I really don’t know when I’ll be handing you this letter. As long as I’ve held onto it and prayed over it I still get the sense: Wait—not yet.
My Only Fear
I’m not afraid of your rejection, or of your anger. The only thing I fear is hurting you, making you feel like I’ve betrayed you and turned my back on all you’ve taught me, because this couldn’t be further from the truth.
So instead of telling you that I’ve reverted to the religion I was born with, I’ve been telling you about Islam. This comes as no surprise to you; you know I write a lot about Middle Eastern countries and am always eager to share my knowledge.
Opening Clouds
Alhamdulillah, you’ve been open to listening; bit by bit I’ve watched the clouds of delusion slowly passing from your eyes, all the harm done by propaganda slowly dissolving away as you see how closely Islam is connected to Christianity and how good and righteous real Muslims are. I’ve heard you talking to others about the beauty of true Islam and the good example that’s set by the pious ones. Islam is becoming beautiful to you, no doubt because you’ve always been a seeker of truth.
Learning to Speak the Truth in Love
“Speaking the truth in love.” This motto summed up the purpose of the village church where you preached for 36 years. The words shone from a small bronze plaque that we passed on the way into Sunday morning service. We didn’t always live up to it, but it was a beacon and a reminder. It told us to be truth seekers, truth tellers, and truth sharers.
This may not come as good news, but I would never have become a Muslim had it not been for your teaching me to seek truth. My inquiring mind often disturbed and even embarrassed you, but you never condemned me for exploring new intellectual territory. Your main concern was that I walk with God and live in obedience to Him. For this I’m profoundly grateful to you; it’s the one thing that lead me to real freedom.
The Bible and the Quran
Thanks to your influence, I read the Bible from cover to cover at least twenty times in my lifetime and memorized many verses. I still love these scriptures and read them often. I’m not now among those misinformed Muslims who reject the Bible and set it up in opposition to the Quran; I know better.
Central Nugget of Truth
Obviously, there are differences of opinion about how these scriptures were translated and what they teach, but these conflicts of interpretation come from readers, not from the Master who sent them. The Quran itself says that Allah (swt) inspired Biblical writings:
He has sent down upon you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming what was before it. And He revealed the Torah and the Gospel. [Quran, 3:3]
The central nugget of truth that I discovered, the hub of the Biblical wheel, was this: God is love, and those who live in love live in God. This same teaching shines more gold than gold in the pages of the Quran, and in the faces of the Ummah, the worldwide community of Islam.
How Did I Convert?
My conversion didn’t come about because I thought that Islam as a religious practice was superior to Christianity, or because I thought Muslims were somehow more pure than Christians. From where I’m standing, those who play the “my-religion-is-better-than-your-religion” card have missed the point of their own religion.
It began like this: A Muslim friend, after listening to me explain my relationship with God, insisted that I was already a Muslim. I got curious and began to study. As I learned about Muslim theology I realized that this was what I’d always believed. As much as I’d lived by the words of Jesus (peace be upon him) and loved his character, I’d never been able to pray to him without feeling uncomfortable. I had always prayed to God.
But I refused to convert. Why should I scandalize my family just because I didn’t believe Jesus (peace be upon him) was God? There are many Christian denominations that don’t believe this. I would simply become a liberal Christian.
Emerging From a Dark Mist
Then came the moment. I happened to be standing before a window in a beam of sunlight. All at once this sunlight enclosed me and filled my heart, and I knew I was Muslim. The God whom I had always loved emerged from the dark mist and revealed himself as Allah the most glorified, the most high.
Islamic Hearts
Islam is the logical next step after Christianity, just as Christianity was the logical next step after Judaism. My Islam is not a rejection of Christianity; neither does it live in opposition to it.
I don’t regret for a moment that I’m descended from a line of Protestants, preachers, deacons, prohibitionists, abolitionists, choristers, and zealots. These laid the foundation for my new life. There were wolves among us, but the intention of most of our hearts was pure: we strove to be ever deepening our contact with our Maker.
