By Amina, Poland
from: http://muslimbychoice.wordpress.com/
My Muslim name is Amina and as it suggests, I ‘converted’ to Islam. Many people ask me how did it happen, that a person from Europe and especially a country like Poland with a strong historical background of church and Christianity, got interested with Qur’an.
I always reply that it’s due to my nature- curious, rebellious…I was never kind of blind believer as well. Or may be it was all determined by my name given to me at baptism- Eve…it’s well known that the first person with that name, couldn’t also just sit right back in paradise and enjoy the view =)Anyhow, to make it justice, let’s start from very beginning,I was born and raised in normal Roman-Catholic family in Poland.
At an early age I was enchanted with church and Bible. Almost daily mass, being in church’s choir, helping in ceremonies, attending religious lectures…I was really into practicing the faith I was born in; I even wanted to be a nun! Yet as time went by and I grow up, more questions and contradictions were rising in me, which I just couldn’t ignore. I tried to find answers, understand, but satisfying explanations weren’t coming.
Breakthrough came with high school time I guess. As 15 year old teen, I cut myself from church and started my research for truth and God…went through lot of religious reading, philosophies etc. Basically for a few years I lived with out any religion, yet with belief that there is a God, I want to find.
Then one day, a few months before my 18th birthday, something drew my attention. I was visiting my aunt for few days in different city. I was walking down the street, kinda lost as I took wrong bus and instead of big shopping Mall, I landed in completely unknown for me district. So, there I was, trying to get to a bus stop of opposite direction I came from, when all of sudden I heard something absolutely new for me. Now I know it was Adhan. I remember very well how it sounded and how it made me feel. It was truly God’s call, as I just couldn’t resist and came into building that it was coming from.
I had small talk with Imam there, borrowed few Islamic books and this is how it started. It took me almost year and a half from that day till one, I decided to accept Islam as my religion and till today when I’m 27, I’ve never regretted my choice. Of course that doesn’t mean that life since that time is going smooth or that now I don’t struggle with questions and doubts, of course not. I’m not living in a dream nor fairytale.
Like everyone I have my ups and downs, yet now, after becoming Muslim, many things make sense to me, and I’m more at peace. I’ve really evolved. It wasn’t an easy decision but at the same time it wasn’t difficult as well…I was never ladette (loud) though also not over serious. My family accepted my choice practically with out any problems…maybe it’s because Islam is not only a religion but a way of living and very similar life style we used to have…maybe it’s also due to fact that I’m moderate.
Either way, result is good…there is still much I have to learn and digest though, but most important is, that first step was already made…peaceAmina, 2008
