AbuMubarak
22-04-04, 09:47 PM
Adam Ibrahim (Formerly Don Trammell)
23/11/2002
It has been said that the journey of a thousand miles begins with the
first step. My journey to Islam was a bit more circuitous but in the
end, it led me to the waiting mercy of Allah.
I first heard about Islam back in 1999 while working for a Finnish
software house. I was searching the Net and entered a chat room.
While here I met an Egyptian woman that was curious about wireless
technology. We continued to meet and chat via the Internet and
discuss the different aspects of wireless solutions and the future of
the technology. Throughout our conversations, I asked more and more
about Islam and why does she believe what she believes. Through it
all, she was very patient and understanding of my questions and was
very good at explaining things to me about Islam and the differences
between Islam and Christianity.
My religious upbringing was fostered by my mother, a devout Christian
that has a deep sense of spirituality and belief in God. In some
ways, I could say that seeing her faith throughout my upbringing has
left my heart open in the search for the true meaning of life. Allah
has blessed me with a mother, who in many ways lives a life of Islam
through her daily Christian actions of compassion, and understanding
of those around her. My burgeoning interest in Islam coupled with an
already instilled belief in God was perhaps the opening that I needed
on my journey. Prior to my reversion, I could have been considered
a "Christian-lite". Basically, I was a Christian in name
only. While
I did believe in God, I had not submitted Him as the maker and
creator of my destiny. I felt that this was something I was better
off handling rather than letting God decide my fate. Being raised in
the West and subjected to the influences with which we are constantly
bombarded, did not help the situation neither. In a word, you could
say that I was living by my own set of rules.
Over the course of about a year, a business relationship developed
and I was introduced to several other Muslim gentlemen and we
arranged that I would travel down to Cairo . It just so happened that
my trip coincided with the holy month of Ramadan. While in Cairo my
hosts were celebrating Ramadan and so were all of the individuals
that we were meeting with. I was intrigued that everyone was fasting
and "suddenly disappearing", to return about 15 minutes
later. To be
part of the crowd I decided that I would also begin to observe the
days of fasting as a sign of solidarity with my hosts. I left Cairo a
few weeks later wondering about the ritual with which I had just
participated.
I later returned to Cairo for business and was paired with someone in
the marketing section of one of the largest ISP's in Cairo to
talk
about how to integrate wireless solutions into the market down in
Cairo . We were preparing for Cairo Telecomp, a large IT trade fair
that required many sleepless days and nights of preparation. My host,
Ms Noha, and I were together night and day working on the
presentation that we would deliver. I noticed that at certain times
of the day, she would simply excuse herself and suddenly return about
15 minutes later. After a few days of interruptions I confronted her
as to what was so important that she had to stop in the middle of or
preparations. Shyly, and after several minutes of question avoidance,
she admitted that she was going to do her daily prayers, and that she
was performing them at their prescribed times. My feelings of
annoyance quickly faded away and were replaced with feelings of awe
and respect. I too wanted to have this feeling of the importance of
God in my life. Slowly I began to ask more and more questions about
Islam and what it is like to be a Muslim. Noha never pushed but used
a gentle hand to guide me in the direction where I could find the
information that I needed to learn more. I left Egypt at the end of
Cairo Telecomp confused but with a desire and burning on my heart,
not to mention a suitcase full of books to quench my thirst to learn
more.
A quick four-day trip brought me back to Cairo towards the end of
March 2001. My first stop was to my virtual Islam teacher, to ask her
more questions about the things that I had read. The time passed
faster than what seemed expected on this trip as there was not enough
time in the day to work and to talk about Islam. One important thing
that I also realized is that I had fallen in love. My heart was
completely with the warm and friendly people that I had grown to care
for and to feel as good friends. It was as if Allah was opening my
heart to another side of humanity that I had not known before. Being
from the West, one can easily become jaded and not trust or accept
the basic acts of kindness that seem to be pervasive in the Middle
East . I felt that my heart had found a home.
