Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Let me tell you my story for moving to abidance by Islam, hoping that you may learn something. Religion was never part of my life, except in a few things. My schools were gender-mixed. Like many youth my life was hanging out with companions, girls, songs, DJ, etc. Music has always a great influence on me, since I was a kid.
One of the weird things about me is that I loved a particular actress to an extreme degree. If a magazine posts this actress's picture I have to buy, no matter how pricy it is. It is impossible to not buy it. I have bought almost EVERY SINGLE magazine posting her picture. My companions would even phone me to help me know when a magazine do so.
The four walls of my bedroom were entirely covered by her pictures. One day I challenged myself to take off one of her pictures. I approached it closer and closer, attempting take the action... but I was too weak. Another time, I tried again. The same scenario was followed, except that I progressed a bit more, as I put my hand on the picture and stripped a piece of it. Once I did that though, I felt very weak so I stuck it back *laughter*
In the third trial, I was finally able to gather my strength and focus to take it off. And I did. My family and companions were appalled of my behavior, as they knew how much I adored her. I saw in their look respect and awe I have never experienced before. Here is another station of life: one night my companions and I were committing a certain transgression (I cannot say), and at some point I felt humiliated personally.
Then I cannot forget how much I hated this particular transgression. I went home abruptly, and although I had "a piece of" this transgression I had taken my solemn decision to quit it. I went back to it BTW, as I tried quitting it many times. One time I quit it after a car accident, but I went back to it because the reason wasn't religious. Another imagery of my life: my companions were always used to gather nowhere but on a certain cafe: before classes, after classes, at night, etc.
When Ramadaan came, I found a very surprising scene. The Mosque's Imaam was audible through microphones. He recited plenty of verses from the Quran and made prayers, and people inside the Mosque were crying. There were so many going and coming back from the Mosque. WHY??? I had to ask. Why is these people's interest very different??? I found I have no life goals.
Another imagery: one day in Ramadaan, a companion of mine and I found an outdoor theatre while strolling. We sat down to watch what was free. I understood no word from what was said on the theatre. Nevertheless, I felt immense purity and a great message on it. I kept crying for reasons I lack knowing, as if I was collapsing. From that point, my life ideology and my interests have changed. I have had amazing feelings I never felt its strength before.
I have started to literally feel like a human. And thus I wanted to tell about this happiness to every unreligious person. These people don't know what they are missing out. After that, and without external voices, I started to alienate and avoid music... until someone suggested that I should go back to music and use my talent in Allah's sake. Why not? That was an awesome idea. I started a new company and made some cassettes and songs, and hope its effects in the society are strong and in Allah's path.
*Song1* The age of silence has finished, and volcano is starting to erupt. There is still to righteousness a voice. There is still on Earth light. *Song2* Wake up, people! Wake up! There is not many signs (of the Awakening day) left undone. What will be our situation then! Damn evilness, you have to die!
Mustafah is with us today. Who was a comment or question? "From your experience Mustafah, what are the things that helped you persevere/not fall back?" One word: the good company. If my environment is bad, I would have fallen back after 6-7 months of feeling like a human. I want to continue by commenting on who asked "why don't I stay the same good person once I leave the Mosque/ good environment? The purity disappears there, but why?"
I have heard a scholar saying "we should convert religion to something sensible in our lives." The problem is that the purity disappears once we are out of the sanctuary. Why? A scholar once said because the sensible things (e.g: work, money, car) pulls you back down. Islam has to be converted into your sensible arena. It shall be sensed in people, books, relations... actions.
These actions will construct the Islamic life environment. Amr Khaled: Another question? Female "If his friends were transgressing, but have not become religious as he is, why is he still with them? Aren't they a temptation?" I don't think so. Why not keep the good relation, if I am very careful in not sharing any of their transgressions! When those friends fall in great problem, they ask for my advice instead of each other's.
Amr Khaled: Guys, a friend is one of 3 kinds: one that is good and who encourages you to obey Allah; one that is good (in morals and values), but not religious; one that is just bad who worsens your relation with Allah. The default is to stay away from the third kind as far as you can. A word to youth and parents: there is no stronger affection on the youth than the bad friends.
No one falls into the great blunders and sins (drugs, alcohol, fornication, etc.) by his sole efforts. Someone must have misguided you. What Mustafah meant, I think, is to keep a far relation, instead of ending it entirely, for the hope that one day you would be the hand that pulls him up to Allah's obedience. So make sure you stay afar and completely secured.
As for the second kind, stay strongly with, encourage him to Allah's obedience, and enlighten him about Islam. As for the first kind, love him genuinely more and more, go as close as you can, ask him for guidance, and try to find occasions to be with. Let me ask the audience if you have passed through a victorious experience with Jihad.
Mustafah explained how hesitant he was in taking off the picture, but at the end he did it. Just a small comment, his problem was not that he liked a female artist, but rather adoring a mere picture. There was not occupying his mind more than the picture. He was evidently empty. In other words, liking an artist is not a huge deal, but adoring a picture of hers is.