Sisters gathered to congratulate sister Mariella after professing her faith.

            The Hijrah (migration) began in 622 when the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) migrated from the holy city of Mecca to Yathrib (now called Medina), a neighboring town whose inhabitants welcomed the persecuted Muslims.  The migration was established to be the first year of the Islamic calendar and marks the turning point for the Prophet and his companions in terms of strength and increase in numbers.

            Sister Mariella had been visiting IEC during the weeks prior and attended Islamic classes to learn more about Islam. At the Hijrah event, she was prepared to convert and in front of the entire congregation, said her shahadah (bearing witness that there was only one God (Allah) and that Muhammad was His messenger.)

Sister Mariella taking her Shahada with Imam Al-Hayek.

            Brother Felix, another newly reverted Muslim brother (only two weeks old) narrated his path to conversion to Islam — a humorous tale of reading the Qur’an in secrecy in bathroom stalls so no one would know.

Brother Felix speaking about his journey to Islam.

     Sheikh Muhammad Al-Hayek, one of the Imams at IEC connected the sister’s and others’ conversion to an act of migration, linking it to that of the Prophet’s Hijrah (migration) from Mecca to  Medina. Noting as well, hardships and struggles they encounter for the sake of Allah to establish the deen (religion) and worship freely.

Imam Al-Hayek speaking about the Hijrah.

In between speakers, audience members that consisted of both Muslims and non-Muslims partook in a Q & A contest, with a few newer Muslims winning Islamic literature.  The evening ended with the usual array of food and desserts, savory and fulfilling, much like the day’s event.