Why We
became Muslim
Compiled and Edited
by: Dr Umar Azam BA PhD FRSA
FRSSA
Manchester,
June 2008
Preliminary
Note
This article is best read in association with A Letter to Non-Muslims on:
Editorial
Note
I had intended to conduct research into the question of which factors are reasons for non-Muslims to revert to Islam. Fortunately, much time and effort have been saved by me, as this research has already been done by others! All that was left for me to do was to compile it in some sort of order and then to present it. Being a member of various Islamic Yahoo! Groups, I intermittently receive relevant mail which is circulated to those members who have chosen to receive Group Messages. The material which follows has been obtained - for the most part - from such Groups activity, although some of the content I received in specific e-mails.
Introduction
Many
members of the public wrongly associate the religion of
Islam with international, Islamic
politics. Although politics is one area of
islam, it is not the totality of this great, world religion. As Islam
comes more and more into the news in the contemporary era, Non-Muslims become
curious, and wish to find out more about it; and as many of
these new readers study the Holy Quran in depth and for the first time in their
lives, they are profoundly affected by a remarkable feeling which they recognize
as the Truth, a feeling of spiritual self-realisation and Divine
Inspiration! Others read Islamic books, pamphlets etc. and
then realise that the negative image of Islam, as portrayed by a few with
vested, political interests is simply not true. It is
a common truth that religion is a personal matter of conviction and belief for
the individual. The information which follows explains, in
part, how such belief came about in these particular respondents.
http://www.islamictorrents.net/
details.php? id=13604
you will need to download / install bitTorrent client
like UTorrent from:
http://www.utorrent .com/download.
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2.
Diana Freundl
'I
discovered the right religion in Islam'
By Diana Freundl
HUDA,
Nadia and Selvi � all converts to Islam, standing outside the Taipei Grand
Mosque in
After enrolling in a six-week course on the fundamentals
of Islam, she found her answers, and she found religion. "When I first heard
about the course, I told myself, 'This is your time to learn something new.' I
discovered how to live my life according to the Qur'an, and now I feel very
peaceful," she said.
While stories of suicide attacks and beheadings permeate
news coverage from
"The news always highlights the bad things. About 90 per
cent of the news is negative. They hear stories about people getting their heads
cut off and think Islam is a bad religion. They know very few things about
Islam. They want to know what makes people do these things," he
said.
Their reasons for converting to Islam vary, but these
women are finding freedom in Islam.
Most of those going to the mosque are women, he said.
Whether they were born into a non-practising Muslim family, converted for
marriage, or, like Huda, are simply curious to learn more about the religion,
the women Ma meets wanted to better understand the role of women in Islam.
Perhaps they have no intentions of converting, Ma said, but at least they take
the time to dispel a few stereotypes about the
religion.
Some, however, do convert. As a teenager,
After living in
"I am Chinese and I am Muslim," said
Likewise, Huda, who works in an international trading
company, was originally told she could not wear her hijab to work, as it might
make clients uncomfortable. "Eventually my colleagues and boss accepted it. It
took time, but they know being Muslim is an important part of my life," she
said.
While he criticized the unfair portrayal of Islam in the
media, Ma said Muslim practitioners in
The majority of Chinese practicing Islam are second-and
third-generation Muslims, whose families came to
"A lot of Muslims in
Nadia was born into a non-practicing Chinese-Muslim
household. Following in her sister's footsteps, she made the transition to a
more pious observance during college. As she learned more about the religion,
she began to dress more conservatively, covering all but her face and hands. "It
was just an outfit on the outside, but it changed my life in the inside. I felt
more confident," she said.
In addition to Muslims rediscovering their lost faith, Ma
said most women embracing Islam in
According to the Qur'an, a Muslim man can marry a woman
from a monotheistic religion (Christianity, Islam and Judaism), but he is
prohibited from marrying a woman from a polytheistic religion (Buddhism, Taoism,
Hinduism, etc).
Marriage is how Aisha entered Islam 20 years ago. "In the
beginning it was just for marriage. I could accept that there is only one god
and not eat pork. I couldn't wear the hijab," she said. A decade later she
started reading the Qur'an, attending classes and wearing the headscarf and
feels her relationship with her husband is better for it. "Now we have the same
way of looking at things. I can communicate better with my husband," she
said.
Each of the women said Islam places a large emphasis on
respect and equality for women. One of the most debated gender issues in the
Qur'an is the tradition that allows Muslim men to take four wives. � The
News.
[Courtesy of: Shahid
Khan]
3.
A
Scientist from the
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK00xTkMGO0
[Courtesy of: united[email protected] ]
4.
http://www.islaam. ca/images/ audio/shermanwhittenburg.
mp3
[Courtesy of:
i[email protected] ]
5.
Zainan
Onez
Sister Zainab O�ez Discovered Islam while training to be
a nun.
http://www.usislam.org/converts/Zainab_Onez.htm
Please look at the above link to see a photo of Sister
zainab
Few days ago, I had a chat with brother Jibril Aqil Ali. He introduce himself as a Latino Muslim. I was so happy
to chat with him.
In the same day, I had another chat window with Sister
Zainab. She told me that she is a converted Muslim from Philippine. Again, I was
extremely happy. Two converted Muslim in one day chatting with me. Subhana
Allah. Can you imagine how I felt? Can our Westernized Muslim youth look at her
story, and see how a Christian become committed Muslim. Sister Zainab
should be an inspiration to Muslim Youth. I truly believe that converts to Islam
are one of the few bright spots in our Islamic Ummah.
I asked Sister Zainab to send me his story. He graciously
accepted, and here is his story:
Dear Dr. Adel Elsaie;
Assalamu alaikum waramatullahi wa
barakatuhu!
