And after some pages..later..
The angels..
The angels asked Allah..
0, Allah..
Are You going to creat creatures
who will cause corruption on earth
Allah answers:
“Indeed, I know that which you do not know.”
It was a surprise for me that..
Qur’an talks about these things..
When I prostrated and put my forehead on floor..
for the first time..
I felt that all my problems are moved behind me..
‘Guided through the Qur’an’
‘Living it is the sweetness of life’
‘Longing to the Lord, coming to Him’
‘To Him I submit my soul’
‘It showed me the most beautiful and precious path’
‘And it’s the intercessor, it is the companion’
‘O, heedless, won’t you wake up’
‘And see the way for happiness and salvation’
‘It showed me the most beautiful and precious path’
‘And it’s the intercessor, it is the companion’
‘O, heedless, won’t you wake up’
‘And see the way for happiness and salvation’
My name is Shaker..
I am French
I am 25 years old..
I am Muslim for 4 years now
I became Muslim at Egypt when I was 21 years old..
From Paris, I have a 2 years Master degree..
on the Politics of Cities, the Faculty of Political Science
And now I am preparing a Master about..
Science Civilizations in Istanbul
The French, Shaker..
An academic researcher..
He was an atheist..
He knew that those who are consistent on Salat..and do as it commands..
They never have worries
He became Muslim..
4 years ago
He is still doing his researches
with new perspectives..
I want to know about Shaker..
Before he is Muslim..
How was your life?
Difficult… Hard
becaue, before Islam.. I was without signs to guid me..
no disciplines..
I was stray, I followed my desires, I was everywhere
If I wanted anything..I get it
But, I don’t feel satisfied..I want more..
So, I used to go right and left..with no end..
This is not what we want..
We don’t know where to go..?
We don’t know who we are..?
Or , why we are here?
We live lives without discipline..and this is very difficult
It is hard not to be stable..internally
Shaker was..
suffering from spiritual emptiness on his life..
And, as many others.. he didn’t knew Islam truly
So, Shaker began to search for something to satisfy his need…
and make his soul contented
Brother Skakir..
You were atheist..
And, you didn’t believe that there is a God on this universe!
When did you find Allah, Almigty?
I grow up in a multicultural environment..
There were Muslims at school..
At intermediate and high school
So, I had a brotherhood relations
with many Muslim friends..
And at high school, and before university..
I went to Morocco for 3 weeks..
A moroccan friend..a Muslim..Invited me
to visit his family.. for all that time..
And there, they welcomed me ..
as if I was one member of the family
As if they knew me for 10 years or 20 years..
Though, it was the first time that I met with them!
I think I wondered more after I went to university..
Because,I left my family.. so, I was alone
And I met many others..
That was a positive thing for me..
Because I wasn’t traumatized from being lonely
at the dormitory ..I met many others..
I was able to read other books about Islam
So, At my first year at the university..
I began to read about Islam..
Shaker, What was you opinion about Isalm..
Before you become Muslim?
It is hard for me to remember..
Difficult!
But, befor I become Muslim..
I think I had a good image about Islam ..
The tolerance of Islam..
Because I went to Egypt, I was interested about Islam
So, I was interested..
and..
Later, so many things happened..I didn’t understand them..
so many things.. I didn’t understand them..
The need to pray five times per day..
for example,
the relation with women..it changes too
In a positive way..more respect..chastity too..
Things I couldn’t understand from before!
But, I didn’t have a bad image about Islam
Before I become Muslim..
After graduation of Shaker from the university..
His friend, Ibrahim who became Muslim recently ..
he invited him toEgypt..
Where Ibrahim was studying Arabic.
I was asking so many questions..
How can I do this step?
I began to show interest about Islam..more than before..
and to read Qur’an.. and Hadith..with my friend
and with other friends whom I met at Cairo
Then, a bit by bit, I had that assurance after I read Qur’an
And after I asked questions and I got answers for them..
I said I want to try Islam..try to pray Salat..
And to live like a Muslim, before I say Shahada
Shaker is my friend..
for a long time..
we met at the beginning of 1st year..after high school
In fact, he is my neighbour..he lives on the second floor
Shaker helped me so frequently..
Especially after I became Muslim..
We became Muslims on about the same time
He is my companion..we have learned Islam together..
At that time , when you were searching about Islam
At that important time of your life, brother Shaker..
