Interview by Sameera Hijazi
Sister Ilham (Ana) Cortes, a new member of the Dar-us-Salaam community and recent revert to Islam, was guided to Allah through a deeply personal and global experience —connecting the painful history of Spanish colonization in Mexico, where she is from, with the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Driven by her passion for justice and truth, she became active in pro-Palestine protests, where she encountered a Muslim community whose strength, patience, and welcoming nature profoundly moved her. Inspired by their character and commitment, she found herself drawn to Islam—not through preaching, but through people. A local sister from our Dar-us-Salaam community connected her to Imam Safi Khan, who welcomed her to Jumu‘ah and a Ramadan Prep workshop in February 2025. It was after the workshop, just as she was about to step out and go home, that she embraced Islam and said her Shahadah in the hallways of Dar-us-Salaam.
“At its core, the mission of Dar-us-Salaam has always been to share the beautiful message of Islam with everyone by inviting them in with gentle advice,” said Imam Safi Khan. “Dar-us-Salaam’s goal is to nurture a model Islamic community, and part of that is to be a welcoming place where sincere seekers like Sister Ilham can find truth, purpose, and belonging.”
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Sister Ilham to discuss her journey to Islam, the role Dar-us-Salaam played in her Shahadah, and ultimately, why she decided to join us on the recent Andalus trip.
What is it that first led you to think about Islam?
The Palestinian Valor and The Light Of Faith
“Honestly, when I began watching videos of the people of Gaza and seeing how their faith was so strong, so deep… I had never witnessed anything like that. And it shook me, you know? It shook me to my core. I almost didn’t understand it. I really didn’t.
“All these people were being bombed, their children killed, everything around them crumbling on top of them—and yet they were still strong and determined to be who they are. And that’s something deeply rooted in Islam. They just wouldn’t let go of their faith.
“They were so thankful. They were still saying, ‘Alhamdulillah.’ They were still praying. I had never seen anything like it, and it touched me deeply. And of course, it hurt me—like anyone else—to see them suffering. The fact that they were losing their children left and right, yet still saying ‘Alhamdulillah,’ still trusting Allah… So I said, ‘What is this? What is it?’ I had much more than admiration. I said, ‘Wow—what makes someone be like that?’
“I knew they were Muslim. I was beside myself just trying to comprehend what they were feeling—how they were feeling all this amazing faith. That’s what really drew me.
“So I began looking more into it, just in general. Not thinking that I wanted to become Muslim.
“The other thing that really drew me in even further was that I was going to so many pro-Palestine protests. I was going to as many as I could, and I found myself surrounded by many different types of people—but many of them were Muslim, and many of them were Muslim women—with their children, with their husbands. There were people of all ages. Babies, everyone.
“Of course, in the news, they would report that these protesters were violent, or that they were haters—all these crazy things. I thought, ‘Well, that’s not true at all.’ Because I was there. I was witnessing everything. And I know this is what it’s like at every protest. And to see the Muslim women carry the whole thing — carry the torch, really. They were the ones with the megaphones. They were organizing everything. And their strength… [was incredible to witness].
“But not just that. I mean, honestly, all the Muslims I met along the way were so kind. Kind and gentle toward me — even as a stranger. The way they carried themselves… I’ve never really experienced something like this, especially with such a large group of people, a religious group. It was across the board–all the Muslims I met were respectful, gentle, and they embraced me. They were nice, dignified, and spoke in a way that was gentle. They were careful not to use foul language, and I didn’t hear people judging or criticizing or anything like that. They seemed very calm.
“All of this happened over weeks and months. And of course, I began to get to know some of the people — many of us were going to the same protests — and began to connect and go to other events.”
Ramadan 2024
“Then, Ramadan 2024 came around. I was invited to Iftar a few times. Some of them were kind of makeshift community Iftars at a couple of protest sites.
“I was also invited to one person’s home, and that was amazing. This person didn’t know me — had never met me. We didn’t know each other, but she invited my daughter and me for iftar. I happened to live close by and had seen they had a ‘Ceasefire Now’ sign on their lawn. I’d seen it for a couple of months.
