The Trinity Led Me to Islam-By Roger Hadden

>>>>The Story of An Irish Dentist Embracing Islam.
My name is Roger Hadden, and I am originally from Dungannon in Northern Ireland. I am a dentist currently working in England. I have lived in Northern Ireland and Scotland, and I am now based in England. I was raised as a Christian, and my parents are born-again Christians.

Although I was raised with the teachings of the Bible, I did not particularly adhere to its principles. I suppose I was like most British youth, in that I liked to have fun but maybe didn't know where the limits were set.

While I did not practice any religion, I always believed that there was a God. I was scientifically minded, but realized that acknowledging there was a Big Bang did not necessarily rule out the possibility of there being a God who controlled and planned this event.

We could not have come out of nothing, and we did not create ourselves, so we must have been created. I thought about God from time to time, but it never had a real impact on my heart. My first encounter with Islam I suppose was the media, but I tend not to judge people or things until I see or find out about them myself and hear both sides of the story.

When I went to university I met many Muslims. At that time we discussed religion a little, but I was not seriously thinking about becoming religious. My desires were too strong, so I just wanted to enjoy myself.

At that time, I knew that at some stage I would want to change my ways and become a Christian. I then would also want to find out about other religions and understand what makes people believe in them. When I was in final year at university, I made plans to reform myself and become as my parents, a "born-again Christian". So I started my research with reading the Bible.

The concept of the Trinity always bothered me, and it was my main aim to understand it. I remember as a child wanting to ask God for something. I was not sure whether to pray to God or to pray to Jesus. I decided to pray to God as I knew if He created everything, then He will hear me and help me.

I spoke to some ministers, and several attempts were made to explain the Trinity. None of them convinced me. I continued to read the Bible, searching for the truth.

Obviously I am not a scholar in the Christian religion but the Trinity issue bugged me. Why did the Old Testament prophets all pray to God and do righteous acts hoping for God's forgiveness? Who did Jesus pray to?

There was no mention of the Trinity in the Old Testament, and many argue none in the New Testament. I knew God did not change, so there was a problem somewhere. I spoke to my friends at University. Some were Sikhs, Catholics, atheists, and some were Muslims.

My conversion changed my life completely, and looking back I know I made the correct decision

When I found out that Islam commands the worship of One God, and not to make any partners with Him, I was very interested. I continued reading the Bible and Christian sources but also started reading some Islamic books.

I read that Muslims believe that God sent his message to mankind through different prophets since Adam the first man. All the prophets believed in only One God and they also believed that there was going to be a day of reckoning when everyone will be raised and judged.

I realized that this is what I believe, and what I thought the Bible was saying to me. I discussed things with my parents, and they were not too impressed. Within a couple of months by the grace of God I became a Muslim.

My conversion changed my life completely, and looking back, I know I made the correct decision, thank God. Instead of living my life in a selfish way pleasing my desires, I try now to help others and please my Lord. I have now been a Muslim for five years and I am still learning new and amazing things about the religion.

Every time I hear something "negative" about the religion, I get the issue explained to me and it turns out to be a very positive and beautiful thing. I am continuing to learn Arabic and the Quran.

In my career it has made me much more focused, and I now desire to do everything to my best ability. My friends at university are often surprised with regards to my change, especially relating to dentistry.

My parents believed I was brainwashed, and many of my friends thought, and still think, it is just a phase. As it has been over five years now, my parents know it is not just a phase.

I first told my parents that I was thinking of becoming a Muslim, and they told me that it was a "hate religion" and that I should not do it. We talked about it for a while, and as I was convinced, I was sure I had to do it. I did not want to be punished in the next life.

A few months later I took the best step and embraced Islam. The same day my Dad bought me a car, not as a conversion gift, rather, it was his kindness and it just happened to be on the same day.

Since university, I have always lived away from my parents but I try to visit them a couple of times a year. Overall though, I feel my relationship with my parents has improved, as I try to be good to them as God commands in the Quran.

I have moved on from university and lost contact with many of my friends, some I speak to now and again, but as with life, we keep moving on and old friends we see less of and new friends are made.

