I begin in the Name of the Creator of all worlds Who is Most Gracious and Most Merciful

I am deeply saddened by the attack of many on our Murshid, on our communities and on our chosen way of life. With all of the strife and problems of this country, which our Imam has taught us to love, you would think that these people with their hatred would find something more constructive to do with their time, than to manufacture lies and twist facts about people who are trying to live a circumspect life in these most difficult times. But, from the beginning of times, there have always been those who seek to destroy rather than build.

I come from a middle class background, from a family who has made honest livings in the fields of education and medicine. I was brought up to believe in a Supreme Being and was taught to live a good life not harming anyone and to live a life wherein I would do to others as I expected to have done to me.  Because I was so dissatisfied with the religious affiliation of my family, I began to look around at other faiths. I visited many houses of worship, and soon began to see a similar pattern although the doctrines were different. While in college, I met and married my husband and my spiritual search no longer took precedence in my life. However, after starting a family and continuing my education, both my husband and I realized that we were spiritually bereft. We were missing something in our lives. We both realized that getting up every morning, going to school/work taking care of our family and socializing on the weekends with our friends was not enough to fill our lives. Partying with friends was not enough for us. We knew that there had to be a bigger purpose to life that the life that we were living. Through reading and talking to other Muslims, we chose Islam by which to guide us in this world and in the next. As sincere as most of us were, we were still ignorant of the Haqq, the Truth of Islam and many of us were unfortunately following the cultures of other peoples, thinking that it was Islam. It is not unlike now when so many unknowing people judge Islam by judging the cultures of peoples, instead of the Word of our Creator. By our Creator's Mercy, we were sent a most humble and knowledgeable man in the shape of our Murshid/Imam/leader. He has guided us in the truth of Islam and taught us the True meaning of why we are here and our mission in this life. We were taught to live upstanding lives and to treat all people with kindness as was the example of the Holy Last Messenger, Muhammad, may Allah send countless Blessings on him and on his family.

My husband and I had a very nice house in New York. I was working as a nurse and he was working for the city of New York. We gave all of that up willingly to move our family to rural South Carolina. I had heard so many bad things about the South and its peoples and most people that I knew in the North could not understand why we would move to the South. We wanted a wholesome life in the country for our family. To my surprise, I found most southerners that I came into contact with, to be gracious and curious about our faith. We wanted to raise our families in a place where people were believers of God and we wanted to move with like-minded people so that we could live in Muslim communities.

My husband and I have raised four daughters here in South Carolina. They are all married and they are now raising their families here in the South as well. All of our girls have some college education; two of them are college graduates, one with a post graduate degree. In dispute of what these articles would suggest, most of us are not criminals. Our Imam/ Guide did not recruit prisoners. He has taught us and continues to teach us that in this country of ours, where we have rights to practice our faith, forbidden to so many people in so many other parts of the world that we are to follow the laws of our country. My father was a veteran of the Second World War and my mother worked in munitions factories during that time when so many Americans made sacrifices to support their country during those times to protect the world from tyranny. I am very proud of both my parents' roles during World War II.

We are living in very difficult times. The world has gotten smaller. Many unfortunate peoples are suffering all over the world. Many are being oppressed. We in this community have spent years, visiting refugee camps overseas and trying to offer aid in monies and education to those who are oppressed, As we are Muslims and most of the refugees and oppressed peoples are Muslims, we have, as so many Christians have, done mission work amongst Muslim peoples. We also had a group of our Scouts at ground zero, helping after 9/11. We also had groups go to Louisiana and Texas after Hurricane Katrina.

I am not trying to paint an idyllic picture of all Muslims. That would not only be untrue, but it would also be misleading. We are people with the foibles of any other people, The difference between us and some others, is that we have clear direction how to carry on our lives. Our religious life is not separated from our spiritual lives. No doubt that the life of this world has many attractions and some of us get caught in its web. Unlike Christianity, we have not monasteries and convents to which we can escape the life of this world. We are taught to live in this world, but not to be of this world. That is very difficult, indeed. But that is what we strive to do.

My post may not be as interesting as some others. It may not be as sensational. There's no story of drugs, living on the street, etc. But it is part of my story for which I am most happy to share with the readers. In saying that, I find no fault on those who have found Islam in a way different than my path. Islam does not discriminate. Allah, the Creator of all, in our Holy Qur'an speaks to all of mankind. There are some who have found Islam while imprisoned or while in some other unfortunate circumstance. That should speak to the power of Islam and its Message and its Way of Life. It has been the saving Grace for so many people from so many different walks of life. It is by the guidance of Sultan Mohyuddin Syed Mubarik Ali Shah Gilani, that I have learned the true Islam. It is by his guidance that I have learned that it is forbidden for me to eat a meal while my neighbor, anywhere in the world, goes without. It is by his guidance that I have to be amongst the people with right behavior living an exemplary life and having that life speak for me. It is by his guidance that I do not follow the culture of any other people, because Islam has its own culture based on the Word of Almighty God, our Creator, which was lived by His Holy Last Messenger Muhammad, Peace and Blessing be on him. It is by my Imam that I have learned that the ten Commandments are just as important and is in keeping with our faith. It is by his teachings that I have come to understand that there is truly One Creator Who has sent Messengers and Prophets from the very beginning of time and that they all preached one message. It is by his teachings that I have come to understand that just as man persecuted and killed their messengers and those who followed the messages that those things would always be; but that we must be steadfast. That no matter what lies people spread about us, no matter how they misconstrue the truth, that we must be steadfast and continue to live and spread the message of Truth to all peoples. Without the guidance of Sultan Mohyuddin Syed Mubarik Ali Shah Gilani, I would have fallen prey to those who follow culture, I would have fallen prey to those who have political agendas be they American or otherwise. It is by his guidance of true Islam that I have become a good American who happens to be Muslim; I have come to care about my fellowman, no matter his/her religious or political affiliation. It is by his guidance that I have come to know the value of the American Constitution and the Bill of Rights. And it is because of his guidance and his untiring support of us that I stand firm in his defense against all who attack him.