“I decided to stop by and knock at the door and see who they were — because at that time, not many people were being outspoken. So I said, ‘Let me stop and say hello and introduce myself.’
“The daughter came out, and she was very kind. We spoke for like five minutes about Palestine. And then, out of nowhere, without really knowing me at all, she said, ‘Would you and your daughter like to join us for Iftar this Saturday?’
“I was just blown away. They were inviting me into their home for something so special and so intimate.
“I was super duper excited. My daughter was, too. And we were there that night—Saturday—for Iftar. It was just amazing. We got to meet so many other friends, I got to see the dynamics, and we loved it.
“I was invited to a couple more after that. And again, just meeting Muslims along the way—nice people, gentle. Like I said, they embraced my daughter and me in a way I had never been embraced before.
“Then I began to think, ‘Wow, I want to be like them. I want to be more like them. I want to be a gentler, kinder person.’“
Sister Ilham’s Background
“I grew up Catholic, and my family was always quite conservative. My grandparents raised me because my father died when I was two and a half years old, and my mother was a widow when she was young. My grandparents were quite strict, even with the way their daughters dressed— my mother and her sister—and even with me. So I grew up knowing there were parameters, right?
“However, as someone who was brought up Catholic, I always had issues. From an early age, I was concerned and troubled by some things like the gory Christ—the bloody Christ on the cross—and all sorts of things. And not just that… the Trinity. As I got older, I began to just kind of wonder. But one thing I always knew was that I always directed myself to God. Whenever I prayed, I always directed myself to God.
“I am Mexican, and in Mexico, despite being a Catholic country, for the most part, people believe and pray to many different saints. There’s a saint for everything. They have a different saint for every single day of the calendar year — 365 saints, maybe more.
“For example, I was born on the day of Santa Ana, Saint Anne, that’s why my name is Ana — it is the name of the grandmother of Jesus, peace be upon him.
“I wouldn’t say I was a practicing Catholic, because to be practicing, you do have to do certain things like go to mass every Sunday — things that you’re supposed to do that most people do not do. But I prayed, and I always believed in God. I’ve been through some very, very tough trials on multiple occasions, and I’ve always told my children to never forget that only Allah saved us.”
Embracing Islam
“A couple of months after Ramadan 2024, I started to think, ‘well, maybe Islam is for me.’ I started wondering and thinking about it a little bit here and there.
“But then I also realized, okay, well, this is a way of life, this is a commitment. It’s not like, ‘Oh, let me sample Islam.’ So, I didn’t want to just jump into it; this is something to be taken seriously. Give myself some time, think about it, and learn about it some more. I was also thinking about how no one else in my family is a Muslim, and no one has ever been Muslim that I know of, so that’s going to be a shock, probably, to them, and I wasn’t sure how they might treat me. I have family members who are comedians and jokesters, and sometimes their jokes are not in good taste, despite being harmless.
“The months went by, and those are some of the things that I thought about. But I kept seeing, again, the people from Gaza and how much faith they had, and I kept thinking, ‘if I could have a little bit of the faith that they have, and be a better person like them.’
“Also, when I began to read bits and parts of the Quran, and when I listened to the recitation online, it just sounded so beautiful, and I was amazed by it—I felt peace, and a sense of relief somehow. I wanted that peace in my life, I wanted to be surrounded by it.
“What further pulled me in and solidified that I wanted this was when I learned that Muslims love, respect, and acknowledge Jesus and his mother, the Virgin Mary, peace be upon them. Both of them are held in very high esteem. Because even though I didn’t quite sincerely believe that Jesus was God, it was a really big deal to know that Muslims hold him in such high regard. “
“The more that I learn, it’s just a breath of fresh air. Islam has been a breath of fresh air because there’s so much love to go around. We all have our faults, right? But I’ve never heard anyone talk in a hateful way about others. Even with what’s going on in Gaza, I’ve never heard a Muslim express themselves with hate.
“I’ve really been struggling with it with the genocide — feeling anger and hatred. Because now that I’m Muslim, I feel like I need to figure out how to deal with those feelings — how to process them the right way.
