Archives: Student

“I joined Turning Point Academy in 2012 after a friend had told me about it. When I first arrived I was quite nervous but as soon as I saw all the sisters getting their coffees, sorting out the babies in the crèche ready to learn I felt very relaxed and said to myself, “yep, this place is normal”. I was expecting someone to sit at a desk register my name and contact details and be really formal. Not here. Nope, it was all smiles and friendly greetings. ‘Alhamdulillah!’ I said to myself. I have learnt so much since starting TPA and every week after the session I go home and it’s non-stop talking about TPA! I have two teenage daughters that anyone can tell you is a handful to have. They too have become Muslim and attend TPA’s evening sessions in tooting. Every Friday evening, after their lesson, they come home and they test me on what I’ve learnt; it might be about verses in the Qur’an or stories of any of the Prophets (AS). But I do get my own back and test them on their Arabic words and pronunciations! This has made us a closer family and we have better mother daughter relationships, which can be so hard with all the peer pressure and so on. It has made me realise that with faith and the fear and the love of Allah, we think twice about what we are about to say or do. I know, that at times I am so angry at them I just want to scream and shout, but I remember what I have learnt before, ‘if you are angry when standing up, take a deep breath, sit down and make Du’a, if angry when sitting, then lie down and if you are still angry, make Wudu and pray’. Trust me, it works!!!! And it makes you see things more clearly.

The teachers at TPA are so patient and friendly and there is never any rush to go on to the next step until I am comfortable. I have progressed so much in my reading and every week there is a different speaker and through this I have more of an understanding on how to conduct myself daily. As a revert, I don’t have many Muslim friends, just maybe a handful but at TPA, I have a big family. Everyone is always so happy and caring. The babies are looked after really well in the crèche so I don’t have to worry about them and I just concentrate on what I’m learning. Without TPA, I don’t think I’d be learning as much as I do and I don’t think I’d be as patient as I am now. May Allah reward all the teachers and organisers at TPA for all your hard work and efforts!!!!! Ameen.”

“I really enjoy all that Turning Point Academy offers since I started going to their classes; really it’s a great opportunity to meet with other sisters who share the same desire to learn more about Islam. I would recommend the classes to any sister considering taking part in learning more about her religion and to boost her Iman.”

“In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. It all started with a prayer… When I finally submitted and embraced Islam it was as if a weight was lifted off of my shoulders. The first few weeks in secret I was walking on air, until I told my family I was a Muslim. Then reality hit home and I realised that I was having my first big test as a Muslim. As the weeks went by I became lonely and sad. I shouldn’t have felt so vulnerable, as I had God on my side, I should have felt empowered! I knew that as long as I prayed to Allah and was patient, He would relieve me of my fears and guide me God willing. This is when I asked Allah to take away the emptiness that I felt inside. I am human, I needed that interaction, comfort, support and love from others. This is exactly what I received from Turning Point Academy. I read about a new Muslim retreat taking place, this is where I met Amina a few years back. I warmed to her straight away, even though she wasn’t one of the hosts, I felt I could go to her for advice. She personally invited me to attend Turning Point which at the time was being held in her home. I made plans to go on the next Friday. As I knocked on the door of her house I was super nervous, I did think about going home, but then Amina’s daughter came to the door smiling, so I couldn’t run away now, lol. So I went in feeling very shy until Amina greeted me and introduced me. We had an hour of learning how to read Arabic, then an hour’s talk on a subject and then we all sat down and ate the lovely food that was prepared for us. It really did feel like one great big Muslim family! Allah is The Greatest! As the weeks went by and I had attended a few more times I felt a sense of belonging to this family. I met other sisters with the same issues and interests, I started learning how to read Arabic with them so I could read the Qur’an and learnt a variety of lessons from the Quran. I went to the sisters for advice and was comforted on many occasions. I finally felt as if I was moving forwards in my religious duties as well as in my personal life.

