"When I first started to study Islam, I
did not expect to find anything that I needed or wanted in my personal
life. Little did I know that Islam would change my life. No human could
have ever convinced me that I would finally be at peace and overflowing
with love and joy because of Islam."
Throughout these times, she continued studying Islam and although she was
changing subtly from within, she remained a devout Christian. Then one day, there
was a knock on her door. It was a man in traditional Muslim robe, who appeared to
her as a “man in a long white night gown with a red and white checkered table cloth
on his head”. His name was Abdul-Aziz Al-Sheik and he was accompanied by three other
men in similar dress. She was very offended by Muslim men coming to her in nightgowns
and pajamas. She was further shocked when Abdul-Aziz told her that he understood
that she waited to be a Muslim. She replied that she was a Christian and she did
not have any plan to become a Muslim. However, she had some questions to ask if
they had the time.
At her invitation, they came inside. She now brought up the questions and
objections that she noted down while she was researching. “I will never forget
his name”, she said of Abdul-Aziz who proved to be a very patient and
soft-mannered person. “He was very patient and discussed every question with me. He
never made me feel silly or that a question was stupid.” Abdul-Aziz listened to
every question and objection and explained it within the proper context.
“He explained that Allah had told us to seek knowledge and
questions were one of the ways to accomplish that. When he explained something,
it was like watching a rose open – petal by petal, until it reached its full
glory. When I told him that I did not agree with something and why, he always
said I was correct up to a point. Then he would show me how to look deeper
and from different directions to reach a fuller understanding.”
It would not be long before she would externally submit to what she had already
been submitting to internally during the last one and half years. Later in
that same day, this Southern Baptist girl would declare in front of Abdul-Aziz
and his companions: “I bear witness that there is no god but God and Mohammed is
His Messenger.” It was May 21, 1977.
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