I am currently working as a dentist in the UK. I am working and doing a part time masters program. I am learning Arabic, and I regularly attend Islamic talks and seminars in order to increase my knowledge.

I am married to a very special lady and we have, by the grace of God a beautiful 1-year-
old boy named Ismael (Ishmael from the Bible). We are trying to improve as Muslims, and we would like to travel abroad to a Muslim country. Ideally we would both love to study Islam to a higher level, so we are looking for opportunities to fulfill this dream.
>>>>>Credit to:ReadingIslam.com

A Sunday Visit To The Church and Vihara

Assalamu’alaikum, peace be upon you everyone...Firstly, don’t worry I’m still a Muslim =) Some of you might be surprised that, what the heck am I doing by going to a Church and Vihara especially on Sunday-a holyday and also HOLYday for some. Actually, I went there not on a personal basis, rather it was organized by one of the Muslim NGOs in Malaysia. A visit aimed to bridge a greater understanding between people of different faiths especially in the current situation of Malaysia where people tend to look at each other with hostility. I did not go there to be converted to Christianity nor did I go there to be converted to Buddhism. Definitely not!. For the Vihara, definitely that was my first time. For the church, not the first time to be frank. Honestly, I felt very delighted to be there. Delighted in a sense that, I managed to meet good and friendly people and also those who are sincere in devoting their life in searching for truth. I still remember what Muhammad Abduh used to say:

“I went to Paris and I found Islam without Muslim. I returned to Cairo and I found Muslims without Islam”

Mind boggling isn’t it? For me, I went to the church and Vihara and I found Islam without Muslims. Most of the times, I returned to......and I found Muslims without Islam”
(I bet you know what I mean). Maybe you agree, maybe not. It’s up to you to decide. Anyway,back to the church and Vihara. My presence in those two holy places for the Christians and the Buddhists had taught me so many things. I appreciate more of my religion and I feel sad looking at the Muslims who happened to be born in Islam yet they never appreciate this religion. Indeed, we always take things fro granted. InsyaAllah,we pray to Allah that He would guide us each and every second of our life to the right path. The right path which Abraham, Ismael, Jesus and Muhammad had taken..Ameen..
Allah Knows Best( Allahu A’lam)

Gardens of Delight

Gardens of Delight: a simple Introduction to Islam, a title of a book that had caught my attention while roaming for a seat in the library. Such a beautiful title isn’t it?. Gardens of Delight is a book written by Idris Tawfiq and published in 2006. Well, the title itself had some sort of “aura” that triggered me to take this green coloured book and honestly nothing to regret! I’ve done reading it and it’s really a good book especially for those who want to know a brief introduction to Islam particularly those who are non Muslims. In fact, this book has its second audience i.e. the Muslims themselves. All I can say is, I would give thumbs up for the author namely Idris Tawfiq for having done such a great job in writing this book. I felt like he’s telling me a story about Islam while reading this book. His conversational style in presenting this book should be praised at the first place. It is even more interesting when Idris Tawfiq tried to deal with some of the misconceptions that the non Muslims have particularly on the teachings, practices and belief of a person called Muslim. For the non Muslims out there, I would advice you to have a copy of this book. I can guarantee you that you won’t feel regret! Try to have a copy of this book and if you are an honest seeker of truth, you are actually taking your first step to enter the gardens of delight ! =D

>to get a copy of this book, you may visit-www.asnislamicbooks.com

MUSLIMS WORSHIP THE KAA'BA-A Misconception

When Islam is against idol worship, why do the Muslims worship, and bow down to the Kaaba in their prayer?
*************************************************
Kaaba is the Qibla i.e. the direction Muslims face during their prayers. It is important to note that though Muslims face the Kaaba during prayers, they do not worship the Kaaba. Muslims worship and bow to none but Allah.
It is mentioned in Surah Baqarah:

"We see the turning of thy face (for guidance) to the heavens: now shall We turn thee to a Qiblah that shall please thee. Turn then thy face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque: wherever ye are, turn your faces in that direction."
[Al-Qur’an 2:144]

1. Islam believes in fostering unity

For instance, if Muslims want to offer Salaah (Prayer), it is possible that some may wish to face north, while some may wish to face south. In order to unite Muslims in their worship of the One True God, Muslims, wherever they may be, are asked to face in only one direction i.e. towards the Kaaba. If some Muslims live towards the west of the Kaaba they face the east. Similarly if they live towards the east of the Kaaba they face the west.

