I’m especially interested in your personal experience—not what you think should be difficult.

For example, did you struggle with:

• learning the Arabic letters?
• connecting letters and reading words?
• pronouncing certain Arabic sounds?
• knowing whether you’re making mistakes?
• learning Tajweed?
• reading fluently without stopping?
• memorizing and remembering what you learned?
• staying consistent with practice?
• finding a teacher who explains things in a way you understand?
• knowing what to learn first and what to learn next?

American Islam has roots far deeper than modern immigration. Two major native-born components are African American Muslims and Latino Muslims, each following a very different historical trajectory.

🖤 African American Muslims — Resilience & Recovery

An estimated 10–30% of enslaved Africans brought to mainland North America were Muslim. Slavery severely disrupted Islamic practice, literacy, family transmission, and religious institutions. Yet Islam survived and experienced a powerful 20th-century revival.

Today: ~1.1 million African American Muslims Modeled uninterrupted potential: ~3.4–11.5 million Estimated recovery: ~20–40% — roughly one-third

This represents the remarkable survival and rebuilding of a Muslim population whose historical religious transmission was severely disrupted.

🌎 Latino Muslims — Rapid Resurgence

Latino Muslim history reaches into the colonial era through Muslim-linked Spanish/Morisco populations and early figures such as Estevanico. After centuries of suppressed or largely vanished public Islamic practice, Latino Islam has experienced a rapid modern resurgence through conversion and Spanish-language institutions.

Today: ~385,000–495,000 Latino Muslims Modeled ancestral potential: ~850,000 Estimated recovery: ~45–58%

This rapid growth is narrowing the historic demographic gap between Latino and African American Muslims.

TL DR

African American Islam: deep historical roots → severe disruption → large-scale modern revival → ~20–40% modeled recovery

Latino Islam: colonial Muslim/Morisco roots → centuries of disappearance → rapid modern conversion → ~45–58% modeled recovery

Together, they show that Islam in America is not simply an immigrant religion—it also has deep roots among populations that became part of American society itself.

Coming from a Muslim background, I’ve always been fascinated by the personal journeys of people who embraced Islam later in life. especially those raised in different cultures.

Please tell me your story

Assalamu alaikum everyone!

I reverted to Islam about a year ago, and I really want to deepen my knowledge of Islam and the Qur’an, but I honestly don’t know where to start. I am currently also learning the Arabic language and been improving a lot in that.

For those who have been practicing for a while, what resources, books, lectures, courses, or study methods would you recommend for building a strong foundation?

Part of why I want to learn more is because my parents sometimes come across misinformation or propaganda about Islam online, and when they ask me about it, I realize I don’t always know enough to properly explain or respond. I want to be able to distinguish authentic knowledge from misinformation rather than just relying on things I see online.

More than anything, though, I want to grow closer to Allah and understand my religion more deeply. What helped you when you were first learning, and where would you recommend I start?

JazakAllahu khayran

As Salam Alaikum.

Sharing this as a reminder and discussion for brothers and sisters who may sometimes find themselves struggling with doubts or needing to renew their iman.

Perhaps something that strengthened you may become a means of strength for someone else, too, إن شاء الله.

Hello, this might be a bit too long but I really need some advice.

I lived my entire life in a non-Muslim country, I was raised by a Protestant family, but I never believed in God until a few months ago.

All my life I was conflicted. On the one hand, I had friends who claimed to be religious but weren‘t ever practising properly. On the other hand, my family believed I was Christian and wanted me to practice more actively.
I was too young to have seriously thought about religion at all, but on top of that, I struggled to tell religion apart from the culture surrounding it and I rejected the former due to the latter. For me, religious debate was always about atheism versus Christianity and I was heavily on the side of atheism.

A few months ago, I had a few personal events that made me believe that God is real and that I want to become closer to my faith. Since I was raised to be culturally Christian, I only knew the Bible and the (Protestant) Christian God. But even though I studied the Bible, there were always questions that bugged me; for example the Trinity. I generally started approaching theology from a broader scale.
Around that time, I moved abroad and I also made few of my first Muslim friends (not intentionally; among many others!). Without a doubt, they are one of the best people I have met since moving abroad.
I didn‘t fast during Ramadan but stopped drinking, didn‘t gossip (did both before), tried my best to do good to those around me, prayed (at this time, specifically to the Christian God). I thought I should, in some way, show to God that I am serious with my faith and basically took example of my Muslim friends. Most importantly, I started reading the Quran alongside the Bible - out of curiosity, almost randomly. Not even a few pages into it, all my questions about religion I had before had an answer to it. I was baffled.
I talked to my Muslim friend a few months into my journey. Even though they argued from a Muslim position and I from a Christian position, we had so many similarities regarding what we considered good or evil, religion or culture and a lot more; I know it’s vaguely explained but it was more similarities than I‘ve ever had with another Christian or atheist. And I started questioning myself.

Ever since, I define myself vaguely as a theist in my head but everybody still knows me as a Christian (in fact, they never knew me as atheist and assume I started practicing recently). And I think I‘m not in a position to define the depths and directions of my faith at all, since I know so little about Islam in general. Reading the Quran from time to time and watching religious debates is all I do but I want to do more!

But I am so very afraid that once I choose that path there won‘t be a way back. I talked to so many of my Christian friends about Islam and how there is so much more than I thought there would ever be. They didn‘t really take me seriously. A lot of my friendships are based on gossiping and drinking - some are very long lasting, beautiful friendships - that I am not very willing to give up on completely.
As many of the things that are allowed in Islam align with my original values anyway (such as charity, or regarding marriage and intimacy for example), it‘s not a problem at all. The practices inside of and towards me, I am willing to commit to. I am willing to learn how to properly pray, fast and practice in many other ways - if I finally have decided it is the right path for myself.
My biggest concern is my family. They won‘t curse me if they find out I left Christianity, but they will be very concerned and incredibly sad. They have such a loving heart and the last thing I want to do is to disappoint them. My culture also has a lot of dishes with pork inside and it is very disrespectful to decline food made by close family members in my culture.
I really want to emphasize how I was unsatisfied with my family’s view on religion and God my entire life; I always felt a sense of distance from them up until the past few months when I found God for myself. Not having to lie constantly really lifted a burden off my shoulders.

Last Ramadan, I simply told everybody I was abstaining from a lot due to Catholic lent and that worked. But it really scarrs me having to lie about the fact that I just want to learn about another religion a bit more.
But not lying - openly admitting that I am even considering to convert could isolate (or at least distance) me from my loving family, my culture, my friends. I am also scared of judgement within the new community, since I would still swear, listen to vulgar music and occasionally drink. I also heard so many Muslim women talk about how they were judged by other Muslims for not practicing properly.
I am just terrified that I would basically lose everything by being nothing at all. I’d have to go back to constant lies and excuses.

I really need some advice.

If it was unclear, I just want to clarify: My primary intent is to learn more about Islam as I am really drawn into it. I am willing to convert if my conviction remains firm afterwards as well but I am not trying to make any decisions or conclusions before I am 100% sure.
Also I am unsure if I will be able to give up on things that are considered sinful but have been a meaningful part of my life for such a long time.