Regina’s spiritual life was once a quiet reflection of her husband’s heart. When they first married, she followed him into Islam, trading her childhood rosary for the prayer mat because her love for him was her primary compass. However, when her husband’s own convictions shifted and he returned to the Catholic faith, Regina followed suit without hesitation. She felt a profound sense of relief; they were finally “home,” or so she thought, united in the pews of their village church.
But faith, as Regina was about to discover, is not always a straight path—and it is rarely found through someone else’s eyes.
The change began with the arrival of the Duats in their village. They were scholars with a calm presence and a message that Regina initially found intrusive. When they first stopped her on a dusty path to speak of the Quran, Regina’s reaction was sharp. She walked away, the embers of her past conversion feeling like a closed chapter she didn’t wish to reopen.
Even when they invited her to a “Development Class,” she resisted. “I have my faith,” she told herself. But the whispers of her friends grew louder. They spoke of the classes not as mere lectures, but as vibrant circles of wisdom, sisterhood, and practical growth. Curiosity eventually won.
Regina stepped into the class expecting to be bored; instead, she found herself transfixed. The Duats spoke of logic, purpose, and a connection to the Divine that resonated deep within her soul—independent of her husband’s influence for the first time. The teachings didn’t just sound like words; they felt like a homecoming.
Regina chose to convert again, but this time, it wasn’t for a man. It was for herself. She took the name Rahma, meaning “Mercy,” symbolizing the grace she felt she had received.
The peace inside her heart was met with a storm at home. Her husband, now a committed Catholic, was blindsided. The household that was once unified in prayer became a place of loud quarrels and cold silences. He couldn’t understand why she would leave the faith they had just reclaimed together.
Yet, Rahma remained unshaken. Guided by the Duats and her own growing knowledge, she stood her ground with a quiet strength. She found beauty not just in the scriptures, but in the modesty and elegance of Muslim attire—a physical manifestation of the order and dignity she now felt within.
Today, Rahma is no longer a follower of shadows. She is a woman of conviction, committed to her studies and deep-diving into the complexities of her faith. Her goal has shifted from following her husband to leading him. With patience and the same “mercy” her name suggests, she is now the one inviting him to see the world through her eyes, hoping that one day, they will find themselves on the same prayer mat once again.
