IIPH (International Islamic Publishing House)

PAGE NO :1
THE
METAMORPHOSIS MUSLIM
Autobiography of my Conversion
Lena Winfrey Seder
هدايتي إلى الإسلام
الدار العالمية للكتاب الإسلامي
INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC PUBLISHING HOUSE
PAGE NO :2
DESERT ROSE (A POEM)
I began my journey the day I was born.
My name told my destiny.
Yet, it remained hidden for me to discover. I traveled a long time to get to this moment. So many cactuses I stumbled over in the dark. No star lighted my path - I was not yet awake.
Naivety guided me into sandstorms that made wounds in my soul. Ignorance blinded me as the cactus' thorns scratched me. However, these wounds propelled me forward and kept me on a certain path.
One day when I looked ahead, I saw an oasis.
A mirage, I thought, so I slowly walked towards it-expecting to be fooled again.
When I reached the mirage, I found a rose.
I touched it and found it was no dream.
Entranced by this rose, I placed it in the vase of my heart. As it took root, it became a part of me.
My blindness lifted, for I could see the true Light.
Faith rested in my heart.
My Desert Rose led me to this destiny.
When I stray, its paper thorns remind me to come back to the
straight path.
PAGE NO :3
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First, I want to thank Allah () for giving me the strength and
inspiration to write this book. Secondly, thanks to my loving parents who raised me in a moral way. Thirdly, I thank Allah () for my precious son Aziz, whom I love and miss very much and who has inspired me a lot as a writer. Also, I want to thank my husband for his support and my children for giving me the inspiration to tell my story to others. Finally, I want to thank all of the teachers and other people who have helped me throughout my life by giving me knowledge, support, encouragement and advice.
In particular, I want to thank the following people who were present at the turning points in my life: Mrs. Nash, my second grade teacher, who helped me to learn to read and to love reading; Mrs. Kensinger, my high school English and Drama teacher who taught me to love literature, writing and drama; Dr. Massey, the university professor who advised me to get my Master's degree; a big thanks to Melva, who helped introduce me to Islam; and a great thank you to my friend Wajiha, who was the first to truly teach me about Islam. Also, I would like to thank some crucial friends who helped me in my times of need: Amal, Filiz, Nurdan, Jenny, Candice, Nihal, Asmaa, Safia, Zahra, Yasmin, Sahar, and so many others who live in so many different countries.
I have met so many people who have influenced my life and helped me so much, and it would indeed take a whole book to list them all. My thanks go out to them, and may Allah (1) bless them
all.
PAGE NO :4
THE
METAMORPHOSIS OF A MUSLIM
Lena Winfrey Seder grew up with a loving Christian family in the Virginia countryside. As a shy young woman, she sought to expand her horizons and fly, like a butterfly. At first, her focus was on worldly success and fame, but when she found herself unable to obtain satisfactory answers to her doubts about her religious traditions, she began a spiritual quest for the truth. She emerged from her cocoon with Islam at her side, to guide her in her life and travels.
In this autobiographical account, the author uses a series of flashbacks to weave back and forth among important events and places in her life, before and after she embraced Islam. She explains what attracted her to Islam and describes the effects of her choice on key relationships in her life. Her narration is laced with personal anecdotes and heart-felt advice about being patient in the face of adversity. Her experiences are woven together to create more than just a simple narrative; this is a unique account of the Metamorphosis of a Muslim.