2. Kaaba is at the Centre of the World Map

The Muslims were the first people to draw the map of the world. They drew the map with the south facing upwards and north downwards. The Kaaba was at the centre. Later, western cartographers drew the map upside down with the north facing upwards and south downwards. Yet, Alhamdullilah the Kaaba is at the centre of the world map.

3. Tawaaf around Kaaba for indicating one God

When the Muslims go to Masjid-e-Haram in Makkah, they perform tawaaf or circumambulation round the Kaaba. This act symbolizes the belief and worship of One God, since, just as every circle has one centre, so also there is only one Allah (swt) worthy of worship.

4. Hadith of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)

Regarding the black stone, hajr-e-aswad, there is a hadith (tradition), attributed to the illustrious companion of the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh), Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).

According to Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, book of Hajj, chapter 56, H.No. 675. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I know that you are a stone and can neither benefit nor harm. Had I not seen the Prophet (pbuh) touching (and kissing) you, I would never have touched (and kissed) you".

5. People stood on Kaaba and gave the adhaan

At the time of the Prophet, people even stood on the Kaaba and gave the ‘adhaan’ or the call to prayer. One may ask those who allege that Muslims worship the Kaaba; which idol worshipper stands on the idol he worships?

Adapted from TurnToislam.com

Mosques in Malaysia are Not Friendly Enough To The Non Muslims. Agree?

Assalamu’alaikum, May Peace & Blessings of Be Upon You..

I feel that I am obliged to write something about this though it is not a new issue actually. I would call this a bitter truth. A bitter truth that Most of the Muslims in Malaysia would rarely pay heed to. For Malaysians out there, I am quite sure you know about the recent incident whereby one of the organizations claimed to be Islamic yet make such an unIslamic statement saying that non Muslims are not allowed to enter to a masjid (mosque). Before that, I hope that Allah would forgive me if I’m a bit stern here. As I always put it, I am neither a scholar nor an expert. I’m just a simple Muslim who tries to look at things in a thorough manner.

The main question is, why does it happening in this country ??. We cannot find such incident happening in America, Britain, Australia and others but yet in Malaysia, it is there. Any Idea ?? For your info, I’ve been to churches before. It doesn’t make me less Muslim !! In fact, I appreciate my religion more than before. The people there gave me and my friends such a warmth welcome and on top of that a friendly treatment!! On the other hand, I’ve heard many accounts saying that,how non Muslims are being chased away from entering Masjid. Put aside their intention of entering masjid, but don’t you think it is VERY UNISLAMIC to chase away people just because that they are curious about Islam and Muslims. Anyway, you might want to look at this letter, written to the editor of one of the local newspapers here in Malaysia. As I see it, this letter was written by an innocent non Muslim who tries to understand Islam, yet restricted by the so called educated people.
(click to enlarge)
Subhanallah. Don’t you feel anything my dear friends. He says “ I hope someday,I could go in to know what how the Muslims pray and what is inside a mosque. Maybe I will also learn a little about this great religion". Hang on.. he says ‘GREAT RELIGION’. However, does it really reflect here in this country. To Mr. Bulbir Singh, on behalf of the Malaysian Muslims who had restricted you from entering the masjid despite your noble effort to understand Islam, please forgive them. May Allah give them guidance for such egoistic act that they acted upon you. For you Mr. Bulbir Singh, may Allah give you patience and give you Hidayah by opening up your heart to try to understand Islam as what it is rather than what it isn’t. InsyaAllah.

>>>Ruling on non Muslims entering Mosque>>islamqa
>>>So far,Masjid Negara(National Mosque) & Masjid Kapitan Keling
in Penang had done such a great job by allowing non Muslims
to enter the mosques.
>>>more on non Muslim visitors to the Mosque>>here

AllahuA'lam(Allah Knows Best)..

