An anonymous reflection of a South Florida sister's conversion story...
Character, Connection, and Communication
Last Saturday, the sisters of #SoFloMoPros attended Free Yoga on the Rooftop at the Mayfair in the Grove, followed by a light brunch at Peacock Garden Café.
As our small group of five enjoyed the post-rain, early morning cool breeze from Biscayne Bay, the conversation topic transitioned from the deliciousness of the warm banana & walnut bread that we were passing around the table to the story of how a sister and her husband embraced Islam over a decade ago.
She and her husband were raised Christian. Their introduction to Islam came through her husband’s employer, which was located at a local halal establishment.
Through consistent, positive, warm and friendly interactions with the business’ owners and his coworkers, he curiously inquired about their faith and its teachings.
After these discussions (sharing both his discoveries and the subsequent gift of the Quran with his wife), they both further researched and reflected. Then, they independently accepted Islam, and took their Shahadas at a nearby masjid.
Who we are and what we do...
What struck me as a particularly significant detail in the sister’s conversion story was this: She and her husband were introduced to our faith through face-to-face interactions with local Muslims, and what initially drew her husband to our faith was their professionalism and friendliness within a local halal business.
I think, for all of us who worship God (to the best of our abilities) through the acceptance of Islam and the continued exploration and practice of what is required/recommended (and the avoidance of what is forbidden), our doctrine serves as the ideal blueprint for living life both morally and sensibly.
But before any of us can approach the starting point of the openness required to embrace these truths, the process often begins with our interactions with those who have already passed through the gateway of acceptance.
Therefore, the most effective dawah may not be knowing and articulating the lessons of our faith perfectly; the most effective dawah may truly be in the principle of being a good Muslim through:
(1) Character: in who we are and what we do,
(2) Connection: in where we cultivate our daily interactions, and
(3) Communication: in how we embrace those who are different than us.
So my question to you is: How do you #givedawah?
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