Unfortunately I was shot in Iraq and lost a kidney – but it is as Allah wills. I had always believed everything happens for a reason.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

My name is Jacian Fares. I come from the Al-Fares family of Hebron. My father was born in Lebanon, my mother is a Spaniard. I was the first generation born in America (Dearborn, Michigan in fact).<\/p>\n

My father took no stock in religion nor did he live it, although my grandparents are devout Muslims, I do imagine his choice and path in life had saddened their hearts. Needless to say my siblings and I were born without a specific religion. We were to be raised as American kids.<\/p>\n

Under odd circumstances I was the only one of the three of us to go live in Lebanon for six years, during which I was a teenager. I shall call this time period \u2018my first encounter with Middle East culture\u2019.<\/p>\n

My second phase of encounter came when I was in the U.S. Marine Corps. I led the invasion into Iraq – not a war I agreed with, but I was a soldier just doing his job.<\/p>\n

In Fallujah and other areas of the Al-Anbar province, I came to know locals. I had witnessed other Arabs during Ramadan over the years. I had watched how devoted to their religion they were.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately I was shot in Iraq and lost a kidney – but it is as Allah wills. I had always believed everything happens for a reason.<\/p>\n

When I had come home I was depressed and feeling like I had nothing to follow in life. I was used to having routine and now it was taken from me. My relationship at the time went downhill. So I was alone. My grandparents had hinted at Islam, as well as my aunt. During August of 2008 I read the Qur\u2019an. And it just clicked. It made sense to me, more so than the Bible or the Torah. It was very straight to the point. Muslim life has routine. I needed this change in my life, to find my true self.<\/p>\n