Why we Become Muslim
I had intended to conduct research into the question of which factors are reasons for non-Muslims to revert to Islam. Fortunately, much time and effort have been saved by me, as this research has already been done by others! All that was left for me to do was to compile it in some sort of order and then to present it. Being a member of various Islamic Yahoo! Groups, I intermittently receive relevant mail which is circulated to those members who have chosen to receive Group Messages. The material which follows has been obtained - for the most part - from such Groups activity, although some of the content I received in specific e-mails.
Introduction
Many members of the public wrongly associate the religion of Islam with international, Islamic politics. Although politics is one area of islam, it is not the totality of this great, world religion. As Islam comes more and more into the news in the contemporary era, Non-Muslims become curious, and wish to find out more about it; and as many of these new readers study the Holy Quran in depth and for the first time in their lives, they are profoundly affected by a remarkable feeling which they recognize as the Truth, a feeling of spiritual self-realisation and Divine Inspiration! Others read Islamic books, pamphlets etc. and then realise that the negative image of Islam, as portrayed by a few with vested, political interests is simply not true. It is a common truth that religion is a personal matter of conviction and belief for the individual. The information which follows explains, in part, how such belief came about in these particular respondents.
1. Yusuf Estes
http://www.islamictorrents.net/ details.php? id=13604
you will need to download / install bitTorrent client like UTorrent from:
http://www.utorrent .com/download. php
[islamicmsg@yahoogroups.com]
2. Diana Freundl
'I discovered the right religion in Islam'
By Diana Freundl
HUDA, Nadia and Selvi – all converts to Islam, standing outside the Taipei Grand Mosque in Taiwan, after a noon prayer service, said their faith had given them strength. It was a list of questions that brought Huda to the Taipei Grand Mosque. "Why can't they eat pork? Why must women cover up? And why, if men can take four wives, can't women take four husbands?"
After enrolling in a six-week course on the fundamentals of Islam, she found her answers, and she found religion. "When I first heard about the course, I told myself, 'This is your time to learn something new.' I discovered how to live my life according to the Qur'an, and now I feel very peaceful," she said.
While stories of suicide attacks and beheadings permeate news coverage from Afghanistan and the Middle East, Taipei Grand Mosque Imam Ma Shiao-chi said the number of people visiting the mosque with questions about Islam had increased.
"The news always highlights the bad things. About 90 per cent of the news is negative. They hear stories about people getting their heads cut off and think Islam is a bad religion. They know very few things about Islam. They want to know what makes people do these things," he said.
Their reasons for converting to Islam vary, but these women are finding freedom in Islam.
Most of those going to the mosque are women, he said. Whether they were born into a non-practising Muslim family, converted for marriage, or, like Huda, are simply curious to learn more about the religion, the women Ma meets wanted to better understand the role of women in Islam. Perhaps they have no intentions of converting, Ma said, but at least they take the time to dispel a few stereotypes about the religion.
Some, however, do convert. As a teenager, Sana researched various religions and recalls visiting several temples, but it was Islam that appealed most to her. "So many things led me to feel Islam was the right religion. Even, when I was a child, I never liked to eat pork," she said.
After living in Pakistan with her husband and children for eight years, Sana said she is now re-adjusting to being part of a minority religion in Taiwan. Taiwan has an estimated 130,000 Muslims, less than half of whom are Chinese-Muslims.
"I am Chinese and I am Muslim," said Sana giving the example of wearing a white headscarf, a colour often associated with death in Taiwan.
Sana and Huda describe wearing the hijab as an honour and affirmation of their faith. They agreed, however, that while its purpose is to prevent unwanted attention to their bodies, it in fact often draws more attention. This they said is part of learning to live in a non-Muslim society.
Likewise, Huda, who works in an international trading company, was originally told she could not wear her hijab to work, as it might make clients uncomfortable. "Eventually my colleagues and boss accepted it. It took time, but they know being Muslim is an important part of my life," she said.
While he criticized the unfair portrayal of Islam in the media, Ma said Muslim practitioners in Taiwan experience little harassment from the public. One reason, he said, might have to do with the small number of followers. "We are very few, so we are not really a risk to them," he said.
The majority of Chinese practicing Islam are second-and third-generation Muslims, whose families came to Taiwan with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in 1949. As years passed, people started to relax their religious compliance, Ma said.
"A lot of Muslims in Taiwan were born Muslims, but not all of them pray everyday. But Islam is a lifestyle. You need to do the Muslim practices [the Five Pillars of Islam] or else it is easy to lose the religion," he said.
Nadia was born into a non-practicing Chinese-Muslim household. Following in her sister's footsteps, she made the transition to a more pious observance during college. As she learned more about the religion, she began to dress more conservatively, covering all but her face and hands. "It was just an outfit on the outside, but it changed my life in the inside. I felt more confident," she said.
In addition to Muslims rediscovering their lost faith, Ma said most women embracing Islam in Taiwan do so for marriage. Of the 20 new converts last year, 12 were for marriage, he said.
According to the Qur'an, a Muslim man can marry a woman from a monotheistic religion (Christianity, Islam and Judaism), but he is prohibited from marrying a woman from a polytheistic religion (Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, etc).
Marriage is how Aisha entered Islam 20 years ago. "In the beginning it was just for marriage. I could accept that there is only one god and not eat pork. I couldn't wear the hijab," she said. A decade later she started reading the Qur'an, attending classes and wearing the headscarf and feels her relationship with her husband is better for it. "Now we have the same way of looking at things. I can communicate better with my husband," she said.
Each of the women said Islam places a large emphasis on respect and equality for women. One of the most debated gender issues in the Qur'an is the tradition that allows Muslim men to take four wives. – The News.
[Courtesy of: Shahid Khan]
3. A Scientist from the Czech Republic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK00xTkMGO0
[Courtesy of: unitedindianmuslims@yahoogroups.com ]
4. Sherman Whittenburg
http://www.islaam. ca/images/ audio/shermanwhittenburg. mp3
[Courtesy of: islamcity@yahoogroups.com ]
5. Zainan Onez
Sister Zainab Oñez Discovered Islam while training to be a nun.
http://www.usislam.org/converts/Zainab_Onez.htm
Please look at the above link to see a photo of Sister zainab
Few days ago, I had a chat with brother Jibril Aqil Ali. He introduce himself as a Latino Muslim. I was so happy to chat with him.
In the same day, I had another chat window with Sister Zainab. She told me that she is a converted Muslim from Philippine. Again, I was extremely happy. Two converted Muslim in one day chatting with me. Subhana Allah. Can you imagine how I felt? Can our Westernized Muslim youth look at her story, and see how a Christian become committed Muslim. Sister Zainab should be an inspiration to Muslim Youth. I truly believe that converts to Islam are one of the few bright spots in our Islamic Ummah.
I asked Sister Zainab to send me his story. He graciously accepted, and here is his story:
Dear Dr. Adel Elsaie;
Assalamu alaikum waramatullahi wa barakatuhu!
I am Zainab Oñez, 24 years old, single never been married, a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Commerce major in Marketing at Holy Cross of Davao College Inc, Philippines. I was a former Roman Catholic and I am one of the working Scholars in SVD or society Verbini Divini, a religious congregation in the Catholic religion for 6 years. Previously, my plan was to become a nun. When I was at the young age of 14, I used to ask myself why many people would have debates about the Christian religion. I had realized maybe God has given one religion to all mankind. When I reached the age of 20, I started to research on the internet and I read about how ISLAM IS A WAY OF LIFE. And I was getting shocked, why was Catholisism not a way of life? I started to research more about Islam because it was my first time to hear about Islam.
I printed all the Islamic research that I had found from the internet and showed them to our professor. He was getting angry with me; why I was studying about Islam; Muslims are terrorists; Muslims are bad people; Muslims worship another God. I considered this as a challenge and was encouraged to study more about Islam. After two years of studying about Islam I decided to embrace Islam last February 21, 2006.
Alhamduillah, I am only one Muslim among with our family and I am now working as a volunteer in Dawah Islamic propagation in Davao city. My entire Christian friends were against me in my new Islamic way of life. I don’t care what other people say. The most important thing is that this is my decision and I know that this is the true religion of Allah SWT given to all mankind. Allah said in
Surah al Imram 3:19 INNAD DEENA IND ALLAH ISLAM- TRULY THE RELIGION WITH ALLAH IS ISLAM.
And in Surah al-Imram 3: 85 thoseover seek a religion other than Islam it will never be accepted of him, and in the hereafter he will be one of the losers.
That is why I spend my life in Dawah for Muslim and non-Muslim area because this is the true religion of Allah that has given to all mankind. The first big jihad for me is wearing of hijab and abaya but alhamdulillah with the help of Allah I got my self-confidence of wearing in proper attire. Most of Christian friends say, what happened to you Zainab, you look like a ghost but I smile at them, and say you do not understand what you are talking about and it is better for you to study your Bible because even the Bible is very strict for the woman:
1 Corinthian 11:5-6 says
but any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled disgraces her head—it is one and the same thing as having her head shaved. For if a woman will not veil herself, then she should cut off her hair; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or to be shaved, she should wear a veil.
If Christians read their Bible carefully and understand their Bible, all of them will become Muslims.
I am now enjoying making my comparative study of religion and inshaAllah I am hoping to be like Ahmad Deedat a good daeyah or preacher in our Islamic religion. Now, I am always hoping to focus on study in Arabic education inshaAllah if Allah given me an opportunity to study in Saudi Arabia inshaAllah.
If you want to contact Sister Zainab, send me email, and I will Inshaa Allah forward the mail to her.
Please try to correct my English grammar. I hope that you can understand because I am not really good in English grammar.
jazakallahu khairan.
Sis . zainab
Philippine
If you want to send email to sister Zainab, send me the email, and I will InShaa Allah forward it to her.
Sister Zainab Oñez Discovered Islam while training to be a nun.
http://www.usislam.org/converts/Zainab_Onez.htm
Please look at the above link to see a photo of Sister zainab
[Courtesy of: Dr. Adel Elsaie http://www.usislam. org/]
6. Gabriel Martinez
Latino Muslim: Gabriel "Jibril Aqil Ali" Martinez, My Coming to Islam.
Source with brother Jibril Photo:: http://www.usislam. org/latinos/ converts/ gabriel_jibril_ aqil_ali_ martinez. htm
Few days ago, I had a chat with brother Jibril Aqil Ali. He introduce himself as a Latino Muslim. I was so happy to chat with him. I truly believe that converts to Islam are one of the few bright spots in our Islamic Ummah. I asked brother Jibril to send me his story. He graciously accepted, and here is his story:
After my separation of marriage of 10 years, my biggest regret was not instilling or sharing the knowledge of God as I knew him as a believer in Christianity with my wife and more importantly my children who are most dear to me whom which I had dedicated to God as I knew Him then. My oldest brother "Ali" Martinez was the first and only Muslim in our family at the time and he had converted to Islam while Imprisoned in 1977 and was my first influence who shared his belief in stages to me. The second in our family was my Nephew "Hakim Malik" Toro who took Shahada in 1987 as a 5% Nation Member and came to True Islam taught by the Prophet (PBUH) while incarcerated. He shared his knowledge of Islam in stages also with me. I became a father 1st in 1997 and I named my first born "Imanuel Jabril" Martinez out of respect for Christianity, Islam and the family. My second was born in 2001 and was named "Issac Ali" Martinez. Now my brother Ali was killed in 1992 in the Bronx New York and many of the Christian members of our family in some ways blamed Islam for his death and for my nephews incarceration and then came "911". so I continued my life walking in limbo so to speak and practiced neither until my separation of marriage and a motorcycle accident that left me Spleenless and near amputated leg looking to God and believe it or not, Thanking The Almighty for it all. So I went to my ex-wife one day and apologized and expressed to her my regret of not sharing nearly enough religion with her in all our years together especially due to the fact that she is from Cuba and had so little knowledge of God and religion. So I expressed to her my desire to live a righteous life and teach our children like wise and asked if she would aid me. I told her that I was sorry for buying her a Bible that was in "old Spanish" and difficult to understand and that if I bought her a newer Spanish version would she read it and help me raise the children in the knowledge Of God? She answered "No. I don't think so and frankly don't bother' She had no interest. I told her fine but not to interfere with me and (raising in the knowledge of God) the Boys when they are with me. I went home that night and wept and prayed and demanded that God show me once and for all "AM I A CHRISTIAN, MUSLIM, BUDDHIST, JEW, JEDI OR WHAT?" Because I did not want my children to suffer in this life or the after life because of my ignorance. In order to teach them I had to be taught and I had to be right. So I typed into my Netflix account search: Islam, God, Christianity, Judaism etc. went on line and did the same and read all I could and watched all I could on the matter and most of all prayed. I visited the local Mosque and got literature on Islam. I read very briefly about Jesus and the divinity being conceived in 325 a.d in a foot note but didn't think much more about it for I had a lot of videos to watch. I started to see the Truth that the culture and practice of Islam was not at all how the media portrayed it. It was not intimidating but actually quite inviting. It was beautiful, peaceful, powerful and oh so Inspiring. But the Christ and the divinity issue was so strongly instilled in me it held me back. I needed to know and understand more. Then "It" arrived. The video "History Channel's a History of God" a search for monotheism: Jews, Christians and Muslims. It talked in dept about the myths of Christmas and and Christ and the divinity and the "Trinity" and "The Counsel of Nicea" That The trinity and divinity of Christ came 325 a.d. That was It. I took Shahada right there and then. I went to the Mosque the following Friday 03/30/07 after calling my nephew and sharing what I have learned and asking him to go with me. I took the Qu'ran and Islam and ran with it and have been running ever since Alhumdullillah. That's My story in brief. Asalmu Alaikum and Jazak Allahu Khairun for your time.
Jibril~By The Will of Allah
[Courtesy of: Dr. Adel Elsaie http://www.usislam. org/]
7. Dr. Saroopji Maharaj, Ph.D., D.D.
Dr. Saroopji Maharaj, Ph.D., D.D.
Embraces Islam
(This was an interview originally translated and adapted by Iqbal Husain Ansari from Yaqeen International, dated December 7, 1987. This is an abridged reprint.)
A prominent Hindu personality of India, Achariya Mahant Dr. Saroopji Maharaj, embraced Islam last year (1986) in the Indian city of Bhopal. His Islamic name is Dr. Islamul Haq. He entered the fold of Islam along with his wife and daughter. He is a highly educated and qualified person, well off and contented with his material resources.
He certainly accepted Islam of his own free will after making a thorough search into various religions of the world. His critical investigations did reveal to him the truth of Islam. He cites to the world his own example to dispel the allegation that Islam spread by dint of sword.
