The first time I truly acknowledged Allah (SWT) speaking to me through signs was the first time I read the Quran, since being a young child. I
remember it being an extremely hot and humid summer day, and I chose to sit outside while reading it. It was incredible, because as I read the
mood of the day somehow shifted. All at once I was greeted with powerful yet graceful winds, and the trees appeared to be dancing around me
and I found myself surrounded by the singing of what sounded like a thousand birds. And the words that I read jumped off the pages and into
my heart. I never felt so at peace, and I knew Allah (SWT) was welcoming me, He (SWT) was welcoming me back to Islam.
The next sign I received came to me after deciding to visit my brothers in Egypt. I decided to use this opportunity as a spiritual journey to get
closer to my creator, knowing that my dear brothers would assist me in every step. After making this decision, I felt over come by this strange
sense, almost as if everyone and everything was trying to stand in my way at an attempt to prevent me from making this trip. It was very strange,
I felt under attack from every angle and from everyone. At seeing this however, I became even more convinced that making this trip was
something I had to do.
Wanting to leave as soon as possible, out of desperation I put my Jeep up for sale. To my great surprise it sold instantly. After cashing the check
at the bank and returning home, I stood in the kitchen counting the money and setting aside the portion for my ticket. That is when I came
across this hundred dollar bill that had two stamps on it. I removed the bill from the rest, to get a closer look at it. Upon doing this I realized
both stamps were in Arabic, one reading 'Al-Basara' and the other, which was close by, reading 'Allah'. My heart instantly jumped, and I
knew, I just knew Allah (SWT) was trying to tell me something. Never in my life have I felt so sure about anything, nor ever before have I felt so
determined to find the meaning of something out. If it was the last thing I would ever do I simply had to find out what 'Al-Basara' was. So I
looked it up and found it saying; “Al-Basara - Second largest city in Iraq”. I cannot tell you how disappointed I was at the time. I believe I
even cried, because I was so very sure this was a sign or some sort of message from Allah (SWT) . I even felt as though I was supposed to do
something specific with this money. I still felt it had some significance, but now it appeared to just be a dead end, leading me nowhere, so I felt
crushed.
After arriving in Egypt, by about a week or so, my brother Abdullah gave me news of the rising of the Yamani (AS), who went by the name of
Ahmad Al-Hassan. At first hearing of him I was very intrigued and wanted to know more. Then came the day I will never forget, Abdullah
turned on TADS episode 183, I did not see the title and remember he started it around 3:00 minutes into the episode. And there it was 'And
there comes out of the Beach of the Tigris River from Al-Basara a man from the sons of my father peace be upon him'; at reading
this my heart jumped into my throat, and I remember jumping out of my seat and screaming to Abdullah "He is from Al-Basara? Ahmad alHassan is from Al-Basara?" and in my mind there was the hundred dollar bill with 'Al-Basara' and 'Allah' stamped on it side by side, , it
was my conformation; the Ahlulbayt (AS) spoke of a man from their family who will rise from Al-Basara. And there I was in desperate search of
the truth, stuck in the belly of the iron beast, the United States of Dajjal. When along comes this bill with 'Al-Basara' and 'Allah' together on
it, and this very bill got me out of America and safely into Egypt. It was a sign from Allah (SWT) all along, and indeed it was meant to be spent
on something specific, and that was getting me out of the Anti-Christ. So often these signs from Allah (SWT) might seem to be a dead end,
leading nowhere, but ultimately leading us somewhere.
After accepting the call and accepting Imam Ahmad Al-Hassan (AS), I knew the time for making big changes in my life had come. So I started
doing my best to not only learn from the words of our Imam (AS), but to live by those words. I expected “putting words into action” to be
hard, however surprisingly enough the hardest part came from my Muslim family, who live in a Muslim Country. The way they saw me instantly
changed, and it was not in a good light. It was mind blowing, on previous trips to visit from 'America', these very people seemed to care so much
about me and wanted to get close to me, after having been apart for many years. They seemed to accept me and understand me. However, the
split second I made the decision to turn my back on the lifestyle I was living and turn in repentance towards God and seek guidance from Him
(SWT), everyone disappeared.
At first when the phone calls stopped I didn't mind much, and tried not to let it phase me. However what really hurt was the few times being
around them after making these changes in my life. No one seemed to have anything to say to me anymore. I felt so ostracized and unwanted.
Anyhow, I remember getting really upset one night after returning home from the last fami H