This thread is going to be a place to list inspirational stories of those who've made the great journey of embracing Islam. There's been quite a few threads so far claiming that millions of Muslims are leaving Islam for Christianity, personally I think it's a load of rubbish. There's very few sincere sounding stories, and most of them just seem to be extremely secular/poor people who've become Christians for some worldly gain, or because they don't really want religion in their life, so becoming a Christian is an easy way to do that. Whilst on the contrary many Christians who become Muslims tend to be quite knowledge and active members of Christian churches. As I myself was 100% secular prior to becoming a Muslim, my story is not really relevant, so I won't bore anyone with it.

Anyway if any Christians have stories from Muslims who've embraced Islam, feel free to start another thread, but don't put them in this thread. I'd personally be interested to any stories of Muslims who actually practised or knew anything about Islam, rather than just people who were already agnostic/secular anyway, if they actually exist.

Abdullah al-Faruq - Formerly Kenneth L. Jenkins,

minister and elder of the Pentecostal Church

Foreword

As a former minister and elder of the Christian church, it has become incumbent upon me to enlighten those that continue to walk in darkness. After embracing Islam I felt a dire need to help those who have not yet been blessed to experience the light of Islam.

I thank Almighty God, Allah, for having mercy upon me, causing me to come to know the beauty of Islam as taught by Prophet Muhammad and his rightly guided followers. It is only by the mercy of Allah that we receive true guidance and the ability to follow the straight path, which leads to success in this life and the Hereafter.

Praise be to Allah for the kindness shown to me by Shaykh 'Abdullah bin 'Abdul-'Azeez bin Baz upon my embracing Islam. I cherish and will pass on the knowledge gained from each meeting with him. There are many others who have helped me by means of encouragement and knowledge, but for fear of missing anyone, I will refrain from attempting to list them. Sufficient it is to say that I thank Almighty God, Allah, for each and every brother and sister that He has allowed to play a role in my growth and development as a Muslim.

I pray that this short work will be of benefit to all. I hope that Christians will find that there is yet i hope for the wayward conditions that prevail over the bulk of Christendom. The answers to Christian problems are not to be found with the Christians themselves, for they are, in most instances, the root of their own problems. Rather, Islam is the solution to the problems plaguing the world of Christianity, as well as the problems facing the so-called world of religion as a whole. May Allah guide us all and reward us according to the very best of our deeds and intentions.

Abdullah Muhammad al-Faruque at-Ta'if, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

-----

Beginnings

As a young boy I was raised with a deep fear of God. Having been partially raised by a grandmother who was a Pentecostal fundamentalist, the church became an integral part of my life at a very early age. By the time I had reached the age of six, I knew all too well the benefits awaiting me in Heaven for being a good little boy and the punishment awaiting in Hell for little boys who are naughty. I was taught by my grandmother that all liars were doomed to go to the Hellfire, where they would burn forever and ever.

My mother worked two full-time jobs and continued to remind me of the teachings given to me by her mother. My younger brother and older sister did not seem to take our grandmother's warnings of the Hereafter as seriously as I did. I recall seeing the full moon when it would take on a deep reddish hue, and I would begin to weep because I was taught that one of the signs of the end of the world would be that the moon would become red like blood. As an eight year old child I began to develop such a fear at what I thought were signs in the heavens and on earth of Doomsday that I actually had nightmares of what the Day of Judgment would be like. Our house was close to a set of railroad tracks, and trains passed by on a frequent basis. I can remember being awakened out of sleep by the horrendous sound of the locomotive's horn and thinking that I had died and was being resurrected after hearing the sound of the trumpet. These teachings were ingrained in my young mind through a combination of oral teachings and the reading of a set of children's books known as the Bible Story.

