Is a Convert Less?

Subhanallah. I just arrived back from attending a conferece in Houston Texas where I spoke about Passionate Love. The community I visited is a Nigerian community – Masjidul Muslimeen. I must say they are the nicest Muslims I have met in a very long time. They were very welcoming and gracious and seemed to really enjoy my lecture. There was one thing though that amazed me….

There was one sister there at the conference whom I noticed that whenever I spoke she felt the need to take over and add to it. After I had given my lecture she went so far as to take over my Q&A session and answer the questions that were really posed to me. Mind you she did not do this to the other guest speakers – just me. I brushed it off and figured oh well, I answer questions all day long every day so I needed the break. But others did not like it at all.

As I was leaving for the night a few sisters approached me and apologized for the woman’s behavior and one of them asked me her question again – so as to hear MY answer. After I answered her she hugged me, smiled and cried. “I love you Laila Nasheeba,” she said. “You have changed my life so much in so many ways and you do not even know it.”

She went on to tell me how she listens to my lectures on the internet daily. I hugged her back and told her I loved her too and encouraged her to join our website so as she can stay in touch with me. As I then turned to leave, one of my students approached me and introduced me to one of her friends.

“Teacher, this is my friend,” she said. “She really enjoyed your lecture and was shocked that she did because she thought you were a “revert” ”

I was taken aback. “What made her think I was a “convert” ?” I asked, although even if I had been what was wrong with that?

Come to find out, just because I speak like a strong african American – this made her and others too think I am a convert – and because of that they felt I would not have much to tell them about islam. I then began to piece together – this must have been the other woman’s problem too. The reason she felt the need to answer my questions and all is because she too most likely figured me to be a “convert”.

Subhanallah. I explained to my student that some of the most great Islamic speakers today are converts – Khalid Yasin, Seraj Wahhaj, Abdul Hakim Quick – are all CONVERTS and african American. I am neither, but even if I were, what is it that makes others think that I would not have anything to share or say about islam? 

Whatever the reason, people with this ideology are just stopping themselves from acheiving knowledge that could be of so much benefit to them.  My student agreed.

I chalk this up as another reason as to why so many Muslims today are lost, and pray that Allah will open such Muslims hearts to the truth – as told by whomever regardless of race, linguistics or conversion.