Female.
2. Age
Thirty-seven.
3. Education
BA in English.
4. How long have you been a convert?
Three years.
5. What is your ethnicity?
White British.
6. What is your marital status?
Married..
7. If you are married, is your partner a convert too?
No, he’s an Asian Muslim.
8. Do you have any kids?
No.
9. Where in Britain do you reside?
London – Acton.
10. How did you learn about Islam?
From TV, the Internet,social and my husband before I married him.
11. Were you satisfied with the Islamic education you received?
Yes. At first I wasn’t convinced Islam was the right religion for me. I had tried other
religions such as Christianity; my family members are Christians but not practicing.
They never read the bible or care much about religion. I tried the Hindu religion and
didn’t like it and I ended up feeling more comfortable with the teachings of Islam as I
felt they made more sense to me. My husband at the time was very supportive and
helped me to learn more about Islam and answered my questions. If he couldn’t answer
my questions due to lack of knowledge on his part he would go with me to a Muslim
scholar to get the answers to my questions. He inspired me to convert.
12. Where did you convert?
In my local mosque.
13. When was your decisive moment to embrace Islam?
When I saw the Eid prayer in the great central mosque. I was overwhelmed at the
number of people all coming together to pray and it really moved me. I loved the social
connection that Muslims had and I wanted to be a part of it.
14. What expectations did you have of being a Muslim before you converted?
I knew it was going to be difficult to give up a few things when being a Muslim. For
example, I had to be careful with what I eat and drink, the places I go to, the types of
people I mix with etc. but after reading about Islam and researching about it I found that
it would give me stability and a meaning to life.
15. What expectations did you have of the Muslim community before you
converted?
One of the reasons I converted was to be a part of the Muslim community in London,
which is full of Arabs and Asians mainly. I loved their brotherhood and sisterhood and
how they come together at special events. I imagined that they would be very
welcoming to have new Muslims in their community, as I was given a lot of assistance
before I converted by them in the mosque. I didn’t find this amongst people from other
religions.
16. Has being a Muslim had any significant negative impacts in your life?
Yes. I did lose a few members of my family. They are all non-Muslims. My father
refuses to speak to me until now and my brother too; however my relationship with my
mother is still ok and if I wish to speak to her she has to do so without my father or
brother being around. It has caused a lot of stress in both our lives. I have two children
and they are unable to see their grandparents because of it.
17. Has being a Muslim had any significant positive impacts in your life?
Yes. I have become a different person, a better person. I am calmer, I used to have a
terrible temper, no direction in life, no spirituality and I feel with Islam I have become a
more settled person and it’s reformed my character to the better. I also met my Muslim
husband throughout the whole process and he’s a very kind and supportive man.
18. Have you ever considered leaving Islam? If yes, why?
When I was first learning about Islam I had some doubts as my family was totally
against it, however once I converted I didn’t consider leaving.
19. Do you know any converts who have left Islam? If yes, why?
No.
20. Do you receive support from your local Muslim community? If so, how?
I didn’t find the support that I had hoped to find in my local community when I joined
in terms of offering emotional support, advice, Islamic education etc. I found that the
Arabs in my community are friendlier and more open to new Muslim converts than the
Asians are and the Asians tend to stick together and have their own mosques in their
own languages, whereas the Arab ones translate everything in English too so in that
sense it has been really helpful. In times of difficulties we don’t know who to turn to as
our difficulties are different from theirs, as we have to deal with non-Muslim family
members, abuse and other issues and we find that sometimes they don’t really
understand what we go through.
21. Have you faced any negativity from your local Muslim community? If so, what?
Nothing significant no. I only tend to get treated as an outcast in the mosque sometimes
as everyone is speaking in their own languages and I am unable to participate socially
with them.
22. Have you faced any discrimination at work for being Muslim?
No.
23. What hardships had you faced when becoming a Muslim?
The hardships I faced were mainly due to my father. He doesn’t approve at all of my
conversion and told me if I decide to go ahead with it then our relationship will be over.
I was torn between Islam and my family. I suffered much verbal abuse from my own
brother when he’d catch me wearing the hijab and praying and I ended up leaving home
and stayed with a friend until I moved to a council hostel. It was a horrible place to be
in, in a grotty place in East London, living amongst drug addicts, prostitutes and people
with mental illnesses but I had nowhere else to go.
24. Were you able to overcome any of those hardships? If not what are you doing to
try and overcome them?
The council hostel was near my local mosque and I used to go there everyday and find
peace in what I believe in. My mother felt sorry for me and she would talk to me when
she was out of the house and I found comfort in her telling me dad would come round to
it one day and that she still loves me no matter what etc. Eventually I met my husband
one day in the mosque, he is Pakistani and we got married and I now live with him and
my in laws in one house and they are nice people Alhamdulillah (praise be to God). This
has helped me overcome most of my family problems, as he and my in laws are very
understanding of the situation.
25. Has Islam fulfilled all your expectations in a religion and way of life?
Yes it has. I’m very happy I converted. I just wish more could be done in Muslim
communities to help people like me.
26. Who is the most inspirational British Muslim convert to you?
Hamza Yusuf and Yusuf Estes.
27. Who is the least inspirational British Muslim convert to you?
Radical converts that you find in Hyde Park (Speakers’ Corner).
28. Do you feel you have contributed positively to British society since converting?
If so, how?
I abide by British laws and respect them; I don’t hurt anyone;I respect everyone’s faith
and way of life, and do not in any way believe in any extremist practices that you find
on the news. I have non-Muslim friends still and even though I wear the hijab I have
never had any problems with them or any colleagues at work.
29. Do you feel you have contributed positively to the Muslim community since
converting? If so, how?
I volunteer my help at the local bazaars and events. I like to get involved in them as
through them I get to know other converts and Muslims.
30. Does your local mosque offer support services for new Muslims? If so, please
state what they are and if they have been beneficial to you.
Not much, just a few lectures every now and again that are usually advertised in the
mosque, at prayer times or on Facebook.
31. Can you speak and read Arabic? If not, are you currently learning to?
No, unfortunately there aren’t classes for people like me in my area. I’d love to learn
Arabic but people haven’t really taken the initiative to set them up for new Muslims.
32. Before you converted, did you find support for non-Muslims who are interested
in Islam in your local mosque?
No.
33. What has been the largest sacrifice you have made since becoming a Muslim?
Being separated from my family.
34. What could be done to support Muslim converts in your opinion?
More social events for new Muslims, Arabic and Islamic educational classes and
support networks.
35. Do you feel it is important for one to be open about his/her de-conversion if
someone was to leave Islam?
Yes, because if you don’t then you will be living a lie, which in itself is worse. People
shouldn’t be afraid to come out if they have decided to de-convert. I believe it is a
matter between them and God. Not everyone is able to cope with the challenges and it’s
not for people to judge.
36. Do you have any advice for non-Muslims who are interested in converting to
Islam?
My advice would be to think carefully about how it will affect the relationships in their
lives and how they are going to solve them. Being a Muslim is a great experience if they
can find the social support for it and without it they will be miserable. They need to
research Islam properly beforehand and perhaps make friends within the Muslim
communities so that they have people they can turn to in times of hardships.