Aya Muhammad
My story all started when I was about 13 1/2 years old. I was a real trouble maker in school all my life. From elementary school to end of Middle school(K-8 grade). I live in Ladysmith, Wisconsin USA. I think I set the world record for the most in/out of school suspensions in elementary. From Kindergarten to fifth grade was elementary, and between those 6 years I think I set a record of more then 50 in/out of school suspensions (ages 6-11). In Middle School, sixth to eighth grade. I got in trouble there very much, with much disorderly conduct, and had to perform community service. When I was in sixth grade and 12 years old, I heard about the World Trade Towers falling to the ground, but I never knew the religion of the people that did it. I had never heard in my life of a religion called Islam, with followers called "Muslims". So when I was 13 (7th grade) I got into lots of trouble and I mean lots. I started hating everybody and everything
My whole life I felt like there was a battle going on inside my body. Should I follow God, or Satan ? First I was more on the side of God, but then Satan took over for about a couple of months. I started worshipping Satan at 13 1/2 years old. I guessed by a sharp pain in my head what it was that he was trying to command me what to do. He 'told' me to burn the bible, and without thinking I did it (I regret it to this day). Soon afterwards he 'told' me to kill my youngest cousin, and that is when I put a stop to it, I said 'NO' to him. Immediately I started searching for the Truth, I wanted to be on the side of good, not bad, so I started searching for God.
I went on the internet, I chatted to my friend there and one day I went into a chat room and found this Muslim brother. I started talking to him, I told him all the problems that happened between me, God, and Satan. He told me what I should do and how to do it, I did and it worked. I felt very relieved. One day when he talked to me he mentioned Islam and if I knew anything about it, I said "no". So he told me about Islam. I met him in September 2003, and over a 4 month period I told him my problems. He preached to me about Islam in December 2003. So I listened to him. I loved the way he preached to me so much. He told me to go to the library and read up on Islam. I promised him I would do that. I did. I read all the books on Islam. I actually checked out lots of books and could not read them all in time, LOL. I matched his words from his preaching to the words in the Islamic books and they matched, so I believed him. Then I told him that I trusted him and believed him then he told me to stop eating pork and all that Islam forbids, and I did stop eventfully in February 2004. I studied Islam for 2 months and embraced it (converted/reverted) on March 20, 2004. I took my Shahadah with a Muslim brother from Chicago, Illniois USA , his name is Khalid Sarwar. The witness was Amjid. I live in a place where there is no masjid (mosque) or Muslims around, NONE AT ALL!!!
Soon afterwards I talked on the internet to my friends again and found another Muslim brother. He told me to pick a Muslim name, I told him to list all names he knows and he did. There were many and I disliked all but two. Khadijah, and Aya. I told him the two I liked and told him to pick one for me , he picked Aya and I agreed to it. When I turn 18 I want to changed my whole name from April Susan Sylte to Aya Muhammad Rahim. I prefer people to call me Aya. So I picked the name and it has been mine ever since. I have been a Muslim now for 7 1/2 months now, alhamdulillah (Praise to Allah). My birthday was September 17. So I got to celebrate my birthday as a Muslim, alhamdulillah. I'm 15 now, I'm in 9th grade, my first year in High School. And I'm planning on doing lots of dawah work to the students, insha'allah, I have already convinced 4 people to come to Islam alhamdulilah. My Iman is very strong. I can already read the Qur'an in Arabic, alhamdulilah.
So I ask all the people out there , mostly the youth, to please search harder , and find the Truth as I did. Islam is the Truth. I found that out. May Allah Guide you to the Straight Path - Amin !
Aya Muhammad
Source: www.thetruereligion.com
