How to change my religion

Deniz1


Joined: 28/07/2009
Posts: 3829

Message Posted:
21/10/2009 07:58

Any one know the procedure to change to Islam. I saw in the paper ages ago about a Lapta couple that did it but where to start?

elko2



Joined: 24/07/2007
Posts: 4400

Message Posted:
21/10/2009 09:11

The easiest way is to go to Lefke (Lefka) and pay a visit to sheikh Nazim. He has hundreds of followers and many of them live there.



The strange thing is that most of the locals do not have much respect for him but many foreigners do. It is rumoured that the Sultan of Brunei and even Ptrince Charles are his followers.

ismet

Hippo


Joined: 02/02/2007
Posts: 2070

Message Posted:
21/10/2009 09:23

i would like to be Jeddi

Pogle


Joined: 28/08/2008
Posts: 1536

Message Posted:
21/10/2009 09:54

I converted, it was very straightforward and took approx 1 hour at the local administration office in my husbands home town. There was quite a bit of stamping, nose picking, stapling and sucking on fags ( not me!), I was then asked in Turkish if I was converting against my will, this needed to be translated so I am not sure what I agreed to. I was then issued with a legally Muslim I.D Card. The interesting bit started after that with me reciting the 5 pillars of Islam in perfect Arabic and lots of weeping by the mother in law. We then went off to the market to buy tomatoes, job done.Apologies if this sounds flippant, it was just totally bizarre. It was important to my husbands family that he married a Muslim, and equally important to me that they should have their wish fulfilled.

Chegwin


Joined: 24/03/2009
Posts: 775

Message Posted:
21/10/2009 10:12

This is a serious question.

Are the tomatoes a significant to the end of the ceremony?



Chegwin.

smithy


Joined: 17/07/2008
Posts: 5301

Message Posted:
21/10/2009 11:20

I would love to change to the peace and tranquility of Buddhism

birdyblaster


Joined: 19/10/2009
Posts: 131

Message Posted:
21/10/2009 11:30

religion. what does it do for you? peace of mind? makes weak people feel secure?

id rather have a pocket full of money any day of the week.

religion never paid my bills or helped me in a time of needy.

Wheres ma rucksack.





im going shooting.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11280

Message Posted:
21/10/2009 11:35

RE msg 4, pogle: (...) It was important to my husbands family that he married a Muslim, and equally important to me that they should have their wish fulfilled. (...)

=> I'm always impressed by a true follower...

elko2



Joined: 24/07/2007
Posts: 4400

Message Posted:
21/10/2009 11:36

mssg. 4,

Poggle,

What you described sounds very bizarre to me. Was it done in TRNC or Turkey?



I have great respect for you for the way you valued your marriage and did what had to be done but I would have no respect at all for your inlaws who demanded such a thing. It simply shows their level of thinking and lack of respect for others. Of course I do understand that their friends are of the same mentality and they were under pressure from them too.

ismet

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11280

Message Posted:
21/10/2009 11:44

RE msg 9, Ismet: (...) I would have no respect at all for your inlaws who demanded such a thing. It simply shows their level of thinking and lack of respect for others. Of course I do understand that their friends are of the same mentality and they were under pressure from them too. (...)

=> Well said, Ismet. You're summing up one of the basic and worst errors of the religion in question - but to be fair: it goes for *all* religions of the world.

Pogle


Joined: 28/08/2008
Posts: 1536

Message Posted:
21/10/2009 11:52

Chegwin, the answer is no, it was Dolma's for tea.



Dutch, whatever works I say.They gave up their son and I gave up the pork chops.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11280

Message Posted:
21/10/2009 12:04

RE msg 11, Pogle: (...) pork chops (...)

=> There's hope for you! You may know that drinking alcohol is not allowed in your new religion or belief. And it was not any different some 800 years ago. Surprise, surprise: in Saladin's ("Defender of the True Faith, etc etc") castles in the Holy Land secret wine cellars were discovered. And they were certainly not meant for his Christian captives. Saladin and his top brass sinned with wine - so why wouldn't you sin a bit with lovely pork chops..?

daisy dukes


Joined: 06/09/2008
Posts: 3815

Message Posted:
21/10/2009 12:29

I was once told by an aged Muslim, and i'm not saying that this is gospel, but it did make a lot of sense to me.

