A story of a white South African revert
From Cape Town’s cocktail Pub to Islam( A story of a white South African revert)
Laura Pistorious is a young South African white woman who used to manage a trendy cocktail pub at the beach town of campsby in Cape Town.”I had a very bad drug habit and thought I was leaving a high life,” Laura said in an interview.Laura is today one of the most outspoken reverts in South Africa. She is married and has been blessed with a child.
She says before embracing Islam, she used to look happy from the outside wearing designer clothes, taking drug and partying all the time.
But from the inside, Laura always felt something was not right and felt something was burning inside.
Though raised in a strong Catholic home, she even stopped believing in God because of the high life and drug addiction she had.
“I had reached a point in my life where I didn’t believe in God any more.”
Laura’s life took a sudden turn after she met a friend who had embraced Islam.
“After listening to my Muslim friend that night I cried a lot and prayed.”
Laura says after the long prayers a miracle happened in her life.
She suddenly overcome her four-year drug addiction and started reading more about Islam.
Even at this point, she did not think she would end up becoming a Muslim.
But in September 2007 before the start of the holy fasting month of Ramadan Laura took her shahada, the Muslim declaration of faith.
“Allhamdullilah I embraced Islam through a Muslim friend and my life has completely changed.”
Happier Life
After her conversion Laura quit her job at the trendy cocktail pub.
“After becoming Muslim, I found out more about Islam and gave notice to my workplace and even quit without having another job on offer,” recalls Laura who wears a full hijab.
“But I believed in Allah.”
Laura says her Catholic parents, especially her father, have been accommodating to her choice of religion and often ask her questions about Islam.
“Since I embraced Islam and quit my managerial job at the pub I started going home earlier and my parents where overjoyed at this,” she recalls.
“I hope one day they too will embrace Islam.”
A month latter Laura landed a better job but told her boss, a born-again Christian, she would only take it if allowed to have prayer breaks.
He agreed.
“When you do good things for the right reason Allah blesses you,” believes Laura, who used to host a radio talk show in Cape Town.
“Now I have a good relationship with my family, friends and Allhamdullilah I’m living a healthier life as a result of Islam.”
Today Laura is part of Voice of the Cape’s Iqra Workshop Series which important social issues such as cultural divide and support for reverts.
Last month, Laura Pistorious discussed the kind of support reverts can set up for themselves.
Source: cii & vocfm.co.za
Courtesy: www.everymuslim.co.za