“I remember asking an Egyptian Muslim woman named Reem over a year ago: ‘How do you do it? How do you all keep going? You keep showing up at the protests, you keep fighting. Don’t you get tired? Don’t you give up?’
“And she said, ‘Yes, it’s hard. But this is what Allah wants from us. This is part of our striving. This is our work. This is what He expects of us.’ She’s the one who first taught me about a hadith in which the Prophet ﷺ says:
‘Whosoever of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then [let him change it] with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart — and that is the weakest of faith.’
(Muslim)
”That moment really stuck with me. And it’s not just Gaza. The Muslim world has been attacked in the worst ways for decades.
“Honestly, becoming Muslim has felt like such a privilege. I used to wonder—‘what if I’m not a good Muslim? What if I mess up? What if I fail?’ But what I’ve learned is that Islam isn’t about being perfect. It’s about trying your best. I’m trying, I really am. In some areas, I know I need to try harder. But Alhamdulillah, it’s been a good few months so far. I started wearing the hijab right away. Maybe the first couple weeks I didn’t wear it everywhere — but I wore it, and I’ve kept wearing it since.”
How did you find out about Dar-us-Salaam?
“In January 2025, I knew that World Hijab Day was coming up. I went to it the previous year just to see what it was about. This one was held at a library, and it’s an opportunity for non-Muslims to come and learn about the hijab and what it means, why Muslim women wear it, and to try it on. I went to it again this year, because I like to support certain events.
“I knew a couple of people there already, but I really wanted to learn more. I was getting closer and closer [to Islam].
“A local sister from the Dar-us-Salaam community was at the event. I gave her my information, and she was going to put me in touch with Brother Safi. She said, ‘If you have any questions, then we have a couple of events coming up, and you can learn more about Islam.’
“Brother Safi and I spoke a few times. He’s an extremely kind person, so patient, and so lovely. He invited me to come out on a Friday to observe Jumuah. So, I did that, and then I was told about the Ramadan prep workshop at Dar-us-Salaam. I came to that, and then that’s when I said my shahada, I said it here.”
I want to know more about that moment, that experience. What is it that finally pushed you to take the shahada, and what was it like?
“It just felt so special. You know, this whole… Islam, the community, and the teachings. They just felt really special. For me to be part of that, it was a big, big thing. I was welcomed from the beginning by Muslims. Wherever I showed up, they were welcoming. It was so unexpected in a way, because most people are not like that, especially here in American society.
“That day, they were going to have a new revert class at Dar-us-Salaam, but it got canceled, so I was given a packet of information [for new Muslims]. Then I came to the Sooq with Sister Samira Hingoro. On my way out, Imam Sabri asked me if I had said my Shahada. I said not yet, and he asked if I wanted to say right then. We were in the hallway, and I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to be in a particular place to say the Shahadah. Sister Samira was with me the entire time. She says, ‘You can say it here if you want. You can say your Shahada anywhere. It doesn’t have to be anywhere in particular.’
“I thought maybe you had to be in the prayer room or something special because, with the Catholics, with Christianity, it’s always in a designated place. So I agreed, and Imam Sabri guided me through it. It was exciting, but a little overwhelming. I was like: ‘Wow, this is amazing, am I really a Muslim now?’ It took me a minute to absorb this new information, but Imam Sabri and Sister Samira were super excited for me. As I left, I had a huge smile on my face, but while I was driving home and thinking about my shahadah, I became overwhelmed with emotion. The emotion was of being thankful to Allah for having received me, taken me in, and welcomed me into Islam and accepted me.
“I’ve had a smile on my face from the time I said my shahada, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much!”
Telling The Family and Their Reactions
“Earlier this year, after attending World Hijab Day, I decided I needed to talk to my husband about it. I was [nervous], beating around the bush. I said, ‘Over the past year and a half, I went to so many events and I’ve been learning a lot about Islam a lot… It seems like a really great religion, and I’m interested in learning more about it. I am thinking about maybe becoming Muslim.’
He said, ‘If you’ve already decided you’re going to convert, why are you telling me?’