He said that the real reason why people of the East chose not to eat pork, was not because of religion but because, in those times when there was no refrigeration, pork was always the first meat to go off, so therefore people would accidently get sick and die...so some bright spark, made it a religious thing to stop the people from eating dangerous meat. Now, i am not religious, but if believing that God said pork/pig was dirty and disgusting and so keeping ones family alive, then good on the person for saying this!



DD

MartinM


Joined: 03/10/2009
Posts: 166

Message Posted:
21/10/2009 12:45

My mother only begrudgingly allowed Sheik Nazim into the house ( I never saw my father beg before) but she absloutely refused to make him coffee, and so my father had to !!!!!!!!!!!

Pogle


Joined: 28/08/2008
Posts: 1536

Message Posted:
21/10/2009 12:45

Dutch, have you reason to believe I partake in the evil vine? Its been 12 years now and never a snippet of pork, bacon or deritaives has passed my lips. I am a total convertee to the Turkish sausage. We all know religion is a form of social control, that said I am afraid I will be struck down by a wayward dolmus,crazed donkey or worse if I deviated now.My husbands sister married a Dutchman from Delft, the pork free zone extends....................

Pogle


Joined: 28/08/2008
Posts: 1536

Message Posted:
21/10/2009 12:47

Who is this guy? ( Sheik Nazim) perhaps I should be seeing him to get back on track.

negativenick


Joined: 10/11/2008
Posts: 6023

Message Posted:
21/10/2009 12:50

is that an un-banned Hippo i see all meek and mild ???

Pogle


Joined: 28/08/2008
Posts: 1536

Message Posted:
21/10/2009 12:59

Elko and Dutch

Re the family, these are old folks, it was their wish not demand. I agreed to dot the i's and cross the t's, after doing my research, it was no big deal to me. Their pre-conceptions, beliefs and social pressures are something they have to live with every day, I gave up very little and gained a lot from the union with another culture/family.



Do you know what swayed me? I read in " Introduction to Islam" that a Muslim man must satisfy his wife before he satisfies himself................

samlemine


Joined: 21/06/2009
Posts: 72

Message Posted:
21/10/2009 13:10

Hello Guy



please follow thıs lınks



http://watchislam.com/videos/video.php?vid=61



http://watchislam.com/videos/video.php?vid=3



http://www.turntoislam.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25383



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYwyR1MNuw4



All The Best

basheer



Joined: 22/12/2008
Posts: 948

Message Posted:
21/10/2009 13:28

deniz hello, tell me what do you know about islam and what research have you done to understand about the 73 sects. and understand and if you want to really know more email me you address infact anyone else for which i shall forward you a very interesting article about a christian who became a muslim and still searched until he realised the sect by imense researching, being muslim is not enough

sheerhair@msn.com thanks

elko2



Joined: 24/07/2007
Posts: 4400

Message Posted:
21/10/2009 17:23

Pogle,

I am still very curious, did this ceremony really take place in TRNC? I can't believe it. Was it in TRNC or Turkey?

ismet

basheer



Joined: 22/12/2008
Posts: 948

Message Posted:
21/10/2009 17:45

actually no proceedure just nip down to your local mosque and begin and copy what others do to help you remember

you will be most welcome

you need to want to change and by the way islam is about the jews and christians and muslims

there is no according to and diffferent bibles all with their own school of thought

just one book of all the biblical prophets as it happened by word of God through gabril

remember Jesus is most loved by the muslims but the bible sad to say was written not by jesus but by man many many years later

Pogle


Joined: 28/08/2008
Posts: 1536

Message Posted:
22/10/2009 00:44

If you nip down to the mosque in Baspinar you will find yourself with nobody to copy!