I am Zainab O�ez, 24 years old, single never been
married, a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Commerce major in Marketing at
Holy Cross of Davao College Inc,
I printed all the Islamic research that I had found from
the internet and showed them to our professor. He was getting angry with
me; why I was studying about Islam; Muslims are terrorists; Muslims are bad
people; Muslims worship another God. I considered this as a challenge and was
encouraged to study more about Islam. After two years of studying about Islam I
decided to embrace Islam last February 21, 2006.
Alhamduillah, I am only one Muslim among with our family
and I am now working as a volunteer in Dawah Islamic propagation in
Surah al Imram 3:19 INNAD DEENA IND ALLAH ISLAM-
TRULY THE RELIGION WITH ALLAH IS ISLAM.
And in Surah al-Imram 3: 85 thoseover seek a religion
other than Islam it will never be accepted of him, and in the hereafter he will
be one of the losers.
That is why I spend my life in Dawah for Muslim and
non-Muslim area because this is the true religion of Allah that has given to all
mankind. The first big jihad for me is wearing of hijab and abaya but
alhamdulillah with the help of Allah I got my self-confidence of wearing in
proper attire. Most of Christian friends say, what happened to you Zainab, you
look like a ghost but I smile at them, and say you do not understand what you
are talking about and it is better for you to study your Bible because
even the Bible is very strict for the woman:
1 Corinthian 11:5-6
says
but any woman who prays or prophesies with her head
unveiled disgraces her head�it is one and the same thing as having her head
shaved. For if a woman will not veil herself, then she should cut off her hair;
but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or to be shaved,
she should wear a veil.
If Christians read their Bible carefully and understand
their Bible, all of them will become Muslims.
I am now enjoying making my comparative study of
religion and inshaAllah I am hoping to be like Ahmad Deedat a good daeyah or
preacher in our Islamic religion. Now, I am always hoping to focus on study in
Arabic education inshaAllah if Allah given me an opportunity to study in
If you want to contact Sister Zainab, send me
email, and I will Inshaa Allah forward the mail to her.
Please try to correct my English grammar. I hope that you can understand because
I am not really good in English grammar.
jazakallahu
khairan.
Sis . zainab
Philippine
If you want to send email to sister Zainab, send me the
email, and I will InShaa Allah forward it to her.
Sister Zainab O�ez Discovered Islam while training to be
a nun.
http://www.usislam.org/converts/Zainab_Onez.htm
Please look at the above link to see a photo of Sister
zainab
[Courtesy of: Dr. Adel
Elsaie http://www.usislam.
org/]
6. Gabriel
Martinez
Latino Muslim: Gabriel "Jibril Aqil Ali"
Source with brother Jibril Photo:: http://www.usislam. org/latinos/ converts/
gabriel_jibril_ aqil_ali_ martinez. htm
Few days ago, I had a chat with brother Jibril Aqil
Ali. He introduce himself as a Latino Muslim. I was so happy to chat with him. I
truly believe that converts to Islam are one of the few bright spots in our
Islamic Ummah. I asked brother Jibril to send me his story. He graciously
accepted, and here is his story:
After my separation of marriage of 10 years, my biggest
regret was not instilling or sharing the knowledge of God as I knew him as a
believer in Christianity with my wife and more importantly my children who are
most dear to me whom which I had dedicated to God as I knew Him then. My oldest
brother "Ali"
Jibril~By The Will of Allah
[Courtesy of: Dr. Adel Elsaie http://www.usislam.
org/]
7. Dr. Saroopji Maharaj, Ph.D.,
D.D.
Dr.
Saroopji Maharaj, Ph.D., D.D.
Embraces Islam
(This was an interview
originally translated and adapted by Iqbal Husain Ansari from Yaqeen
International, dated December 7, 1987. This is an abridged reprint.)
A
prominent Hindu personality of
He certainly accepted Islam of his own free will
after making a thorough search into various religions of the world. His critical
investigations did reveal to him the truth of Islam. He cites to the world his
own example to dispel the allegation that Islam spread by dint of
sword.
Following are some of the details of an interview given by him,
which narrates the momentous story of the great spiritual revolution in his
life:
Question
(Qs.*): �How do you feel after declaring your entry into
Islam?�
Answer (As.*): �It is infinite favour of Allah upon me
that He has blessed me with His invaluable wealth of true faith that is Islam. I
feel I am one of the most successful and fortunate persons of the world. While
groping in the darkness of disbelief, I was regarded as �Bhagwan� (God), where
as in this new world of light I have attained my rightful status of
�man�.�
Qs.*: �Will you tell us something about your previous
name and occupation?�
As.*: �My name was Mahant Dr. Shri Shakti Saroopji
Maharaj Adasin Dharmachariya Odai Shakti. My hereditary profession was Hindu
priesthood. As such, I served several Hindu religious institutions, the most
important of them being the Ban Khand Ashram in Brindaban in
Qs.*: �You have the reputation of being an erudite
scholar. Will you please throw light on this aspect?�
As.*: �I received my elementary education in the Ashram
(Hindu religious institute). I obtained my Master's degree in Orientalism from
the
Once I visited the
Qs.*: �When and where were you born? What is your
lineage?�
As.*: �I was born on February 3, 1936, in the town of
Brindaban, Dist. Mathura, U.P., India. I belong to the Vedi Wanash of Baba
Nanak.�
Qs.*: �What languages can you read and write?
