4 Important Questions from one new to Islam...

[Sarah Mcgarrigle]

As-salamu aleykum wa rahmatullah,
I am quite new to the religion, but I have done plenty of research before I recited the shahadah to confirm my new beliefs. But I still have two very important questions to ask. But before I do, I'll give you some background information.
I live with two Catholic people (dad and younger sister Lucy) and one Christian person (my mum). I converted to the Islam religion in October 2007, but hid it from everyone until December, near the Christmas period. I have never really gone to Church, but that has nothing to do with this. But I also go to a Catholic high school, and I continue to learn about Christianity in R.E. and have to take part in Christmas carol concerts, and church too.
I have two questions. My first one is really for any females who are new, but it would be more helpful if one with more experience could help me.

1 How do I wear a hijab? I am unsure on what colours would go with my skin tone also. I am lightly-brown, my skin tans really easily and I do not need much skin protection at all. But I am unsure on how to wear one, and what colour I should have. It is all quite confusing, because I am don't have a clue on how to fit one. Oh, you know what I mean.

This next one can be answered my a new Muslim who has experienced the same difficulty.

2 As I said before, I attend a Catholic school and I don't know what to do. If I could, I would jump R.E. and finish off some work from previous lessons in the Unit downstairs.

I also fear other people's opinions. If I walked round school or the neighbourhood with a hijab, I would be the only one in the entire student body who is Muslim, wearing one. I would be laughed at and I would feel really upset. On this, my parents do not want me to be a Muslim. My mum isn't pushing me too hard, but my dad is totally against it. He shouts at me because of my decision and makes me cry, he always tries to make the point that some Muslims blow themselves up and are suicide bombers. I have tried to tell him that it is only a minority who do this, and Islam is the second-largest religion in the world after Christianity, but he won't listen. It's not just about this, but he is always very stubborn and doesn't care what other people think or say in a really bad way. He says, "if you are going to continue being a Muslim, Sarah, you'll be a no-one, and you'll make nothing of your life", and other really unfair things. Well before I even considered the Islam religion I have wanted to live in Morocco. Maybe a mountainous village in the Atlas Mountains like Fnideq, or the large, buzzing and very bizzare Marrakech. But that takes me onto another question.

3 How can I go out in public wearing a hijab and other clothing? My mum and dad wouldn't allow me to walk out the door wearing any Islamic clothing. I take a bag everywhere I go, and I understand that I could place it inside and put it on when I'm out of sight, but I don't want to hide this anymore. I want to be able to walk outside wearing one, without feeling down from my parents. They're always saying, "you're not a Muslim, you're a Catholic. You go to a Catholic school, and you were baptized a Catholic". I keep saying, "I'll change that in 2 years time when I'm 13", but they don't listen. I want to be able to walk outside without feeling bad.

4 But I also fear that some people hunt Muslims and murder them in some way, and if I went outside I would be prone to that risk. What should I do to take that feeling away from me?

Please understand. Please help me,

Sarah

[BsdGangster]

assalamu alaikum just wanted to say masha-Allah for your reversion.

[laughinglion]

the He has guided you to Islam and the best and most successful course is to seek assistance from Him. That said, practical steps you could take in alleviating your situation is to do some research and get in touch with Shaykh Ibrahim Osi-Efa . He is a Liverpudlian, connected to the Ibn Abbas Institute (based in Toxteth). I suggest you seek out his phone/email details, being that Tokky is not the best place for an 11 year old (?) 'Catholic' girl to be roaming.

[Servant of God]

Assalamualakum marahmatullahi wabarkatu

First of all if you go out there with a hijab and you think people will make fun of you then let them. Because theres to things it can do to you.One it can lower your faith in Allah or it can INCREASE faith in Allah.


I have so called muslim friends and they were as good as me once and now since they've been to public school they both have girlfriends and do bad things. Public school made them bad but the EXACT opposite to me. Instead of weakening my faith I increased it. Realizing that so my people are out there that dont know about islam.

