Making The Switch: A White American Woman's Journey To Islam

[Anonymous]

Wearing a hijab is the most liberating thing I’ve ever experienced

It’s been over eight months since I decided to become a "hijabi" — one who wears a head scarf and adheres to modest clothing — and before you race to label me the poster girl for oppressed womanhood everywhere, let me tell you as a woman why I see this as the most liberating experience ever.
In a world besotted with the looks, body and sexuality of women, the hijab can be an assertive mode of individual feministic expression and rights. I regard my hijab to be a commanding question of “I control what you see, how is that not empowering”

I thought the hijab was there to protect women from the gaze of men. But then I feel in love with the hijab because I came to understand that it was not simply a piece of fabric draped over my body to conceal beauty and preserve modesty. It is a physical manifestation of my submission and connection with my lord. An external representation of my inward spirituality. It proved to me God had validated my beauty.

---

Islam prohibits the consumption of alcohol

I haven't had a sip of alcohol in almost two years. Becoming a non-drinker reduces your chances of developing a plethora of alcohol-related illnesses, from various cancers to liver and heart disease. When you're permanently sober, your choices are always your own; alcohol-free living means never waking up again crippled with regret and shame. And that is priceless.

A year ago I met an amazing Muslim man who changed my life!!!

I was looking for a simple, easy going and God fearing person who understands the meaning of marriage along with loyalty and honesty. Someone who shares similar values and goals as me - appreciates faith, family and the little things in life. I was looking for a practicing Muslim man - someone who strives to implement Islam in his daily life. A man I can trust and see as a friend and a life partner. I was seeking someone kind, loving, intelligent and a good sense of humor is vital as I love to laugh! I was 22, when I met my husband. He was working as a software engineer in Orlando. He was extremely serious about marriage. After six months of getting to know each other, he popped the question and I said yes!!! We had our very first kiss on the day of our engagement!!!

I Love Eid ul-Adha!!!

We go to the mosque to pray, then we have a big potluck with everyone from the local mosque!!!

Words that had changed me

I have difficulty reading some words of the Quraan but I love it, I love the Quraan. I can't sleep before I read some pages of the holy Quraan.

A WOMAN'S MOST PRIZED POSSESSION ISN'T HER HAIR OR BEAUTY IT IS HER MODESTY

This is the Place I Want to Visit Next year!!!

Hajj, attended by millions of pilgrims each year, is the fifth and final pillar of Islam. It takes place in the month of Dhul Hijjah which is the 12th month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The pilgrimage is obligatory for all Muslims once in their lifetime.

[DaniaMQ]

I was smiling the whooooole time while reading this! ❤ no one here has ever talked about Islam in a MyTake.. I tried to, but of course, I received hateful comments from people that dont want to hear anything else if uts not what they believe in!
I'm happy that you are happy now and you are wearing hijab, I will wear it soon, and what you said kinda gave me more encouragement to wear it 🙈😊 anyways, that was a nice thing to read! Have a nice day!

[myTake Owner]

Aww, thanks!!! Today, Islamophobia in the U. S. has become an ordinary issue witnessed in everyday life so wearing the hijab isn't easy but it's definitely worth it for me. I wrote the whole thing in just under15 minutes so this take was pretty rushed. I have written several personal blogs too!!

[DaniaMQ]

You will have lots of deeds for this.. Wearing it especially in the U. S. Coz there's a lot of racists there ( from what I HEARD ).
wow!! I would really like to know more about ur story! Can u follow me? 🙈🙉

[vekin]

I am wondering why you make such a mytake anonymous!!

The title is a bit insidious because you don't really tell about the journey you have made.

[Berethor]

Don't worry so much about her anonymouse as soon she might be in the news. :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMNmomukO64

[truthhammer]

@Berethor both were raped and got prego and killed

[truthhammer]

islam... anothet doctrine pf satan

[xan1488]

@truthhammer r not u the ignorant enchanter of mainstream media?

[truthhammer]

@xan1488 no read book studied book anf abra, ic religions. nit tv. dont have cable

[xan1488]

@truthhammer which book u have been reading?

