Comments from an
incarcerated Brother

As-salamu Alaykum!

I seek refuge in Allah from Shaytaanir rajiym [Satan the rejected], I seek refuge in Allah from being misleading and from being misled.

Glory to be Allah Most High, full of Grace and mercy, who created Humanity (both male and female) and gave them intelligence.

Alhamdullillah [praise God] I am receiving your bulletin, Submitters Perspective. Brothers and sisters at Masjid Tucson.

My concern is thus: I come to Islam through many different venues. My journey began with the Nation of Islam, then to the Lost and Found Nation of Islam. The fast talking, quick tongue and whimsical language of the Five Percenters dazzled and attracted me, holding my attention until seemingly in depth and well researched information circulated by The Anaaru Allah Community directed my attention back to the scriptures. Alhamdullillah it was the challenge issued by the leader of his group to prove them superficial by using the scriptures that exposed them as having no substance, nothing really

concrete to stand on outside what he borrowed and plagiarized from others. I skipped through Bawa Muhayyadiyn and Sufism with only a sideward glance. I believe that spiritualism and mysticism are not the same and my search is for spiritualism.

Finally I came to Sunni Islam where I spent the most time learning about the Quran, Sunnah for the Prophet, History, Shari’ah, Qiyas, Fiqh, etc. But once again I was unmoored because I was realizing that in too many instances ahadith, which ironically the Prophet supposedly instructed his companions not to keep but were kept anyway, were being consulted and adhered to more than the Quran, even where the Quran gave explicit instructions. Thus again my journey resumes, only this time with a new twist.

I am in the habit of reading negativity, not any more, nor everything with a flashy title. Once I ridded my mind of all the trash that I had taken in I sought to fill in certain areas with good, solid information…. In my search for a True Islam, a guide to lift me outside the core of my physical existence and allow my spiritual to reach and engulf the totality of its purpose what does pursuing this line of thinking to do my faith in Islam?

To switch gears for a moment, I enjoyed the latest issue of Submitters Perspective entitled “Feeling Faith” by Amir Kia. Alhamdullillah, it touched inside areas dealing directly with my present disposition and struggle for equilibrium. Thus my concerns remain: Where am I to anchor and be assured that I will not become once again unmoored? Alhamdullillah, Islam is definitely the system of life for me but there are so many sects and ideologies, and with the different so-called schools of thought, and the many different translations of the Quran, who can be sure that what he is following is rightly guided?

Alhamdullillah, I have heard nothing but good about the community in Tucson, Arizona, but as a young Muslim I aspire to learn more. As mentioned in my previous letter I would greatly appreciate a copy of Rashad Khalifa’s translation of the Quran. InshaAllah maybe there is someone in the community who has one they can donate or a used one the community could donate… InshaAllah you will be able to assist me. I pray Allah to bestow upon you a look that is merciful.

As-salamu Alaykum!

Andre W.