SHAFAQNA-
An Exclusive Interview of a Revert to Islam, Yordis Moreno, from Chile, by Bentolhoda Mofakhami [1]
Congratulations on your Converting to Islam; Thank You for agreeing to hold on Interview.
First of all please tell us about yourself. (Name, Country, Job, Field of Study, Degree, Your back Ground, Age, Where Raised, and anything interesting about your back ground)
Salam aleykum
My name is Yordis Moreno. My Muslim name is Nasibeh.
I’m from Venezuela and I’m living in Chile since 2 years ago.
I studied business Administration and Education, both careers culminated in University.
in Chile I’m working as administrative cashier in a medium company.
How many brothers and sisters do you have? And how do you stand in your family?
We are 6 siblings in total: 2 male and one female from my father first marriage and 3 sisters from my parents marriage.
Whom:
The 2 brothers are Mormons;
Two sisters are Catholics;
The last one is Christian (protestant);
And, I’m the only one Muslim.
I am currently far from my family because I moved to Chile because of the crisis that exists in Venezuela. However, I live with my older brother and his family (sister-in-law and two children) and I must say that we get regular relationship due many times to religious differences! Adding that I am a single mother is even more difficult. But I hope to become independent after fulfilling my post-natal rest InshaaAllah.
Please tell us about your previous religion, before converting to Islam!
It is very different, above all because in the previous ones I knew they speak of God under 3 people, something that is totally false, with a book that unfortunately has gone through thousands of conversions in its writings, such as the Bible. The most marked thing is that they study a book with no sense that is why everything they do is illogical. They talk a lot about the spirit of fire and I’m not a gym – that was ridiculous. And in that book they speak ill of all the prophets and take lessons from people that their own prophet Jesus peace be with him; never met. They were friends of the relatives of the scribes. The bible has no coherence in many of its writings because it was not protected as the holy Qur’an.
How did you become familiar with Islam? What specifically attracted you to Islam?
As I told you, I worked in an Iranian company in Kayson Company and of all of them I met two Muslims who respected Islam well … they told me and explained some things and I only noticed them for me How general knowledge but I’d liked it . Above all respect for fasting in the holy month of Ramadan. So when I stopped working there and they left for Iran I was curious, wanting to know more about religion and one day I met with a friend from the university. A man older than me, could be his daughter. I do not know he always spoke ill of all religions that had no foundation or logic and he told me about Islam and we decided between his curiosity and mine, go to a mosque to study more.
When and how did you convert to Islam? (please also talk about your last second before converting)
Before Islam was Christian. It was in the year 2014 in the month of Ramadan that I started reading the Sacred Qur’an and attending with the Sheikh Irani who was in the mosque. He gave us material a book of prayer and Maria in Islam, and well I only had the doubt after believing for so long that Jesus (peace be with him) was the supposed savior and well when he explained it to me, I saw his firmness while he said it, I had no doubts anymore.
My true shahadah I made it alone in my house, when I practiced the prayers of that little book that they gave me and the truth is that from the first Rakat when I woke up I felt like I was born again. Something without explanation was like I gave a report back and felt that it was very difficult for Allah to forgive me, but it was easy. I felt an immense tranquility at the end in a straight road because the truth to walk like that already had me wrong!. There is more curious to believe in paganism or idolatry and Alhamdulillah I’m away from all that. And finally we did one last study session with the Shaykh and there with my university partner we did our shahadah.
When did your journey to Islam begin? (Your Opinion?)
I do not believe in coincidences. If I analyzed that since I was a child I had religious concerns that were never covered until today, it is because I was destined to be a Muslim. My journey started as a child, I was 12 years old and once I saw a man enter my mother’s room with a (rosary 📿 in his hand and towards Dirk) it was obviously a Mashaba and it shone his face was so resplendent that I could not even look much. I Reached see his tunic, was like chlorine cream and with a turban. But in my eyes as I saw it, it disappeared as well. 😱 Well, that moment was only a vision of a crazy girl between her childhood and adolescence. I currently dream of that gentleman especially when I have problems. After being a Muslim, I remembered dreams in which I saw a book with rare letters and reading it in a strange church (it was a mosque). How could I remembered it? They were things I had dreamed about, I even dreamed years ago when I was in the Protestant Christian church, I hugged a beautiful lady, I can not remember her face and there I felt very peaceful and we recited in another language and noticed that in the other churches where telling me It was the “holy spirit” but I felt that it was not. I asked one of the Iranians with whom he worked and he told me: you will be Muslim. well with so much talk in my question, is that the trip to Islam was predestined for me and Allah found me loss and guided me and always sent me signals that now if I understand.