“I was maybe 96% sure — but I hadn’t taken my shahadah yet. I explained, ‘I haven’t said my shahadah yet. I just need to know that I have my husband’s support. I’m not going to ask you to do anything for me, but I just need you to know that I cannot eat pork, I cannot have any alcohol, and I’ll have five prayers a day.’
“He seemed confused and surprised. When I told my daughter Scarlett, at first she seemed a little puzzled, but then she was fine with it.
“When I said my Shahada—we were in the kitchen upstairs—I said, ‘Come over, I want to tell you something.’
“I said, ‘I just want you to know that I’m now Muslim. I converted.’
“My husband needed some time to absorb this new information, but he’s been supportive ever since. I don’t think he’s met many Muslims—well, prior to me becoming a Muslim myself.
“My daughter—she was very sweet. She was genuinely happy for me, and she got out of her chair and came to give me a warm hug.”
Her Hijab Journey
“Over the past year and a half before my conversion, I was wearing the keffiyeh. I was still Christian last year during Lent, so I said, because we were so desperate for a ceasefire, ‘Lord, I’m going to wear this keffiyeh every single day. Every single day I leave the house, everywhere I go, every single day for the next 40 days, I’m going to wear the keffiyeh. Please grant us a ceasefire.’
“It was always about the keffiyeh. It was always about the presence, you know—always trying to take something about Palestine anywhere I go.
“So I wore my keffiyeh like a hijab. I used to wear it around my neck or around my shoulders, but that’s what I did for Lent—I wore it like a hijab every single day that I went out.
“We had Easter with the family, and everyone got together. The whole night, I was there with my hijab, with my keffiyeh wrapped up around my head. They were looking at me like, ‘okay… what’s going on here?’ They didn’t really ask me. I didn’t care to tell. But… you didn’t need to say anything. The keffiyeh says everything.
“When I started wearing the hijab, once I said my shahada, at first it was different. Because I’ve always seen Muslims from afar wearing hijabs, or I see Russian and Ukrainian women wearing small scarves… that was my extent of seeing [women covering]. And of course, nuns, but they’re holy.
“Then I started just wearing it regularly; it took me maybe a week or two. Once Ramadan started, I was wearing it all the time.”
First Trip to Mexico as a Muslim
“We had our trip to Mexico recently, and we were there for 10 days. It was wonderful. It was a really special trip for various reasons — one, because it was my first trip back as a Muslim.
“I said, ‘Oh Lord… let me grab onto something.’
“I prayed. I asked Allah to open my family’s minds, to please allow them to accept me.
“Shortly after I said my shahada, I called one of my cousins and said, ‘Hey, I have some news to tell you.’ I told him [I became Muslim], and he was like, ‘Oh my goodness, tell me about it!’
“I shared plenty about that, but I said, ‘I’m not telling the family right now. I’m holding off.’
“I told two other cousins. So by the time I got to Mexico, I think they already knew.
“They were respectful. Of course, they were curious, and a couple of them were taken off guard, like, ‘Why would you do that? What is that about?’ But as soon as I said, ‘They believe it’s the same God. Allah is God. Muslims respect and love Jesus and the Virgin Mary,’ that was a big thing.
“Everyone was kind, but they were curious. I told them more, and they saw some similarities between Christianity and Islam.
“One of my uncles was thrown off by my dress. And then an aunt said that it makes me look old.
“I explained about the hijab and said, ‘If you take a look at the Virgin Mary, she’s wearing a hijab—the way she covers [herself]. If you look at the paintings, the images—even the Virgin of Guadalupe, because the Virgin of Guadalupe is the patron saint of Mexico—she’s also wearing a hijab.’
“My aunt said, ‘Oh yeah, I had never thought about it.’
“I also told her, ‘If you look back at granddad — your father — look at the way he raised you all, and myself too, with being conservative with dress.’
“She said, ‘Yeah, you’re a hundred percent right.’
“Growing up, we didn’t cover our heads or wear long sleeves, but wore clothing that was not too revealing, and [we had a lot of emphasis on] modesty.”
Why did you decide to join Dar-us-Salaam on the Andalus trip?
