My Journey to Islam

I once knew an atheist who claimed he\'d never believed in God\'s existence. In his view, believers were supposed to be people of weak character who felt the necessity to find a crutch for their inability and laziness, so they attended church. He felt agitated if, when the debating religion, he could not persuade the opponent with his arguments. He despised believers in an almost hysterical way. He had, however, a very good friend who believed in God. They agreed to refrain from discussing religion whenever together.
One day this man, probably in a rare moment of weakness, accepted the invitation of his friend to visit his church. To himself, he laughed at the thought of speaking out in the middle of mass and laughing and pointing his finger at the believers from the pulpit. However, as we know, God works in mysterious ways. He went to church, stood in the back benches, and stared at the people praying.
The mass service started and he gave all of them a sarcastic glance. Then the sermon began, lasting about 15 minutes. Suddenly, in the middle of the sermon, tears welled in his eyes. A strange feeling of joy and happiness washed away his animosity, a feeling that engulfed his entire body. After mass, the two friends left together. They were silent until the moment they were to part ways, when he asked his friend whether they could go to church together again. They agreed to go again the next day.
It\'s possible some of you might have guessed that I was that stubborn atheist. I had felt nothing but contempt and hatred towards people of faith. But after that sermon in 1989, when the priest discussed how we should not judge others if we don\'t want to be judged, my life suddenly took a dramatic turn.
I started attending church services regularly and was thirsty for any information on God and Jesus Christ. I took part in meetings with Christian youngsters where we exchanged our spiritual experiences. I felt resurrected. Suddenly I felt the need to be in the company of believers. I needed to make up for the past 18 years.
I was brought up in an atheist family, who except for having me baptized, did not exercise any attempt to guide my spiritual development. I remember being in sixth grade when a comrade was sent by the Communist Party to explain to us why God does not exist. I remember myself absorbing his every word. In my case, I needed no convincing. I believed everything he said. His arrogance, contempt, and hatred towards believers became mine. But now I had to make up for all those years.
I met with a priest and others who guided me in this new direction. I was full of so many questions, to which they responded. Later I was to realize a big mistake: I accepted everything without contemplation or reflection. I could say that they explained things to me in a "take-it-as-is" manner, but that would not be fair to them. It was, in fact, my mistake. I didn\'t reflect upon their words, nor did I think critically. This would cause me a lot of complications later. In retrospect, I believe an important factor that influenced my behavior was age. I was too young to properly comprehend matters as serious and complicated as faith.
I wished to become a good Christian, and God knows I tried very hard. Yet over time, I could not reconcile the contradictions found in the Bible, such as the divine nature of Prophet Jesus and the concept of inherited sin. Priests tried to respond to my questions, but eventually, their patience began to run thin. I was told that such matters should be accepted on faith and that these questions were a waste of time and would only serve to distance me from God. Till this day, I recall myself quarreling with a spiritual leader, an event that restarted my self-destructive tendencies. Maybe I wasn\'t right after all. I was young.
How I Became Muslim
My path toward Islam wasn\'t easy at all. You may think that since I was disappointed with Christianity, I would have immediately accepted Islam as my faith. This could have been very simple, but all I knew about Islam at the time were things like Muslims refer to God as Allah, they read the Qur\'an instead of the Bible, and they worship somebody called Muhammad. Also, I think I was not yet ready to accept Islam.
So I withdrew from the church community and claimed to be a soloist Christian. I found out, however, that even though I didn\'t miss the community of believers or church, God was "settled" so deep in my heart that I couldn\'t let Him go. I didn\'t even try. Quite the opposite. I felt happy to have God around and hoped He was on my side.
Later I began to engage in one stupidity after another, living a life of luxury and lust. I did not realize that such a road would lead me away from God and towards hell. A friend of mine says that you need to hit rock bottom in order to feel the ground beneath your feet. This is exactly what happened to me. I fell really deep. I can just imagine how Satan must have been waiting for me with open arms, but God did not give up on me and gave me another chance.
In July 2001, I met a young man from Iraq. His name was Ibrahim. We very quickly struck up a conversation. He told me that he was Muslim, and I responded that I was Christian. I was worried that my being Christian would be a problem, but I was wrong. I was glad to be wrong. It was interesting that I did not want to become Muslim and he did not try to convert me.
Although I considered Muslims an exotic group, I had been interested to learn more about Islam. It was a good opportunity to learn more. I realized that I had in front of me a man who could teach me a lot about Islam, so I mustered the courage to ask him to do just that. That was my first meeting with Islam, indeed my first step. After some time we parted ways, and I did not see him again, but the seed had been sown.
I remember once reading an interview with Mohammad Ali Silhavy (an old Czech Muslim) and being eager to find his address and write him a letter. Then came September 11. Because of the political climate, I thought it might not be an appropriate time to contact Mr. Silhavy. So I found myself at a dead end.
About two months later I found the courage to write a long letter to Mr. Silhavy. After a while he replied and sent a package including Islamic literature and leaflets. He told me that he had informed the Islamic Foundation in Prague about me and asked them to send me the translation of the Qur\'an. So this was my beginning. Step by step, I learned that not only is Islam not a militant religion, but to the contrary, it is a religion of peace. My questions were answered.
Because of certain circumstances, it wasn\'t until three years later that I decided to visit Mr. Silhavy. He showed a lot of patience while explaining to me different issues, and suggested that I visit the mosque of Brno (Czech Republic). When I went to the mosque of Brno, I was afraid that I would be seen as a stranger, an outsider. How surprised I was to find quite the opposite. I met K. and L., who were the first persons to help me. Of course, I met other brothers who welcomed me in the warmest way possible way.
I began to delve into all aspects of Islam, and found how understandable and logical Islam is. I gradually started to learn how to pray, and today I master prayer with no problem, even in Arabic. I gave up a bad habit of mine that was not compatible with Islam. I was a gambler and a very good one indeed. It was a difficult struggle with myself, but with God\'s help I won that battle.
If I ever doubted my interest in Islam or whether I could live as a Muslim, I know now that my interest is permanent and I consider myself one of them. Maybe it looks very simple, but again with God\'s help I won this internal struggle. I thought carefully before I definitively decided to embrace Islam. To be honest, throughout 2003 and the beginning of 2004, I was not completely sure if I could manage this. Finally I decided definitively. I am not that young man from the early \'90s anymore.
That\'s why today I feel very happy that I am Muslim. I finally feel free. I still have my imperfections but I am trying to improve upon them. I believe that God will help me. Now, listen to what I want to tell you and consider this my obligation: I believe in my heart and declare by word that there is no other god but Allah and Muhammad is God\'s Messenger.
imamreza.net