Six long months passed by before I would step foot on Egyptian soil
once again. In the previous months, the company that I worked for
filed for bankruptcy and the thought of getting back down to Cairo
seemed farther and farther away, but I was determined to continue my
reading and learning and questioning. Finally, on a warm summer
night, while surfing the Internet a feeling or an epiphany came over
me. I felt that I was wanted no longer to hold on to the things of my
past or to live my life the way that it was. Some people talk about
seeing a light, or hearing a voice, or something of this nature and I
would be the first to say that it sounds very theatrical but I too
felt something more than just a whisper but a push or an opening of
my heart. I wanted to scream, to shout, to cry, to dance, to run, to
laugh all at the same time. I had a complete flood of emotions that
to this day, I cannot explain, nor do I really need to. Some things
are better enjoyed rather than analyzed. I sent an email to Noha, to
tell her what I felt and to ask her what I should do. She was gentle
and kind and understood me completely. She told me to relax, to
settle down and to gather my feelings. From this day forward, I
decided that I had to return to Egypt , to my people, to my home, to
find what was calling me there.
My chance to return came while working as a consultant for a
telecommunications consulting firm. I was to consult for a top
Egyptian company in the marketing section. I enjoyed the work with
Hatem, with whom I had a business relationship that was cultivated a
several months earlier through my other Egyptian friends, Hany and
Hisham, and I were very happy to work for a friendly face. I departed
for Egypt at the end of August with the hopes of completing my
journey, with the hopes of answering the call that I could not
explain.
I started working the next day at the offices where I met some really
nice people who immediately made me feel at home. On this day, I met
two people that would be instrumental in helping me to make the steps
that would point me down the road, Mohamad and Sherief. Upon hearing
that I wanted to know more about Islam and to possibly convert,
Mohamad invited me to a men's group where they talked about the
Qur'an and the blessed prophet. After the end of the meeting, we
all
prayed the evening prayer, Isha. This was my first time to actually
participate in a group prayer, and to hear the Al Fatihah. It was so
moving and solemn. I could not help but cry as the words from Allah
moved my heart. The next day, I related the story to Hatem and
Sherief and they were very supportive. I continued to read and ask
questions and felt that my trek was drawing to a close.
September 11th was the catalyst that began to bring things to a close
or to fruition. After the attack all of my work mates came to me and
offered their condolences and to say that this is not Islam but
something very terrible and please do not think that Muslims are bad
people. I could feel the pain and sadness expressed by many. Measured
by the climate followed the attacks, people in the West would not
believe that Muslims really felt that way. I felt that these words of
comfort spoke for many Muslims around the world. As the next few
weeks drew on, it was clear that maybe the Middle East was not a safe
place for an American, as sentiment against American policy, not
Americans, were running rather high. I began to feel rushed and that
I would not convert at all, and this was the reason in the first
place to come to Cairo . Hundreds convert all over the world everyday
but for me, it had to take place in an Islamic Arab country. Pure
symbolism but important symbolism nonetheless. Sensing my
frustration, Noha introduced me again to a business acquaintance,
Sameh (my dear brother). Sameh gave me a crash course in Wudu, how to
pray, how to behave, what to do and what to give up forever. On
October 2, 2001 , Sameh picked me up to go for a ride, and we ended
up at Al-Azhar famous Mosque, and there I made my declaration that
there is no God except Allah and Muhammad is His messenger. There was
not a dry eye in the place. It was quite an experience for all
involved.
I look forward to the day when all those who helped me on my journey
to Islam and myself will celebrate together in paradise.
Last but not least, I would like to than my mother for her
understanding of my decision to embrace Islam. Your faith in God has
been a source of inspiration for me throughout my entire life. Your
unwavering reverence for God is a shining example for those who
ask "where have all the faithful gone." They could look to
you for
guidance. Thank you for helping me to be the man that I am and the
man that I am striving to become. May Allah show you mother the
straight path of Islam as an extension of what you are now and a
further fulfillment of the purposes and wisdom of your goodness.
Wa Allahu Akbar.
