45 years of searching the truth

Story of Wanda and how she became a Muslim - very inspiring for all.
I was raised in a Christian environment, but from about the age of 7
or 8 I openly refused to accept the idea that God and Christ were one
in the same--nor did I accept thetrinity.
There were six children and my parents. No one else thought as I did,
so you can imagine how very interesting "Bible Study" got at home. My
mother was so shocked by my steadfastness, but nothing she said could
change my mind. As shy as I was, I stood my ground and refused to
accept my families' beliefs. For whatever reason, I simply could not
accept the Christian concepts to the point I got nothing out of the
studies.
When I was fourteen, I decided I wanted to search for what I could not
find in Christianity. I was literally starving spiritually for
something Ihad no name for, but felt it existed somewhere.
I visited other religions--studied with some of them, but there was
always that point where I was aware they were not for me. I just about
visitedevery church/religion you could think of and they allfell short
of the concept I had in my mind and heartfor My true religion. The one
religion I kept searching for was that which I could serve with all my
heart and soul totally, fully, truly and uncondionally beyond a shadow
of a doubt.
I was an oddball among my family and my peers. All during my childhood
strange things happened to me that could not be explained by ordinary
standards. I stood out likea sore thumb. I stopped going to church
except forspecial family funcions and funerals. I prayed to God often,
and tried to live my life each day to the best of my abilities with
God's guidance. I prayed to God to show me where I belonged. I asked
Him where did I belong? I prayed for yearsand years, and would you
believe I finally got my answer? Almost 4 years ago, I got an
unsolicited letter out of the blue froma man who got my name from a
penpal list sent to him by his sister-in-law.
I answered his first letter and from then on, it all was very
interesting. I could read from the flavorof his letters that he was
Muslim; he acknowledgedthis fact. I noticed his beliefs were a lot
like my own and over time,he told me that without knowing it,I
basically lived my life as a believer. We had so much in common when
it came to serving God.
He sent me literature. The first piece of literature was so very
beautiful, I could hardly stand the overwhelming emotion that came
forth as I read it. It touched me to the point that I could not
holdback my tears. I was so shaken by it; I have no words to explain
what was in my heart at that time. I thorouhly studied all the
literature sent thereafter, and it had the same emotional affect upon
me.
There came a point in my studies where I hungered to know more and
more, so I bought my own Holy Quran. I needed to read this Book from
whence allthis beauty and truth flowed. I have never beenable to
simply take someone's word for anything. Religion is definitely not
something to embark upon with"blind" faith; I have always felt the
need to seek truth and knowledgefor myself.
The first day I got the Holy Quran [English translaton], I read the
opening, Al-Fatihah. It was short, but so very beautiful and so
powerful!!! That year I read the entire Holy Quran. I learned the Five
Pillars of Islam and the SixArticles of Faith.
At the age of 45, Allah finally told me where I belonged. I accepted
Islam openly and fully. That which I sought, but had not the name of,
was in fact Islam. I eagerly embraced it fully and as natural as the
air I am blessed to breathe each day I wake. My soul was starving for
Islam, and myheart yearned for it. Islamhas never felt like a stranger
to me. By the Grace, Love and Mercy of Allah, I AM HOME!!!! AMEEN!
As far as I know, I am the first in my generational family line to
become Muslim. Needless to say, my family members were not happy
campers! It was like a single republican [me] being in the midst of
generations of democrats! All praise be to Allah, One of my two sons
embraced Islam a year later.
In closing, I would like to include a part of something I wrote to a
friend who recently apologized for some very harsh/bitter things he
saidwith regard to Muslims/Islam as a result of the 9-11-01 bombings
in the U.S. These words sum up all that I feel for Islam:
"I embraced Islam because I have basically lived my life in this
manner anyway--all my life. ....

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Wind carried the man to where he belonged

Once the angel of death (Hadrat Izra'il) appeared in the form of human
being in the court of Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) and gazed
continously at a person present there for some time. When the angel of
death vanished, that person asked Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon
him): "Who was that person?" He told him that that was the angel of
death. He remarked: "The angel of death had gazed at me in such a
manner asif he had determined to take my life." Prophet Sulaiman
(peace be upon him) asked him: "What doyou want?" He requested him to
drop him in India. Prophet Sulaiman commanded the air to carry him up
and drop him in India. Consequently the air carried him to India
(which was very far from where he was). The angel of death came to
Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him). He asked him "Why did you fix
your gaze at that person?" Angel of death told: "I wondered that the
Almighty Allah had commanded me to take the life of this personin
India whereas he is sitting here in your presence."
Narrated on the authority of Khuthaima (RA). From the book "The
spectacle ofDeath" by K. M. Islam
May Allah give us the reality of death. Let us all prepare for it
before it's too late.

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Signs of Allah in Birds

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Allah says in the Holy Quran:
"Do they not see the birds suspended in mid-air up in the sky? Nothing
holds them there except Allah. There are certainly Signs in that for
people who have faith." (Surat an-Nahl: 79)
A bird uses great energy when it takes flight because it has to lift
all its body with its tiny wings. Yet, once it is up in the air, Allah
has made it easy for it to remain aloft without expending too much
effort. Birds can fly for a long time by allowing themselves to rely
on the wind. This way, they hardly tire since they consume very little
energy. When the effect produced by the wind diminishes, they begin to
flap their wings again. By means of this feature Allah has given
birds, they can cover very long distances and migrate to
remotedestinations.
It is interesting that birds' legs, so slender and little in
comparison to their bodies, can carry their entire bodies. It is
amazing that so many muscles, veins and nerves can exist in such a
slender leg! If birds' legs were thicker and relatively morebulky, it
would be more difficult for them to fly.
Almost all birds sleep on one leg.This does not upset their balance
since their body weight is concentrated on this one leg. Allah has
created birds with the features that enable them to maintain such a
delicate balance.
The eyes of water fowl have been created for clear underwater vision.
While we can't keep our eyes open underwater for even 45 seconds,
water birds can easily catch insects and molluscs in water as they
plunge their heads into it. Since this is the only way for them to
feed themselves, they must have clear vision underwater. For
thisreason, Allah has created a special structure in their eyes, which
permits seeing underwater.

The man who plucked out his eye

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Ka'ab relates, once at the time ofProphet Musa (AS), there was a
drought. The Bani Israeel asked him to pray for rain. Prophet Musa
told them to come with him to the mountain. When theyclimbed the
mountain he said to his people, "Whoever has commited a sin? then do
not follow me." They all turned back down the mountain except for one
man. He was blind from oneeye and known to the people as Barkh.
Prophet Musa asked him,"Did you not hear what I said?""Yes" he
replied. Prophet Musa asked again, "Have you never commited a sin?"
Barkh paused and then replied, "I cannot remember commiting a sin
except for one, but I do not know whether it is regarded as a sin. I
will mention in to you and if it is a sin I shall return." Prophet
Musa enquired, "What isit?" Barkh replied, "Once I happened to pass
the door of a house which was open. I glanced in and saw somebody, but
I was not able to tell whether it was a man or a woman. I said to my
eye, 'Out ofmy whole body you hurried to commit a sin, you cannot
remainwith me anymore', so I plucked out my eye. If this is a sin, I
will return." Prophet Musa assured him that he had not sinned and then
told him to pray for rain. They prayed to Allah, "Oh Almighty,
whatever you have does not finish. There is no end to your treasures;
you cannot be accused of being miserly. Oh Allah show us your mercy
and send forth rain." The narrator states that they both walked home
in the mud.
From 'Stories of the Pious', by Maulana Ahmed Ali, originally recorded in Rowdh.