Not the religion that has been passed down to me. I knew none of these men were Christians. I knew that Jesus was a Jew who spoke Aramaic but not all the great Prophets were… So, what religion did all of these great men practice? Because that is exactly what I want to practice. They were the best and chosen by God, so whatever they were doing must have been right.

During this time of researching, digging and sincerely searching, a well meaning Muslim friend of mine asked if I had ever learned anything about Islam.

Admittedly, I had not. I would like to think that I knew quite a bit about Christianity and a bit about Judaism but the third Abrahamic religion, I knew nothing about.

Well, I figured if I am going to find the truth and Islam comes from the same tradition, there must also be clues in Islam for me to uncover. So, I began reading, and reading, and reading, and I could not stop.

I was completely absorbed with the teachings of Islam from the start. As alluded to previously, Islam simply means ‘to submit to the one and only God’. And, a Muslim is someone who submits to the one and only God.

When I learned that I thought, well that means every person from the three Abrahamic religions is a Muslim and is practicing Islam then!

Well, in a way yes but not quite because in Islam, there is not only an emphasis on the oneness of God but also that since there is only one God there must also logically be only one correct way to worship God as well.

Uh oh… this is starting to look like what I have been looking for.

As I kept reading I found myself easily understanding the stories of the Prophets of Islam because they were the same Prophets that I grew up learning about in the Christian Bible.

I found myself drawn to the way Islam structures religion into a lifestyle and not just an element of life, and I found myself readily accepting the way the Muslims worship God.

I felt like God was leading me step-by-step and placing each book in the perfect order for me to see the truth.  And, even though it was my personal choice to begin the search for truth, I sincerely feel now that the truth had found me.

Peace, Hope and Respect

I don’t know how my story will be received but I sincerely hope that we will continue to be a part of one another’s lives.

I hope that we continue sharing our views, sharing our experiences and supporting one another in a positive way.

I also hope to make new friends from everywhere, every culture and every religion.

I look forward to moving on from my past because what matters is what I do from now into the future. Yes, you will see me dress differently and I may also speak a little bit differently as well but for the most part I will just be an upgraded version of who I was. I want to be a better person. Someone who is more kind, more giving, more thoughtful, more caring, more considerate, more respectful, more gentle, more calm, more understanding and someone who is more conscious of improving herself day in and day out.

I really have to thank my wonderful parents for the love, care and understanding they have given me. Having their support and permission to choose what I believe is best for myself, is a true blessing that I am forever grateful for.

Lastly, I pray that all of you will also find peace, hope and respect in your own lives.

Assalamu’alaikum (Peace be upon you).