Every Sunday we would go to church dressed in all of our finery. My grandfather was our means of transportation. Church would last for what seemed to me like hours. We would arrive at around eleven in the morning and not leave until sometimes three in the afternoon. I remember falling asleep in my grandmother's lap on many occasions. For a time my brother and I were permitted to leave church in between the conclusion of Sunday school and morning worship service to sit with our grandfather at the railway yard and watch the trains pass. He was not a churchgoer, but he saw to it that my family made it there every Sunday. Sometime later he suffered a stroke, which left him partially paralyzed, and as a result, we were unable to attend church on a regular basis. This period of time would be one of the most crucial stages of my development.

TBC...

Rededication

I was relieved, in a sense, at no longer being able to attend church, but I would feel the urge to go on my own every now and then. At age sixteen I began attending the church of a friend whose father was the pastor. It was a small storefront building with only my friend's family, myself, and another schoolmate as members. This went on for only several months before -the church closed down. After graduating from high school and entering the university I rediscovered my religious commitment and became fully immersed in Pentecostal teachings. I was baptized and "filled with the Holy Ghost," as the experience was then called. As a college student, I quickly became the pride of the church. Everyone had high hopes for me, and I was happy to once again be "on the road to salvation".

I attended church every time its doors would open. I studied the Bible for days and weeks at a time. I attended lectures given by the Christian scholars of my day, and I acknowledged my call to the ministry at the age of 20. I began preaching and became well known very quickly. I was extremely dogmatic and believed that no one could receive salvation unless they were of my church group. I categorically condemned everyone who had not come to know God the way I had come to know Him. I was taught that Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) and God Almighty were one and the same thing. I was taught that our church did not believe in the trinity but that Jesus (peace be upon him) was indeed the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. I tried to make myself understand it even though I had to admit that I really did not fully understand it. As far as I was concerned, it was the only doctrine that made sense to me. I admired the holy dress of the women and the pious behavior of the men. I enjoyed practicing a doctrine where women were required to dress in garments covering themselves completely, not painting their faces with makeup, and carrying themselves as true ambassadors of Christ. I was convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that I had finally found the true path to eternal bliss. I would debate with anyone from a different church with different beliefs and would totally silence them with my knowledge of the Bible. I memorized hundreds of Biblical passages, and this became a trademark of my preaching. Yet, even though I felt assured of being on the right path, a part of me was still searching. I felt that there was an even higher truth to be attained.

I would meditate while alone and pray to God to lead me to the correct religion and to forgive me if what I was doing was wrong. I had never had any contact with Muslims. The only people I knew that claimed Islam as their religion were the followers of Elijah Muhammad, who were referred to by many as the "Black Muslims" or the "Lost-Found Nation." It was during this period in the late seventies that Minister Louis Farrakhan was well into rebuilding what was called "The Nation of Islam." I went to hear Minister Farrakhan speak at the invitation of a coworker and found it to be an experience that would change my life dramatically. I had never in my life heard another black man speak the way that he spoke. I immediately wanted to arrange a meeting with him to try to convert him to my religion. I enjoyed evangelizing, hoping to find lost souls to save from the Hellfire - no matter who they were.

After graduating from college I began to work on a full-time basis. As I was reaching the pinnacle of my ministry, the followers of Elijah Muhammad became more visible, and I appreciated their efforts in attempting to rid the black community of the evils that were destroying it from within. I began to support them, in a sense, by buying their literature and even meeting with them for dialogue. I attended their study circles to find out exactly what they believed. As sincere as I knew many of them were, I could not buy the idea of God being a black man. I disagreed with their use of the Bible to support their position on certain issues. Here was a book that I knew very well, and I was deeply disturbed at what I deemed was their misinterpretation of it. I had attended locally supported Bible schools and had become quite knowledgeable in various fields of Bible study.