[truthhammer]

@xan1488 read some quran, bible (many times)

i know enough to know sunnis breed this extremists... my best friends dad is a general for the kurdish army and hear things from his side at the front lines... if you know about islam and studied it, youd be standing with a lot of people who say radical islam is the true islam

look at your model fiogure mohammed. does he look like a radical muslim? more like the minorities of sunni than the shia right?

i can even talk about the verses in the quran about these radical commands.

did you know extremist beleive theyre living out a proophesy in the quran? where they will fight the whole world in the name of god? its what these guys are doing and beleiving.

why do some of you uneduccated mslims act like i m talking about mermaids here? playing dumb doesn work. own up to it

[xan1488]

@truthhammer manipulating ignorants for political reasons is not real representation of Islam. Islam is religion of peace, so if u see any extremism somewhere is because people CLAIM to have a "tag" of Islam but in reality they are not following Islam rather they barely know Islamic teachings.

[truthhammer]

@xan1488 its all in the quran though.

middle east was already fucked up from islam and political courrption before US went in to make it worse (destablization).

yes i do know 40 UN nations fund ISIS and americans are helping them in secret.

islam is still the root issue. its just theyre (US) taking advantage in smaller similar goals.

[xan1488]

@truthhammer no dear, i do not agree with u.. if you really think Islam is the root cause then tell me why?

[truthhammer]

@xan1488 i told you. i know a lot of people won't agree. but the ones who do are very educated on the subject. you have google and a computer. you do the research lol

[xan1488]

@truthhammer lol, yes i do have, but i am asking about YOU, what makes u think so?

[truthhammer]

@xan1488 didn't i just say its all in the quran?

do you think i want to spend another 2 hours helping you?

I've done this 1 million times! it always ends with them talking nonsense and butthurt.

[xan1488]

@truthhammer buddy i have personally read Quraan many times, but never found anything problematic, can u highlight it for me please?

[truthhammer]

@xan1488 thees a difference in reading and studying it

when i was in seminary, we studied the cultures and many other things during that time to understand more deeply.

thats irrelevant but read it again. its all there.

[truthhammer]

@xan1488 most importantly, look at the results.

muslims kill muslims more than anyone else. of the 2.8 percent of all wars blamed on religion, islam taks 4/5th of the wars.

every muslim guy i know has a dirty lifestyle. full of haram and very very low integrity with women. i guess them being 2nd citiznes conditions a mans mind as such huh.

[xan1488]

@truthhammer still u haven't provided me the point what makes u think Islam or Quraan is the root cause of all problems, u are mentioning the exploits of ignorance... buddy give me the points if u have any!!!

[truthhammer]

@xan1488 and i said i won't because itll start a whole new discussion and i m just tryina have fun here.

if we died, youd be held responsible not me. i m right with God. the real God of the bible not some bs

[xan1488]

@truthhammer chill troll 😏

[truthhammer]

@xan1488 nice one. because trolls go around talknig abut truth and facts.

[xan1488]

@truthhammer yet never present those facts when asked 😏😏

[truthhammer]

@xan1488 i said you look for it since you read it.

everything i presented were facts they were presented.

you must think i dont have insight to the shit thatll happen after i do work for you

i ain't doign work for you. i already know and its for you to figure it out if it hits you.

the rest i dont care

[truthhammer]

look around. you must be brainwash to be so selelctive

[truthhammer]

@xan1488 lol facts. its more hard not to know what the fuck islam is.

[Berethor]

He is muslim, what do you expect, of course that he is brainwash, by very wicked ideology, the more muslim someone are, the more barbaric he is, ISIS are the most devoted muslims.

www.thereligionofpeace.com/.../jesus-muhammad.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KAkdrb4sHI

[truthhammer]

@Berethor i know that. not like the shias who water it down and pretend islam is about peace lol

[xan1488]

@truthhammer still no facts but lots of shit yammering , present facts if u have any!!!

[Curmudgeon]

@Berethor Great post. PJTV nails it.

[truthhammer]

@xan1488 state your credentials. did you lean this shit at university level and are you surrounded by muslim friends? fuckin idiot

[truthhammer]

@xan1488 were you there when people landed on the moon? is this seriously your argument? you just talk shit and dont even know anything

[ksoma]

Muhammad, the great champion of women's rights!