When did you start reading Qur’an..
Tell me about that story..
Al-Qur’an..
I came closer to it at the last moments..
Almost, few days before saying Shahada..
At that time I came closer to Qur’an..Subhan Allah
Because, in the past, I have read many..
preliminary books about Islam..
But, not the Qur’an directly..
And because my friend became Muslim..
The Qur’an was on the table.. at the apartment
In French and Arabic..
So, I started a mission..
.I read the first page.. surat Al-Fatiha..
The second page .. surat Al-Baqarah
Allah wants us at the beginning of Surat Al-Baqarah to Do Salat..
Then.. to give Zakat..
So, I asked my freind..
Why?
I said He is Allah..He has everything..
He doesn’t need a thing..
He is sufficient by himself..
Why does He ask us to do Salat..
Before we give Zakat..?
Why does He ask us to pray for Him..
And surrende for Him..r
befor we give money to poor people?
He said:
Suppose you were on an Airplane..
And an accident is going to happen..
Would you give the oxygen mask to your son first or..
would you use it yourself first..?
You use the oxygen first then you give it to your son!!
Be good from inside..
Provide for yourself.. and be able to give the needy..
Before you give them anything..
The meaning given to us from Shaker was very beautiful
Sure, we need to do Salat..
We need Eman..
We need Allah SWT to strengthen us to be able..
to worship Allah SWT on earth
That has confirmed the feeling which I had before Islam
Later It became more powerful..
the stronger the Eman, the stronger the Love for Qur’an
In spite of that we do not understand Arabic..
But it Eases on us even if we do not understand..
It is like a medicin..
and this is one of the miricals of Qur’an
‘The first time my eyes saw it..’
‘I was reciting it..’
‘ It touched me..’
‘As if it’s lines were of dawn ..or of a fragrance..’
‘ And life was there..between the pages..’
Shaker kept wondering and asking while he was reading Qur’an..
He said: why did Allah, SWT create man..
and he is corrupting.. on earth..?
Humans do wars and problems..
Allah SWT answered him!
And after some pages..later..
The angels..
The angels asked Allah..
0, Allah..
Are You going to creat creatures
who will cause corruption on earth
Allah answers:
“Indeed, I know that which you do not know.”
It was a surprise for me that..
Qur’an talks about these things.
‘With the Book of Allah, I was guided to light’
‘I had a past which I regret..I left it behind me’
‘I prostrated in front the door of Allah..with humbleness.’
‘Hoping that He would forgive the big sin’
‘Guided through the Qur’an’
‘Living it is the sweetness of life’
‘Guided through the Qur’an’
‘Living it is the sweetness of life’
‘Longing to the Lord, coming to Him’
‘My Qur’an..I step up with it.. I find with it my comfort’
‘It woke me up’
‘ from my inattention… from my mistakes..and guide me’
‘Dunya frequently was tight and it is wide’
‘So, I recited it.. like a door, It opened the best Jannas for me’
What impressed me very much..
during researching about Islam..
Is the concept behind the name of Allah; Al-Hayy
The vivid,
It indicates a description..which has changed my life
So, after everything and every creation.. moon or sun
or the universe or even the small insects..
There is life and death..
To have life and death..there should be something alive to give life..to start life and to maintain it
Because we see new creations all the time.. continually
Allah continuously creates..
I understood that concept
while I was researching about Islam..
That was a very important indicator in my life
The moment of saying Shahada..approached..
Because all the questions that Shaker had in mind..were answered by Qur’an !
But he was afraid of the consequences of this decision..
One day..
He took a strange dicision..
I gave myself an opportunity for a day..
I remember it was Friday..Subhan Allah
I said: During this day..
I will stop everything..
all discussions..all my researches about Islam..etc
And try to think about the opposite..
And try to convince myself not to accept Islam
It was a horrible day..
It wasn’t a good day..
I was drowned in my previous doubts..
Which was surrounding me long time ago
before I go to Egypt!
That was another sign for me..
The disturbance which I had inside me..
was a sign that I am not going to lose a thing..
And If I joind Islam..
I am going to win everything..
Praise to Allah..next day..
I prayed one Salat with my Brother.
It was magnificent
It wasn’t a direct process.. that I entered Islam..
not clear.. distinct
It means that it wasn’t according to
A process of cause and effect..