�
As.*: �I know some twelve languages, namely, English,
Sanskrit, Greek, Dibro, Hindi, Prakirit, Pali, Gurmukhi, Marhathi, Gujrati,
Urdu, and Arabic.�
Qs.*: �You have been very close to the Hindu trend of
thought. Do you think that they are scared of the Muslims?�
As.*: �The Hindu society of
Qs.*: �Do you think that there is a possibility of Islam
being wiped out from any country?�
As.*: �Islam is eternal and well founded. There is no
power on earth, which can demolish or efface it. It might disappear from the
lives of such Muslims as are weak in their faith (Eman). It will, however,
continue to grow and flourish as long as there is even one Muslim in whose life
the spirit of Hijrah (emigration) and victory taken root, and he has in him the
enthusiasm of perseverance and gratitude.�
Qs.*: �Did you ever admit the greatness of Islam even
before embracing it?�
As.*: �I had studied ten great religions of the world in
their respective original forms. I was therefore already convinced of the
divinity and truth of Islam. Among my contemporaries have been great
world-teachers and Hindu Shankar Achariyas, e.g. Rama Gopal, Mahanand Maheswar,
Swami Akhanda Nandji, Guru Gowalkar Baba Sahib Deshmukh, Vinoba Bhave, etc. All
of them were very kind to me. In early 1981, Acharya Vinoba Bhave invited me to
his Ashram, Param Dham, to deliver lectures. Among the great Hindu Mahants
present on the occasion, was Dada Dharam Adhikari. All of a sudden he put to me
a very intriguing question: �Swami Ji, you have studied many religions of the
world. Which one do you find the best for man�? I replied: Islam. He said: �But
Islam is a very tied up religion�. I replied: The very one that is 'tied-up'
also grants freedom, while the one that is considered free ties down man to
continual slavery. Man is in need of a religion that has remained 'tied-up', a
religion that keeps man under restraints in this worldly life but sets him free
in the hereafter. In my opinion, it is Islam alone that qualifies to be the best
religion.�
Qs.*: �It is really a matter of great courage that you
should have expressed your appreciation for a religion, other than your own,
with so nice arguments. This certainly testifies to the greatness of Islam that
you feel in your heart. Now please also enlighten us on the incident that urged
you to embrace Islam, at a time when you were very well aware of the predicament
and the suffering, which the Muslims are presently undergoing. Today, when
every-where people are talking about a Hindu revolution, how could you pluck up
courage to take this thorny road?�
As.*: �It was years of long thirst and search which
eventually materialized into a great event. It was in January 1984, that one
night I saw a dream that a great crowd was pursuing me when I ran and then
stopped, the crowd also ran and stopped. Suddenly I stumbled over something and
fell on the ground. In a moment's time two unknown hands lent me support to
stand up. After standing up my eyes were fixed on a brightly shining face but I
was not able to recognize it. Someone standing close by prompted me that it was
the Mohammad (P*). This made me fall into a trance. The Holy Prophet asked me to
pronounce the 'Kalimah' (Article of confession of Islamic Faith). Holding my
right hand into his own, he himself pronounced the 'Kalimah' and I followed him,
until the recital of the Article was completed. Thereafter, the Holy Prophet
(P*) embraced and commanded me to teach the 'Kalimah' to the people of this
country. I do not remember how long this vision lasted, but when I came back
into my own, it was 3 a.m. My wife also had an inspiring vision at about the
same time on the same night. We shivered out of extreme joy and ecstasy at this
happy coincidence and rare favour. The strings of the soul burst suddenly into
melodious tunes. We felt as if we were Muslims of the first century, which, we
began to feel an irresistible urge to bring back to this earth in its true
splendor as early as possible. This pleasant vision set us thinking that some
great revolution was going to overtake this earth.
From that very day we
began to plan how to pronounce the 'Kalimah' of Islam formally and publicly.
This led us to tour many regions and establish contacts with Muslims, while we
performed, in privacy, the Salat and other ritual prayers as per Islam. This
continued until we visited
Qs.*: The Hindus in general allege that Islam spread by
the sword and exercise of force. What is your view about
this?
As.*: I am myself a living proof against this allegation.
It is, however, a fact that not only the common but even the educated Hindu is
still sticking to this false notion.�
Qs.*: �You have studied several religions besides Islam.
Have you come across any reference in them to Allah, the Holy Quran, Mohammad
(P*), and Islam?�
As.*: �With the exception of Buddhism and Jainism, all
religious literature contains the name of Allah and Mohammad or Ahmad (P*).
These names are very clear in the Vedas. The word '
Qs.*: �You have entered the fold of Islam after giving up
huge wealth and renouncing a life of comfort and luxury. What is your source of
livelihood now?�
As.*: �If I had at my disposal the empire of all the
world, I would have given it up for the sake of the great blessing that is
Islam. The possession of the riches of 'seven worlds' would not have given me
the joy and contentment, which I have derived from Islam. I am a medical
practitioner of the Ayurvedic system. I am grateful to Allah that I am able to
make both ends meet with honour and ease.�
Qs.*: �As a soldier of Islam, what message would you like
to convey to the Muslims of the world?�
As.*: �In reply to this question I may mention a
Christian parable. One morning, after completing his night prayers, Jesus (P*)
Christ (P*) was walking on the surface of water to reach the other side of the
river where some of his disciples were waiting for him. The disciples were
astonished to see this extraordinary scene and asked Jesus (P*) Christ (P*) in
great amazement if they too could walk like him on the surface of water. Jesus
(P*) Christ (P*) replied: 'yes, surely, provided that you keep your eyes up
towards me. If you divert your eyes in the least, you are bound to get drowned'.
The disciples stepped on the surface of water with their eyes fixed towards
Jesus (P*) Christ. After thus walking some distance they began to doubt whether
they were actually walking on water. No sooner did they turn their eyes downward
than they fell in the water. �
He continued: �It is my solemn request to
the Muslim world that they should constantly keep in view and fulfill the
conditions laid down by the Holy Prophet (P*) for walking across the river of
this world so as to reach safely its other side. If we make the slightest
deviation, they are bound to drown themselves in the river, never to be rescued.