“Being from Mexico, I never had any desire to visit Spain because of what Spain did to Mexico. Because Spain colonized, stole, and committed genocide. I actually had bad feelings most of my life towards Spain. But in more recent years, that changed a little bit. Then, more recently, over the past year and a half, we were looking at my daughter going away to study.
“She came to me one day and said, ‘I found a few more universities that I’m interested in.’ We were looking into different parts of Europe, and she said they’re in Spain. I said, ‘Spain? No, I don’t want you to go to Spain.’ She showed me some videos and one of them happened to be in Granada.
“Before that, we had hosted a student from Palestine. She was with us for 10 months, from August 2023 until June 2024. She went to school with my daughter. She went to school with my daughter, and I consider her like my own—we love her to pieces. Her family lives around the corner from Bethlehem. My daughter and her are like sisters, and they speak to each other like twice a week at least.
“When I was applying to become a host family and I knew that I wanted someone from Palestine, I really started digging more into Palestine to learn more about it, because I didn’t know much. I began to realize all the horrors, but then that research led me into the world of Islam as well. It led me to learn more about the history of Spain and the Moors, Cordoba, and the mosques, so I became really interested in going to Spain, specifically for Al-Andalus. For the treasures that the Muslims left there.
“So when my daughter came to me about universities in Spain at first I was like, ‘Oh God, no.’ But then, when she showed me Granada, it all came back: the Muslims being there and Islam and all [the history]. That really whet my appetite, so to speak.
“After I said my shahada at Dar-us-Salaam, I remember seeing a sign about the Andalus trip.
“I asked about it, and I thought, this is so amazing because I’ve been wanting to go see this place, and now it was staring me in the face.’ I think Allah put it in front of me. I really believe it was divine timing. I knew in my heart that it was the trip to take because it would be with a Muslim community, and I would be learning so much through that lens. I could go with my family, but it would have been completely different. You wouldn’t get what you got from this trip.
“It was a really special trip, and of course. I didn’t know anyone. I only knew Brother Safi and Sister Samira, and, at the time, I had only met them once or twice at the most.
“I feel so fortunate, so privileged to have been able to go on this trip with this wonderful group of Muslims and for the way that they showed me what humans are supposed to be like — kind and good to each other and helpful and positive. Good energy, patient, generous. It touches my heart every time. I feel privileged to be part of Islam. I feel humbled. It’s one of the best things to have ever happened to me. I only wish that I had known about Islam sooner, earlier in my life.”
What was the most memorable part of the trip for you?
“Just walking through the streets with all of you.”
Was there anything about the history that resonated with you the most?
“I guess a few different things. Gibraltar: How Tariq ibn Ziyad conquered that area. How he had the determination and how he didn’t force anyone to leave or force anyone to convert. Because that’s another big thing right there. No one, prior to me converting, no one hounded me about it. No one was pushing me. No one suggested that I convert.
“That was one thing that has always resonated with me. The fact that, in Islam, they don’t force conversions. I love that. The fact that the Muslims came to this new land [Al-Andalus] and people decided to convert without being forced was a big thing for me. And also learning about the fact that the first person who established a university was a Muslim woman in Morocco. I know it wasn’t in Al-Andalus, but I learned it there. And the fact that the Muslims had acquired so much knowledge, and they were so studious, and so dedicated, while other parts of the world were dying of diseases because they didn’t wash their hands. Things you don’t even think about, like wudu, washing your hands and your face five times a day, and the emphasis on cleanliness.
“I hope to go back, in shaa Allah.
“Honestly, really, what made the trip, not just the places, of course, because the places are just out of this world, but just being there as a community, and it’s a community of Muslims. And that’s why I knew, from the get-go, that I had no option but to go on this trip with my new Muslim community.
“And I’ve said it over and over to people, ‘my new Muslim community, I love my Muslim community.’ Alhamdulillah.
“I feel like I have received so many blessings, especially since I’ve become Muslim. I really feel like Allah has been helping me, blessing me, and I know that Allah has always been good to me. He has presented me with these amazing opportunities, and this is how we learn and how we become more open-minded. It was such an unforgettable trip.”