Following are some of the details of an interview given by him, which narrates the momentous story of the great spiritual revolution in his life:
Question (Qs.*): “How do you feel after declaring your entry into Islam?”
Answer (As.*): “It is infinite favour of Allah upon me that He has blessed me with His invaluable wealth of true faith that is Islam. I feel I am one of the most successful and fortunate persons of the world. While groping in the darkness of disbelief, I was regarded as ‘Bhagwan’ (God), where as in this new world of light I have attained my rightful status of ‘man’.”
Qs.*: “Will you tell us something about your previous name and occupation?”
As.*: “My name was Mahant Dr. Shri Shakti Saroopji Maharaj Adasin Dharmachariya Odai Shakti. My hereditary profession was Hindu priesthood. As such, I served several Hindu religious institutions, the most important of them being the Ban Khand Ashram in Brindaban in Mathura. The next one was in Bombay. The third one was an underground Ashram in Wawanas, spread over fifty acres of land and still under construction. It is an Institute of International repute. My duty was to preach religion and to enlist and train disciples.”
Qs.*: “You have the reputation of being an erudite scholar. Will you please throw light on this aspect?”
As.*: “I received my elementary education in the Ashram (Hindu religious institute). I obtained my Master's degree in Orientalism from the Allahabad University (India), the degree of Achariya (in Sanskrit) from Gurukul Kangri, and the diploma of D.D. (Doctor of Divinity) from Oxford University. The last entailed comparative study of most important religions of the world. This was, in addition to Ph. D. in Orientalism. Thus I have to my credit double Doctorate in Divinity and in Orientalism.
Once I visited the Vatican City at the invitation of Pope Saint Paul VI. Great pressure was exerted on me there to accept Christianity. I was asked to speak on seven different topics. I acquitted myself of this difficult assignment so well in that seat of Christianity that the Pope, in recognition of my performance, conferred on me the honorary title of O.F.M.C.A.P. and also the citizenship of the Vatican City. However, Christianity did not appeal to me at all. I came back to India where I was elevated to the office of Mahant.”
Qs.*: “When and where were you born? What is your lineage?”
As.*: “I was born on February 3, 1936, in the town of Brindaban, Dist. Mathura, U.P., India. I belong to the Vedi Wanash of Baba Nanak.”
Qs.*: “What languages can you read and write? “
As.*: “I know some twelve languages, namely, English, Sanskrit, Greek, Dibro, Hindi, Prakirit, Pali, Gurmukhi, Marhathi, Gujrati, Urdu, and Arabic.”
Qs.*: “You have been very close to the Hindu trend of thought. Do you think that they are scared of the Muslims?”
As.*: “The Hindu society of India is not scared of the Muslims. It rather fears Islam for its exalted merits as compared with the deficient and weak religious tenets of Hinduism. Islam's greatness consists in the fact that it liberates man from the shackles of color, feature, race, clan, language, land, riches, class, rank, and status. It gives him, instead, a lasting and firm entity. It calls men to bow down before one and only God. That is why they dread the might of Islam, which liberates man from every sort of slavery and bondage, except subservience to God. It is free from all man made formalities and rituals.”
Qs.*: “Do you think that there is a possibility of Islam being wiped out from any country?”
As.*: “Islam is eternal and well founded. There is no power on earth, which can demolish or efface it. It might disappear from the lives of such Muslims as are weak in their faith (Eman). It will, however, continue to grow and flourish as long as there is even one Muslim in whose life the spirit of Hijrah (emigration) and victory taken root, and he has in him the enthusiasm of perseverance and gratitude.”
Qs.*: “Did you ever admit the greatness of Islam even before embracing it?”
As.*: “I had studied ten great religions of the world in their respective original forms. I was therefore already convinced of the divinity and truth of Islam. Among my contemporaries have been great world-teachers and Hindu Shankar Achariyas, e.g. Rama Gopal, Mahanand Maheswar, Swami Akhanda Nandji, Guru Gowalkar Baba Sahib Deshmukh, Vinoba Bhave, etc. All of them were very kind to me. In early 1981, Acharya Vinoba Bhave invited me to his Ashram, Param Dham, to deliver lectures. Among the great Hindu Mahants present on the occasion, was Dada Dharam Adhikari. All of a sudden he put to me a very intriguing question: ‘Swami Ji, you have studied many religions of the world. Which one do you find the best for man’? I replied: Islam. He said: ‘But Islam is a very tied up religion’. I replied: The very one that is 'tied-up' also grants freedom, while the one that is considered free ties down man to continual slavery. Man is in need of a religion that has remained 'tied-up', a religion that keeps man under restraints in this worldly life but sets him free in the hereafter. In my opinion, it is Islam alone that qualifies to be the best religion.”
Qs.*: “It is really a matter of great courage that you should have expressed your appreciation for a religion, other than your own, with so nice arguments. This certainly testifies to the greatness of Islam that you feel in your heart. Now please also enlighten us on the incident that urged you to embrace Islam, at a time when you were very well aware of the predicament and the suffering, which the Muslims are presently undergoing. Today, when every-where people are talking about a Hindu revolution, how could you pluck up courage to take this thorny road?”
As.*: “It was years of long thirst and search which eventually materialized into a great event. It was in January 1984, that one night I saw a dream that a great crowd was pursuing me when I ran and then stopped, the crowd also ran and stopped. Suddenly I stumbled over something and fell on the ground. In a moment's time two unknown hands lent me support to stand up. After standing up my eyes were fixed on a brightly shining face but I was not able to recognize it. Someone standing close by prompted me that it was the Mohammad (P*). This made me fall into a trance. The Holy Prophet asked me to pronounce the 'Kalimah' (Article of confession of Islamic Faith). Holding my right hand into his own, he himself pronounced the 'Kalimah' and I followed him, until the recital of the Article was completed. Thereafter, the Holy Prophet (P*) embraced and commanded me to teach the 'Kalimah' to the people of this country. I do not remember how long this vision lasted, but when I came back into my own, it was 3 a.m. My wife also had an inspiring vision at about the same time on the same night. We shivered out of extreme joy and ecstasy at this happy coincidence and rare favour. The strings of the soul burst suddenly into melodious tunes. We felt as if we were Muslims of the first century, which, we began to feel an irresistible urge to bring back to this earth in its true splendor as early as possible. This pleasant vision set us thinking that some great revolution was going to overtake this earth.
From that very day we began to plan how to pronounce the 'Kalimah' of Islam formally and publicly. This led us to tour many regions and establish contacts with Muslims, while we performed, in privacy, the Salat and other ritual prayers as per Islam. This continued until we visited Bhopal, the city of scholars. On May 10, 1986, with the appearance of the moon of the Holy Month of Ramadan, I, together with my wife and young daughter, entered the fold of God's blessed religion that is Islam. In other words, we returned to our nature. After years of aimless wandering in the wilderness, we were able now to breathe in peace and sleep in calm and quiet.
Qs.*: The Hindus in general allege that Islam spread by the sword and exercise of force. What is your view about this?
As.*: I am myself a living proof against this allegation. It is, however, a fact that not only the common but even the educated Hindu is still sticking to this false notion.”
Qs.*: “You have studied several religions besides Islam. Have you come across any reference in them to Allah, the Holy Quran, Mohammad (P*), and Islam?”
As.*: “With the exception of Buddhism and Jainism, all religious literature contains the name of Allah and Mohammad or Ahmad (P*). These names are very clear in the Vedas. The word 'Ala' occurs in chapter 1 of the Rig Veda, which is the first of the four. Later on, this word takes the name of Allah. Similarly, 'Moha-mmad' and Ah-mad' occur for Mohammad and Ahmad (P*) respectively. The word 'Kurdha-noo' has been used in the Rig Veda for the Holy Quran.”
Qs.*: “You have entered the fold of Islam after giving up huge wealth and renouncing a life of comfort and luxury. What is your source of livelihood now?”
As.*: “If I had at my disposal the empire of all the world, I would have given it up for the sake of the great blessing that is Islam. The possession of the riches of 'seven worlds' would not have given me the joy and contentment, which I have derived from Islam. I am a medical practitioner of the Ayurvedic system. I am grateful to Allah that I am able to make both ends meet with honour and ease.”
Qs.*: “As a soldier of Islam, what message would you like to convey to the Muslims of the world?”
As.*: “In reply to this question I may mention a Christian parable. One morning, after completing his night prayers, Jesus (P*) Christ (P*) was walking on the surface of water to reach the other side of the river where some of his disciples were waiting for him. The disciples were astonished to see this extraordinary scene and asked Jesus (P*) Christ (P*) in great amazement if they too could walk like him on the surface of water. Jesus (P*) Christ (P*) replied: 'yes, surely, provided that you keep your eyes up towards me. If you divert your eyes in the least, you are bound to get drowned'. The disciples stepped on the surface of water with their eyes fixed towards Jesus (P*) Christ. After thus walking some distance they began to doubt whether they were actually walking on water. No sooner did they turn their eyes downward than they fell in the water. “
He continued: “It is my solemn request to the Muslim world that they should constantly keep in view and fulfill the conditions laid down by the Holy Prophet (P*) for walking across the river of this world so as to reach safely its other side. If we make the slightest deviation, they are bound to drown themselves in the river, never to be rescued. There is still time for the Muslims to correct themselves and to concentrate their vision on the right point. If they act so, they shall, God willing, be crowned with success in all that they do.”
Qs.*: “What should, in your opinion, be the qualities of a Muslim? How would you define a Muslim?”
As.*: “Who can’t define a Muslim better than the Prophet of Allah, Mohammad (P*) himself? He said: A Muslim is like the honeybee that visits only beautiful, fragrant flowers and shuns dirty things. It sucks nectar to make honey - not poison, and that too not necessarily for itself but for others. Men, birds and animals, all alike, profit from it. In this purpose the bee exerts itself to the utmost, without harming anyone. In another Hadith the Holy Prophet (P*) said: A Muslim is one, from whose tongue and hands, another Muslim remains safe.”
Qs.*: “Lastly, what steps do you propose to take to revive the first century of Islam?”
As.*: “Praise be to Allah. This is indeed a good question. The longing to see the return of the first century of Islam on this earth is present in the hearts of many enthusiasts who are live and young. This century of Islam has at no time been far away. As a matter of fact, this century has been lying concealed in the hearts of the Muslims themselves for many centuries, like a live seed. All that is needed is to weed out the wild shrubs of desire and greed. In order to revive the first century of Islam, the soldiers of Islam will have to make a new pledge, take an oath of allegiance, and work on the field of action with their pure Faith, lofty ambitions and Bilal's enthusiastic perseverance. They will have to mould their lives on the pattern prescribed by Allah and His Prophet, with new dedication and submission. When a Muslim leads his life with such consciousness, in him will spring up the qualities of a true believer: this in turn will transform the entire atmosphere into virtue and goodness.
With this in view I am planning to launch a 'MOMIN MAKING' movement. This will entail peeping into the depths of the believer's way of life, to diagnose the worldly and spiritual maladies of theirs and to cure them, and to weld the shattered Muslim society into one healthy, integrated body. For the present I have started action on a three-point programme: (1). To defend and protect Islam, (2). To support and uphold the Muslims within the boundary of worldly and religious values, (3). To convey the divine message to the entire world in the respective languages of the people.”
[Courtesy of: mahdiunite@yahoogroups.com ]
8. Jonathan Birt
Thousands Of British Elite Embrace Islam: Study
http://www.islamonline.net
"I have received letters from people … who are looking for a religion which does not compromise too much with the modern world," Eaton
LONDON, February 26 (IslamOnline. net) – Jonathan Birt, the son of Lord Birt and Emma Clark, the granddaughter of former liberal prime minister Herbert Asquith, are only two of 14,000 mostly-elite white Britons having reverted to Islam.
In the first authoritative study of the phenomenon, carried by the Sunday Times on February 22, some of the country's top landowners, celebrities and the offspring of senior Establishment figures have embraced the Muslim faith after being disillusioned with western values.
The new study by Yahya (formerly Jonathan) Birt, son of Lord Birt, former director-general of the BBC, provides the first reliable data on the sensitive subject of the movement of Christians into Islam.
He uses a breakdown of the latest census figures to conclude that there are now 14,200 white reverts in Britain.
Mass Conversion
Speaking publicly for the first time about his faith this weekend, Birt argued that an inspirational figure, similar to the American revert Malcolm X for Afro-Caribbeans, would first have to emerge if the next stage, a mass conversion among white Britons, were to happen.
"You need great transitional figures to translate something alien (like Islam) into the vernacular," Birt, whose doctorate at Oxford University is on young British Muslims, was quoted by the Times.
"The image of Islam projected by political Islamic movements is not very attractive," he said.
Initially, Birt said he had no coherent reasons for reverting, but "in the longer term I think it was the overall profundity, balance and coherence and spirituality of the Muslim way of life which convinced me," he said.
'All Rage'
Meanwhile, it emerged this weekend that Emma Clark, the great-granddaughter of a British prime minister has reverted.
Emma, whose ancestor, the Liberal prime minister Herbert Asquith, took Britain into the first world war, said: "We're all the rage, I hope it's not a passing fashion."
Clark, who helped design an Islamic garden for the Prince of Wales at Highgrove, his Gloucestershire home, is now helping create a similar garden for a mosque in Woking, Surrey, on the site of a car park, said the British newspaper.
Furthermore, fresh evidence came this weekend that Islam has received formal acceptance at the heart of the Establishment.
The Queen has approved new arrangements to allow Muslim staff at Buckingham Palace time off to attend Friday prayers at a mosque.
A member of staff in the finance department is the first to take advantage of it, said the British paper.
'Trophy Lists'
Others have come to Islam through love or marriage.
Kristiane Backer, a former girlfriend of the cricketer Imran Khan, said she was introduced to the religion through love but reverted after her break-up.
She has shrunk from speaking publicly about her religion before because of fears it might affect her work prospects.
"Imran sowed the seeds, but when (the relationship) finished (the faith) took on a momentum of its own," she said.
Drawn to Sufi mysticism, Baker said that white reverts had to overcome prejudice both from those born into Islam and from non-believers.
"In the mosque women come up and say to me, 'You have hair showing: you must cover up completely.' I say, 'Mind your own hair, you're here to think about God' ".
Many reverts have been inspired by the writings of Charles Le Gai Eaton, a former Foreign Office diplomat, it added.
"I have received letters from people who are put off by the wishy-washy standards of contemporary Christianity and they are looking for a religion which does not compromise too much with the modern world," said Eaton, author of Islam and the Destiny of Man.
Wary
Some prominent reverts are even more wary, said the Times.
The Earl of Yarborough, 40, who owns a 28,000-acre estate in Lincolnshire, declined to discuss anything about his faith.