There is still time for the Muslims to correct themselves and to concentrate
their vision on the right point. If they act so, they shall, God willing, be
crowned with success in all that they do.�
Qs.*: �What should, in your opinion, be the qualities of
a Muslim? How would you define a Muslim?�
As.*: �Who can�t define a Muslim better than the Prophet
of Allah, Mohammad (P*) himself? He said: A Muslim is like the honeybee that
visits only beautiful, fragrant flowers and shuns dirty things. It sucks nectar
to make honey - not poison, and that too not necessarily for itself but for
others. Men, birds and animals, all alike, profit from it. In this purpose the
bee exerts itself to the utmost, without harming anyone. In another Hadith the
Holy Prophet (P*) said: A Muslim is one, from whose tongue and hands, another
Muslim remains safe.�
Qs.*: �Lastly, what steps do you propose to take to
revive the first century of Islam?�
As.*: �Praise be to Allah. This is indeed a good
question. The longing to see the return of the first century of Islam on this
earth is present in the hearts of many enthusiasts who are live and young. This
century of Islam has at no time been far away. As a matter of fact, this century
has been lying concealed in the hearts of the Muslims themselves for many
centuries, like a live seed. All that is needed is to weed out the wild shrubs
of desire and greed. In order to revive the first century of Islam, the soldiers
of Islam will have to make a new pledge, take an oath of allegiance, and work on
the field of action with their pure Faith, lofty ambitions and Bilal's
enthusiastic perseverance. They will have to mould their lives on the pattern
prescribed by Allah and His Prophet, with new dedication and submission. When a
Muslim leads his life with such consciousness, in him will spring up the
qualities of a true believer: this in turn will transform the entire atmosphere
into virtue and goodness.
With this in view I am planning to launch a
'MOMIN MAKING' movement. This will entail peeping into the depths of the
believer's way of life, to diagnose the worldly and spiritual maladies of theirs
and to cure them, and to weld the shattered Muslim society into one healthy,
integrated body. For the present I have started action on a three-point
programme: (1). To defend and protect Islam, (2). To support and uphold the
Muslims within the boundary of worldly and religious values, (3). To convey the
divine message to the entire world in the respective languages of the
people.�
[Courtesy of: [email protected] ]
8. Jonathan Birt
Thousands Of British
Elite Embrace Islam: Study
|
"I have
received letters from people � who are looking for a religion which does
not compromise too much with the modern world," Eaton
|
LONDON, February
26 (IslamOnline. net) � Jonathan Birt, the son of Lord Birt and Emma Clark, the
granddaughter of former liberal prime minister Herbert Asquith, are only two of
14,000 mostly-elite white Britons having reverted to Islam.
In the first
authoritative study of the phenomenon, carried by the Sunday Times on
February 22, some of the country's top landowners, celebrities and the offspring
of senior Establishment figures have embraced the Muslim faith after being
disillusioned with western values.
The new study by
Yahya (formerly Jonathan) Birt, son of Lord Birt, former director-general of the
BBC, provides the first reliable data on the sensitive subject of the movement
of Christians into Islam.
He uses a
breakdown of the latest census figures to conclude that there are now 14,200
white reverts in
Mass Conversion
Speaking
publicly for the first time about his faith this weekend, Birt argued that an
inspirational figure, similar to the American revert Malcolm X for
Afro-Caribbeans, would first have to emerge if the next stage, a mass conversion
among white Britons, were to happen.
"You need great
transitional figures to translate something alien (like Islam) into the
vernacular," Birt, whose doctorate at
"The image of
Islam projected by political Islamic movements is not very attractive," he said.
Initially, Birt
said he had no coherent reasons for reverting, but "in the longer term I think
it was the overall profundity, balance and coherence and spirituality of the
Muslim way of life which convinced me," he said.
'All Rage'
Meanwhile, it
emerged this weekend that Emma Clark, the great-granddaughter of a British prime
minister has reverted.
Emma, whose
ancestor, the Liberal prime minister Herbert Asquith, took
Clark, who
helped design an Islamic garden for the Prince of Wales at Highgrove, his
Gloucestershire home, is now helping create a similar garden for a mosque in
Woking,
Furthermore,
fresh evidence came this weekend that Islam has received formal acceptance at
the heart of the Establishment.
The Queen has
approved new arrangements to allow Muslim staff at
A member of
staff in the finance department is the first to take advantage of it, said
the British paper.
'Trophy Lists'
Others have come
to Islam through love or marriage.
Kristiane
Backer, a former girlfriend of the cricketer Imran Khan, said she was introduced
to the religion through love but reverted after her break-up.
She has shrunk
from speaking publicly about her religion before because of fears it might
affect her work prospects.
"Imran sowed the
seeds, but when (the relationship) finished (the faith) took on a momentum of
its own," she said.
Drawn to Sufi
mysticism, Baker said that white reverts had to overcome prejudice both from
those born into Islam and from non-believers.
"In the mosque
women come up and say to me, 'You have hair showing: you must cover up
completely.' I say, 'Mind your own hair, you're here to think about God' ".
Many reverts
have been inspired by the writings of Charles Le Gai Eaton, a former Foreign
Office diplomat, it added.
"I have received
letters from people who are put off by the wishy-washy standards of contemporary
Christianity and they are looking for a religion which does not compromise too
much with the modern world," said Eaton, author of Islam and the Destiny of Man.
Wary
Some prominent
reverts are even more wary, said the Times.
The Earl of
Yarborough, 40, who owns a 28,000-acre estate in
"I have nothing
to say to you," said Yarborough, who has apparently taken the name Abdul Mateen.
Muslim leaders
are harnessing modern campaigning methods to promote their faith. Groups have
sprung up on
the internet publishing
"trophy lists" of white reverts.
The state-funded
school in London founded by Yusuf Islam, formerly the singer Cat Stevens, has
turned to Premiership footballers to provide role models, said the Times.
Sources close to
the school say reverts including Nicolas Anelka, the
The trend is
being encouraged by Muslim leaders who are convinced that the conversion of
prominent society figures will help protect a community stigmatized by
"terrorism and fundamentalism" .
The Muslim
Council of Britain has co-opted Joe Ahmed-Dobson, son of Frank Dobson, the
former health secretary, to chair its regeneration committee.
