Struggle of reverted Muslim and rewards
Fighting Loneliness as a Muslim Revert
As often as the reverted Muslims share their feelings about the day, they took shahada and the peace they felt as if a huge weight has been lifted from them. But there are hardly enough people that shares the problems, reverted Muslims encounters initially isolation and loneliness.
Talking about the challenges that stands out and often paralyzes the productivity of an individual is the test of being alone. Allah (swt) has talked about loneliness in many different ways in the Quran.
“Allah is the ally of those who believe. He brings them out from darkness into the light. And those who disbelieve – their allies are Taghut. They take them out of the light into darkness. Those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally therein” [2:257].
Isolation and Loneliness for New Muslims
There are indeed difficulties but there are rewards too which reverted Muslims receive in this life and hereafter. The problems they encounter after taking Shahadah can be overwhelming and demotivating that at times practicing the faith becomes really difficult. Leaving their family friends for religion, abandonment takes a toll on reverts.
Often in such situations, the most feasible solution for reverts is to easily isolate themselves in order to protect themselves and their faith as well as stay away from social situations and activities that cannot coexist with Islam.
When Struggling to Remain Steadfast
Islam is not merely a religion but a way of life. For a revert transforming their life completely from an extreme lifestyle to begin living as a practicing Muslin can be incredibly tough. There are moments when being alone struggle to remain steadfast on the right path. To console those struggling hearts, Allah says,
“Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their private parts and the women who do so, and the men who remember Allah often and the women who do so – for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward” [33:35].
Building Fruitful Relationships
Loneliness and isolating yourself can never help you to find ways to cope with the difficulties you as a new Muslim are facing. Totally immersing yourself in Islam and try to learn everything on your own can be hard on you. At initial stages, reverts need support in the form of mentorship.
In a hadith, our Prophet (PBUH) said, “If a servant accepts Islam and completes his Islam, Allah will record for him every good deed that he performed before [his Islam] and Allah will erase for him every evil deed that he did before [his Islam]. Then everything after that will be according to retribution. For every good deed, he will be recorded ten-fold up to seven hundred-fold. And for every evil deed he will be recorded similarly [one] for it, unless Allah overlooks that for him” [ Saheeh al-Jaami, 122].
Becoming a part of online community helps in learning more about Islam and allows you to interact with like-minded people. Islam brings people together. Hence, taking part in community work and other different activities help in coping with loneliness.
Discrimination and Choosing to Remain Isolated
Choosing to remain isolated and alone due to the fear of being discriminated can have a detrimental effect on your faith. Allah (swt) mentions in the Quran,
“O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted” [49:13].
Finding circles and meeting new people will help in expanding your network. Joining groups and working for the Muslim community based on your little knowledge will open doors for you to know more about Islam. Hence we should live freely and we should also allow people to know us and to listen our journey as a Reverted Muslim.
Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
“The person closest to Allah is the one who precedes others with greetings” [Abu Dawud].
