Embracing Islam

[Preety_India]

I'm born a Hindu. 

At some point I had embraced Christianity and Judaism. 

Now the time has come to open myself up to Islam 

 

This is my journey towards Embracing Islam. 

This does not mean that I'm converted to Islam 

I'm not converted to Christianity either. 

On paper and in my real  life I'm still a Hindu. 

I went through extreme religious struggle in my life. 

Then I began exploring and embracing other religions along with Hinduism my birth religion. 

I realized that being a true Hindu means embracing every religion in the world and respecting, accepting and embracing all religions. 

 

So this is my journey towards accepting and embracing and cherishing Islam. 

 

[Preety_India]

 

The first word I want to write about Islam is this

 

الله / اللہ

 

 

 

[Preety_India]

 

Even if i embrace Islam, I will always remain a Hindu in my heart. 

I will embrace all religions and integrate them into my life. 

I have a deep affection for Muslims. 

 

It's a testament of how far I have come in my journey of loving other cultures and religions. 

 

I have partial Christian influence

 

But my parents are Hindu. 

 

 

 

So I won't forget Christianity ever. That will always be close to my heart till death. 

I remember praying to Christ when I was a child. I haven't been baptized but every prayer was like Communion. 

 

Since I spent the majority of my life being a Christian, it's easier for me to embrace other religions as well. 

In all of this painful struggle, I haven't forgotten my birth religion of Hinduism which is close to my heart as well.

 

Now it's time for me to warm up to Islam and make space in my heart for it. 

 

Who do I pray to? 

I usually pray with the image of Christ. That's not changed since childhood. 

 

But I'll now pray with images of Christ, Shiva and Allah 

 

I like how Allah does not have an image. That's good 

 

But I can imagine the symbol of Allah and offer a prayer to that. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 20, 2021 by Preety_India

[Preety_India]

I usually wear the Christian Cross around my neck. 

It's hard to explain to others how I feel about religions. 

 

It does create confusion but that's okay 

 

 

[Preety_India]

 

My blood is Hindu, my soul is Christian and my heart is Islamic. 

Lets put it that way. 

 

That's a perfect description of me and I'm very fortunate to be born in India, a multi religious spiritual country. 

 

 

It's like being born in Jerusalem. 

 

[Preety_India]

Through India I could experience all religions in one place. 

I had so many Muslim and Christian friends growing up 

 

They used to adore me. I was special to them. I was their adorable Hindu girl. 

 

Of course they were special to me as well. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 20, 2021 by Preety_India

[Preety_India]

 

I had 2 Hindu boyfriends and 2 Christian boyfriends in the past. 

They bought a lot of enrichment and diversity to my life

 

 

I wasn't very open to dating a man from another religion let alone another race, it was very difficult for me. 

Both Christian ex boyfriends were white guys 

 

But that's over for good. 

I wasn't Christian because of my boyfriends. I was Christian a long time ago before meeting them

 

I used to wear a cross (around my neck) since early childhood. 

I was raised Catholic in my school. My school was a strict Catholic school and I was expected to adopt Catholic ways and values. 

But I'm grateful to all the different religious experiences in my life. 

 

 

[Preety_India]

I saw this quote in the morning and I changed it. 

 

 

 

And I changed it to this. 

 

 

And that looks special now. 

 

 

[Preety_India]

It took a long time for me to accept Islam because of the fact that I'm a Hindu and Hindu nationalist sentiment is quite strong in my culture. 

Embracing Islam can even lead to being outcast or boycotted or ostracized by your own community. 

 

Not all Hindus are open to Islam. 

For some Hindus even talking openly about Islam can be a scary thought. 

The thought of being cancelled by your own community for adopting another religion or even talking about it 

 

So it's obviously a brave step 

Of course I can't talk to my family about it. 

 

Hindu Muslim marriages are still not very common in my country 

 

Adopting anything that is Muslim or Islamic can be considered a taboo. 

 

[Preety_India]

Growing up my mother used to always say to  me - 

"shssh, don't talk about Muslims. Those are not our people." 

 

I still remember how any reference to Muslims was considered wrong and taboo and unwanted. 

But there was no taboo about Christians. In fact I was enrolled into a Catholic school. 

And my father had several Christian friends whose children I used to play with. 

But regarding Muslims, It was always taboo. 

 

If I ever wore a dress that was bright green, my family or relatives would say

"don't wear that, that's too Muslim." 

 

Because green was associated with Muslim. 

 

 

 

[Preety_India]

 

It is sufficient to say there was absolutely no place for anything Muslim or Islamic in my family at any point in time throughout my life. 

And my mom would not discuss anything Muslim. 

To the point that she said that Muslims were never allowed in my maternal  Grandmother's home in my mom's native village. 

And a girl who fell in love and married a Muslim man, she was boycotted by my grandmother's village. 

I was born and raised in a city so the taboo in a city is not so much. 

There is more tolerance for Muslims in city areas

 

 

 

Marrying a Muslim was considered equal to suicide in my grandmother's village. 

 

[Preety_India]

 

So Yea as a child of a Hindu family, accepting Islam would be synonymous to ultimate Rebellion. 

A complete no no no. 

But I don't care what family thinks. 

 

My heart is open like an Ocean

 

 

[Preety_India]

 

If I told my family that I want to embrace Christianity, they would absolutely have no problem with it. 

 

That's why following Christianity all my life wasn't a big problem. No hurdles so far. 

 

 

[Preety_India]

After coming to Islam, I feel a strange feeling of peace and acceptance. 

 

[Preety_India]

The word mufti means authority in Islam.

Ok learned something new

 

Also learned that there is something called deobandi or Wahhabism. Will look into that later.

..........

I'm learning 2 new words amin and ummat

Edited June 24, 2021 by Preety_India

[Preety_India]

 

Pehle toh aise Karo toh tension ho.

 

[Preety_India]

Jazbat aur practicality dono hi zaroori hai 

 

It's important to focus on a safe life.

 

And focus on both primal as well as higher aspects of life 

Islam focuses on primal aspects of life.

The obviousness of everything.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Preety_India]

Islam also focuses on love, wisdom and raw practicality and logic 

In Hinduism's focuses on consciousness

 

Both are good

 

 

[Preety_India]

Kalma padna

 

[Preety_India]

 

Hatim tai

 

Imam Hussain

Sadka

 

Nidaamat 

 

Bargat - increase

 

Mashallah

 

Jaan ki mohabbat or paiso ki mohabbat

Iftikhar

 

Ilamat

 

Ummat 

 

Deen aur iqlaaq

 

Laa ilaha illallah

 

Aameen

 

Alamat 

 

Amaal / amal

 

Molana / Maulana / Mufti

 

Tassavoor 

 

Aafiyah

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 24, 2021 by Preety_India