Changes made with Islam

[moniquekhan]

Salaams.

I am curious about what changes people made when they converted to Islam. Here are some of the changes I made:

1) Gave up my job in modeling. I used to model everything from bridal wear to lingerie.
2) Stopped eating pork. I must admit, it was delicious.
3) Do not wear clothes that reveal my body and skin much.
4) Stopped dating and having relationships with men.
5) Stopped going to beauty salons...I now have my servant girl shave and groom me.
6) Stopped consuming halal foods. I dont shop for live poultry for example in Chinatown anymore, but buy fresh meat from halal butchers.
7) Pray to Allah regularly.
8) Stopped going to the gym (especially in revealing clothes!) I exercise at home
9) Don't have male servants anymore. Both my servants are Muslim girls.
10) Prefer to make Muslim friends.

Monique

[natey14]

Why did you stop eating pork and what are Halal foods?
There is nothing really wrong with going to the gym, where do you live?
Just to let you know I am not Muslim and I am very intrigued by why you give up things when you don't have to.

[Alhumdulillah]

Why did you stop eating pork

Hi Natey!

Think about this:

Jesus never ate pork in his life, and his discsples didn't eat it either! So why do you?! (It's because you are not following him truly, you are following those who came after him and changed his teachings)

The Bible prohibits the consumption of pork

And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you. Ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcass. Deuteronomy chapter 14 verse 8:

A similar prohibition is repeated in the book of Isaiah chapter 65 verse 2-5.

SO you see, Christians are not supposed to eat pork too. The reason why you eat pork is that you follow the teachings of Paul instead of the teachings of Jesus (peace be upon him). Paul wanted the Romans to convert to Christianity and so he cahnged a lot of things so that they would convert, that's what some people think. Ask your priest, he can tel you more about it.

And, about the gym - there's nothing wrong with excercising, but it a gym environment, men and women mix together and they are wearing thin tight clothes, and it's not really good for modesty. Can you imagine Jesus (peace be upon him) in a environment like that? In fact, in the time of the Prphet Jesus (peace be upon him) the women used to cover their heads and dress modestly, like Muslim women today!

I am curious about what changes people made when they converted to Islam.

Assalamoalaykum! Dear Sister Monique, I not a convert, but I just want to say that your list really makes me happy!

It reminds me of the Sahabah, the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), especially Musaib bin Umair (who was a extremely beautiful and popular youngster, and he used to wear the most expensive clothes in the whole town, but when he accepted Islam, his mum kicked him out of the house and he became very poor, wearing very poor clothes). He had to go through so much struggle and change for the sake of Islam and Allah.

May Allah keep you strong.

Wasalaam.

[natey14]

Hahaha....

How do you know that Jesus never ate pork? Did you follow him around when he lived? He also drank wine.

Here is something from 1st Corinthians 6:12
Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial

Pork is beneficial because it is food which is good for our bodies. There is nothing wrong with eating pork.

I told follow the teachings of Jesus? Jesus is the SON OF GOD and I most certainly do follow the teachings of Jesus. And Paul followed the teachings of Jesus also, Paul even wrote several books of the Bible. Jesus would not have a problem in a environment like that because he was perfect. And he cannot sin.

[hatif]

hi natey14

"Pork is beneficial because it is food which is good for our bodies. There is nothing wrong with eating pork."

(taken from http://www.miraclesofthequran.com/)



PORK AND ITS HARMFUL EFFECTS ON HEALTH

He has only forbidden you carrion, blood and pork and what has been consecrated to other than Allah. But anyone who is forced to eat it-without desiring it or going to excess in it-commits no crime. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Qur'an, 2:173)

Eating pork is harmful to health in a great many regards. This harm still persists today, despite all the precautions that are taken. First and foremost, no matter how clean the farms and environments on which it is raised may be, the pig is not by nature a clean-living animal. It often plays in, and even eats, its own excrement. Due to this and its biological structure, the pig produces much higher levels of antibodies in its body than other animals. In addition, far higher levels of growth hormone are produced in the pig compared to those in other animals and human beings. Naturally, these high levels of antibodies and growth hormone pass across to and collect in the pig's muscle tissue. Pork meat also contains high levels of cholesterol and lipids. It has been scientifically proven that these significant amounts of antibodies, hormones, cholesterol and lipids in pork represent a serious threat to human health.

The existence of above-average numbers of obese individuals in the populations of countries such as the USA and Germany, in which large quantities of pork are consumed, is now well-known. When exposed to excessive quantities of growth hormone as a result of a pork-based diet, the human body first puts on excessive weight and then suffers physical deformations.

Another harmful substance in pork is the "trichina" worm. This is frequently found in pork and when it enters the human body, it settles directly in the muscles of the heart and represents a possibly fatal threat. Even though it is now technically possible to identify pigs that are infected with trichina, no such methods were known in earlier centuries. That means that everyone who ate pork risked infection by trichina and possible death.

All these reasons are just a part of the wisdom in our Lord's prohibition on the consumption of pork. Moreover, this commandment of our Lord's provides complete protection from the harmful effects of pork under any conditions.

Until the 20th century, it was impossible to be aware of the danger posed to human health by pork. The fact that the Qur'an, revealed fourteen centuries ago, warns against this harm which has been incontrovertibly revealed with modern medical equipment and biological tests, is one of the miracles demonstrating that the Qur'an is the revelation of Allah, the Omniscient. Despite all the precautionary measures and inspections that take place in modern-day pig rearing, the fact that pork is physiologically incompatible with the human body and is a variety of meat harmful to human health has not altered.

