Everyone has a history, be it bad or good; it’s one’s history. It is what makes one human, a person. Have you ever met a practicing person, whom you are constantly in awe with their humbleness and piety? Then someone comes and tell you this person has a history. How would you feel about it?

I’ve always been a fan of conversion stories. There’s just something about changing your life, from the darkest abyss, rising to the top and trying to attain Allah’s pleasure. It really gets me.

Different people see things differently. If you are brought up with values and growing up as practicing muslims, perhaps such stories do not affect you as much as someone who walks aimlessly in this world, losing hope. For someone with a bad past, listening to conversion stories, knowing there’s a light at the end of the tunnel after all, is like being born again. It is a catalyst for someone to make a move and change their life for the better.

I have seen me how people shun reverts simply because they are reverts. The years of a person being muslim does not reflect one’s iman. Nor does it reflect one’s knowledge in Islam. A born muslim does not mean one was born with iman at its highest level and never falters. No. A born muslim means you too, need to learn islam just like every other person. It means, you too, need to constantly boost your iman.

The same thing happens when a person with a bad history makes a change in their life. A sister who was once non-practicing, may be mocked and teased horribly, to the point that they were insulted and called fake and insincere. A brother who was once a reckless person, comes to the mosque with a beard and pants above the ankles and is called a show off and over the top by fellow muslim brothers. Is this how we are supposed to treat each other? Who are we to judge a person’s past, when they have made that transition in their life? Have we looked at ourselves in the mirror lately? Are we better than them? Have we secured a place for us in Jannah, that we now have the audacity to mock others’ efforts? Remember the best of generations, the Sahabahs were also reverts. They had a past, but they moved forward.

Is it so hard for us to move on? To look past the past, and carry on? Why can’t we treat our brothers and sisters kindly? After all, even a smile brings reward.

The Prophet Peace be upon Him said: “Do not think little of any good deed, even if it is encountering your brother with a cheerful face.” (Muslim no. 144)

Instead of condemning our muslim brothers and sisters who once had bad history, why don’t we learn something from their journey? Why don’t we listen to where they came from and gain something from their strength? Sometimes, these stories are our reminder, to realise, just how weak we are. We are weaklings, who wear this facade, going around judging others. We need reminders, to be humble, to constantly ask for forgiveness, and to repent.

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger as saying: Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant when he turns penitently towards Him than one of you would be on finding the lost camel. (Muslim no. 2675)

It is easy to judge someone. It is easy to see someone’s past and say this and that. By the end of the day, we do not know how and where we will end up. Only Allah (may He be glorified) who knows how we are going to end up. We have seen the worst person become a practicing muslim, and what was once a pious knowledgeable person, leave the religion. If that is not enough to scare us, I don’t know what will. All we can do is to keep on praying that Allah will keep us steadfast in this path. After all, it is the end that counts, right?

Anisah Matasim,

Writer, AAT

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