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Reader
09-05-2007, 05:15 AM
Hello everyone, I'am an 23 yr old american, if you don't mind this might be a long read. This my first post so I'll tell about myself first.

I'm form the mid-west, Missouri - you know the bible belt of America. I attended a Christain prep. school as a kid. I remimber every sunday at church vividly (and falling asleep almost every time, to be wacked in the head by the minder, I really did try to stay awake).
Yet by 17 I found myself beliveing in Islam. I disbelieved in Chistianity and its worship of Chist over the creator a few years before that. I did not turn away from Cristianity because of Islam but because I began to look into Cristianity (and there is a lot of holes to look into). Islam came later acually by complete mistake on my mom's part. The only exposure to Islam I had ever had was the cruel saresan converting Chistians by the sword found in most history books (I'am a total book lover history, science, politics, but not fiction that much). Well I gues I must have started asking the wrong questions about Christianity, my mom must have thought I was giving Islam a thought, even though it had never accualy crossed my mind. She got me a couple of books, one on the evile regime in Afganistan the other called "The cresent in light of the cross". It's supose to be a Cristian refutation of Islam ( ok call me naive I didn't relise that it was anti- Islamic when I started reading it I just thought it was a book about Islam). I loved the first part, it was a run though of Islamic beliefs. IT WAS LIKE SOMEONE HAD PUT UP A MIRROR TO MY SOUL.
Aye but there's the rub for what dreams may come after.... As Shakespear would say.

From that year to this one I have done little to bring Islam into my life, I pray little, have never even stepped into a masjid (it's tough being a woman, not knowing what to wear and all) It would be easier for me to list the thing I have done, which is nothing, than the thigs I have done. It is because of my family, I put them before my faith and I know that's what I am doing.
Not only that, my father has taken up converting me back to Christianity, his lectures and arguments are getting exhuasting
I am a bit of a fundamentalist in my beliefs, I belive not just in hijab but niqab that's funny coming from some one that dose not even practice the basics.
I feel like I am in a box here I dropped out of school when I was sixteen
and have been self-employed scince the age twenty in the family business. Life is pretty easy and good for me right now. Yet I have no education and if I rock the boat with my family, no income. I am the youngest of my parents four children, and the only daughter. I've been coddled all my life and have never wanted or needed anything that it wasn't given to me prompty by some family member I have never done anything for myself, and now I can't do anything for myself. I just feel really constained and useless. My life consist of no more than the salon and the mall. The only bright spot in it all is that the youngest of my three older blothers has taken an intrist in Islam, if he were to convert that would give me the courage and the cover to be more bold with my faith.
I don't really know how to end this, or if there is a question to be answered here, I guess if any one his any coments that would be nice
I just needed to get it off my chest and talk to someone

Good Luck everyone

treo-guy
09-05-2007, 05:28 AM
Salam,

You may contact some masjids in the area. I don't know how far you are from Saint Louis but there are a few masjids there that you can contact. A nice one I know is,

Islamic Center W. Pine
3843 W. Pine Street,
Saint Louis, MO 63108, USA

Phone: 314-531-2896
Fax: 314-531-4667
Email: masjidwestpine@yahoo.com
Directions: From I-64/Hwy.40, take Vandeventer Ave North. Go about 1 mile and make a Right at W. Pine. From I-44, take Vandeventer Ave North. Go about 3 miles and make a Right at W. Pine. From I-55 N, take I-44 West, then take Vandeventer Ave North. Go about 3 miles and make a Right turn at W. Pine.

There are masjids even in little towns there so just use islamicfinder . org to search for one near you.

treo-guy
09-05-2007, 05:30 AM
The islamic community center in Saint Louis has a beautiful buildng.

http://www.iccstl.org/index2.html

Reader
09-05-2007, 08:42 PM
I'm in the Kansas city area

Thanks for the reply

treo-guy
10-05-2007, 02:26 AM
Kansas City has a lot of masajid too

http://www.islamicfinder.org/prayerDetail.php?country=usa&city=Kansas_City&state=MO&id=28134&home=2007-5-9&lang=

Reader
10-05-2007, 04:09 AM
Kansas City has a lot of masajid too

http://www.islamicfinder.org/prayerD...2007-5-9&lang=

Awsome site it even has muslim owned businesses, there is a store that sells adio, video, and books now there is a muslim enviroment I will feel comfortable in, going into a masjid just seems so intimidating. I feel like an outsider- you know

treo-guy
10-05-2007, 08:39 AM
Salam,

InshaAllah the islamic center of greater kansas city is a very welcoming mosque. The only problem there is that quite a large number of people there are salafi. However just use your descretion. You will find a lot of sisters if you can go there for maghrib or isha prayers.

http://www.isgkc.org/

UmmZaid
10-05-2007, 11:53 PM
Salaam, Peace

Sister, for now, I would say not to worry about your family. Concentrate on God. Do you believe that there is nothing worthy of worship but Him? Do you believe that Muhammad ibn Abdullah was His Final Messenger? If yes, say it.

Work on learning to pray on time first (http://www.iprofess.com/important.htm). You don't necessarily need the masjid for this. You can do it at home, in the privacy of your bedroom. There are books, online videos (http://www.mainstream-islam.com/Video/VideoSalah/Shafii/Video-Salah.html), and DVDs that can teach you how to pray. Make sure that you have the required (and Sunnah) steps of wudhu (ablution) and prayer down pat -- it can take a while to learn, and gives you something to do to build on your faith.

Learn the basics of fasting -- Ramadan is not that far away (mid-September). Learn about al Qur'an. Learn about the Messenger of God (may God Bless him and give him peace). Use your internet connection to interact with Muslims -- there are many groups out there just for women converts or Muslim sisters in general. Reach out to the communities our brother told you about above (I have a friend who attends ISGKC I believe...).

All of this will take you time. Perhaps in this time you will build friendships and contacts with people who can help you later down the path. Perhaps you can begin to work on your skills, your GED, save up money, in case the time comes when your parents want to force you to choose between God and His Truth and what they want.

I ask you to consider joining my Yahoo group which is especially for people who are considering conversion to Islam and those who have converted. It's called Choosing Islam (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/choosingislam). I also have a website in English and Spanish called iProfess (http://www.iprofess.com) for those considering conversion and those who are newly converted that can help you navigate the Islamic internet and find the really beneficial resources. I also have articles in both languages dealing with the practicalities -- how to deal with family (http://www.iprofess.com/family.htm), how to go to the mosque (http://www.iprofess.com/tomasjid.htm), and so forth. Please, stop by and visit my site, and consider joining the group.