuofi (Editor), Dar-us-Salam Publications, 1999

Verses From the Holy Qur'an and the Facts of Science, by Dr. Haluk Nurbaki (Translated by Metin Beynam), Kitab Bhavan, 2002

The Pillars of Islam & Iman and What Every Muslim Must Know About his Religion, by Muhammad bin Jamil Zeno, Dar-us-Salam Publications, 1996

Women Companions of the Holy Prophet and Their Sacred Lives, by Maulana Saeed Ahmed Ansari, Maulana Abdussalam Nadvi, Syed Suleman Nadvi, Islamic Book Service, 2001

The Bible, the Qur’an and Science, Dr. Maurice Bucaille, American Trust Publications, Indiana, 1979

Beyond the Veil: Male-Female Dynamics in a Modern Muslim Society, by Fatima Mernissi, Indiana University Press; Revised edition (April 1987)

Women in Islam versus women in the Judaeo-Christian Tradition: The Myth & the Reality, by Dr. Sherif Abdel Azeem
AVAILABLE ONLINE - CLICK HERE

OTHER SUGGESTED RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO READ ONLINE:

http://www.ais.org/~maftab/christ.html	A compilation of works comparing Islam & Christianity
http://www.sultan.org/articles/QScience.html	A study of the Science in the Qur'an
http://www.islamfortoday.com/companions.htm	Excellent resource for learning about the Companions (RA) of the Prophet (SA)
http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Articles/companion/default.htm	Excellent resource for learning about the Companions (RA) of the Prophet (SA)
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/	Compendium of Muslim Texts

RESOURCES

* [In regards to the statement of Mark being the oldest of the New Testament Gospels: "A dating in the late 60s also fits with the judgment, cautiously accepted by most scholars, that Mark was the earliest of the NT Gospels and a source for Matthew and Luke, both of which are thought to have been written toward the end of the first century C.E." Harper Collins Study Bible New Revised Standard Version, Harper Collins Publishers, 1993 p.1915]

Translation of the meanings of The Noble Qur'an in the English Language by Dr. Muhammad Taqî-ud-Dîn Al-Hilaâlî and Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khân, King Fahd Complex for the printing of the Holy Qur'an, Madinah, K.S.A.

The Meaning of the Glorious Koran by Mohammed Pickthall, Penguin Books, New York

The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, Amana Corporation, Maryland, 1991

1.http://www.islam-guide.com/frm-ch1-1-a.htm

2. http://www.alislam.org/library/books/revelation/part_6_section_1.html

3-13. http://www.answering-christianity.com/prophecies_muh.htm

14. The Holy Bible: New International Version, Matthew 5:17

15, 16. New Revised Standard Version Harper Collins Study Bible: John 16:12-13

Thank you for taking the time to read this, May Allah (SWT) Reward you. Praise be to Allah (SWT) for any benefit it brings to you and May Allah (SWT) forgive me for any errors I have made in this article. Allah (SWT) knows best. Allahu Alim.

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JOURNEY TO ISLAM by Laura Diab

There are so many things I want to talk about, but I am focusing here on my journey to Islam. I am so grateful to Allah (SWT) for guiding me onto the Straight True Path of Islam, Alhamdulillah. If it was not for the innate curiosity and skepticism with which I was born, and with which all of us have been blessed, I might not be talking to you about this right now. It is that very same curiosity and skepticism which makes it so vital to me that you hear my message. Because, I know that you as well, are questioning and doubting and thinking at times, "Well how do I know for sure that this is the right religion, just because my parents tell me so?