Another Survey! (from Candice this time)

Seriously, I love surveys.

1. Name ? Anne

2. How long have you been muslim? I'm honestly not sure; I knew I wanted to convert when I was 15 (five years ago), I started practicing (praying, fasting, etc.) almost two years ago (September 2008), and I officially said the shahadah a year and a half ago (December 31, 2008).

3. What menhaj do you follow? None, but I tend to lean towards Maliki.

4. Do you attend the masjid regularly? I try to go at least once a week, but if I lived closer I'd probably go everyday. I love my masjid so much, Alhamdulillah!

5. Have you ever made a pilgrimage (Hajj/umrah/jamaat)? Insha'Allah I'll go someday!

6. Do you wear hijab/niqab? I wear hijab and jilbab full time. Unfortunately, when I'm visiting my family I wear neither because they don't know I'm Muslim, but I still consider myself a full-time hijabi since I am essentially forced to stop wearing it. I don't wear niqab because I'm not sure whether I believe it's fard or not, but Insha'Allah I'd like to try it out someday, even if I decide not to wear it.

7. Would you like to make hijrah? Not really, because when I'm at school in Boston I can practice Islam just fine. Also, there's really no country in the world that is actually "Islamic", even if the country has a majority Muslim population. I think that as long as one can practice Islam without persecution, they don't need to move. Even then, I don't think hijrah has to be made to a Muslim-majority country, just a place that has a Muslim community and where Islam can be practiced freely. For example, I consider my return to Boston after spending time at home (where I am forced to be a "closet Muslim") a hijrah of sorts.

8. Are you married? If so, how long has it been? If not, when do you want to? I am not married right now. Insha'Allah, I would like to start seriously thinking about marriage after I graduate from college in two years.

9. Do you have children? No, but someday I will Insha'Allah! I even have the names picked out!

10. Do you label yourself (Sunni/Salafi/Shi'a/Tableeghi etc)? I guess I consider myself Sunni, but frankly I think that labels are a bad idea because it only divides the ummah.

11. Is your family Muslim? No, my mom is Jewish and my dad is Christian.

12. Do you have any Islamic goals? Definitely; I want to pray more sunnah prayers, I want to memorize the entire Qur'an, I want to become an Islamic scholar (yes, there are women scholars, but not enough of them!), and I want to perform hajj Insha'Allah!

13. Favorite Islamic book? The Qur'an (obviously), but I also really like "Fortress of the Muslim", a little book that has du'as for all occasions.

14. What is your favorite thing about Ramadan? People tend to be in a very sociable mood. I am also more conscious of ALLAH during Ramadan, Alhamdulillah. And I LOVE Laylat al-Qadr.

15. Favorite Quran reciter? Mishary Bin Rashid is very good, Masha'Allah. There's also a girl who went to my school who is amazing, Masha'Allah.

16. Would you recommend any good Islamic books? "Fortress of the Muslim", and "Islam: Religion of Life" by Abdul Wadud Shalabi.

17. How many Ju'z do you know? Only part of Ju'z 30. :(

18. Favorite Hadith? There's one where one of the sahaba (ra) sees the Prophet (saw) crying, and when he asks what's wrong, the Prophet (saw) says that he's sad because he will never get a chance to know the Muslims of the future. I tear up just thinking about it, because it makes me feel like Muhammad (saw) loves me and knows me personally, even though we have never met.

19. What do you like best about Islam? I don't even know how to answer that, because I like it all.

20. What do you think is the best way to spread dawah? Simply by practicing what you preach.

21. For converts, what got you interested in Islam? For born Muslims, what sparked you into being a practicing Muslim? It's a long story, with many parts, but it boils down to a movie ("Not Without My Daughter"), hijab, and A LOT of reading. I knew that I wanted to become a Muslim after becoming convinced of ALLAH and the truth of the Qur'an through the alleged scientific miracles in the Qur'an (some of them simply can't be explained any other way other than that ALLAH revealed the Qur'an).

Fill out the survey if you're interested Insha'Allah!