Another story...
2 brothers both were left on the street. They eventually grew up and went their seprate ways. One became a drug addict doing drugs and alchohol all day and the other a rich billionare. A man came to the drug addict brother and asked him how did you get here? He replied " I was left on the streets as a child and the horrible things that happened to me made me who I am".
The same man went to the rich billionare brother and asked him how did you get here? He replied " I was left on the streets as a child and the horrible things that happened to me made me STRIVE harder and made me who I am".

And the answer to your parents is show them theses videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV59kaRJeC8
Thers like 22 PARTS. Look under ABOUT THIS VIDEO to see the second, third and so on...

Please watch these because Allah blessed him with so much knowlege that he helped change many lives including mine Allhamdulilah.

SHOW THEM TO YOUR PARENTS IF YOU THINK ITS RITE!
AND WATCH OTHERS LIKE WOMENS RITE ON ISLAM AND DR.ZAKIR NAIK V.S DR.CAMPBELL (CHRISTIAN).

Other that than may Allah guide us to the right path.

(ignore the typos im bad at grammer)

Assalmualakum

Abdullah

[Servant of God]

assalamu alaikum just wanted to say masha-Allah for your reversion.

He said reversion because every child is born Muslim,whether or not its a Christian family.

(WATCH DR.ZAKIR NAIK)

[Aviatrix]

Wa alaikum as-salaam wa rahmatullah, Sarah!

Are you really 11 years old? Mashallah. I am 24, and I have been Muslim for a few years now.

Your first question was about hijab: how to wear it. It's really not hard. You drape the fabric over your head and pin it under the chin. Then you can wrap the rest of it however you want. That probably doesn't help much, but you can find videos online, I'm pretty sure, to describe how to wear it. It doesn't matter what color you wear. You can get many colors and wear different ones, or patterns. A lot of people wear black ones a lot because they aren't very "bold" and conspicuous. I only wear a black one because it's the most comfy one I have. I usually wear white or very colorful ones, because that's just my preference. You can just try holding colors to your face to see what you like the best, but chances are you'll probably like to alternate.

Second question, about attending Catholic school. I have several friends who are Muslim (born Muslim!) who attended a Catholic school--Catholic middle school, Catholic high school, even a Catholic university. One even describes how taking those religion classes actually made her faith in Islam even stronger. Throughout this time you will still be able to learn about Islam on your own, and I would suggest finding other Muslims to spend time around to keep learning about Islam.

What I think you will find, if you start to wear hijab at school, is that before long people will get used to it, and you'll just be the girl in the scarf. You might get some criticism up front (unfortunately) but chances are that before long people won't pay any attention to it, especially those you see regularly. It takes courage, and you should ask Allah to make it easy for you to wear it. I didn't start wearing hijab for months after I converted and I was really scared at first but it got easier and easier until I didn't want to take it off.

The other part of this question was about your parents--I have had a very hard time with my family, I know some people who have had worse, and many more who haven't had it quite as bad. But most all of them agree that it best to try to avoid arguing. It's nearly impossible to ever win an argument with your parents, so you might be better off not bringing it up. They will undoubtedly be very offended and hurt if you criticize Christianity/Catholicism so it will probably be much easier for you inshaaAllah if you just don't bring it up. Trust in Allah, pray for them (du'a) and just try to be nice and respectful to them as much as you can. This will go a looooooooooooooooong way to showing them that Islam is not about suicide bombing, being hostile and arrogant, but rather that Muslims are supposed to respect their parents and show compassion. Moreover, Muslims are successful doctors, lawyers, engineers, politicians, teachers, and many other respected workers, so your father's complaint that you won't be anything as a Muslim is just his own fear, and trying to look out for you, his daughter. But since you're still in high school, I wouldn't spend a lot of time thinking about moving to Morocco just yet.

About your third question... beginning to wear hijab in public is not easy. It's just not. But it gets easier, it really will inshaaAllah. Your parents' disapproval makes it more difficult, I know. For a long time I didn't even tell my parents, and I would put the scarf on when I left the house and took it off before coming inside. You can gently tell them that you just want to dress more modestly (long sleeves, skirts, etc) and are trying to imitate Mary--they might be able to sympathize with that.