So, I didn’t enter Islam because I read a book about it
and discussed Islam with Muslims..
And lived with them..
But, I was the will of Allah .. and it happened
We as new Muslims..
can not explain exactly why we entered Islam?
We can explain and write the story from beginning to end..
But we don’t always ask the question..Why..Why me?
Why did I become Muslim?
Why do I believe?
Praise to Allah…This is the only thing we can say!!
‘I lived with the habit of doing mistakes routinely’
‘But I never found happiness in Dunya’
‘Till finally I discovered the worship’
‘How relieved I became when I am on the right path’
Brother Shaker, I have an important Question for you..
I want to know..
About the first Sujud you did for Allah SWT.
What was your feeling?
Masha’Allah, you did sujud before being Muslim?
Yes!
How??
I wanted to live that experience..
Before I take the decision of saying Shahada
Because, after saying Shahada.. You can’t go back
I wanted to tast Islam..
As I remember.. Ibrahim was praying..
I followed him..I asked him from before to pray together
When I prostrated and put my forehead on the floor..
For the first time,
I felt all my problems moved behind me
Why didn’t I do this.? Why did I do this?
Why did I choose this?
All these problems.. I was carrying them on my back..
They have evaporated and gone with the Sujud!!
They are only our destiny [Qadar].. It had happened
And Qadar is to happen.
So, we take lessons from what had happened.
And not to regret the past..
After Islam.. in my first sujud I thanked Allah..
The gratitude I wanted to convey ot Allah
Sometimes we hear or read..
according to some Philosophers and thinkers
That happiness doesn’t exist!
Or that it is rare moments.. This is not true..
Happiness is a fact and we found happiness in Islam..
‘My Qur’an..It’s verses has made my heart happy’
‘My Qur’an’
‘My sorrow, vanished and the flowers spread their scent on my coasts’
“The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers.”
“All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers,”
“[saying], “We make no distinction between any of His messengers.””
How did you learn to recite Qur’an?
I didn’t know that you can recite that much beautiful!
Ma’sh’Allah, Praise to the merciful..I am surprised!
When I heard the recitation of our brother Shaker!
How did you learn?
I started at France..
Have lessons..
And at turkey..I studied the pronunciation and Tajweed of Qur’an
And at Turkey, at the institute..I was reading Qur’an
Privately with sheikh..every evening between Maghrib and Isha
Praise to Allah.. may Allah bless him..
He helped me a lot..
I am grateful to him, I will never forget him, by the will of Allah
Do you wish..that someday.. you become Hafiz
By the will of Allah..
Shaker is very committed
I think that Islam gave him so many good things
And I learned so many things from him as regards the respect of religon
The true value of it…
Shaker visited..
Egypt and Turkey
This had a great impact on his Eman
So, we asked him to help the new Muslims..
On their journey
What I want to say is that..
you know Arabic, you have a treasure between your hands
You go to the mosque..you understand what the Imam is saying..
And when you read Qur’an..you understand the meanings of the verses.. the deep meanings
This is a great treasure, you must not hate it but you must benefit from it 100%..every minute
Because we, new Muslims, live Islam and try to live with it deeply but we don’t have the language..this is a barrier for us
In spite of that, we live this tranquility
what if we knew Arabic!!
So, take the chance and go to the Masjids..
And read Qur’an as much as you can..by the will of Allah.
It is sad..we have this treasure..and if we can’t see it..we will never see it
There were men..they saw the prophet SAW..
And they didn’t realise that he is the prophet Muhammad SAW..They didn’t value him!
This can happen to all of us..
we may be careless about the value of Qur’an..
It is the will of Allah..he forgives us all and make us attached to his Book, by the will of Allah
‘I was far from it.. But when I came close..’
‘I was guided by it.. right away..’
‘You had known it.. for a long time.. from childhood..’
‘Why some people have dead hearts?’
‘My criticism, ummah of Qur’an.. is full of love’
‘because it is a sin to desert Qur’an’
‘Tomorrow, the prophet will blame us.. is that acceptable?’
‘Tomorrow, what are we going to say? what’s our excuse?’
‘My criticism, ummah of Qur’an.. is full of love’
‘because it is a sin to desert Qur’an’
‘Tomorrow, the prophet will blame us.. is that acceptable?’
‘Tomorrow, what are we going to say? what’s our excuse?’