Let a Muslim be a Muslim.

My mom and her husband flew back to Canada today. My mom couldn't get over "all of the different types of hijabs". Alhamdulillah she left here trying to include the word "insha'Allah" in some of her sentences, I think her coming here showed her a small portion of what Islam is and what it isn't.

The wedding was yesterday, it was one of those lost in translation moments where everyone around me is talking and it is as though i am standing still as the words just fly by. Alhamdulillah there was an interpreter but I pray Allah (SWT) will make this language easy for me to learn.
After the wedding we went back to my husband's family's house. Numerous relatives many of which whom have never met a convert before. By the end of the night we ended up discussing my conversion.
The one woman who initiated the discussion did so with the intent of trying to disclose whether I had converted to Islam for the sake of my husband. Was I being forced to wear hijab? Of course this opened up the long ( and emotional) story of my conversion. Insha'Allah it was a witness to this woman and it will show her the power of Allah (SWT).

I was thinking about the entire conversation later in the evening, and was thinking about things I wished I had said in that situation that I didn't. Of course hindsight is 20/20. The thing is, Alhamdulillah Allah (SWT) showed me the beauty of His religion and has taught be many things through the Qur'an, books, hadith, friends etc. and it is that knowledge and truth which he has shown me that caused me to convert. But even if that wasn't the case, and I did convert for the sake of my husband, or so I could be married to him, than I would say Alhamdulillah Allah (SWT) used that method of showing me Islam. You see, Allah (SWT) works in incredible ways, and in ways that we as humans will never understand. He chooses who He will guide and who will go astray, and if He uses something as beautiful as love to guide someone to Islam, than Alahamdulillah, Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah.

It is my prayer that when we as Muslims look at one another, we don't see convert, or Arab, or skin colour or age... I pray that we would look at one another and say Alhamdulillah we are all Muslim, who believe in the same one God and prophets. Insha'Allah we will keep that in mind and encourage one another to pursue a strong faith full of devotion and knoweldge, and not try to negate the significance of a person's belief based on how they came to truth.

A couple of days ago, a good friend of my husband's who lives in Canada but was from Turkey, had to fly back urgently as his father passed away. (May Allah (SWT) have mercy on his soul, and be with the family as they grieve his loss). Talking about death is really difficult for me at this point as it makes me consider the fact that I am the only Muslim in my family... When I am in a place like Turkey where families are full of Islam, and truth, my heart aches for those who are close to me who do not know the truth. Not only my family, but the many people in the world who do not know about Islam. We need to be grateful for those who are Muslim, celebrate the truth that we know, praise Allah (SWT) for guiding us, pray to Him that He would keep us on the true path of Islam, and then support everyone is our trials.
Alhamdulillah there is Islam, lets always keep that in the forefront of our minds.