Abdul Haq's Journey to Islam
Abdul Haq
Sweden
Previous Religion: Christianity
My Life Before Islam
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A Typical Swedish Upbringing: Abdul Haq lived the life of an average Swedish teenager, spending time with friends and seeking entertainment. He grew up in a nominally Christian family, though his parents were not practicing, yet he occasionally attended church.
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Innate Monotheism: From a young age, he had a firm belief in the existence of only one God. He could never accept the concept of the Trinity or that Jesus (peace be upon him) was the son of God. This led him to explore other religions like Buddhism, but he found no satisfying answers.
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Muslim Friends: He was surrounded by many Muslim friends at school, but surprisingly, none of them ever spoke to him about Islam or invited him to it. This prompted him to begin his own search for the truth online.
The Moment of Guidance
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The Impact of Surah Yasin: During his online research, he came across a recitation of the Quran (Surah Yasin by Sheikh Maher Al-Muaiqly). Although he did not understand Arabic, the sound of the Quran penetrated his soul, giving him goosebumps and a sense of peace and happiness he had never experienced before.
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Taking Shahada Alone: Once his heart opened to Islam, he decided to embrace it immediately. Since his Muslim friends were away at the time, he searched on YouTube for "how to become a Muslim" and recited the Shahada (testimony of faith) alone in front of his computer screen, pledging himself to God.
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The First Prostration: Abdul Haq describes his first Sajdah (prostration) in prayer as a moment of immense joy and gratitude to God for guiding him and ending his long search. At that moment, he felt he had finally come home.
Reflections
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Dawah on the Streets of Stockholm: After converting, Abdul Haq did not keep the guidance to himself. He joined dawah projects in Sweden, including standing in public squares to distribute translated copies of the Quran and engaging in peaceful dialogues to introduce non-Muslims to the reality of the faith.
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Respect for Parents: Although his parents were initially surprised by his conversion (his father told him to wait until he was older, and his mother thought it was just a phase), his relationship with them improved significantly. He is dedicated to being kind and dutiful to them, following the Quranic commands.
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A Message to Muslim Youth: Abdul Haq delivers a powerful message to those born into Islam, urging them not to take the blessing of faith for granted. He encourages them to appreciate this great treasure, practice it faithfully, and take pride in their Muslim identity.
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The Difference Between Books: He perceives a vast difference between reading the Bible and the Quran. While he felt the Bible was like reading any ordinary book, he experiences a powerful Divine presence in the Quran that speaks directly to the soul and heart.