The right choice

As-salamu aleikum, sisters!

I am A. and today I built up the courage to tell you my story, as other sisters did around here.
I’m from a small Balkan country and a few years ago I moved to the West to start my studies. The accommodation period was a bit tough. Many things were different – the way people dressed, their behavior, their approach on life and so on. It was hard to adapt but the thought that I worked a lot for my scholarship made me carry on.

I used to spend my free time studying, burying myself in books but life quickly became monotonous. Back in my home country I used to hang out with my friends but that was something I couldn’t do anymore. I had no friends, no family, no one to actually talk to.

During my second year in university I met a Muslim girl. We were attending the same class and she sat next to me from the beginning. Without realizing, we started talking and we actually had fun. She was very nice. Turned out she was also alone and had almost no friends as well, except for her small group of Muslim girls.

At first, we started having ‘study dates’. We were meeting in our university’s library and spending there most of our free time, studying, making jokes, talking about our cultures and so on.

Soon enough, I invited her at my place to have dinner. It was not much, I used to live in a small rented studio, but it was nice and cozy. Of course, since I knew she was Muslim, I went to a halal supermarket to buy the necessary ingredients for the food. I remembered that she once mentioned about the difference between halal and haram food, so I wanted to respect that. I did my best to make homemade hummus and some Lebanese-like mix grill. I was really nervous about it, but she really liked it and that made me beyond happy.

That evening she told me more about her Muslim friends and I told her that I wanted to meet them if that was okay with everyone.

A week later, we all met at a café located in the campus. I had such a great time, they were all so simple, so different than other girls our age. They also liked me so we agreed to hang out again.

Time went by and we quickly became pretty much inseparable I’d say. I got to know more about their religion, about Allah subhanahu wa taala, the Prophet sallaAllahu aleihi wa sallam and the holy Qur’an. I was fascinated. Everything was so different. I come from an orthodox society, but the Bible is not respected as much as it should. The fact that they followed the Muslim rules so much was unbelievable.

Actually I couldn’t believe that in such a crazy society there were still pious people who take religion very seriously and I liked that very much.

Becoming so close to them allowed me to reconsider the spiritual part of my life. Yes, I used to go to the church with my grandmother when I was a little girl, but I was never devoted to this.

During my third year in university, while hanging out with the girls, I asked them if I could join them at the masjid. They were a little surprised but also excited, so they accepted my proposal at once.

The masjid they used to go to was a pretty small one, women-only, and so pretty. It resembled to a mini-palace. I felt safe there.

After some time, when I felt like I needed some peace, I started going to the masjid alone. Being there was like therapy.

One time, while being at the library with my Muslim friend, I told her that I kinda want to become a Muslim too. She was so happy about it. Happier than I thought she’d be actually.

A few days later, I went to the masjid with my friends. It was the day I finally told the shahada. Happiness flooded my whole body. After this, my friend invited us all at her place to celebrate. The girls prepared there a surprise for me. They cooked all my favorite halal dishes and gifted me my first Qur’an and a very pretty sajjada. I was so thankful for having such nice and supportive friends.

After becoming a revert, we all started praying together, going to the masjid and even rented a big apartment for the four of us. Having them as roommates brightened up my life. After graduation, we made a tour in each of us’ home countries.

Being in a Muslim country was really a revelation. I realized that my choice was the right one. I really felt like I fitted in that community.

They also came to visit my home country. They met my parents who already knew that I became a Muslim. They did their best to prepare us halal food. Even if we had different religions now, they accepted me. It was pretty hard when I first told them about it, but I kept telling them about my life as a Muslim. They respected my decision and everything was alright.

At the moment, I am living and working in a Muslim country. I’m still living with my beloved sisters and roommates as we all decided to leave the country we studied in and start a new journey.

I’m dreaming about the moment when I’ll find myself a good Muslim man to be my husband and start a family with him.

I’ll keep you sisters posted