Is your brother older than you? How did he react and how are you helping your family understand the religion? Don’t you want them to come to the right path?
Okay, first question: no, my brother is not older than me. He’s three years younger than me.
We haven’t lived together for about five years I think. I’m not entirely sure it’s been that long or maybe it’s been longer; however, he certainly wasn’t around when I converted to Islam. He did live not more than a minute’s drive down the road with our aunt and uncle, but I was still very distanced from him. Plus, he’s an atheist; he hates religion and wants nothing to do with it. He’s probably received some of the same flak I did. I think those two facts put together makes him apathetic towards the religious views of others. He doesn’t care what I am so long as I don’t try to get him to convert.
As for helping my family understand the religion, basically all I can do is be a good example of what a true Muslim is. Maybe if they see me being a Muslim, yet not having changed that much from the friendly, accepting person I was, then they might slowly realize how incorrect the ‘average’ perception of Muslims is wrong. I was never a violent person, and even in having converted to the supposedly violent of Islam, that hasn’t changed. And I was raised in a semi-feminist home, so I think most family members know I wouldn’t stand up for something that advocates the degradation of women.
Another way to help them understand Islam is simply answering questions. I believe myself to be very open about discussion of my faith with anybody, but especially with my family. I would much rather answer their inquiries and concerns than have them come to their own conclusions or depend on what the media says. More often than not, that simply leads to misconceptions and misunderstandings. Maybe if they hear about Islam from someone they love, they might actually begin to understand.
If there was one thing I could have, it would be for even just some of my family to come to Islam. The probability of that happening seems almost minute to me. However, only Allah wills who is a Muslim or who is a non-Muslim. Maybe the possibility is there, but if I simply decide not to talk to them about Islam, then how are they going to ever come to the place where they might convert? Maybe I’m the one who sparks the fire. So yes, I would love for my family to see the light and come to the right path insha’Allah!
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