NATIVE AMERICAN WOMAN GIVES WONDERFUL TESTIMONIAL ON EMBRACING THE NATION OF ISLAM (6034 hits)
I want to share a testimony from a Navajo sister that has embraced Islam, which is very rare in Native America. We in the Nation of Islam, didn’t have to shove Bean Pies and The Final Call down her throat, and we didn’t have to yell at her with quotes from the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad. We just lived what was already in us, showing her a good example. We connected with her, and that same light that she saw in us, she saw in herself and embraced it. Let us embrace our Sister Native Angel with love, understanding and compassion. – Yonasda Lonewolf-Muhammad
(The translation of that is: my relatives, my people I greet you with the respect and honor.)
My name is Gwen. I am of the one-who-walks around clan, born for the towering house people. My maternal grandfather is of the Mexican people clan and my paternal grandfather is of the folded arms people. This is who I am as a Navajo woman.
There was once a time in my life I was so hopeless. I was married to my ex-husband and he was very abusive toward me. I was homeless with my two-year-old daughter and six months pregnant with my son. I was drinking alcohol and lastly working in a gentlemen’s club as a dancer. This however led to depression, low self-esteem and an attempted suicide. During this time I had lost sense of my outlook on life. I was so lost and I had to reflect on myself and the choices I was making. I used to have strong morals, strong values and I tried to keep on that path. However, this sickness led me to the worst stages of my life. I don’t know how I could have done it without the help of Islam. What made me want to change was the fact that I was expecting my second child, Bear. I didn’t want to live like this anymore; I knew deep down there had to be something better.
During the summer of 2004, I was living in the streets of Arizona with my two-year-old daughter, Daijah. It was one particular night I was sitting on a bench at a bus stop at three in the morning with my daughter asleep on my lap that I began to think how sad I was and depressed and I started crying. I needed something. I knew I wanted truth. I felt like I was depriving myself of a better life. So I just called out. I asked sincerely. If we really want something, we have to ask God. So I asked with all sincerity, asking the Creator. I was throwing names out there: Creator, God, Allah, whoever you are. I really need help. I need guidance and I was so desperate. Even then I did believe there was a Creator, a one source that was responsible for creating everything and that there was a true purpose in life.
I believe what changed my life was calling out to Allah. I understood I had a problem and my first step I recognized this problem and I needed to fix it and right away. After my initial prayer, there were many changes. I called my parents back home and told them of everything and, they were so forgiving and came to get us. I gave birth to my beloved son and Islam found me. Allah gave me the strength to live a better life for myself and my children. Every day I wake up to help me stay strong in the deen. I try to perfect my Salah (prayer) by reading the Holy Qur’an and always referring back to it, educating myself with more of the knowledge, and is Allah going to be pleased with me if I do this. The person I am today has come from the gift of Islam: the morals, the character, the value, the cleansing of the heart and how to live a daily life from morning to night.
On September 14, 2004 the day I gave birth to my son is when I proclaimed the testimony of faith (ash-shahada): “Ashhadu anna la ilaha illa Allah, wa anny Muhammadan rasul lu Allah.” (The translation of that is: I declare there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger.) I chose this day for a specific reason. My son is also a divine reminder, a blessing and gift from Allah whom I cherish forever. There is no coincidence and I believe my son was given to me to bring me forth into my life with great strength. I would have never left my abusive husband only to find out I was pregnant (my son saved me and his sister). I would never have called out to Allah for help and I would never had found Islam.
My journey in life started with hopelessness. It went back to when I was a baby at six weeks of age when my birth parents gave me up and I was raised by my grandparents so I always had a sense of loss and living in the dark. A lot of people are looking for the light and, I have found the light, the happiness, the truth of life … Islam. I used to cry out of hopelessness, loneliness and anger and I saw Allah’s creations, how He is always there, what He has in store for me and I saw my place in this life. Everywhere I went I was smiling, comfortable with whom I was.
All the pain I was subjective to, Allah has all the solutions and my gratitude is to Allah and I am grateful that happiness has found a place in my heart. My love has grown tremendously and my heart fills with Allah. When you’re in love with someone, you FEAR of disappointing them, you FEAR hurting them or losing them. Fear and love goes hand to hand. Without fear there is no love. Without love there is no fear. I am comfortable with what I have learned and able to overcome. I have a great respect for life. I have a relationship with Allah (Lord of the Worlds) Master Fard Muhammad and His Christ / Messiah, The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and their servant in our mist The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. Long Live Muhammad!
