Tuesday, March 29, 2011

My Un-Da'wah Story: Part 3

Bism Illah wa as salaamu alaykum.

Sometime in the early part of 2007, my father told me that he had been reading one of the books I left there and he had a great feeling of peace. He was living alone and had a lot of time on his hands, so it seems that it was a time for him to reflect. I asked what book it was, and he told me, "Lasting Prayers." I used to keep a Quran, an easy hadith book, and a few other books that were easy reading there so I would have something to read and refer to whenever I visited. I always thought that if they were interested, they might pick one up to read, but forgot about them for the most part.

For the next couple of phone calls, my father kept talking about the Lasting Prayers book, which is very beautifully made and has chapters that tell the prayers of each of the prophets (alayhum as salaam). He could see what Ibrahim (as) prayed with the direct quote from the Quran and explanation, as well as many other prophets (as). He mentioned that he was planning to visit the Islamic Foundation to see if they had some other book that he could read next. We took the initiative and put together a package of a couple of books by the same authors that I thought he would like, one an explanation of Surah Al Fatiha and the other on Surah Ikhlaas. I think we included another simple basic Islam book too and sent him a copy of the Lives of the Prophets series, which we knew he had enjoyed hearing parts of during his visit. We sent them all off and I called after a week or so to see if he had received them. When I called to check he told me that he had just been to the Islamic Foundation and they gave him a big pile of material to read the day before he received our package. He didn't know where to start! I told him to simply have a look and see what interested him and just go from there.

He returned to the Islamic Center again, to pick up a different translation of the Quran and have a little tour. He said that they told him he needed to learn to pray and gave him some paper to complete in the event he chose to embrace Islam. Finally, my husband had a chat with him and asked him what he believed. He stated that he was pleased with what he was learning and with Islam. I was about to faint!

Well, as we were off on Thanksgiving day, we gave my father a call to see how he was. He told me he'd just gotten back from the Islamic Foundation and did the ceremony. I asked what he was talking about, and after a bit of real confusion on my part I realised that he had said his shahadah! He said there was a group that gathered in the prayer hall and they all hugged him and he received all manner of welcome gifts and support. Al hamdu l'Illah! My father had embraced Islam, just a month before he turned 69 years old wa subhaan Allah wa bi hamdihi! The person I thought would be too resistant to change to ever accept Islam, even if he thought it was right, had changed. Allah (subhaana wa taala) had shown me the reality of, "Kun fa ya kun!" (Be and it is!)

Well, I'm crying now. It's been over three years since Daddy reverted and I'm still overwhelmed by it. We went to visit him over the summer and it was the first time to see him since he'd accepted Islam. To see my 72-year-old father pray was indescribable. Allah, yet again, has shown me His All-Encompassing Power. Anything is possible when Allah Wills it. We can never know His Plan or who He will gift with the faith of Islam next.

15 comments:

  1. MashAllah that truely touching story. May Allah continue to keep your father this way. Ameen.

    But sister, if I may. Why is your father, who is so elderly living by himself? Its unacceptable. Maybe he wants to? But even then. You should then make it your duty to either live with him, or live next to him.

    Maybe its your culture and his, but I can ever imagine my parents living alone...let alone an elderly one.

    Its not good enough to talk to him on the phone. I think, you should move him with you if you are his only muslim child. He should NOT be alone. He deserves much more than phone calls. Its very sad. I don't mean to attack you, but i can not understand.

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  2. As salaamu alaykum Hamda.

    Although in Western culture it is perfectly normal for families to live apart, as a Muslim I do not consider it acceptable at all. We have raised the subject of him coming to live with us several times. I am married to an American, so we can't live next door to him when he's in England. He would have to come to us. We were ready, but he was not.

    Now we are in Madinah and we have planned for him to join us here as well. However, he has commitments in England and needs to settle them first. After that, hopefully by the summer, we will discuss it all again and see if he will come. He is active and has friends where he is. He plays golf regularly, enjoys gardening, cooks his own meals and even bakes cakes, mashaa'Allah.

    Although I made it clear to him over 20 years ago that in Islam we take care of our parents, he hasn't felt the need for such care yet. I believe he is realizing that it would be easier and more comfortable to live with us, but he will be giving up his life, his friends, and some of his independence. We are waiting for him, not vice versa.

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  3. Maashallah,what a beautiful story.May Allah bless you and your husband n may Allah bless your father and grant him ease in his old age,aameen.

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  4. Alhamdulillah...ur life reminds so much of
    the lives of Sahabah..how much joy is felt when
    Allah destines hidayah for a close family member Alhamdulilah!!!...May Allah increase u in ur iman and grant hidayah for all ur family members and grant u a lofty place in Jannah ....Aameen lots of love,slm

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  5. Mai- Allahu Akbar!! That was a teary eyed post. It touched me in so so many ways.
    I understand where you are coming from with your parents. Older Americans sometimes to like their alone time. They form social circles and they really are not ready to give that up. My husband once asked this old lady in Wal-Mart why are you working here at this age. She said I dont want to sit at home all day. I just do this for passing time. I am sure she has her own little social circle too.

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  6. MashaAllah sister!!!! :) InshaAllah I will 'faint' one day too when Allah azza wa jal guides my mother as well! Amin, amin!

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  7. MashaAllah. What a wonderfull story. I pray Allah will guide my family too.

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  8. Assalaam Alaikum Mai,

    MashaAllah, that was such a beautiful story! While reading it, I had a feeling that the conclusion would be one of your parents converting to Islam and was so pleased to read that's the case. Although my family and I have been Muslim all our lives, we're always learning, struggling, and becoming better and stronger in our deen each and every day, mA.

    May Allah continue to bless your parents and keep them in the best of health, Ameen!

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  9. Wa alaykum as salaam wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh to all my dear sisters.

    Barak Allahu feekunna, ameen to your dua' and may you all find success with un-da'wah. It's not about what you say, it's about what they see.

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  10. MashaAllah that was beautiful and Alhumdulillah your father reverted :D

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  11. as salamu alaikum
    mashallah..i wish my father n mother will convert to islam too some day.
    inshallah my mother is coming to visit us in egypt after 1 month. And i wish she see islam in the right way while she is here and maybe even konvert in that time :)

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  12. Allhuma barik feekum ameen ameen ameen.
    Teary and v.Beautiful mashAllah.

    Umm Abdullah

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  13. Wa alaykum salam wa rahmatuAllah,

    Ah sister you have fully understood that Allah guides who He wills to Islam, not who we like to be guided. MashaAllah tabarakAllah. You do have sabr, again mashaAllah tabarakAllah. That your father is 68 and embracing Islam, I feel, 'Better late than never!' Alhamdulillah wa Allahu Akbar!

    I don't get to your blog as often as I like but once I'm here I always learn something new and at the same time I find some extra peace and happiness from reading what you've posted.

    I would love to give you a big hug and I truly hope that one day when I come to Madinah again I can visit you - bi'ithnillah.

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  14. SubhanAllah! This is beautiful, mashaAllah.

    May Allah bless you and your family abundantly, inshaAllah and keep us all steadfast upon the deen.

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  15. Asalaamu Alaikum

    Allahu Akbar. This brought tears to my eyes. My father is 69, how I wish he would convert as well as my mother. Alhumdullilah they were open to you giving them books etc. My parents are not.

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