Did You Ever hesitate to say Shahadah?
I never had any doubt.
Islam is my religion.
La ilaha illallah, Ashhadu anna Muhammadur Rasulullah.
How do you feel when you work for your Akherah (The other World)?
That is a very important point because I do not stop feeling bad for the recrimination that there is because of religion. But the worst thing is to feel bad because it is difficult to get a job that leads to legal sustenance because we are not in an Islamic country and it is another completely different world. Even to sell meat, or evade taxes that’s very hard to work like that…
Did you have any problems with your family members when you accepted Islam?
Of course I have had problems, my mother was the first to oppose. He said he did not want to see me turned into a smelly Arab. That I remember and it continues to hurt me, it came to my mind was our beloved prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his family (Ahlulbayt). Now, as I told you, I live with my brother who is Mormon and we inevitably clash over religious differences. They being Mormons eat pork, and I say: ¿how can they eat that? so they’re following the Bible and… they just tell me that it was before, that it does not matter and that Jesus came to change everything! In fact they say that I am a Muslim because of confusion and lack of faith.
How did you come up with and control the clashes with your family members?
Well, I just take a deep breath and think about the Sunnah of the prophet, what the Koran says that everyone has their beliefs so I avoid confrontations by silencing me … because Allah knows more and better all things. And another factor of change has been to emigrate, my family has had to see that my change and sacrifice is for them also because despite of abhorring my belief; I take care of them being here.
Did they try to convince you not to revert to Islam?
If they have tried but will not succeed.
Did the people around you cut the relationship with you after converting to Islam?
Yes, several people were offended, they stopped treating me, they even thought that I had an Arab husband But I care more about my relationship with Allah.
What were your family members’ reactions when you were practicing Islam or doing your prayers?
I was not live with them but in one occasion I had to do Salat at my mother’s house and she was with her bad face and I did not treat me normally. I remember she being upset with me because I prayed in her room and I set aside a bit the photos and a face of Jesus, when she realized that, she treated me horrible. Until she asked me for hurried my prayer
What was your feeling when you prayed for the first time? Was not it hard for you to pray 5 times a day?
Peace, I was born again. It is complicated to pray but you have to look for place sometimes yes but it is obligatory.
When and how did you announcing your convert to Islam?
When they saw me like that (dressing as Muslim).
Did you think that Islam is a religion Just for Arabs? (before converting to Islam)
Do not! I never related it, I did not know anything about it.
How do you see the spread of Islam in your country?
Every day we are more. In fact here in Chile we are many Shias converts between Venezuelans and Colombians. We have a whatsApp group led by a Chilean sheikh who is in Iran.
Many people think that religions are the main cause of problems in the world today, did you believe that too?
Particularly I think that the origin of the deflection of the people lies in the disaster that is in the bible. From Bible they take out any madness leading people in an evident loss.
Did you found anything illogical in your last religion? (How about Islam)
To me Islam is perfect and I don’t need anything else.
Only Allah who is the only one free of imperfections. I had ever known anything like it and that’s logical. Not like the rest of religions.
Did you use Media like You Tube, Facebook, etc. to be more familiar with Islam?
If I use reliable sources of course and physical or digital books.
How did you adapt yourself with new ethics of Islam?
I think I am affected by my family situation but I adapted to the food quickly, I loved fasting in Ramadan, the hard it was for me to be thirsty, I do not have any vices so I did not have problems with that and … I changed all my clothes, yes! and well I hope someday to be able to work without recriminations.