It was difficult for me to share my story because of fear; I let fear paralyze me from inspiring others to see the good in Islam. My advice for other Brothers and Sisters in Islam, always try your best to show your best character to the ones who are non-Muslim, as you should to your Muslim brothers and sisters. Your Character and manners may encourage someone to look into Islam. Imagine Allah guides someone to Islam through you, through your good manners, through your good character. Imagine the rewards that Allah will have for you if Allah attracts someone to Islam through you. Is it possible? It happened to me. I still struggle; however, with the help of Allah, I am getting closer to Him. I am still struggling to live the life He wants me to. I refuse to give up. I am a work in progress, but someday I hope to become as close as I can to being an “Ideal Muslimah.”
Truly a beautiful story Dear Sister...speaking as a believer, my position is 'GOD IS GOD' whatever/whichever one believes. There is Truth In Faith - It Begins In The Temple of God...YOU!
“If You Know I Have A History, You Will Respect Me!”
‘Black Indians, A Hidden Treasure,’ William Loren Katz ‘A Pocket Guide to Native Americans,’ Westhorp and Collins ‘Indian America, A Geography of North American Indians, Marian Wallace Ney – Libby Lambert
“Mountainfolk Hospitality – Subtle Progression 1913 – 2013” “If Europeans came from nations, so too did ‘People of Color!’ Dark People ignored the boundaries drawn by Europeans – especially in their move from one country to another in search of Liberty, Justice, and/or a Better Life!”
What is the difference in the spiritual significance of Wampum and “IN GOD WE TRUST” green and metal American money worshiping by Americans of yesterday and today?
By the way is Sister Yonasda Lonewolf-Muhammad the daughter of the late Native American activist Wauneta Lonewolf Cox?
Thursday, June 26th 2014 at 11:28AM
Truth B. Told
Yes sir. Waunetta Lonewolf was the first Native American public relations manager to work for Muhammad Ali, and the first Native American to work for NBC.
Thursday, June 26th 2014 at 12:09PM
Siebra Muhammad
If you happen to have the Muhammad Ali documentary “When We Were Kings,” you can see Waunetta Lonewolf sitting next to Ali towards the end of the video. It was also Muhammad Ali who introduced her to the teachings of the Nation of Islam. She was also instrumental in assisting Minister Farrakhan in recruiting Native Americans into the NOI.
Friday, June 27th 2014 at 9:53AM
Siebra Muhammad
Hello to All, I thought I had responded to this blog! Anyway, it is wrong of Mr. Farrakhan to recruit this Indian woman to Islam and neither Mr. Farrakhan nor the Indian woman are the same race as the author of Islam; Prophet Mohammed. In addition, Mr. Farrakhan is not a prophet!
Harry, it is not wrong of Minister Farrakhan to recruit the Indians to Islam. In the NOI lessons our relationship with the Indians was mentioned and given to us, the lessons lays down clearly:
"The total population of the original nation in the wilderness of north America is 17 million, WITH the 2 million Indians, which makes it 19 million."
We must understand the word ‘with’ when our lessons say the 17 million with the 2 million Indians. The dictionary's definition for ‘with’ is stated as “belonging” and “belonging together”. It’s in our teachings in the Nation of Islam. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad has already taught us on how to speak to our Indian brothers and sisters. Therefore, it is not wrong for Minister Farrakhan or any other practicing Muslim to recruit Indians into Islam.
I, Prophet Harry first genuine Black American prophet supersede all previous religious beliefs of Black Americans. What comes from me supersedes the teachings of the Nation of Islam.
Everything about the Nation of Islam is wrong. The NOI’s teachings tremendously hurt and impede the progress and direction of Black Americans just the same as Christianity. The Nation of Islam's head representative is not a Black American, but a foreigner named Mr.Fard Muhammad. Just this fact alone shows that the Nation of Islam has been misdirected from day one.
When God deals with a people no other people are involved. When God dealt with the Arabian people it was the Arabian people then God and then Prophet Mohammed. When God dealt with the children of Israel it was the children of Israel then God then Prophet Moses. In both of these cases no other people were involved.
When God dealt with Black Americans it was Black Americans then God and then Prophet Harry. Notice that there are no foreigners involved.
First it is the people reaching out to God that triggers everything. No people can reach out for another people. Then God heard the cries of the Black American people. Then God anoints a Black American prophet. What I have just explained no other people/foreigners are involved in this triangle relationship. But, with the NOI there are foreigners all through the NOI’s beliefs am I right.
Therefore, the Nation of Islam is wrong and is not about God. Even the prayers that the Nation of Islam says has foreign agents in them, Mohammed is praised. The prayer that God and I put together has no foreign agent being praised.
The Nation of Islam is going to fall under my weight! All Black American Christian churches of going to fall under my weight as well! Our religion is LIFE. Our prophet is Harry. Our direction is sovereignty in a country of our own. It is God in our presence? Absolutely yes! This same God that was in the presence of the Arabian people through Prophet Mohammed is the same God that is in Black America through me, Prophet Harry.
