She Discovered a Fulfilling Life after Recognizing the Void Within Her
“Follow what is revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and be patient until Allah gives judgment. And He is the best of the judges.” (Surah Yunus, 109)
Before Johanna embraced Islam, she felt a void within herself. Despite her family’s efforts, she couldn’t find peace. She questioned her situation and surroundings for a long time. Thus began Johanna’s life story.
Johanna is a Polish citizen living in Germany. Despite her family’s attempts to provide religious education when they first moved to Germany, various incidents led her away from religion. The 26-year-old woman, reflecting on her life before becoming a Muslim, considers it merely an experience, saying she sees herself as only 3 years old now.
Realizing Injustices Were Not Rooted in Islam
In sharing her story, Johanna says: “I started to be interested in Islam around the 5th grade. At that time, I had a sincere and kind girlfriend who influenced me a lot. She invited me to her house during Ramadan, and her family was very hospitable and kind. They always treated me very well, and I felt warmth towards them.”
In addition to these positive sentiments, she also describes how she sometimes encountered unpleasant behavior from Muslims.
I used to attribute their mistakes to Islam, but then I realized that Islam is something completely different and that negative attitudes are forbidden to Muslims. I learned that Islam is not the source of the injustices.
Thus, the saying ‘in every evil there is good’ finds meaning in her life. The negative attitudes she witnessed prompted her to seek answers to many questions and to research the Qur’an. Unfortunately, the answers she received from her family were not satisfactory.
Filling the Void with Faith in Allah
The questions and emptiness within her prompted Johanna to embark on a journey of self-discovery. At the age of 21, she left her family’s home, searching for answers within herself. Reflecting on this period, Johanna says,
“I had a beautiful childhood. Despite having no financial problems, I felt unhappy. When I left home, I found myself alone with my desires and conscience, questioning the meaning of life. If a servant desires, won’t Allah grant it? Allah filled the void I felt with faith.” One day, Johanna prayed:
“O God, if You exist, show yourself to me, reach out to me, guide me.”
Allah heard her, and His response manifested in every aspect of her life.
During this period, a Muslim friend invited Johanna to a religious gathering. She participated in a fundraising event for mosques in Cologne and contributed to this act of kindness. Describing that time, she says, “I began to admit to myself that I was a Muslim. I had never felt the warmth of Islam even in my family. There, I found a German translation of the Quran and also took its Arabic version. In the following days, my friends invited me somewhere, but I didn’t go for socializing; it led me to read the Quran. It kept me away from wrongdoing.”
Working in various places during her journey, Johanna gained new experiences. In a period when she felt Muslim but hadn’t yet revealed it to her surroundings, she had an incident at the hair salon where she worked. Reflecting on it, she says,
“While working in the salon, an elderly man from the men’s section asked for permission to pray in the secluded area designated for Muslim women. We accepted. It was the first time I witnessed someone praying live. The door opened rapidly while he was in prostration, and it almost hit his head. Even though we were frightened, he was still in prostration. After the prayer, he began massaging his head. It seemed he didn’t feel pain during the prayer or chose not to acknowledge it. Who knows what emotions he was experiencing at that moment.”
Time to Embrace Islam, Time to Unite
In the following days, Johanna, along with a friend who also wanted to become Muslim, decided to visit a mosque. Upon learning about their intention to embrace Islam, other Muslims gathered in the mosque to witness this blessed occasion. In a large and joyous atmosphere, Johanna united with Islam, declaring her Shahada.
This path was challenging, but Johanna, for the sake of Allah’s pleasure, embraced it, overlooking potential reactions from her job and surroundings. She recalls,
“After becoming Muslim, I faced many challenges. I lost many friends. Especially the headscarf was not an option for me; Allah wanted it, so I covered. It was not an easy decision. The manager at my workplace gave me two options: either choose the headscarf or your job. I made a decision and left the job.“
“Being a Muslim shouldn’t remain a verbal commitment; it should be lived. I organized my life according to Islam. As the inside reflects on the outside, my outer self also reflected on the inside.”
As we conclude another conversion story, we share the advice of this beautiful heart that found honor in Islam:
“I have been a Muslim for 3 years. Islamic knowledge is like an ocean. We need to question our Islam. We should be tolerant of people who don’t think like us. I always tell my fellow Muslims: Question…”
Certainly, we know that faith must be followed by action. A person should be a Muslim and strive to die on this path. As a servant whose Lord is pleased, one should strive to earn the promised paradise. We wish perseverance from Allah for Johanna and her fellow seekers who find honor in Islam. Hopefully, we can bring more conversion stories to you. Stay well, with love…