Her right to be worth half a man, no matter how credible she is, when on a witness stand!
Her right for her husband to beat her! And her right to assume that no one will question her being beaten, for that is between her and her husband, and outsiders have no place to interfere or judge!
Her right to be stoned to death for the crime of being raped, because she shamed her family, and committed the ultimate sin of tempting an other man into an unvirtuous act!
Her right to be worth half her male siblings when it comes to inheritance!
Her right to be presumed an adulterer or one who intends to commit adultery, if she is alone, even for a moment, with an unrelated member of the opposite sex!
Her right to be traded by her father, and forced to marry a man, against her will, with marriage as young as 6 being permissible, thanks to following the path of Muhammad!
Her right to be taken as booty, the bounty of war, and used as a sex slave, even if married, so long as she is not Muslim.

There is only one culture in the world that kills girls for going to school. That kills girls for not covering every inch of their bodies. That kills girls for looking in a boys direction. That kills girls for being raped. That kills girls for defending themselves. That forces women to live under strict obedience to their husbands, not be allowed to travel unsupervised, not be allowed to speak to anyone unrelated to them, and to be married off to cousins or uncles as any one of 4 wives, where he is given free reign to treat her as she sees fit. There is only one culture in this world that says that anyone not of that culture is a sub human, hated by God, and any vile act directed towards them is permissible, because God already hates them.

Want to take a stab at what that culture is?
Here's a hint: It is not White, European, Judaeo-Christian culture.

[Jack_S]

Looking at other comments, im asuprised no one has leaped to try and defend this side of the culture

[MeutiaArianti]

Hahaha. A very long opinion but it was taken from liar mass medias with a 'small-minded'.

[sara_nour]

you're so right !! i'm an ex musilman

[DarkStallion]

A proof that it is very hard for people to be responsible for ALL their actions, failures in particular: many people need a religion (whichever) to be in place so to take off the full responsibility from them. There must be there a Father figure to invisibly protect us from our fears... Otherwise, is too much of a stress to be fully responsible and to have no meaning... isn't it?

The West civilization has now a big problem: while it did prove in the past that Earth is round and moves in space, and rain can be provided with irrigation and not miracles, for the masses of westerners now food has replaced ideas and eating replaced going to the church. When one is too lazy to think of something challenging, the senses become the religion and getting fat the result, as the stomach is the finality.

But for some, just eating and watching TV is not enough. A higher meaning is needed. And so, religion is an easy pick: solves all the problems! As Christianity/Buddhism/Taoism/Shintoism are kind of asleep, a more aggressive religion (guess which one) suddenly becomes an option.

Of course there are other high goals out there like eradicating poverty, improving education, inventing new things useful for humanity, colonizing Mars, reducing pollution, inventing new energy sources and so on. But these goals are bloody difficult...

[Anonymous]

If this is the choice have made for your life and you are truly happy than good for you. I have found this to be a very interesting (daring) post given today's political climate.

I have strong Christian beliefs that I try to manifest by helping the community (personally I am far from perfect). I go out of my way to walk and help the less fortunate (homeless) almost EVERY week. Jesus directly commanded his followers to help the less fortunate (he hung out and assisted "sinners" including prostitutes & tax collectors). Although many Christians do this, there needs to be more. I also look to set an example for my brothers and sisters in Christ to help the less fortunate.

However if you are truly a peaceful muslim, I hope you will take a STRONG STAND against the radicalization that has marred your faith's public image. This includes supporting the coalition that is fighting ISIS. This includes publicly denouncing acts of terror. This includes truly BELIEVING that those practice violent jihadism are really controlled by Satan and will be punished by God. No peaceful, loving God would ever condone those actions.

The heinous acts that these radicals exercise will never end UNLESS mainstream Islam is the tip of the spear to fight against it. I hope you can set an example.

