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We Bear Witness

We Bear Witness

Issue 77 February 2011

A recent study put the number of Britons embracing Islam at 100,000 with two-thirds of them women. Sarah Joseph speaks to five converts about their journey to Islam.


Given the perception of Islam as a strange and foreign faith, I am intrigued by how many times  converts tell me, “It was what I already believed in”, “It answered the questions that had always bothered me”, “It wasn’t anything new.” Whilst the change in faith may lead to some lifestyle shifts, the essence of the faith seems almost familiar.

 Having made a conscious choice to be Muslim the new converts often struggle with those closest to them in order to articulate their decision. The constant questions of loved ones, who are often suffering their own sense of confusion and bereavement, can lead to conflict; but it can also facilitate an increased strength of conviction, and a deeper, more profound faith.

 The convert sits between two worlds, both reconciled within their consciousness. They are thus able to act as a bridge if they can be true to the journey of where they have come from, and where they  going.

 

Myriam Francois Cerrah    Henrietta Szovati

Katerina Nordin-Phillips    Nabila Fowles-Gutierrez

Denise Horsley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photography by Hannah Rajah




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Comments

5 Comments

1

16 Oct 12, 02:53

May Salaam(Peace),Allaah's Rahmah(Mercy) and His Barakaat(Blessings) be upon you
"Given the perception of Islam as a strange and foreign faith, I am intrigued by how many times converts tell me, “It was what I already believed in”, “It answered the questions that had always bothered me”, “It wasn’t anything new.”
Islam is a voice of sacred poetry of the tradition of Prophets and Apostles of Allaah,Peace be upon them,calling humanity to rediscover the religious roots of human civilizati

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2

farid

30 Jun 11, 21:18

salam sister sarah,may be i am making negative comment
about your article, because i had an experience of almost 11
years marriage with 1 of the 5 sisters. her islam was very
strong when she converted then she started to mix again
with non muslims and her mum that she is saying she helped
her alotin her life , and that was not true. now her islam is
too liberal. which is wrong in islam.
its very good for the muslim women to be educated like
aysha radia laho anha, but she was modest and living with
limits of islam. and i ma nt attacking her or exposing her ,
it's just for her to think again and she has to correct her self
and put her kids or right path before its late inshallah.

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3

yusufmartin

18 Feb 11, 10:01

I too am a convert to Islam. Some six years on and I am still getting to grips with what it means to be a Muslim. I converted in Malaysia, which may not be the best place to embrace Islam.

Islam in Malaysia has taken its own course and has some interesting, to say the least, ideas about the religion. Ideas I find difficult to reconcile with my reading about Islam.

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4

Ifti

27 Jan 11, 21:22

We live in a country where women are over-sexualised and sold as 'products' for capitalist gains. A woman's beauty is splashed around everywhere, and she is only judged by that. Islam tells a woman to cover up so that she is not abused as Western women are. Islam provides the security and respect to women community than other religions.the western countries are using the women as an entertainment channels.All the women in the world should think about themselves then decide what is right and what is wrong for them in other religions(than Islam)

Islam is the fastest growing faith in Britain. Hundreds and thousands of Brits are reverting to Islam. By the middle of this century, over half of Brits would be Muslims.Truth will prevail irrespective of the negative propaganda against the most peaceful religion in the world.The more hatred enemies of islam spread the more it grows.
IA
http://www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk

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5

neoriental

27 Jan 11, 12:26

May Salaam(Peace),Allaah's Rahmah(Mercy) and His Barakaat(Blessings) be upon you
"Given the perception of Islam as a strange and foreign faith, I am intrigued by how many times converts tell me, “It was what I already believed in”, “It answered the questions that had always bothered me”, “It wasn’t anything new.”
Islam is a voice of sacred poetry of the tradition of Prophets and Apostles of Allaah,Peace be upon them,calling humanity to rediscover the religious roots of human civilization.
"The convert sits between two worlds, both reconciled within their consciousness. "
Born Muslims like us tend to feel strange in a world which apparently ignores Allaah.It is only through such new brothers and sisters we can appreciate a different world with greater objectivity.
I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and I bera witness that Muhammad is The Apostle of Allaah.

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