My Journey to Submission: Memoirs of a Revert

By Aisha Wambui

Aishas is simply a journey to finding her purpose in life, a journey to finding peace, harmony and solace that finally leads her to finding herself.
Her decision to write of her discomforts as well as her experiences while growing up and in her youth, the quest for knowledge, the predicaments, the soul searching and to have finally found the answers that she sought will encourage and give strength to readers who have either already undertaken this journey or are in the process or thinking about the first single step.
Her persistent search for the true meaning of life, undertaken with such a clear intent, amplifies that even the most difficult tasks can be made easier with the support of family and friends.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing Africa
• Release date: Jun 25, 2015
• ISBN: 9781482808032

Aisha Wambui

Author Aisha Wambui’s book My Journey to Submission is based on her personal journey to finding her life’s purpose. The memoirs identify with real issues every new Muslim or one contemplating to revert to Islam faces and tackles them as practically as possible. The author is a banker by profession, holds a BBA and completing an MBA in Strategic Management at Kenyatta University, Nairobi.

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Copyright © 2015 by Aisha Wambui.

ISBN:      eBook         978-1-4828-0803-2

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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CONTENTS

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Foreword

1. Growing Up

2. Career Life

3. Soul Searching

4. First Encounter with Islam

5. The Big Dilemma

6. Marriage

7. Finding My Life’s Purpose

8. Cultural and Religious Differences

9. Islam, Work Life & Personal Fulfillment

10. Advice to Reverts

11. Our Responsibility as Muslims

12. Glossary

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Praise be to Allah,

the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds.

Peace and blessings be upon Prophet Muhammad, the last and final Messenger of Allah.

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my loving husband and our two sons for their undying love, support and encouragement throughout the period of writing this book. May Allah (SWT) bless them and keep them well always.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To Allah (SWT) for the strength and mental health to see the project to completion.

To my mum, dad and siblings, for all the love and understanding even when they did not understand my decisions.

To my extended family and friends for always giving me a reason to smile and accepting me for who I am.

To my work colleagues for having influenced my life as a Muslim in ways I cannot explain and having stood by me and encouraged me on my journey.

Special thanks to Sheikh Badru Jaffer and Abdullatif Essajee for having taken the time to go through the book and giving me the necessary guidance and insights.

To my publisher Daniel for all the support, guidance and patience that saw this book finally come to life.

May Allah (SWT) bless them all.

INTRODUCTION

This book is a testimony of God’s mercy to and for me and is meant to encourage and give heart to those seeking guidance about Islam. I have chosen to share my life story as a testimony of God’s working when one seeks and trusts in Him wholeheartedly. Allah (SWT) chose to guide and transform me to a Muslimah (Muslim woman) and words cannot begin to explain how lucky I feel.

On many occasions, I find myself wishing I had known much earlier the peace I know now. Nevertheless Allah’s timing is always the best. This book is meant to help new reverts as it identifies with most of the issues they go through when they make the decision to revert (accept Islam). The book, inter alia, touches on issues such as how to handle the new beginnings in terms of taking up Islam as a way of life, making new friends and, keeping the faith. It is also meant to assist those struggling with making the decision to revert even after seeking knowledge and knowing that Islam is the truth due to fear of their parents, their friends and the fear of moving from their comfort zone to something new.

Maa shaa Allah (It is as Allah has willed), Islam is a gift that Allah (SWT) chose to give to me free of charge. By sharing my story, I wish to reach out to those struggling to find their purpose in life by assuring them that it is only found in Islam. No amount of clubbing or shopping will fill the void you experience when you do not know your life’s purpose. Not even your parents and friends can keep you away from your emptiness.

Once you find your purpose in life, your life immediately begins to take shape and all pieces of the puzzle fall into place. Finding Islam completed me in so many levels – as a daughter, as a mother, as a sister, as a wife, as a friend and more so as a member of God’s creation. I must admit that Islam has made me overall a better person as I am now more in touch with reality and myself and wish that many more people would experience this peace that only Islam can give. It would be a turning point for them.

By sharing my story, I wish to let reverts know that Islam is a brother/sisterhood and Muslims are here to support them on their journey. I wish that they learn from my experience and realize that despite my failings, Allah (SWT) in His infinite mercy guided me to the truth. I wish to let them know that we do not have to be embarrassed about our past because it is that past that led us to our present.

Upon taking the Shahaadah (testimony of faith), Allah (SWT) guides you and forgives all your previous sins no