Invitation to Understanding Islam

How does a guy named Gambino

become a Muslim?

Lucas Gambino

Attorney, Alabama

"I grew up in Southern Alabama and, at that time, knew very little about Islam.

I was introduced to Islam at age 18

when I met a friend who was a Muslim.

Like many others, I suppose, I had a lot ofquestions, so from age 18 to 28, I dabbled and researched Islam.

The more I read about Islam, the more I became interested.

After several years of reflection, I realized I had slowly reverted to Islam in my heart.

It was meant to be for me, and I have no regrets.

Islam is a beautiful religion and has molded my life. "

Photo: Karim Shamsi-Basha / Saudi Aramco World /PADIA

Source: Saudi Aramco World, Nov/Dec 2006

Razumjeti Islam

KAKO MOMAK IMENOM GAMBINO

POSTAJE MUSLIMANOM?

Lucas Gambino

Attorney, Alabama

"Odrastao sam u Južnoj Alabami i u to sam vrijeme vrlo malo znao o Islamu.

Islam sam susreo kad sam imao 18 godina

kad sam upoznao prijatelja koji je bio Musliman.

Poput mnogih drugih, pretpostavljam, imao sam mnogo pitanja, tako od 18. do 28. godine,

prčkao sam i istraživao Islam.

Koliko sam više čitao o Islamu, toliko me je više zanimao.

Poslije nekoliko godina razmišljanja, shvatio sam

da sam se polako preobratio u Islam u srcu. To mi je bilo suđeno,

i ja ne žalim.

Islam je lijepa religija i promijenio je moj život. "

Photo: Karim Shamsi-Basha / Saudi Aramco World /PADIA

Source: Saudi Aramco World, Nov/Dec 2006

To serve God

" We are here to know, love and serve God. Islam furnishes the most comprehensive way

to practice this on a daily basis." [Nuh Ha Mim Keller]

Reason

"/ did not want to trade away reason.

The more I learned about Islam, the more it conformed to what I was after"

[Michael Wolfe]

Appeals to reasoning

"Islam does not require acceptance by (blind) faith. Islam appeals to reasoning"

[Dr Jeffrey Lang]

Reflect and reason

"/ read The Qur'an first. Everything made

so much sense. The Qur'an asks you to reflect and reason"

[Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens)]

Logic and reasoning

" The logic and reasoning of The Qur'an and the scientific facts in it made it clear to me that this was not the work of a man

but the words of God."

[Ulf Karlsson]

Logical and natural

"Everything in Islam is logical and natural. I now have the peace I was searching for."

[Robin Chami]

Discovery

"/ didn 't read about Islam and become a Muslim.

I read about Islam and disco vered I am a Muslim."

[Najm Uddin Clayton]

Invitation to Understanding Islam

How does a lady

raised in Alabama become a Muslim?

Melanie Mahmoud

Teacher, Islamic Academy of Alabama

"My husband (a Muslim) asked me to just investigate Islam, and if I didn't like it

we would never talk about it again.

So I actually set out to convert him (to Christianity), but along the way I read a lot of material about Islam, and I read The Qur'an, and I felt like

it was for me.

I think one of the turning points for me was that [in Islam] 'His money is our money

but my money is my money.'

I was, like, 'But wait a minute, on TV they don't say that about Muslim women,

they say Muslim women are subjected and submissive. "

Source: Y Mansoor Marican, Why Islam? Kuala Lumpur, 2004.

ISBN 983-9511-45-9

Photo: Karim Shamsi-Basha / Saudi Aramco World /PADIA Source: Saudi Aramco World, Nov/Dec 2006

SLUŽITI BOGU

"Mi postojimo da upoznamo, volimo i služimo Boga. Islam nudi najopsežniji način

da ga se upražnjava na svakodnevnoj osnovi." [Nuh Ha Mim Keller]

RAZUM

"Ja nisam htio rasprodati razum.

Što sam više učio o Islamu, to se on više poklapao s onim što sam tražio"

[Michael Wolfe]

POZIV NA RAZUMIJEVANJE

"Islam ne traži prihvaćanje (slijepu vjeru. Islam traži razumijevanje"

[Dr Jeffrey Lang]

RAZMATRANJE I RAZUMIJEVANJE

Prvo sam čitao Kur'an. Sve je imalo toliko mnogo smisla. Kur'an vas traži

da razmatrate i razumijete" [Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens)]

LOGIKA I RAZUMIJEVANJE

"Logika i razumijevanje Kur'ana

i znanstvenih činjenica u njemu učinili su mi jasnim da to nije čovjekovo djelo

nego riječi Boga." [Ulf Karlsson]

LOGIČNO I PRIRODNO

"Sve je u Islamu logično i prirodno. Ja sad imam mir koji sam tražio."