"The community
has been unfairly targeted and these developments encourage it in a time of
difficulty," said Zaki Badawi, chairman of the Imams and Mosques
Council.
++++++++++++
Brothers in
Islam
|
CAIRO � Belizaire's
shock and pain after losing his mother and the tranquility and endurance of his
younger brother at such a hard time walked him into a new path in
life.
"When I was feeling
lost and confused�.I found that Islam made sense to me," the 28-year-old man
from the British city of
"It gave me a
concrete feeling in the existence of God and an afterlife, which helped me deal
with the loss of my mother."
Hakeem, who comes
from an observant Catholic family, says he owes his younger brother Yusuf,
previously Lewis, opening his eyes to Islam.
Feeling lost after
his mother's death, he watched his brother, who embraced Islam some 19 months
earlier, grow in conviction and happiness.
After some deep
thinking he made up his mind.
"It's difficult to
describe the feeling when you go through with it and say the Shahadah," he
recalls with a smiling face.
"It's a wonderful
sensation. It's a feeling of spiritual clarity rather than feeling lost and
forsaken."
Yusuf, a law
student in
"Because I was so
worried my conversion would create a divide, I waited almost a year to make sure
I wasn't being influenced or caught up in something new and interesting," he
remembers.
"In January 2006 I
felt I'd waited as long as I could. The conversion was a lot simpler than I
thought."
He went to Bristol
Central Mosque as people were leaving after Friday prayers and announced his
desire to become a Muslims.
"I took the
Shahadah. Then that was it.
"It was only a
couple of lines, but in my heart I felt like something big had happened," says
Yusuf.
"It was the best
feeling of my life. I couldn't stop smiling. I could then actually start my
journey and become a Muslim."
Prejudice
The journey,
however, was nothing easy for the brothers.
Yusuf remembers the
family was in shock when he announced his conversion.
"My grandmother
thought I was moving away from God."
Yusuf, who had read
much about religions before his decision, had to appease her fears by
highlighting the commonalities between Catholicism and Islam.
He told her that
Muslims believe in Jesus (peace and blessings be upon him) as one of the
Messengers of God.
He also told her
that both faiths worship one God.
"I sent her a copy
of the Qur'an and she read through it. Over Christmas, she helped me find which
direction to pray."
Unfortunately,
reaching out to the rest of society was not as easy.
Mohammed, the older
brother, regrets how the portrayal of Islam since the 9/11 attack has made life
harder for Muslims in the West.
"I despise the
negative portrayal of the Muslim community in parts of the
media.
"I've heard tales
of people receiving aggro because of their religion, but personally I haven't
been targeted."
The two-million
Muslim minority in
A Financial
Times opinion poll recently showed that
"A lot of times
people don't know how to take it when I tell them I'm a Muslim convert," says
Yusuf.
"Terrorism is the
first thing that comes into their minds.
"They are thinking
'please tell me you're not one of them'."
A recent study by
the
"I can totally
understand where they are coming from because I was there," notes
Yusuf.
What makes him feel
better is that once he talks to people, the walls of deep-seated stereotypes and
misconceptions start breaking down.
"When I get the
chance to speak to them, 90 percent want to know more about
Islam."
9.
Shariffa Carlo
_99_._
My
Story: How I Came to Islam |
Shariffa
Carlo |
|
|
The story of how I reverted to al-Islam is a story
of plans. I made plans; the group I was with made plans, and Allah made
plans. And Allah is the Best of Planners. When I was a teenager, I came to
the attention of a group of people with a very sinister agenda. They were
and probably still are a loose association of individuals who work in
government positions but have a special agenda - to destroy Islam. It
is not a governmental group that I am aware of, they simply use their
positions in the
Source: http://www.islamica wakening.
com/viewarticle. php?articleID= 414 |
__
NNNNNO
1
10.
Additional, Relevant Sources
April 16,
2008 [IqraSense.com] *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Umar,
Assalamu-Alaikum and Greetings ! Every
so often we hear cases of people converting to Islam. They all attribute
their conversions to a varied set of reasons. However, looking closely we
will notice that the underlying reason for their conversion is usually one
and the same. In
the article below, we invite you to read an analysis behind this
accelerating trend and encourage you to share your thoughts on this
process that is driving hundreds of thousands new converts to Islam.
Who
would have thought that with the increase of anti-Islam feelings in the
past few years, the rate of conversions would grow even more than before?
The reason is simple. Driven by hearing the half baked stories in the
media, numerous people who wanted to learn more about Islam, many actually
became Muslims in the process. One does wonder about this reverse effect
and the post below attempts to answer that question. The
second post below provides a few video examples of some of those who have
converted to Islam. It also includes a video by an American Muslim scholar
who discusses the amazing trend of many non-Muslim preachers converting to
Islam. Again, one wonders what is it that made these preachers abandon
their identities and support of their thousands of followers to start
fresh with Islam. Your
thoughts and experiences are more than welcome and you can enter them
directly on the blog posts below. Please share them with the thousands who
read these posts regularly. Finally,
although many of you enjoy these posts, if at any time you want to
unsubscribe from our lists, you can click on the link at the bottom of
this message. The articles you may find useful for review today
are the following: Any questions on
any issues we can help? Feel free to write to us at [email protected]
IqraSense.com
|
To unsubscribe
or change subscriber options visit: |
11
111. Additional, Relevant Sources
Why did they accept
Islam?