Ismet, yes it was Turkey.

ukturk



Joined: 01/09/2007
Posts: 1974

Message Posted:
22/10/2009 01:43

hi guys

wherever you might be turkey or cyprus there is no legal obligation to change ur religon or even notify any legal authorities!!!,to change your religion all you have to do is go down to your local mosque and recite the sayings then job done i have wittnised this when friends have converted and reverterd

poqle you say you did this procedure in turkey can i ask in what region did u do this and was it sunni or suffi islam you convereted to i will tell you why some people dont achnowlege sheik nazim cos izmet hit the nail on the head by saying his followers!!!! now in islam it says you shud not follow any idols or humans in your practising of islam, people say he has put his own interpretation into the teachings and correct the sultan of brunei and prince charles were attracted by his teachings and even allegeldy michael jackson supposed to have met him when he wos in brunei, i have met him a few times and must say he is very spirtual but who am i to judge!!!!!

adagirl


Joined: 01/06/2009
Posts: 371

Message Posted:
22/10/2009 08:03

As far I understand, alchohol is not forbidden but you should not pray while intoxicated. Gambling and drinking is to be avoided if you want to be successful. Also I have looked on the internet and came across the following several times:



If anyone has a real desire to be a Muslim and has full conviction and strong belief that Islam is the true religion of God, then, all one needs to do is pronounce the “Shahada”, the testimony of faith, without further delay. The “Shahada” is the first and most important of the five pillars of Islam.



Unlike conversion to catholicism, from what I can tell, no formal instruction is necessary? Interesting thread!!!

Carndi


Joined: 12/06/2009
Posts: 613

Message Posted:
22/10/2009 11:40

My wife and I with another friend were invited to a wedding in Kumlu a village near the Syrian border. We were the only foreigners there and there were two days of celebrations. Our table was where the whole village could see us.

We told by the village Elder on the day before the weddin ( the engaement party ) that if we wished to drink alchohol we could do so but other guests would not. A polite way of telling us not to give any to the other guests.We did have some drinks but were very discreat about it.

The nex day,the day of the wedding the Elder came to us sitting at our ' guests of honour ' table and had a bacardi ( neat ) and then other male guest came up and all had a drink and I had to send out for some more.

When I asked the Elder about this he told me that at the wedding they were permitted alchohol.

The engagement was on the saturday and the Wedding on the Sunday.

It would appear that the ' No alchohol rule ' is not a clear cut one.

ukturk



Joined: 01/09/2007
Posts: 1974

Message Posted:
22/10/2009 13:19

hi guys

first and formost intoxication either it be drink or drugs is not allowed either it be a wedding,praying, birthday or anything else!!!!! im not claiming to be a good muslim but know that these things are not allowed

carndi the place you went to is a hatay proveince which only joined part of turkey not so long ago before this was part of syria and has a mixture of turkish muslims and arab muslims (suffi-sunni) these these two divisions of islam follow the same basis but as far as i know both divisions dont alow alchohol so the elder you spoke too was prob bending the rules for his own gain

regards

Carndi


Joined: 12/06/2009
Posts: 613

Message Posted:
22/10/2009 18:55

ukturk. Thanks for that.

It just goes to show that mis-information or mis understanding is rife in regards to the Muslem faith .

MUSIN M


Joined: 26/06/2008
Posts: 1352

Message Posted:
22/10/2009 19:07

pogle



you do not convert to islam you revert ,not that i am very religious .





musin



long live the kktc

Pogle


Joined: 28/08/2008
Posts: 1536

Message Posted:
22/10/2009 19:39

Musin M

Why was I reverting?

Treesy


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 406

Message Posted:
22/10/2009 19:43

Pogle



Because we are all born Muslim. So when you choose Islam as you religion later in life they say you are Reverting back to it.



I always call myself a Convert though - people understand it more!



T

girne 29


Joined: 06/12/2007
Posts: 1488

Message Posted:
22/10/2009 20:22

Treesy



Because we are all born Muslim.







I wasnt!

Moover321


Joined: 11/04/2009
Posts: 649

Message Posted:
22/10/2009 20:59

Girne_29 - You were born a Muslim - you simply don't remember it!



Perhaps that's what happens to 'Grumpy Old Men' - is old age catching up with you?



Just to clarify - Islamically speaking, all the monotheistic religion have one origin - Islam. From Prophet Adam (Peace Be Upon Him)) to Mohammed (PBUH) - there were prophets for every people in every age!



That is why when a child is born it is regarded as being Muslim. After its birth whatever is followed is from their upbringing - be it Catholic, Judaism, Buddhist, Atheist, Agnostic or even plain simple 'Grumpy Old Man' set of beliefs!



