Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Mostly Muslim

Home
About
Faith & Spirituality
Personal/Life
- Reflections
Society & Culture
- Dealing with Others
- Women
Archive

Home
Muslim
4 Questions I’m Sick of Hearing As a Muslim Convert

4 Questions I’m Sick of Hearing As a Muslim Convert

Last updated on: March 6, 2019 at 11:29 am by Kaya Gravitter

4 Questions I’m Sick of Hearing As a Muslim Convert 2019-03-06T11:29:45-06:00 Kaya Gravitter

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Photo by Azhar J on Unsplash

I often get asked questions about my religion and my choice of dress. I also get asked many questions about why I converted to Islam. However, there are some questions in particular that I’m tired of being asked, and I know many Muslim converts who feel the same way.

(I am sharing my personal experience and/or that which some other converts have told me about. I do not speak on behalf of all Muslim converts.)

1. “How does your family feel about you converting?”

I get asked this by non-Muslims and Born Muslims alike, and I think this should be a rhetorical question. Obviously, my family is not happy that I’m not a Christian. Yes, some of them even believe I am going to Hell, although I don’t think that about them.

Sometimes I think non-Muslims just ask me this out of spite.

This question can really hurt someone’s feelings. It can trigger many emotions. It can be extremely hard when their family or loved ones do not support them.

2. “You converted for your husband, right?”

I’ve also heard this from both non-Muslims and Born Muslims. Me personally, I converted when I was alone, on my own, and from doing my own research. I feel annoyed that some Born Muslims think I am not smart enough to learn about Islam on my own.

A Christian Woman who married a Muslim once told me, “You’re a better woman than I am. I would never convert for my husband like you did.” I converted two years before I met him, FYI. Yes, some people convert to please their husbands or their in-laws but we should not judge them either, because some of those converts could become better Muslims than any of us. God guides whomever He wants to Islam; it does not matter how they got there.

3. “Do you know how to pray?”

It took me a while to learn how to pray. No one taught me, but everyone would ask me this question. Some people even judged me for not knowing how to pray, but didn’t try to teach me, either.

If you ask a convert this question and the person doesn’t know how to pray, you should try to teach them yourself.

4. “Want to marry my son?”

This has never happened to me personally, but I have seen this question asked so many times.

One time, I was talking to a female convert and someone asked me right after she walked away, “Is she is single? Does she want to get married? She would be a good wife for…”

Nothing says, “Welcome to Islam,” like getting asked if you would like to get married, right?

I know of another incident that happened to a different convert sister. An “aunty” asked this convert to marry her son, but the convert later found out he already had another wife and just needed a green card.

These are only four questions, but I’m sure there are many more. Are there any questions you are sick of hearing as a convert?

Previous Post

September 22, 2017

"Dear Muslim Youth..." | Letters to the Ummah

Next Post

September 29, 2017 Stop Blaming Women for the Muslim Marriage Crisis

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Afterlife Culture Dealing with Others English Faith & Spirituality Inspiration Letters to the Ummah Personal / Life Poetry Ramadan Reality Check Reflections Relationships Religion Society & Culture Uncategorized Urdu Women

Select a Month September 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 January 2020 December 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 March 2016 November 2015 October 2015 June 2015 May 2015 February 2015 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which prophet was told to eat a scroll in a vision?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Daniel Joel Ezekiel Obadiah