"I have nothing to say to you," said Yarborough, who has apparently taken the name Abdul Mateen.
Muslim leaders are harnessing modern campaigning methods to promote their faith. Groups have sprung up on the internet publishing "trophy lists" of white reverts.
The state-funded school in London founded by Yusuf Islam, formerly the singer Cat Stevens, has turned to Premiership footballers to provide role models, said the Times.
Sources close to the school say reverts including Nicolas Anelka, the Manchester City striker, and Omer "Freddie" Kanoute, of Tottenham Hotspur, have made visits.
The trend is being encouraged by Muslim leaders who are convinced that the conversion of prominent society figures will help protect a community stigmatized by "terrorism and fundamentalism" .
The Muslim Council of Britain has co-opted Joe Ahmed-Dobson, son of Frank Dobson, the former health secretary, to chair its regeneration committee.
"The community has been unfairly targeted and these developments encourage it in a time of difficulty," said Zaki Badawi, chairman of the Imams and Mosques Council.
++++++++++++
Brothers in Islam
http://www.islamonl ine.net/servlet/ Satellite? c=Article_ C&cid=1209049654313&pagename=Zone- English-News/ NWELayout
Like many among Britain's two-million Muslim minority, Yusuf says he faces suspecions and misconceptions. (Photo through Google)
CAIRO — Belizaire's shock and pain after losing his mother and the tranquility and endurance of his younger brother at such a hard time walked him into a new path in life.
"When I was feeling lost and confused….I found that Islam made sense to me," the 28-year-old man from the British city of Bristol, who now goes by the name Mohammed Hakeem, told the Evening Post on Thursday, April 24.
"It gave me a concrete feeling in the existence of God and an afterlife, which helped me deal with the loss of my mother."
Hakeem, who comes from an observant Catholic family, says he owes his younger brother Yusuf, previously Lewis, opening his eyes to Islam.
Feeling lost after his mother's death, he watched his brother, who embraced Islam some 19 months earlier, grow in conviction and happiness.
After some deep thinking he made up his mind.
"It's difficult to describe the feeling when you go through with it and say the Shahadah," he recalls with a smiling face.
"It's a wonderful sensation. It's a feeling of spiritual clarity rather than feeling lost and forsaken."
Yusuf, a law student in London, had quite a different journey to Islam himself.
"Because I was so worried my conversion would create a divide, I waited almost a year to make sure I wasn't being influenced or caught up in something new and interesting," he remembers.
"In January 2006 I felt I'd waited as long as I could. The conversion was a lot simpler than I thought."
He went to Bristol Central Mosque as people were leaving after Friday prayers and announced his desire to become a Muslims.
"I took the Shahadah. Then that was it.
"It was only a couple of lines, but in my heart I felt like something big had happened," says Yusuf.
"It was the best feeling of my life. I couldn't stop smiling. I could then actually start my journey and become a Muslim."
Prejudice
The journey, however, was nothing easy for the brothers.
Yusuf remembers the family was in shock when he announced his conversion.
"My grandmother thought I was moving away from God."
Yusuf, who had read much about religions before his decision, had to appease her fears by highlighting the commonalities between Catholicism and Islam.
He told her that Muslims believe in Jesus (peace and blessings be upon him) as one of the Messengers of God.
He also told her that both faiths worship one God.
"I sent her a copy of the Qur'an and she read through it. Over Christmas, she helped me find which direction to pray."
Unfortunately, reaching out to the rest of society was not as easy.
Mohammed, the older brother, regrets how the portrayal of Islam since the 9/11 attack has made life harder for Muslims in the West.
"I despise the negative portrayal of the Muslim community in parts of the media.
"I've heard tales of people receiving aggro because of their religion, but personally I haven't been targeted."
The two-million Muslim minority in Britain complains of a growing Islamophobic climate.
A Financial Times opinion poll recently showed that Britain is the most suspicious nation about Muslims.
"A lot of times people don't know how to take it when I tell them I'm a Muslim convert," says Yusuf.
"Terrorism is the first thing that comes into their minds.
"They are thinking 'please tell me you're not one of them'."
A recent study by the Institute of Community Cohesion found that British Muslims are too often represented as one homogenous group linked to extremism and terror.
"I can totally understand where they are coming from because I was there," notes Yusuf.
What makes him feel better is that once he talks to people, the walls of deep-seated stereotypes and misconceptions start breaking down.
"When I get the chance to speak to them, 90 percent want to know more about Islam."
9. Shariffa Carlo
_99_._
My Story: How I Came to Islam
Shariffa Carlo
The story of how I reverted to al-Islam is a story of plans. I made plans; the group I was with made plans, and Allah made plans. And Allah is the Best of Planners. When I was a teenager, I came to the attention of a group of people with a very sinister agenda. They were and probably still are a loose association of individuals who work in government positions but have a special agenda - to destroy Islam. It is not a governmental group that I am aware of, they simply use their positions in the US government to advance their cause.
One member of this group approached me because he saw that I was articulate, motivated and very much the women's rights advocate. He told me that if I studied International Relations with an emphasis in the Middle East, he would guarantee me a job at the American Embassy in Egypt . He wanted me to eventually go there to use my position in the country to talk to Muslim women and encourage the fledgling women's rights movement. I thought this was a great idea. I had seen the Muslim women on TV; I knew they were a poor oppressed group, and I wanted to lead them to the light of 20th century freedom.
With this intention, I went to college and began my education. I studied Quran, hadith and Islamic history. I also studied the ways I could use this information. I learned how to twist the words to say what I wanted them to say. It was a valuable tool. Once I started learning, however, I began to be intrigued by this message. It made sense. That was very scary. Therefore, in order to counteract this effect, I began to take classes in Christianity. I chose to take classes with this one professor on campus because he had a good reputation and he had a Ph.D. in Theology from Harvard University . I felt I was in good hands. I was, but not for the reasons I thought. It turns out that this professor was a Unitarian Christian. He did not believe in the trinity or the divinity of Jesus. In actuality, he believed that Jesus was a prophet.
He proceeded to prove this by taking the Bible from its sources in Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic and show where they were changed. As he did this, he showed the historical events which shaped and followed these changes. By the time I finished this class, my deen had been destroyed, but I was still not ready to accept Islam. As time went on, I continued to study, for myself and for my future career. This took about three years. In this time, I would question Muslims about their beliefs. One of the individuals I questioned was a Muslim brother with the MSA. Alhamdulllah, he saw my interest in the deen, and made it a personal effort to educate me about Islam. May Allah increase his reward. He would give me dawaa at every opportunity which presented itself.
One day, this man contacts me, and he tells me about a group of Muslims who were visiting in town. He wanted me to meet them. I agreed. I went to meet with them after ishaa prayer. I was led to a room with at least 20 men in it. They all made space for me to sit, and I was placed face to face with an elderly Pakistani gentleman. Mashallah, this brother was a very knowledgeable man in matters of Christianity. He and I discussed and argued the varying parts of the Bible and the Quran until the fajr. At this point, after having listened to this wise man tell me what I already knew, based on the class I had taken in Christianity, he did what no other individual had ever done. He invited me to become a Muslim. In the three years I had been searching and researching, no one had ever invited me. I had been taught, argued with and even insulted, but never invited. May Allah guide us all. So when he invited me, it clicked. I realized this was the time. I knew it was the truth, and I had to make a decision. Alhamdulillah, Allah opened my heart, and I said, "Yes. I want to be a Muslim." With that, the man led me in the shahadah - in English and in Arabic. I swear by Allah that when I took the shahadah, I felt the strangest sensation. I felt as if a huge, physical weight had just been lifted off my chest; I gasped for breath as if I were breathing for the first time in my life. Alhamdulillah, Allah had given me a new life - a clean slate - a chance for Jennah, and I pray that I live the rest of my days and die as a Muslim. Ameen.
Source: http://www.islamica wakening. com/viewarticle. php?articleID= 414
__
NNNNNO
1
10. Additional, Relevant Sources
April 16, 2008
[IqraSense.com]
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Umar, Assalamu-Alaikum and Greetings !
Every so often we hear cases of people converting to Islam. They all attribute their conversions to a varied set of reasons. However, looking closely we will notice that the underlying reason for their conversion is usually one and the same.
In the article below, we invite you to read an analysis behind this accelerating trend and encourage you to share your thoughts on this process that is driving hundreds of thousands new converts to Islam.
Who would have thought that with the increase of anti-Islam feelings in the past few years, the rate of conversions would grow even more than before? The reason is simple. Driven by hearing the half baked stories in the media, numerous people who wanted to learn more about Islam, many actually became Muslims in the process. One does wonder about this reverse effect and the post below attempts to answer that question.
The second post below provides a few video examples of some of those who have converted to Islam. It also includes a video by an American Muslim scholar who discusses the amazing trend of many non-Muslim preachers converting to Islam. Again, one wonders what is it that made these preachers abandon their identities and support of their thousands of followers to start fresh with Islam.
Your thoughts and experiences are more than welcome and you can enter them directly on the blog posts below. Please share them with the thousands who read these posts regularly.
Finally, although many of you enjoy these posts, if at any time you want to unsubscribe from our lists, you can click on the link at the bottom of this message.
The articles you may find useful for review today are the following:
Why are so many people converting to Islam?
Watch Videos about new Muslim converts
Read other Articles at IqraSense.com
Always use IqraSearch.com - The Islamic Search Engine
Any questions on any issues we can help? Feel free to write to us at authors@IqraSense.com
IqraSense.com
http://www.IqraSense.com
5405 Alton Pkwy, Irvine, CA 92064, USA
To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit:
http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?zOyMTIwMtMxszGyMjCzMtEa0zEwcnAyMHA==
11
111. Additional, Relevant Sources
Why did they accept Islam?
NBC NEWS: 20000 Americans Convert to ISLAM Each Year! :
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/2PS2creVhaM
:
Yusuf Estes - Priests and Preachers accepting Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/E6K0627FiCk
Many Latinos Convert Daily To ISLAM Live From Venezuela:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/1XyrxzQIN9w
Every day many Germans convert to ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/34kj urzK500
Holland TV: ISLAM fastest spreading Faith among Youth Germans
www.youtube. com/watch/ v/WAXXN6XOnzQ
Thousands of Danish convert to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/kru6XQ8CT48
:
TV Report Thousands Hispanics Converting To ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/yDwGsmTx3D4
German Scientist & his wife, clinic assistant convert 2 Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/uP-2IqH_ l4c
:
European Scientist converts to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/0IspK651RpY
Dr. Ian Weber from England converts to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/gUZR6XwU8Pw
:
Science students turn to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/y3_JYk4Bo4Y
TV Report: Christians Convert to ISLAM in France:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/Dhu0eEuIsGg
:
Angela Collins - Muslim Convert weeks after 9/11 Incident:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/j6PJgJdEzNM
NEW MUSLIM Woman from Australia:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/-baqULx5IBU
The Choice - A Story of New American Muslim Convert:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/CML3CRPMefA
:
Irish and "loving Islam" Convert to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/dIc5oFAva- 4
:
Jewish to Muslim convert:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/KcBiJnLjwVw
:
www.youtube. com/watch/ v/IlOuITPE6kE
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/1qpQvpmEqkc
:
Why do they accept the Islam?