Here’s what the Quran says about us:
They are not [all] the same; among the People of the Scripture is a community standing [in obedience], reciting the verses of Allah during periods of the night and prostrating [in prayer]. [Quran, 3:113]
Dad, we’re all Muslims. Muslims are simply those who live in obedience to Allah (swt). Prophet Mohamed (saw) was given a revelation comprised of a stern warning to the unrepentant as well as a set of religious practices that have the power to transform souls, to bring enlightenment, and to draw humanity together in peace.
Won’t You Join Me?
As you may have guessed, the longing of my heart is that you’ll also revert. I’m fully aware of how momentous a change this would be for you, yet I hope and pray for it. Whatever you choose I will respect, honour, and care for you until your dying breath.
Ameen.
Jazaka Allah khayran (Allah brings us every good thing),
Your new Muslima daughter
Warda Krimi is a Canadian journalist who reverted to Islam on the last day of Ramadan 2010.
ASA
Excellent understanding of the True Religion, Islam. True love n affection for the nearest n dearest blood relation, father. I am extremely happy to welcome our Muslima Sister to Islam, Muslim Ummah.May The Almighty Allah see that Her Beloved Father Joins her. May Almighty Allah bestow peace and prosperity in this world and hereafter. Allah Hafiz.
A Beautifully written letter.
I believe you will sign the letter off with your original name your parents gave.
Beautifully written letter , I hope and pray that just as Allah (swt) guided you to the right path , may your father also get guidance , in sha Allah .
It seems that Warda found the exact words, and I wonder if and when she gave the letter. I would love to hear from her again so that she may share her journey as a new Muslimah to give all of us reverts and born Muslimahs inspriation.
Alhamdulillahi-llazi faddwalana ala kathirin min ibadihil Mu’minin. Congratulation to our dear sister in Islam. May Allah continue to brihgten our hearts with the light of Islam.
Amin.
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu hu.mubarak,mubarak,mubarak&mubarak.Allah subhana watala given u hidayah.hold firmly the holyquran&beloved prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallams sunnah till ur last breath.Allah subhana wa tala will reward u in this world &here after if u r firm in ur faith.All the best. pray 4r me& my aal.pray4r all ummah.pray 4r ur father ur self ur beloved people 4r hidayah. Alla the best.Allahu hafiz.
We welcome you Warda as our Muslim sister. It is all because of blessings of almighty Allaah. May Allaah shower His bountiful of blessings upon you. Ameen. Please try to be a practicing Muslim and not like majority of other non-practicing Muslims who are defaming Muslims and Islam as well. May Allaah protect you from all evils of this worldly life.
Assalamu aliakum to you and to all my dear brothers and sisters who’ve given me so much positive feedback. Alhamdulillah that my words have resonated with you, because when I wrote this I had in mind not only my dear father but also those members of the Ummah who want to know how to reach out to Christians. May Allah (swt) bless you all in your efforts to deepen and expand knowledge of this deen, the best way to live.
Masyallah & Mabruk to my Sister,
Welcome to the world of Islam. You’ve made the right choice & destiny in life. “Swimming upstream” is what I can describe the life as for most reverts as I’m among them. With 100% of faith in Allah, Insyallah, life will be guided by Allah Azza Wajallah for everyone to meet-up in Jannah. Ameen………
Welcome Warda as our Muslim sister. Excellently written letter with lots of thought and truth in it mashaallah!!! .May The Almighty Allah see that your beloved Father Joins you. May Almighty Allah bestow peace and prosperity in this world and hereafter to you!!!
