what kept you going all these years
going up in Germany thinking is a huge
huge right like when you go to someone's
house the first thing when the host
opens the door it took my confirmation
at age 16 and the church that you know
that there's no peace and happiness that
they still trying to get you to the
nightclub they're still trying to get
you to drink you know to date to do all
sorts of things like giving her life to
God I marry the mother of Jesus
she wore hijab you're trying to emulate
her Salam alaykoum greedy's a piece I'm
here with Suzanne yes and it was
interesting to hear her German accent
and come to know that she accepted Islam
some time ago huh yes 1989 so what was
it what was it about Islam too had you
accepted I'm going up in Germany I grew
up without religion my parents did not
ever go to church but for me and my teen
years I did sense that there was
something up there so I took my
confirmation at age 16 and the church
which my parents did not like whatsoever
and at the age of 18 I started nursing
college with that was at a Catholic
hospital so I was surrounded by lots of
nuns as my teachers and for me there was
something about an um like giving her
life to to God so but I said okay so by
the age when when I finished with my
education three years later if I still
don't have a man then I might as well
just you know convert and become a nun
God behold a year later I met my husband
who is originally from Egypt and you
know presented me Islam I never heard
about Arabs before or Islam or Egypt for
that matter or the Kerman so I grew up
very much white color neighborhoods not
knowing anything so that's when I
started learning about Islam and after I
graduated 1986 I moved to Egypt to work
there and that's where I further
educated myself about Islam and then a
month before I got married in 1989 I
accepted Islam and humbly do you have
any regrets thus far about your decision
I just the only regret I have that I
didn't find it earlier Wow that you
didn't find it earlier
yes what kept you going all these years
to stay as a Muslim yes good friends
that's very important having having
having good friends other reverts or
born Muslims you have to keep good
company there because of those friends
you're trying to change a lifestyle that
you know that there's no peace and
happiness that they're still trying to
get you to the nightclub they're still
trying to get you to drink you know to
day to do all sorts of no thanks going
up in Germany thinking is a huge huge
dream right like when you go to
someone's house the first thing when the
host opens the door it's like what would
you like to drink yeah the party's on
say water or coke or something it's like
what you know even from 10:00 a.m. in
the morning of it they're drinking a you
think wow yeah you know with guns liked
a little bit of champagne or whatever
that's normal right so when you suddenly
know
coke is fine that's oh come on just a
little bit those are the tactics but Tom
my family my own family up to now has
not really accepted me being a
practicing Muslim because the first two
three years I would be Muslim but I
didn't change visually which was okay
with them but once I start to put on the
hijab
then you're obviously imitating the best
of women right Mary the mother of Jesus
she wore hijab you're trying to emulate
her instead of imitating some of the
other chemical dashians and that they
know Beyonce's and all that what advice
do you have for Muslim Muslims some are
struggling with the hijab they come from
a Muslim background family you had to go
ahead and get exposure to Islam and you
accepted it and you've been committed to
living the pure monotheism submitting
your will to God Islam and observing
with the Creator that mod is dress code
like Mary the mother of Jesus is doing
what advice do you have for some sisters
there's more may be concerned about what
he says she's gonna say you know
societal pressures and they need some
encouragement what would you tell them
is actually a very difficult question to
answer because I have two daughters
myself they are respectively 21 and 14 I
have refrained
forcing them to put their job because it
needs to come from within you need to
have the love for Allah and the religion
enough to say I am feeling comfortable
and strong with wearing the hijab it's
not you you can't put on the hijab to
please friends around you for the girls
for the sisters is really difficult like
some of them put on the hijab because
their friends are putting it on but it's
not really in them they don't feel it
right so take your time you learn enough
about the deal become strong in the team
because once you put it on you have to
keep it on like it's easy put it on but
to keep it on mmm is the show
lasting what advice do you have for
people tuning in maybe from Germany from
Europe there's a lot of misinformation
about Islam but they see you german
formally from a Christian background
accepting this way of life from the
Creator Islam what advice do you have
for them to have an open mind Ramona
yeah open-minded definitely because
America facing the problem right PR TV
channels news outlets about Muslims to
really keep an open mind to learn to ask
questions like I'm always like wish when
people gives me a look on the wall or on
the on the street like just ask me
ask me anything you know I'll take my
time to stop and answer why I'm wearing
a job why I'm looking like this you know
to give dower
on a daily basis when you walk down the
street just a smile just holding the
door for someone but for non-muslims or
people interested in Islam there's a lot
of pages on the internet but not all
sources are you know so - really the
source is a portion of the a porti
mustard to learn more get information or
like that thank you so much thank you
for sharing that thank you keep an open
mind and never visit a mosque ask your
question and inshallah and the most
important thing asked the creator for
the guidance because he's the one who
guides thank you very much