Christian youths become rightly guided through Holy Qur’an

There were two persons formerly Christians but later on they became Muslim. They lived in a city called Taleetah, perhaps in Morocco. I asked them the cause of their conversion. I asked them how you, former Christians, are now in deep search of Islamic truths. They replied: A few years ago, we were imprisoned in a jail. An Iraqi Muslim was also with us in our cell. Everyday he used to read Qur’an. As we did not know Arabic language, by and by we learned some words from that gentleman and began to understand a little from what he recited. One day he recited the verse:
﴿
وَاسْأَلُوا اللَّهَ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ
﴾
"…and ask Allah of His grace…
Then he also recited the verse:
﴿
ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ
﴾
"Call upon Me, I will answer you…"
And he said that it was God’s Word. God also says:
﴿
وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِي إِذَا دَعَانِ
﴾
"And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me…"
If you want anything, say: O Allah, yourself. You don’t have to come to the Mosque. He does not order to come and to give hand in the hand of a scholar, but He says: "Anyone from My servants who wants Me, I am near him." God is not far. He even does not want you to complain. He only asks to seek from Him whatever you want. You can even remember Him from your heart. He knows what is there in your heart. He says it is better if you recite supplication, as it is more effective.
When I heard these two or three verses of the Holy Qur’an, I told my companion, "See what the Prophet of Islam says; being Christians, we do not have such belief. The Christian faith has ceremonies, protocols, and formalities. They say that man cannot approach God unless he comes to the priests and the priests seek forgiveness for his sins. So the helpless person is compelled to come to the church priests, who is the representative of their religion and makes a confession of his sin and gives him money of getting pardoned (whereas this priest himself has no approach to God)."
They also have lengthy machinery for this purpose in all Christian cities. One of the companions said, "Once I had gone to a Church in Paris to observe things. It is a very big church." He said the segments of pardoning were worth seeing. First were people who had sinned. They sat with humility in that section of the church having a pen and paper in their hands. They wrote about the sin committed by them and took that piece of paper to another section from where they got instructions about the amount of money to be paid for the forgiveness of his sin. Then he pays the amount and gets a receipt for it and then proceeds to the last place where he is informed that his sin has been pardoned!
Those two Christian gentlemen said that when they heard the above two or three verses of Qur’an wherein Almighty God conveys through His Prophet, that God is very near; that He needs no mediation; that He is not far; that ask for whatever you want from God, Who answers your request, we became very much astonished. Does Muhammad really tell the truth? Can everybody reach God? We were wondering about this matter in jail when we became very thirsty. There was no water and our thirst was very hard. There was no one to come to our help. We wished to die rather than remain in that condition. Then I recalled this verse and said: O God! If this verse:
﴿
وَاسْأَلُوا اللَّهَ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ
﴾
"…and ask Allah of His grace…"Is Your Word, and if Muhammad has told the truth:
﴿
ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ
﴾
"Call upon Me, I will answer you…"
Then O Almighty! Help us as we are dying of severe thirst. Suddenly, before our eyes, from the wall in front of us, water began to flow. We drank it and quenched our thirst with full gratification. Then and there, we decided to become Muslims. So, after our release from jail, we embraced Islam and put total faith in the Holy Qur’an.
Guidance for some and misguidance for others
The so-called Muslim who used to recite the Holy Qur’an and who had taught some Arabic grammar, saw that these two Christians, who were thirsty got water from an unexpected place in the wall. So he put the Qur’an aside and thought that the Christian faith was true; that truth was with Christianity and hence this miracle. The unwise fellow could not realize that it was due to the Qur’an. He thought that, as they were Christians, their prayer was answered. He fell down in front of them saying: I want to embrace your religion. They asked, "Why?"
The man replied, "I saw, with my own eyes that water flew for you from this wall. So it seems your religion is true." They (the two former Christians) replied, "We were helpless and we clung to the Holy verse of Qur’an." That fellow said, "I do not accept your word. Do you want deprive me and to prevent me from becoming a Christian?" In short, that fellow converted to Christianity and put the Holy Qur’an aside. It was all because of a faulty imagination and an imaginary illusion.
End of a learned Haji
These two gentlemen again said: O God! By the truthfulness of Qur’an and by the honor of Muhammad guide us on the true path. That night, in a dream they were told: Go to Syria and contact scholars of Islam. Subsequently they became very nice people. In one moment two Christians become true Muslims but a Muslim becomes a disbeliever. Man is unaware of his end.
Fortunate is one who looks at his end. (Persian saying)
One of my friends once told me: I myself have seen a man who used to stand in the first row in Mosque for prayer, in those hard days, he had also performed Hajj. He also had religious knowledge and used to answer relevant problems to people. The same Haji gentleman, after some years was seen engaged in house construction work. I was also there. Laborers and masons were busy doing building work in a corner of his garden. Then we saw the Haji was passing water standing facing Qibla. See what is this? I could not restrain myself from asking. I asked him, "O Haji! What are you doing?" He replied, "O sir! We actually did not understand. For several years we prayed in mosque and went to Hajj where Arabs usurped our money." In short, he spoke up his disbelief himself. This man was once praying in the first row. He had performed Hajj. No one knows what and how his end will be. How he can lose Faith!
Pray, so that we die in a good condition
I have repeatedly heard that whenever students and scholar used to visit the late great scholar Mirza Hujjatul Islam Shirazi and also to visit graves, the said gentleman was recommending and requesting everyone: Please pray so that Allah may make my end a good end. How do you know what is going to happen the next moment, or after two days or after two years? In your own view you are a very good person and you look at others with contempt. You are not afraid that maybe in a slip your heart becomes stony and dark. Then you may, by and by, stop attending the mosque and give up supplications and the recitations of Qur’an etc.
We should always seek God’s refuge against a bad end. O the one who mocks others! How do you know, he may be better than you. You may not recognize him. How do you know, he may be a friend of God. Woe unto the one who mocks a friend of God. None except God knows a friend of God. There also is no criterion to know who is nearer to God? No one knows. Only God does.
Three things hidden in three things
Allah has kept three things hidden in three things: First, he has kept his friends hidden from the eyes of the creation so that no one may not mock others and look at them with contempt for fear of the possibility of the other being God’s friend. For the preservation of one’s honor He has kept His friend hidden from the eyes of people. Second, God has concealed His anger in sins. There are some sins, which draw God’s anger. It is mentioned in al-Kafi. There comes a voice: O one who committed this sin! Now you will not be forgiven. The late Majlisi says explaining this tradition: It means that after committing this sin you will not able to repent. It is not that one repents but is not forgiven. What is meant is that, that person is not inclined to repent. Now what is that sin? Neither the Imam tells it nor anyone else knows it. It is kept hidden. Just know only that among sins there are some which, if one commits them it is certain that one will have a bad end and that his Hereafter is destroyed. God’s mercy is not to reach him.
But what sin is that? I do not know. Nor the Imam has pointed it out. Why? So that people may fear all sins and may not go near any sin fearing that it could be the sin which attracts God’s wrath and anger and then man may not be able to find a way to salvation.
Thirdly, among worships also there are some worship acts, which if performed, will give one salvation for sure. What is that act of God’s obedience? It is also not clearly mentioned. We do not know anything. Nor should we know, as it is a hidden matter.
In short, a friend of God (Wali of Allah) is hidden. Nobody is able to find him out. Why? So that man may look at everyone and imagine that perhaps he is a friend of God. Of course, one has no right to imagine that one (he himself) is the friend of God. God forbid, we may be friends of Satan instead! But we must imagine about others that God might like them and they might love God; that they might be obeying God in the right way. So they are better.
O Women! You have no right to look with contempt at other women. You should not mock other women. How do you know? It is quite likely that some of them, who have sinned, may get guidance to repent. They might be having good deeds in their scroll of deeds, which draw Allah’s mercy. How do we know her actual condition? You see that a lady has no veil that she moves in streets and markets without her head wear. Do prevent her, but never mock her. Never consider yourself higher than her. It is possible that her condition may change with God’s guidance and she may become righteous after repenting and may become much better than a number of old women who are ashamed of showing their gray hair.
On the other hand, it is likely that this lady who is not wearing Islamic modest dress (Hijab) may make amends after repentance and conceal her breast, head, legs and feet of God’s sake and may become more honorable in the sight of God than that aged woman who mocked others. The old lady may rank behind the young woman in the most supreme court of Almighty Allah.
Those whose grief will be more
There are three groups of people whose grief in the grand gathering field (Mahshar), tomorrow on the Judgment Day will be more than that of the entire gathering. Firstly, those scholars and orators who advise people to do good and refrain from evil, but who do not act according to what they say. You can see that such and such Haji lady admonished another woman to wear veil or Hijab. That lady did accept her advice and acted accordingly, wearing a veil. But the adviser lady proved so unlucky that she did not conceal herself from a stranger male. Tomorrow, on the Judgment Day, she burns in fire, but the lady who accepted her advice is in a high bliss. Most fear some burning is for the scholars whose sermons made many people benefit and provided salvation to them but they (the admonishers) went to hell, as they did not act themselves in the way desired by God Almighty.
Secondly, in a more severe grief is a rich man who, till he was in this world, did not pay dues from his wealth but only kept it in front of his eyes and finally all of it went to his heirs. Then the latter spent it as liked by God and helped the needy. Tomorrow, on Judgment Day, the former will look at his heirs and see that they are in Paradise. But with the help of whose wealth? With the riches of their unfortunate father! The father burns in hell. He is most grievous and terribly unhappy.
The unwise man only bore the burden and the wise benefited fully. (Persian saying)
He fanned fire for himself with this wealth. How fortunate was his heir who acted wisely and got full benefit from his wealth.
The third group: The master and his servant, the lady and her mistress, the employer and his employee. O Master and servants, you ladies and your maidservants, employers and employees, workers, students! Know that, tomorrow in the Hereafter, the lower cadre will be in Paradise and the higher ups in hell. The master who looked with contempt in this world at his servant will see that the servant is on a high rank and he himself is in the lowest pits. How much he himself burns! How much sorrowful and in grief! So these are the three kinds of groups you are told about. Their grief is terrible. So never look down at your servant, peon, worker or slave.
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عَسَى أَنْ يَكُونُوا خَيْرًا مِنْهُمْ
﴾
"Perchance they may be better. (49:11)"
The lowly became high
I shall relate another narration. Waram, teacher of Sayyid bin Tawus has, in his compilation Majmae Waram written that a Messenger of God, in olden days asked God to show him His friend and, as per another quotation, he asked Almighty Allah to inform him as to who will be his (the Prophet’s) companion in the Hereafter. A revelation reached the Prophet indicating that such and such shoemaker would be his companion in the other life; that he was God’s friend. This messenger went to the person indicated in the revelation, sat by his shop to observe what special virtues he had which made him a friend of God. Then he talked with him and asked some questions only to find that neither he has much knowledge nor any intelligence.
Also, he was not a great worshipper either. In short, he could not find any extraordinary virtue in him. At last, the Prophet asked, "My friend! I want to know what virtue is there in you?" The man replied, "Sir, I do not possess anything. I have no knowledge and no specialty in my deed. I am what you see." The Prophet again asked, "No, it cannot be so. You must be having something very extraordinary in your character. Please tell me truly." Finally that man replied, "I have neither any knowledge nor perfection. My condition is that whenever I meet anyone, I imagine that he has much higher rank in the sight of God." The Prophet replied, "This is the virtue which made you high-ranking in the Hereafter."
Such is the humility, lowliness, and courtesy for God. Man considers himself low, weak and servile in front of Almighty Allah. Since he considers God as the greatest, he imagines himself to be nothing. Then, seeing anyone, he says, "Perhaps he is better than me; that he may have a standing in the sight of God." One who is a friend of God considers himself worthless.
Once, angel Jibraeel came to Prophet Ibrahim and gave him good tidings that he was a friend of God. Ibrahim expressed wonder saying, "Me and God’s friend?" The angel replied, "Yes, you are God’s friend." Ibrahim asked again, "I do not have any special deed at my credit. How is it that God made me His friend?" The angel said, "O Ibrahim! You have two virtues, which God likes very much and hence He made you His friend (Khalil). (These two virtues make one lovable). First, you do not ask anything from anyone except God. You seek help only from Him. You never put your need before His creation. Secondly, you never turned away any beggar from your door. You never turned away a needy person empty-handed from your door."
O Lord! It is now known that You do not like the one who turns away the needy empty handed. We also have extended our begging hands before You. Please do not deprive us.
Imam Zainul Abideen, in Dua Abu Hamzah, which you recite in these holy nights, prays: O Lord! You have ordered us not to turn away a needy from our door. Now, we are the needy beggars who have come to Your Door of Mercy. Your Honor will certainly not make us return empty handed. Our need is that kindly, do not leave any of our sins unforgiven by Your Mercy.
"O you who believe! Let not (one) people laugh at (another) people perchance they may be better than they, nor let women (laugh) at (other) women, perchance they may be better than they; and do not find fault with your own people nor call one another by nicknames; evil is a bad name after faith, and whoever does not turn, these it is that are the unjust. O you who believe! Avoid most of suspicion, for surely suspicion in some cases is a sin, and do not spy… (49:11-12)"
They mocked her for her short stature and a lengthy dress
The summary of the explanation of this verse is that God Almighty, the Lord of the Universe has issued three commands: First: It is unlawful for a Muslim to belittle any Muslim, to look at him with contempt, to consider him lower. He, sometimes, utters a word or gestures, which indicates that he is mocking or humiliating someone. For example, suppose he points his finger indicating that he wants others to look at that person’s stature; how short it is!
As mentioned with regard to Ayesha and Hafsa who pointed out towards Umme Salma, indicating what a short stature she had! Umme Salma was thus humiliated.
Or, for instance, they said that Umme Salma had put on a long dress; that her clothing dragged on the ground behind her when she walked. Ayesha and Hafsa uttered, "Look, her apparel is dragging behind like a dog’s tongue! Her covering sheet is touching the ground."
To mock someone either by gesture or twinkling of the eye, all of it is unlawful. It is possible that one whom you mocked is better than you in the sight of God. As explained earlier, your imagination is not the criterion for measuring people’s rank.
To disgrace others is to disgrace oneself
Second:
﴿
وَلا تَلْمِزُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ
﴾
"…and do not find fault with your own people…"
The Arabic word ‘Lumz’ means defect. Do not find faults or disgrace yourselves. This is worth pondering upon. God says: Do not disgrace yourselves. He does not say: Do not disgrace others, do not disgrace a Muslim or do not disgrace a community etc. He says: Do not point out to your own faults and defects. This means that to disgrace a Muslim amounts to disgracing your own self. Outwardly, you humiliated others. But inwardly you yourself have become blameworthy and faulty.
How and why? This requires deep thinking. Those who have intelligence can see how meaningful and effective are the wordings of Qur’an. They deal with deep meaning in brief, clear and eloquent phrases. Qur’an is the word of the Lord of Worlds. It is very high and great. Here He says: When one finds fault with another. He, in fact, has made himself faulty. He says about another person: He is miserly and shameless. The Holy Qur’an says: By so saying, you have pointed to your own defects. So do not disgrace yourselves. Apparently, there are three reasons for saying so.
All are to meet the same one and hence are equal
The first reason indicated is that all of you are united together. Your spiritual father is same, that is, Muhammad Mustafa. The spirits of all the believers have a kind of unity and sameness. Their father is Muhammad and Ali, from the spiritual viewpoint. From physical point of view also they have one father and one mother, that is, Adam and Eve. But from the spiritual aspect, their father is one, that is, Muhammad and also Ali as they are one soul. So now, if one disgraces another, he has disgraced his own brother. There is no difference. All are from one source and origin.
There are some narrations from Imams. One of them says: Ours is a holy tree. Its root and origin is, our grandfather, Muhammad Mustafa. It has twelve branches, that is the Imams, the first being Ali and the last, the awaited Mahdi. Leaves of this holy tree are the general Shias. All believing men and women are the leaves of this holy tree. Due to common leaves and common branches they are all united and one.
According to another narration: Tomorrow, on the Day of Judgment, there would be the holy tree, Tuba. Rooted in the house of Ali, its branches will extend to the houses of all the Shias in Paradise. Thus every believer is connected with the Tuba tree. Thus if one of them becomes faulty, it means all have become faulty. If you want to understand this fully, remember that by disgracing a believer Shia of Ali, you have hurt Ali, especially if that person whom you disgraced was a real and true Shia.
imamreza.net

