Reverts Speak With KnowIslam Project About Their Experiences

During an interactive session in KnowIslam Reverts Community, we asked reverts these questions:

— How did you feel when you first embraced Islam? Like when it dawned on you that you have a new identity?

— What challenges do you face in expressing your Muslim identity to your family and friends?

— Have you ever felt shy to pray in public? How did you handle it?

— What’s one step you can take this week to feel more confident as a Muslim?

Interactive Questions for Discussion

How did you feel when you first embraced Islam? Like when it dawned on you that you have a new identity.

Alhamdulillah!!! I grew up from a Christian background. My parents and all family members are all Christians. I first learned about Islam when I was in secondary school. And later when I proceeded to law school I met with a Muslim roommate whose decent lifestyle and good manners convinced me further to make the huge decision I have been longing for. After my law school I applied for Youth service and I added Sokoto as my first choice which I deliberately did knowing that if I get there it will be easier for me to revert and the pressures and threats from family members would not affect me that much except the psychological trauma I faced  during the 2 years after I revert. After my youth service, l enroll myself in a tailoring shop to learn some skills and then the person who taught me began to discuss about Islam and that conversation further reignite my yearning to accept the religion. I took my Shahada in his shop and I was further taken to Islamiya to learn further. At the Islamiya I had other challenges which makes me to exclude myself from the school. The major challenge was the language barrier and secondly I was unfortunate to meet people who makes the journey not too smooth for me but I’m grateful to Allah Subhana wa ta’ala that he brought some good Muslims to me who have been so good to me. I felt so happy like I have gained what was missing in my entire childhood. Although it hasn’t been easy, losing my Christian friends and not being in good terms with my family members.

What challenges do you face in expressing your Muslim identity to your family and friends?

Being a basketballer, I had difficulty in explaining to my male friends that I can’t be joining them in the pitch again to play basketball and volleyball. I felt so isolated but I summon courage to address them. My family doesn’t like the fact that I’m on Hijab especially when I’m doing video calls with my brother but with time they’ve adjusted.

Have you ever felt shy to pray in public? How did you handle it?

I have never felt shy to pray in public because the community I am are largely Muslim but during my first year I do feel shy.

What’s one step you can take this week to feel more confident as a Muslim?

To engage in Da’awah frequently and also wear my hijab without any fear of criticism.

P

Interactive Questions for Discussion

How did you feel when you first embraced Islam? Like when it dawned on you that you have a new identity.

Answer:

Many people were asking series of questions here and there, some were mocking me but the Muslim community embraced me.

What challenges do you face in expressing your Muslim identity to your family and friends?

Answer:

Some of my  families were surprised while some were happy for my decision because my families are of different religious views. Many Christians friends were curious about the revertion and I usually tell them it’s Almighty Allah doings.

Have you ever felt shy to pray in public? How did you handle it?

Answer:

I was shy at first but after some time, everything was moving smoothly till this present moment.

What’s one step you can take this week to feel more confident as a Muslim?

Answer:

I will keep on learning about the deen and aqeedah of Islam.

Brother Yusuf Ogundare

Interactive Questions for Discussion

How did you feel when you first embraced Islam? Like when it dawned on you that you have a new identity.

I was like how do I say what is NO now a YES 😂, literally in limbo, A famous football personality the one and only ZDANE of the town,  I carry my cross na ni o 😂 some would bluntly use me made a joke, I gradually withdraw from football activities and vices friends to protect my new Jewel.

What challenges do you face in expressing your Muslim identity to your family and friends?

My football Friends community find me weird coz I used to be vocal with fearless leadership, the winning catalyst, now a reserved personality. The nomenclature-muslims in the family who are sufi inclining finds me too forward( no be in this religion u met us).

Have you ever felt shy to pray in public? How did you handle it?

Yes I would be like hope them no dey watch. The day I went from qiyam to sujud its like the clothes got flipped over body 😂 but alhamdulillah today, they would point me to lead them in prayer in absence of Imam, I’ve left many of them where they are due to my insatiability for knowledge

What’s one step you can take this week to feel more confident as a Muslim?
I am not shy of being a Muslim anymore or feel less confident, I am on currently learning  Islamic and once I’m ready I would get going spreading the final message

Brother Kamoru Wasiu

Interactive Questions for Discussion

How did you feel when you first embraced Islam? Like when it dawned on you that you have a new identity.

It was like a loner in the desert, me against my old self, habit and dreams that doesn’t align with my new faith but I was optimistic about everything and here I am 10 years later, liLlahi hamd 🤲

What challenges do you face in expressing your Muslim identity to your family and friends?

I was an evangelist, child evangelist coordinator abi Sunday school teacher deni, active drama and evangelism member that most people do look forward to, how do I even face my Muslim friends I once preached to?
I was the spirikoko in the house, jumping one church program to the other, disturbing family with my over sabi prayers in tongues, the expectation was to grow up and become a pastor Mrs so what changed? Are you sure you are not under spell?😂😂😂

Have you ever felt shy to pray in public? How did you handle it?
It wasn’t shyness it was fear of the unknown future, an undergraduate who relies fully on Christian parents for livelihood and survival, if they should be aware through colleagues at school who are neighbors at home, school don finish and I could be disowned.

So I pray indoor only and secretly attended weekend madrasah and intensified my prayers while gathering enough Islamic knowledge that can convince them and started learning vocational skill and sale of snacks within campus so that I can fall back to something if they get to be informed by chance.

What’s one step you can take this week to feel more confident as a Muslim?

