Sarah Lauren A British journalist, broadcaster and human rights activist. He was born in a Christian family in England. Neither of the parents were very religious. Father was an alcoholic, mother was a fashion model. But he believed from his childhood that there must be one creator of this world.
Sarah said, "From the age of five, when I was very young, I loved to pray." I believed that God is one. Never believed in three Gods like other Christians.
Sara became interested in Islam when she went to Palestine as a journalist. There he saw that every room must have a book. That is the Quran. Sarah saw that these people endured so much persecution of the Jews. Some children have been killed, some have lost their parents, some have lost their hands and legs and are crippled, some are destined to jail. Despite all this, they are optimistic. What is disappointment - they do not know! Sarah felt that they had a much happier and more comfortable life than hers.
He asked, what is the secret?
They said, the Qur'an has guided our lives in this way.
Sara said, 'Then I thought, this book is a guidebook to be a good person. I knew I wasn't a good person.'
Sarah went shopping before returning to England. He made a list. The Qur'an also included in that list. He collected the Quran Kareem and returned home and took it in hand.
Sarah said, "I opened it with my hand to see what is in the Quran." I read Surah Hud verse 102-
وَكَذٰلِكَ اَخْذُ رَبِّكَ اِذَاۤ اَخَذَ الْقُرٰی وَهِیَ ظَالِمَۃٌ اِنَّ اَخْذَهٗۤ اَلِیْمٌ شَدِیْدٌ.
Such is the seizure of your Lord, when He seizes the towns while they are guilty of wrongdoing. Surely His grip is painful, severe.
I got scared. Every page of the Quran was telling me, I am a sinner. I must be punished in hell. Allah is displeased with me. It was 2006. I used to drink alcohol, smoke. I was selfish, luxurious.'
Sara traveled throughout the Middle East as a non-Muslim journalist. But he was overwhelmed by the insincere behavior of the Muslims. He came to Ramallah on his first visit to the West Bank. It was winter season. He did not have proper winter clothes. Sara said, 'I was shivering in the cold. Suddenly an old woman said to me, come here, come here. He dragged me to his room. I couldn't even imagine it was actually happening. In this 21st century... I couldn't believe it.' He was deeply affected by the incident.
'In the year two thousand eight he came again to Palestine. It was the month of Ramadan. This second visit had a great impact on him. In the service he met a Palestinian family. They invited him for Iftar. Let's hear the incident from Sara's mouth. He said-
I knocked on their door. The housekeeper opened the door and greeted her with Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. I saw, an enlightened man. He has two bright eyes. The light is shining in the face. He welcomed me as if he was inviting me to the Taj Mahal! As if he lives in the most beautiful house in the world! But when I entered the room, I found that there was nothing. An empty cell. there is nothing Just walls, floor and ceiling. Lay a rug on the floor. Iftar of ten people is kept on it. What was the iftar? Hummus on a plastic plate, bread on a plate and salad on another plate! matter I didn't want to eat. But he did not agree. He said, You are our guest.
He continued to increase me. He wasn't listening to my 'no'. I was getting a bit angry. There was anger towards Islam. There was anger towards the Quran; Which tells starving people to starve for another thirty days. I was angry with the Quran, which told this poor woman not to drink water and not to eat or drink. But all he got was some dirty water. I asked him, Why are you fasting?
He said, I fast in Ramadan in remembrance of the poor! Allahu Akbar! He told me, I fast in Ramadan in remembrance of the poor! Allahu Akbar! This mother, who has nothing in this world. Nothing, maybe nothing will happen in life. He is thinking of those who are worse off than him! This woman who has to work all day, she is not eating to thank her Lord!'
This scene took place in his heart. But even then he did not accept Islam. Exactly two years later, during the month of Ramadan, he entered a mosque with one of his girlfriends. To know what Muslims do during Ramadan. During the month of Ramadan, the mosque is full of Muslims. He sat and watched. He felt as if he was sitting under a fountain of peace. He realized that Islam is peace. Islam is the truth. A week later he went to another mosque in London and recited the Shahadat in Kalima. The imam and the muezzin talk to him. Narrated Surah Al-Fatiha to him. Sarah said, 'While they were talking, I felt there was a solemn atmosphere in the whole room. There is a different feeling all around.'
The most beautiful part of Sarah's story is when she told her two daughters to accept Islam, one was eight and the other was ten. Sara said, 'I said to them, your mother thinks she will become a Muslim? what do you say
They said, we have three questions:
First question: When you become a Muslim, will you remain our mother?
I said, of course; Rather, I will be a better mother.
Second question: Will you drink alcohol even after becoming a Muslim?
I said, I will never drink alcohol again.
Third question: Will you wear revealing clothes even after accepting Islam?
I said, why are you asking this question?
Because your throat and chest are always wide open, my daughter Holly said. We hate it and want you to stop doing it.
I said, look if I become a Muslim I will always go out in modest clothes. Then they said, then we love Islam.
Alhamdu lillah my daughters also accepted Islam and started praying with me since then. Subhanallah.'
Sarah's family is a famous family. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is her sister's husband. But with Tony Blair being one of the century's worst criminals against humanity, he broke with them. When everyone tried to convince him, he said, no matter who the oppressor is, no matter how close the person is, one cannot have a relationship with him.
Sarah's desire is to provide accommodation for the women around her who are converting to Islam. So that lack of accommodation and hardship do not force them to abandon their religion.
Sarah does not know Arabic. But he loves reciting the Quran. His feeling about the Qur'an is that two days away from the Qur'an will make his life difficult. Like walking on sharp glass. At first he was afraid of only the verses of the punishment of hell, but now the beauty of the Qur'an is revealed before him. Quran is now the love of his life.
[Based on program 'Bilquran Ihtadaitu' by Eminent Dai Fahad Alkandari]