Alhamdulillah sister Warda which were chosen by Allah to become the follower of the last Rasul of Allah and the last book of Allah Al-quran. We believed the other books given by Allah to the earlier Rasul but we must stick like the doa of Rasul Isa alaihis salam to become the follower of the last Rasul of Allah which were approved by Allah and He will be back to Earth to kill the groups that against Allah commandments.I saw a Church between Perth and Kattaning with a big signage in front of the roadside which I saw the first time in my life in 1984 “THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD NOT THREE” My friend said this is the UNITARIAN christian sect which is near to Muslim belief about Jesus, or Isa alaihis salam our 24th Rasul.. Our prophet made doa of two Omar for Allah to give Hidayah. Allah answers one Omar Al Khattab radiallah hu annhu and rejected the other Omar his uncle. May Allah accept your doa towards your Dad.Salam from Malaysia.
Yes, brother, I have encountered quite a few Christian sects and denominations who don’t believe in the Trinity. I often tell my family that Muslims are more Christian than most Christians because Muslims love Jesus and believe he is of divine origin, that he was born of a virgin, that judgement day will be preceded by his second appearance, that he’s seated at the right hand of Allah (swt), and that they actually pay attention to his words! I often ask Christians, “If you love him so much, why do you not live by his words?” But among Christians there are many like me who earnestly searched for truth, and even among the conservative sects I encounter some who have an instinctive aversion to praying to Jesus. We need to keep these in our prayers and keep striving to persuade them.
God replaces people who becomes arrogant with new followers,so God is replacing Old Muslims with the new ones.Time for all so called Muslims to open their eyes and
become real
I have a strong feeling,that The Pope has retired, probably because he has become a Muslim at heart. He has realized the beauty of Islam. Think about it. Christianity is evolving slowly. At first was only Catholics .With all the statues. Then came the Protestants with no statues at all in their Churches , just like the Muslim Mosques. Then came the Unitarian Universalists. Who believe in Jesus son of Mary as a very Unique human being but not God. So they are Monotheists just like Muslims. Insallah next there will be a group that will accept Mohammed as a messenger too. Praise to God and peace to all messengers.
Assalamu aliakum, dear friend. Thanks for this wise observation. Yes, I have seen this tendency of Christianity to keep moving in the direction of Islam, and among Christians I see much evidence of a growing inward conviction that Allah (swt) is one and not to be confused with other entities. If we lay aside our hostility and gently encourage Christians to learn more about Islam instead of accepting the propaganda, they will joyfully achieve a truer understanding of the God they’ve been worshiping all along.
Jazaka Allah khayran
Warda Krimi
As-Salamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,
Very highly respected daughter Warda Krimi,
All, all & all praise & glory is originally for ALLAH AZ-ZAWWAJJAL Alone. Peace & blessings of ALLAH be upon our dearest last prophet, salle ALLAHU alayhi wa sallam. Your letter to your Dad is from ALLAH AZ-ZAWWAJJAL through you. Similarly, we all will continue to share such type of letters to all mankind, as this is the only responsibility we have to exercise with deep honesty, sincereity & affection.
Ayat Nbr 125 Surah Nbr 16 and Ayat Nbr 21 Surah Nbr 88. We have (1) Al-Quran, speech of our Creator, (2) biography of prophet Mohammad, Ar-Raheequl-Makhtum, meaning The Sealed Nectar, pbuh & (3) Lulu wal Marjan meaning The Precious Pearls. Authentic practices of our prophet, pbuh.
Guidance of ALLAH AZ-ZAWWAJJAL is ever-ready to every truth seeker. Our motto of life is to convey them this greatest library of 3 books. How many libraries do you need ? I will beg HIM, WHO never rejects for myself and you, in sha ALLAH. We have a huge project in front of us. Let us be slaves of ALLAH AZ-ZAWWAJJAL and keep sharing the signs of ALLAH AZ-ZAWWAJJAL which HE have blessed us. We all beg HIM ALONE for everything. Thank U.
ahsanknf@gmail.com (pbuh=peace be upon him).
Wa aliakum salam.
Dear friend, thank-you so much for your kind words and your guidance, elhamdolillah. 🙂
~Warda Krimi
Mashaa Allah. I think a copy of this letter should be archived for posterity.