As salaam alaikum! I became interested in Islam when I was a sophmore in Highschool. I thought Islam at that time was the Nation of Islam (Astagfiruallah), but indeed I found out later that The Nation of Not Islam, is just that not Islam! I live here in Chicago and the Nation of Islam at that time was a bit more noticeable then Al-Islam. So I put on my long skirt, long shirt, and a see through scarf, and went to the Nation of Not Islam's mosque or temple is what they call it. And when I got there I saw beautiful women who was dressed very elegantly, and men dressed very very neat. The women were dressed in elegantly flowing scarves, and there own style of shalwar kameezes, and the men were dressed in the suit and bow ties, and were extremely very polite. I stayed and studied with the nation for about 2yrs of my teenage life. I was about 16-18 when I joined the Nation, and 18 when I left it. The nation was set up very very military style, and still is. It had very very small bits and peices of the original Islam and ALOT of black nationalism! The Nation of Not Islam, solely based there teaching on the white man being a devil by nature, and the black man and woman has the maker, owners, and queens and kings of the planet earth.(Astagfirullah), and that a man by the name of Elijah Poole was taught Islam through a man named Fareed Muhammad from Arabia, and this is how Elijah became Elijah Muhammad. Elijah Muhammad to the members of the Nation of Islam and at that time to myself, was sent as the black man from the south of the U.S, that came to teach the black men and women around the US. Islam. Now, today the Nation of Not Islam is ran by Farakahn and his other counterparts. I joined the Nation under Farakahn, not realizing that this really was NOT Islam.    One day I was getting on a bus going home, I looked at the back of the bus, and who did I see but Saalihah (the owner of The New Muslim woman egroup) At this time this sister was living here in Chicago, and was also a teenager in Al-Islam! So, we got off the bus together and had been talking and had been freinds for about a year and a half or so before I saw the beauty of Al-Islam, alhumdulilah! When I saw Saalihah on the bus she was covering her face, and wearing something, I do not remember. All through out my days of knowing Saalihah, I recognized that she was a beautiful sister, in her heart, manners, and her dress. This really played a big part on me being impressed with Al-Islam. Now, the sisters in the Nation, were very very clickish, very high society acting, and we ALL had to dress the same way, always looking like a member of the Nation of Islam. This tired me out, I always wanted  very much to be that individual, and in the Nation you are JUST NOT allowed to be!! Saalihah was always reading something on Al-Islam, mainly the Quran, always dressed beautifully in her big flowy khimars, and hijaabs pinned to the neck, and her jilbabs, and at the time sometimes I would see her donn the Niqaab!( I personallay remember saying to myself and to Saalihah that I would NEVER wear that slavery dress (Astagfirullah), that I would never cover my ears and wear hijaab like she did. And mashallah Allah has made me a full hijaabi now, and one who seriously promotes the Niqaab, and believes it to be wajib! So, oneday I just decided to write the Nation Of Not Islam a letter, to let them know that I would not be returning to their ideology of Islam, I personallay did not agree with it, and I would be studying Al-Islam! I thanked them for their services, in helping me to find some type of Identity, but it was NOT what I was looking for! So, the captain of the Nation of Islam for the sisters, told me In the name of master fareed Muahmmad I was never welcome back, and I told her in the name of Allah swt) I NEVER will come back, and for that matter even look back! So that was the end of that. I took my REAL shahada, and excepted this deen of Al-Islam humbly! Today, I have been practicing Al-Islam for about 8yrs mashallah! I am married with 3 beautiful children, and full time FULL HIJAABI/NIQAABI. May Allah guide all of the nation of NOT islam members to Al-Islam! I seriously love Islam, and never want to go back to any sects of so-called Islamic groups.