New Muslims from All the Corners of the World

Iman (Monica) Aparicio Christianity to Islam This sister became Muslim after her daughter started questioning her about various beliefs such as the trinity and she asked why she had to pray to the cross. So Monica started on her path to find the truth, and alhamdulilah she found Islam. This is a really amazing story about how someone found guidance in Islam. She also talks about her own experience in Arab countries with what she sees as problem, with their lack of understanding about Islam.
Turning Muslim in Texas George W Bush may be backed by Christian fundamentalists but in his home state of Texas, Islam is the latest big draw.
Eric was a Baptist preacher before he became a Muslim 14 years ago. Now he prays five times a day – even in the middle of watching a football game. His wife, Karen, also a convert, is covered from head to toe in the traditional Muslim Clothes. Islam, says Eric, ‘is everything I wanted Christianty to be’. His mother has found it hard to come to terms with her son’s conversion and believes he will return to the Christan faith: ‘Then he will be a dynamic preacher.’ Eric says: ‘Maybe some day she’ll embrace Islam.’
Muslim in the Family UK In the current climate, converting to Islam is not an obvious choice or an easy one, either for converts or their families. So, why have 14,000 Brits (and counting) now taken that leap of faith? In A Muslim in the Family, Rageh Omaar tries to find out.
For the four converts featured in the documentary, conversion is a positive step - but one that demands sacrifices of them and can cause worry and confusion for those closest to them.
Ultimately, though, it is a hopeful film. At a time when many people talk about "a clash of civilisations" between Islam and the West, converts just might become a living bridge between Islam and the West.
Sister Amy was a student at Birmingham University. This video shows how she has become Muslim and interviews her family as they find out about her changing from Christianity to Islam. Her father and Brother speak about how she has changed positively. That she never used to like going out to clubs or getting drunk, she was always looking for a better way. Her family realise that she is a lot happier now that she has found Islam. Video also shows Amy discussing her previous life, her views on marriage, finding the right hijab and the way Muslims live.
Spanish Muslim Woman Talks about Islam and Women\'s Rights. Bismillah, Assalamu alaykum, this is a Spanish Muslim sister, she talks about Women\'s rights in Islam. This sister\'s name is Fatimah Milla - Rumayor. She is educated and bought up in Spain, she works as a linguist and is from Spain.
She points out some useful information about Islam and she addresses the misconceptions that many people have about Islam and the role of women in it.
Sister Carolyne in England accepts the truth and becomes Muslim, Love for Islam. Carolyne decided to become Muslim. Carolyne says> "if any human being doesnt question why we\'re here, then... i think there is something wrong in that.One part of me was saying that it might upset people if i did this, it got to the stage in January, three years ago, when i just thought i have to follow this, this is the right way. I like to identify myself as a muslim........ I do think i really should be covering my head......"
She talks about how she first told her parents that she was Muslim. How and Why she became Muslim, as well as her thoughts on Hijab.
Yvonne Ridley Explains the Role of Women in Islam. She Talks about How She was an Active Feminist and how she came to Choose Islam as her way of life.
Clears Misconceptions, She used to believe that the Quran advocated beating of women, subjudation and intolerance. However, when she actually looked in the Quran and read it, She became convinced it was truly a message from God. She left Church of England and Christianity to become a Muslim.
She explains Islam quite well in this video and it is a recommended video to watch for anyone Muslim or non Muslim.Also She Critisises Muslim Haters like Irshad Manji.
Aminah\'s Story. A Revert Sister from England and her family Aminah\'s Story. A Revert Sister from England and her family. She explains how she became Muslim as a teenager, how she knows over 50 Muslim revert sisters like herself.
The film is set just after the september 11 NYC terrorist attacks, and shows the family and how they live. It also shows their decision to go and make Hijrah (immigration) to a Muslim country, the Yemen.
Latifa (Rachel) and her Parents Talk about Islam. Latifa (Rachel) Became Muslim whilst still studying in University as a Teenager. Her family were shocked by her decision. But, as they come to terms with it, they realise that their ideas about it were completely wrong.
Her Mother Says regarding her daughter\'s reversion to Islam, "And Now We have a Very forthright, intelligent, independent young lady as a daughter. And i am so proud of her!"
The Life of Cat Stevens and How he Became Muslim. The Life of Cat Stevens and How he Became Muslim.
This Documentary follows the life of Yusuf Islam, from his family background, his early life and aspirations.. his career and his change to the beautiful faith of Islam and the great benefits it gave his life. It also shows some of the work that he does today.
It is a nice documentary which shows how a famous Pop Star became Muslim. His family and other people from the music industry are interviewed.
Latest Yusuf Islam Interview Assalamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullah, This is A new Yusuf Islam Interview, talks about Islam.
He mentions how he was always searching for answers to life. Also talks about his new charity work. And his past and present dawah projects, how he is calling people to Islam.
Yusuf Islam formerly known as Cat Stevens in a recent interview.
A nice interview with a once famous Pop Star who became Muslim after finding the beauty of Islam.
Yusuf Islam in his latest TV interview with the ex-BBC Director Alan Yentob. A recent Video which was made earlier this year.
They Discuss Yusuf\'s Life and how he came from being Cat Steven World Famous Popstar to him finding Islam. Also interviewing his brother and they speak about their family life. They come across as a very close family.
Susan Carland (Australian Muslim of the Year 2004) and her journey to Islam. This short film made and supplied by Sister VerityP. It was made before she became Muslim.
It follows Susan Carland (Australian Muslim of the Year 2004) and her journey to Islam, why she decided to become a muslim. It shows Susan before she was Muslim and shows her family. She talks about Islam and what Islam means to her.
Verity, who was filming this video before she became a Muslim says: "It was the first film I ever made, I converted to Islam shortly after making it."
Malcolm X Story of him Coming to True Islam Malcolm went on the Hajj and found True Islam. This documentary shows how Malcolm Renounced his past with Nation of Islam and had become a True Muslim following Sunni Islam.
Malcolm talks about his experience on the hajj, and what it means to be a Muslim. He suprises everyone on his return from Makkah, and unfortunately just before he could make an even greater impact by calling people to Islam he was assassinated. May Allah bless him, one of the most important people in 20th Century Politics and American History.
Islam in Nederland (Netherlands
Video about Revert Muslim women in Holland. This video focuses on the lives of some Dutch Muslim women and their families. Their life as Muslims in Europe.
MashaAllah, they really love and practise their deen as much as they can. They try their best to make their families be comfortable and understand why they took the decisions that they did to become Muslim and to worship Allah alone. Thanks to sister Hajar for translation.
Sister Crystal Talks about her life Before and After Islam Sister Crystal Talks about her life Before and After Islam. The sister is from Canada. She was from Christian background, she found many inconsistencies in her Religion. She had always wanted to know more about who her creator was. When she was at college she met Muslims and found what they said was interesting. She had a Muslim boyfriend and had relationship with him. A Christian Arab tried to make her stop from becoming a Muslim by giving her biased anti-Islam literature. He would even give the literature to her mother. This made the Sister interested, so she went to the Mosque and tried to discover more about ISlam, she found that what the Arab man was telling her was wrong.
Muslim in the Family UK In the current climate, converting to Islam is not an obvious choice or an easy one, either for converts or their families. So, why have 14,000 Brits (and counting) now taken that leap of faith? In A Muslim in the Family, Rageh Omaar tries to find out.
For the four converts featured in the documentary, conversion is a positive step - but one that demands sacrifices of them and can cause worry and confusion for those closest to them.
Ultimately, though, it is a hopeful film. At a time when many people talk about "a clash of civilisations" between Islam and the West, converts just might become a living bridge between Islam and the West.
British man and French Woman, Two New Muslims! An Englishman recounts his life how he grew up and found Islam. Also he recounts a story of how he went to his childhood home in France and got in contact with a woman he used to know whilst he was a teenager.
They went on to get married. She however, was still a Christian. They adopted an Islamic lifestyle, and she learnt a lot about Islam from him during this time.
Although she was skeptical of Islam at first, partly due to the French style of secularism she was used to. she later saw that Islam was indeed perfect and the true message from God so she too became a Muslim.
This is An interesting story. indeed.
Islam French woman talks about becoming Muslim and Marriage A French Muslim sister talks about Islam, and How she became Muslim.
She explains how her decision to become a Muslim had nothing to do with her husband or anyone else.
So, It was her own decision and this is what Islam teaches
English Brother Yusuf Adam Explains Why He Became Muslim! Yusuf recalls how he spoke to a neigbour about Islam in 1997. She had asked if he had ever read the Quran. At first Yusuf thought this was stupid, but, he decided to read it "just to shut her up", so he could have "an intellectual discussion with her"anyway. It took him six weeks to study the Quran and he was amazed and interested by its beauty and truth. The brother read about the Prophets Abraham, Jesus and others and read about Tawheed, Correct belief monotheistic belief in God.This affected the brother and he became Muslim. Alhamdulillah.
Brother Abu Hafsa Entering Islam! Brother\'s name is Abu Hafsa ( it means Father of Hafsa), Abdul Malik (Servant of God), formerly Jerome is the first 100% blind person who was accepted into ... professional wrestling!!
He came to Islam after reading about the beautiful story of Malcolm X, and then later he studied Islam and began to read the Quran in Arabic Braille.
Walhamdulilah
People who became Muslim Due to 9/11 (i.e. Researching About Islam):
Jewish And Catholic Women Women Become Muslim After September 11. AlJazeera Interviews some American New Muslim women who became Muslim after 9/11. Aljazeera and FoxNews both interviewed Angela Colins, an ex-Catholic from sunny California. Safiya, who used to be an American Jew... Lost 8 of her relatives in September 11, however, this did not make her blame Islam for the actions of the perpetrators of September 11. Instead, she loved Islam and became Muslim. Having studied Islam and the Quran both women found out, that it has little to do with the extremist actions of a few lone people..... but it gives true meaning to worshipping God alone and not associating any partners with him. It is God\'s true message to mankind.
Angela Colins Muslim After September 11 on Fox News - She Became Muslim After 9/11. She had many of her family members who died on September 11th. She studied Islamand came to find it to be quite different from what other people told her. . and the way the media percieved it to be. She reverted to Islam from her Catholic Faith. Now she is a Muslim teacher.
Be sure to check out the Aljazeera interview, which also has an American Jew who turned to Islam after September 11.
New Muslim Reverts This Ramadan! ( Allison Poole& Barbara Cartabuke) in New York, post-9/11 CNN Interview: More And More People are Turning to Islam, especially after 9/11. September 11 has led to the media giving Islam a lot of attention. Although, the media has mostly reported negatively about Muslims and Islam, it has made people research about Islam. This has led to many to find the Truth about Islam and readily accept it as their faith.
CNN states that 1/4 of the 6 Million Muslims in the United States are Revert Muslims (Converts).
Allison Poole was Raised as a Southern Baptist Christian. She became Muslim this Ramadan. Alhamdulilah! Since becoming Muslim, she feels more at peace and finds Islam has made he life much better as she has the right belief in God. Her family is completely behind her decision, but she finds fellow Americans still misunderstand Islam and say bad things.
Barbara Cartabuke is also an American who has found Islam post 911. She was a Catholic who always felt praying to Jesus and reading Hail Mary\'s was wrong. When she found Islam, it was a breath of fresh air and answered all her questions regarding the reality of her existence and of true belief in God.
Youngest Muslim Reverts in The World. Children in England Turn To Islam. This video just Shows kids who were interested in Islam. They were attracted to the Mosque and wanted to learn more about the Religion of Islam.
Nobody has gone around to actually tell these kids what to do, it is by their own free choice and they just like going to the Mosque and like Muslim culture.. This documentary tells their story and how the children miss not being able to go to the mosque. This is juxtaposed to the views of their siblings and family.
4 New Muslims from 4 Corners of the World This is A great Documentary telling the story of Four people who have Reverted to the beautiful and true religion of Islam and how their life has changed for the better. They give accounts of their lives from before Islam and after reverting to Islam.
This is an interesting video for those who want to know more about Islam and what it means to people who follow it.
Brother Rasid from Christianity to Islam Bismillah, Brother Rasheed used to be a Christian and God was always important to him, he grew up and was influenced heavily by the hiphop culture in his teen years and he became materialistic. Alhamdulilah he later found Islam. In This video he talks about his life before Islam and how he became Muslim and why. Interesting story about how he forgot to pay for an item and whilst on his way back to return the good, was caught for shoplifting. This made him embarrassed as he was from a kind and good family, even though he was innocent. It made him think about God and Islam.
Yusuf Estes Journey to Islam. How he became Muslim. Brother Yusuf Estes was a Christian Preacher, but Alhamdulillah he found the light of Islam and became a Muslim.
He gives a very interesting little talk here about his life.. Infact, he looked at Arabs and Muslims in a negative light and only knew what the media presented to him.
It was through his interaction with Muslim people and from studying Islam that he came to understand Islam and know that it was definitely the Truth.
He became enlightened with regards to the true belief in God and in Jesus.
Its quite funny too. Islamic information Video.
Sister Jan is an English Revert to Islam. She explains why she loves Islam so much. She converted from Christianity, "my friends say you were a Good Christian, why have you sold out?, almost is what they would imply.. my answer to that is well i didnt know about the Prophet (Muhammad) so its been enriching of my faith" ..........
..........."It was only in the 1960s (in England), when we (women) could open a bank account without having our husband sign the bank cheque. Islamic Women have always had those rights. If i stick to what the Quran says to me, and what the message is, it is very clear to me, that i have total equality. Just do what it says, and nobody can argue with me on that."..............
New Muslims and Islam in the Phillipines. Discusses Origins of Islam in the Asia Pacific. Historical evidence that Islam was NOT Spread by the Sword!! Islam came by the way of Muslim traders from Yemen.
Many Christian Catholic people from the Phillipines are turning to Islam in their hundreds. Infact, they account for the largest percentage of Reversions in the Middle East as well as in the Phillipines.
This video has interview with a Lawyer who became Muslim after studing Islamic Law. He became convinced Islam was the Truth as he was suprised by the justice that Islamic law gave.
www.imamreza.net

