First Steps In Your Educational Journey

Your shahadah was the beginning, not the end result. Now the true effort and struggle has begun. Your greatest enemy is yourself.

A common issue is living as if Allah is not present, or forgetting that He is present throughout the entirety of the process. Remember that LIFE = TIME = DHIKR (remembrance). This understanding is crucial in your efforts to learn Islam, and to bring it into reality in your life.

Becoming an extension of his rahmah (mercy/compassion), nur (light), and embodiment of the Qur'anic teachings is the goal. This begins by removing with the effort to remove all ill feelings from one's heart for anyone. Past, present, or future. Give to others as you want from Allah.

Islam is perfect, Muslims are not. You are not amongst the Sahabah in your local Masjid. Have no expectations from the Muslim community, and don't ask them for anything. Trust the One who blessed you with Islam in the first place, and place your needs in front of Him.

Spend to build your own Jannah, and to extinguish the anger of Allah towards you due to your sins. Be financially independent of the Muslim community.

Find a qualified, experienced scholar who possesses a depth of understanding regarding the context that we are living in, stick with him, and assist him however you can. You'll be amazed at how much you will learn, understand, and receive in the process. This will also give you access where others find limitations.

Learning in Islam is systematic and a methodical process. Don't be fooled by Do-It-Yourself Islam. Learn the epistemology of Islam.

Your family is still your family. Learn how to love them as a Muslim, and how to show them Islam, instead of telling them about Islam.

The external realm is due to the internal realm. This life is all about the next life. Learn how to shed existing problematic understandings of what reality and truth are, as they are generally understood in the social context.

Avoiding the two extremes, the majority engaged in American Muslim pop culture, and the isolationist "lone wolf syndrome" common to new Muslims.

You are NOT a convert, revert, or renewed Muslim. You are a MUSLIM. You are not classified by how you began, but rather by how you end this life. We do not call the Companions (Sahabah) by any of these terms, and it is not part of our Islamic tradition.

Moving beyond cookie cutter understandings, the goal is to experience Islam to the fullest extent possible. don't just talk about Islam, or listen to those who talk and argue about Islam. LIVE Islam, and you'll always be amazed.