For feedback contact: MyjourneytoIslam@islam-online.net
http://www.islamonline.net/english/journey/jour38.shtml
23/11/2002
It has been said that the journey of a thousand miles begins with the
first step. My journey to Islam was a bit more circuitous but in the
end, it led me to the waiting mercy of Allah.
I first heard about Islam back in 1999 while working for a Finnish
software house. I was searching the Net and entered a chat room.
While here I met an Egyptian woman that was curious about wireless
technology. We continued to meet and chat via the Internet and
discuss the different aspects of wireless solutions and the future of
the technology. Throughout our conversations, I asked more and more
about Islam and why does she believe what she believes. Through it
all, she was very patient and understanding of my questions and was
very good at explaining things to me about Islam and the differences
between Islam and Christianity.
My religious upbringing was fostered by my mother, a devout Christian
that has a deep sense of spirituality and belief in God. In some
ways, I could say that seeing her faith throughout my upbringing has
left my heart open in the search for the true meaning of life. Allah
has blessed me with a mother, who in many ways lives a life of Islam
through her daily Christian actions of compassion, and understanding
of those around her. My burgeoning interest in Islam coupled with an
already instilled belief in God was perhaps the opening that I needed
on my journey. Prior to my reversion, I could have been considered
a "Christian-lite". Basically, I was a Christian in name
only. While
I did believe in God, I had not submitted Him as the maker and
creator of my destiny. I felt that this was something I was better
off handling rather than letting God decide my fate. Being raised in
the West and subjected to the influences with which we are constantly
bombarded, did not help the situation neither. In a word, you could
say that I was living by my own set of rules.
Over the course of about a year, a business relationship developed
and I was introduced to several other Muslim gentlemen and we
arranged that I would travel down to Cairo . It just so happened that
my trip coincided with the holy month of Ramadan. While in Cairo my
hosts were celebrating Ramadan and so were all of the individuals
that we were meeting with. I was intrigued that everyone was fasting
and "suddenly disappearing", to return about 15 minutes
later. To be
part of the crowd I decided that I would also begin to observe the
days of fasting as a sign of solidarity with my hosts. I left Cairo a
few weeks later wondering about the ritual with which I had just
participated.
I later returned to Cairo for business and was paired with someone in
the marketing section of one of the largest ISP's in Cairo to
talk
about how to integrate wireless solutions into the market down in
Cairo . We were preparing for Cairo Telecomp, a large IT trade fair
that required many sleepless days and nights of preparation. My host,
Ms Noha, and I were together night and day working on the
presentation that we would deliver. I noticed that at certain times
of the day, she would simply excuse herself and suddenly return about
15 minutes later. After a few days of interruptions I confronted her
as to what was so important that she had to stop in the middle of or
preparations. Shyly, and after several minutes of question avoidance,
she admitted that she was going to do her daily prayers, and that she
was performing them at their prescribed times. My feelings of
annoyance quickly faded away and were replaced with feelings of awe
and respect. I too wanted to have this feeling of the importance of
God in my life. Slowly I began to ask more and more questions about
Islam and what it is like to be a Muslim. Noha never pushed but used
a gentle hand to guide me in the direction where I could find the
information that I needed to learn more. I left Egypt at the end of
Cairo Telecomp confused but with a desire and burning on my heart,
not to mention a suitcase full of books to quench my thirst to learn
more.
A quick four-day trip brought me back to Cairo towards the end of
March 2001. My first stop was to my virtual Islam teacher, to ask her
more questions about the things that I had read. The time passed
faster than what seemed expected on this trip as there was not enough
time in the day to work and to talk about Islam. One important thing
that I also realized is that I had fallen in love. My heart was
completely with the warm and friendly people that I had grown to care
for and to feel as good friends. It was as if Allah was opening my
heart to another side of humanity that I had not known before. Being
from the West, one can easily become jaded and not trust or accept
the basic acts of kindness that seem to be pervasive in the Middle
East . I felt that my heart had found a home.