NBC NEWS: 20000
Americans Convert to ISLAM Each Year! :
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/2PS2creVhaM
:
Yusuf Estes -
Priests and Preachers accepting Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/E6K0627FiCk
Many Latinos Convert
Daily To ISLAM Live From
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/1XyrxzQIN9w
Every day many
Germans convert to ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/34kj
urzK500
www.youtube. com/watch/
v/WAXXN6XOnzQ
Thousands of Danish
convert to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/kru6XQ8CT48
:
TV Report Thousands
Hispanics Converting To ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/yDwGsmTx3D4
German Scientist
& his wife, clinic assistant convert 2 Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/uP-2IqH_
l4c
:
European Scientist
converts to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/0IspK651RpY
Dr. Ian Weber from
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/gUZR6XwU8Pw
:
Science students
turn to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/y3_JYk4Bo4Y
TV Report:
Christians Convert to ISLAM in
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/Dhu0eEuIsGg
:
Angela Collins -
Muslim Convert weeks after 9/11 Incident:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/j6PJgJdEzNM
NEW MUSLIM Woman
from
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/-baqULx5IBU
The Choice - A Story
of New American Muslim Convert:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/CML3CRPMefA
:
Irish and "loving
Islam" Convert to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/dIc5oFAva-
4
:
Jewish to Muslim
convert:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/KcBiJnLjwVw
:
www.youtube. com/watch/
v/IlOuITPE6kE
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/1qpQvpmEqkc
:
Why do they accept
the Islam?
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/aJ3TGAnFc-
U
135 Convert to
Islam:
< SPAN
style="FONT- FAMILY: Calibri;">http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/36Glj_FAGcw
:
Convert to Islam
from
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/uKPer2fma9U
:
Revert to Islam -
Brian From Christianity (Convert to Islam):
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/bI_YVnD9UvI
:
Many Jew and
Christian Families Convert To ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/84ZtVLI5kXM
:
British Catholic
Priest Converted To ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/pn0iPlWQNlI
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/IlAjkuECrHc
Convert to Islam
from Hinduism:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/zePqNxz895U
Christian Convert to
Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/HDkW2Y35mKQ
Twenty two/22
Brothers and sisters convert to (Islam)....:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/XQBn6loQTdY
:
Two British Women of
different colors convert to Islam:
www.youtube. com/watch/
v/uEfMcPQfv7w
:
German converts to
Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/9U1zNXXQA6Q
Three French Sisters
Convert to ISLAM:
www.youtube. com/watch/
v/JiksSo0lwL4
Sister Yvonne Ridley
Becomes Muslim Islam Video:
<
/SPAN>ht
tp://www.youtube.< wbr>com/watch/
v/aOe5s5hP4Gw
WHY Christians
German Lady convert to ISLAM, SEE VIDEO:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/afFv22Wsd5A
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/os4vUxfJizU
Jerome - How I
wrestled my way to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/b2YZGGDGUWE
:
The story of a
German convert to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/gjRjzTAk-
RQ
&nb
sp;
Revert to Islam -
Abdus Salam (Convert to Islam)...:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/VqlilLIQJRE
Revert to Islam -
Maryam Noor (Convert from Christianity) ....:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/ig0N9aRT0Hc
Germans convert to
Islam on German TV:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/nFqj3xPKc88
TV Report
Rechtsanwalt konvertiert zum ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/_4LrIv6kK9o
Jolene: A Southern
Baptist Converts to Islam:
http://www.youtube.
com/watch/ v/RHQOx12- WJU
Revert to Islam -
Muhammad Musab (Convert from Christianity) ....:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/Co0xom_
KcXM
:
Revert to Islam -
Yusuf Ali (Convert to Islam)...:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/NcjXK7qzE_
k
How Melina came to
Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/jLht7Kk0bGg
:
Revert to Islam -
Abdullah Laban (Convert to Islam)...:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/gGeHzUkkJH4
TV Report Latinos
Leaving the Church and Turning to ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/j2w14xxi0bM
William Chappelle
and 25 members of his family embrace Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/mkBW4l4TmPE
6 German convert to
Islam - 2007 - LIVE:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/0SpqpGKp7ts
Caroline converts
from Christianity to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/2Cpmvne2wj0
&nb
sp;
Japanese Women
Turning To ISLAM. :
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/L7PIOhK-
SgA
American converted
Muslim Woman speaking about the Veil:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/L85Mcq3EDX8
Dia Richardson
converted to Islam in
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/Tp097NNj3Pk
:
German C hristian
converts to ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/UTyu18RgrAo
:
New Muslim Lady...
Live from
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/NTlta20vsow
Dutch Women Turning
To ISLAM in
www.youtube. com/watch/
v/UyyxPO0HFLk
New Sister from S
outh
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/EkBRKrUDnEU
How to Convert to
Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/i9K7lmYaucU
Why Abdul Raheem
Green Came to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/wF8joJaOVJw
Robert converts to
Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/vU5HGHiNUu0
Revert to Islam -
Sister Crystal (Convert from Christianity) ...:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/IZF9stLSYjY
<
/SPAN>
Spanish Woman talks
about Woman rights in Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/
v/exdCJ_wT9E4
910[[C[Courtesy
of: [email protected] ]
16
12.
Additional, Relevant Sources
Salam
alaikom wb
Plz.
Watch this short video Four
Filipinos Convert to Islam
few
days ago with our American convert brother from Chicago brother saifuALLAH .He
is convert since 7 years and he joined our DAWA in Manila 6 months ago
allhamdollah. He has his radio program in
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=446IgQqgRZo
allhamdollah
new convert again Catholic
Filipina converts to Islam March 30, 2008 http://www.youtube. com/watch?
v=SSY379pxMhY
12-year-old
Filipino boy converts to Islam - March 30, 2008
http://www.youtube. com/watch?
v=YvKJI1gA130&feature=related
10-year-old
Filipino boy converts to Islam - March 30, 2008
http://www.youtube. com/watch?
v=1jOp-Maxc2g&feature=related
[Courtesy of: [email protected]
]
113.
