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"MY JOURNEY TO ISLAM" BY SISTER JANE PANDALANGAN FROM PHILIPPINES

(FILIPINO LANGUAGE)

Sister Jane Pandalangan, formerly Christian from Philippines, narrates her story about her conversion to Islam.

Bismillahi Rahmanir Raheem..

* Ipinanganak ako sa Salug Zamboanga del norte pero lumaki ako sa Dinagat Surigao del norte dahil ang mga magulang ko ay member ng PBMA group na ang founder ay si Ruben Ecleo Sr.Lumaki ako sa paniniwalang si Ruben Ecleo ang kinikilalang Master o Diyos dahil ang ispirito daw ni Hesus ay sumasanid sa kanya.Bata palang ako ay marami ng tanong ang sumasagi sa mura kong isipan na tao lang si Ruben Ecleo at di nya kayang gawin ang mga bagay tulad ng mga tanawin sa paligid at iba pang mga bagay na di kayang gawin ng normnal na tao.At kapag pumunta naman ako sa mga simbahan ng Katoliko at nakikita ko ang Rebulto ni Hesus na nakapako sa Krus nagtatanong din ang isip ko na hindi din kaya nyang gumawa ng mga bagay dahil rebolto naman yon at gawa lang ng tao.Habang lumalaki ako iyon lagi ang nasa isip ko at walang kasagutan ang lahat ng aking katanungan.Dahil ang mga bagay na nandito sa lupa ay merong tagapaglikha na iba sa lahat ang Panginoon.Kaso di ko alam kong sino nga ang Panginoon na yon.

Noong ako'y mag 15 taong gulang isang gabi nanaginip ako na namatay na ako.At wala akong makitang mga tao maliban sa mga damo ng kugon na kulay yellow green.Noong tumingin ako sa malayo may nakita akong mga taong makasuot na puting damit na naglalakad at sumunod ako sa kanila at nakikita ko at huminto ang bawat isa doon sa mesa sa likod ng pintuan at isa isang binigyan ng aklat.Noong ako na sabi nya sino ang susunod sabi ko ako at sinabi ko ang aking pangalan.Ang sabi nya sa akin ang aklat na ito ay listahan ng mabubuti at masamang nagawa mo noong nabubuhay kapa sa mundo at dito natin malalaman kong alin ang mas matimbang ay mabubuti o masama.Kinuha ko ang aking kulay blue na aklat na nakatalikod sa kanang kamay tsaka humarap at ibinalik doon sa nagbigay sa akin ang aking aklat.Noong binuksan niya ang aklat ng buhay ko walang nakasulat kahit isa blanko.Sabi noong mama sa akin ay walang nakasulat kaya binuksan niya ang sumunod na pahina ganun pa din walang nakasulat kaya bunuksan ulit ang pangatlong pahina wala pa ding nakasulat kaya ang sabi nya sa akin hindi mo pa oras kaya bumalik ka sa mundo.Bigla akong nagising at pinagpawisan ng tudo na akala mo ang layo ng aking nilalakbay at humihingal sa sobrang pagod.Kina umagahan sinabi ko sa Nanay ko at ang tungkol sa aking panaginip ang sabi lang nya na anak hahaba ang buhay mo.

* Lumilipas ang ilang taon nakalimutan kona ang panaginip kong yon. Noong dumating ako dito sa Abu Dhabi UAE noong 1992.Nang marinig ko ang unang Adhan iba ang dating sa akin kaya tinanong ko ang kaibigan ko kong ano yong maingay sa madaling araw.Sabi niya tawag yan ng mga Muslim upang maghanda at pupunta sila Mosque at doon magdasal ang mga kalalakihan.Kahit marami akong naging kaibigan na Muslim noon pero diko alam ang tungkol sa islam at kong paano sila magdasal.Noong makita ko sa Tv kong papaano sila magdasal iba ang naging feeling ko sabi ko ang galing nakapokos lang sila sa pagdadasal at hindi tumitingin sa katabi at konsentret lang silang nagdadasal.Mula noon dina ako mapakali at palagi akong nanonood tuwing nagdadasal ang mga Muslim.

* Buwan ng Hajj nakita ko sa tv ang mga taong naghahajj noong makita ko ang mga suot nila na puting damit sumagi sa isip ko na familyar sa akin ang mga suot nila pero diko matandaan kong saan ko sila nakita noon.Ilang linggo ang lumipas naalala ko ang panaginip ko noong namatay ako at ang mga taong nakasuot ng puting damit yon ang nakita ko tumatayo ang lahat kong balahibo at napaiyak.Doon nag umpisa akong magtanong tungkol sa Islam.Sabi ko sa kaibigan ko na darating ang araw na magdadasal ako gaya ng nakikita namin sa tv sabi niya bahala ka.May nakilala akong isang Muslimah binigyan nya ako ng mga babasahin tungkol sa Islam.Noong nabasa ko lahat ng aking katanungan noong bata pa ako ay nasagot na ang ALLAH (swt) ang tagapaglikha ng lahat ng bagay at ang Tunay na Diyos na dapat sambahin.May 1998 nag shahadah ako dito sa Abu Dhabi court at "Eman" ang naging pangalan ko sa Islam.

