A cornerstone of our Muslim tradition is that of service to our fellow human beings— be it offering refuge to individuals in times of distress or volunteering with organizations as they champion important causes. Allah SWT says in the Quran: “You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah” (3: 110). Muslims should be advocates of justice, working for the common good of all mankind in the spirit of moral uprightness and devoted service, offering solutions for the ills of society and helping to make positive changes for people everywhere.

My interest in Islam began when I was only 17 years old. I started to read the Qur’an in Spanish from my computer and finished reading it completely, Alhamdulillah. Although I initially read it without any particular aim in mind, from the very beginning I knew that this was not a book like any other book I had read before. I noticed from the very first page that God was being praised and honored in such a unique way, in a manner that I had never experienced. I continued reading and a strange sensation came over me. Without wanting to exaggerate, I felt a lot of peace and tranquility when I sat in front of my computer and read it carefully, verse by verse.

My name is Margarita Aguirre and I am from the city of Guadalajara in Jalisco, Mexico. I was born in the midst of a practicing Catholic family. I remember that while I was in high school, I had my first encounter with Islam without realizing it. On our school’s bulletin board, they displayed a “poem” that caught my attention. I remember jotting it down in my favorite poetry journal because I loved it. At the end of the poem, it simply read: “The Qur’an.” I thought that it must have referred to a book of poetry, and so I did not think to look for any more information.

Years passed and again I came face-to-face with the Qu’ran. In my profession as a teacher, and until now, I have always been passionate about everything that has to do with history. Consequently, it was while I was reading about history that I learned about all the many world religions, including Islam. One day, I planned a lesson dealing with world religions for my students. It was during that particular class that I again found the word, “Qur’an” in the history books. Then I realized that this book was not a book of poetry, but rather a book that Muslims read, similar to the Bible for Christians.

How I came to embrace Islam is a painful memory. However, I am grateful to God for everything that I had to endure to be where I am now. My first encounter with Islam was in 2009, when I met a Turkish Muslim online. I began investigating the religion and learned little by little through our friendship.

The year that changed my life was 2010; it was then that I was diagnosed with lupus erythematosus. The news was difficult to bear. I knew absolutely nothing about this serious disease or its effects. The doctors told me that it is an incurable disease, but subhanAllah, glory be to Allah, for five years I have survived because of the strength of God’s infinite mercy. I consider my illness a blessing because despite the lows and relapses I have had to struggle with since being diagnosed, it has helped me to mature and strengthen my faith.

My path towards Islam has taken many twists and turns throughout Latin America and here in the USA, where I finally became a Muslim. My parents are from Chile. They were political refugees exiled to Mexico because they were Socialists. In the 70s, to be a Socialist in Latin America was synonymous with being a rebel. Having political views that were left-leaning was very dangerous at that time. In 1973, a military coup d’état in Chile resulted in years of brutal political repression. My father was imprisoned and tortured before being exiled. A few months later he met my mother, who was also a Chilean political refugee. In 1976, I was born in Mexico City. My parents, my sister and I lived as a relatively happy, typical Mexican middle class family except for one thing: my parents were agnostic. To not be Catholic in Mexico was almost unthinkable.

There he was on top of the mountain thinking he had lost his mind. He was not sure what to make of the words he heard in the cave, nor of the being that hugged him while uttering those words to him. Later, upon returning home, his wife reassured him that everything would be okay, but the incident still did not sit well with him. The revelations had ceased for quite a number of days but an overbearing sense of sadness led him to the top of the mountain with the thought of throwing himself off. It was at that moment when the being from the cave reappeared, but this time in full form, covering the whole sky with his wings, giving the man glad tidings of prophethood and reassuring him of his truthful nature.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him – pbuh) is the perfect example for us to follow in all aspects of our lives. Allah (glory to Him, the Exalted, subhanahu wa ta’ala – SWT) tells us in the Holy Quran: “You have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful example [of conduct] for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the final Day, and remembers Allah much” (33:21). There is no better source to draw on for guidance when it comes to one of the closest and most intimate relations one has: balancing the rights and responsibilities of being a spouse. But having a role model to follow in this aspect of our lives makes it easier to tread this path which has happy times as well as challenges that can prove to be a real test of our faith.

#WhoisMuhammad #ICNA2015 #WhoDoYouLove

Twenty years ago I gave a girl a Valentine’s Day card. We were high school seniors and I misspelled her name on the card. I was a mere month out of drug rehab, where I had been placed due to my daily consuming of a concoction of marijuana, alcohol, LSD, PCP and other chemicals. During the previous four years, I had developed a bad habit of breaking into cars and taking other people’s belongings. A former girlfriend of mine had carved my initials into her wrist with a razor blade and then cut the veins. She lived. On more than one occasion I woke up covered in my own blood, urine, and vomit with no clue where I was or what had led me there.

For many people, winning the jackpot is a dream come true-- a life of luxury where one doesn't have to bother getting up early to go to work or to plan ahead for rainy days. With massive wealth, one can pay mortgages, purchase latest-model luxury automobiles, take a tour around the world, and help the poor and the needy. This is how it appears from the outside, looking like nothing but financial security, material comfort, and unending happiness.

Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (pbuh), delivered to mankind a criterion of ethical and moral values. The Quran is al-furqan, the divine message that provides a criterion of right and wrong, allowing man to discern what is true from what is false.It is well known that the Prophet, said, “Seeking knowledge is incumbent upon every Muslim, male and female” (Ibn Majah). But the aim is knowledge imbued with a beacon of light to move an individual along the path, from rules and rituals for their own sake into the realm of discernment and meaningfulness, thus producing wisdom.