Additional, Relevant Sources
NBC
NEWS:20000 Americans Convert To ISLAM Each Year! :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/2PS2creVhaM
����
������ ���� ���� ������ ������ ������ ������� :
Yusuf Estes - Priests and
Preachers accepting Islam :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/E6K0627FiCk
�����������
������ �� ��� ���� ������ :
Many Latinos Convert Daily To ISLAM .. Live From
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/1XyrxzQIN9w
������
�� ������� ������� ������� ����� :
Every day many Germans convert to ISLAM
:
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/34kjurzK500
���������
�������� : ������� ���� �������� ������� ��� ������ �������� :
Holland
TV:ISLAM fastest spreading Faith among Youth Germans :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/WAXXN6XOnzQ
����
����������� ������ ������� :
Thousands of Danish convert to Islam :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/kru6XQ8CT48
�����
�������� : ���� ���������� ������� ������� :
TV Report Thousands Hispanics
Converting To ISLAM :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/yDwGsmTx3D4
����
������ ������ ������� ������� :
German Scientist & his wife, clinic
assistant convert 2 islam :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/uP-2IqH_l4c
����
����� ����� ������� :
European Scientist converts to Islam :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/0IspK651RpY
�������
��������� ���� ����� ������� :
Dr. Ian Weber from
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/gUZR6XwU8Pw
����
���� ����� ������� �� ������ :
science students turn to Islam :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/y3_JYk4Bo4Y
�����
�������� : ������� �� ����� ������� ������� :
TV Report: Christians Convert
To ISLAM in
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/Dhu0eEuIsGg
��������
�� ����� : ��� �������� ����� �� ����� :
������� ����� ������� ��� ������ ��
11 ������ :
Angela Collins - Muslim Convert weeks after 9/11 Incident :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/j6PJgJdEzNM
��������
����� ������� :
NEW MUSLIM Woman from Australia CONVERT :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/-baqULx5IBU
���
���� ������ ���� :
The Choice - A Story of New American Muslim Convert
:
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/CML3CRPMefA
�������
����� ������� :
Irish and "loving Islam" Convert to Islam :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/dIc5oFAva-4
�����
����� ������� :
Jewish To Islam convert :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/KcBiJnLjwVw
����
���� �������� ���� ���� �� ��� ����� �� ������ :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/IlOuITPE6kE
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/1qpQvpmEqkc
[Courtesy
of: [email protected]
]
114.
Namita from
Woman
(Namita)
accepts ISLAM in International Conference, on 24th November 2007, Mumbai, after
getting sufficiently motivated by Dr. Zakir Naik with an answer to her question.
Allah-o-Akbar! Subhanallah!
http://www.biharanjuman.org/Zakir_Naik/Zakir-Naik-woman-accepts-Islam-Mumbai-Nov-2007.htm
115.
Additional, Relevant Sources
Dr
Jeffrey Lang
http://www.thelastingmiracle.com/eng/article.aspx?id=174&cat=48
Amina
http://www.thelastingmiracle.com/eng/article.aspx?id=341&cat=49
Bilal
Philips
http://www.thelastingmiracle.com/eng/article.aspx?id=155&cat=50
Cat
Stevens
http://www.thelastingmiracle.com/eng/article.aspx?id=156&cat=51
Mark
Hanson
http://www.thelastingmiracle.com/eng/article.aspx?id=171&cat=52
Dr.
Jerald F. Dirks
http://www.thelastingmiracle.com/eng/sec.aspx?id=18&cat=54
More
personalities�..
http://www.thelastingmiracle.com/eng/sec.aspx?id=18&cat=25
[Courtesy
of: [email protected]
]
116.
16.
Jang from
| ||
BEIJING
� It was around 10:00 a.m. Beijing time, nearly three hours to the Friday
prayer, when the young man approached the
mosque.
Jang
stood for sometime outside at the mosque's doorstep hesitant to step in,
especially with a "Muslims Only" sign in Chinese, English and Arabic
attached to the gate. He
finally defeated a whiff of indecision and walked into the Muslim place of
worship. "Can
we help you?" asked the mosque's leading imam. "I
want to become a Muslim," answered Jang. The
smiling imam welcomed him and accompanied him to the Islamic Society
office, attached to the mosque. They
offered Jang three booklets on Islam to know more about the faith he wants
to embrace. To
their surprise, the young man said he not only read the booklets but also
many other books on the Muslim faith. Jang
engaged the imams in a discussion that proved to them he knew what he was
about to do. One
imam walked him into Islam with the pronouncement of the Shahadah;
testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad (peace and
blessings be upon him) is His Messenger. Journey
to Islam Jang,
who changed his name to Selim, sat down with IslamOnline. net after the
ceremony to talk about his journey to Islam. "It
all started with pork," he said with a smile. Islam's
dietary habits, including the prohibition of pork, led a curious Jang to
read about the Muslim faith. "I
perused medical journals and devoured books for an
answer." Islam
considers pigs unclean because they are omnivorous, not discerning between
meat or vegetation in their natural dietary habits unlike cows and sheep
for instance, which eat only plants. Some
scientists say eating pork can cause no less than seventy different types
of diseases. "I
found the same conclusion in traditional Chinese medicine, which does not
recommend eating pork and designated it as the most harmful and least
healthy meat," said Selim. A
jubilant Selim joined an extended family of more than 30 million Muslims
in Islam
came to There
have also been reports of companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and
blessings be upon him) coming to |
17.
Sunitha Williams
GOOD
NEWS FOR MUSLIM BROTHERS,
Assalamualaikum...!
An important message to all Muslim brothers and sisters : Sunita Williams (
First Indian woman who went on moon) accepted 'ISLAM' Masha Allah, bcoz when
they were on the moon, they saw towards EARTH, the entire EARTH looked dark, but
2 places on the EARTH looked like SPARKS (Roshni). They were shocked to see that
and saw them with the help of telescope and came to know that those two places
were '
[Various
sources]
18.
Abdullah Adiyar
'Islam
My
Fascination'
is a compilation of a series of articles written by Mr. Abdullah Adiyar. He is a
famous Tamil playwright, journalist and orator. Once he was a popular film
dialogue writer. But his foremost preoccupation has been journalism. Since
school days he kept himself engaged in literary activities.