I think I have never had the guts to tell anyone within my family about Islam but I should start praying this week henceforth more than usual for their hidayah too, but I fear talking to them directly about Islam, I don’t want to lose the family tie, they accepted me with my faith so I shouldn’t create an avenue for faith based argument and discussion with them but pray they get guidance to Islam through other means 🤲

Sis Rahmah Bello

Interactive Questions for Discussion

How did you feel when you first embraced Islam? Like when it dawned on you that you have a new identity.

Answer:
Like it wasn’t funny, my dad been a pastor started introducing me to people who didn’t know our relationship as a distant cousin.
If I travel home you’ll hear “Hausa Goat” because of my hijab. my extended family gan disowned me only my mom who found it difficult at first accepted

What challenges do you face in expressing your Muslim identity to your family and friends?

Answer:
It was hard and still hard but the saving points is that I leave far away from all of them

Have you ever felt shy to pray in public? How did you handle it?

Answer:
Yes in the sense that I couldn’t pray because of being laughed at by other Muslims who will find it funny cause then not knowing how to recite the Quran all I did was imitate the body movements of salat 😁😁😁but Alhamdulillah.

What’s one step you can take this week to feel more confident as a Muslim?

Answer:
I always feel more confident being a Muslim but another step I need to take it to caring less of what people think and expect of me as I’m still learning as other people including fellow Muslims try to make me feel bad because of my lack of knowledge. Yes I’m not perfect I’m still learning and I’m doing that to the best of my ability

Sis Fatimah Samson

Interactive Questions for Discussion

How did you feel when you first embraced Islam? Like when it dawned on you that you have a new identity.

Answer:
Many questions here and there, mocking, bad treatment at work but till today I never regret my decision.

What challenges do you face in expressing your Muslim identity to your family and friends?

Answer:
It was hard but alhamdulilla things are getting better

Have you ever felt shy to pray in public? How did you handle it?

Answer:
Yes at first but after I started encouraging myself to pray I could not back down again.

What’s one step you can take this week to feel more confident as a Muslim?

Answer:
I always feel more confident being a Muslim

Brother Abdulsalam Tommy

How did you feel when you first embraced Islam? Like when it dawned on you that you have a new identity.

I wanted to revert to Islam in 2018. I was in my 100 level as at then but I didn’t and later on, I became a devout Christian. I joined the choir, I had a Christian page on Instagram. I wanted to become a pastor but then wanted to become a nun (reverend sister) so I changed churches and started attending the Catholic Church. I read more than half the Bible and I used to tell Muslims that they were going to hell for worshiping a pedophile (Astaghfirullah). And then, I wanted to know more and more and more about Christian. So I started watching online debates Christians versus Muslims and Christians never won any debate. I started asking questions and then last year, March during Ramadan, i started reading the Quran and I stopped at Surah 4. My questions made my family worried so they called a pastor to talk to me and I started asking him about Islam and he was trying to criticize Islam but I started defending it cause I did my research and after Ramadan, I started wearing the hijab and 1 month 3 weeks later, I took my shahada. I remember my mum telling me that a pastor said that if I change my religion I will run mad. So the day I took my shahada it started raining heavily and I was soaked. On my way, I said “Ya Allah if it is your will I run mad because I want to serve you, so be it”. I took my shahada and I’ve never regretted it and inshallah, I will die as a Muslim. I’ve never taken off my hijab and inshallah, I will never.

What challenges do you face in expressing your Muslim identity to your family and friends?

I was beaten, I was treated as an outsider, I went through verbal and emotional abuse but Alhamdulillah, I was serving then so wasn’t living with them. My family stays in akwa ibom while I served in port harcourt so it was easier cause of the distance but I never hid the fact that I was my Muslim

Have you ever felt shy to pray in public? How did you handle it?

Yes, but I can pray in the mosque.

What’s one step you can take this week to feel more confident as a Muslim?

Watching Islamic videos
Allahumma barik

Sister Khadijah Ifiok

Interactive Questions for Discussion

How did you feel when you first embraced Islam? Like when it dawned on you that you have a new identity.

1. I was scared , because am Igbo and Igbos are majorly christians. And again how do I break the news to my Mom and dad. My mom is a deacons in Lagos,Abia state and a usher in port Harcourt ( Assemblies of God church)this three position she still holds. It was really hard. But I felt safe and happy with my new religion

What challenges do you face in expressing your Muslim identity to your family and friends?

2. I didn’t need explaining to friends, my dressing did, the scarf around the head , the calm voice  and not vibing to any things we do together before

3. Yes I felt shy at first so I prayed indoor

What’s one step you can take this week to feel more confident as a Muslim?

4. Saying my Azkar at all time.
5. Whenever I remember what I went through to be a Muslim I shed tears. I never believed in my entire life then that family can abandon and have hatred for their own, mine is a long, loney  story. Am Igbo, my whole family generations are christians, christian devoted family. What attracted me Islam was the Hijab I only wanted to wear it once, I would tie my scarf when going to church as hijab wrap, I really never wanted to be a Muslim then I only admire the hijab on Muslim women. I left east to live with my blood sister ( elder) Lagos. I embraced Islam in Lagos under my sis roof it wasn’t easy, I slept outside for months just me and my green khimar( sewn free by a Muslim sister)  , my sister stopped feeding me it was hell I will pull my khimar at night when everyone had gone inside their respective room and laid them on the floor outside to sleep because my sister won’t allow into her house, I would be the first to wake up in the compound so as to bath from the well. I am crying writing this, Alhamdulilah for everything thing. I pray Almighty Allah reward us with Jannah, Aamin

Sister Jameelah James

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