How was the effect of reading the holy Quran for you? How did the holy Quran Influence you?
The Quran is the cure of any evil … it is a wonderful book, even with a scientific foundation without any distortion and above all it fills the soul of a believer
What is the most beautiful Ayah in Holy Quran? (Say your opinion)
For me the whole book is important but the Surah of Mary who showed the truth about Jesus and the Āyat al-Kursi (the 255th verse of the 2nd surah of the Qur’an, Al-Baqara) is the best. And the last one, because I bear witness to your protection.
Why do most of the media attack on Islam? Why most of the Media are against Islam?
They attack religion to discredit it and make us look like a violent religion. The media are responsible for showing what is convenient or false in their favor
What’s your opinion about hijab? Have you worn hijab had any negative effects on your private life? Do you think it is only dedicated to women?
The hijab is used by Allah’s command and not by men. Yes, it has brought limitations but it’s not important for me. I understand that the man must also dress in robes and turbans … it’s for both.
Have you worn hijab limited any activities of your normal life?
No Until now only comments from people … I cover my hair not my brain.
How do you analyze women’s right in Islam compared to what the West has propagated?
The media only tell lies, in fact without knowing the religion. They only catalog it by a group of paid mercenaries willing to kill. Without taking into account that the first murdered are our brothers from Palestine, Yemen, Syria, among others. And as for women’s rights, they only say what suits them that we are oppressed by the way we dress because for the media a naked woman who makes money with her beauty is more productive and relevant.
How do you analyze the family institution according to Christianity and Islam?
I did not understand this question.
As a convert, what way of inviting to Islam do you believe is more effective on non-Muslims?
I heard one day say a Muslim born in Islam that is impressive how the true converts we change our lives and many times we are firmer in religion. Maybe it’s because here we saw a lot of this world (dunya). I think that around us, witnessing this is important to non-Muslims and above all that we are not a violent religion.
If you want to say some words about the beauty of Islam, the peace, you have found in this religion what do you say?
I am proud to be a Muslim and although the road is not easy, I believe I trust that we will be rewarded in the afterlife. If they knew those who do not believe, having one God is the safest and most beautiful thing, then I’m sure they would seek Islam.
How do Muslims supply their own Halal food? Is there a main shop for it? What is its name?
I don’t know if there are more Muslims where I’m living, but the subject of food is quite complicated, in the sense that I live far from the store that supplies halal food. That is why I avoid eating other things, I eat vegetables instead of meat and the only thing that arrives here is an imported halal chicken. That, and fish, certain seeds, fruits. But the truth is very difficult in a non-Muslim country, however I do what I can even, more in my lactation period that has been compromised but good Allaah knows better.
And how is your TV programs in your country? Is it good for family?
Honestly I do not watch television. The media is a bad thing for society and so far my baby does not watch television either, she is a quiet girl normal in all its growing up process. The only thing I use are social networks but I do not abuse either, I use them to deepen more of my religion and communicate with my family in my home country.
What is your opinion about AhlulBayt? Whom do you like?
The AhlulBayt are a relief for me since they came into being. They are the purest proof of our prophet’s love, and above all they teach that religion can take us to paradise.
For me it is difficult to choose between them. But since I saw the suffering of Imam Hussain and the loss of his community and the crime committed to his baby little Ali al-Asghar. I feel that I am blessed to have a healthy daughter and that she is by my side … and also that revolution of the Ashura served as a guide for the revolution in Iran. .. undoubtedly they are an example to follow and their women are exemplars like Fatima Zahra (sa) and Zainab (sa).
What do you think we should be done for imam Mahdi’s reappearance?
Oh yes InshaaAllah for the brightness of Mahdi! May Allah hastens his arrival. .. should we pray through the supplication for his coming and that could soon establish a just government in the world and that Isa (peace be with him) speak of the truth that has had the whole world blind in so many generations.
What roles do imams have in your life?
The Imamate in our life represents an example of transparency, fullness and guidance … Their way of being, their traditions and life style make religion complete because I feel they are close to Allah and we have to love them because there is no way to believe in the prophet Muhammad without accepting his family!