Choosing Islam - A Story of Courage and Trust -- An Interview with the Author

Bismillah,

Assalamu aleikum everyone. Ramadan Mubarak! This Blessed month's edition is an interview with an amazing sister masha'Allah tabarak'Allah. So here we go...

Um Idris was raised an atheist, but she came to realize that there is a stronger power that “helps the flowers grow.” This is her story. Within these pages, she shares how she found and accepted Islam and how this choice began to change her life. She opens up regarding the overwhelm of learning the religion and its practices and how difficult it can be trying to live in accordance to Islam when it differs from society’s established norms. She talks about finding the right spouse and getting married, leaving her country and re-establishing herself in another. And she talks about profound loss, and how no matter what comes your way, as long as you trust in your Lord and have courage, everything will be just fine.

Papatia Feauxzar : Assalamu aleikum Um Idris, welcome to Fofkys. Can you please tell us something we don’t know about you?

Um Idris: Waleikum salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu, jazakAllahu khair for having me here. Well, when you did read my book, you probably know almost everything about me *haha*. But to tell you something from the backstage, I enjoy the silence but at the same time I love to talk with other sisters (I can talk the whole day*haha*) and I don't like seafood.

PF: Thank you for sharing! Your story is unique, engaging and empowering. It’s amazing how Allah puts yaqeen in us, and if we are truthful about our quest, we find the missing piece with the help of our fitra. Do you agree?

UI: Definitely. When we trust in Allah and follow His guidance there is no other result possible than success, because His plan is always the best for us.

PF: Right on. Have you always loved reading and writing? I am asking since you have an engineering degree from the University of Prague. Masha’Allah Tabara’Allah! I also LOVED the tidbit you shared about your Mom being an accountant and honoring her with your pursuit of education.

UI: Yes or at least reading. I remember me as a small girl hiding myself under the blanket with the hand light and reading some books while I was supposed to sleep *haha*. During my studies, I did not enjoy it so much and now I'm quite far from it because of my universal excuse -- my children. I don't want to blame them for everything, but the truth is that I'm much more tired and when I sit to read a book now. I'm usually falling asleep quicker than I finish a page *haha*. But I'm enjoying writing much more now, and I even started journaling. That's something I wasn't used to…

PF: Your book is like an “Every Day Islam” especially for a new Muslim. The food challenges you faced while trying to make your dish halal since pork is used in your culture in almost anything were relatable. Do you plan on writing an Halal Czech Republic Cookbook. I think it can be useful for other converts. If not, even a food blog *haha*.

UI: It was my main intention to write my book for new Muslim sisters. Because it's not always so easy like many born Muslims think because they simply weren't there.

And about the food. Well, to be honest I don't like cooking. Once I tried to create an Instagram account about cooking, but it wasn't successful. I gave up also because I have many other things to share with the world than how I cannot cook *haha*. However, one of my ideas is to create a low-content recipe book but not with my recipes but to offer a beautiful and well organized place where sisters can write their own recipes. But that is still just on the paper.

PF: I believe a low-content recipe book will work bi'ithnillah. I don’t enjoy cooking or reading too much these days to be honest. Anyway…Perhaps some kind of jading to the two. Allahu alam.

To get back to the book, I also think that the title of your book Choosing Islam - A Story of Courage and Trust should have included the word Loss. i.e. Choosing Islam - A Story of Courage, Loss and Trust. Because truly, it’s also a story of tremendous loss but ultimately Trust. Either way, the current title works. Alhamdullilah ala kulli haal. It was just my grain of salt *smiles*. So now, how has your journey to becoming a published author been? Was it easy, difficult, expensive, an awakening—rude or gentle, etc.?

UI: The journey wasn't really easy. I wrote the book quite quickly and alhamdulillah I chose a great editor who is also a convert Muslimah so she can easily relate to my story. The problem came when I wanted to publish my book, and I followed the good meant recommendations but in the end the person calling himself a publisher didn't do almost anything, and I lost all the money I paid him. But alhamdulillah for everything. Because of that, later I did learn many new skills on how to publish the book by myself and now I have more low-content books on Amazon.

PF: Subhan'Allah, there was ease after the hardship. Alhamdullilah ala kulli haal indeed. Now, any future writing projects on the back burner?

UI: I started to work on another book where I'm more concentrated on your “grain of salt” *smiles* because the book will be written for Muslim moms who lost a baby. The story is to show my story but also my journey that helped me say alhamdulillah after what happened. Right now, I paused this work because I'm creating my web and working on other projects as well like coaching programs, low-content books and others. But my intention is to come back to it, finish it and publish in Shaa Allah.

PF: I will be glad to give my “grain of salt” insha’Allah. Um Idris, thank you for being with us for the Ramadan Book Club Edition. The Team at Fofky’s wishes you much even more success with all your works, aameen! Readers, you can find a copy of her book in our stores and on Amazon here. Um Idris, please share your social media handles for the readers.

UI: Ameen. You can find me on Instagram and Facebook under the name @um.idris.author where you will in Shaa Allah soon find my website as well. May Allah give courage and trust to face anything in this life to the whole Muslim Ummah and open for us the gates of Jannah. Ameen

Allahumma aameen. Wa houb salam,

P.F