Converts' Stories: Antoine L. Mason's Testimony

Antoine L. Mason's Testimony

BISMI-ALLAH EL RAHMAN EL RAHEEM

AS-SALAAM ALAIKUM !

Where should I start in this story? Well lets start with me getting deep into Christianity. I was 14, yes fourteen and really into the aspect of religion, later this would prove that I was on the track of finding truth. I studying and entered a Christian Church, yet to me there was something missing. People would gossip and talk about other people and act as though they forgot there were religious rituals going on, so within 2 years I stopped going and just did my own thing which would prove to do me more harm than good.

At age 16 I got in an argument with my mother and that alone go me put in the jail facility for juveniles and I vowed that once I was out I would change my life and find a way to help change others. Yet I had no idea what this way was. The next day my mother got me out and two days later we got in an argument and that day I walked all the way (one mile) to the public main library to get books on Islam. I had been reading on Malcolm X and this made me want to get more into what he taught. I read a Quran in English from back to back and was astonished, but not knowing totally about Islam I still was lost and didn't even know where a Masjid or Mosque was.

So that was when I remembered about Farrakhan a year ago and the speech he gave about Atonement and this got me to looking for a book on that even which was the MILLION MAN MARCH and the book was an anthology of that event and I read it and copied the NOI address.

So after a weak I got a letter and called the local Mosque 91 here in Toledo, Ohio and got into there teachings as fast and easy as I could but still something was not right. I would be on the corner selling papers instead of completely studying Islam. I had to basically learn how to pray on my own. They did get into Shahadah and Jumah Prayer and other things but they did it their own way contrary to the Quran. But even while knowing this I stayed in it for 3 years thinking it was right, then I left and stopped completely and just read the Quran and adhered to it leaving Elijah's books and teachings behind.

Then this year I began to re-read the Quran and now I feel (Mash'ALLAH) the full meaning of what it is to be MUSLIM. Yet I have not gone to a Masjid yet tommorow I definitely (INSHALLAH) will go to this Masjid and then eventually I will get into and perform SHAHADAH. I really don't care who accepts my change in religion. I feel that if anyone accepted me as a racist NOI Member then surely they will accept me as a real true Muslim who accepts and loves those who love me regardless of race, gender, creed, class, handicapp etc etc. ALLAH HAS BROUGHT ME ON THE RIGHT PATH
AND I HOPE THAT, INSHALLAH, IT BRINGS MORE PEOPLE TO THE RIGHT PATH WHICH IS AL-ISLAM.

AS-SALAAM ALAIKUM
RAMADAM KAREEM!

Written by Antoine L. Mason (Abd Aziz Muhammad)