An American woman who converted to Islam
immediately after 9/11. Find out why.
Meet her next.
Well, she was the girl next door. Blonde
hair, blue eyes, a practicing Catholic.
But after 9/11, she found herself drawn
to Islam, a religion she says empowered
her. What does she think of radical
Islam and the folks who want to kill us?
Angela Collins is the director and
principal of the Alita Academy. It's a
school for Muslim children in Southern
California. Thank you for joining us.
Thank you.Amiklaykum.
Um, tell me a little bit about why and
how you made this transformation.
I traveled a lot abroad across the
world. I went to India and through the
Middle East and met Muslims everywhere
and uh the people that I met were so
genuine and generous in their nature and
I wanted to learn a lot more about them.
So I came back to the states. I met
Muslims here and they became my friends.
And then 9/11 happened and our entire
country pointed their finger. They blame
Muslims of course and I had an opposite
experience of knowing these people. So I
spoke out against it. But then of course
I'm challenged and people want to know
what Islam really teaches and I didn't
have that knowledge. So what I did is I
picked up a Quran and I started reading.
Of course, thinking here's a book that
discriminates against women, does not
give them their equal rights is not fair
and and divided. But I found exactly the
opposite after reading the direct source
and the direct word of God. And after
that, I I took my shahada and I
converted to Islam. Do you think Angela
that um the fact that we don't hear more
protests from let's say normal caring
Muslims such as yourself and from the
Muslim community itself about some of
the outrageous uh comments from the more
I don't know Islamop fascist side of the
aisle that that rightly gives Americans
pause.
Uh I do blame ourselves for not being
out in the media more. Definitely we
need to get out there. However, when we
do stand in protest, for instance, in
front of the federal building in
Westwood, they turn off all the lights
and we get a counterprotest on the other
side and traffic builds up. Also, a lot
of people immigrated from other
countries. They have fear that something
could happen to their status here. So,
it's more difficult for them to come
out. But you'll see me like other
American converts out there in the front
lines. and we will absolutely
communicate what our thoughts are. But
I've heard as well, Angela, that many
are afraid to communicate that or afraid
to to criticize some of the more severe
uh elements in the Muslim community
because they're afraid of getting
killed. Is that true?
I haven't heard that. I think the only
thing that I've heard is people are
afraid of losing their status here in
America. As for death, no. Although I've
had my own experience where I was
standing out there in a protest and a
lady came out of her car. She jumped in
front of my face and she pushed me. Of
course, I didn't push her back and she
was older. She was maybe in her 50s and
um she was Israeli and very upset.
I just figured she was responding with
her emotions, but I didn't react. But
you know there are a lot there are a lot
of we're showing a picture view uh
Angela before you made this
transformation and became a practicing
Muslim and a lot of young women who
would be looking at you now versus then
would say all right she's covered
herself up she seems to have given away
a lot of herself um for religion we
don't understand and somehow seems
detrimental to women. You're saying
that's not the case? No, absolutely not.
I'm not sure which picture is being
shown of me, but I'm sure I'm giving up
a lot more of myself than now. How does
your family How does your family feel
about this? H my family. At first it was
difficult, but now they're extremely
supportive. Uh we have conversations. We
talk about terrorism all the time. I
remember they're Catholic, right? Have
any of them? Yeah. Have any of them
become Catholic?
No, they haven't. Okay. No. Angela,
thank you for joining us in Irvine,
California. Angela Collins. Thank you.