Becoming Muslim

Born in 1954 in the farm country of the northwestern United States, I was raised in a religious family as a Roman Catholic. The Church provided a spiritual world that was unquestionable in my childhood, if anything more real than the physical world around me, but as I grew older, and especially after I entered a Catholic university and read more, my relation to the religion became increasingly called into question, in belief and practice.
One reason was the frequent changes in Catholic liturgy and ritual that occurred in the wake of the Second Vatican Council of 1963, suggesting to laymen that the Church had no firm standards. To one another, the clergy spoke about flexibility and liturgical relevance, but to ordinary Catholics they seemed to be groping in the dark. God does not change, nor the needs of the human soul, and there was no new revelation from heaven. Yet we rang in the changes, week after week, year after year; adding, subtracting, changing the language from Latin to English, finally bringing in guitars and folk music. Priests explained and explained as laymen shook their heads. The search for relevance left large numbers convinced that there had not been much in the first place.
A second reason was a number of doctrinal difficulties, such as the doctrine of the Trinity, which no one in the history of the world, neither priest nor layman, had been able to explain in a convincing way, and which resolved itself, to the common mind at least, in a sort of godhead-by-committee, shared between God the Father, who ruled the world from heaven; His son Jesus Christ, who saved humanity on earth; and the Holy Ghost, who was pictured as a white dove and appeared to have a considerably minor role. I remember wanting to make special friends with just one of them so he could handle my business with the others, and to this end, would sometimes pray earnestly to this one and sometimes to that; but the other two were always stubbornly there. I finally decided that God the Father must be in charge of the other two, and this put the most formidable obstacle in the way of my Catholicism, the divinity of Christ. Moreover, reflection made it plain that the nature of man contradicted the nature of God in every particular, the limitary and finite on the one hand, the absolute and infinite on the other. That Jesus was God was something I cannot remember having ever really believed, in childhood or later.
Another point of incredulity was the trading of the Church in stocks and bonds in the hereafter it called indulgences. Do such and such and so-and-so many years will be remitted from your sentence in purgatory that had seemed so false to Martin Luther at the outset of the Reformation.
I also remember a desire for a sacred scripture, something on the order of a book that could furnish guidance. A Bible was given to me one Christmas, a handsome edition, but on attempting to read it, I found it so rambling and devoid of a coherent thread that it was difficult to think of a way to base one\'s life upon it. Only later did I learn how Christians solve the difficulty in practice, Protestants by creating sectarian theologies, each emphasizing the texts of their sect and downplaying the rest; Catholics by downplaying it all, except the snippets mentioned in their liturgy. Something seemed lacking in a sacred book that could not be read as an integral whole.
Moreover, when I went to the university, I found that the authenticity of the book, especially the New Testament, had come into considerable doubt as a result of modern hermeneutical studies by Christians themselves. In a course on contemporary theology, I read the Norman Perrin translation of The Problem of the Historical Jesus by Joachim Jeremias, one of the principal New Testament scholars of this century. A textual critic who was a master of the original languages and had spent long years with the texts, he had finally agreed with the German theologian Rudolph Bultmann that without a doubt it is true to say that the dream of ever writing a biography of Jesus is over, meaning that the life of Christ as he actually lived it could not be reconstructed from the New Testament with any degree of confidence. If this were accepted from a friend of Christianity and one of its foremost textual experts, I reasoned, what was left for its enemies to say? And what then remained of the Bible except to acknowledge that it was a record of truths mixed with fictions, conjectures projected onto Christ by later followers, themselves at odds with each other as to who the master had been and what he had taught. And if theologians like Jeremias could reassure themselves that somewhere under the layers of later accretions to the New Testament there was something called the historical Jesus and his message, how could the ordinary person hope to find it, or know it, should it be found?
I studied philosophy at the university and it taught me to ask two things of whoever claimed to have the truth: What do you mean, and how do you know? When I asked these questions of my own religious tradition, I found no answers, and realized that Christianity had slipped from my hands. I then embarked on a search that is perhaps not unfamiliar to many young people in the West, a quest for meaning in a meaningless world.
I began where I had lost my previous belief, with the philosophers, yet wanting to believe, seeking not philosophy, but rather a philosophy.
I read the essays of the great pessimist Arthur Schopenhauer, which taught about the phenomenon of the ages of life, and that money, fame, physical strength, and intelligence all passed from one with the passage of years, but only moral excellence remained. I took this lesson to heart and remembered it in after years. His essays also drew attention to the fact that a person was wont to repudiate in later years what he fervently espouses in the heat of youth. With a prescient wish to find the Divine, I decided to imbue myself with the most cogent arguments of atheism that I could find, that perhaps I might find a way out of them later. So I read the Walter Kaufmann translations of the works of the immoralist Friedrich Nietzsche. The many-faceted genius dissected the moral judgments and beliefs of mankind with brilliant philological and psychological arguments that ended in accusing human language itself, and the language of nineteenth-century science in particular, of being so inherently determined and mediated by concepts inherited from the language of morality that in their present form they could never hope to uncover reality. Aside from their immunological value against total skepticism, Nietzsche\'s works explained why the West was post-Christian, and accurately predicted the unprecedented savagery of the twentieth century, debunking the myth that science could function as a moral replacement for the now dead religion.
At a personal level, his tirades against Christianity, particularly in The Genealogy of Morals, gave me the benefit of distilling the beliefs of the monotheistic tradition into a small number of analyzable forms. He separated unessential concepts (such as the bizarre spectacle of an omnipotent deity\'s suicide on the cross) from essential ones, which I now, though without believing in them, apprehended to be but three alone: that God existed; that He created man in the world and defined the conduct expected of him in it; and that He would judge man accordingly in the hereafter and send him to eternal reward or punishment.
It was during this time that I read an early translation of the Qur\'an which I grudgingly admired, between agnostic reservations, for the purity with which it presented these fundamental concepts. Even if false, I thought, there could not be a more essential expression of religion. As a literary work, the translation, perhaps it was Sales, was uninspired and openly hostile to its subject matter, whereas I knew the Arabic original was widely acknowledged for its beauty and eloquence among the religious books of mankind. I felt a desire to learn Arabic to read the original.
On a vacation home from school, I was walking upon a dirt road between some fields of wheat, and it happened that the sun went down. By some inspiration, I realized that it was a time of worship, a time to bow and pray to the one God. But it was not something one could rely on oneself to provide the details of, but rather a passing fancy, or perhaps the beginning of an awareness that atheism was an inauthentic way of being.
I carried something of this disquiet with me when I transferred to the University of Chicago, where I studied the epistemology of ethical theory how moral judgments were reached reading and searching among the books of the philosophers for something to shed light on the question of meaninglessness, which was both a personal concern and one of the central philosophical problems of our age.
According to some, scientific observation could only yield description statements of the form X is Y, for example, The object is red, Its weight is two kilos, Its height is ten centimeters, and so on, in each of which the functional was a scientifically verifiable is, whereas in moral judgments the functional element was an ought, a description statement which no amount of scientific observation could measure or verify. It appeared that ought was logically meaningless, and with it all morality whatsoever, a position that reminded me of those described by Lucian in his advice that whoever sees a moral philosopher coming down the road should flee from him as from a mad dog. For such a person, expediency ruled, and nothing checked his behavior but convention.
As Chicago was a more expensive school, and I had to raise tuition money, I found summer work on the West Coast with a seining boat fishing in Alaska. The sea proved a school in its own right, one I was to return to for a space of eight seasons, for the money. I met many people on boats, and saw something of the power and greatness of the wind, water, storms, and rain; and the smallness of man. These things lay before us like an immense book, but my fellow fishermen and I could only discern the letters of it that were within our context: to catch as many fish as possible within the specified time to sell to the tenders. Few knew how to read the book as a whole. Sometimes, in a blow, the waves rose like great hills, and the captain would hold the wheel with white knuckles, our bow one minute plunging gigantically down into a valley of green water, the next moment reaching the bottom of the trough and soaring upwards towards the sky before topping the next crest and starting down again.
Early in my career as a deck hand, I had read the Hazel Barnes translation of Jean Paul Sartres "Being and Nothingness", in which he argued that phenomena only arose for consciousness in the existential context of human projects, a theme that recalled Marx\'s 1844 manuscripts, where nature was produced by man, meaning, for example, that when the mystic sees a stand of trees, his consciousness hypostatizes an entirely different phenomenal object than a poet does, for example, or a capitalist. To the mystic, it is a manifestation; to the poet, a forest; to the capitalist, lumber. According to such a perspective, a mountain only appears as tall in the context of the project of climbing it, and so on, according to the instrumental relations involved in various human interests. But the great natural events of the sea surrounding us seemed to defy, with their stubborn, irreducible facticity, our uncomprehending attempts to come to terms with them. Suddenly, we were just there, shaken by the forces around us without making sense of them, wondering if we would make it through. Some, it was true, would ask Gods help at such moments, but when we returned safely to shore, we behaved like men who knew little of Him, as if those moments had been a lapse into insanity, embarrassing to think of at happier times. It was one of the lessons of the sea that in fact, such events not only existed but perhaps even preponderated in our life. Man was small and weak, the forces around him were large, and he did not control them.
Sometimes a boat would sink and men would die. I remember a fisherman from another boat who was working near us one opening, doing the same job as I did, piling web. He smiled across the water as he pulled the net from the hydraulic block overhead, stacking it neatly on the stern to ready it for the next set. Some weeks later, his boat overturned while fishing in a storm, and he got caught in the web and drowned. I saw him only once again, in a dream, beckoning to me from the stern of his boat.
The tremendousness of the scenes we lived in, the storms, the towering sheer cliffs rising vertically out of the water for hundreds of feet, the cold and rain and fatigue, the occasional injuries and deaths of workers these made little impression on most of us. Fishermen were, after all, supposed to be tough. On one boat, the family that worked it was said to lose an occasional crew member while running at sea at the end of the season, invariably the sole non-family member who worked with them, his loss saving them the wages they would have otherwise had to pay him.
The captain of another was a twenty-seven-year-old who delivered millions of dollars worth of crab each year in the Bering Sea. When I first heard of him, we were in Kodiak, his boat at the city dock they had tied up to after a lengthy run some days before. The captain was presently indisposed in his bunk in the stateroom, where he had been vomiting up blood from having eaten a glass uptown the previous night to prove how tough he was.
He was in somewhat better condition when I later saw him in the Bering Sea at the end of a long winter king crab season. He worked in his wheelhouse up top, surrounded by radios that could pull in a signal from just about anywhere, computers, Loran, sonar, depth-finders, radar. His panels of lights and switches were set below the 180-degree sweep of shatterproof windows that overlooked the sea and the men on deck below, to whom he communicated by loudspeaker. They often worked round the clock, pulling their gear up from the icy water under watchful batteries of enormous electric lights attached to the masts that turned the perpetual night of the winter months into day. The captain had a reputation as a screamer, and had once locked his crew out on deck in the rain for eleven hours because one of them had gone inside to have a cup of coffee without permission. Few crewmen lasted longer than a season with him, though they made nearly twice the yearly income of, say, a lawyer or an advertising executive, and in only six months. Fortunes were made in the Bering Sea in those years, before over fishing wiped out the crab.
At present, he was at anchor, and was amiable enough when we tied up to him and he came aboard to sit and talk with our own captain. They spoke at length, at times gazing thoughtfully out at the sea through the door or windows, at times looking at each other sharply when something animated them, as the topic of what his competitors thought of him. "They wonder why I have a few bucks", he said. "Well I slept in my own home one night last year."
He later had his crew throw off the lines and pick the anchor, his eyes flickering warily over the water from the windows of the house as he pulled away with a blast of smoke from the stack. His watchfulness, his walrus-like physique, his endless voyages after game and markets, reminded me of other predatory hunter-animals of the sea. Such people, good at making money but heedless of any ultimate end or purpose, made an impression on me, and I increasingly began to wonder if men didn\'t need principles to guide them and tell them why they were there. Without such principles, nothing seemed to distinguish us above our prey except being more thorough, and technologically capable of preying longer, on a vaster scale, and with greater devastation than the animals we hunted.
These considerations were in my mind the second year I studied at Chicago, where I became aware through studies of philosophical moral systems that philosophy had not been successful in the past at significantly influencing peoples morals and preventing injustice, and I came to realize that there was little hope for it to do so in the future. I found that comparing human cultural systems and societies in their historical succession and multiplicity had led many intellectuals to moral relativism, since no moral value could be discovered which on its own merits was transculturally valid, a reflection leading to nihilism, the perspective that sees human civilizations as plants that grow out of the earth, springing from their various seeds and soils, thriving for a time, and then dying away.
Some heralded this as intellectual liberation, among them Emile Durkheim in his "Elementary Forms of the Religious Life", or Sigmund Freud in his "Totem and Taboo", which discussed mankind as if it were a patient and diagnosed its religious traditions as a form of a collective neurosis that we could now hope to cure, by applying to them a thoroughgoing scientific atheism, a sort of salvation through pure science.
On this subject, I bought the Jeremy Shapiro translation of "Knowledge and Human Interests" by Jurgen Habermas, who argued that there was no such thing as pure science that could be depended upon to forge boldly ahead in a steady improvement of itself and the world. He called such a misunderstanding scientism, not science. Science in the real world, he said, was not free of values, still less of interests. The kinds of research that obtain funding, for example, were a function of what their society deemed meaningful, expedient, profitable, or important. Habermas had been of a generation of German academics who, during the thirties and forties, knew what was happening in their country, but insisted they were simply engaged in intellectual production, that they were living in the realm of scholarship, and need not concern themselves with whatever the state might choose to do with their research. The horrible question mark that was attached to German intellectuals when the Nazi atrocities became public after the war made Habermas think deeply about the ideology of pure science. If anything was obvious, it was that the nineteenth-century optimism of thinkers like Freud and Durkheim was no longer tenable.
I began to re-assess the intellectual life around me. Like Schopenhauer, I felt that higher education must produce higher human beings. But at the university, I found lab people talking to each other about forging research data to secure funding for the coming year; luminaries who wouldn\'t permit tape recorders at their lectures for fear that competitors in the same field would go one step further with their research and beat them to publication; professors vying with each other in the length of their courses syllabuses. The moral qualities I was accustomed to associate with ordinary, unregenerate humanity seemed as frequently met with in sophisticated academics as they had been in fishermen. If one could laugh at fishermen who, after getting a boatload of fish in a big catch, would cruise back and forth in front of the others to let them see how laden down in the water they were, ostensibly looking for more fish; what could one say about the Ph.D.\'s who behaved the same way about their books and articles? I felt that their knowledge had not developed their persons, that the secret of higher man did not lie in their sophistication.
I wondered if I hadn\'t gone down the road of philosophy as far as one could go. While it had debunked my Christianity and provided some genuine insights, it had not yet answered the big questions. Moreover, I felt that this was somehow connected I didn\'t know whether as cause or effect to the fact that our intellectual tradition no longer seemed to seriously comprehend itself. What were any of us, whether philosophers, fishermen, garbagemen, or kings, except bit players in a drama we did not understand, diligently playing out our roles until our replacements were sent, and we gave our last performance? But could one legitimately hope for more than this? I read "Kojves Introduction to the Reading of Hegel", in which he explained that for Hegel, philosophy did not culminate in the system, but rather in the Wise Man, someone able to answer any possible question on the ethical implications of human actions. This made me consider our own plight in the twentieth century, which could no longer answer a single ethical question.
It was thus as if this century\'s unparalleled mastery of concrete things had somehow ended by making us things. I contrasted this with Hegel\'s concept of the concrete in his "Phenomenology of Mind". An example of the abstract, in his terms, was the limitary physical reality of the book now held in your hands, while the concrete was its interconnection with the larger realities it presupposed, the modes of production that determined the kind of ink and paper in it, the aesthetic standards that dictated its color and design, the systems of marketing and distribution that had carried it to the reader, the historical circumstances that had brought about the readers literacy and taste; the cultural events that had mediated its style and usage; in short, the bigger picture in which it was articulated and had its being. For Hegel, the movement of philosophical investigation always led from the abstract to the concrete, to the more real. He was therefore able to say that philosophy necessarily led to theology, whose object was the ultimately real, the Deity. This seemed to me to point up an irreducible lack in our century. I began to wonder if, by materializing our culture and our past, we had not somehow abstracted ourselves from our wider humanity, from our true nature in relation to a higher reality.
At this juncture, I read a number of works on Islam, among them the books of Seyyed Hossein Nasr, who believed that many of the problems of western man, especially those of the environment, were from his having left the divine wisdom of revealed religion, which taught him his true place as a creature of God in the natural world and to understand and respect it. Without it, he burned up and consumed nature with ever more effective technological styles of commercial exploitation that ruined his world from without while leaving him increasingly empty within, because he did not know why he existed or to what end he should act.
I reflected that this might be true as far as it went, but it begged the question as to the truth of revealed religion. Everything on the face of the earth, all moral and religious systems, were on the same plane, unless one could gain certainty that one of them was from a higher source, the sole guarantee of the objectivity, the whole force, of moral law. Otherwise, one man\'s opinion was as good as another\'s, and we remained in an undifferentiated sea of conflicting individual interests, in which no valid objection could be raised to the strong eating the weak.
I read other books on Islam, and came across some passages translated by W. Montgomery Watt from "That Which Delivers from Error" by the theologian and mystic Ghazali, who, after a mid-life crises of questioning and doubt, realized that beyond the light of prophetic revelation there is no other light on the face of the earth from which illumination may be received, the very point to which my philosophical inquiries had led. Here was, in Hegel\'s terms, the Wise Man, in the person of a divinely inspired messenger who alone had the authority to answer questions of good and evil.
I also read A.J. Arberrys translation "The Qur\'an Interpreted", and I recalled my early wish for a sacred book. Even in translation, the superiority of the Muslim scripture over the Bible was evident in every line, as if the reality of divine revelation, dimly heard of all my life, had now been placed before my eyes. In its exalted style, its power, its inexorable finality, its uncanny way of anticipating the arguments of the atheistic heart in advance and answering them; it was a clear exposition of God as God and man as man, the revelation of the awe-inspiring Divine Unity being the identical revelation of social and economic justice among men.
I began to learn Arabic at Chicago, and after studying the grammar for a year with a fair degree of success, decided to take a leave of absence to try to advance in the language in a year of private study in Cairo. Too, a desire for new horizons drew me, and after a third season of fishing, I went to the Middle East.
In Egypt, I found something I believe brings many to Islam, namely, the mark of pure monotheism upon its followers, which struck me as more profound than anything I had previously encountered. I met many Muslims in Egypt, good and bad, but all influenced by the teachings of their Book to a greater extent than I had ever seen elsewhere. It has been some fifteen years since then, and I cannot remember them all, or even most of them, but perhaps the ones I can recall will serve to illustrate the impressions made.
One was a man on the side of the Nile near the Miqyas Gardens, where I used to walk. I came upon him praying on a piece of cardboard, facing across the water. I started to pass in front of him, but suddenly checked myself and walked around behind, not wanting to disturb him. As I watched a moment before going my way, I beheld a man absorbed in his relation to God, oblivious to my presence, much less my opinions about him or his religion. To my mind, there was something magnificently detached about this, altogether strange for someone coming from the West, where praying in public was virtually the only thing that remained obscene.
Another was a young boy from secondary school who greeted me near Khan al-Khalili, and because I spoke some Arabic and he spoke some English and wanted to tell me about Islam, he walked with me several miles across town to Giza, explaining as much as he could. When we parted, I think he said a prayer that I might become Muslim.
Another was a Yemeni friend living in Cairo who brought me a copy of the Qur\'an at my request to help me learn Arabic. I did not have a table beside the chair where I used to sit and read in my hotel room, and it was my custom to stack the books on the floor. When I set the Qur\'an by the others there, he silently stooped and picked it up, out of respect for it. This impressed me because I knew he was not religious, but here was the effect of Islam upon him.
Another was a woman I met while walking beside a bicycle on an unpaved road on the opposite side of the Nile from Luxor. I was dusty, and somewhat shabbily clothed, and she was an old woman dressed in black from head to toe who walked up, and without a word or glance at me, pressed a coin into my hand so suddenly that in my surprise I dropped it. By the time I picked it up, she had hurried away. Because she thought I was poor, even if obviously non-Muslim, she gave me some money without any expectation for it except what was between her and her God. This act made me think a lot about Islam, because nothing seemed to have motivated her but that.
Many other things passed through my mind during the months I stayed in Egypt to learn Arabic. I found myself thinking that a man must have some sort of religion, and I was more impressed by the effect of Islam on the lives of Muslims, a certain nobility of purpose and largesse of soul, than I had ever been by any other religions or even atheisms effect on its followers. The Muslims seemed to have more than we did.
Christianity had its good points to be sure, but they seemed mixed with confusions, and I found myself more and more inclined to look to Islam for their fullest and most perfect expression. The first question we had memorized from our early catechism had been Why were you created? to which the correct answer was To know, love, and serve God. When I reflected on those around me, I realized that Islam seemed to furnish the most comprehensive and understandable way to practice this on a daily basis.
As for the inglorious political fortunes of the Muslims today, I did not feel these to be a reproach against Islam, or to relegate it to an inferior position in a natural order of world ideologies, but rather saw them as a low phase in a larger cycle of history. Foreign hegemony over Muslim lands had been witnessed before in the thorough going destruction of Islamic civilization in the thirteenth century by the Mongol horde, who razed cities and built pyramids of human heads from the steppes of Central Asia to the Muslim heartlands, after which the fullness of destiny brought forth the Ottoman Empire to raise the Word of Allah and make it a vibrant political reality that endured for centuries. It was now, I reflected, merely the turn of contemporary Muslims to strive for a new historic crystallization of Islam, something one might well aspire to share in.
When a friend in Cairo one day asked me, Why don\'t you become a Muslim?, I found that Allah had created within me a desire to belong to this religion, which so enriches its followers, from the simplest hearts to the most magisterial intellects. It is not through an act of the mind or will that anyone becomes a Muslim, but rather through the mercy of Allah, and this, in the final analysis, was what brought me to Islam in Cairo in 1977.
Is it not time that the hearts of those who believe should be humbled to the Remembrance of God and the Truth which He has sent down, and that they should not be as those to whom the Book was given aforetime, and the term seemed over long to them, so that their hearts have become hard, and many of them are ungodly? Know that God revives the earth after it was dead. We have indeed made clear for you the signs, that haply you will understand. (Qur\'an 57:16-17)
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More Hispanic Americans are Converting to Islam