Six long months passed by before I would step foot on Egyptian soil
once again. In the previous months, the company that I worked for
filed for bankruptcy and the thought of getting back down to Cairo
seemed farther and farther away, but I was determined to continue my
reading and learning and questioning. Finally, on a warm summer
night, while surfing the Internet a feeling or an epiphany came over
me. I felt that I was wanted no longer to hold on to the things of my
past or to live my life the way that it was. Some people talk about
seeing a light, or hearing a voice, or something of this nature and I
would be the first to say that it sounds very theatrical but I too
felt something more than just a whisper but a push or an opening of
my heart. I wanted to scream, to shout, to cry, to dance, to run, to
laugh all at the same time. I had a complete flood of emotions that
to this day, I cannot explain, nor do I really need to. Some things
are better enjoyed rather than analyzed. I sent an email to Noha, to
tell her what I felt and to ask her what I should do. She was gentle
and kind and understood me completely. She told me to relax, to
settle down and to gather my feelings. From this day forward, I
decided that I had to return to Egypt , to my people, to my home, to
find what was calling me there.
My chance to return came while working as a consultant for a
telecommunications consulting firm. I was to consult for a top
Egyptian company in the marketing section. I enjoyed the work with
Hatem, with whom I had a business relationship that was cultivated a
several months earlier through my other Egyptian friends, Hany and
Hisham, and I were very happy to work for a friendly face. I departed
for Egypt at the end of August with the hopes of completing my
journey, with the hopes of answering the call that I could not
explain.
I started working the next day at the offices where I met some really
nice people who immediately made me feel at home. On this day, I met
two people that would be instrumental in helping me to make the steps
that would point me down the road, Mohamad and Sherief. Upon hearing
that I wanted to know more about Islam and to possibly convert,
Mohamad invited me to a men's group where they talked about the
Qur'an and the blessed prophet. After the end of the meeting, we
all
prayed the evening prayer, Isha. This was my first time to actually
participate in a group prayer, and to hear the Al Fatihah. It was so
moving and solemn. I could not help but cry as the words from Allah
moved my heart. The next day, I related the story to Hatem and
Sherief and they were very supportive. I continued to read and ask
questions and felt that my trek was drawing to a close.
September 11th was the catalyst that began to bring things to a close
or to fruition. After the attack all of my work mates came to me and
offered their condolences and to say that this is not Islam but
something very terrible and please do not think that Muslims are bad
people. I could feel the pain and sadness expressed by many. Measured
by the climate followed the attacks, people in the West would not
believe that Muslims really felt that way. I felt that these words of
comfort spoke for many Muslims around the world. As the next few
weeks drew on, it was clear that maybe the Middle East was not a safe
place for an American, as sentiment against American policy, not
Americans, were running rather high. I began to feel rushed and that
I would not convert at all, and this was the reason in the first
place to come to Cairo . Hundreds convert all over the world everyday
but for me, it had to take place in an Islamic Arab country. Pure
symbolism but important symbolism nonetheless. Sensing my
frustration, Noha introduced me again to a business acquaintance,
Sameh (my dear brother). Sameh gave me a crash course in Wudu, how to
pray, how to behave, what to do and what to give up forever. On
October 2, 2001 , Sameh picked me up to go for a ride, and we ended
up at Al-Azhar famous Mosque, and there I made my declaration that
there is no God except Allah and Muhammad is His messenger. There was
not a dry eye in the place. It was quite an experience for all
involved.
I look forward to the day when all those who helped me on my journey
to Islam and myself will celebrate together in paradise.
Last but not least, I would like to than my mother for her
understanding of my decision to embrace Islam. Your faith in God has
been a source of inspiration for me throughout my entire life. Your
unwavering reverence for God is a shining example for those who
ask "where have all the faithful gone." They could look to
you for
guidance. Thank you for helping me to be the man that I am and the
man that I am striving to become. May Allah show you mother the
straight path of Islam as an extension of what you are now and a
further fulfillment of the purposes and wisdom of your goodness.
Wa Allahu Akbar.
For feedback contact: MyjourneytoIslam@islam-online.net
http://www.islamonline.net/english/journey/jour38.shtml