The hard part is that the only way it's going to get easy, and the only way you'll be able to feel really comfortable with wearing it, is to actually start wearing it. Other people will take time to adapt--I don't know how long it will take your parents. But they might object for a long time, and it might be a while before they ease up on you, but I really think that you have to start, or else they will never really understand your need and desire to wear it.

And regarding your fourth question, I really don't know. I don't have that feeling (by the way, I live in the USA and not England so things might be a bit different) but many people in my family do. Whenever I travel they always are afraid that someone is going to be mad at the scarf and attack me. But the truth is that here anyway, that practically never happens. The best way to relieve your fears though is through prayer, though. I would recommend finding some Muslims to spend time with as well--that will make many many many things much easier for you.

I hope that these answers were helpful to you... I ask Allah's forgiveness for anything I've said wrong.

Wasalam
Amy

[Sarah Mcgarrigle]

As-salamu Amy
Thanks for your answers, they have helped me. And yes, I am 11 years old , many people have commented on my English, I got a 5 in my SATs!
I'm not very sure where I could find other Muslims in my area, as I live in the Sefton area of Merseyside, and I've never really passed one before. I've seen them when I go to the city but never really round our place. I'll have a look on YouTube for some videos on how to wear a hijab, and if that turns up no results, I'll have a look on some others

On finding Muslims, do you have any ideas on how to find them? I'm a bit weary too, but I suppose I could, and maybe speak to them online. One really difficult thing is how to find a shop which sells female Islamic clothing, do you think a shopping mall would have any shops that do? And how would I get them on and off once outside? I suppose the only decent thing I could do is go the Bootle New Strand on a Saturday with my friend Fiona and buy something there, put it on in the toilets and then set a time for when I'd be home, or an approximate time (because I'm always just a weeny bit late ), and get there a little bit early so I could take them off and hide them from my parents, until next time

I just feel like a hypocrite attending Christian R.E. lessons. I must admit, while I have been a Muslim, I have told one of my best friends Josh Fawcett, a Catholic, and that made me feel like I could go out in public as an Islamic-follower. Maybe it would make me feel stronger about my faith

I think criticism would be hard to take, and I would definitely have to hide myself to shed a tear or two. But I'm not just doing this for a laugh or a joke, I'm doing this for Allah, and I'm doing this because I'm almost certain that it's right for me.

I respect everyone and all religions, and I would never criticise any faith, especially Christianity and Catholicism, who are of course my former faith. I have been trying to do my Wudu in the bathroom on my own, pretending I'm on the toilet and I feel sick. It's the same with prayer. I'm getting up just after 6 every morning to pray Fajr, trying my best to keep as quiet as possible, as it wouldn't be the best thing if I woke my parents

Thanks very
much for your help.

Wa salam
Sarah

[Ilm-uminate]

Assalamu 'aleykoum Sarah,

It is so lovely to hear that Allah has guided you to Him at such a tender age. May He protect you and may you flourish as a believer.

I'm pretty new to this forum too so I'm not sure whether there is a private message function here? I would like to offer you some assistance but I'm reluctant to put my email address up in such a public space.

If anyone could let me know about the private messaging function I would much appreciate it.

Baraka Allahu feekoum.

[laughinglion]

Assalamu 'aleykoum Sarah,

It is so lovely to hear that Allah has guided you to Him at such a tender age. May He protect you and may you flourish as a believer.

I'm pretty new to this forum too so I'm not sure whether there is a private message function here? I would like to offer you some assistance but I'm reluctant to put my email address up in such a public space.

If anyone could let me know about the private messaging function I would much appreciate it.

Baraka Allahu feekoum.

There is no PM facility. You will have to get the attention of one of the female mods to facilitate an exchange of e-mail addies,

[loveProphet]

Masha'Allah i congratulate you for pondering over life's most serious matters and coming to Islam when the vast majority of people waste much of their time.
It is a sign of a mind that is able to excel in studies too.
I recommend www.sunnipath.com as a good place to find your answers and to ask questions.
This is a good answer that may help:
http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.a...=1816&CATE=115