🔹 Part 2: The Lessons I Learned from Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

My connection with him began with my difficult birth: I had an intestinal abnormality. As a sick child, I spent most of my time indoors, reading books that my parents encouraged, many of which were about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

He, like me, was an outsider. At age 6, he became an orphan in a patriarchal and tribal society. Muhammad (PBUH) could have reacted with anger and violence, but instead, he became a perfect example of compassion.

When he first declared his prophethood, even his uncle mocked him, but he never ridiculed anyone in return. His followers were insulted, beaten, and killed, yet he never struck back. Instead, he traveled from city to city to find refuge for his followers. Thirteen years after his divine mission, he was forced to flee from his ancestral city of Mecca to Medina, but even then, his pursuers didn't leave him in peace. Not long after finding a safe haven, he had to fight to protect his religion, his community, and himself.

However, he dedicated himself to building a society that restored the lost rights of his followers. The early Muslims of Mecca and the newly converted Muslims of Medina met, and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) united them to help Medina thrive. It was a difficult task and misunderstood by many. Some critics wonder how a political leader could also be a religious example.

When terrorists attacked New York and Washington in 2001, I was horrified, terrified, and confused. The Muhammad (PBUH) I respected bore no resemblance to the one they claimed. To them, he was first and foremost a conqueror, secondly a politician and military commander, and lastly, and least importantly, a religious figure. This gross misunderstanding of his life and distortion of his message is deeply unsettling. He only took up arms to defend his faith when there was no other choice.

His policies were also educational. In one of his earliest speeches in Medina, he pledged that the Muslim community would protect the Jewish community of the city from enemies and declared Medina a nation of two religions—a revolutionary, collective, and tolerant approach!

This is the lesson I learned from him: We don't need to agree on everything to respect one another. It’s unnecessary to scrutinize each other's lives or monitor one another.

Now, on the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), we Americans must strive to study his life: He preached tolerance and understanding, something many fail to practice today. Muslims must also revisit his life. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is called Rahmat (Mercy) and Habib-Allah (Beloved of God). If today’s society doesn’t resonate with these words, we must deeply reflect and ask ourselves: Why?!

Over two decades ago, in Medina, Muhammad (PBUH) became a mercy for me to find my way. Today, we can all discover his mercy.

#ProphetMuhammad #BirthAnniversary #IslamInAmerica #Tolerance #RespectForAll #HabibAllah #Rahmat
🌐 @rahyafte_en

🔺The story of Steve Wood, a newly converted American Muslim and former Guantanamo prison guard, embracing Islam.

According to Rahyafte (Comprehensive Platform for Preachers and New Muslims) – as reported by Al Jazeera, Steve Wood, who worked as a guard at Guantanamo Bay, revealed that he converted to Islam after interacting with many Muslim prisoners, especially "Mohamedou Ould Slahi," prisoner number 760 from Mauritania.

He stated: "After continuous contact with Mohamedou Ould Slahi inside the prison, I resigned from my position in the U.S. military to embrace Islam."

Steve Wood added that it was through the prisoners at Guantanamo that he became familiar with the lives and beliefs of Muslims.

He emphasized that his life changed after meeting Ould Slahi and that he had tasted the sweetness and beauty of faith after converting to Islam.

Wood had a special mission within Guantanamo Bay, tasked with guarding prisoners arriving from Afghanistan. During this time, he met Mohamedou Ould Slahi, whose religious commitment, tolerance, and kindness toward his American captors, despite the harsh conditions he faced daily, had a profound impact on him.

He continued: "When I met Ould Slahi, despite the harsh treatment he endured from solitary confinement, I realized he was a different person, characterized by his constant calmness and optimistic outlook on life."

Despite the various forms of torture endured by Guantanamo prisoners, including Mohamedou Ould Slahi, Wood noted that this prisoner "holds no grudge against his captors."

He added: "After his release from Guantanamo, Slahi demonstrated even more forgiveness, harboring the least amount of resentment toward his captors or anyone else. This was due to his deep commitment to Islam and belief in its teachings."

Steve Wood had kept his conversion to Islam secret for some time, fearing the social perception and negative stereotypes surrounding Islam and Muslims, especially in the West after the events of September 11, 2001.

He said: "I was afraid people would think I was influenced by extremists coming from Afghanistan."

However, after publicly declaring his conversion to Islam, he denied facing any harassment.

Nevertheless, he stressed the importance of addressing hatred and racism, which target Muslims worldwide.

He concluded: "It’s difficult for the world to forget what happened on 9/11 and the loss of about 3,000 Americans, but the American reaction was harsh, and we witnessed many violations."

🌐 @rahyafte_en #NewMuslim #ConversionStory #Guantanamo #Islam #FaithJourney #Tolerance #Forgiveness