By Atikah Sabine Lopez Sapri

With the intention of drawing closer to Allah and His beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, I wish to share my journey of connecting with the Qur’an. May this writing be blessed and serve as a source of support and inspiration for other new converts, InshaAllah.

I began reading the Qur’an’s translation seriously in 2023 while in France, committing to at least three pages a day.

I took my time, reading slowly, wanting not just to finish the book, but to understand Allah’s messages and feel them deeply in my heart. I did not want to rush as I wanted to know Him.

It took me about two years to complete the French translation. Along the way, I filled it with post-it notes, marking verses I loved and highlighting the important reminders Allah was giving me.

It felt as though a real relationship with Allah, The Most Majestic, was beginning to form.

Alhamdulillah!

Many times, His words touched my heart so deeply that tears would fall. I became “addicted” to reading; on days I didn’t, I would feel upset with myself, as if I was missing a conversation with Him.

Whenever I had misunderstandings with my non-Muslim family members in France about the Islamic way of life, I would quickly open the Qur’an to calm myself and find peace. And each time, after reading, I truly felt at peace.

One verse in particular, struck me deeply:

“And be patient over what they say, and depart from them in a gracious manner.”
Surah al-Muzzammil (73:10)

When I reflected on it, I realised Allah was telling me not to argue, fight, or respond harshly.

I understood that Allah had chosen my family for a reason, to make me reflect on where I come from and why. I knew I must not break the family bond not only because I love them, but because I recognised that even while reading the Qur’an, Shaytan could try to turn my heart against them.

I refused to let him win.

May Allah protect us and guide us, even in our moments of learning His Book.

Soon after, I enrolled in an online tafsir class because I knew I needed to approach the Qur’an as the source of everything to learn and to practise it.

Through this, my faith in Allah grew stronger. I began to know myself better through the Qur’an, and I felt His presence in my life.

Reading the Qur’an became like my daily supply of oxygen; without it, I would feel guilty, frustrated, and empty.

When I returned to Singapore after my husband passed away in March this year, I faced many challenges. I was unable to continue reading as I did in France.

I felt an immense sadness, not only from losing my husband, but from feeling out of balance and distant from Allah.

For a while, I felt insecure and alone, until I realised that in truth, I was never alone. I had only Allah and that was everything.

This experience taught me what it truly means to abandon yourself to Him, to place complete trust in Him alone, and to keep returning to Him no matter the situation.

I started attending classes again, Iqra’, tafsir, seerah, online lectures, and sharing sessions with Women of the World (WOW).

One of my dearest friends, Sister Maryam, introduced me to Ustaz Mohamed Sameer of Rose of Madinah.

Alhamdulillah, I found the right environment to grow again.

Ustaz Sameer cares for his students like a shepherd with his flock, guiding and encouraging us to become better Muslims.

Through his teaching, I overcame my anxieties and returned to practising and reading the Qur’an as before.

When I return to France, I hope to stay connected with Rose of Madinah despite the time difference, InshaAllah

I have been Muslim for 19 years now.

Alhamdulillah, it is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I am deeply grateful to my late husband, Azman Bin Sapri (please recite Al-Fatihah for him) for introducing me to Islam and starting me on this beautiful journey.

I pray that this small glimpse into my life will help support other reverts and Muslims, and remind us all that Islam is the true and best way of life and that Allah is always present with us, no matter what happens.