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/aJ3TGAnFc- U
135 Convert to Islam:
< SPAN style="FONT- FAMILY: Calibri;">http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/36Glj_FAGcw
:
Convert to Islam from Canada:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/uKPer2fma9U
:
Revert to Islam - Brian From Christianity (Convert to Islam):
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/bI_YVnD9UvI
:
Many Jew and Christian Families Convert To ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/84ZtVLI5kXM
:
British Catholic Priest Converted To ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/pn0iPlWQNlI
Greece Men Convert to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/IlAjkuECrHc
Convert to Islam from Hinduism:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/zePqNxz895U
Christian Convert to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/HDkW2Y35mKQ
Twenty two/22 Brothers and sisters convert to (Islam)....:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/XQBn6loQTdY
:
Two British Women of different colors convert to Islam:
www.youtube. com/watch/ v/uEfMcPQfv7w
:
German converts to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/9U1zNXXQA6Q
Three French Sisters Convert to ISLAM:
www.youtube. com/watch/ v/JiksSo0lwL4
Sister Yvonne Ridley Becomes Muslim Islam Video:
< /SPAN>ht tp://www.youtube.< wbr>com/watch/ v/aOe5s5hP4Gw
WHY Christians German Lady convert to ISLAM, SEE VIDEO:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/afFv22Wsd5A
Germany Convert to ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/os4vUxfJizU
Jerome - How I wrestled my way to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/b2YZGGDGUWE
:
The story of a German convert to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/gjRjzTAk- RQ
&nb sp;
Revert to Islam - Abdus Salam (Convert to Islam)...:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/VqlilLIQJRE
Revert to Islam - Maryam Noor (Convert from Christianity) ....:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/ig0N9aRT0Hc
Germans convert to Islam on German TV:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/nFqj3xPKc88
TV Report Rechtsanwalt konvertiert zum ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/_4LrIv6kK9o
Jolene: A Southern Baptist Converts to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/RHQOx12- WJU
Revert to Islam - Muhammad Musab (Convert from Christianity) ....:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/Co0xom_ KcXM
:
Revert to Islam - Yusuf Ali (Convert to Islam)...:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/NcjXK7qzE_ k
How Melina came to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/jLht7Kk0bGg
:
Revert to Islam - Abdullah Laban (Convert to Islam)...:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/gGeHzUkkJH4
TV Report Latinos Leaving the Church and Turning to ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/j2w14xxi0bM
William Chappelle and 25 members of his family embrace Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/mkBW4l4TmPE
6 German convert to Islam - 2007 - LIVE:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/0SpqpGKp7ts
Caroline converts from Christianity to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/2Cpmvne2wj0
&nb sp;
Japanese Women Turning To ISLAM. :
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/L7PIOhK- SgA
American converted Muslim Woman speaking about the Veil:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/L85Mcq3EDX8
Dia Richardson converted to Islam in USA:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/Tp097NNj3Pk
:
German C hristian converts to ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/UTyu18RgrAo
:
New Muslim Lady... Live from London:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/NTlta20vsow
Dutch Women Turning To ISLAM in Holland:
www.youtube. com/watch/ v/UyyxPO0HFLk
New Sister from S outh Germany:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/EkBRKrUDnEU
How to Convert to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/i9K7lmYaucU
Why Abdul Raheem Green Came to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/wF8joJaOVJw
Robert converts to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/vU5HGHiNUu0
Revert to Islam - Sister Crystal (Convert from Christianity) ...:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/IZF9stLSYjY
< /SPAN>
Spanish Woman talks about Woman rights in Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/exdCJ_wT9E4
910[[C[Courtesy of: islamcity@yahoogroups.com ]
16
111
12. Additional, Relevant Sources
Salam alaikom wb
Plz. Watch this short video Four Filipinos Convert to Islam few days ago with our American convert brother from Chicago brother saifuALLAH .He is convert since 7 years and he joined our DAWA in Manila 6 months ago allhamdollah. He has his radio program in Manila the message in English and women in Islam In filipono language
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=446IgQqgRZo
allhamdollah new convert again Catholic Filipina converts to Islam March 30, 2008 http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=SSY379pxMhY
12-year-old Filipino boy converts to Islam - March 30, 2008
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=YvKJI1gA130&feature=related
10-year-old Filipino boy converts to Islam - March 30, 2008
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=1jOp-Maxc2g&feature=related
[Courtesy of: friendzforallah@yahoogroups.com ]
113. Additional, Relevant Sources
NBC NEWS:20000 Americans Convert To ISLAM Each Year! :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/2PS2creVhaM
ÞÓíÓ ÃãÑíßí ÓÇÈÞ íßÔÝ ÇÚÊäÇÞ ÞÓÇæÓÉ ßËíÑíä ááÅÓáÇã :
Yusuf Estes - Priests and Preachers accepting Islam :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/E6K0627FiCk
ÇáÝäÒæíáíæä íÏÎáæä Ýí Ïíä Çááå ÃÝæÇÌÇ :
Many Latinos Convert Daily To ISLAM .. Live From Venezuela! :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/1XyrxzQIN9w
ÇáßËíÑ ãä ÇáÃáãÇä íÚÊäÞæä ÇáÅÓáÇã íæãíÇ :
Every day many Germans convert to ISLAM :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/34kjurzK500
ÇáÊáÝÒíæä ÇáåæáäÏí : ÇáÅÓáÇã ÃÓÑÚ ÇáÏíÇäÇÊ ÇäÊÔÇÑÇ Èíä ÇáÔÈÇÈ ÇáÃáãÇäí :
Holland TV:ISLAM fastest spreading Faith among Youth Germans :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/WAXXN6XOnzQ
ÂáÇÝ ÇáÏäãÇÑßííä íÏÎáæä ÇáÅÓáÇã :
Thousands of Danish convert to Islam :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/kru6XQ8CT48
ÊÞÑíÑ ÊáÝÒíæäí : ÂáÇÝ ÇááÇÊíäííä íÚÊäÞæä ÇáÅÓáÇã :
TV Report Thousands Hispanics Converting To ISLAM :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/yDwGsmTx3D4
ÚÇáã ÃáãÇäí æÒæÌÊå íÚÊäÞæä ÇáÅÓáÇã :
German Scientist & his wife, clinic assistant convert 2 islam :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/uP-2IqH_l4c
ÚÇáã ÃæÑÈí íÚÊäÞ ÇáÅÓáÇã :
European Scientist converts to Islam :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/0IspK651RpY
ÇáÏßÊæÑ ÇáÈÑíØÇäí æíÈÑ íÚÊäÞ ÇáÅÓáÇã :
Dr. Ian Weber from England converts to Islam :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/gUZR6XwU8Pw
ØÇáÈ Úáæã íÚÊäÞ ÇáÅÓáÇã Ýí ÃãÑíßÇ :
science students turn to Islam :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/y3_JYk4Bo4Y
ÊÞÑíÑ ÊáÝÒíæäí : ÇáäÕÇÑì Ýí ÝÑäÓÇ íÚÊäÞæä ÇáÅÓáÇã :
TV Report: Christians Convert To ISLAM in France :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/Dhu0eEuIsGg
ÇáãÓáãæä Ýí ÊßÓÇÓ : ÞÕÕ ááãÓáãíä ÇáÌÏÏ Ýí ÊßÓÇÓ :
ÇãÑíßíÉ ÊÍæáÊ ááÅÓáÇã ÈÚÏ ÃÓÇÈíÚ ãä 11 ÓÈÊãÈÑ :
Angela Collins - Muslim Convert weeks after 9/11 Incident :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/j6PJgJdEzNM
ÃÓÊÑÇáíÉ ÊÚÊäÞ ÇáÅÓáÇã :
NEW MUSLIM Woman from Australia CONVERT :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/-baqULx5IBU
ÞÕÉ ãÓáã ÇãÑíßí ÌÏíÏ :
The Choice - A Story of New American Muslim Convert :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/CML3CRPMefA
ÇíÑáäÏí íÚÊäÞ ÇáÅÓáÇã :
Irish and "loving Islam" Convert to Islam :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/dIc5oFAva-4
íåæÏí íÚÊäÞ ÇáÅÓáÇã :
Jewish To Islam convert :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/KcBiJnLjwVw
ãÓáã íÑæí ÇáÊÛíÑÇÊ ÇáÊí ÍÕáÊ áå ÈÚÏ ÔåÑíä ãä ÅÓáÇãå :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/IlOuITPE6kE
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/1qpQvpmEqkc
[Courtesy of: islamcity@yahoogroups.com ]
114. Namita from Bombay, India
Woman (Namita) accepts ISLAM in International Conference, on 24th November 2007, Mumbai, after getting sufficiently motivated by Dr. Zakir Naik with an answer to her question. Allah-o-Akbar! Subhanallah!
http://www.biharanjuman.org/Zakir_Naik/Zakir-Naik-woman-accepts-Islam-Mumbai-Nov-2007.htm
115. Additional, Relevant Sources
Dr Jeffrey Lang
http://www.thelastingmiracle.com/eng/article.aspx?id=174&cat=48
Amina
http://www.thelastingmiracle.com/eng/article.aspx?id=341&cat=49
Bilal Philips
http://www.thelastingmiracle.com/eng/article.aspx?id=155&cat=50
Cat Stevens
http://www.thelastingmiracle.com/eng/article.aspx?id=156&cat=51
Mark Hanson
http://www.thelastingmiracle.com/eng/article.aspx?id=171&cat=52
Dr. Jerald F. Dirks
http://www.thelastingmiracle.com/eng/sec.aspx?id=18&cat=54
More personalities…..
http://www.thelastingmiracle.com/eng/sec.aspx?id=18&cat=25
[Courtesy of: muslimsofmichigan@yahoogroups.com ]
116. 16. Jang from China
China has 30 million Muslims, according to official data. (Reuters)
BEIJING — It was around 10:00 a.m. Beijing time, nearly three hours to the Friday prayer, when the young man approached the mosque.
Jang stood for sometime outside at the mosque's doorstep hesitant to step in, especially with a "Muslims Only" sign in Chinese, English and Arabic attached to the gate.
He finally defeated a whiff of indecision and walked into the Muslim place of worship.
"Can we help you?" asked the mosque's leading imam.
"I want to become a Muslim," answered Jang.
The smiling imam welcomed him and accompanied him to the Islamic Society office, attached to the mosque.
They offered Jang three booklets on Islam to know more about the faith he wants to embrace.
To their surprise, the young man said he not only read the booklets but also many other books on the Muslim faith.
Jang engaged the imams in a discussion that proved to them he knew what he was about to do.
One imam walked him into Islam with the pronouncement of the Shahadah; testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is His Messenger.
Journey to Islam
Jang, who changed his name to Selim, sat down with IslamOnline. net after the ceremony to talk about his journey to Islam.
"It all started with pork," he said with a smile.
Islam's dietary habits, including the prohibition of pork, led a curious Jang to read about the Muslim faith.
"I perused medical journals and devoured books for an answer."
Islam considers pigs unclean because they are omnivorous, not discerning between meat or vegetation in their natural dietary habits unlike cows and sheep for instance, which eat only plants.
Some scientists say eating pork can cause no less than seventy different types of diseases.
"I found the same conclusion in traditional Chinese medicine, which does not recommend eating pork and designated it as the most harmful and least healthy meat," said Selim.
A jubilant Selim joined an extended family of more than 30 million Muslims in China , according to official data.
Islam came to China via Muslim businessman during the era of the Tang Dynasty 1300 years ago.
There have also been reports of companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) coming to China .
Source: http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1201958071962&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout
17. Sunitha Williams
GOOD NEWS FOR MUSLIM BROTHERS,
Assalamualaikum...! An important message to all Muslim brothers and sisters : Sunita Williams ( First Indian woman who went on moon) accepted 'ISLAM' Masha Allah, bcoz when they were on the moon, they saw towards EARTH, the entire EARTH looked dark, but 2 places on the EARTH looked like SPARKS (Roshni). They were shocked to see that and saw them with the help of telescope and came to know that those two places were 'MECCA' and 'MADINA' Masha Allah. Then they decided that after reaching to earth they'll accept 'ISLAM'. Thats y they reached safely. So be proud to a muslim and forward it to all like fire. Allah Hafiz...!
[Various sources]
18. Abdullah Adiyar
'Islam My Fascination' is a compilation of a series of articles written by Mr. Abdullah Adiyar. He is a famous Tamil playwright, journalist and orator. Once he was a popular film dialogue writer. But his foremost preoccupation has been journalism. Since school days he kept himself engaged in literary activities.
Some of the excerpts from his book:
I do have extraordinary reverence for Islam and I want to pen down my impressions about this great religion, with a hope that readers too would ponder over them.
These days the pioneers of religions are, generally, taken as conservative and dogmatic, but my own study led me to the conclusion that they are revolutionary leaders of their times. They voiced their dislike for the evil customs of their age….
I can fearlessly proclaim that the greatest of all of these revolutionaries was Muhammad (peace be upon him). The revolutionaries, other than Muhammad (PBUH), acquired knowledge and wisdom in someone's company, through their parents or in family environment, but in the case of Muhammad (PBUH) we come across a totally different situation….
Muhammad's life (PBUH) is the finest example for the entire humankind from beginning to end. The early life of many leaders and clerics was blemished but the life of the Prophet remained clean and spotless from the very beginning….
A must read for any new Muslim and a good review even for those who may have been Muslim for a while.
Please read
ISLAM MY FASCINATION
Abdullah Adiyar
www.al-islamforall. org
(A unique comprehensive FREE e-Library in Multiple Languages)
Many more books are available in Multiple Languages
*** *** ***
The purpose of the web site is to provide wide range, authentic comprehensive information about all the teachings of Islam at one place with a unique FREE download facility.
We will highly appreciate if you introduce among your friends in the best possible manner.
Jazakumullah Khair
[Courtesy of: FriendzforAllah@yahoogroups.com ]
Conclusion
The material in this particular edition is just a sample: a drop in the pool when compared to the amount of material on reverts to Islam, and a mere drop in the ocean when compared with the total number of reversions to Islam in the last fourteen centuries! The appeal of Islam is to both sexes, all nationalities, ages and social classes. In the Holy Quran, Allah has stated: "He whom Allah guides, there is none to misguide Him; and He whom pleases to lead astray, there is none to guide him." That is why those of us who are born Muslim must not prejudge those who don't currently believe; in Hadith, the Prophet Muhammed [Pbuh] is reported to have said: "A man can be an arm's length from Paradise but end up in Hell, or he can be an arm's length from Hell and then end up in Paradise."
The following is a summary of the reasons for reversion to Islam from some of the content above:
Name
Reason for Reversion
Diana Freundl
She realised the truth about Islam during a six-week course
Zainab Onez
She realised that Islam is the desirable way of life
Gabriel Martinez
He discovered ‘myths’ in Christianity and felt that Islam is unchanged in its principle concepts
Dr Saroopji Maharaj
The Prophet Muhammed [Pbuh] instructed him, in a dream he experienced, to become a Muslim and to tell others about Islam
Kristiane Backer
She
She found Islam through love (for Imran Khan), though she only reverted after her separation from him
Lewis
The religion of Islam gave him comfort and peace after the tragic death of his mother
Shariffa Carlo
A Professor at Harvard proved that the Christian concept of ‘trinity’ [the divinity of the Prophet Jesus (A.S.) ] is an innovation in Christianity; she became convinced of the veracity of Islam after being convinced by the arguments of a Muslim elder
Namita
She was motivated by Dr Zakir Naik www.ilovezakirnaik.com/ at an international conference
Jang
He himself was reluctant to consume pork and he was later informed that pig meat contains numerous diseases
Sunitha Williams
She saw light issuing from two holy places of Islam -Mecca and Medina – from outer space
Abdullah Adiyar
He became spiritually impressed by the noble character of the Prophet Muhammed [Pbuh]
The following is an e-mail I received from Mohammed Davies of Australia:
The reasons that encouraged people to embrace Islam
You may have read many stories about people who embraced Islam. These stories are available on many sites on the internet and books that deal with this kind of stories.
What attracts you at the beginning is to know the background of these people: their nationalities, former religions, languages, families and careers.
However the thing that attracts one most is the reason that encouraged theses people to leave their previous religion or their atheistic beliefs because some of them did not believe in any deity before.
Answering unanswered questions
Many of those who embraced Islam indicated that Islam answered all the questions that have been annoying them all through their lives. For example, a Japanese woman who embraced Islam said that "I found answers to the philosophical questions that had been haunting me for so many years in this beautiful religion."
Presenting a comprehensive view of life
Some of the people who embraced Islam also pointed out that what attracted them to Islam is the overall view of the life Islam is presenting to its followers.
For example, Fred, an American who recently embraced Islam, said "a faith which would encompass the whole of life, a faith which would provide for me a sense of community and a support group for the trials of life, I found that I was still adrift in a sea of conflicting religions - each claiming that the others were false."
Islam's respect for other religions and prophets
One of the things that attracted other people to embrace Islam is that Islam shows deep respect for other faiths and prophets, in spite of the differences in vision. This is why Fred says, "As for Jesus, non-Muslims are always surprised to find that the Qur'an speaks of Jesus and Mary respectfully, treating Jesus as a prophet and a worker of God's miracles of healing. However, Islam does not view Jesus as God."
There are other factors that attracted another set of people to enter the fold of Islam. However, there is an American woman who became a Muslim who could give us a very precise and concise statement that sums up a lot of things: "Islam is beautiful and all-compassing and lovely in every way.
God is sensible [perceptible?] and understandable; women are respected and honored; men are honored and respectable! Children are protected; Islam offers everything other faiths claim to and more but the difference is, Islam delivers.
Islam is not some weak religion because there is nothing more powerful than actually connecting with God and that is what Islam does."
