How I Became a Muslim

[Baluug]

http://www.islam-guide.com/

I will relate my story as to how I became a believer of the beautiful diin known as Islam.

 

I used to work in Canada's largest beef processing facility, Lakeside Packers, in Brooks, Alberta. It's where I worked for more than 5 1/2 years. In 1996, they decided to expand to include a processing facility, creating more than 700 jobs, and seeing as most Southern Albertans had jobs, or simply didn't want to work there, the company had to advertise all over Canada, and eventually, as many Sudanese started to work there, into Sudan. But anyways, a few Somalis come from Toronto or Windsor to Alberta to find a job and Lakeside is sometimes their first stop, considering that if you are physically capable enough, they'll hire you on the spot. My (future) wife made the journey from Windsor in 2001 to work at Lakeside. Little did either of us know that we would cross paths and eventually get married for 4 years and counting.

 

We met in the cafeteria in January 2002, I remember I walked by her as she was on the phone, looking for someone to give her a ride home. She knew one of the guys I worked with and she sat at our table after she got off the phone. I asked her "Where are you from?" and she told me she was from Somalia. I had met another Somali woman about a year earlier, so I thought to myself "Geez, are all these African people from Somalia?" I was very uninformed about anything at the time, because all I ever did with my life was smoke weed all day. St*upid me.

 

Anyways, she explained that she was Muslim(she didn't wear hijab at the time, so I never would've guessed it. I thought only Arabs were Muslims. Again, st*upid me.). I saw her a few more times, and I expressed my interest in her. She explained that since I wasn't Muslim, she would have nothing to do with me. If I were a Muslim, then it might be a different story. It was for this reason that I decided to look into Islam and see what it was really all about. During the times that I talked to her in the cafeteria, she told me that if I studied Islam, I would find proof that Islam was the right religion and that the prophet Muhammad SCW was telling the truth, but she couldn't explain it to me in english, because she was very, very bad in af-ingriis:D , and this made me even more interested. The only things I knew about Islam at the time were that they could not eat pork, drink alcohol, or gamble, and that they performed hajj to Mecca. Some people may have been blinded by ignorance after Sept. 11, seeing as it was only a few months previous, but alxamdulillah, I was not one of those who blindly followed the media and believed everything they say as the truth.

 

I sent an e-mail to the Muslim Students Association of one of the larger universities in the US(I can't remember which one), explaining that I was interested to learn more about Islam(my wife instructed me to tell them Sunni, not Shia:D). They sent back a reply with a page full of Islamic websites for me to look at, and the second website on the list was one called www.islam-guide.com In it were some verses from the Qur'an that covered different topics such as the ocean, clouds, the brain, etc. that they said were proof that Muhammad SCW came with a message from God, because the verses were proven to be true, by scientists in the last 100 years. How could an illiterate camel driver in Arabia, or anyone from that time which was 1400 years ago, know these things which were explained in the Qur'an, with such accuracy, unless they were given that knowledge by God Himself? I decided to have a look. Much to my surprise, they were absolutely right!!! The Qur'an explains that there is a barrier between the 2 seas, one of them sweet, while the other one is salty, they do not transgress. How could Muhammad SCW know that while he never learned a thing in his life, that could be considered an education? How could Muhammad SCW know about the front of the head, being "lying and sinful", or that Allah SWT stacks the clouds on top of each other, and then makes the rain come out of it? One could easily pass off one of these verses as a mere co-incidence, but there were 10 verses covering different topics, this was no co-incidence. It was there and then that I believed Muhammad SCW was the messenger of God SWT. I don't remember the exact date, but it was in March 2002. I then explained to my wife what I found and she said " I told you so". We then set the wheels in motion to get married, and I officially pronounced my shahada at the Calgary Islamic Centre on May 18, 2002. I married my wife the same day. Alxamdulillahi rabbil alamiin.

[N.O.R.F]

welcome back Liban, is this your new name? What was your name previously?

[Castro]

^ Something or the other about Liban. Indeed, Liban is the man.

[Khayr]

Salamz,

 

Good story indeed. MashAllah!

[Blessed]

I officially pronounced my shahada at the Calgary Islamic Centre on May 18, 2002. I married my wife the same day. Alxamdulillahi rabbil alamiin.

 

Mansha Allah! Allah has blessed you twice that day. May He (swt) bless you with more I' A. Thanks for sharing.

[Haaraahur.]

Liban that is an extraordinary journey you have taken. Life is full of surprises and The Most Merciful wanted for you happiness and salvation.

 

I am truly happy for you.

[Ibtisam]

^^i don't think it is liban's story :confused:

 

marshallah it was a good read

 

cheers

[Baluug]

Yes, this is my true story. Here's a picture of me if you still don't believe me.....

[Castro]

^ That's a white dude alright.

 

How did your parents/siblings take the news? How are they now?

[Zafir]

Am still not convinced, I need your Christian name and your wife’s name. I got connections in the west.

[RedSea]

assalamu calaykum,

 

Castro please restraint your lips my friend. He is white alright and what is wrong with that other than being good looking Muslim brother. Being a Muslim is the most import aspect in life, however I still can't find this story believable but Liban the Man please give us some sign that this is real story about you and we will believe it. The story is amazing but I think you might be kidding not that you are not a Muslim but we all thought you were Somali at first then when you said you are not Somali, we couldn't believe it and now we can't believe it even more when you said you the person in picture.

 

However, if this story all happens to be true and indeed you are Muslim non Somali then I am truly happy for you. You should have told us this story along time ago brother, once again brother truly congradualations for being a Muslim person, indeed that is the best of all things.

 

One thing I know so far is that you told the truth when you said you are married which is consistent with your profile from along time ago, second one is that you said the Shahadah at Calgary convention Center, because you live in Calgary. I know you live in Calgary because we talked about Hockey in sport section which you continiously supported the NHL's Calgary Flames, which in turn tells me that you are indeed telling the truth on where you said the shahadah was Calgary.

 

Assalamu Calaykum.

 

Assalamu Calaykum.

[Castro]

If I were Liban, right about now, I'd take Zafir and beat Red Sea Casse with him. Are you people serious?

[- Femme -]

I can't can't believe it. What the hell does he gain from lying?

 

Liban, Mashallah, I'm so happy for you brother. You don't have to explain yourself to anyone. Those with suspicious minds will always question you and after a while that gets annoying. All you can do is put out your story and how they take it is out of your control.

[STOIC]

I once read a book by gentlemen named Jeffrey Lang (I think the title of the book was “Even Angels Asksâ€). As a new convert, he never liked when people asked him how and when he converted. I think we should give them a little breathing air since it gets tedious when every time a new convert approaches a Muslim and the first question being asked is "Oh nice, by the way how did you converted?" .Maybe this dude doesn’t give a hoot, but I think we should let them have their space.

[Castro]

Liban converted 4 years ago. And being married to a Somali, he probably has inlaws (and outlaws) still wondering if he's for real. Yours is an inspiring story saaxib. Just gettting over the weed is no small feat.