Dear Believer,⁣

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Islam is a blessing, and sometimes we tend to forget that. ⁣

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That’s why, like many of you, I become excited when I meet people who take up this path, people like my Brother Elyin. ⁣

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I was giving a lecture and Q&A, and it never crossed my mind that someone of a different faith was in the gathering. He would occasionally ask questions, nod in agreement, and for hours he sat as I answered questions from the community. Through it all, he saw the beauty of the religion that he was now researching and learning about.⁣

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Eventually, as I sat with him just to learn more about him and I realized that he wasn’t Muslim. We had sat for hours, and I had no clue! ⁣

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But even then, I didn’t know where he stood, and so with a little more conversation, I realized he was searching, and his heart felt at peace in that particular gathering. We sat for some time away from the people until I finally asked him what a man once asked me, ⁣

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“Now that you understand and know the basics. Now that you have decided within your heart that this religion is correct, and your belief in God is established, what’s stopping you?”⁣

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We sat and went back and forth for some time, I wanted to ensure that every significant doubt was answered. ⁣

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After some time I left him to think. It’s easy to get excited when you realize that someone is looking into the religion, but that’s when you remind yourself, “Whether one decides to enter Islam or not is their choice, your goal is simply to be a source of truth.” ⁣

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God guides, not you.⁣

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He came back to me shortly after, and on a day where all I thought I was doing was a Q&A with the people I hold dear I was given the honor of listening to Elyin declare his belief in God and His messenger. ⁣

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To you my beloved, I want to say that you have been blessed with this faith. ⁣

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Hold on to it, share it, and practice it. ⁣

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You have no idea who is watching, and it’s probably best that way. That way you always do it for His sake and not the people. ⁣

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Sha’ban 23rd, 1440⁣

April 29th, 2019⁣

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Your brother,⁣

Arthur K. Richards