[archiz]

it is a nice take. I understand where you re coming from.
It s not for everyone though cause like me some people don t believe there is a got to submit to. I prefer to submit to my own desires and goals.
The part about being liberated and all is a good point. But I still think it is an extreme attitude to take. since you can be modest without covering all yourself up. and finally I don t think the most important think a woman can have is her modesty but being happy with her life choices, achievements and goals.
anw I do wish you luck and congrats ^^

[browny-sy]

nice comment

[archiz]

@browny-sy thanks ^^

[nalaa]

" “I control what you see, how is that not empowering”" Ya but I mean that's true for every piece of clothing you choose. As long as you have a choice and the reason the headscarf is seen as sign of opression, is that in some muslim countries you DON'T have that choice. If you want to do to Mecca (as you say you do) for example, which is in Saudi Arabia you will be legally required to be covered from head to toe, with punishments if you don't. Where's the empowerment in that?
But I mean I totally get what you mean. In a world where women are objectified and sexualised wherever you go, it can feel nice to fly under radar for a while. I just don't think it's the right solution to the problem.

Alcohol, I mean ok. Everyone knows it's literally poison, no one is forcing you to drink. Islam on the other hand is forcing you not to drink. Kinda like approbation in the US and we all know how that worked out.

[NourSy]

GAG moderators are nothing but scumbags!

let's talk it out first thing first
First thing u notice in the Terms of use:

it says- uploading, posting, transmitting, sharing, storing or otherwise making publicly available content that contains nudity, violence, or offensive subject matter, or is offending, harmful, defamatory, threatening, unlawful, infringing, abusive, inflammatory, harassing, vulgar, obscene, fraudulent, invasive of privacy or publicity rights, hateful, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable; - harassing or intimidating another person.

And I see morons down there abusing muslims and the religion of Islam and GAG doesn't do thing for that and it has been days and GAG didn't delete their comments!! now if I reply to those who say fuck Islam by screwing a religion they believe in and GAG supports, notice how this sissy community shakes, this is ur attitude GAG u are as psychopathic as ISIS.

[Humping_Tornadoes]

People can express their distaste/opinion of any religion, or atheism/agnosticm, however they want as long as they are not directly offending a particular person or community member. Lots of opinions anyways, outside of religion, may offend other people. Many different topics always will.

[HaveNoName]

@NourSy Brilliant !!! May you get the verbal power to continue saying this on ALL forums of social media.

Having said that, it is important to understand that only we as Muslims accept their religions as true religions. For them, Islam is thought as fake religion with a false prophet. As for atheists, u and I and not responsible to do anything about their words. Just ignore them if they offend you.

[NourSy]

@Humping_Tornadoes
Hello there, what they believe in and their opinions are totally respected but what is done is barbaric if they disclaim a verse or an islamic view from the Quran others and me would have a debate with them if not, they hate Islam and won't open a space for discussion we also buy that too each to his own. However, what has been said isn't an opinion it's a verbal assault which is against morals as well as GAG terms of use.

[NourSy]

@HaveNoName true thanks brother!

[UseYourIllusion]

I want to wear short pants and skirts and bikini and sneakers whenever I want. And I can do so. Wearing them harms no one.
I also like to chat and having a great dinner with nice guys. Sometimes I have relationship with them, and maybe, have a sex. In my opinion, it is totally OK when I'm with my pills or condoms. I also guess many of you will agree with me.
If I were a Muslim, whole of these are impossible for me. My daddy will kill my with my brother :p More than 5000 women are honor-killed in Islamic countries. Not that little.

[UseYourIllusion]

I mean, more than 5000 are killed per a 'year'

[Jager66]

I don't see what any of this has to do with Islam, except for the boy, you could have joined any number of religions or no religion at all and had all of this stuff, even the pilgrimage to worship a meteor rock.

Why not be honest and just say you chose Islam for a boy?

[xan1488]

first u stop being prejudiced so that u can understand the logic.

[Jager66]

@xan1488 da fuck? what logic? what prejudice?

[xan1488]

she is telling how positive impact she has experienced in her life and she told all step by step but u just see "you chose Islam for a boy?"
only a prejudiced person can have such opinion

[Jager66]

@xan1488 ok so your having a logic fail then.