Steve Mort, 9th February, 2007, Voice of America, The number of Hispanic Americans converting to Islam is growing rapidly -- particularly in New York, California, Texas and Florida, which have the greatest concentration of Hispanic residents. Muslim leaders say interest in Islam has increased in the past few years, and they also note that Muslims and Hispanics, many of whom are immigrants, share a number of common concerns.
Steve Mort reports from a mosque in Florida that has seen a steady increase in Latino worshippers.
The al-Rahman mosque in Orlando opened in 1975 and is the oldest Muslim place of worship in the city.
But over the years its membership has changed, and now increasing numbers of Hispanics, like Jesus Marti, are joining the congregation. "It\'s the right way to be worshipping God, and I love the Islamic religion. It really has given me a lot of knowledge, and I have learned so many things from Islam."
Jesus, a Puerto Rican living in Florida, converted to Islam only a year ago. He is one of tens of thousands of Hispanic Muslims in the United States: estimates range from around 70,000 to 200,000.
He says that while he has faced criticism for converting to Islam, he has found broad acceptance as a Muslim in America. "Islam is not a country. Islam is a religion. Islam is definitely a way of life, for discipline where you follow and you try to enhance yourself to get the most positive things out of yourself for the benefit of your own self and for the benefit of your own family and the society as a whole."
Muslim leaders say Jesus Marti and other Hispanics choose Islam for a variety of reasons. They say Muslims and Hispanics face common issues and concerns, like finding their way in a new, unfamiliar country. The media focus on Islam since September 11th has also been factor.
Imam Muhammad Musri is president of the Islamic Society of Central Florida. The society has about 40,000 members. Iman Musri says Latinos and Muslims find they have a lot in common. "There are so many common denominators between immigrant Muslims and immigrant Hispanics who see the issues common to both of them -- immigration issues, as it is a big discussion in the United States, and there are other issues of trying to find a job, keep a job, buy a home -- all the same struggles two groups of people happen to be going through creates this bond between them".
Hundreds of worshippers attend Imam Musri\'s mosque, and there is an increasing demand for religious literature in Spanish.
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Why I Embraced Islam?

Assalamu Alaykum;
My name is Zahida. It wasn\'t always my name, but I changed it because I\'ve changed myself. I\'ve been Muslim for a few years, Al-humdulillah I am married and have two children. I was born in America and raised in Illinois. My nationality is half-Czech on my father\'s side and Italian, English, and Irish from my mother\'s. As for my childhood, there wasn\'t much of it; my parents were divorced when I was young. Later, I was sent to live with relatives. My life was far from a happy one, (Al-humdulillah). I say Al-humdulillah for Allah knows what\'s best for me. Perhaps my hardships helped me appreciate what I have and better understand others.
My great-grandmother was very religious as a Christian. She sent my brothers and sisters along with myself to Church every Wednesday and Sunday. I felt I just didn\'t fit in; the games were fun, but when it came to religion and the Bible, it just never made, since, I always felt that Jesus was not god, which made it more difficult, because they were saying Jesus is god and Jesus is god\'s son. When they prayed they always prayed to Jesus, but what about Allah the Almighty. I decided that when I get older, I would start going to another Church. I went to a Catholic and a Baptist Church but still felt lost. Everything they talked about was so unclear; like someone speaking a foreign language I couldn\'t understand. So I gave up.
So many years later, I met my husband, (Al-humdulillah). And with Allah\'s help, my husband started discussing Islam with me. At first, I said: I will not become Muslim, because I thought it was going to be the same as the rest. Then I found out that Muslims believe that Jesus wasn\'t God or God\'s son. After that, I became more interested and eager to learn more. So I started asking questions and reading everything about Islam I could get my hands on. Al-humdulillah, a year later, I accepted Islam. Six months later, I wore Hijab and three months after that, I wore hijab, Al-humdulillah. Allah guided me to the path of righteousness; I try to apply what I learn, because this is what really counts.
I know some of you are probably wondering about how my family responded to my change. Well, everyone seems to accept it except for the Hijab and Hijab part, they always ask: Why do you have to cover your hair? Do you have to wear the Hijab all the time? My oldest sister does not accept Islam; she is Christian and thinks that Islam is some sort of a cult. She is under the idea that we pray to the sun and moon. My youngest sister doesn\'t know which religion to choose. Of course I tell her about Islam, but she doesn\'t want our other sister\'s opinion or mine, so she doesn\'t choose. I still pray that Allah helps her find the straight path as He did for me and all of you, Al-humdulillah. I wanted to do this web page to share with you what I learned from reading and talking to others. I believe we should share what we know with each other to better ourselves. Inshallah this will happen. It\'s always a pleasure to talk and meet with other Muslims.
May Allah bless you with what you need and keep us on the right path. Also, let\'s ask that Allah helps and has mercy on our brothers and sisters all over the world.
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Anselm Tormeeda – A Convert to Islam

(Extracted from Material on the Authenticity of the Qur\'an: Proofs that it is a Revelation from Almighty God
Great numbers of Christians embraced Islam during and soon after the Islamic conquests after the prophets death. They were never compelled, rather it was a recognition of what they were already expecting. Anselm Tormeeda, a priest and Christian scholar was one such person who\'s history is worth relating. He wrote a famous book The Gift to the Intelligent for Refuting the Arguments of the Christians. In the introduction to this work he relates his history:
"Let it be known to all of you that my origin is from the city of Majorca, which is a great city on the sea, between two mountains and divided by a small valley. It is a commercial city, with two wonderful harbours. Big merchant ships come and anchor in the harbour with different goods. The city is on the island which has the same name - Majorca, and most of its land is populated with fig and olive trees. My father was a well respected man in the city. I was his only son.
When I was six, he sent me to a priest who taught me to read the Gospel and logic, which I finished in six years. After that I left Majorca and traveled to the city of Larda, in the region of Castillion, which was the centre of learning for Christians in that region. A thousand to a thousand and a half Christian students gathered there. All were under the administration of the priest who taught them. I studied the Gospel and its language for another four years. After that I left for Bologne in the region of Anbardia. Bologne is a very large city, it being the centre of learning for all the people of that region. Every year, more than two thousand students gather together from different places. They cover themselves with rough cloth which they call the "Hue of God". All of them, whether the son of a workman or the son of a ruler wear this wrap, in order to make the students distinct from others.
Only the priest teaches controls and directs them. I lived in the church with an aged priest. He was greatly respected by the people because of his knowledge and religiousness and asceticism, which distinguished him from the other Christian priests. Questions and requests for advice came from everywhere, from Kings and rulers, along with presents and gifts. They hoped that he would accept their presents and grant them his blessings. This priest taught me the principles of Christianity and its rulings. I became very close to him by serving and assisting him with his duties until I became one of his most trusted assistants, so that he trusted me with the keys of his domicile in the church and of the food and the drink stores. He kept for himself only the key of a small room were he used to sleep. I think, and Allah knows best, that he kept his treasure chest in there. I was a student and servant for a period of ten years, then he fell ill and failed to attend the meetings of his fellow priests.
During his absence the priests discussed some religious matters, until they came to what was said by the Almighty Allah through his prophet Jesus in the Gospel: "After him will come a Prophet called Paraclete". They argued a great deal about this Prophet and as to who he was among the Prophets. Everyone gave his opinion according to his knowledge and understanding; and they ended without achieving any benefit in that issue. I went to my priest, and as usual he asked about what was discussed in the meeting that day. I mentioned to him the different opinions of priests about the name Paraclete, and how they finished the meeting without clarifying its meaning. He asked me: "What was your answer?" I gave my opinion which was taken from interpretation of a well known exegesis. He said that I was nearly correct like some priests, and the other priests were wrong. "But the truth is different from all of that. This is because the interpretation of that noble name is known only to a small number of well versed scholars. And we posses only a little knowledge." I fell down and kissed his feet, saying: "Sir, you know that I traveled and came to you from a far distant country, I have served you now for more than ten years; and have attained knowledge beyond estimation, so please favour me and tell me the truth about this name." The priest then wept and said: "My son, by God, you are very much dear to me for serving me and devoting yourself to my care. Know the truth about this name, and there is a great benefit, but there is also a great danger. And I fear that when you know this truth, and the Christians discover that, you will be killed immediately." I said: "By God, by the Gospel and He who was sent with it, I shall never speak any word about what you will tell me, I shall keep it in my heart." He said: "My son, when you came here from your country, I asked you if it is near to the Muslims, and whether they made raids against you and if you made raids against them. This was to test your hatred for Islam. Know, my son, that Paraclete is the name of their Prophet Muhammad, to whom was revealed the fourth book as mentioned by Daniel. His way is the clear way which is mentioned in the Gospel." I said: "Then sir, what do you say about the religion of these Christians?" He said: "My son, if these Christians remained on the original religion of Jesus, then they would have been on God\'s religion, because the religion of Jesus and all the other Prophets is the true religion of God. But they changed it and became unbelievers." I asked him: "Then, sir, what is the salvation from this?" He said "Oh my son, embracing Islam." I asked him: "Will the one who embraces Islam be saved?" He answered: "Yes, in this world and the next." I said: "The prudent chooses for himself; if you know, sir the merit of Islam, then what keeps you from it?" He answered: "My son, the Almighty Allah did not expose me to the truth of Islam and the Prophet of Islam until after I have become old and my body weakened. Yes, there is no excuse for us in this, on the contrary, the proof of Allah has been established against us. If God had guided me to this when I was your age I would have left everything and adopted the religion of truth. Love of this world is the essence of every sin, and look how I am esteemed, glorified and honoured by the Christians, and how I am living in affluence and comfort! In my case, if I show a slight inclination towards Islam they would kill me immediately. Suppose that I was saved from them and succeeded in escaping to the Muslims, they would say, do not count your Islam as a favour upon us, rather you have benefited yourself only by entering the religion of truth, the religion that will save you from the punishment of Allah! So I would live among them as a poor old man of more than ninety years, without knowing their language, and would die among them starving. I am, and all praise is due to Allah, on the religion of Christ and on that which he came with, and Allah knows that from me." So I asked him: "Do you advise me to go to the country of the Muslims and adopt their religion?" He said to me: "If you are wise and hope to save yourself, then race to that which will achieve this life and the hereafter. But my son, none is present with us concerning this matter , it is between you and me only. Exert yourself and keep it a secret. If it is disclosed and the people know about it they will kill you immediately. I will be of no benefit to you against them. Neither will it be of any use to you if you tell them what you heard from me concerning Islam, or that I encouraged you to be a Muslim, for I shall deny it. They trust my testimony against yours. So do not tell a word, whatever happens." I promised him not to do so.
He was satisfied and content with my promise. I began to prepare for my journey and bid him farewell. He prayed for me and gave me fifty golden dinars. Then I took a ship to my city Majorca where I stayed with my parents for six months. Then I traveled to Sicily and remained there five months, waiting for a ship bound for the land of the Muslims. Finally a ship arrived bound for Tunis. We departed before sunset and reached the port of Tunis at noon on the second day. When I got off the ship, Christian scholars who heard of my arrival came to greet me and I stayed with them for four months in ease and comfort. After that I asked them if there was a translator. The Sultan in those days was Abu al-Abbas Ahmed. They said there was a virtuous man, the Sultan\'s physician, who was one of his closest advisors. His name was Yusuf al-Tabeeb. I was greatly pleased to here this, and asked where he lived. They took me there to meet him separately. I told him about my story and the reason of my coming there; which was to embrace Islam. He was immensely pleased because this matter would be completed by his help. We rode to the Sultan\'s Palace. He met the Sultan and told him about my story and asked his permission for me to meet him.
The Sultan accepted, and I presented myself before him. The first question the Sultan asked was about my age. I told him that I was thirty-five years old. He then asked about my learning and the sciences which I had studied. After I told him he said. "Your arrival is the arrival of goodness . Be a Muslim with Allah\'s blessings." I then said to the doctor, "Tell the honourable Sultan that it always happens that when anyone changes his religion his people defame him and speak evil of him. So, I wish if he kindly sends to bring the Christian priests and merchants of this city to ask them about me and hear what they have to say. Then by Allah\'s will, I shall accept Islam." He said to me through the translator, "You have asked what Abdullah bin Salaam asked from the Prophet when he-Abdullah came to announce his Islam." He then sent for the priests and some Christian merchants and let me sit in an adjoining room unseen by them. "What do you say about this new priest who arrived by ship?", he asked. They said: "He is a great scholar in our religion. Our bishops say he is the most learned and no one is superior to him in our religious knowledge." After hearing what the Christian said, the Sultan sent for me, and I presented myself before them. I declared the two testimonies that there is no one worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, and when the Christians heard this they crossed themselves and said: "Nothing incited him to do that except his desire to marry, as priests in our religion can not marry". Then they left in distress and grief.
The Sultan appointed for me a quarter of a dinar every day from the treasury and let me marry the daughter of Al-Hajj Muhammed al-Saffar. When I decided to consummate the marriage, he gave me a hundred golden dinars and an excellent suit of clothes. I then consummated the marriage and Allah blessed me with a child to whom I gave the name Muhammed as a blessing from the name of the Prophet."
[Note: The full name of Anselm Tormeeda is Abu Muhammad Abdullah Bin Abdullah Al-Tarjuman. The title of his book, in Arabic, is Tuhfat al-arib fi al-radd \'ala Ahl al-Salib.]
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Testimony of Yahya Donald W. Flood

