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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My name is Ali. I’m a 3-year-old Mexican born in America or as some would say a Chicano. […].  I think it will Insha’Allah (God willing) help people understand Islam and why it attracted me. People have a wrong perception About Islam and Muslims, what little they know is usually from movies and television which is almost all the time false and not in peace.

My life before was bad I had no direction in life.  […]  I would hang out in the streets with my friends “partying” getting high, drinking, and selling marijuana, most of my friends were gang members. […]

One day a friend of mine told me that he knew where to get some good marijuana, I agreed to go check it out.  We arrived and went inside this apartment. There were a couple of people inside […].  My friend and I bought some and were getting ready to leave when my friend said one of the guys there invited us to his apartment to give him a book.

We left for this guy’s apartment when we got there, he gave my friend a book and asked him to read it, and said that it might help him out with his problems in life.  On the way home I asked my friend to show me the book that the guy gave him, it was the Quran (Koran).

I had never in my life heard of The Holy Quran, I began to briefly read some pages, while I was reading I knew that what I was reading was true, it was like a slap in the face, a wake up call.  The Quran is so clear and easy to understand. I was really impressed and wanted to know more about Islam and Muslims.

The strangest thing is that I was not looking for a new religion, I used to laugh at people that went to church, and I sometimes said that there was no God.  Although deep down I knew there was.  I decided to go to the library a couple of days later and check out the Quran.  I began to read it and study it, I learned about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) and the true story of Jesus son of Mary (Peace be upon him).  The Quran stressed the fact that God was one and had no partners or a son, this was most interesting to me since I never understood the concept of the trinity.  The Quran describes the birth of Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him, and his mission.  There is also a Surah (Chapter) called Maryam (Mary) and tells her story as well.

As a child I always went to church, my mother was a Seventh Day Adventist and took my sister and me every Saturday.  […]

I did months of research on Islam. I bought a Holy Quran at a bookstore and studied about world’s and Islam’s contributions to medicine and science.

[…] After months of study and research I could not deny the truth anymore I had put it off too long, but was still living the life I was before and knew that if I became Muslim I had to give all that up.  One day while reading the Quran, I began to cry and fell to my knees and thanked Allah for guiding me to the truth.  I found out that there was a mosque by my house so I went one Friday to see how Muslims prayed and conducted their service.  I saw that people from all races and colors attended the mosque.  […] After going a couple of Fridays I was ready to be a Muslim and say my Shahada (declaration of faith).

I told the Khatib (person giving the lecture) that I wanted to be a Muslim, the following Friday in front of the community I said my Shahada first in Arabic then in English […]

When I finished a brother shouted Takbir!  and all the community said “Allah u Akbar (God is great)!” a few times, then all the brothers came and hugged me.  I had never received so many hugs in one day, I will never forget that day it was great.  I have been Muslim since 1997, I’m at peace with myself and clear in religion, being Muslim has really changed my life for the better thanks to Almighty God.  I went back to school to get my High School equivalent and computer repair training.

[…] Alhamdulillah (praise be to God) in December of 2002, I got married in Morocco to a very good Muslim woman.

I think that Islam is the answer for the problems of the youth and society in general.  I hope my story Insha’Allah (God willing) will attract more Latinos and people of all races to the light of Islam.

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