She listed a bunch of things that can and are regularly found by billions of people in thousands of other beliefs, religious or not. Nothing she listed, except for the boy who is Muslim and has to marry a Muslim woman in accordance with his beliefs, are exclusive to Islam. I don't care what her beliefs are and this reasoning holds true regardless of the belief system you could insert in place of Islam.

What your doing is essentially this:
Person says: I bought a Honda civic because I really like driving to work and the man I'm going to marry will only ride in a Honda civic.
I say: You could have bought any kind of car to get to work so why pretend it's not about the boy?
You say to me: first u stop being prejudiced so that u can understand the logic.

see how stupid you sound.

[xan1488]

buddy, she mentioned lot of qualities that why she chose Honda civic. it is possible that some other cars may have same qualities but its her choice.. why dont u respect her choice? its her life she can do any thing with that. why are u taunting her?

[Jager66]

@xan1488 But I do respect her choice. Me respecting her chpoice has nothing to do with the fact that falling in love with a Muslim boy will have an effect on your decision to become Muslim or not and it's just plain silly she doesn't even mention that as a factor.

[Mesonfielde]

@xan1488 "This Honda Civic changed my life because it can go with 50 miles per hour and I no longer have to walk to work every day"

Well no shit, any car would do, you don't need a honda civic for it, and it's not really the fact that it's a honda civic that it changed your life.

Aye? You can choose to not drink alcohol without Islam. You can have communions even if you're Catholic, and I'm pretty sure there are places where you can hang out with others without the praying but with the chitchat. and you can visit the meteorite whether or not you're Islamic. You can even make the Taj Mahal your own meteorite rock, you can have goals in your life and you define them.

And honestly, if you want to control how much of your hair is visible, you can always wear a hat.

So yes, the ONLY islam-relevant and islam-exclusive thing here is that the guy she's dating is Islamic, so she has to be Islamic for it to be legal in their "religion"-based social system.

[lonelywarrior40]

Your take is amazing, I just love it very, veryy much!

I am a muslim man who wants to build a happy future with a muslim woman with hijab. But even in Turkey this isn't very easy. I am 28 years old right now; and I haven't still met with a candidate like I depiced above. It is sadly, and day by day I witness less people believe the same way they used to before. I mean everyday we see less women with hijab and less men go to mosque... World is changing, where I am in this world and which one will be my path I dunno, but I do believe in love and I do believe God with my whole heart and I am sure everything is drew on my destiny :) Even believing Him gives me power, and I hope ur happiness will last forever in this world, and in the other world ;) Congratulations...

[Berethor]

It's looks like you are masochist, and why are you not telling us about the whipping part?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Y-RkT_MFas

[cavmanier]

That reminds me of medieval times. I'm surprised that happens now a days. "Talking to a guy that is not her husband or relative" o_o

[Berethor]

That's what Islam and it's sharia law is all about, pre-medieval society and mindset.

shoebat.com/.../Sharia-For-The-Netherlands.jpg

i.telegraph.co.uk/.../sharia_2464858b.jpg

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/D4Tnjo1pNAs/hqdefault.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhpRlkrMWy8

[Humping_Tornadoes]

See what's funny here is that sympathizers and liberalists haven't answered your comment, because clear evidence cannot be refuted. What differs Muslims from other religions is their violent culture and inhumane nature that only can be acceptable within its countries origins and nearby regions. Once you put their practices in any other place in the world, it looks immoral and completely shocks/differs with virtually every other other culture out there in modern society.

[John_Doesnt]

" It is a physical manifestation of my submission..." that part sounds like oppression to me. As does the rest of it.
You don't have to be a Muslim to quit drinking (atheists. Christians and Jews choose sobriety too) or eat the foods.
"A WOMAN'S MOST PRIZED POSSESSION ISN'T HER HAIR OR BEAUTY IT IS HER MODESTY" that sounds like the first step to female oppression and objectifying yourself.
And do you read this part of the quran before you go to bed?
4:34 Men are in charge of women, because Allah hath made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend of their property. So good women are the obedient, guarding in secret that which Allah hath guarded. As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge them. Then if they obey you, seek not a way against them. Lo! Allah is ever High, Exalted, Great.

