Studying Islam

Post Reply

Username

Invalid Username or Password

Password

Format

Message Icon

Message

- Forum Code is ON
- HTML is OFF

Smilies

[quote]Dear Brothers and Sisters:
Alhamdulillah! Thank you for your prayers and support.
It is interesting what brought me into Islam. This is in brief my story:
I have been a catholic priest for five years. A sincere believer, honest, and also very curious. 
After a couple of years in the ministry, I started to have doubts and crisis began quickly in my heart. Things such as ignorance, the seek of powerful positions, the "fight" for ambitious positions and profitable parishes, and other problems soon arouse in my mind. I began to loose faith and hope. Little by little, I was only performing rites without sense, and asking questions or presenting my doubts with a common answer of "it is better not to ask those things....". 
I have to mention this: people was so wonderful, and many of them still in contact with me. And as much as I can tell, sincere believers.
The questions was... believing in what?
I was literally asking why Jesus preaching was so different from Paul's teachings, and contradictions from the Old testament with the new so evident... What if... everything is wrong?
With no answers and no support (my bishop punished me to stay in a poor parish for preaching doubtful ideas. Now I think it was a blessing...).
I got depress and almost sick. My family, specially my sister -who lives here in US- came to visit me in my country (Argentina) and forced me to make a desition (in a way of speaking). 
Shortly after her visit and long conversation with good friends, I resigned, and came to the United States leaving there the priesthood, and also my shaking faith. 
Now on I simply defined myself as agnostic, with no faith, no god, no nothing. I was sick and tired of religion, and so forth.
After three years in that condition, while taking classes at the University, I was walking down the Hall when I came across with a group of Muslim Students. I din't even know the Prophet's name (ashame of me...). To me, Islam was purely an arab religion without really importance for us today...
They kindly oferred to me a booklet to read. I have it here:
"The Purpose of Creation"by Dr. A.A.B. Philips.
I literally was astonished, and also very confused. All my "understanding"was falling down...
and new concepts, a new message was coming....
After reading it, I went back and initiated a fluency of reading material, back and forth, and eventually, I sat with a couple of brothers, and started to talk about Islam and my life. 
Shortly after, I got the Holy Qurán for the very first time in my life. Reading its translation was powerful enough to make me cry feeling the message. I can tell, since that day, the Qur'an moves my heart every time I read it.
I can say that I was looking for the TRUTH as I never did before. I was hungry of a real GOD. And HE, Exalted be His Name, was there, calling my name.
The Journey took me about 8 months of sincere research, praying with simple words what to do, asking for guidance. Finally I say to myself... What am I waiting for?
I a local Masjid I said Shahadda. I am a very happy man now. 
Praise be only to Allah. He is the Only One, the Creator. 
This is my humble story, in brief, and Alla knows best.
Salam Alaikkum.
Your brother in Islam, Daniel.
(sorry for the extension of this mail...)[/quote]

Mode

Check here to be notified by email whenever someone replies to your topic

Show Preview