40 Years of Searching: The Three Questions That Opened the Heart
“My dear brothers and sisters, sometimes the truth is right in front of us, waiting for the perfect moment to be embraced.”
Imagine studying a message for over 40 years. Since 1982, Willie, a seeker from a Filipino-Catholic background in San Diego, held the Quran in his hands. He studied, he watched, and he reflected. But as many of us experience, there were just a few “blocks” remaining in his mind.
It is a beautiful reminder that guidance belongs to Allah alone. Sometimes, we have the knowledge, but we just need that gentle nudge—that moment of clarity—to cross the finish line. In a heartfelt conversation at a park in San Diego, three simple yet profound questions cleared the path.
1. The Mystery of Time: Is the Earth Only 6,000 Years Old?
Many traditional religious perspectives suggest a “Young Earth” theory, dating humanity back only 6,000 years. However, science and logic often tell a different story. SubhanAllah, the beauty of Islam is that it does not contradict sound reason.
Islamic scholarship clarifies that the Quran does not provide a specific “date” for the creation of the earth or the first human. We know through the lineage of the Prophets—from Yusuf to Ibrahim and back to Adam (peace be upon them all)—that the history of mankind is vast, potentially stretching back hundreds of thousands or even millions of years.
2. The Wisdom of the Moon: Why the Lunar Calendar?
One might ask, why does Islam use the lunar calendar for its worship? My dear friends, Islam is a practical religion for all people, in all places, and for all times.
“They ask you, [O Muhammad], about the new moons. Say, ‘They are measurements of time for the people and for Hajj.'”
Whether you are in a high-tech city or a remote village with no internet, you can look up at the moon and know the date. It is a universal clock provided by the Creator. For daily prayers, we use the sun’s shadows—a simple stick on the ground is all you need. This is the simple elegance of a faith designed for every human being.
3. Aqeedah vs. Fiqh: The Foundation of the Soul
Willie asked a question that scholars often reflect upon: Which is more important, Aqeedah (Creed) or Fiqh (Jurisprudence)?
Think of a building. The Aqeedah is the foundation, and Fiqh is the structure. If the foundation is corrupted, the whole building is at risk. While every Muslim must learn the rules of prayer and fasting (Fiqh), it is the purity of our belief in the Oneness of Allah (Tawhid) that determines our ultimate success.
From the Prophetic Tradition:
“The best of people are my generation, then those who come after them, then those who come after them.”
This “generation of the Salaf” held the purest Aqeedah, free from the later philosophical complications that entered the Ummah. To return to the truth is to return to that simple, powerful belief held by the Sahaba.
The Beauty of Connection
In a moving moment, it was discovered that both Willie and his teacher attended the same middle school in San Diego—Wilson Middle School—during a very rough era. It shows us that no matter where we start, or how difficult our environment was, Allah is always watching over us.
Willie even shared that a vivid dream two weeks prior had prepared his heart. My dear brothers and sisters, when you are sincere in your search, Allah will make a way for you. After 40 years, Willie took his Shahada, proving that it is never too late to find peace.
