A powerful testimony of a young man who chased happiness through drugs, alcohol, partying, and relationships, only to discover that true peace and contentment came through submitting to Allah. His journey from near-death experiences while drinking and driving to finding Islam through a chance encounter in New York City is a testament to how Allah guides those who are sincere in seeking the truth.
When the Party Lifestyle Almost Killed Him
During his years of partying, he nearly died multiple times. In one terrifying incident, he crashed into a pole while drinking and driving, and his friend hit the windshield so hard that his hair was embedded in the glass. Instead of taking it as a wake-up call, they took another sip of beer and tried to flee before police arrived. Despite pursuing what the world told him was happiness, he found himself becoming more and more miserable with every drink, every drug, and every hollow friendship.
“I was pursuing these things but in the midst of them I was finding many trials and tribulations. Trying to seek happiness within the drugs and within friends and within drinking was only making me more miserable.”
A Muslim’s Invitation That Changed Everything
Through a friend named Edgar, he traveled to New York and met a Muslim man named Abdulaziz who invited them for tea and began explaining Islam. The message was simple and powerful: Allah is the one God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, with no son, no father, and no partners. This sparked an intense period of study where he and his friends read books on Islam, studied the Bible cover to cover, and debated with pastors until the truth of Islam became undeniable.
“Allah is the one God, the Creator of the heavens and earth. He has no son, He has no father, He has no associates. He’s the Creator of the heavens and earth and nobody has seen Him.”
- He read the Bible from cover to cover with a highlighter, marking every contradiction he found compared to what he had been taught growing up
- When he questioned church pastors about contradictions regarding the divinity of Jesus, they could not provide satisfying answers
- As a new Muslim, he struggled beautifully with learning to pray, using pieces of paper on the floor to remember the Arabic words during salah
- His first Ramadan fast was a humbling challenge, but through perseverance and sincerity, Allah strengthened his faith and commitment to the deen