[Robin Chami]

OTKRIĆE

"Ja nisam čitao o Islamu pa postao Musliman. Ja sam čitao o Islamu i otkrio da već jesam Musliman."

[Najm Uddin Clayton]

POZIV NA RAZUMIJEVANJE ISLAMA

KAKO GOSPOĐA ODRASLA U ALABAMI

POSTAJE MUSLIMANKOM?

Melanie Mahmoud

Učiteljica Islamska Akademija Alabame

"Moj muž (Musliman) me je tražio da samo istražim Islam, pa ako mi se ne svidi

mi više nikada o tome ne bismo razgovarali. Tako sam ja u stvari namjeravala da ga preobratim

(na Kršćanstvo), ali dok sam pročitala mnogo materijala o Islamu,

i pročitala Kur'an, ja sam osjetila da je to za mene.

Mislim da je jedna od prekretnica

za mene bila [u Islamu] 'Njegov novac je naš novac ali moj novac je moj novac.'

Bila sam, kao, 'Ali čekaj malo, na TV

oni to ne kažu o Muslimankama, oni kažu da su Muslimanske žene

podčinjene i pokorne. "

Source: Y Mansoor Marican, Why Islam? Kuala Lumpur, 2004. ISBN 983-9511-45-9

Photo: Karim Shamsi-Basha / Saudi Aramco World /PADIA

Source: Saudi Aramco World, Nov/Dec 2006

A clear, simple way

"'I fond Islam irresistible. It made sense of all the world's faiths.

It is a clear, simple way to believe in God, "

[Lucy Bushill-Mathews]

The Word of God

" The Qur'an is the Word of God. Things mentioned in The Qur'an were

discovered by scientists in the last 100 years. The only one who could have known those

things 1400 years ago was God." [Khadija Evans]

Logical

"Reading The Qur'an answered

my questions in a logical manner, " [Carole Stui-m]

Truth

"Other religions contain some truth. In Islam everything rests on truth. Islam showed me The Right Way"

[Mesuda Steinmann]

Real freedom

" Why are so many educated young women

all over the world embracing Islam? I chose Islam rather than

the illusory freedom of secular life. " [Nakata Khaula]

The gift of Islam

"Islam is very practical, providing guidance

on every aspect of life. Right and wrong are definite in Islam. Limits are set. I did not find this in my previous religion, I thank God

daily for the gift of Islam"

[Zahrah Riddle] Source: Y Mansoor Marican, Why Islam? Kuala Lumpur, 2004.

ISBN 983-9511-45-9

JASAN, JEDNOSTAVAN PUT

"Meni je Islam neodoljiv. On ima smisao svih svjetskih vjera.

To je jasan, jednostavan način vjerovanja u Boga, " [Lucy Bushill-Mathews]

BOŽJA RIJEČ

"Kur'an je Božja Riječ.

Stvari koje se spominju u Kur'anu razotkrili su znanstvenici u posljednjih 100 godina.

Jedini Koji je mogao o tome znati prije 1400 godina bio je Bog."

[Khadija Evans]

LOGIČNO

"Čitajući Kur'an odgovoreno je mojim pitanjima na logičan način."

[Carole Stui-m]

ISTINA

"U drugim religijama ima istine. U Islamu sve počiva na istini.

Islam mi je pokazao Pravi Put" [Mesuda Steinmann]

ISTINSKA SLOBODA

"Zašto toliko mladih školovanih žena

diljem svijeta prihvaća Islam? Ja sam izabrala Islam rađe nego

lažnu slobodu svjetovnog života." [Nakata Khaula]

DAR ISLAMA

"Islam je vrlo praktičan, daje upute

za sve značajke života. Što je ispravno a što je pogrešno u Islamu je jasno. Granice su postavljene. Ja to nisam

našla u mojoj prethodnoj religiji, svakodnevno zahvaljujem Bogu na daru Islama"

[Zahrah Riddle]

Source: Y Mansoor Marican, Why Islam? Kuala Lumpur, 2004. ISBN 983-9511-45-9