Hello!
I'm a 15 year old girl who has been studying Islam for a month or two, and it just continues to pull me in. I grew up a baptist-christian, but I recently told my mother of my plans to study the religion--but what I really want to do is just convert. My mother is being supportive and all, but she kind of thinks this is just a phase I'm going through, and it's not. She also has told me that women are treated much differently. I've told my close, christian friends, and some have actually shied away, telling me I'm 'going to hell for worshiping a different god' and things like that, which really hurt and bothered me. Every time I try to tell my self it's just a phase, and that I should just stay a christian, something pulls me back once more.
I've read over the shahada many times in my head, but I can't bring myself to say it aloud. I want to convert, but I just want to make sure I'm making the right decision (though I'm sure I am). Also, I live in a community where I've seen maybe one Muslim, and there are no mosques within 30 minutes. I have one ex-christian friend who is also a bit confused on what religion path to take, and wishes to go to a mosque with me, but I'm a bit afraid to ask my mother to drive me to one, and I'm a bit nervous for going in there, not sure if I'll be welcomed or not.
These are just some personal concerns of mine that are keeping me from converting. I know a couple of months doesn't seem long enough to be ready to convert for some people, but I've been devoutly studying Islam everyday after school when I have the chance, and when I asked my religion recently, I've wanted to call myself a Muslim, but since I haven't converted, I just say I'm undecided. I've already started learning the prayers, I already don't eat pork so no problem there, I've dressed modestly for the past few years (I get called Virgin Mary in school), and overall conversion doesn't seem like it would be too hard for me! It's just...I don't know what it is that is keeping me from converting.
Any advice or anything that will help me at all? Thanks in advance.
I'm a 15 year old girl who has been studying Islam for a month or two, and it just continues to pull me in. I grew up a baptist-christian, but I recently told my mother of my plans to study the religion--but what I really want to do is just convert. My mother is being supportive and all, but she kind of thinks this is just a phase I'm going through, and it's not. She also has told me that women are treated much differently. I've told my close, christian friends, and some have actually shied away, telling me I'm 'going to hell for worshiping a different god' and things like that, which really hurt and bothered me. Every time I try to tell my self it's just a phase, and that I should just stay a christian, something pulls me back once more.
I've read over the shahada many times in my head, but I can't bring myself to say it aloud. I want to convert, but I just want to make sure I'm making the right decision (though I'm sure I am). Also, I live in a community where I've seen maybe one Muslim, and there are no mosques within 30 minutes. I have one ex-christian friend who is also a bit confused on what religion path to take, and wishes to go to a mosque with me, but I'm a bit afraid to ask my mother to drive me to one, and I'm a bit nervous for going in there, not sure if I'll be welcomed or not.
These are just some personal concerns of mine that are keeping me from converting. I know a couple of months doesn't seem long enough to be ready to convert for some people, but I've been devoutly studying Islam everyday after school when I have the chance, and when I asked my religion recently, I've wanted to call myself a Muslim, but since I haven't converted, I just say I'm undecided. I've already started learning the prayers, I already don't eat pork so no problem there, I've dressed modestly for the past few years (I get called Virgin Mary in school), and overall conversion doesn't seem like it would be too hard for me! It's just...I don't know what it is that is keeping me from converting.
Any advice or anything that will help me at all? Thanks in advance.