SR AMINAH RIDDLE

Victoria

Alhamdullilah I have come to Islam through the guidance of Allah (swt) the Most Merciful. Without His guidance I would still be wandering around in the darkness of ignorance. My journey to Islam has many incidents which, looking back I see as steps along the way.

My teenage years were times of longing for more, asking questions that resulted in incomplete answers and having a spiritual need that was never met. I feel that 1 am extremely fortunate to have become Muslim - All praise is due to God - and would like to try to share some aspects of my journey to Islam.

I have always been a person with faith. Often it was tested. Often it was misplaced but, it was a tangible love that gave me a lot of security, hope and direction. I was typical of my generation, questioning a lot of the material security that our parents had lovingly provided; looking for more to life than living, enjoying life and dying.

I looked toward Eastern religions at an early age and continued my searching of various religions though never really finding spiritual fulfilment. Mainstream Christianity, into which I was born, provided some comfort, but not many intellectual answers. My elder sister became a 'born again' Christian. Questions were often met with the answer. "have faith in Jesus" and "everything will be alright if you pray through Jesus". God was rarely mentioned.

In the early 1980s against the backdrop of Reagan's presidency, Thatchers rule, the Communist and nuclear threat, turmoil and oppression in South America, the success of the Sandanista's in Nicaragua, Aboriginal land rights granted in Nukamba, my sister and I met some Iranians living in Sydney and running an alternative cafe called 'Freedom Square Cafe'. Meetings were held there by South African groups against apartheid and Aboriginal activists. The atmosphere was buzzing with revolutionary ideas and the fight against oppression. The cafe supplied the food for the first 'Rock against Racism' concert.

It was in this atmosphere that my younger sister and I were introduced to Islam. We learnt a lot about Islamic history and the revolutionary aspect of Islam. I saw photos of the Iranian Islamic revolution and was amazed by the multitude of people in the streets ready to die for their belief. The belief and determination of millions of people was able to topple a despotic military-backed government (the largest military presence in the Middle-East at the time, an American puppet-government). A merciless dictator with a feared and brutal secret service was defeated by their love of God, freedom and justice. I was impressed because, as a Christian I had heard about the church leaders talking about subservience to dictators in South America and South Africa. Christian leaders often told the masses to be patient; "the meek shall inherit the Earth", "turn the other cheek". In sharp contrast Islamic leaders were saying "the leader you have is the leader you deserve".

Later, as I studied this very 'new religion', Islam, I realized that my history teachers at school had conveniently missed Islam. Pre-Islarnic nations were studied in detail, then British and American history. I was astonished at the knowledge of these Muslims as they talked about Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus. (May Allah be pleased with them). I remember ignorantly thinking "they know the bible stories better than me and these are my Prophets that belong to my religion, Christianity". Now I know that I was very wrong. These are the Prophets shared by Judaism, Christianity and Islam and were all appointed by the One True All Mighty God who is Allah (swt). I slowly began to realize that these three successive religions were continuations of one another.

There were many things that I felt were right about Islam and also many things that I argued about. All my questions were patiently answered and I was given books to read. Often I felt I was being de-brainwashed from a culture that had gone against the teachings of Jesus Christ and Islam, i.e. Western culture. Things that I considered 'normal' were really a result of desensitising people to the extent that Christian values and morals were seen as old fashioned, out of date and not relevant to the modern society of the individualist. The heavy punishments took me a while to understand.

Slowly I learned more. I adopted the hijab (scarf) quickly as I agreed with the reasons for wearing hijab and could understand the benefits. I saw it as a protection of the modesty of women and society as a whole.

My conversion to Islam was the end of a long road of searching but also the beginning of an even longer road of perfecting oneself. This path is well lit with guiding laws from our Merciful Lord and obligations to fulfil. We must rely only on God All Mighty to guide us on this way.

Since becoming Muslim I have completed my Bachelor of Education. Islam encourages us to seek knowledge 'from the cradle to the grave'.

Islam - meaning 'submission' and 'peace' is just the beginning of the way. A way to perfect oneself by subduing one's desires and submitting fully to the Way of God to find eternal peace.

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