Fathima Ranshiz

From darkness to light

When she stepped into Kuwait International Airport all the way from Phillppine she first listened to the sound of Adan (Prayer call ) of dawn prayer. "What a inspiring sound is it" she exclaimed to herself. So started her journey from the darkness to the light.

While narrating her story of becoming a Muslim Fathima Ranshiz said: I reached Kuwait early morning and when I was standing in front of the emigration counter, I at once could listen to the sound of Adan call, " Allahu Akber, Allahu Akber" This musical sound really moved me.

I was fond of music from my childhood. But never in my life time I have listen to the sound of Adan call. I was not knowing the meaning of Adan which the caller of Adan was repeating. But I could enjoy a kind of music and atraction it posessed. I asked about this attractive voice with a co passenger. He said it is the call of Adan calling Muslims towards prayer five times a day.

Inspiration:

After joining the duty, I was frequently listening to this beautiful voice very often. I used to get up with the Adan call which gives us the message that it is the time for prayer. Soon I used to chant the invocations to remember God according to my former religion.

One day I switched on the television and there was a program of recitation of Quran. I listened to it till the end. It was in beautiful accent and at the end they read out the meaning of the verses of Quran which was recited before. The recitation began with the loud recitation of the verse 'Bismilla hirrahma nirraheem' which means in the name of God most gracious most merciful. How beautiful and sweet is the verse is and the attributes of God mentioned in it.

Reverted to peace:

When I was listening to Adan call and recitation of holy Quran I used to enjoy a kind of solace, which I could not feel in my thirty years of life. I never felt such a spiritual peace which I enjoyed during the recitation of holy Quran and Adan.

Hence I stopped going to church. But one of my friend suggested me to go to church to get the peace of mind. Hence I restarted again to go to church every Friday. But I felt no difference. I started reading Bible also which could not give me any kind of happiness but the result was vise versa. Moreover I found that teachings of Bible are unclear and confusing. Once I told this feeling of mine to the priest. He said I own a old copy of the Bible and he said he will make me available new revised version of the Bible. I took that version of Bible and started reading it. After reading it completely I could not change my feelings. I found it still full of contradiction and ignorance.

What is Hijab

Once I asked one of my colleague that whether she wear Hijab at home. She said no, we wear Hijab before the men who are not closely related and strangers to us to protect our honour and chastity. But in home before our brothers, sisters , father and spouces we wear colourful dresses and beautify ourselves.

'How pretty is it ' I exclaimed to myself . Later my head at the place of work gave me a book regarding the status of women in Islam. After reading it I felt a big diference in me. In my thirty years of life span I have never come across such a book. At a time it was dealing with the mental, intellectual status of women.The points discussed in the book were down to earth and the approach was natural, there was no ambiguity in it. Further I read more about Islam and discussed the things with the my head at the office. These discussion and studies cultivated in me a great appreciation towards Islam and a desire to embrace it.

When I expressed my desire to embrace Islam my Lady head at the office took me to the ministry of Awkaf. I recited the Shahada syllable by syllable. How did it happen, I still don't know, but what all I know is that it happened with all my willingness and according to my desire...

I may never forget this occurrence , it was a total new feeling for me which I could never experience in my past thirty years of life.

 

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