* Lahat ng gagabayan ng ALLAH (swt) sa Islam ay may paraan upang makita nya ang daan tungo sa tuwid na landas.Nawa'y marami pang gagabayan at magbalik Islam..Naway mabasa din eto ng iba pa upang alamin at malaman ang ALLAH (swt) lang ang dapat nating sambahin wala ng iba pa.Alhamdulillah na isa ako sa ginabayan ng ALLAH (swt)..

Si Propeta Muhammad (saws) ay nagsabi:

"Sinumang tumahak sa landas sa paghahanap ng kaalaman (sa pananampalataya) gagawin ng ALLAH na magaan sa kanya ang landas tungo sa Paraiso."

Alalahanin natin na ang buhay sa mundong ito ay panandalian lamang.Ang lahat ay magwawakas at ang lahat ng tao ay magbabalik at haharap sa ALLAH (swt) upang litisin.

"Tunay! Ang ALLAH ay Siyang nagmamay-ari sa amin at tunay,sa Kanya kami magbabalik.'' (Qur'an:2:156)..

eto ang aking kasayasayan isa sa daan paano ko niyakap ang Islam..

SISTER JANE PANDALANGAN

PHILIPPLINES

---CONCLUDED

{IN SHA ALLAH NEXT POST WILL BE ON HOW I STARTED WEARING HIJAB BY SISTER JANE PANDALANGAN...STAY TUNED :) }

"I went to earn Money but I found Islam" Aisha Cortez (Filipina Nurse)

Assalamo alaykom .

I am Aisha a Filipina nurse and i came to Libya to earn money but then i found something more precious than money because in Libya i found Islam i found my faith, My life. In Libya met a lot of people talking to me about Islam at first i was so hesitant until one day a friend lend me a book about Islam, I read it and I became so eager to know more about it as time passed I started to learn it and day by day I was developing love towards it until one day I found myself searching about Islam, than I asked my friends more about it. I asked them how to pray they started to give transliteration of the Quran.. I read Surrah Al-Fatiha the opening chapter of Al-Quran, Surrah Al-Iklas, Surrah Al-Falaq and An-Nas until I memorized them all ..I visited my friends every-time they Offer prayers and I use to watch them and they taught me how until one day I felt Islam in my heart. I told them "I want to be a Muslim". Later my friend and his father accompanied my to a Dawah Islamia tripoli Libya where I Proclaimed the Shahada Alhamdulillah! I am a Muslim now.

Being a Muslim wasn't easy for me since there were people who use to think negative about my reversion to Islam and even I lost few of my friends but I always use to say myself "I have Allah" which use to make me strong and even facing problems was a easy task to me hence I never felt weak anytime Alhamdulillah.

With Islam I feel so strong and blessed whenever I feel sad and I face some problems I read Al-Quran after which i feel a sense of happiness which I cant express. Indeed there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger .

--Concluded

Sister Amafe Medina Cortez (Aisha Cortez)

Bismillah hirrahma nirraheem-

“Seerah of Our beloved Prophet (pbuh) changed my Life”

Basically I was born in a Hindu Brahmin family. As now days the youth are roaming and spending time in many ways, which are not useful in this Dunya (wolrd) and Aakirah (hereafter) too. So before reverting to Islam I also use spend most of my time like the same way, but I use to believe God in many forms, like Krishna, lakshmi, Narayana, Shiva etc etc. In 2012 my sir Firoz introduced me about Islam, at first I rejected the truth and later one day I saw a poster of Jamiat-E-Islami Hind about our Prophet Muhammad’s (saw) greatness. After reading the poster, I got interested about our beloved prophet Muhammad (saw), and I asked my sir Firoz to give me the book of Seerah (biography), and he gave me, Alhamdulillah I completed half of the book and after that I started to read Quran for one time before reverting. And later I completed another half portion of Seeratunnabi(saw)..So finally Allah (swt) gave me Hidayah on March-29-2013 one fine Jumuah I proclaimed the Shahadah Alhamdulillah...

Concluded…

Brother Anas Bin Murthy

‘A difficult, but most fruitful Journey’

Muhammad Ishaaq (Neat Girish)

Muhammad Ishaaq, formerly Girish KS Udupa, an upper caste Hindu, narrates his story about his conversion to Islam.

