As a child, I always had access to a short-wave radio.  I used to listen to the BBC World Service about the Middle East.  I also loved the music from that part of the world, and I probably was listening to the Quran being recited but did not know it at the time.

As I grew older, I continued to listen to the BBC World Service.  Back then, they had a program called Words of Faith in which they had a five- to an eight-minute talk given by a different religious speaker each day of the week representing all the major religions in the United Kingdom.  Out of all the speakers, the Muslims were the ones I loved listening to most.

Every time the Muslim representative spoke, I wanted to find out more about Islam.  My impression of the religion was that the person who practices Islam is a happy person, not like the mean people portrayed by the American media.  I just refused to believe people that loved Allah so much could be like the people portrayed by the media.  Because I come from a Jewish background, the thing that united me with Islam was the belief that Allah had no partners.

Work in the United Kingdom

An important time in my life came when I met a real Muslim but did not know it yet.  I was doing contracting computer programming work in New York State when I had a strong urge to visit the United Kingdom.

[…]

Meeting a Real Muslim for the First Time

Sometime after I started working at LogoTech, I found out that my supervisor, Anis Karim, was Muslim.  I asked him if he knew how I could get a copy of the Quran.  To my surprise, he obtained a copy of the Quran for me within a few days. […] The next day, while eating breakfast, I started to read.  Later I found out that “read” is what Allah had the Angel Gabriel instruct our beloved Prophet to do, even though he could not read or write!

Well, words can’t describe how I felt when I read just that small portion of the world’s most holy book.  It took only 10 pages, when, at that point, I told myself that this religion was for me.  This occurred around 1990.  The more I read, the more I wanted to know, and I loved what I was reading.

At the time, I did not know anything about how to pray or any of the details of Islam.  If Anis had invited me to go to the masjid [mosque] in London, I would have gone with him. […]   At the time, I knew that Muslims prayed several times a day, and so I started to do so at night before I went to bed and in the morning when I woke up.

[…]

My First Trip to a Masjid

[…] My sister asked me if I could help her find Islamic jewelry as a gift.  At that time I had no idea that there were Muslims in Huntsville.

Then Allah put things into place for me.  I remembered that there was a shop called Crescent Imports, which I thought was run by Muslims.  It was not.  It was run by the group called Nation of Islam.  […]

I do thank Allah for having them direct me to the masjid. […]I spoke to the imam, and he invited me to perform salat (Prayer) with the Muslim brothers.  This was a turning point in my life.  I loved it and started to visit the masjid once a week at night.  Then I started to visit it several times a week at night.  The urge to come more times was stronger and I now perform most of my prayers at the masjid, except `Asr and Maghrib prayers when I am at work.

I Officially Accepted Islam in Peace

In November of 1996, I publicly made Shahadah.  At work, I pray Zhuhr and Asr by myself or with other Muslim brothers in a small mosque in my workplace.  I proudly carry my prayer rug in the hallways at my work in an attempt to get people to ask me what they are.  When they do ask me about it, I tell them that I am Muslim and the mats are what I use to pray on.  Also, my work area, including my computer, is decorated with Islamic artwork.  My background on my computer is usually the Kaaba or our masjid.

Now that I am a Muslim, there is no turning back to disbelief!

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My name is Yahya Schroder.  I am a “European” Muslim.  I became Muslim […] when I was 17.  I am living now in Potsdam, Germany […].

As a convert to Islam, I think it’s much easier to follow the deen (religion) than a born Muslim who is been raised up here.  […]

I grew up in a little village.  I lived with my mother and my stepfather in a huge house with a big garden and a big pool.  And as a teenager I “lived a cool life;” I had some friends whom I used to hang around with, do stupid things and drink alcohol like every young German teen.

The life of a Muslim in Germany is quite difficult than one would think especially for me as a German Muslim because when someone asks a German what they know about Islam; they would tell you something about Arabs.  For them it’s like mathematical operation, Islam = Arabs.

[…] When I lived with my mother and my stepfather I had everything; a big house, my own money, TV, Play-station.  I was never concerned about money, but I wasn’t happy.  I was searching for something else.

When I turned 16 I met the Muslim community in Potsdam through my biological father who became Muslim in 2001.  I used to visit my father once a month and we used to attend the meetings of the community which were held on Sundays.

[…] I started visiting the community every month and learned a lot about Islam but at that time something happened and changed my way of thinking.  One Sunday, I went with the Muslim community swimming and I broke my back twice by jumping in the pool and I hit the ground with my head.

My father brought me to the hospital and the doctor told me:

“You have broken your back quite bad and if you did one wrong movement you’ll become handicapped.”

This didn’t help me much, but then just a few moments before they bought me to the operation room.  One of my friends of the Muslims community, told me something.  “Yahya, you are now in the hands of Allah (God), it’s like a rollercoaster.  Now you are on the top enjoy the ride and just trust in God.”  This really helped me.

The operation took five hours and I woke up after 3 days.  I couldn’t move my right arm but I was feeling like the happiest person on this earth.  I told the doctor that I don’t care about my right arm I’m so happy that God has let me survive.

[…] Now, I can move my right arm again and I was just two weeks there Al-hamdu lillah (thanks God).  This accident changed a lot in my personality.

I noticed when God wants something; the individual’s life can be turned over in one second.  So, I took life more seriously and started thinking more about my life and Islam […].

I moved to my father’s apartment which is rather small and I had to stay in the kitchen but it was okay because I had nothing just a very few clothes, school books, and some CDs.

It must sound for you like I lost everything but I am very happy, I’m as happy as when I woke up in the hospital after the dreadful accident.  […]

I think this is usual because of what they learned from the media.  “A terrorist,” “Osama bin Laden is coming,” “Muslims are dirty,” some people thought I am just a crazy guy.  And they even didn’t believe me that I am German.

[…] My classmates changed from making jokes to asking serious questions about Islam and they noticed that Islam is not a religion like the others.  They noticed Islam is cool!

[…] The special thing on this is that they respect me as a Muslim and even more, they get Halal (Lawful) food especially for me and they have organized two barbecue grills one for them and one for us Muslims!  The people here are very open to Islam.

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