The following links are also very useful in presenting reasons for reversion to Islam:
http://www.iqrasense.com/islamic-outreach/what-drives-people-to-convert-to-islam.html
http://www.e-ir.info/?p=253
http://www.why-christians-convert-to-islam.com/
http://www.topix.com/forum/religion/hindu/TLOGB61P0I4KVBK6M
http://www.imamreza.net/eng/imamreza.php?id=6988
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/1227/p01s04-woeu.html
http://www.meccacenter.com/meccacenter/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=4&Itemid=18
Introduction
Many members of the public wrongly associate the religion of Islam with international, Islamic politics. Although politics is one area of islam, it is not the totality of this great, world religion. As Islam comes more and more into the news in the contemporary era, Non-Muslims become curious, and wish to find out more about it; and as many of these new readers study the Holy Quran in depth and for the first time in their lives, they are profoundly affected by a remarkable feeling which they recognize as the Truth, a feeling of spiritual self-realisation and Divine Inspiration! Others read Islamic books, pamphlets etc. and then realise that the negative image of Islam, as portrayed by a few with vested, political interests is simply not true. It is a common truth that religion is a personal matter of conviction and belief for the individual. The information which follows explains, in part, how such belief came about in these particular respondents.
1. Yusuf Estes
http://www.islamictorrents.net/ details.php? id=13604
you will need to download / install bitTorrent client like UTorrent from:
http://www.utorrent .com/download. php
[islamicmsg@yahoogroups.com]
2. Diana Freundl
'I discovered the right religion in Islam'
By Diana Freundl
HUDA, Nadia and Selvi – all converts to Islam, standing outside the Taipei Grand Mosque in Taiwan, after a noon prayer service, said their faith had given them strength. It was a list of questions that brought Huda to the Taipei Grand Mosque. "Why can't they eat pork? Why must women cover up? And why, if men can take four wives, can't women take four husbands?"
After enrolling in a six-week course on the fundamentals of Islam, she found her answers, and she found religion. "When I first heard about the course, I told myself, 'This is your time to learn something new.' I discovered how to live my life according to the Qur'an, and now I feel very peaceful," she said.
While stories of suicide attacks and beheadings permeate news coverage from Afghanistan and the Middle East, Taipei Grand Mosque Imam Ma Shiao-chi said the number of people visiting the mosque with questions about Islam had increased.
"The news always highlights the bad things. About 90 per cent of the news is negative. They hear stories about people getting their heads cut off and think Islam is a bad religion. They know very few things about Islam. They want to know what makes people do these things," he said.
Their reasons for converting to Islam vary, but these women are finding freedom in Islam.
Most of those going to the mosque are women, he said. Whether they were born into a non-practising Muslim family, converted for marriage, or, like Huda, are simply curious to learn more about the religion, the women Ma meets wanted to better understand the role of women in Islam. Perhaps they have no intentions of converting, Ma said, but at least they take the time to dispel a few stereotypes about the religion.
Some, however, do convert. As a teenager, Sana researched various religions and recalls visiting several temples, but it was Islam that appealed most to her. "So many things led me to feel Islam was the right religion. Even, when I was a child, I never liked to eat pork," she said.
After living in Pakistan with her husband and children for eight years, Sana said she is now re-adjusting to being part of a minority religion in Taiwan. Taiwan has an estimated 130,000 Muslims, less than half of whom are Chinese-Muslims.
"I am Chinese and I am Muslim," said Sana giving the example of wearing a white headscarf, a colour often associated with death in Taiwan.
Sana and Huda describe wearing the hijab as an honour and affirmation of their faith. They agreed, however, that while its purpose is to prevent unwanted attention to their bodies, it in fact often draws more attention. This they said is part of learning to live in a non-Muslim society.
Likewise, Huda, who works in an international trading company, was originally told she could not wear her hijab to work, as it might make clients uncomfortable. "Eventually my colleagues and boss accepted it. It took time, but they know being Muslim is an important part of my life," she said.
While he criticized the unfair portrayal of Islam in the media, Ma said Muslim practitioners in Taiwan experience little harassment from the public. One reason, he said, might have to do with the small number of followers. "We are very few, so we are not really a risk to them," he said.
The majority of Chinese practicing Islam are second-and third-generation Muslims, whose families came to Taiwan with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in 1949. As years passed, people started to relax their religious compliance, Ma said.
"A lot of Muslims in Taiwan were born Muslims, but not all of them pray everyday. But Islam is a lifestyle. You need to do the Muslim practices [the Five Pillars of Islam] or else it is easy to lose the religion," he said.
Nadia was born into a non-practicing Chinese-Muslim household. Following in her sister's footsteps, she made the transition to a more pious observance during college. As she learned more about the religion, she began to dress more conservatively, covering all but her face and hands. "It was just an outfit on the outside, but it changed my life in the inside. I felt more confident," she said.
In addition to Muslims rediscovering their lost faith, Ma said most women embracing Islam in Taiwan do so for marriage. Of the 20 new converts last year, 12 were for marriage, he said.
According to the Qur'an, a Muslim man can marry a woman from a monotheistic religion (Christianity, Islam and Judaism), but he is prohibited from marrying a woman from a polytheistic religion (Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, etc).
Marriage is how Aisha entered Islam 20 years ago. "In the beginning it was just for marriage. I could accept that there is only one god and not eat pork. I couldn't wear the hijab," she said. A decade later she started reading the Qur'an, attending classes and wearing the headscarf and feels her relationship with her husband is better for it. "Now we have the same way of looking at things. I can communicate better with my husband," she said.
Each of the women said Islam places a large emphasis on respect and equality for women. One of the most debated gender issues in the Qur'an is the tradition that allows Muslim men to take four wives. – The News.
[Courtesy of: Shahid Khan]
3. A Scientist from the Czech Republic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK00xTkMGO0
[Courtesy of: unitedindianmuslims@yahoogroups.com ]
4. Sherman Whittenburg
http://www.islaam. ca/images/ audio/shermanwhittenburg. mp3
[Courtesy of: islamcity@yahoogroups.com ]
5. Zainan Onez
Sister Zainab Oñez Discovered Islam while training to be a nun.
http://www.usislam.org/converts/Zainab_Onez.htm
Please look at the above link to see a photo of Sister zainab
Few days ago, I had a chat with brother Jibril Aqil Ali. He introduce himself as a Latino Muslim. I was so happy to chat with him.
In the same day, I had another chat window with Sister Zainab. She told me that she is a converted Muslim from Philippine. Again, I was extremely happy. Two converted Muslim in one day chatting with me. Subhana Allah. Can you imagine how I felt? Can our Westernized Muslim youth look at her story, and see how a Christian become committed Muslim. Sister Zainab should be an inspiration to Muslim Youth. I truly believe that converts to Islam are one of the few bright spots in our Islamic Ummah.
I asked Sister Zainab to send me his story. He graciously accepted, and here is his story:
Dear Dr. Adel Elsaie;
Assalamu alaikum waramatullahi wa barakatuhu!
I am Zainab Oñez, 24 years old, single never been married, a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Commerce major in Marketing at Holy Cross of Davao College Inc, Philippines. I was a former Roman Catholic and I am one of the working Scholars in SVD or society Verbini Divini, a religious congregation in the Catholic religion for 6 years. Previously, my plan was to become a nun. When I was at the young age of 14, I used to ask myself why many people would have debates about the Christian religion. I had realized maybe God has given one religion to all mankind. When I reached the age of 20, I started to research on the internet and I read about how ISLAM IS A WAY OF LIFE. And I was getting shocked, why was Catholisism not a way of life? I started to research more about Islam because it was my first time to hear about Islam.
I printed all the Islamic research that I had found from the internet and showed them to our professor. He was getting angry with me; why I was studying about Islam; Muslims are terrorists; Muslims are bad people; Muslims worship another God. I considered this as a challenge and was encouraged to study more about Islam. After two years of studying about Islam I decided to embrace Islam last February 21, 2006.
Alhamduillah, I am only one Muslim among with our family and I am now working as a volunteer in Dawah Islamic propagation in Davao city. My entire Christian friends were against me in my new Islamic way of life. I don’t care what other people say. The most important thing is that this is my decision and I know that this is the true religion of Allah SWT given to all mankind. Allah said in
Surah al Imram 3:19 INNAD DEENA IND ALLAH ISLAM- TRULY THE RELIGION WITH ALLAH IS ISLAM.
And in Surah al-Imram 3: 85 thoseover seek a religion other than Islam it will never be accepted of him, and in the hereafter he will be one of the losers.
That is why I spend my life in Dawah for Muslim and non-Muslim area because this is the true religion of Allah that has given to all mankind. The first big jihad for me is wearing of hijab and abaya but alhamdulillah with the help of Allah I got my self-confidence of wearing in proper attire. Most of Christian friends say, what happened to you Zainab, you look like a ghost but I smile at them, and say you do not understand what you are talking about and it is better for you to study your Bible because even the Bible is very strict for the woman:
1 Corinthian 11:5-6 says
but any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled disgraces her head—it is one and the same thing as having her head shaved. For if a woman will not veil herself, then she should cut off her hair; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or to be shaved, she should wear a veil.
If Christians read their Bible carefully and understand their Bible, all of them will become Muslims.
I am now enjoying making my comparative study of religion and inshaAllah I am hoping to be like Ahmad Deedat a good daeyah or preacher in our Islamic religion. Now, I am always hoping to focus on study in Arabic education inshaAllah if Allah given me an opportunity to study in Saudi Arabia inshaAllah.
If you want to contact Sister Zainab, send me email, and I will Inshaa Allah forward the mail to her.
Please try to correct my English grammar. I hope that you can understand because I am not really good in English grammar.
jazakallahu khairan.
Sis . zainab
Philippine
If you want to send email to sister Zainab, send me the email, and I will InShaa Allah forward it to her.
Sister Zainab Oñez Discovered Islam while training to be a nun.
http://www.usislam.org/converts/Zainab_Onez.htm
Please look at the above link to see a photo of Sister zainab
[Courtesy of: Dr. Adel Elsaie http://www.usislam. org/]
6. Gabriel Martinez
Latino Muslim: Gabriel "Jibril Aqil Ali" Martinez, My Coming to Islam.
Source with brother Jibril Photo:: http://www.usislam. org/latinos/ converts/ gabriel_jibril_ aqil_ali_ martinez. htm
Few days ago, I had a chat with brother Jibril Aqil Ali. He introduce himself as a Latino Muslim. I was so happy to chat with him. I truly believe that converts to Islam are one of the few bright spots in our Islamic Ummah. I asked brother Jibril to send me his story. He graciously accepted, and here is his story:
After my separation of marriage of 10 years, my biggest regret was not instilling or sharing the knowledge of God as I knew him as a believer in Christianity with my wife and more importantly my children who are most dear to me whom which I had dedicated to God as I knew Him then. My oldest brother "Ali" Martinez was the first and only Muslim in our family at the time and he had converted to Islam while Imprisoned in 1977 and was my first influence who shared his belief in stages to me. The second in our family was my Nephew "Hakim Malik" Toro who took Shahada in 1987 as a 5% Nation Member and came to True Islam taught by the Prophet (PBUH) while incarcerated. He shared his knowledge of Islam in stages also with me. I became a father 1st in 1997 and I named my first born "Imanuel Jabril" Martinez out of respect for Christianity, Islam and the family. My second was born in 2001 and was named "Issac Ali" Martinez. Now my brother Ali was killed in 1992 in the Bronx New York and many of the Christian members of our family in some ways blamed Islam for his death and for my nephews incarceration and then came "911". so I continued my life walking in limbo so to speak and practiced neither until my separation of marriage and a motorcycle accident that left me Spleenless and near amputated leg looking to God and believe it or not, Thanking The Almighty for it all. So I went to my ex-wife one day and apologized and expressed to her my regret of not sharing nearly enough religion with her in all our years together especially due to the fact that she is from Cuba and had so little knowledge of God and religion. So I expressed to her my desire to live a righteous life and teach our children like wise and asked if she would aid me. I told her that I was sorry for buying her a Bible that was in "old Spanish" and difficult to understand and that if I bought her a newer Spanish version would she read it and help me raise the children in the knowledge Of God? She answered "No. I don't think so and frankly don't bother' She had no interest. I told her fine but not to interfere with me and (raising in the knowledge of God) the Boys when they are with me. I went home that night and wept and prayed and demanded that God show me once and for all "AM I A CHRISTIAN, MUSLIM, BUDDHIST, JEW, JEDI OR WHAT?" Because I did not want my children to suffer in this life or the after life because of my ignorance. In order to teach them I had to be taught and I had to be right. So I typed into my Netflix account search: Islam, God, Christianity, Judaism etc. went on line and did the same and read all I could and watched all I could on the matter and most of all prayed. I visited the local Mosque and got literature on Islam. I read very briefly about Jesus and the divinity being conceived in 325 a.d in a foot note but didn't think much more about it for I had a lot of videos to watch. I started to see the Truth that the culture and practice of Islam was not at all how the media portrayed it. It was not intimidating but actually quite inviting. It was beautiful, peaceful, powerful and oh so Inspiring. But the Christ and the divinity issue was so strongly instilled in me it held me back. I needed to know and understand more. Then "It" arrived. The video "History Channel's a History of God" a search for monotheism: Jews, Christians and Muslims. It talked in dept about the myths of Christmas and and Christ and the divinity and the "Trinity" and "The Counsel of Nicea" That The trinity and divinity of Christ came 325 a.d. That was It. I took Shahada right there and then. I went to the Mosque the following Friday 03/30/07 after calling my nephew and sharing what I have learned and asking him to go with me. I took the Qu'ran and Islam and ran with it and have been running ever since Alhumdullillah. That's My story in brief. Asalmu Alaikum and Jazak Allahu Khairun for your time.
Jibril~By The Will of Allah
[Courtesy of: Dr. Adel Elsaie http://www.usislam. org/]
7. Dr. Saroopji Maharaj, Ph.D., D.D.
Dr. Saroopji Maharaj, Ph.D., D.D.
Embraces Islam
(This was an interview originally translated and adapted by Iqbal Husain Ansari from Yaqeen International, dated December 7, 1987. This is an abridged reprint.)
A prominent Hindu personality of India, Achariya Mahant Dr. Saroopji Maharaj, embraced Islam last year (1986) in the Indian city of Bhopal. His Islamic name is Dr. Islamul Haq. He entered the fold of Islam along with his wife and daughter. He is a highly educated and qualified person, well off and contented with his material resources.
He certainly accepted Islam of his own free will after making a thorough search into various religions of the world. His critical investigations did reveal to him the truth of Islam. He cites to the world his own example to dispel the allegation that Islam spread by dint of sword.
Following are some of the details of an interview given by him, which narrates the momentous story of the great spiritual revolution in his life:
Question (Qs.*): “How do you feel after declaring your entry into Islam?”