I Was born and brought up in an upper class Hindu Brahmin family of priests in Udupi, Karnataka, India, a city known for its temples. My learning of Hindu scriptures commenced at an early age through a teacher where I noticed many contradictions and began questioning but could not get any satisfying answers nor the meaning of the scriptures. Such a beginning early in life made me search for the truth about right religion.
Owing to my persistent questions, my parents on advice of religious heads transferred me to an Aashram, to become a Hindu priest. After joining the Aashram, my doubts and questions increased to which my teachers had no answers. I was advised to read books from the library to know the answers and hence I got an opportunity to read lot of Hindu scriptures. With no satisfaction in life and unable to get proper answers to the doubts being built up in mind, I left the Aashram and started learning about Jainism and later Buddism but neither had any answers to my questions. Interestingly, Jainism and Buddism advocate ‘ahimsa’ (non-violence) but both are responsible in increasing idol worship. I left them and started to search the oldest religion and learned about religion of Romans, Greeks, Egyptian and Judaism. When I was studying Judaism I could not find much fundamental difference between Jews and Brahmins.
While studying Judaism I came to know about Jesus and started reading the Bible, thinking that Christianity should be the perfect religion and was hoping to get answers to all my questions. After reading Bible over 34 times and visiting church, I developed many doubts on the contradictory methods of teaching in different churches. On finding the real contradictions in the Bible itself, I went to the priests who advised me to take Baptism so that I can see the Holy Spirit, which will clear all my doubts. One fine day I readied myself to take Baptism, where the priest dipped me in the water three times and when I came out of water I looked up to see the Holy Spirit as I read in the Bible, but I could not see anything. Went to different churches and raised the same questions even they baptized me but couldn’t find Holy Spirit anywhere as promised. When I openly questioned about it, they were quiet but one of the church members advised me to go to a different church, where all the people used to speak with Holy Spirit. When I went there and asked for the Holy Spirit, they promised that I will receive it the following Sunday. I was very happy and went to the church wearing good clothes with one day of fasting as per their instruction. The priest came near me and pushed my head in water so hard that I started feeling pain and repeatedly they asked me if I can see the Holy Spirit to which I replied in the negative. The priest then said that I have Satan spirit in me which will first be removed and then fill me with Holy Spirit. Fearing further pain, I pretended to act as if I saw the Holy Spirit and escape from the priest, but he and the believers were more smart than me and said they saw my Holy Spirit. I realized that the whole group of the church was acting with me and I realized that they are fake people of the fake Holy Spirit which led me to lose all interest in Christianity.
I continued to enjoy my life till one day while commuting by bus to the office, I saw a hoarding with the message “For a free copy of Qur’an please contact....” a thought came to mind that this could be another book like Bible. However, I decided to call them and get a copy of the Qur’an so that I can read Qur’an to find mistakes and make fun of Muslims. To finally get my copy of the Qur’an I had to call the center 3 times in 9 months, but third time I was little more angry and finally the Qur’an reached me. Alhamdulillah.

I began reading the Qur’an with the intention to find fault in it but amazingly started to get answers to my questions one by one as if the Qur’an is answering and clearing all my doubts. Although I decided to read at least four pages every day and to complete it quickly, but to the shock of my life, I could barely read more than half a page daily. As I moved on, I started getting answers to all my queries; why I am here, why I was created, what is the purpose of life, and by the Grace of Almighty Allah I was getting closer to Qur’an and my Creator.
The brother who gave the Qur’an would call and ask whether I am reading the Qur’an. One day he asked me to perform Salah (prayer) with him and I refused. However, we started meeting very often to discuss over coffee/juice on Islam. One day while having juice, he asked me a question; if he dies now, before completely drinking the juice, he might enter paradise because he is a Muslim as he tried to follow the commandments of Allah. What would I do if I die before I finish my juice, because, there is no guarantee of life span for any one. I was shocked for a while and could not drink the juice and felt as if I am going to die any moment. I went home, sincerely prayed to Almighty Allah for the first time in my life that if I die today please forgive my sins and slept. When I got up in the morning I was afresh and deciding not to waste more time, called the brother and informed him that I would like to accept Islam. In fact with the discussion of previous evening, Allah opened my heart to truth and thought that accepting Islam would be a big function like in Hinduism. The brother called me to the center and in front of two people, asked me to declare in Arabic and English the “Shahada” — La ilaha illallahu Muhammadur Rasulullah. “I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and that Prophet Muhammad is his Messenger (peace be upon him)”. I swear by Allah that when I took the Shahada, I felt an amazing sensation, as if a huge, physical weight had just been lifted off my chest; I gasped for breath as if I was breathing for the first time in my life. Alhamdulillah, by reverting to Islam, my journey to find the true religion ended with immense pleasure, happiness and utmost satisfaction.
I want to convey one humble message to all those who are looking for a true God and religion. It is only when you take the pain of learning about all religions, you will know the beauty of Islam. Message of Oneness of God Almighty in its Purity and the way of life taught and practiced by Prophet Muhammad (May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) as Islam is the only way of life which could keep you pleased with your existence as human being.
Life is a total waste without Islam as the way of life.
Alhamdulillah, Allah had given me a new life, a clean slate and a chance for Jannah, and I pray that I live the rest of my life dedicated to spreading the message of Islam and to die as a Muslim. Aameen.

MUHAMMAD ISHAAQ

(NEAT GIRISH)

—Concluded