Esinat was peeling cassava while sitting under the shade of a tree when an iERA Outreach Specialist passed by during a door-to-door dawah activity. The Outreach Specialist approached her and introduced himself as a Muslim who had come to teach people about the One Creator. Esinat became curious and asked, “You Muslims believe in Allah, so why do you say Creator? Who is Allah?”
The Outreach Specialist explained that Allah is the Arabic word for God, just as different languages use different words to refer to God. He also explained that Muslims believe Allah is the One Creator who created everything and that He alone deserves to be worshipped. Esinat listened carefully and then asked another question: “Can a woman wear hijab without being a Muslim?”
The Outreach Specialist explained that Islam teaches women to dress modestly and that the hijab is part of this guidance. He explained that Allah created women with beauty and that Islam teaches women to protect and honor that beauty through modesty. This explanation caught Esinat’s attention, especially because she admired the way Muslim women dressed and felt that they were treated with respect.
Esinat then shared how much she appreciated the way Muslim women dressed and said, “What I love about Islam is how women dress. They look so respected.” She also said that she had wanted to understand Islam for a long time but had never had the opportunity to ask anyone about it. After learning more from the Outreach Specialist, Esinat felt that it was her time to become Muslim. She took her Shahadah and began her new journey in Islam.
