Real & Wonderful Stories-Khadija

I begin this short account of my steps towards embracing Islam in the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Throughout my life I believed in God but became unsatisfied with the course my life was taking, hence began my search for the true path. My search began in 1984 at the age of forty-three after the twists and turns of life had led me to a dead end. I began to look everywhere, searching every religion. Those years were long and tiresome, but my search continued with no apparent resolution.

In 1988 with the realization that I may never find what I had set out for, in utter helplessness I threw myself on the ground, my hands and face pressed to the floor. I had given in. I surrendered; I pleaded for God’s help and release from this unending struggle. It would not be until the following year that God Almighty in His infinite mercy answered my prayers. I was in my kitchen when I heard a soft voice saying, “Go to the park,” three times. I thought I was losing my mind, and yet I knew I had heard something. “What park?” I thought to myself. Where was I to go? I got into my wheelchair and left my house, in what direction and to where God only knew. It was as though there was an invisible cord pulling me, something leading me to my unknown destination. I continued to a park that I had never seen before, and sitting there was a young man reading a book.

I had no hesitation or fear and went straight to him, an action quite uncharacteristic for my cautious nature. As I came closer the book the man was reading seemed to be illuminated by rays of sun shining on it. As I approached him, he looked up to me, his face filled with light. I asked him what he was reading. The book was foreign to me, with indistinguishable writing. He replied it was his holy book, the Qur’an, and that he was a Muslim.

I asked him to read me some passages from the Qur’an. After hearing the words and the indescribable beauty of them, I immediately asked him if I, too, could become Muslim. He looked puzzled, unsure what to say in response to my request. He explained that if I sincerely wanted to become a Muslim, I would need to learn about Islam, and for the next month that is exactly what I did. With the help of that young man, I learned about Allah’s religion, Islam. On September 12, 1989, at 1:30 p.m. I took my shahadah, bearing witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His last messenger. Allah has blessed me with this most perfect way of life. All praises are for Allah. I pray that these words guide all seekers of truth to Islam and to the mercy of Allah (may He be praised and glorified).

     By the grace of Allah, I have brought five persons to Islam.