Yahya Schroder, Ex-Secularist, Germany
My name is Yahya Schroder. I am a "European" Muslim. I became
Muslim 11 months ago when I was 17. I am living now in Potsdam,
Germany and I want to share my experience with you as a Muslim in a
non-Muslim state.
As a convert to Islam, I think it's much easier to follow the deen
(religion) than a born Muslim who is been raised up here. Almost
all young born-Muslims I know want to become German. For them Islam
is only a tradition and they think that they have to give up their
tradition (Islam) to be accepted by the Germans, despite the fact
that the Germans won't accept them even if they gave up their
religion.
I grew up in a little village. I lived with my mother and my
stepfather in a huge house with a big garden and a big pool. And as
a teenager I "lived a cool life;" I had some friends whom I used to
hang around with, do stupid things and drink alcohol like every
young German teen.
The life of a Muslim in Germany is quite difficult than one would
think especially for me as a German Muslim because when someone
asks a German what they know about Islam; they would tell you
something about Arabs. For them it's like mathematical operation,
Islam = Arabs.
They still don't know about our big nation. When I converted to
Islam I had to leave my family and I moved to the community in
Potsdam near Berlin. I left this huge house and all my material
valuable stuff.
When I lived with my mother and my stepfather I had everything; a
big house, my own money, TV, Play-station. I was never concerned
about money, but I wasn't happy. I was searching for something
else.
When I turned 16 I met the Muslim community in Potsdam through my
biological father who became Muslim in 2001. I used to visit my
father once a month and we used to attend the meetings of the
community which were held on Sundays.
At that time, I was interested in Islam, and my father noticed this
and told me one day that he wouldn't speak about Islam when we are
together because he wanted me to learn from people of greater
knowledge so that other people won't say: "Oh he became Muslim just
because he's 17 and does everything his father does."
I agreed and I started visiting the community every month and
learned a lot about Islam but at that time something happened and
changed my way of thinking. One Sunday, I went with the Muslim
community swimming and I broke my back twice by jumping in the pool
and I hit the ground with my head.
My father brought me to the hospital and the doctor told me:
"You have broken your back quite bad and if you did one wrong
movement you'll become handicapped."
This didn't help me much, but then just a few moments before they
bought me to the operation room. One of my friends of the Muslims
community, told me something. "Yahya, you are now in the hands of
Allah (God), it's like a rollercoaster. Now you are on the top
enjoy the ride and just trust in God." This really helped me.
The operation took five hours and I woke up after 3 days. I
couldn't move my right arm but I was feeling like the happiest
person on this earth. I told the doctor that I don't care about my
right arm I'm so happy that God has let me survive.
The doctors had told me that I have to stay in the hospital for a
few months. I stayed for only two weeks there, because I was
training very hard. One day a doctor came and said: "today we will
try to take one step on the staircase," the exercise that I did on
my own two days before the doctor told me.
Now, I can move my right arm again and I was just two weeks there
Al-hamdu lillah (thanks God). This accident changed a lot
in my personality.
I noticed when God wants something; the individual's life can be
turned over in one second. So, I took life more serious and started
thinking more about my life and Islam, but I was still living in
this little village.
My wish to become Muslim became so strong that I had to leave my
family. I left my stepfather, my mother and the nice luxury
lifestyle to go to Potsdam. I moved to my father's apartment which
is rather small and I had to stay in the kitchen but it was okay
because I had nothing just a very few clothes, school books, and
some CDs.
It must sound for you like I lost everything but I am very happy,
I'm as happy as when I woke up in the hospital after the dreadful
accident. The next day was the first day of Ramadan. The day after
this was my first school day in my new school.
The day after my first day in school I said Shahadah (the
testimony of becoming a Muslim), praise be to God. So, everything
was new for me, new apartment, new school, and first time without
my family. Like in my school when they first noticed that I am a
Muslim they started to make jokes at me.
I think this is usual because of what they learned from the media.
"A terrorist," "Osama bin Laden is coming," "Muslims are dirty,"
some people thought I am just a crazy guy. And they even didn't
believe me that I am German.
But now after 10 months the situation changed. I made a lot of
dawah (inviting to Islam) to my classmates and now I even
have a praying room although I'm the only Muslim in my
school.
My classmates changed from making jokes to asking serious question
about Islam and they noticed that Islam is not a religion like the
other religions. They noticed Islam is cool!
They see that we Muslims have Adab (good manners) in
dealing with each other. They noticed that we are independent from
all this peer pressure; we just keep it real we don't need to be in
a special group like in my school.
At my school there are three main groups: the hip hop guys; the
punks; and the party people. Everybody tries to be a member of one
group, so as to be accepted by others.
Except me! I can be friends with everybody. I don't have to wear
special clothes to be "cool." So what happened is that they are
always inviting me and my Muslim friends to their barbecue
parties.
The special thing on this is that they respect me as a Muslim and
even more, they get Halal (allowed) food especially for me
and they have organized two barbecue grills one for them and one
for us Muslims! The people here are very open for Islam.
By Yahya Schroder
The Religion of Islam
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