Do I Have to Uproot My Life Because of My Conversion?

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question

I’m a Muslim woman with two kids. My partner, though from a Muslim background, isn’t religious. We’ve agreed to raise our kids in Islamic traditions. Despite my Christian upbringing and later identification as Agnostic, I converted to Islam gradually about two years ago. I lead our family in matters of faith, and it’s rewarding to see our 4-year-old join me in prayers. How can I continue nurturing their Islamic upbringing, given our diverse backgrounds?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

No, you do not have to uproot your life. From what you described, you seem to be on the right track in teaching your children about faith and prayer.

Additionally, the fact that your husband is onboard that the children should be raised as Muslims is a blessing. His lack of religious practice is something that can be worked on with time and slow, subtle encouragement.

From experience, many people return to religious practice for the benefit of their children.

Hope this helps

Allah knows best

[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch teaches Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he completed four years at the Darul Uloom Seminary in New York, where he studied Arabic and the traditional sciences. He then traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he stayed for three years studying in Dar Al-Mustafa under some of the greatest scholars of our time, including Habib Umar Bin Hafiz, Habib Kadhim al-Saqqaf, and Shaykh Umar al-Khatib. In Tarim, Shaykh Yusuf completed the memorization of the Qur’an and studied beliefs, legal methodology, hadith methodology, Qur’anic exegesis, Islamic history, and several texts on spirituality. He joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.