Some
of the excerpts from his book:
I
do have extraordinary reverence for Islam
and I want to pen down my impressions about this great religion, with a hope
that readers too would ponder over them.
These days the pioneers of
religions are, generally, taken as conservative and dogmatic, but my own study
led me to the conclusion that they are revolutionary leaders of their times.
They voiced their dislike for the evil customs of their
age�.
I
can fearlessly proclaim that the greatest of all of these revolutionaries was
Muhammad
(peace be upon him).
The revolutionaries, other than Muhammad (PBUH), acquired knowledge and wisdom
in someone's company, through their parents or in family environment, but in the
case of Muhammad
(PBUH)
we come across a totally different situation�.
Muhammad's
life (PBUH)
is the finest example for the entire humankind from beginning to end. The early
life of many leaders and clerics was blemished but the life of the Prophet
remained clean and spotless from the very beginning�.
A must
read for any new Muslim and a good review even for those who may have been
Muslim for a while.
Abdullah
Adiyar
(A
unique comprehensive FREE e-Library in Multiple Languages)
Many
more books are available in Multiple Languages
***
*** ***
The
purpose of the web site is to provide wide range, authentic comprehensive
information about all the teachings of Islam at one place with a unique
FREE
download
facility.
We
will highly appreciate if you introduce among your friends in the best possible
manner.
Jazakumullah
Khair
[Courtesy
of: [email protected]
]
The material in this particular edition is just a sample: a drop in the pool when compared to the amount of material on reverts to Islam, and a mere drop in the ocean when compared with the total number of reversions to Islam in the last fourteen centuries! The appeal of Islam is to both sexes, all nationalities, ages and social classes. In the Holy Quran, Allah has stated: "He whom Allah guides, there is none to misguide Him; and He whom pleases to lead astray, there is none to guide him." That is why those of us who are born Muslim must not prejudge those who don't currently believe; in Hadith, the Prophet Muhammed [Pbuh] is reported to have said: "A man can be an arm's length from Paradise but end up in Hell, or he can be an arm's length from Hell and then end up in Paradise."
The following is a summary of the reasons for reversion to Islam from some of the content above:
Name Reason for
Reversion Diana
Freundl She realised the truth about Islam
during a six-week
course Zainab
Onez She realised that Islam is the desirable
way of life Gabriel
Martinez He discovered �myths� in Christianity
and felt that Islam is unchanged in its principle
concepts Dr Saroopji
Maharaj The Prophet Muhammed [Pbuh] instructed
him, in a dream he experienced, to become a Muslim and to tell others
about Islam Kristiane
Backer She She found Islam through love (for Imran
Khan), though she only reverted after her separation from
him Lewis The religion of Islam gave him comfort
and peace after the tragic death of his
mother Shariffa
Carlo A Professor at Harvard proved that the
Christian concept of �trinity� [the divinity of the Prophet Jesus (A.S.) ]
is an innovation in Christianity; she became convinced of the
veracity of Islam after being convinced by the arguments of a
Muslim
elder Namita She was motivated by Dr Zakir Naik www.ilovezakirnaik.com/
at an international
conference Jang He himself was reluctant to consume
pork and he was later informed that pig meat contains numerous
diseases Sunitha
Williams She saw light issuing from two holy
places of Islam -Mecca and Medina � from outer
space Abdullah
Adiyar He became spiritually impressed by the
noble character of the Prophet Muhammed
[Pbuh]
The following is an e-mail I received from Mohammed Davies of Australia:
The reasons that encouraged people to embrace Islam
You may have read many stories about people who embraced Islam. These stories are available on many sites on the internet and books that deal with this kind of stories.What attracts you at the beginning is to know the background of these people: their nationalities, former religions, languages, families and careers.
However the thing that attracts one most is the reason that encouraged theses people to leave their previous religion or their atheistic beliefs because some of them did not believe in any deity before.
Answering unanswered questions
Many of those who embraced Islam indicated that Islam answered all the questions that have been annoying them all through their lives. For example, a Japanese woman who embraced Islam said that "I found answers to the philosophical questions that had been haunting me for so many years in this beautiful religion."
Presenting a comprehensive view of life
Some of the people who embraced Islam also pointed out that what attracted them to Islam is the overall view of the life Islam is presenting to its followers.
For example, Fred, an American who recently embraced Islam, said "a faith which would encompass the whole of life, a faith which would provide for me a sense of community and a support group for the trials of life, I found that I was still adrift in a sea of conflicting religions - each claiming that the others were false."
Islam's respect for other religions and prophets
One of the things that attracted other people to embrace Islam is that Islam shows deep respect for other faiths and prophets, in spite of the differences in vision. This is why Fred says, "As for Jesus, non-Muslims are always surprised to find that the Qur'an speaks of Jesus and Mary respectfully, treating Jesus as a prophet and a worker of God's miracles of healing. However, Islam does not view Jesus as God."
There are other factors that attracted another set of people to enter the fold of Islam. However, there is an American woman who became a Muslim who could give us a very precise and concise statement that sums up a lot of things: "Islam is beautiful and all-compassing and lovely in every way.
God is sensible [perceptible?] and understandable; women are respected and honored; men are honored and respectable! Children are protected; Islam offers everything other faiths claim to and more but the difference is, Islam delivers.
Islam is not some weak religion because there is nothing more powerful than actually connecting with God and that is what Islam does."
http://www.iqrasense.com/islamic-outreach/what-drives-people-to-convert-to-islam.html
http://www.why-christians-convert-to-islam.com/
http://www.topix.com/forum/religion/hindu/TLOGB61P0I4KVBK6M
http://www.imamreza.net/eng/imamreza.php?id=6988
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/1227/p01s04-woeu.html
http://www.meccacenter.com/meccacenter/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=4&Itemid=18