pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia to Mecca.
Now, there are some misconceptions about
the Hajj and we're going to be
discussing that in a little while, but I
wanted to give you a little little bit
of information in terms of what the five
pillars of Islam are. And once again,
they are as follows. Now, take note
because these are the reasons why you
should be a Muslim. one to bear witness
that there's nothing worthy of worship
as a god except Allah and that Muhammad
was his slave servant and messenger.
That's the first pillar. The second
pillar is to make the prayer five times
a day to wash ourselves of our sins.
Thirdly, to pay the zakat or the poor
due or the arms do as we made mention.
The fourth pillar is to fast the month
of Ramadan. Yes. Yes. I know you're
going to get a little bit hungry, but
it's not that bad because we all do it.
The fifth and final pillar is the Hajj.
Now, let's move on to something else
because we're going to be coming back to
some of these topics as we go throughout
this thing of why you should be a
Muslim.
[Music]
Before
uh I was a Muslim uh I was like uh all
young people uh which means uh I was uh
uh doing bad things, doing good things
but I didn't know uh where I was going.
So I was uh searching uh for the truth.
I was searching for something which um
makes me uh happy and uh which uh gives
me uh stability and uh confidence uh in
myself.
[Music]
Um like I told you, I was searching for
the truth and um I was uh at this at
this time I was traveling uh in Asia and
um I I met um Imam in Masjid and I I
asked him uh what what what is Islam?
And uh because I didn't know anything
about Islam and he told me the the five
peers and he he he told me um what how
the the Muslim consider all the prophets
and um and when he he told me about Nabi
um the prophet Isaam
um I understand uh that uh that was the
first. So uh when we finished the
conversation I decided to enter in
Islam.
[Music]
Um after um becoming a Muslim um my life
was more uh clear. Um I I feel myself
confident in all my actions and uh also
I have uh him in life. uh which which is
the uh the the the him to be a good man
and to act uh as best uh as better as I
can and uh and and it changed all my
actions uh in a daily life.
[Music]
Well, I am here to tell you that there
is nothing that could possibly be
farther from the truth. Jesus, the son
of Mary, was indeed born of the
immaculate conception and he was born
without the agency of a father.
Jesus is loved in Islam and we
understand him to be a prophet, a
messenger, the son of the Virgin Mary.
Now, I'd like to ask you another
question.
Is there any man out there that thinks
that he could possibly be more pious
than the Virgin Mary? Of course not. So,
how could it possibly be that Islam
actually looks at women to being a lower
status? Impossible. So, I hope this
clears up some misconception that the
prophet Jesus, may Allah's peace and
blessings be upon him, was a prophet
along with the prophet Abraham, the
prophet Noah, the prophet Moses, the
prophet Jesus, and the prophet Muhammad,
may Allah's peace and blessings be upon
them all. They were all prophets and
messengers, and they were loved. They
are loved in Islam.
[Music]
[Laughter]
[Applause]
to
[Music]
be worth for
[Applause]
the Moonch.
[Music]
[Applause]
Fire cool.
[Music]
Well, I think in one word uh I could say
confusion.
Um there were sort of all sorts of
directives, pointers given me by those
that were in the know supposedly. Um but
I found there a lot of contradictions.
Therefore, confusion.
That's about the key word about how I
was before. Confused.
[Music]
It seemed a logical conclusion. I took
many years getting there. I took my time
and did it slowly,
but I always had that point as from
about 14 years of age where I knew I was
going to end up somewhere other than
where I started this life. Um, and just
very very slowly and steadily uh the
import I got through my life was
pointing me more and more towards Islam.
So it came from many many directions,
young people that I met, elders, uh,
religious people, uh, lots of people
from all three religions, but they all
of them ended up pointing me towards
Islam.
[Music]
Far from being oppressive, I I believe
it actually gives us a lot of freedom.
It was, I believe, the first religion
that gave women rights in their own name
to run businesses, to own property,
uh, to run their lives.
Um, I can't see that as being
oppressive.
Um, I find that in Islam, I'm considered
a very precious asset.
Um, I'm much loved, much cherished.
Um, and that's in my own right as
myself, which is really nice.
[Music]
Firstly, deep relaxation. I'm far more
relaxed about my life. I'm less
concerned and worried about all the
stuff that used to worry me. Um
I know that as long as all is well
between me and my Lord God, Allah,
um then I'm okay with the world and
everything is fine. whichever way I look
at it, it has to be fine. So, uh things
are difficult sometimes things as in
every life um you get complications.
This is life. But I find more solution,
more resolution and more uh calming
serenity.