Asalaamu Alaykum! (Peace be upon you).

I will give you a nice, long detailed response here, because it is important that you have a good understanding of what being a Muslim means to me. In this response, I will add items inside ( ) to add clarity or explain certain terms and concepts. 

I am a convert to Islam. I was raised a Christian, but found too many inconsistencies in both the Bible it's self and in the particular dogmas of the various Christian faiths. I won't get into the details of what led me to Islam since that would take too much space here and would be off topic. You can read all about it, if you are interested, at http://www.geocities.com/jprimowalker//Islam/My_call_to_islam .

Let me begin by explaining a few crucial points about Islam. These are important to understand as they define what a Muslim is. 

I believe that there is no god but God and that God is one, indivisible, with no equals or partners. This is the core of every Muslim's believe. If you don't believe this, you are not a Muslim. (The Arabic word for God is Allah. Allah has many shades of meaning that are far deeper than the English word "God", but the most important one is, "The one and only, true God". I will use the English word, "God" here as it is more accessible to English speakers, especially those with a Christian background. Just remember, though, that when I say, "God", I mean "The one and only, true God who is one, indivisible, with no equals or partners.")

I believe all in the messengers who God has sent to mankind. These messengers start with Adam, and include Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Moses, David, Solomon, Jesus and Mohammed (pbuh - Peace be upon him/them. We say "Peace be Upon Him" whenever we refer to any of the messengers of God). To not believe in even one of these messengers would mean that I was not a Muslim and would be condemned to hell for my disbelief.

I believe that Mohammed (pbuh) was the last of the messengers and prophets sent to mankind by God.

I believe that all of these messengers, and many thousands of others sent to every nation and peoples, who's names have never been recorded, brought the same message: There is no god but God, Who has no equal or partners, and we are to worship no one and no thing but Him.

Muslims may debate about many other details of the religion, but these points above are burned into every devout Muslim's heart and mind.

As a Muslim, I have many obligations to God, but the most important of these is Prayer. Specifically, Salaat, the 5 daily prayers that every Muslim must perform. Because we were created to worship God, it is imperative that we do so as prescribed in The Qur'an. I won't get into the details of these prayers, but I will tell you what they mean to me and how they effect me. Because I must take at least 5-10 minutes 5 times daily, to worship God, I find that God is constantly in my heart and on my mind. This helps to keep me away from sin and bad deeds. Also, I am forced to stop whatever I am doing and tear myself away from the stress and uncertainties of life in order to worship God. So, when I pray, I shut out the world, clear my mind, and find quiet and calm. When I bow down to Him and submit myself to His will, I also surrender my fears and anxieties, because I know that whatever happens, it is God's will and that I will be rewarded in Heaven for submission to Him and for willingly and patiently enduring whatever comes my way.

As a Muslim, I have an unshakable faith in God and His mercy, but I also know that I will be judged on my deeds. So, before I do anything, I am compelled to ask myself if it will please God. I also look at my fellow humans and ask myself, "What can I do for them?", as I know that doing good deeds for others pleases Him. Since becoming a Muslim, I am calmer, more patient, I avoid things that may lead me to sin and I do things that help and bring happiness to others.

Islam is not just a religion, it is a way of life. Mohammed (pbuh) gave us two beautiful gifts from God, gifts that reflect God's unending mercy to all mankind. These gifts are the Qur'an (the Holy book revealed to Mohammed (pbuh) by God himself through his Holy sprit, the angel Gabrielle), and the Sunnah (the sayings and actions of Mohammed (pbuh) ). These two guides give us everything we need to live our lives as devout servants of God (by the way, Islam means "Submission to God's will" and a Muslim is one who submits to God's will). Having these guides and following them to be best of my ability helps me to bring order out of the chaos of my life. Between the Qur'an and the Sunnah, I have a guide for every activity, large and small, important or minor. Even something as simple as drinking from a cup is given to us (you shouldn't breath into the cup as you drink), or something as personal and intimate as sexual relations with my wife (I must be kind and gentle, I must consider her needs and pleasure). In this way, everything we do, every act and activity, becomes a form of worship to Him. It is in everyone of these details of how to live that we see God's infinite mercy. In on of the hadiths of Mohammed (pbuh), he said, "When Allah had finished His creation, He wrote over his Throne: 'My Mercy preceded My Anger.'"

These are just a few thoughts and feelings I have about being a Muslim. I would be happy to discus other aspects of my beliefs with you if you like. Please feel free to respond to me directly at [email protected].

Jay