Every day the sun shines on new people recognizing the truth and returning to their Creator in repentance and submission to Him. They are ambitious for his reward of eternal happiness in Paradise. These new followers give a new flavor to the Muslims of today with their sincerity, keenness and solid adherence to the teaching of Islam. From their vast experiences in the past, they command strong endurance and a particular understanding of their newly found path of truth to which God has guided them, finding their way with easiness and surety in life. They came to Islam with broad-mindedness and discernment of what is right and wrong. Some of them had reached satiety and disgust with material, promiscuous life and turned to Islam with true love for purity and homage to their Creator.
It is with pleasure that I introduce a friend whom God has guided to Islam, and indeed he has been guided well. Herein he relates his journey. I wish him success and happiness in the right path of God. We look forward to more people following in his footsteps.

Acknowledgments
First of all, I would like to praise God for guiding me to Islam. May He accept this work in His cause, and make it a means for individuals to find and follow the truth.
I’d also like to express my sincere gratitude to the individuals who informed me about Islam and those who were responsible for expanding my knowledge of Islam once I had become a Muslim. In addition, I wish to thank the Muslim brothers who encouraged me to write this story. Furthermore, I would like to recognize Dr. Wajieh Abderrahman, Um Muhammad, Ahmad Nurideen, Dr. Al-Taher Al-Hafez, Muhammad Yaqoob and Abdulhag Darden for reviewing this work. Likewise, I must acknowledge Al-Eman Printing Press for its diligence in publishing this story and the World Assembly of Muslim Youth(WAMY) for its support and distribution of this booklet. Lastly, special appreciation is due to Abdultawwab Abdulmalik for being a liaison between WAMY and Al-Eman during the publishing process. May we all reside in a lofty place in Paradise, God Willing!!!
(Yahya) Donald W. Flood. Madinah, Saudi Arabia, June 1999
Gathering the initial pieces of \'The Purpose of Life Puzzle\'
I once thought my upbringing offered an excellent way of life, especially since I felt satisfied both mentally and physically. As a young man, I lived the life of an average American who had a rather hedonistic lifestyle; I was fond of music, a festive atmosphere, games, sports, travel, ethnic foods and foreign languages. I reached a point, however, where I felt \'spiritually bankrupt\' and I asked myself,“now what?”and I thought, “there has to be more to life than this.” This realization was the impetus that led me to search for the truth through diverse avenues.
I assumed the reason I felt spiritually unfulfilled had to do with my lifestyle in America, which was often tied to instant gratification and impulsive behavior. As a result, I speculated that the answer might lie in finding a better locale. Thus, I began looking for that perfect place. After traveling to numerous destinations, I discovered that it wasn’t so much a perfect location I was looking for, but a particular culture with the most suitable approach to life. When I found what I considered to be the most appealing culture, I recognized that it still had flaws. Thereafter, I surmised that we should learn about the different ways people live and then select the best from these practices. This was perhaps the road to the truth.
Unable to really implement the life of a global citizen, I chose to read materials on metaphysics because the esoteric things in life always intrigued me. I quickly learned everything functions according to universal laws which can be used for one’s own benefit. After reading many books on this subject, I concluded that more important than these laws is the One Who created them, i.e., God I also discovered metaphysics can be a precarious path to follow, in which case, I refrained from any further reading in this area.
On the suggestion of a good friend, we went on a three-month camping trip all over America and Western Canada with the intention of discovering the purpose of life. We witnessed the marvels of nature and realized this world could not have been created by mistake, and that it was clearly a wonderland of signs pointing to its Creator. Hence, this trip reinforced my belief in God.
After returning home, I felt distressed at the busy life of the city, so I turned to meditation for relief. I was able to find inner peace through meditation techniques. Nevertheless, this tranquil feeling was only temporary; once I stood up, I couldn’t take that feeling with me. Likewise, being consistent with meditation became too much of a formidable task, so I slowly started losing interest.
Before long, I thought the truth might lie in self-improvement. Therefore I became a voracious reader of motivational materials and attended related seminars. In addition, I was striving to live up to the US Army’s slogan on TV commercials, ‘Be all you can be’, through endeavors in fire-walking, skydiving and martial arts. Due to my reading and challenging exploits, I gained a keen sense of self-confidence, but in fact, I still hadn’t discovered the truth.
Soon afterwards, I read numerous books on various philosophies. I found many interesting concepts and practices; yet, there wasn’t any particular philosophy that I could totally agree with. Thus, I chose to consolidate what I thought was the best wisdom from among these doctrines. It became sort of a ‘religion à la carte’ which mainly emphasized good moral behavior. I eventually concluded that good morality is good, but it is not good enough to solve ‘the purpose of life puzzle’ a more spiritual approach to life.
Shortly thereafter, I obtained a job in a Muslim country where I had enough of free time to read and reflect on life. While continuing my search for the truth, I found a recommendation in a book concerning the need for sincere repentance to God. I proceeded to do so and felt remorse for all the people I had wronged in my life, to the degree that tears started rolling down my face.
A few days later, I had a conversation with some Muslim friends. I mentioned to them that I was used to having a lot more freedom in America than that was present in their country. One person said, “ Well, it depends on what you mean by ‘freedom’. In your part of the world, no matter how well parents teach morality to their children inside the home, as soon as they go outside, they generally encounter the society in contradiction to that morality. On the other hand, in most Muslim communities, the morals taught to the children at home are very similar to what they find away from home. So who really has the freedom here?” From this analogy, I inferred that the Islamic guidelines and restrictions partially sanctioning human behavior are not meant to curtail human freedom; rather, they serve to define and dignify human freedom.
A further opportunity to learn about Islam arose when I was invited to sit with a group of Muslims over dinner. After mentioning to the group that I had been living in Las Vegas, Nevada before coming to the Middle East, a Muslim from America said, “ You must make sure you die as a good Muslim.” I immediately asked him to explain what he meant. He said “ If you die as a non-Muslim, it is like playing the game of roulette in which you put all of your chips (all of your life, including your deeds and your particular belief in God) on only one number, just hoping that perhaps by the Mercy of God, you will enter Paradise on Judgment Day. In contrast, if you die as a good Muslim, it is like spreading your chips all over the roulette board, so that every number is covered in this way, no matter what number the ball falls on, you’re safe. In other words, living and dying as a good Muslim is the best insurance you will not go to the Hell, and at the same time, it is the best investment that you’ll go to Paradise.” As a former resident of Las Vegas, I could directly relate to this poignant example with the game of roulette.
At this point, I understood I would not find the truth until I established a relationship with concentrate on those religions in which God had sent revelation to His prophets and messengers. Hence, I chose to continue my search for the truth through Christianity and Islam.
Christianity in Focus
Even though I up as a Christian, I had been confused and uninterested in Christianity. I felt like I inherited a mysterious religion beyond understanding. I believe it was for this reason that I was a Christian by name but not in practice. Furthermore, I realized my doubt about Christian beliefs caused me to be in a state of non-religiousness. Nonetheless, while I was searching for the truth, I had a chance to re-examine those beliefs I inherited from my parents yet never bothered to scrutinize.
Through booklets, cassettes and videotapes on Christianity produced by Muslims and non-Muslims, I surprisingly found out about hundreds of verses in Bible which reveal a lack of harmony in Christian beliefs. According to these materials, God was One prior to Jesus (peace be upon him; pbuh). Likewise, Jesus (pbuh) propagated the belief in One God. However, after Jesus (pbuh) Christianity emphasized the Trinity instead of the Oneness of God. Also, before Jesus (pbuh), God was without sons and equals. Similarly, Jesus (pbuh) said he was God’s messenger, whereas after his time, Christianity stressed that Jesus (pbuh) is God’s son or God Himself.
Regarding monotheism, the first of the Ten Commandments upholds Jesus’ (pbuh) assertion for the belief in One God, “…Here, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.” (Mark 12:29)[1] Likewise, there is plethora of verses in the Bible that refute the divinity of Jesus (pbuh). For example, Jesus (pbuh) admitted he could not do miracles independently, but only by the Will and permission of God.[2] Interestingly, it says in the Bible that Jesus (pbuh) prayed.[3] I asked myself, “How can Jesus (pbuh) be God and pray to God at the same time?” A praying God is a contradiction. Additionally, Jesus (pbuh) states that his teachings are not his own, but those of One who sent him.[4] Logically, if what he says is not his own, he is just a prophet receiving revelation from God like those before (and after) him. Moreover, Jesus (pbuh) admits that he does what he taught by God.[5] Again, I asked myself, “How can Jesus (pbuh) be taught and be God at the same time?” In my discussions with Muslims, they concurred with what Jesus (pbuh) commanded with respect to the belief in only One God, as in the following Qur’anic verse: Say, “ He is God, [Who is] One.” (112:1)[6]
I was also surprised to find out about the verses in the Bible which refer to Jesus (pbuh) as a prophet of God.[7] Likewise, I learned about the Islamic view of Jesus (pbuh) which is that he is a prophet and messenger of God. In the Qur’an God says, “The Messiah, son of Mary, is not but a messenger; [other] messengers have passed on before him. And his mother was a supporter of truth. They both used to eat food. Look how We make clear to them the signs; then look how they are deluded.” (5:75)
Another common belief in Christianity is that Jesus (pbuh) is the son of God.
According to the Bible, it was customary to call any prophet of God, or righteous man, a son of God. Jesus (pbuh) called himself the son of man, not God or God\'s literal son.[8] Evidently, Paul was most responsible for elevating the status of Jesus (pbuh) to the son of God, distorting the teachings of Jesus (pbuh).[9]
What\'s more, Jesus (pbuh) did not appear to be the \'begotten\' son of God (as it used to say in John 3:16) since this word has been cancelled from the Revised Standard Version (RSV), as well as many other new versions of the Bible. Furthermore, God emphatically says in the Qur\'an that He does not have a son.[10] However, God also declared that He created Adam (pbuh) and Jesus (pbuh): "Indeed, the example of Jesus to God is like that of Adam. He created him from dust; then He said to him "Be", and he was." (3:59)
Subsequent to these modification emperors and clergy made further fabrications, contrary to what Jesus (pbuh) said or did. Of these is the concept of Trinity in which Jesus (pbuh) is one of the three manifestations of the Trinitarian God [the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost].[11] In the Bible, this verse given as the best proof for the Doctrine Trinity, even though this doctrine was never forth by Jesus (pbuh), his disciples, or a Christian scholars. In fact, it was enacted after much disagreement and conflict among Christians in the year 325 AD at the Council Nicea. Interestingly, this verse has been expunged from the Bibles of the modern age.
In addition, the Qur\'an warns the Jews Christians to refrain from disbelieving in revelation of God and against believing in Trinity.[12]
A related area of controversy I read about was \'original sin\' and salvation through \'the crucifixion\' of Jesus (pbuh). Presumably, before Jesus (pbuh), there was no Doctrine of Original Sin. However, after Jesus (pbuh), the Doctrine of Original Sin appeared. Moreover, before Jesus (pbuh), salvation was obtained by obedience to God whereas after Jesus (pbuh), salvation was achieved through his crucifixion so they said.
In Christianity, the Doctrine of Original Sin is the justification for having salvation through the crucifixion of Jesus (pbuh). Nevertheless, I found out that this doctrine is strongly negated in the Old Testament.[13] It seems this concept may have been designed as a way for its believers to eschew their accountability of sins before God on Judgement Day.[14] It was brought to my attention that, according to Jesus (pbuh), man is saved through obedience and submission to God.[15] Correspondingly, in the Qur\'an, every soul is compensated for what it earns.[16] However, it seems that changed this doctrine, making salvation through the crucifixion of Jesus (pbuh).[17]
The theory of salvation through crucifixion holds that Jesus (pbuh) offered himself will to be crucified to ransom and save humanity If so, why did Jesus (pbuh) request help God before the soldiers came to arrest him?: “…Father, save me from this hour.” (12:27) Likewise, why does the Bible say Jesus (pbuh) cried out in a loud beseeching God for help on the cross: “…My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”(Matt. 27:46) In addition, how could Jesus (pbuh) have been crucified for the of all humans when he was sent only to the Children of Israel?[18] This is clearly contradiction. I found the foregoing verses be very convincing that Jesus (pbuh)was crucified on the cross to redeem the sins mankind. The Qur\'an says they did not crucify him, but it was someone else who was made to look like him.[19] If this is correct, then it may explain the appearance of Jesus (pbuh) to his disciples after the crucifixion. If he had really died on the cross, then he would have come to his disciples in a spiritual body. As shown in Luke 24:36-43, Jesus (pbuh) met them with his physical body after the event of his alleged crucifixion. Accordingly, I learned it was Paul who taught the resurrection of Jesus(pbuh).[20] Paul also admitted the resurrection was his own gospel.[21]
I came across many sources indicating that Paul and others were frustrated by the Jewish rejection of the message of Jesus (pbuh), so they extended their call to the Gentiles. They reached into southern Europe, where polytheism and idolatry were spreading. Gradually, the message of Jesus (pbuh) was modified to suit the tastes and traditions of the Romans and Greeks of those days.[22] The Bible warns against adding or removing information from its teachings, which is precisely happened.[23] God addresses this point in Qur\'an as well, "So woe to those who write the "scripture" with their own hands, then say, "This is from God," in order to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn. " (2:79)
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the Scriptures
Another interesting point I learned about concerns Biblical prophecies on the advent of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). I discovered that clear prophecies exist in the Bible, (even the original text had been distorted), foretelling the coming of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) after Jesus (pbuh).[24] Muslim scholars have affirmed that the description by Jesus (pbuh) of the one to come after him(in the verses cited in below) cannot apply to any other person but Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Furthermore, there is a verse in the Holy Qur\'an confirming what Jesus (pbuh) said regarding this point, "... O Children of Israel, I am the Messenger of God to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad ... " (61:6) The name Ahmad is another name for Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and derived from the same root word.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the Qur\'an
I observed that the Qur\'an directs us to believe in God and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as in the following verse: Say, [O Muhammad], "O mankind, Indeed, I am the Messenger of God to you all, [from Him] to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death. So believe in God and His Messenger, the illiterate prophet, who believes in God and His words, and follow him that you may be guided. " (7-158)
I came to know that the Qur\'an also refers to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as the last prophet: "Muhammad is not the father of [any] of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of God and seal [i.e., last] of the prophets..." (33:40) Even though God states in the Qur\'an that Muhammad (pbuh) is the last prophet, I discovered that Muslims still believe in and accept all the previous prophets, along with the revelations they received in their original form.[25]
The Qur\'an: The Last Revelation
I comprehended that it was found amen due to innovations attributed to Divine revelation that the need arose for another prophet after Jesus (pbuh) with another revelation after the Gospel. This is why God sent Muhammad (pbuh) with the last Message, (i.e., the Qur\'an), to bring all of mankind back to the belief in and worship of One God, without partners or intermediaries. According to Muslims, the Holy Qur\'an is the permanent ultimate source of guidance for mankind offers a rational and historical elucidation of the magnificent role of Jesus. The name Jesus (pbuh) is cited twenty-five times in the Qur\'an, which contains a chapter called Maryam(Mary), named after the mother of Jesus (pbuh).