Answer (As.*): “It is infinite favour of Allah upon me that He has blessed me with His invaluable wealth of true faith that is Islam. I feel I am one of the most successful and fortunate persons of the world. While groping in the darkness of disbelief, I was regarded as ‘Bhagwan’ (God), where as in this new world of light I have attained my rightful status of ‘man’.”
Qs.*: “Will you tell us something about your previous name and occupation?”
As.*: “My name was Mahant Dr. Shri Shakti Saroopji Maharaj Adasin Dharmachariya Odai Shakti. My hereditary profession was Hindu priesthood. As such, I served several Hindu religious institutions, the most important of them being the Ban Khand Ashram in Brindaban in Mathura. The next one was in Bombay. The third one was an underground Ashram in Wawanas, spread over fifty acres of land and still under construction. It is an Institute of International repute. My duty was to preach religion and to enlist and train disciples.”
Qs.*: “You have the reputation of being an erudite scholar. Will you please throw light on this aspect?”
As.*: “I received my elementary education in the Ashram (Hindu religious institute). I obtained my Master's degree in Orientalism from the Allahabad University (India), the degree of Achariya (in Sanskrit) from Gurukul Kangri, and the diploma of D.D. (Doctor of Divinity) from Oxford University. The last entailed comparative study of most important religions of the world. This was, in addition to Ph. D. in Orientalism. Thus I have to my credit double Doctorate in Divinity and in Orientalism.
Once I visited the Vatican City at the invitation of Pope Saint Paul VI. Great pressure was exerted on me there to accept Christianity. I was asked to speak on seven different topics. I acquitted myself of this difficult assignment so well in that seat of Christianity that the Pope, in recognition of my performance, conferred on me the honorary title of O.F.M.C.A.P. and also the citizenship of the Vatican City. However, Christianity did not appeal to me at all. I came back to India where I was elevated to the office of Mahant.”
Qs.*: “When and where were you born? What is your lineage?”
As.*: “I was born on February 3, 1936, in the town of Brindaban, Dist. Mathura, U.P., India. I belong to the Vedi Wanash of Baba Nanak.”
Qs.*: “What languages can you read and write? “
As.*: “I know some twelve languages, namely, English, Sanskrit, Greek, Dibro, Hindi, Prakirit, Pali, Gurmukhi, Marhathi, Gujrati, Urdu, and Arabic.”
Qs.*: “You have been very close to the Hindu trend of thought. Do you think that they are scared of the Muslims?”
As.*: “The Hindu society of India is not scared of the Muslims. It rather fears Islam for its exalted merits as compared with the deficient and weak religious tenets of Hinduism. Islam's greatness consists in the fact that it liberates man from the shackles of color, feature, race, clan, language, land, riches, class, rank, and status. It gives him, instead, a lasting and firm entity. It calls men to bow down before one and only God. That is why they dread the might of Islam, which liberates man from every sort of slavery and bondage, except subservience to God. It is free from all man made formalities and rituals.”
Qs.*: “Do you think that there is a possibility of Islam being wiped out from any country?”
As.*: “Islam is eternal and well founded. There is no power on earth, which can demolish or efface it. It might disappear from the lives of such Muslims as are weak in their faith (Eman). It will, however, continue to grow and flourish as long as there is even one Muslim in whose life the spirit of Hijrah (emigration) and victory taken root, and he has in him the enthusiasm of perseverance and gratitude.”
Qs.*: “Did you ever admit the greatness of Islam even before embracing it?”
As.*: “I had studied ten great religions of the world in their respective original forms. I was therefore already convinced of the divinity and truth of Islam. Among my contemporaries have been great world-teachers and Hindu Shankar Achariyas, e.g. Rama Gopal, Mahanand Maheswar, Swami Akhanda Nandji, Guru Gowalkar Baba Sahib Deshmukh, Vinoba Bhave, etc. All of them were very kind to me. In early 1981, Acharya Vinoba Bhave invited me to his Ashram, Param Dham, to deliver lectures. Among the great Hindu Mahants present on the occasion, was Dada Dharam Adhikari. All of a sudden he put to me a very intriguing question: ‘Swami Ji, you have studied many religions of the world. Which one do you find the best for man’? I replied: Islam. He said: ‘But Islam is a very tied up religion’. I replied: The very one that is 'tied-up' also grants freedom, while the one that is considered free ties down man to continual slavery. Man is in need of a religion that has remained 'tied-up', a religion that keeps man under restraints in this worldly life but sets him free in the hereafter. In my opinion, it is Islam alone that qualifies to be the best religion.”
Qs.*: “It is really a matter of great courage that you should have expressed your appreciation for a religion, other than your own, with so nice arguments. This certainly testifies to the greatness of Islam that you feel in your heart. Now please also enlighten us on the incident that urged you to embrace Islam, at a time when you were very well aware of the predicament and the suffering, which the Muslims are presently undergoing. Today, when every-where people are talking about a Hindu revolution, how could you pluck up courage to take this thorny road?”
As.*: “It was years of long thirst and search which eventually materialized into a great event. It was in January 1984, that one night I saw a dream that a great crowd was pursuing me when I ran and then stopped, the crowd also ran and stopped. Suddenly I stumbled over something and fell on the ground. In a moment's time two unknown hands lent me support to stand up. After standing up my eyes were fixed on a brightly shining face but I was not able to recognize it. Someone standing close by prompted me that it was the Mohammad (P*). This made me fall into a trance. The Holy Prophet asked me to pronounce the 'Kalimah' (Article of confession of Islamic Faith). Holding my right hand into his own, he himself pronounced the 'Kalimah' and I followed him, until the recital of the Article was completed. Thereafter, the Holy Prophet (P*) embraced and commanded me to teach the 'Kalimah' to the people of this country. I do not remember how long this vision lasted, but when I came back into my own, it was 3 a.m. My wife also had an inspiring vision at about the same time on the same night. We shivered out of extreme joy and ecstasy at this happy coincidence and rare favour. The strings of the soul burst suddenly into melodious tunes. We felt as if we were Muslims of the first century, which, we began to feel an irresistible urge to bring back to this earth in its true splendor as early as possible. This pleasant vision set us thinking that some great revolution was going to overtake this earth.
From that very day we began to plan how to pronounce the 'Kalimah' of Islam formally and publicly. This led us to tour many regions and establish contacts with Muslims, while we performed, in privacy, the Salat and other ritual prayers as per Islam. This continued until we visited Bhopal, the city of scholars. On May 10, 1986, with the appearance of the moon of the Holy Month of Ramadan, I, together with my wife and young daughter, entered the fold of God's blessed religion that is Islam. In other words, we returned to our nature. After years of aimless wandering in the wilderness, we were able now to breathe in peace and sleep in calm and quiet.
Qs.*: The Hindus in general allege that Islam spread by the sword and exercise of force. What is your view about this?
As.*: I am myself a living proof against this allegation. It is, however, a fact that not only the common but even the educated Hindu is still sticking to this false notion.”
Qs.*: “You have studied several religions besides Islam. Have you come across any reference in them to Allah, the Holy Quran, Mohammad (P*), and Islam?”
As.*: “With the exception of Buddhism and Jainism, all religious literature contains the name of Allah and Mohammad or Ahmad (P*). These names are very clear in the Vedas. The word 'Ala' occurs in chapter 1 of the Rig Veda, which is the first of the four. Later on, this word takes the name of Allah. Similarly, 'Moha-mmad' and Ah-mad' occur for Mohammad and Ahmad (P*) respectively. The word 'Kurdha-noo' has been used in the Rig Veda for the Holy Quran.”
Qs.*: “You have entered the fold of Islam after giving up huge wealth and renouncing a life of comfort and luxury. What is your source of livelihood now?”
As.*: “If I had at my disposal the empire of all the world, I would have given it up for the sake of the great blessing that is Islam. The possession of the riches of 'seven worlds' would not have given me the joy and contentment, which I have derived from Islam. I am a medical practitioner of the Ayurvedic system. I am grateful to Allah that I am able to make both ends meet with honour and ease.”
Qs.*: “As a soldier of Islam, what message would you like to convey to the Muslims of the world?”
As.*: “In reply to this question I may mention a Christian parable. One morning, after completing his night prayers, Jesus (P*) Christ (P*) was walking on the surface of water to reach the other side of the river where some of his disciples were waiting for him. The disciples were astonished to see this extraordinary scene and asked Jesus (P*) Christ (P*) in great amazement if they too could walk like him on the surface of water. Jesus (P*) Christ (P*) replied: 'yes, surely, provided that you keep your eyes up towards me. If you divert your eyes in the least, you are bound to get drowned'. The disciples stepped on the surface of water with their eyes fixed towards Jesus (P*) Christ. After thus walking some distance they began to doubt whether they were actually walking on water. No sooner did they turn their eyes downward than they fell in the water. “
He continued: “It is my solemn request to the Muslim world that they should constantly keep in view and fulfill the conditions laid down by the Holy Prophet (P*) for walking across the river of this world so as to reach safely its other side. If we make the slightest deviation, they are bound to drown themselves in the river, never to be rescued. There is still time for the Muslims to correct themselves and to concentrate their vision on the right point. If they act so, they shall, God willing, be crowned with success in all that they do.”
Qs.*: “What should, in your opinion, be the qualities of a Muslim? How would you define a Muslim?”
As.*: “Who can’t define a Muslim better than the Prophet of Allah, Mohammad (P*) himself? He said: A Muslim is like the honeybee that visits only beautiful, fragrant flowers and shuns dirty things. It sucks nectar to make honey - not poison, and that too not necessarily for itself but for others. Men, birds and animals, all alike, profit from it. In this purpose the bee exerts itself to the utmost, without harming anyone. In another Hadith the Holy Prophet (P*) said: A Muslim is one, from whose tongue and hands, another Muslim remains safe.”
Qs.*: “Lastly, what steps do you propose to take to revive the first century of Islam?”
As.*: “Praise be to Allah. This is indeed a good question. The longing to see the return of the first century of Islam on this earth is present in the hearts of many enthusiasts who are live and young. This century of Islam has at no time been far away. As a matter of fact, this century has been lying concealed in the hearts of the Muslims themselves for many centuries, like a live seed. All that is needed is to weed out the wild shrubs of desire and greed. In order to revive the first century of Islam, the soldiers of Islam will have to make a new pledge, take an oath of allegiance, and work on the field of action with their pure Faith, lofty ambitions and Bilal's enthusiastic perseverance. They will have to mould their lives on the pattern prescribed by Allah and His Prophet, with new dedication and submission. When a Muslim leads his life with such consciousness, in him will spring up the qualities of a true believer: this in turn will transform the entire atmosphere into virtue and goodness.
With this in view I am planning to launch a 'MOMIN MAKING' movement. This will entail peeping into the depths of the believer's way of life, to diagnose the worldly and spiritual maladies of theirs and to cure them, and to weld the shattered Muslim society into one healthy, integrated body. For the present I have started action on a three-point programme: (1). To defend and protect Islam, (2). To support and uphold the Muslims within the boundary of worldly and religious values, (3). To convey the divine message to the entire world in the respective languages of the people.”
[Courtesy of: mahdiunite@yahoogroups.com ]
8. Jonathan Birt
Thousands Of British Elite Embrace Islam: Study
http://www.islamonline.net
"I have received letters from people … who are looking for a religion which does not compromise too much with the modern world," Eaton
LONDON, February 26 (IslamOnline. net) – Jonathan Birt, the son of Lord Birt and Emma Clark, the granddaughter of former liberal prime minister Herbert Asquith, are only two of 14,000 mostly-elite white Britons having reverted to Islam.
In the first authoritative study of the phenomenon, carried by the Sunday Times on February 22, some of the country's top landowners, celebrities and the offspring of senior Establishment figures have embraced the Muslim faith after being disillusioned with western values.
The new study by Yahya (formerly Jonathan) Birt, son of Lord Birt, former director-general of the BBC, provides the first reliable data on the sensitive subject of the movement of Christians into Islam.
He uses a breakdown of the latest census figures to conclude that there are now 14,200 white reverts in Britain.
Mass Conversion
Speaking publicly for the first time about his faith this weekend, Birt argued that an inspirational figure, similar to the American revert Malcolm X for Afro-Caribbeans, would first have to emerge if the next stage, a mass conversion among white Britons, were to happen.
"You need great transitional figures to translate something alien (like Islam) into the vernacular," Birt, whose doctorate at Oxford University is on young British Muslims, was quoted by the Times.
"The image of Islam projected by political Islamic movements is not very attractive," he said.
Initially, Birt said he had no coherent reasons for reverting, but "in the longer term I think it was the overall profundity, balance and coherence and spirituality of the Muslim way of life which convinced me," he said.
'All Rage'
Meanwhile, it emerged this weekend that Emma Clark, the great-granddaughter of a British prime minister has reverted.
Emma, whose ancestor, the Liberal prime minister Herbert Asquith, took Britain into the first world war, said: "We're all the rage, I hope it's not a passing fashion."
Clark, who helped design an Islamic garden for the Prince of Wales at Highgrove, his Gloucestershire home, is now helping create a similar garden for a mosque in Woking, Surrey, on the site of a car park, said the British newspaper.
Furthermore, fresh evidence came this weekend that Islam has received formal acceptance at the heart of the Establishment.
The Queen has approved new arrangements to allow Muslim staff at Buckingham Palace time off to attend Friday prayers at a mosque.
A member of staff in the finance department is the first to take advantage of it, said the British paper.
'Trophy Lists'
Others have come to Islam through love or marriage.
Kristiane Backer, a former girlfriend of the cricketer Imran Khan, said she was introduced to the religion through love but reverted after her break-up.
She has shrunk from speaking publicly about her religion before because of fears it might affect her work prospects.
"Imran sowed the seeds, but when (the relationship) finished (the faith) took on a momentum of its own," she said.
Drawn to Sufi mysticism, Baker said that white reverts had to overcome prejudice both from those born into Islam and from non-believers.
"In the mosque women come up and say to me, 'You have hair showing: you must cover up completely.' I say, 'Mind your own hair, you're here to think about God' ".
Many reverts have been inspired by the writings of Charles Le Gai Eaton, a former Foreign Office diplomat, it added.
"I have received letters from people who are put off by the wishy-washy standards of contemporary Christianity and they are looking for a religion which does not compromise too much with the modern world," said Eaton, author of Islam and the Destiny of Man.
Wary
Some prominent reverts are even more wary, said the Times.
The Earl of Yarborough, 40, who owns a 28,000-acre estate in Lincolnshire, declined to discuss anything about his faith.
"I have nothing to say to you," said Yarborough, who has apparently taken the name Abdul Mateen.
Muslim leaders are harnessing modern campaigning methods to promote their faith. Groups have sprung up on the internet publishing "trophy lists" of white reverts.
