Hosai Mojaddidi – The Prohibition of Drinking Alcohol Led Me To Islam Brendas Shahadah (Declaration of Faith)

Hello, my name is Brenda.

I am a Mexican American.

My previous religion was capitalism.

There were so many doubts that I had with my previous religion that

just didn't really add up.

I was born and led to not asking questions. And it was a, it was a

sign for them for like disrespect. And I obviously did not want them

to disrespect my elders.

As far as finding Islam, I had very great friends that led me to

Islam. And

asking questions was not a bad thing.

The more I asked questions of my doubt that I had,

everything seemed like everything was clearing up. It made sense to

me.

There's one specific thing that I definitely knew that it was just

like, this is the right really definitely.

One of them is growing up at a Mexican household where alcohol

was

and capitalism

allow it to be allowed.

That being said, in that to have broken families.

And I just knew that if a religion allows it, it was just not the

right one.

And so Islam, I smoked as much I started

doing my research for over three years,

I was able to find out that all the things that I believe was

wrong and was

not leading me to do to be a better person.

Islam was doing the opposite it was leading to to being a better

person.

P definitely so much peace within me, like so many. And

I'm looking forward to many more everyday nationalists as I go

down. And we spoke briefly earlier. And Brenda, you were

talking about how during this past year in COVID, you were reading

from the Quran, right? And you had mentioned that certain things were

being revealed to you,

as well. Yes, definitely.

So previously, I would say, around three years ago,

I was attending Sonoma State I'm studying at Sonoma State. Last

year.

Before going back to LA,

I was going through a rough time with family and had to go back

home

to take care of my family.

And it was a very hard time for me.

I was given a run, as again, during those difficult times. And

every time that I was going through a difficult time, I would

just open it open, I would pray. And I will talk to God. And I will

open the Quran. And when I opened up

whatever page I opened into

that page, I would read and automatically I just got a message

from Allah.

It was it was crazy, because it was whatever I was feeling

whatever I was going through that page that landed on, it was

exactly what I needed to hear that.

And that there was just like, I have to come to

render for sharing your these words are so inspiring for all of

us. And they're reminders for all of us that it's a two way

conversation, right? As you said, you were in a need. And you asked

Allah some kind of data for guidance. And just by opening his

book, you found that in the Quran is absolutely a book that all of

us getting guidance from, and we should be reading it every single

day. So it's a really powerful reminder to never close that door

right to the I was communicating with us through His words, and

that we have to take that first step right. The first step is to

ask for guidance, which is what you did. And that's why you're

here. And we want to think of other machines here in the

background as well because much of it was his efforts that led you

right to this discovery that he was with you to providing you

resources, answering your questions, as you said, commercial

it was the sincerity in your heart, that after three years of

pursuing God that you're standing here before us and we're also

honored that you chose this community center and we hope that

you will be a part of this community. You are a part of this

community, as far as I'm concerned already. I just met you a few

minutes ago but mashallah, the hearts are connected

it and honestly this is this is ceremonial but your faith was

confirmed in the moment you accepted Allah in your heart and

the prophesy centum in your heart that was that's that was when your

firm was listening to me Your face was uniform in your heart. This is

more of just because this is what we do. But once you make the

testimony of faith, now it's a public display, but you're already

a Muslim, right? So what we're going to do, what we're going to

do now is we're going to I'm going to read the Arabic testimony of

faith in Arabic line word by word, and you just repeat after me,

we'll do it three times. And then I'll explain meaning in English

and

and then you welcome to the stage in a formal way here.

Alright, this will not apply to him. So first we say ash, Ash had

you had

the latter letter

IL, Allah, Allah

rasool

Allah

that's why

ash, Ash

ilaha

IL, Allah, Allah, what ash ash

Anna anna Muhammadan

rasul Allah, Allah, Allah my

ash ash

and I left La Ilaha ilaha IL Allah, Allah wa wa ash ash had you

had to Anna anna Muhammadan

rasul

Allah.

So, what did we just say? I testified, I testified that there

is no god that there's no god but God. And I've testified I testify

that Muhammad is the Messenger of God as the messenger of God.

Sister Brenda, we're so honored again to have you on