[Anonymous]

I find it fascinating that whenever a Muslim commits jihad. A western lefty will be quick to defend it and equally insult others to justify it. That's generally when most conversions happen.

Ironically when they become Muslim. They follow the juhadist cultural icon of Islam founded in Saudi Arabia called wahabism. The hijab is a product of that wahabism.

You said you are glad you don't drink alcohol but i wonder. Since Islam states alcohol is from Satan. How you feel about when going to heaven. You'll be rewarded with a full cup of wine.

I'd quote this stuff from the quran and hadith but if you converted thinking in depth. You should know

[SpecialWael]

I totally agree with @DaniaMQ
Really thanks for this awesome MyTake.. its the best thing ever i read from my first day on this site ^^ I'm soooo happy to hear that.. and don't care about the "bad" comments on here those people just know nothing about our religion so they are "Excused" , if they really know about Islam they would regret their every single word.. and don't care about people who said that they "hate" Islam, they are just "Psychiatric patients" who suffer from "Islamophobia" lol poor guys xD
Anw i wish u both the beeeeeeeest things and good luck :) ^^
I'm Muslim and proud <3

[DaniaMQ]

I'm glad u agree with me! ^^ and I agree with what u said, she shouldn't listen to the haters...

[ThatNiceGuy]

I bet you're one of the many women who get baited into joining islam and then end up suffering. What a pity. I guess people born in muslim countries have no choice, but seeing someone who has tasted freedom being brainwashed into joining an ancient misogynistic cult is always sad.

[itsagirlthing900]

Don't be bitter she found her man who has the same values as her and that's something to celebrate

[ThatNiceGuy]

@itsagirlthing900 Until she gets beaten up, burned with acid or stoned to death.

[itsagirlthing900]

I'm not saying I agree with their religion but I don't think she wants to read such negative moronic comments and you shouldn't be so rude

[ThatNiceGuy]

@itsagirlthing900 You act as if I was making this stuff up. It happens all the time.

[LookatDuhDonkay]

I'm an atheist but I also think that your take is wonderful. There's a significant amount of islamophobia and discrimination against muslims in the Western world right now.

I'm happy that you wear hijab with pride in a time when the media and a certain segment of the western population wants to vilify and demonize such a beautiful group in the same that they attempted to vilify other groups in the past.

[YBarros]

you're not atheist, is you're a cheat comment. how you're a agnostic too weak.

[Anonymous]

why is Islam long of history genocide cultural

https://www.tu-pc.com/fondos/media/3548.jpg

Religion language is designed to make Lies sound truthful and Murder respectable.

[cpzpbx3]

Whatever floats your boat... Personally I think it's equally as silly as Christianity or Judaism. But to each their own.
You're just lucky you chose it in a free country, instead of being born into it within an Islamic theocracy. I think that fundamentally there would be a huge difference in your experience in the case of the latter.

[9mfeo]

I've read it both ways - the hijab as a feminist article and the hijab as a symbol of the patriarchy. I think the hijab itself can be neither as it has no inherent power of its own. If wearing a hijab makes you feel empowered, I am very supportive of that.

[Berethor]

Yes it's really an symbol of the patriarchy, and women who are not wearing Veils in the muslim society are very likely to get raped and/or killed for that, how "empowering".

www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/quran/veils.aspx

[9mfeo]

@Berethor unless you can provide me with evidence from an unbiased source, I'm not going to respond.

[Berethor]

"Unbiased" sources from the left? how about what muslims themselves are saying? :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhpRlkrMWy8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra45nX9JmW4

[Jack_S]

@Berethor still no respone eh?

[xan1488]

My utmost respect for u sister, even the first thing i did after reading this mytake was that i prayed "O lord give me such life Ameen"
M so happy u took such initiative here, this is actual Jihaad; to strive for positivity. May Allah be with u always and may He keep ur steps firm in HIS way. Ameen

[sailorjupiter]

Alhamdulillah sister, most of people don't understand the feeling of being thankful and enough in every little thing we have in life, and the way to express our faith and love to Allah is by following all His rules. It's never a force to wear hijab, I'm too willingly wear it and love it.

We are dressing to impress Him, not him.

InsyaAllah, you'll visit Mecca soon.