The state-funded school in London founded by Yusuf Islam, formerly the singer Cat Stevens, has turned to Premiership footballers to provide role models, said the Times.
Sources close to the school say reverts including Nicolas Anelka, the Manchester City striker, and Omer "Freddie" Kanoute, of Tottenham Hotspur, have made visits.
The trend is being encouraged by Muslim leaders who are convinced that the conversion of prominent society figures will help protect a community stigmatized by "terrorism and fundamentalism" .
The Muslim Council of Britain has co-opted Joe Ahmed-Dobson, son of Frank Dobson, the former health secretary, to chair its regeneration committee.
"The community has been unfairly targeted and these developments encourage it in a time of difficulty," said Zaki Badawi, chairman of the Imams and Mosques Council.
++++++++++++
Brothers in Islam
http://www.islamonl ine.net/servlet/ Satellite? c=Article_ C&cid=1209049654313&pagename=Zone- English-News/ NWELayout
Like many among Britain's two-million Muslim minority, Yusuf says he faces suspecions and misconceptions. (Photo through Google)
CAIRO — Belizaire's shock and pain after losing his mother and the tranquility and endurance of his younger brother at such a hard time walked him into a new path in life.
"When I was feeling lost and confused….I found that Islam made sense to me," the 28-year-old man from the British city of Bristol, who now goes by the name Mohammed Hakeem, told the Evening Post on Thursday, April 24.
"It gave me a concrete feeling in the existence of God and an afterlife, which helped me deal with the loss of my mother."
Hakeem, who comes from an observant Catholic family, says he owes his younger brother Yusuf, previously Lewis, opening his eyes to Islam.
Feeling lost after his mother's death, he watched his brother, who embraced Islam some 19 months earlier, grow in conviction and happiness.
After some deep thinking he made up his mind.
"It's difficult to describe the feeling when you go through with it and say the Shahadah," he recalls with a smiling face.
"It's a wonderful sensation. It's a feeling of spiritual clarity rather than feeling lost and forsaken."
Yusuf, a law student in London, had quite a different journey to Islam himself.
"Because I was so worried my conversion would create a divide, I waited almost a year to make sure I wasn't being influenced or caught up in something new and interesting," he remembers.
"In January 2006 I felt I'd waited as long as I could. The conversion was a lot simpler than I thought."
He went to Bristol Central Mosque as people were leaving after Friday prayers and announced his desire to become a Muslims.
"I took the Shahadah. Then that was it.
"It was only a couple of lines, but in my heart I felt like something big had happened," says Yusuf.
"It was the best feeling of my life. I couldn't stop smiling. I could then actually start my journey and become a Muslim."
Prejudice
The journey, however, was nothing easy for the brothers.
Yusuf remembers the family was in shock when he announced his conversion.
"My grandmother thought I was moving away from God."
Yusuf, who had read much about religions before his decision, had to appease her fears by highlighting the commonalities between Catholicism and Islam.
He told her that Muslims believe in Jesus (peace and blessings be upon him) as one of the Messengers of God.
He also told her that both faiths worship one God.
"I sent her a copy of the Qur'an and she read through it. Over Christmas, she helped me find which direction to pray."
Unfortunately, reaching out to the rest of society was not as easy.
Mohammed, the older brother, regrets how the portrayal of Islam since the 9/11 attack has made life harder for Muslims in the West.
"I despise the negative portrayal of the Muslim community in parts of the media.
"I've heard tales of people receiving aggro because of their religion, but personally I haven't been targeted."
The two-million Muslim minority in Britain complains of a growing Islamophobic climate.
A Financial Times opinion poll recently showed that Britain is the most suspicious nation about Muslims.
"A lot of times people don't know how to take it when I tell them I'm a Muslim convert," says Yusuf.
"Terrorism is the first thing that comes into their minds.
"They are thinking 'please tell me you're not one of them'."
A recent study by the Institute of Community Cohesion found that British Muslims are too often represented as one homogenous group linked to extremism and terror.
"I can totally understand where they are coming from because I was there," notes Yusuf.
What makes him feel better is that once he talks to people, the walls of deep-seated stereotypes and misconceptions start breaking down.
"When I get the chance to speak to them, 90 percent want to know more about Islam."
9. Shariffa Carlo
_99_._
My Story: How I Came to Islam
Shariffa Carlo
The story of how I reverted to al-Islam is a story of plans. I made plans; the group I was with made plans, and Allah made plans. And Allah is the Best of Planners. When I was a teenager, I came to the attention of a group of people with a very sinister agenda. They were and probably still are a loose association of individuals who work in government positions but have a special agenda - to destroy Islam. It is not a governmental group that I am aware of, they simply use their positions in the US government to advance their cause.
One member of this group approached me because he saw that I was articulate, motivated and very much the women's rights advocate. He told me that if I studied International Relations with an emphasis in the Middle East, he would guarantee me a job at the American Embassy in Egypt . He wanted me to eventually go there to use my position in the country to talk to Muslim women and encourage the fledgling women's rights movement. I thought this was a great idea. I had seen the Muslim women on TV; I knew they were a poor oppressed group, and I wanted to lead them to the light of 20th century freedom.
With this intention, I went to college and began my education. I studied Quran, hadith and Islamic history. I also studied the ways I could use this information. I learned how to twist the words to say what I wanted them to say. It was a valuable tool. Once I started learning, however, I began to be intrigued by this message. It made sense. That was very scary. Therefore, in order to counteract this effect, I began to take classes in Christianity. I chose to take classes with this one professor on campus because he had a good reputation and he had a Ph.D. in Theology from Harvard University . I felt I was in good hands. I was, but not for the reasons I thought. It turns out that this professor was a Unitarian Christian. He did not believe in the trinity or the divinity of Jesus. In actuality, he believed that Jesus was a prophet.
He proceeded to prove this by taking the Bible from its sources in Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic and show where they were changed. As he did this, he showed the historical events which shaped and followed these changes. By the time I finished this class, my deen had been destroyed, but I was still not ready to accept Islam. As time went on, I continued to study, for myself and for my future career. This took about three years. In this time, I would question Muslims about their beliefs. One of the individuals I questioned was a Muslim brother with the MSA. Alhamdulllah, he saw my interest in the deen, and made it a personal effort to educate me about Islam. May Allah increase his reward. He would give me dawaa at every opportunity which presented itself.
One day, this man contacts me, and he tells me about a group of Muslims who were visiting in town. He wanted me to meet them. I agreed. I went to meet with them after ishaa prayer. I was led to a room with at least 20 men in it. They all made space for me to sit, and I was placed face to face with an elderly Pakistani gentleman. Mashallah, this brother was a very knowledgeable man in matters of Christianity. He and I discussed and argued the varying parts of the Bible and the Quran until the fajr. At this point, after having listened to this wise man tell me what I already knew, based on the class I had taken in Christianity, he did what no other individual had ever done. He invited me to become a Muslim. In the three years I had been searching and researching, no one had ever invited me. I had been taught, argued with and even insulted, but never invited. May Allah guide us all. So when he invited me, it clicked. I realized this was the time. I knew it was the truth, and I had to make a decision. Alhamdulillah, Allah opened my heart, and I said, "Yes. I want to be a Muslim." With that, the man led me in the shahadah - in English and in Arabic. I swear by Allah that when I took the shahadah, I felt the strangest sensation. I felt as if a huge, physical weight had just been lifted off my chest; I gasped for breath as if I were breathing for the first time in my life. Alhamdulillah, Allah had given me a new life - a clean slate - a chance for Jennah, and I pray that I live the rest of my days and die as a Muslim. Ameen.
Source: http://www.islamica wakening. com/viewarticle. php?articleID= 414
__
NNNNNO
1
10. Additional, Relevant Sources
April 16, 2008
[IqraSense.com]
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Umar, Assalamu-Alaikum and Greetings !
Every so often we hear cases of people converting to Islam. They all attribute their conversions to a varied set of reasons. However, looking closely we will notice that the underlying reason for their conversion is usually one and the same.
In the article below, we invite you to read an analysis behind this accelerating trend and encourage you to share your thoughts on this process that is driving hundreds of thousands new converts to Islam.
Who would have thought that with the increase of anti-Islam feelings in the past few years, the rate of conversions would grow even more than before? The reason is simple. Driven by hearing the half baked stories in the media, numerous people who wanted to learn more about Islam, many actually became Muslims in the process. One does wonder about this reverse effect and the post below attempts to answer that question.
The second post below provides a few video examples of some of those who have converted to Islam. It also includes a video by an American Muslim scholar who discusses the amazing trend of many non-Muslim preachers converting to Islam. Again, one wonders what is it that made these preachers abandon their identities and support of their thousands of followers to start fresh with Islam.
Your thoughts and experiences are more than welcome and you can enter them directly on the blog posts below. Please share them with the thousands who read these posts regularly.
Finally, although many of you enjoy these posts, if at any time you want to unsubscribe from our lists, you can click on the link at the bottom of this message.
The articles you may find useful for review today are the following:
Why are so many people converting to Islam?
Watch Videos about new Muslim converts
Read other Articles at IqraSense.com
Always use IqraSearch.com - The Islamic Search Engine
Any questions on any issues we can help? Feel free to write to us at authors@IqraSense.com
IqraSense.com
http://www.IqraSense.com
5405 Alton Pkwy, Irvine, CA 92064, USA
To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit:
http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?zOyMTIwMtMxszGyMjCzMtEa0zEwcnAyMHA==
11
111. Additional, Relevant Sources
Why did they accept Islam?
NBC NEWS: 20000 Americans Convert to ISLAM Each Year! :
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/2PS2creVhaM
:
Yusuf Estes - Priests and Preachers accepting Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/E6K0627FiCk
Many Latinos Convert Daily To ISLAM Live From Venezuela:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/1XyrxzQIN9w
Every day many Germans convert to ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/34kj urzK500
Holland TV: ISLAM fastest spreading Faith among Youth Germans
www.youtube. com/watch/ v/WAXXN6XOnzQ
Thousands of Danish convert to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/kru6XQ8CT48
:
TV Report Thousands Hispanics Converting To ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/yDwGsmTx3D4
German Scientist & his wife, clinic assistant convert 2 Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/uP-2IqH_ l4c
:
European Scientist converts to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/0IspK651RpY
Dr. Ian Weber from England converts to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/gUZR6XwU8Pw
:
Science students turn to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/y3_JYk4Bo4Y
TV Report: Christians Convert to ISLAM in France:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/Dhu0eEuIsGg
:
Angela Collins - Muslim Convert weeks after 9/11 Incident:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/j6PJgJdEzNM
NEW MUSLIM Woman from Australia:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/-baqULx5IBU
The Choice - A Story of New American Muslim Convert:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/CML3CRPMefA
:
Irish and "loving Islam" Convert to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/dIc5oFAva- 4
:
Jewish to Muslim convert:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/KcBiJnLjwVw
:
www.youtube. com/watch/ v/IlOuITPE6kE
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/1qpQvpmEqkc
:
Why do they accept the Islam?