Regarding the Divine authenticity of this revelation, I found the following Qur\'anic verses very compelling: "And it was not [possible] for this Qur\'an to be produced by other than God, but [it is] a confirmation of what was before it and a detailed explanation of the [former] Scripture, about which there is no doubt, from the Lord of the worlds." (10:37) and "And indeed, it is the truth of certainty." (69:51) Similarly, I was concerned about the adulteration of the Qur\'an since this was a major problem with the previous revelations. I read that the Qur\'an will never change or be abrogated: "Indeed, it is We who sent down the message [i.e., the Qur\'an], and indeed, We will be its guardian. " (15:9)[26]
I was also informed about some of the scientific phenomena mentioned in the Qur\'an, which give credence to the belief that the Qur\'an is the literal word of God. There are verses describing human embryonic development,[27] mountains,[28] the origin of the universe,[29] the cerebrum,[30] seas,[31] deep seas, and internal waves[32] and clouds.[33] It is beyond explanation that anyone, more than fourteen hundred years ago, could have known the facts, which were found or confirmed on recently by advanced mechanisms a sophisticated scientific procedures.
Islam: The Essence and Culmination of Revealed Religions
Muslims believe that the essential purpose for which mankind was created is the worship of God. As He said in the Qur\'an, "And I did not create the jinn [i.e., a type of creation, created by God from fire] and mankind except to worship Me" (51:56) Related to this, a well known Islamic scholar from the West says, "The most complete system of worship available humans today is the system found in the religion of Islam, The very name \'Islam\' means \'submission to the Will of God\'. Although it commonly referred to as \'the third of the three monotheistic faiths, it is not a new religion at all. It is the religion brought by all the prophets of God for humankind. Islam was the religion of Adam, Abraham, Moses and Jesus.\'\'[34]
In addition he states, "Since there is only One God, and humankind is one species, the religion that God has ordained for humans is [essentially] one... Human spiritual and social needs are uniform and human nature has not changed since the first man and woman were created”.[35]
Uncovering the fact that the message of God has always been the same, I realized it is the duty of all human beings to seek the truth and not just blindly accept the religion that their society or parents follow, According to the Qur\'an, "You worship besides Him not except [mere] names you have named, you and your fathers, for which God has sent down no authority..." (12:40) Regarding fitrah [i.e., the inherent nature of man to worship God prior to the corruption of his nature by external influences], Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, "Every child is born on Al-Fitrah, and his parents convert him to Judaism or Christianity or Magianism. As an animal delivers a perfect baby animal, do you find it mutilated?"[36] Furthermore, God says,, \'So direct your face [i.e., self] toward the religion, inclining toward truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah of God upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of God. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know. " (30:30)[37] Moreover, I learned there no other religion acceptable to God besides Islam, as He clearly states in the Qur\'an: "And whoever desires other than Islam as a religion, never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers. " (3:85). I deduced that man might neglect the guidance of God and establish his own standards of living. Ultimately, however, he will discover it is only a mirage that alluded him.
A Traveler
As I continued to read the Qur\'an and learn about the sayings and doings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) [the Sunnah], I noticed Islam views man as a traveler in this life and the \'Home\' is in the next life for eternity. We are here for a short period and we cannot take anything with us from this life except our belief in God and our deeds. Thus, man should be like a traveler who passes through the land and does not become attached to it. As travelers on this journey, we must understand that the meaning of being alive is to be tested. Hence, there is suffering, joy, pain and elation. These tests of good and evil are intended to evoke our higher spiritual qualities. Yet, we are incapable of benefiting from these tests unless we do our best, have complete trust in God and patiently accept what He has destined for us.
The Road to Paradise
It was very meaningful to learn about Paradise since this must certainly be the ultimate goal of every individual. Regarding this eternal home, God says, "And no soul knows what has been hidden for it of comfort for eyes [i.e., satisfaction] as a reward for what it used to do. " (32:17) 1 also became aware of a pleasure that is beyond all imagination, which is to be in the Presence of the Creator Himself. I wondered who are the souls worthy of such a reward? This reward of Paradise is too great not to have a price. I was told the price is true faith, which is proven by obedience to God and following the Sunnah(way) of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
I grasped that mankind must worship God to attain righteousness and the spiritual status necessary to enter Paradise.[38] This means human beings have to comprehend that worship is as indispensable as eating and breathing and not a favor they are doing for God. Likewise, I found out that we need to read the Qur’an to find out what kind of people God wants us to be and then try to become as such. This is the road to Paradise.
Overcoming an Obstacle
At this point, I felt about 80% sure I wanted to become a Muslim, but something was holding me back. I was concerned about the reaction of my family and friends if they knew that I had become a Muslim. Shortly thereafter, I expressed this concern to a Muslim who told me that on Judgement Day, no one will be able to help you, not your father, mother or any of your friends.[39] Therefore, if you believe Islam is the true religion, you should embrace it and live your life to please the One who created you. Thus, it became very lucid to me that we are all in the same boat; every soul shall taste death and then we\'ll be liable for our particular belief in God and for our deeds.[40]
A Meaningful Videotape
By this stage in my search for the truth, I was on the verge of embracing Islam. I watched an Islamic lecture on videotape about the purpose of life. The main theme of this lecture was that the purpose of life may be summed up in one word, i.e., Islam (peaceful submission to the Will of God).
An additional point was that, unlike other religions or beliefs, the term \'Islam\' is not associated with any particular person or place. God has named the religion in the following Qur\'anic verse: "Indeed, the Religion in the sight of God is Islam..." (3:19) Anyone who embraces Islam is called a Muslim regardless of that person\'s race, sex or nationality. This is one of the reasons why Islam is a universal religion.
Prior to my search for the truth, I had never seriously considered Islam as an option because of the constant negative portrayal of Muslims in the media. Similarly, it was disclosed in this videotape that although Islam, is characterized by high moral standards, not all Muslims uphold these standards. I learned the same can be said about adherents of other religions. I finally understood that we cannot judge a religion by the actions of its followers alone, as I had done, because all humans are fallible. On that account, we should not judge Islam by the actions of its proponents, but by its revelation (the Holy Qur\'an) and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
The last point I picked up from this lecture concerned the importance of gratitude. God mentions in the Qur\'an that we should be grateful for the fact that He created us: "And God has extracted you from the wombs of your mothers not knowing a thing, and He made for you hearing and vision and hearts [i.e., intellect that perhaps you would be grateful. " (16:78) God has also cited gratitude along with belief, and has made it clear that He gains nothing from punishing His people when they give thanks to Him and believe in Him. He says in the Qur\'an, "What would God do with [i.e., gain from] your punishment if you are grateful and believe? ..." (4:147)
The truth Unveils Itself
As soon as the videotape had finished, I experienced the truth being unveiled to my spirit. I felt a huge burden of sins flying off my back. Moreover, it felt like my soul was rising above the earth, refusing the makeshift delights of this world in favor of the eternal joys of the Hereafter. This experience, coupled with the long process of reasoning, solved the \'purpose of life puzzle\'. It revealed Islam as the truth, thereby replenishing my \'spiritual landscape\' with belief, purpose, direction and action. I therefore entered the gate of Islam by saying the declaration of faith required to become a Muslim: Ashhadu an La ilaha illa Allah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasoolu llah. (I bear witness that there is no deity but God and Muhammad is His Messenger). I was informed that this formal testimony confirms one\'s belief in all the prophets and messengers of God, along with all of His Divine revelations in their original form, thereby updating and completing one\'s religion to the last of the prophets [Muhammad (pbuh)] and to the final revelation of God [the Qur\'an]. The following point became overwhelmingly clear to me: Had Jesus (pbuh) been the last prophet of God an had the Gospel been the final book revelation, I would have attested to that. As a result, I have naturally chosen to follow the final revelation from the Creator as exemplified by the seal of the prophets.
Impressions of a New Muslim
During my search to find the truth, the lesson, which, transcended all lessons, was that all objects of worship other than God are mere delusions. To anyone who sees this clearly, the only possible course is to bring one\'s own will and actions into complete unison with that of God. Acquiescing to the Will of God has enabled me to feel peace with the Creator, with others and finally, with myself. Consequently, I feel very grateful, that by the Mercy of God, I have been rescued from the depths of ignorance and have stepped into the light of truth. Islam, the true religion of all times, places and peoples, is a complete code of life Which guides man to fulfill the purpose of his existence on earth, and prepares him for the Day when he will return to his Creator Following this path in a devout manner enables one to gain the pleasure of God and be closer to Him amid the endless delights of Paradise while escaping from the punishment of Hellfire Another bonus is that our present life will be much happier when we make such a choice.
A Deceptive Enjoyment
Embracing Islam has given me more of an insight into the illusive nature of this life. For instance, one basic object of Islam is the liberation of man. This is why a Muslim calls himself \'Abdullah\', the slave or servant of Allah (i.e., God) because enslavement to God signifies liberation from all other forms of servitude, and although modern man may think that he is liberated, he is in fact a slave to his desires. He is generally deceived by this worldly life. He is \'addicted\' to hoarding wealth, sex, violence, intoxicants, etc. But above all, he is often seduced by the capitalist system that tends to work through the invention of false needs, which he feels must be satisfied instantly, As God says in the Qur\'an, "Have you seen the one who takes as his god his own desire? Then would you be responsible for him? Or do you think that most of them hear or reason? They are not except as livestock. Rather, they are [even] more astray in [their] way. )” (25: 43-44)
Correspondingly, we should not let our zeal to enjoy the pleasures of this fleeting life jeopardize our opportunity to enjoy the ecstasy of Paradise. As God says in the Qur\'an, "Beautified for people is the love of that which they desire - of women and sons, heaped-up sums of gold and silver, fine branded horses, and cattle and tilled land. That is the enjoyment of, worldly life, but God has with Him the best return [i.e. Paradise]. Say, "Shall /inform you of something better than that? For those who fear God will be gardens in the presence of their Lord beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally, and purified spouses and approval from God..." (3:14-15) Therefore, the real competition in this life is not the accumulation of wealth or the desire for fame; it is facing with one another to perform good deeds to please God, while having our lawful portion of enjoyment in this life.[41]
The Right Path to God
There are many religious alternatives available to man and it is up to him to choose the one he wishes to follow. He is like a merchant with many goods in front of him, and it is his choice which one to trade in. He will obviously select the one he thinks will be the most lucrative. However, the merchant is unsure and has no guarantee of prosperity; his product may have a market and he may make handsome returns, but he could just as easily lose all of his money. In contrast, the believer in the Oneness of God who submits to His Will (a Muslim), is completely sure that if he follows the path of guidance [the Qur\'an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)], there will undoubtedly be success and reward waiting for him at the end of this path. Fortunately, this success also starts at the beginning of the path. Narrated by Abu Sa\'id Al-Khudri(may God be pleased with him)- God\'s Messenger(pbuh) said, "If a person embraces Islam sincerely, then God. shall forgive all his past sins, and after that starts the settlement of accounts: the reward of his good deeds will be ten times to seven hundred times for each good deed, and an evil deed will be recorded as it is unless God forgives it .[42]
Epilogue
Based on my search for the truth, I concluded that the precise way we believe in God and the deeds we perform determine our future condition for eternity. Our Creator is giving us all an equal chance, regardless of our circumstances, to earn His pleasure in preparation for Judgement Day, as in the following Qur\'anic verses: "And obey God and His messenger that you may obtain mercy. And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden [i.e., Paradise] as wide as the Heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous. " (3:132-133)[43]
If we sincerely seek the truth of this life, which is Islam (peaceful submission to the Will of God), God will guide us there, God Willing. He directs us to examine the life and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), as he represents the best role model for mankind to follow Furthermore, God directs us to investigate and ponder what He says in the Qur\'an. One will see that the Qur\'an is indeed like a persistent and strong knocking on a door, or loud shouts seeking to awaken those who are fast asleep because they are just completely absorbed by this life on earth. The knocks and shouts appear one after the other: Wake up! Look around you! Think! Reflect! God is there! There is planning, trial, accountability, reckoning, reward, severe punishment and lasting bliss!
Clearly and unequivocally, the best way to live and die in this world is as a righteous Muslim! When one comes to the conclusion that Islam is the truth, he should not delay in becoming a Muslim because he may die first, and then it will be too late.[44]
A few months after embracing Islam, I found two verses in the Qur\'an that mirror what the American Muslim told me regarding how we should live and die: "And Abraham instructed his sons and [so did] Jacob, [saying], “O my sons! Indeed God has chosen for you this religion, so do not die except while you are Muslims." (2:132) and “O you who have believed, fear God as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him]." (3:102)
References
All Biblical references were cited from Life Application Bible, New International Version, Tyndale House Publishers, In Wheaton ILL., USA, 1991.
All Qur\'anic references were cited from The Qur\'an- Arabic Text with correspond English Meanings, English revised and edited by Saheeh International, Abul-Qasim Publish House, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 1997.
[1] Also see Num. 23:19; Deut. 6:4,13; Matt. 4:10, 22:36-38,23:9-10; Mark 10:18; Luke 4:8.
[2] See Matt. 12:28; Luke 11:20; John 3:2, 5:30; Acts 2:22.
[3] See Matt. 26:39; Mark 1:35, 14:32; Luke 5:16, 6:12.
[4] See John 7:16, 12:49, 14:24, 31.
[5] See John 8:28.
[6] Also see 4:48; 5:116; 39:67.
[7] See Matt. 13:57, 21:11, 45-46; Mark 6:4; Luke 4: 43, 13:33, 24:19; Hebrews 3:1.
[8] See Matt. 13:37; Luke 12:10; 1 Tim. 2:5.
[9] See Acts 9:20.
[10] See 19:88-92.
[11] See 1 John 5:7.
[12] See 3:19; 4:171; 5:73.
[13] See Ezekial 18:20; Jeremiah 31:30.
[14] See Ephesians 1:7; Romans 3:22-26, 4:25, 10:9.
[15] See Matt. 5:19-20, 6:4, 7:21, 19:17.
[16] See 3:25; 41:46; 74:38.
[17] See Romans 3:28; 1 John 2:1-2.
[18] See Matt. 10:5-6, 15:24.
[19] See 4:157-158.
[20] See Romans 5:10-11; Acts 17:17,18.
[21] See 2 Timothy 2:8.
[22] See 1 Cor. 9:19:-23.
[23] See Rev. 22:18-19.
[24] See Deut. 18:18-19; Isaiah 29:12; John 14:12-17, 16:5-16; Acts 3:22.
[25] See 2:136.
[26] Also see 4:82.
[27] See 23:12-14.
[28] See 16:15; 78:6-7.
[29] See 21:30; 41:11.
[30] See 96:15-16.
[31] See 25:53; 55:19-20.
[32] See 24:40.
[33] See 24:43.
[34] The Purpose of Creation, Dr. A. A. B. Philips, p. 49, Dar Al Fatah, Sharjah, UAE, 1995. See Qur’an 3:67; 3:84.
[35] Ibid . p. 50.
[36] Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol. 2, Hadith No. 467.
[37] Also see 2:170; 10:19; 31:21; 43:23; 49:6; 53:23.
[38] See Qur’an 2:111-112; 10:63-64.
[39] See Qur’an 31:33; 82:18-19.
[40] See Qur’an 29:57; 3:185.
[41] See Qur’an 28:77.
[42] Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol. 1, Hadith No. 40A.
[43] Also see 20:82.
[44] See Qur’an 23:99-100; 63:10-11.