[Ibn Umaysh]

As salaamu alaikum

Firstly, for Natey, the reason we don't eat pork, as stated above, is that our Creator has said so.

We don't prohibit pork ourselves, or avoid it for some health reasons- all of those are reasons we muster up to convince our lower selves to abide by God's ruling.

If our Creator aske us to stand on one foot for the rest of our lives, healthy or not, logical to us or not, we would have to do it. I mean, isn't the Creator to be listened to? And thus, He has forbidden for the believers pork, just as He did in times previous. If you sincerely understood that God asked you to do something, wouldn't you do it without question? The thing to realize here is, before looking at the rules, we understand who is giving them to us- and what is most important-: our Creator, Allah.

Islam is not a list of do-nots, as it may seem. That is why I'm hesitant to start listing off my things I gave up. Maybe I will post what I gained rather.

[Ibn Umaysh]

Ok, a lot of non-Muslims simply see Islam as having to give things up.

I realized that in a list of things I have given up, it is just basically all my sins I was involved in to share, and it can get very long. It is amazing to see what Allah SWT has changed in us, Alhumdulillah. As well, I would advise the sister to be careful how she reveals things, physically speaking, as men, at least I will say for myself, shouldn't have any preconcieved idea of how our sister looks to make a judgement.

What about what we have positvely gained?

Here's what I got with Islam:
1. The best- worshipping the One true God.
2. Stopped yelling and disrespecting my parents.
3. A way to connect to the Creator wherever I am.
4. A respect for women- in my mind, and with my eyes, voice, etc.. a wife Alhumdulillah.
5. An appreciation for nature.
6. A tolerance for different people and living conditions.
7. A zeal for knowledge.
8. Freedom from materialism.
9. More manners.
10...

What do I say? Islam has given me ... so much. More than I can list, even in practical daily life.

And what did I give up? The list goes on... the best of which is the stopping of believing in falsehood.

I did stop my pursuit of music, fashion and money.

[FEMTO]

You know, that a convert gets double reward for their actions, compared to us 'normal' Muslims? Hehe.

do you have evidence for that assertion?

[Alhumdulillah]

Please read Surah Qasas, the 28th chapter of the Quran. From Ayat 52 to ayat 55.

"Those unto whom We gave the Scripture before it, they believe in it,

And when it is recited unto them, they say: We believe in it. Lo! it is the Truth from our Lord. Lo! even before it we were of those who surrender (unto Him).

These will be given their reward twice over, because they are steadfast and repel evil with good, and spend of that wherewith We have provided them,

And when they hear vanity they withdraw from it and say: Unto us our works and unto you your works. Peace be unto you! We desire not the ignorant."


And also in the collections of ahadith, for example Sahih Bukhari and also Sahih Muslim from which I quote part of a hadith of our Nabi SallAllahu Alayhe Wa Sallam:

Abu Burda b. Abi Musa narrated on the authority of his father that verily the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said that : There are three (classes of persons) who would be given a double reward. One who is amongst the People of the Book and believed in his apostle and (lived) to see the time of Apostle Muhammad (may peace be upon him) and affirmed his faith in him and followed him and attested his truth, for him is the double reward... (until the end of the hadith).

Maybe it is a wrong interpretation of me to say they get double for *all* their actions. Maybe they get a double reward for accepting Islam. Allahu 'Alam.

Wasalaam.

[salman]

Hahaha....

How do you know that Jesus never ate pork? Did you follow him around when he lived? He also drank wine.

Here is something from 1st Corinthians 6:12
Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial

Pork is beneficial because it is food which is good for our bodies. There is nothing wrong with eating pork.

I told follow the teachings of Jesus? Jesus is the SON OF GOD and I most certainly do follow the teachings of Jesus. And Paul followed the teachings of Jesus also, Paul even wrote several books of the Bible. Jesus would not have a problem in a environment like that because he was perfect. And he cannot sin.

Hello,

I think you have to understand the concept of "Shariah" or "Islamic Law" as explained in Islam before coming to conclusions.

Firstly, let us look at the Shahada which we Muslims says i.e.

La ilaha ilalah Muhammadur Rasul Allah

We can divide this into two parts:

1. A Universal Part which is La ilaha ilalah (There is no god but God)

2. A Specific Part which is Muhammadur Rasul Allah (and Muhammad - Allah bless him - is the messenger of God)

The first is what Islam states was propogated by all the Prophets, since their fundamental duty was to teach Tawhid - the oneness of God.

As for the second - it does not mean that Muhammad - Allah bless him - is not a universal messenger, he indeed is - but in terms of thelogic discourse the reason it is labelled as "specific" is because the Shariah of the Prophet may be distinctly different then that of the previous Prophets, although with his coming all previous laws are *abrogated* and thus his Prophethood is Universal and the last. However, before the prophethood of Muhammad - Allah bless him - it was *valid* to follow the Laws brought by Jesus - Allah bless him - (and note there was no prophet between the prophet muhammad and jesus).

Thus to state that "Jesus drank wine" is irrelevant to us. He may have, but this has no baring on Islamic Law since Islam prohibits wine outrightly.

As for pork being beneficial - then this is irrelevant. What is good and what is bad is determined by God regardless of whether modern science can find some benefits to it. The above has also been a Christian belief, that science does not dictate religion.

Wasalam