The name Turning Point really says it all, as from the day I stepped into Amina’s home I felt a part of something huge. I had turned into a stronger, positive person and felt empowered. This was a new start to a better life for me. All Praise be to Allah. I have not attended for months now as I have moved to another part of the UK. I pray that it spreads all over the UK God Willing, because I honestly feel that new Muslims are missing out on such a blessing. I truly am grateful to Allah for blessing me with Turning point. There is not one Friday that goes by that I do not think about all the beautiful smiling welcoming faces at Turning Point, I truly do miss them. You know who you are, lol. You see my prayer was answered by Allah, He gave me Turning Point at exactly the time I needed it. Glorified is Allah and Exalted above all that they associate with Him. I pray that Allah SWT continues to bless Turning Point and all the sisters who contribute to making it a success with the Help of Allah. May Allah unite us all in Heaven together, Ameen. I love you all for the sake of Allah. May Allah reward you all with goodness. Ameen.”

“Allah led me to Islam about 10 years ago. I was very enthusiastic and learned a lot about the religion. I learned to read Arabic and the Qur’an. Not long after I got married, my life was so busy as I was studying in university and had two babies while finishing my studies. I had lots of friends through university. I was flourishing in all aspects and settling into my new married life which had lots of challenges too. I was ‘new’ to Islam, but my husband was born Muslim so two completely different cultures met Alhamdulillah. When I completed my studies, I stayed at home with the kids. That was all new to me… I was very alone, all my friends from university were working in their fields and far away from me. I was overwhelmed with frustration as I had no mental challenges apart from my husband and our cultural differences. I started to doubt my decision to become a Muslim… Was Islam all about this?? Getting married and just staying at home and serving everyone in my family, not to mention extended family and cultural expectations?!?! A friend of mine mentioned Turning Point Academy. It took a while to actually attend for the first time. And then I was drawn to the weekly sessions! I could not miss out! It just widened my world; all I have learned about Islam came into practice! I lived it Alhamdulillah. I had to start to learn the Arabic alphabet from the beginning as I had forgotten it all. It really helped that I had my own group and had a very patient and encouraging teacher. I find the books we learn from to be the best MashaAllah. In the second half of each session, there is a lecture. The lecturers are very down to earth and the talks are informative. There is not a lecture that I haven’t learnt something from. TPA sessions feel like I’m with family all the time. I always feel free to ask any kind of question. Since starting, I have people who are really my friends. Even my husband said that our life has had a 180degree turn. It really was a TURNING POINT in my life! Jazakallah to all the people who make a great effort to help us revert sisters!”

“When I started to attend Turning Point Academy about three years ago, I had already been a Muslim for a good seven years. However for the first few years of my life as a Muslim I lived in Germany and my knowledge was quite limited – there is no Turning Point Academy in Germany!!!! All I knew when I started to attend the sessions at Turning Point was the basics of the Arabic alphabet and a few short Surahs. I thought I would never be able to read the Qur’an in Arabic. But Masha’Allah due to effortless and patient teachers at Turning Point I have made steady progress and reading the Qur’an in Arabic does not seem so daunting anymore – Alhamdulillah. I am also on track with memorising the Qur’an and I feel more confident in my faith and how to practice it by listening to wonderful talks every week. Masha’Allah the best thing about Turning Point is that I can learn at my own pace with a teacher who shows patience and understanding and each week I feel encouraged to do a little bit more. What I did not know when I converted to Islam was how beautiful and supportive the sisterhood of our Deen is. Just to walk through the door on a Friday for the sessions and receive the first Salaams and smiles and big hugs from sisters makes me feel that Allah (SWT) has blessed me by letting me be a part of Turning Point Academy! Alhamdulillah.”

“I wasn’t really sure what to expect from Turning Point Academy. I was recommended to try the day sessions as they have a crèche for the children, so I could get a chance to study. The group is very welcoming and supportive and full of friendly faces. It’s not only a great opportunity to make life-long friends but also a chance to gain knowledge and understanding about Islam in a non- judgmental environment. You are split into classes for your level so you never feel self-conscious or embarrassed about your learning level. There is a close relationship between teachers and students and you find everyone willing to learn and share knowledge no matter what their level of learning. Here you see that Islam is not about divisions, cultural upbringing and groups but rather about sharing experiences, acceptance and diversity. Many people who are not born into Islam may long for an Islamic family and feel they need somewhere to belong. Turning point is my family. We can talk about problems, support one another, share a meal and socialise. I can honestly say I’ve never found anywhere else like Turning Point Academy.”