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/aJ3TGAnFc- U
135 Convert to Islam:
< SPAN style="FONT- FAMILY: Calibri;">http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/36Glj_FAGcw
:
Convert to Islam from Canada:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/uKPer2fma9U
:
Revert to Islam - Brian From Christianity (Convert to Islam):
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/bI_YVnD9UvI
:
Many Jew and Christian Families Convert To ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/84ZtVLI5kXM
:
British Catholic Priest Converted To ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/pn0iPlWQNlI
Greece Men Convert to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/IlAjkuECrHc
Convert to Islam from Hinduism:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/zePqNxz895U
Christian Convert to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/HDkW2Y35mKQ
Twenty two/22 Brothers and sisters convert to (Islam)....:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/XQBn6loQTdY
:
Two British Women of different colors convert to Islam:
www.youtube. com/watch/ v/uEfMcPQfv7w
:
German converts to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/9U1zNXXQA6Q
Three French Sisters Convert to ISLAM:
www.youtube. com/watch/ v/JiksSo0lwL4
Sister Yvonne Ridley Becomes Muslim Islam Video:
< /SPAN>ht tp://www.youtube.< wbr>com/watch/ v/aOe5s5hP4Gw
WHY Christians German Lady convert to ISLAM, SEE VIDEO:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/afFv22Wsd5A
Germany Convert to ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/os4vUxfJizU
Jerome - How I wrestled my way to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/b2YZGGDGUWE
:
The story of a German convert to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/gjRjzTAk- RQ
&nb sp;
Revert to Islam - Abdus Salam (Convert to Islam)...:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/VqlilLIQJRE
Revert to Islam - Maryam Noor (Convert from Christianity) ....:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/ig0N9aRT0Hc
Germans convert to Islam on German TV:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/nFqj3xPKc88
TV Report Rechtsanwalt konvertiert zum ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/_4LrIv6kK9o
Jolene: A Southern Baptist Converts to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/RHQOx12- WJU
Revert to Islam - Muhammad Musab (Convert from Christianity) ....:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/Co0xom_ KcXM
:
Revert to Islam - Yusuf Ali (Convert to Islam)...:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/NcjXK7qzE_ k
How Melina came to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/jLht7Kk0bGg
:
Revert to Islam - Abdullah Laban (Convert to Islam)...:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/gGeHzUkkJH4
TV Report Latinos Leaving the Church and Turning to ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/j2w14xxi0bM
William Chappelle and 25 members of his family embrace Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/mkBW4l4TmPE
6 German convert to Islam - 2007 - LIVE:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/0SpqpGKp7ts
Caroline converts from Christianity to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/2Cpmvne2wj0
&nb sp;
Japanese Women Turning To ISLAM. :
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/L7PIOhK- SgA
American converted Muslim Woman speaking about the Veil:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/L85Mcq3EDX8
Dia Richardson converted to Islam in USA:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/Tp097NNj3Pk
:
German C hristian converts to ISLAM:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/UTyu18RgrAo
:
New Muslim Lady... Live from London:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/NTlta20vsow
Dutch Women Turning To ISLAM in Holland:
www.youtube. com/watch/ v/UyyxPO0HFLk
New Sister from S outh Germany:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/EkBRKrUDnEU
How to Convert to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/i9K7lmYaucU
Why Abdul Raheem Green Came to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/wF8joJaOVJw
Robert converts to Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/vU5HGHiNUu0
Revert to Islam - Sister Crystal (Convert from Christianity) ...:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/IZF9stLSYjY
< /SPAN>
Spanish Woman talks about Woman rights in Islam:
http://www.youtube. com/watch/ v/exdCJ_wT9E4
910[[C[Courtesy of: islamcity@yahoogroups.com ]
16
111
12. Additional, Relevant Sources
Salam alaikom wb
Plz. Watch this short video Four Filipinos Convert to Islam few days ago with our American convert brother from Chicago brother saifuALLAH .He is convert since 7 years and he joined our DAWA in Manila 6 months ago allhamdollah. He has his radio program in Manila the message in English and women in Islam In filipono language
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=446IgQqgRZo
allhamdollah new convert again Catholic Filipina converts to Islam March 30, 2008 http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=SSY379pxMhY
12-year-old Filipino boy converts to Islam - March 30, 2008
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=YvKJI1gA130&feature=related
10-year-old Filipino boy converts to Islam - March 30, 2008
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=1jOp-Maxc2g&feature=related
[Courtesy of: friendzforallah@yahoogroups.com ]
113. Additional, Relevant Sources
NBC NEWS:20000 Americans Convert To ISLAM Each Year! :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/2PS2creVhaM
ÞÓíÓ ÃãÑíßí ÓÇÈÞ íßÔÝ ÇÚÊäÇÞ ÞÓÇæÓÉ ßËíÑíä ááÅÓáÇã :
Yusuf Estes - Priests and Preachers accepting Islam :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/E6K0627FiCk
ÇáÝäÒæíáíæä íÏÎáæä Ýí Ïíä Çááå ÃÝæÇÌÇ :
Many Latinos Convert Daily To ISLAM .. Live From Venezuela! :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/1XyrxzQIN9w
ÇáßËíÑ ãä ÇáÃáãÇä íÚÊäÞæä ÇáÅÓáÇã íæãíÇ :
Every day many Germans convert to ISLAM :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/34kjurzK500
ÇáÊáÝÒíæä ÇáåæáäÏí : ÇáÅÓáÇã ÃÓÑÚ ÇáÏíÇäÇÊ ÇäÊÔÇÑÇ Èíä ÇáÔÈÇÈ ÇáÃáãÇäí :
Holland TV:ISLAM fastest spreading Faith among Youth Germans :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/WAXXN6XOnzQ
ÂáÇÝ ÇáÏäãÇÑßííä íÏÎáæä ÇáÅÓáÇã :
Thousands of Danish convert to Islam :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/kru6XQ8CT48
ÊÞÑíÑ ÊáÝÒíæäí : ÂáÇÝ ÇááÇÊíäííä íÚÊäÞæä ÇáÅÓáÇã :
TV Report Thousands Hispanics Converting To ISLAM :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/yDwGsmTx3D4
ÚÇáã ÃáãÇäí æÒæÌÊå íÚÊäÞæä ÇáÅÓáÇã :
German Scientist & his wife, clinic assistant convert 2 islam :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/uP-2IqH_l4c
ÚÇáã ÃæÑÈí íÚÊäÞ ÇáÅÓáÇã :
European Scientist converts to Islam :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/0IspK651RpY
ÇáÏßÊæÑ ÇáÈÑíØÇäí æíÈÑ íÚÊäÞ ÇáÅÓáÇã :
Dr. Ian Weber from England converts to Islam :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/gUZR6XwU8Pw
ØÇáÈ Úáæã íÚÊäÞ ÇáÅÓáÇã Ýí ÃãÑíßÇ :
science students turn to Islam :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/y3_JYk4Bo4Y
ÊÞÑíÑ ÊáÝÒíæäí : ÇáäÕÇÑì Ýí ÝÑäÓÇ íÚÊäÞæä ÇáÅÓáÇã :
TV Report: Christians Convert To ISLAM in France :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/Dhu0eEuIsGg
ÇáãÓáãæä Ýí ÊßÓÇÓ : ÞÕÕ ááãÓáãíä ÇáÌÏÏ Ýí ÊßÓÇÓ :
ÇãÑíßíÉ ÊÍæáÊ ááÅÓáÇã ÈÚÏ ÃÓÇÈíÚ ãä 11 ÓÈÊãÈÑ :
Angela Collins - Muslim Convert weeks after 9/11 Incident :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/j6PJgJdEzNM
ÃÓÊÑÇáíÉ ÊÚÊäÞ ÇáÅÓáÇã :
NEW MUSLIM Woman from Australia CONVERT :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/-baqULx5IBU
ÞÕÉ ãÓáã ÇãÑíßí ÌÏíÏ :
The Choice - A Story of New American Muslim Convert :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/CML3CRPMefA
ÇíÑáäÏí íÚÊäÞ ÇáÅÓáÇã :
Irish and "loving Islam" Convert to Islam :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/dIc5oFAva-4
íåæÏí íÚÊäÞ ÇáÅÓáÇã :
Jewish To Islam convert :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/KcBiJnLjwVw
ãÓáã íÑæí ÇáÊÛíÑÇÊ ÇáÊí ÍÕáÊ áå ÈÚÏ ÔåÑíä ãä ÅÓáÇãå :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/IlOuITPE6kE
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/1qpQvpmEqkc
[Courtesy of: islamcity@yahoogroups.com ]
114. Namita from Bombay, India
Woman (Namita) accepts ISLAM in International Conference, on 24th November 2007, Mumbai, after getting sufficiently motivated by Dr. Zakir Naik with an answer to her question. Allah-o-Akbar! Subhanallah!
http://www.biharanjuman.org/Zakir_Naik/Zakir-Naik-woman-accepts-Islam-Mumbai-Nov-2007.htm
115. Additional, Relevant Sources
Dr Jeffrey Lang
http://www.thelastingmiracle.com/eng/article.aspx?id=174&cat=48
Amina
http://www.thelastingmiracle.com/eng/article.aspx?id=341&cat=49
Bilal Philips
http://www.thelastingmiracle.com/eng/article.aspx?id=155&cat=50
Cat Stevens
http://www.thelastingmiracle.com/eng/article.aspx?id=156&cat=51
Mark Hanson
http://www.thelastingmiracle.com/eng/article.aspx?id=171&cat=52
Dr. Jerald F. Dirks
http://www.thelastingmiracle.com/eng/sec.aspx?id=18&cat=54
More personalities…..
http://www.thelastingmiracle.com/eng/sec.aspx?id=18&cat=25
[Courtesy of: muslimsofmichigan@yahoogroups.com ]
116. 16. Jang from China
China has 30 million Muslims, according to official data. (Reuters)
BEIJING — It was around 10:00 a.m. Beijing time, nearly three hours to the Friday prayer, when the young man approached the mosque.
Jang stood for sometime outside at the mosque's doorstep hesitant to step in, especially with a "Muslims Only" sign in Chinese, English and Arabic attached to the gate.
He finally defeated a whiff of indecision and walked into the Muslim place of worship.
"Can we help you?" asked the mosque's leading imam.
"I want to become a Muslim," answered Jang.
The smiling imam welcomed him and accompanied him to the Islamic Society office, attached to the mosque.
They offered Jang three booklets on Islam to know more about the faith he wants to embrace.
To their surprise, the young man said he not only read the booklets but also many other books on the Muslim faith.
Jang engaged the imams in a discussion that proved to them he knew what he was about to do.
One imam walked him into Islam with the pronouncement of the Shahadah; testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is His Messenger.
Journey to Islam
Jang, who changed his name to Selim, sat down with IslamOnline. net after the ceremony to talk about his journey to Islam.
"It all started with pork," he said with a smile.
Islam's dietary habits, including the prohibition of pork, led a curious Jang to read about the Muslim faith.
"I perused medical journals and devoured books for an answer."
Islam considers pigs unclean because they are omnivorous, not discerning between meat or vegetation in their natural dietary habits unlike cows and sheep for instance, which eat only plants.
Some scientists say eating pork can cause no less than seventy different types of diseases.
"I found the same conclusion in traditional Chinese medicine, which does not recommend eating pork and designated it as the most harmful and least healthy meat," said Selim.
A jubilant Selim joined an extended family of more than 30 million Muslims in China , according to official data.
Islam came to China via Muslim businessman during the era of the Tang Dynasty 1300 years ago.
There have also been reports of companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) coming to China .
Source: http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1201958071962&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout
17. Sunitha Williams
GOOD NEWS FOR MUSLIM BROTHERS,
Assalamualaikum...! An important message to all Muslim brothers and sisters : Sunita Williams ( First Indian woman who went on moon) accepted 'ISLAM' Masha Allah, bcoz when they were on the moon, they saw towards EARTH, the entire EARTH looked dark, but 2 places on the EARTH looked like SPARKS (Roshni). They were shocked to see that and saw them with the help of telescope and came to know that those two places were 'MECCA' and 'MADINA' Masha Allah. Then they decided that after reaching to earth they'll accept 'ISLAM'. Thats y they reached safely. So be proud to a muslim and forward it to all like fire. Allah Hafiz...!
[Various sources]
18. Abdullah Adiyar
'Islam My Fascination' is a compilation of a series of articles written by Mr. Abdullah Adiyar. He is a famous Tamil playwright, journalist and orator. Once he was a popular film dialogue writer. But his foremost preoccupation has been journalism. Since school days he kept himself engaged in literary activities.
Some of the excerpts from his book:
I do have extraordinary reverence for Islam and I want to pen down my impressions about this great religion, with a hope that readers too would ponder over them.
These days the pioneers of religions are, generally, taken as conservative and dogmatic, but my own study led me to the conclusion that they are revolutionary leaders of their times. They voiced their dislike for the evil customs of their age….
I can fearlessly proclaim that the greatest of all of these revolutionaries was Muhammad (peace be upon him). The revolutionaries, other than Muhammad (PBUH), acquired knowledge and wisdom in someone's company, through their parents or in family environment, but in the case of Muhammad (PBUH) we come across a totally different situation….
Muhammad's life (PBUH) is the finest example for the entire humankind from beginning to end. The early life of many leaders and clerics was blemished but the life of the Prophet remained clean and spotless from the very beginning….
A must read for any new Muslim and a good review even for those who may have been Muslim for a while.
Please read
ISLAM MY FASCINATION
Abdullah Adiyar
www.al-islamforall. org
(A unique comprehensive FREE e-Library in Multiple Languages)
Many more books are available in Multiple Languages
*** *** ***
The purpose of the web site is to provide wide range, authentic comprehensive information about all the teachings of Islam at one place with a unique FREE download facility.
We will highly appreciate if you introduce among your friends in the best possible manner.
Jazakumullah Khair
[Courtesy of: FriendzforAllah@yahoogroups.com ]
Conclusion
The material in this particular edition is just a sample: a drop in the pool when compared to the amount of material on reverts to Islam, and a mere drop in the ocean when compared with the total number of reversions to Islam in the last fourteen centuries! The appeal of Islam is to both sexes, all nationalities, ages and social classes. In the Holy Quran, Allah has stated: "He whom Allah guides, there is none to misguide Him; and He whom pleases to lead astray, there is none to guide him." That is why those of us who are born Muslim must not prejudge those who don't currently believe; in Hadith, the Prophet Muhammed [Pbuh] is reported to have said: "A man can be an arm's length from Paradise but end up in Hell, or he can be an arm's length from Hell and then end up in Paradise."
The following is a summary of the reasons for reversion to Islam from some of the content above:
Name
Reason for Reversion
Diana Freundl
She realised the truth about Islam during a six-week course
Zainab Onez
She realised that Islam is the desirable way of life
Gabriel Martinez
He discovered ‘myths’ in Christianity and felt that Islam is unchanged in its principle concepts
Dr Saroopji Maharaj
The Prophet Muhammed [Pbuh] instructed him, in a dream he experienced, to become a Muslim and to tell others about Islam
Kristiane Backer
She
She found Islam through love (for Imran Khan), though she only reverted after her separation from him
Lewis
The religion of Islam gave him comfort and peace after the tragic death of his mother
Shariffa Carlo
A Professor at Harvard proved that the Christian concept of ‘trinity’ [the divinity of the Prophet Jesus (A.S.) ] is an innovation in Christianity; she became convinced of the veracity of Islam after being convinced by the arguments of a Muslim elder
Namita
She was motivated by Dr Zakir Naik www.ilovezakirnaik.com/ at an international conference
Jang
He himself was reluctant to consume pork and he was later informed that pig meat contains numerous diseases
Sunitha Williams
She saw light issuing from two holy places of Islam -Mecca and Medina – from outer space
Abdullah Adiyar
He became spiritually impressed by the noble character of the Prophet Muhammed [Pbuh]
The following is an e-mail I received from Mohammed Davies of Australia:
The reasons that encouraged people to embrace Islam
You may have read many stories about people who embraced Islam. These stories are available on many sites on the internet and books that deal with this kind of stories.
What attracts you at the beginning is to know the background of these people: their nationalities, former religions, languages, families and careers.
However the thing that attracts one most is the reason that encouraged theses people to leave their previous religion or their atheistic beliefs because some of them did not believe in any deity before.
Answering unanswered questions
Many of those who embraced Islam indicated that Islam answered all the questions that have been annoying them all through their lives. For example, a Japanese woman who embraced Islam said that "I found answers to the philosophical questions that had been haunting me for so many years in this beautiful religion."
Presenting a comprehensive view of life
Some of the people who embraced Islam also pointed out that what attracted them to Islam is the overall view of the life Islam is presenting to its followers.
For example, Fred, an American who recently embraced Islam, said "a faith which would encompass the whole of life, a faith which would provide for me a sense of community and a support group for the trials of life, I found that I was still adrift in a sea of conflicting religions - each claiming that the others were false."
Islam's respect for other religions and prophets
One of the things that attracted other people to embrace Islam is that Islam shows deep respect for other faiths and prophets, in spite of the differences in vision. This is why Fred says, "As for Jesus, non-Muslims are always surprised to find that the Qur'an speaks of Jesus and Mary respectfully, treating Jesus as a prophet and a worker of God's miracles of healing. However, Islam does not view Jesus as God."
There are other factors that attracted another set of people to enter the fold of Islam. However, there is an American woman who became a Muslim who could give us a very precise and concise statement that sums up a lot of things: "Islam is beautiful and all-compassing and lovely in every way.
God is sensible [perceptible?] and understandable; women are respected and honored; men are honored and respectable! Children are protected; Islam offers everything other faiths claim to and more but the difference is, Islam delivers.
Islam is not some weak religion because there is nothing more powerful than actually connecting with God and that is what Islam does."
The following links are also very useful in presenting reasons for reversion to Islam:
http://www.iqrasense.com/islamic-outreach/what-drives-people-to-convert-to-islam.html
http://www.e-ir.info/?p=253
http://www.why-christians-convert-to-islam.com/
http://www.topix.com/forum/religion/hindu/TLOGB61P0I4KVBK6M
http://www.imamreza.net/eng/imamreza.php?id=6988
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/1227/p01s04-woeu.html
http://www.meccacenter.com/meccacenter/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=4&Itemid=18
0 comments:
welcome to my blog. please write some comment about this article ^_^