Matrix producer makes film on Prophet Muhammad

Barrie Osborne, part of the Oscar-winning team behind the Lord of the Rings films, says the new production 'will educate people about the true meaning of Islam'

The producer of The Lord of the Rings and The Matrix has discussed spending $150 million on making a movie about the Prophet Muhammad.

“Filming of the English-language movie is planned to start in 2011 and is destined to create a blockbuster for the world's 1.5 billion Muslims, with Barrie Osborne as its producer, “ Almoor Holdings, a Qatari media company, said.

Osborne told Reuters that the film would be an "international epic production aimed at bridging cultures".

"The film will educate people about the true meaning of Islam," he said.

The company said it hopes to attract the "best international talent" to star in the motion picture.

Sources: press tv , Guardian.co.uk, al Jazeera.net

p/s:So far, the best documentary that I've watched about our beloved prophet is, Muhammad:A Legacy of a prophet.I wonder how this film would be. I really-really hope Barrie Osborne knows what he is trying to do. Hopefully, he does mean his statement when he says this film is to educate the people about the true meaning of Islam.

Hajj-The Journey

Hajj- once in a lifetime pilgrimage to Mecca. For us Muslim, Hajj is very important as it is the fifth and the final pillar of Islam and it is also something which is enjoined once in a lifetime on every Muslim, male or female, who is capable mentally, physically and financially to perform it. For those who could not afford to do it, they are not doing anything wrong. Surely the don’t !. Indeed, Allah is All Knowing and He does not put any burden that men cannot bear.

The pilgrims come from all parts of the globe. They might be Chinese, Indians, Africans, Arabs, Malays, European or others-yet they embrace one similar faith i.e. Islam as their way of life. That is why, Hajj is such an exciting moment for all Muslims ! The joy of seeing Ka’bah (some people translate it as the Holy House) for the first time would be such a memorable moment for each and every Muslim. It is like an eye opening for them to see such magnificent thing before them. It is not that they worship Ka’bah, rather due to the fact that Ka’bah has witnessed so many instances in Muslims history ever since the Prophet Muhammad’s time is something that cannot be disregarded. It is then not surprising why Allah asked us to travel and go to Mecca for those who can afford it. Isn’t it a great thing to see so many new things (new environment, meeting new people, encountering new cultures etc) in front of you especially if you are coming from the most deserted and remote areas. Definitely it’s really hard to express how such feeling would be. That is why; I said it is an eye opening my dear brothers and sisters. It is like an annual gathering for all Muslims coming from all parts of the world. Subhanallah,Glory be to Allah.

The rituals of the Hajj relate directly to prophet Ibrahim(Abraham), his first –born son, Ismail, and his wife Hajar, imitating what they did many centuries before. The underlying meaning behind the rituals of the Hajj rooted in the obedience of Ibrahim and his family. For instance, the moment Ibrahim was asked to leave his own country and set forth into a barren and wild place, putting his trust in God alone. He was even asked to sacrifice his only son, the dearest thing in his life, in obedience to Allah. All these and the subsequent events show how much those people had put Allah on top of their priorities in which not all people can do.

All along the journey, the people would be calling out the Talbiyah
“I respond to Your call, O Allah...
I respond to Your call and I am obedient to Your Orders...
You have no partner...
I respond to Your call...
All the praises and the blessings are for You...
All the sovereignty is for You,
And You have no partners with You”

For me, it is really my dream to go for Hajj one day. I’m not sure when, but when the time comes; it would be a moment in which I won’t forget throughout my entire life. Yes, this is truly my dream. Insya’Allah, God willing, I have promised to myself that if I have the opportunity, I would go there with both of my parents and my wife. Yup, four of us Insya’Allah. =) Maybe next year, next five years or maybe 10 years to come...I don’t know.. I can only plan but it is He who determines all of them =) I pray that all of us would have the opportunity to have this spiritual journey one day.Ameen.

p/s:for more info about Hajj,you may visit www.performhajj.com. =)