www.imamreza.net

Edoardo Agnelli

Edoardo Agnelli was born on June 1954 in New York city , his father was Christian and his mother was Jewish . His mother (Marella Caracciolo di Castagneto ) was a Jewish princess and his father was senator Gianni Agnelli, a famous and rich man in Italy . He was the owner of automobile factories, Fiat, Ferrari, Lancia, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo and Iveco and also factories producing industrial parts, many private Banks, companies of fashion, design and clothes, important published newspapers such as (LASTAMPA) and (CorriereDellaSera), the clod-house of Ferrari motoring and the Juventus football club. In addition there are many building constructions and road construction companies, medical equipment and helicopter production companies in which his family are the main shareholders. The amount of his family's wealth and influence are so great that the press in Italy calls them the Italian royal family. The economic experts estimate the annual income of Agnelli's family to be many times more than the petroleum income of the Islamic Republic of Iran. ...

Edoardo is the only son of senator Agnelli . His only sister Margarita has 2 children which are the results of her two marriages. Her first husband was Jewish and her second husband Christian. She has three children by her first husband and four children by her second husband.
Edoardo completed his school education in Italy and for higher education he travelled to England. There he went to the Atlantic College and after that he continued his studies in Princeton University in the United States in the field of Theology and Eastern Philosophy in which he was able to obtain his PhD. During the time he was a student in New York (at the age of 20) one day while searching in the library he comes across a copy of the Holy Koran and starts reading. Later in speaking to his friends about this incident he says "One day in New York while I was in a library looking for some books I suddenly saw the Koran and was curious to know what it had to offer. I picked it up and started to read the English translation of the segments. While reading I felt that the words and phrases had a special power and light in them and that they couldn't be written by mankind. I was very much impressed so I borrowed it and studied it more. The more I read the more I felt that I completely understood and believed these words." After this he goes to an Islamic Center in New York and declares his desire about wanting to become a Muslim. There he becomes a Muslim and they give him the name "Hisham Aziz". Muhammad Is-haq Abdollahi one of his friends relates, "Edoardo would stay up many nights and study the Koran till morning." Some have claimed that the reason for his becoming a Moslem was due to his frequent companionship with Moslems but the real reason is completely something different as mentioned before( due to the economic and political position of his father no one dared to mention such matters or to invite Edoado to a new religion).
After becoming a Moslem Edoardo had met Dr Ghadiri Abyaneh and it was through him that Edoardo became a Shiite Moslem. Dr Ghadiri Abyaneh had gone to Italy in 1972 for the purpose of higher education and after the Islamic Revolution of Iran had become a member of the Iranian embassy and his acquaintance with Edoardo was at that time because of Edoardo's inclination and request. Dr Ghadiri relates his acquaintance with Edoardo as, "After a press conference in which I acted as the press counselor of the Iranian Embassy, on a Sunday when I was at the residence of the Embassy , the gatekeeper of the Embassy informed me that there was an Italian young man who wanted to see me. I told him to tell the young man to come back the next day but after some minutes the gatekeeper told me that the young man says 'God opens every closed door.' I Therefore told them to let him in and went to meet him.He was a tall, thin young man with an old motorcycle and he introduced himself as Edoardo Agnelli. Without expecting a positive answer I asked him whether he was related to the famous Agnelli family and to my surprise he said that he was their son."
When Mr. Fakhrodin Hejazi visits Italy in 1980 and meets Edoardo he asks Edoardo to confirm his becoming a Shiite once more and after Edoardo confirms the fact he chooses the name Mahdi for him. Edoardo used the name Hesham Aziz in most of his letters and correspondence but in correspondence with his Iranian friends he used the name Mahdi.
Edoardo traveled to Iran many times and on March 1981 he went to see Ayatollah Khomeini, and it was during this meeting session that the Ayatollah had kissed his forehead. He also met Mr Hashemi Rarfsanjani during his position as the chief of Islamic consultation assembly and Ayatollah Khamenei before his presidency. He also had a trip to Mashhad and visited the holy shrine of Imam Reza. The first time he visited Imam Reza he was told that whatever wish he may have shall be granted by the Imam because it was his first Ziyarat and when asked about his wish he had answered that he had asked the for his fathers love and kindness towards him.
From the beginning of his youth he had no desire to manage his father's wealth according to his father's methods and he was only in charge of the Juventus football club for a few years before they replaced him with his cousin. Towards the end of the 80's concerning talks about a successor for Senator Agnelli as the central leadership for Fiat, Edoardo was considered as inappropriate due to his religious views, but since he was the rightful successor they had to find a good reason for putting him aside. Around this time the media announced that Edoardo had been arrested in a city in Kenya charged with carrying 300g of heroin. The charge was completely false and the Kenyan Police and Court soon realized their mistake. But the Italian ,media which were mainly under the influence of his family continued the charges and some even called him a smuggler and claimed that his freedom was due to his father's power and influence. Later, even though some of the media admitted their mistake, the rumours had made the general public tendency in favour of a successor other than Edoardo.
In the early 90's his cousin Jovanni Amperto was chosen as successor. Edoardo was not against this decision and even congratulated his cousin on his new position advising him not to become a toy in the hands of money-hungry, worldly people. But some years later Jovanni died young because of an unknown kind of cancer. (the interesting thing was that Georgo, the brother of senator Agnelli had died young many years ago, a suspicious death, and all his wealth had been divided between the others) Very soon after his death the head committee, chose Jacob Alkan, Edoardo's Jewish nephew, as the new successor. This decision greatly alarmed Edoardo. This time he did not remain silent and when he found out that his family was trying to change Jacob's surname from Alkan to Agnelli severely opposed the decision and did not let that happen.
Edoardo had an interview with the "munifest"(a newspaper belonging to the leftist party of Italy and opposed to his father's political inclinations) and greatly protested against his family's choice. In the interview he said that right after his cousin's funeral, his nephew Jacob Alkan had been chosen as the successor and that he believed that his appointment as the head of Fiat would bring a downfall to the company.
In the 90's Edoardo had no responsibilities in any part of his family's organizations and spent most of his time reading, travelling, working as a journalist and being involved in humanitarian activities. His father had threatened that if he did not forget his Islamic beliefs Edoardo would inherit nothing after his father's death, but he was prepared to forget his "million-dollar" inheritance rather than forget Islam. His family was continually putting him under severe pressure to desert Islam, but they never succeeded
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Chadi

I was born in lebanon,my father is druze(non-mslim) and my mother christian. I had all christian learnings from my christian school, and my mother home encouraged me to learn more about jesus. This lasted till my late adolescence, when i realised that Bible,although a good book,did not penetrate to the depth of my Soul. It is the story of jesus and his actions ,but i could not find in it the majesty of the words of God. So i asked God to guide me to his way,in any religion he chooses for me,but since my home embiance is not favoring islam ,i could not imagine that God wanted me to be a Muslim. I was even very bothered to hear Azan or see any Islamic activity. After that , i travelled to russia to study ,there i lived with my Christian girlfriend. My neighbour was muslim, sometimes he told me about Islam but as usual i could not hear anything about it. One day, my girlfriend was in the bus,she heard people telling jokes about Islam,. she,herself ,did not like Islam but she asked them:"do You know anything about true Islam " , they replied:"no", so she told them :"how can you judge a religion without knowing anything about it ?"
And she left. After that she asked our friend to bring her some translated books about Islam for her to know if the things told about islam are true or not. Meanwhile, i had this strange dream,that was the message of God that i waited for,the vision was so clear and not blurred as most dreams are.
I was in a green place,splendid in it's beauty, the earth was totally green,beauty that i did not see anything like it before, then i saw in the sky ,the sun,the moon and a star between them. The dream ended when someone gave a piece of paper on which was written " 5 times a day and if i tell you azzen(pray) fa azzen(so pray)" i woke from my dream very pleased by the visions but i did not understand the other sightings. So i asked my friend and he told me that muslims pray 5 times a day and the vision i saw is mentioned in koran in different souras,like youssef and kiyama(judgement day) when people will see the sun , the moon together.
Since I did not read koran before, I was astonished that how something I saw was mentioned in the book of Allah, without this being a picture from my memory.
After that i took the koran and started to read it ,then i felt totally taken by this book, i felt the truth, the majesty behind each word, i felt at last what can penetrate the deepest parts of my soul.
So my girlfriend (who felt the same attraction to the word of Allah) And I embraced Islam, and married after that. I do not say that only my dream made me a Muslim, this dream was only the message of God that i waited for. My knowledge of Islam and Koran teachings made me a Muslim. Anyway God does not want us to believe blindly in him, in Koran he asks us to test the truth of his book and to face it every time with the modern knowledge to believe that it is the truth.
God gave us our brains to think, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, if we have to check about Islam so check it from a good source to have the clearest idea about Allah, and stay far from those who are only trying to harm the book of Allah without knowing their true goal in that. My situation now is like someone who found a treasure and wants to share it with everybody.
I want to tell you how believing in God can change your life dramatically, how we can obtain this purity of soul, how we can enjoy life after knowing why we are in this life
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