Heather Matthews looks very different now that she follows Islam. Before, she liked going to parties and wearing revealing clothes. Now, she wears a hijab because she is a Muslim.
Islam has helped her understand what real love and happiness are things she didn’t find in her old way of life. Heather, who has two children, became a Muslim four weeks ago, two months after she came back from a trip to Ibiza.
She shows photos from her trip where she isn’t wearing a hijab to show that how the Western world sees beauty isn’t always right.
She said, "Today, many girls try hard to look and act a certain way to impress others, especially boys. How you dress and behave shows how much you respect yourself. If you dress or act a certain way, it can change how people treat you.".
Islam has helped me understand what real love is not just wanting someone for fun or something physical. Now, I also think that arranged marriage can make sense.
A group called Faith Matters found that over 100,000 people in Britain have decided to become Muslim, and this is twice as many as 10 years ago. Most of these new Muslims about two out of three are women, and they are usually around 27 years old, similar to Matthews.
She started learning about Islam when she wanted to show her ex-husband, Jerrome, that Islam was not the right religion. Since she was unsure about Islam, she read a lot of books to help her prove her point.
Even though Heather Matthews got divorced last year, she kept learning about Islam and understood it more and more. Four weeks ago, she said the *shahada* (a special statement of faith) in front of a local religious teacher.
She said, "Now I have Muslim sisters; they gave me a hijab (head covering) and some Islamic books as a gift. It’s amazing.".
Her choice made friends and family talk about it. Even people she just met would stare when they saw her wearing a hijab. She said, “When I wear a hijab, I can smile at people without them thinking I mean something else.”.
Matthews agrees with Islamic rules, which say you shouldn't have romantic relationships outside of marriage and that your beauty should only be for your husband.
She has stopped drinking alcohol, only eats food that is allowed in Islam, and plans to fast during the whole month of Ramadan. People are free to choose their religion without being forced.
Even though she feels happy with her new faith in Islam, Matthews won't make her two daughters, Ellah (5) and Halle (2), follow it. She wants them to find their own way in life.
Still, Matthews says she has no regrets about her choice. “It might surprise you, but I chose Islam because of love and happiness. One thing I know for sure: my life has changed.”.
0 comments:
Posting Komentar