Mohtadeen

	Print date:	2025 Apr 23	www.mohtadeen.com
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Title:

Muslima thrown in foster care

By Deeana Rose

My journey has been a long and difficult one, an ongoing transition. I've had alot of struggles with converting, but I also see a lot of beauty in it. In the process I've lost my friends, my family abandoned me because of my faith and I got put into foster care, my teachers couldn't even look at me. Who knew how much distance a scarf could put between us huh.

But despite all this I've met some amazing people, I've seen the kindest souls in this world, and I can honestly tell you that the best thing I've done in life is return to Islam

How I Did It:

Before reverting to Islam, I had little information about Islam, I didn't understand it, I didn't know any Muslims, I was completely out of touch with it. And so how is it that in the course of 2 weeks I had my mindset completely transformed from someone who had no interest in Islam, to someone who was convinced that she was to become a Muslim. It is none other that the will of Allah swt and I am very blessed for having partaken in this beautiful transformation.

I was doing a newspaper piece on the Syrian Crisis for my Social Sciences class, and I happened upon the fact that Bashar Al-Assad was a Muslim. I was intrigued. What was a Muslim? I took out some books and just researched on Islam and I felt the gap that religion had left inside me close. I was in love with Allah swt, I was in love with Islam. To be a Muslim, I needed to say my shahadah but I was in a school in which I knew no Muslims.

But then the librarian noticed I was reading a lot about Islam and she referred me to Omar. Omar was the school technician, 24 years old and came from Syria.

I approached him and told him exactly what had captured my mind for so long and he just froze. His whole face lit up and he immediately went from a distant uninterested man to one who very much wanted to help me. He told me a bit about Islam, and invited me to meet his father and could not stop asking what had made me turn to Islam.

Once I took my shahadah on November 2nd, 2013, with Omar's father, my life gained new meaning, but also a lot of social problems.

My closest friends slowly left me and began to tease me about it. How ridiculous it was for a Samoan tomboy to become a "ninja" (reference to the niqab). Another Muslim teacher was very keen to help me with my transition, it was just so inviting.

I hid it from my family until I could finally come out with it and walk around with my hijab and pray and make wudu openly. But when my family found out they were disgusted. They took me to the pastor's wife's house to "remove the devil" from me. They threw away all my scarves and abayas and prayer mats and books which just broke my heart until finally, they signed me over to foster care.

It was hard leaving family, feeling unwanted. But Allah swt wanted me. Muslimas wanted me. I enrolled myself into Zayed College which is the only Islamic college for girls and from then on my faith and character was being enhanced as I was exposed to such lovely girls and their beautiful families

Advice:

I think, becoming a Muslim is a HUGE change.

Your diets, your sleeping, your attire, your friends; everything is affected by this. My advice would be to take things at your own pace, don't rush into anything

The important thing is your salaat. Pray first, and see how you feel about taking these steps to Islam, the most important thing is your prayer so prioritise it.

go to a mosque and they'll be sure to help new Muslims.

Also be wary of what is posted online; always double-check

Read, listen to lectures by sheikhs, read the Quran. Dont follow anyone else's perception of Islam follow what YOU understand

Reaction From Non-Muslim Friends and Family Members

I was rejected.But as I moved, I found that I exposed others to Islam

Changes I Had to Make in My Life

Eating halal, waking up for Fajr, wearing hijab, lowering my gaze, salaat

Holidays

I havent had Ramadan yet, this year will be my first...WISH ME LUCK!

Finding a Mosque or Muslim Community