Lessons I've Learned After Reverting to Islam

How a Czech Asian atheist found God (in one of the world's most godless country).

I didn't understand jack shit about spirituality or God during COVID-19. Born into a Vietnamese family in Czech republic, I was swimming in a pool of atheism, buddhism and confucianism teachings that never quite clicked. Then Islam happened, and everything changed!

Here are the raw, unfiltered lessons I've learned since taking my shahada and stepping onto this path.

The mental reset I never saw coming

Image Credit: Unsplash @Sébastien Marchand

When people talk about reverting or converting to Islam, they often focus on the rules and restrictions. But that's surface-level bullshit. The real red pill for me was the complete rewiring of my brain that happens when I started to embrace this way of life.

Coming from a Vietnamese background, I was used to burning incense, praying to ancestors, and following traditions that felt more cultural than spiritual.

Islam stripped away all that complexity and replaced it with something pure and direct: there is one God, and we submit to Him. Simple as that.

The mental exercise I used to do trying to mix Buddhism, Confucianism, and modern life? Gone. Islam doesn't need that kind of mental acrobatics. It's straightforward, but that doesn't mean it's easy at all.

Let's get real here:

• Giving up beer in Czech culture is like trying to avoid breathing

• It's everywhere - family gatherings, work meetups, friend hangouts (you named it)

• Everyone thinks you've lost your mind when you order water instead

• Hell, we even have beer spas in Czechia

• Every corner has a pub

And don't even get me started on the beer culture and the pressure to ‘just have one drink’ at social gatherings.

I can't even eat my mom's food anymore. That shit hurts different. Watching her face drop when I have to skip her signature Vietnamese roast pork with dumplings – the same food she's been feeding me since I was a kid.

Now everything needs to be halal, and trying to explain that to a Vietnamese mom who's been cooking the same way for 50 years... man, that's a special kind of pain.

But here's what nobody tells you:

• The five daily prayers act like a fucking strong anchor

• When you're facing temptation, those prayer times pull you back to reality

• They remind you why you chose this path in the first place

I used to think I needed alcohol to have fun, needed pork in my food to make it authentic, needed to chase women to prove something to myself. What a load of bullshit. The peace that comes from consistent prayer and remembrance of Allah makes all that look like cheap entertainment.

Five prayers a day keeps the bullshit away.

Who you are before the Day of Judgment, matters

Image Credit: Unsplash @Afiq Fatah

This hit me hard: everything we do is being recorded. Every single action, intention, and thought. If that doesn't make you straighten up your act, I don't know what will.

Before Islam, I lived like most people – thinking I could do whatever I wanted without consequences. Now I understand that who I am and what I do matters, not just for this life but for the eternal one.

Life without spiritual practice is like a smartphone without a charger. You can have the latest iPhone with all the fancy features, but without power, it's just an expensive piece of useless shit. That's what life feels like without spiritual connection – all the outward success means nothing if your soul is running on empty.

I see people chasing material success, social media likes, and temporary pleasures. Been there, done that. It's exhausting and ultimately pointless. Islam gives you that charging port – direct connection to your Creator.

Chasing external pleasures drains you, faith gives you the real power.

Stay strong when others mock your faith

Image Credit: Unsplash @Jerry Zhang

When I first reverted to Islam, people thought I was insane and extremist. Some still do. People questioned my sanity, family members worried I'd joined a terrorist cult …

Here's what I learned: When people react with fear or mockery, that's usually when you're on the right path. The same way Warren Buffett says to be greedy when others are fearful – stay strong in your faith when others try to shake it.

Stay strong, haters will always hate, no matter what.

Ego is the biggest enemy of faith

Image Credit: Unsplash @Johann Walter Bantz

Before Islam, my ego was running the show. I thought I knew everything, could control everything, was the master of my destiny. What a joke …

Islam taught me that true strength comes from submission to something greater than yourself. It's not about losing your identity – it's about finding your real one. The one that was buried under layers of societal expectations and ego-driven desires.

The more I learn about Islam, the more I realize how little I know. And that's okay. That's exactly where I need to be. This red pill open my mind, my eyes, my soul.

Ego tries to control, faith teaches true strength through submission.

Your past doesn't define your future

Some people think that once I lived a certain way, that I’m fucking stuck in that identity forever. That's bullshit. Islam teaches that sincere repentance wipes away past sins. Every day is a new chance to be better human being.

I've gone from someone who couldn't imagine life without alcohol, parties and eating pork to someone who finds peace in prayers. The transformation is real, but it's not easy as it sounds – it's a daily choice to stay on the straight path.

This edition of Revert Muslim is free for everyone. I send it out every Friday, sharing insights from my journey. Join curious minds and subscribe today!

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