My Path to Islam (Australian)

By Sr. Jill Forrest

My childhood consisted of school, Bible class and a group of Christian friends. It never occurred to me that my parents chosen religion might be in error. I was extremely proud of my faith and stood up for it on a number of occasions. When I became a teenager the focus at Bible Class had changed, many of the teens were no longer searching for God but seemed to seek approval from each other as a priority. They wanted to show off their talents of singing and dancing. Your faith in God didn’t seem to matter as much as to whether or not you were talented. I kept going but by the time I left school I was disillusioned. This was when I saw my first documentary on Islam. I was amazed by the fact that Muslims put so much importance on God and placed him first throughout all parts of their life. Of course this is how Christians suppose to be like but I seldom saw this. The fact that Muslims stopped five times a day to worship God truly impressed me.

I finished school and enjoyed the freedom of adulthood. I didn’t feel at home anymore at Church and I slipped into the life of drinking, boys and mucking about. At least these people seemed to like me for who I was and I felt comfortable with them. But I didn’t feel comfortable with myself, this wasn’t the true me. At this time I met my husband. Years later I realised that I was truly empty. Even though I had returned to Church after my marriage to my husband I felt no presence of God in my life. I decided to search for God. I got out every book on religion from the library. I studied them all. Judaism, I could never understand their rejection of Jesus. They didn’t even see him as a prophet. I always saw them as blinded to the truth. At that time Islam really seemed to have the answers, but I brushed it aside as I thought that my doubts in Christianity were just a lack of faith.

I felt that the original Church might hold the answers. I became a Catholic. Through the Church I received help to learn about Church history and it doctrines.I was shocked to find that the Bible was put together more than 300 years after Christ. I also found out that they voted on whether of not that Jesus was divine. People made these decisions. People are imperfect, what if they were wrong. I was horrified. Why didn’t they tell me these things in Bible Class at the Baptist Church? I tried to carry on with following Christianity but I held great doubts. I shoved them to the back of my mind and told myself, you have to have more faith.

I was totally shocked by the attacks on September 11th and I was further shocked to read some truly negative comments from Australians on Islam. From my past study I realised they had drawn their opinions from those portrayed by the media and they were in error.I was determined to learn more about Islam. I prayed and read as much as possible. Thanks to the help of Muslims who sent me videos and booklets and answered all my questions I realised that Islam was a way of life and the full submission to the one and only God truly made so much sense. I attended an Islamic class for woman. There was no pressure and the women were so friendly and kind. I learnt about Islam and it was so logical to me but I still had a few doubts. Mainly due to the fact that although I believed the Qur’an to be miraculous, I was concerned to whether it came from the devil to deceive mankind. I then read the following article.

Attributing it to the Devil by Gary Miller

I had experience, on one occasion, describing some of the contents in the Qur'an to a man who did not know the book I was talking about. He sat next to me with the cover turned over. I just told him about the book, what it contained and told him it was not the Bible. His conclusion was, the book was miraculous. This man was a minister in a Christian Church. He said, "Yes, that book could not possible have originated with the man and therefore it must come from the devil, because it's not the Bible."

The Qur'an comments on this suggestion in chapter twenty-six, verse two-hundred and eleven, as to those who would suggest that the book came from the devil. It points out that it does not quite suit him, does it? Is this how the devil misleads people? He tells them, worship none but God, he insists that they fast, that they practice charity. Is this how the devil misleads people?

Compare the attitude of someone like this, to the attitude of the Jews who knew Jesus and opposed him until the very end. There is an episode reported in the Bible where Jesus raised a man from the dead, one Lazarus, who had been dead for four days. When Lazarus came out of the tomb, alive again those Jews who were watching, what did they do? Did they suddenly say that this man is a true prophet and become believers? No, the Bible says they immediately discussed among themselves that "since this man is working on his signs soon everyone will believe in him. We've got to find a way to kill him," and they attributed his miraculous powers to the devil. He raised that man by the power of the devil.

Now, the Christians who read that episode will feel very sorry for those Jews who had clear evidence right before their very eyes and attribute the miracles to the devil. Does it not appear that they may be doing the same thing when we illustrate what we have in the Qur'an and their final excuse is only: "It originated with the devil."

I read it and wept. It seemed to lift my doubts and I realised I was a believer. I took my Shahada on March 7th 2002 and I feel so happy and truly at peace, Alhamdulillah. (Praise be to Allah)

source : http://www.islam-australia.iinet.net.au