So must have been....just sit back and meditate to the time you were born...and maybe you too will revert lol

Moover321


Joined: 11/04/2009
Posts: 649

Message Posted:
22/10/2009 21:33

Deniz!



Becoming a Muslim is not a big ritual! It is simply reciting the 'Shahadah' - which is to say that there is no God but God and that Muhammed (PBUH) is the last Messenger (Prophet) of God and thereafter to learn about your chosen religion to the best of your God given ability. Being a Muslim in this sense is as is often said, 'a way of life', however, it is also a journey and each day you should try and be a better person (Islamically) than you were the day before both in deed and word!



The most important thing is that your change should come from your heart and not from your mouth or any other ritual.



The beauty of Islam is in the end - your true reversion (or conversion, if you like) is only known to you and your creator and all that others can see or hear is your action or words! Of course these actions and words are what will define you - and there will be detractors here and elsewhere!



In the end, follow your heart and you will find what you are searching for!

elko2



Joined: 24/07/2007
Posts: 4400

Message Posted:
22/10/2009 22:03

I am not a good Muslim. Where are my four wives?

ismet

Moover321


Joined: 11/04/2009
Posts: 649

Message Posted:
22/10/2009 22:23

Salaams Ismet!



You can have 4 wives - but can you treat them all equally well (note I said, well - not equally badly!)?



Many so called monogomous marriages are dotted with affairs, flings and worse!



Seems better to be honest and have more than one wife provided you can keep them all happy... Then to be devious and cheat on your wife and bring home diseases and perhaps other children (unintended consequences) and ruin many lives



Just a thought!

elko2



Joined: 24/07/2007
Posts: 4400

Message Posted:
22/10/2009 22:56

msg. 36

Moover321 wrote :



"You can have 4 wives - but can you treat them all equally well (note I said, well - not equally badly!)?"

Firstly how do I know until I try and secondly I am not allowed by our laws. What kind of Muslim country is this?

The other question that comes to mind is this: During the Ottoman times, the Sultans had the responsibility to uphold Islam, yet they had tens of wives. How come the ordinary folk could have only 4 but they could have 50 or more? Mind you, if the kings of England had the same priviledge, say Henry, he would not get rid of so many wives, he would have been more accommodating. Just a thought!

ismet

Pogle


Joined: 28/08/2008
Posts: 1536

Message Posted:
22/10/2009 23:17

Is this correct? Muslim men can marry non-Muslim women but Muslim women cannot marry non-Muslim men?

Guess I'm in for the long haul then.....................



Nicely put Moover 321!

What happened to Deniz1? wonder what she makes of all this.

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
22/10/2009 23:21

Deniz1 has changed her mind now. She's totally confused, although I can't see why.

girne 29


Joined: 06/12/2007
Posts: 1488

Message Posted:
23/10/2009 13:53

Moover 321

Message 36



I was not born Moslem, as it along with every other religion is a belief. Children ,till they are beyone age 1-2 have no self awareness, therefore cannot have a belief.

I would say its nearer the mark to say we are all born atheist,later on people remove our innocence and supply us with the religious beliefs, and unfortunately sometimes intolerences ,dependant on race and culture we are born into.



I have no problem with Moslems saying we were all born Moslem, same as I would have no problem with Hindus , Christians etc believing the same. As I belong to none of these sects I do not have to believe what any or all of them say,but I respect the fact that they do.



I repeat, when born I did not have the reasoning to "believe", so could not therefore have been a believer.

Matter of fact , as a child ,I probably believed in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy long before I believed (at the time) in Christianity.

Moover321


Joined: 11/04/2009
Posts: 649

Message Posted:
24/10/2009 11:17

Girne_29



I did not say that you have the awareness when you are born - I simply stated that is what Muslims believe!



There are many things which were said in the Qur'aan some 1430 years ago which the science of the day believed to be impossible and which were later proved to be correct! Have a look at:



Bible,Quran and Science by Dr. Maurice Bucaille Translated by Alastair D. Pannell and the Author



There are many things that you, I or science still do not know - Let's wait and see...either here or elsewhere



By the way - I never believed in Santa Claus - or Tooth Fairy for that matter - some upbringing I must have had lol