After about six years I moved to Texas and became affiliated with two churches. The first church was led by a young pastor who was inexperienced and not very learned. My knowledge of the Christian scriptures had by this time developed into something abnormal. I was obsessed with Biblical teachings. I began to look deeper into the scriptures and realized that I knew more than the present leader. As a show of respect, I left and joined another church in a different city where I felt that I could learn more. The pastor of this particular church was very scholarly. He was an excellent teacher but had some ideas that were not the norm in our church organization. He held somewhat liberal views, but I still enjoyed his indoctrination. I was soon to learn the most valuable lesson of my Christian life, which was "all that glitters is not gold." Despite its outward appearance, there were evils taking place that I never thought were possible in the Church. These evils caused me to reflect deeply, and I began questioning the teaching to which I was so dedicated.

TBC...

Welcome to the Real Church World

I soon discovered that there was a great deal of jealousy prevalent in the ministerial hierarchy. Things had changed from that to which I was accustomed. Women wore clothing that I thought was shameful. People dressed in order to attract attention, usually from the opposite sex. I discovered just how great a part money and greed play in the operation of church activities. There were many small churches struggling, and they called upon us to hold meetings to help raise money for them. I was told that if a church did not have a certain number of members, then I was not to waste my time preaching there because I would not receive ample financial compensation. I then explained that I was not in it for the money and that I would preach even if there was only one member present... and I'd do it for free! This caused a disturbance. I started questioning those whom I thought had wisdom, only to find that they had been putting on a show. I learned that money, power and position were more important than teaching the truth about the Bible. As a Bible student, I knew full well that there were mistakes, contradictions and fabrications. I thought that people should be exposed to the truth about the Bible. The idea of exposing the people to such aspects of the Bible was a thought supposedly attributable to Satan. But I began to publicly ask my teachers questions during Bible classes, which none of them could answer. Not a single one could explain how Jesus was supposedly God, and how, at the same time, he was supposedly the Father, Son and Holy Ghost wrapped up into one and yet was not a part of the trinity. Several preachers finally had to concede that they did not understand it but that we were simply required to believe it.

Cases of adultery and fornication went unpunished. Some preachers were hooked on drugs and had destroyed their lives and the lives of their families. Leaders of some churches were found to be homosexuals. There were pastors even guilty of committing adultery with the young daughters of other church members. All of this coupled with a failure to receive answers to what I thought were valid questions was enough to make me seek a change. That change came when I accepted a job in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

A New Beginning

It was not long after arriving in Saudi Arabia that I saw an immediate difference in the lifestyle of the Muslim people. They were different from the followers of Elijah Muhammad and Minister Louis Farrakhan in that they were of all nationalities, colors and languages. I immediately expressed a desire to learn more about this peculiar brand of religion. I was amazed with the life of Prophet Muhammad and wanted to know more. I requested books from one of the brothers who was active in calling people to Islam. I was supplied with all of the books that I could possibly want. I read each and every one. I was then given the Holy Qur'an and read it completely several times within four months. I asked question after question and received satisfactory answers. What appealed to me was that the brothers were not keen on impressing me with their knowledge. If a brother did not know how to answer a question, he would tell me that he simply did not know and would have to check with someone who did. The next day he would always bring the answer. I noticed how humility played such a great role in the lives of these mysterious people of the Middle East.

I was amazed to see the women covering themselves from face to foot. I did not see any religious hierarchy. No one was competing for any religious position. All of this was wonderful, but how could I entertain the thought of abandoning a teaching that had followed me since childhood? What about the Bible? I knew that there is some truth in it even though it had been changed and revised countless numbers of times. I was then given a video cassette of a debate between Shaykh Ahmed Deedat and Reverend Jimmy Swaggart. After seeing the debate I immediately became a Muslim. (To view this debate click here - requires RealPlayer)

I was taken to the office of Shaykh 'Abdullah bin 'Abdul-'Azeez bin Baz to officially declare my acceptance of Islam. It was there that I was given sound advice on how to prepare myself for the long journey ahead. It was truly a birth from darkness into light. I wondered what my peers from the Church would think when they heard that I had embraced Islam. It was not long before I found out. I went back to the United States for vacation and was severely criticized for my "lack of faith." I was stamped with many labels - from renegade to reprobate. People were told by so-called church leaders not to even remember me in prayer. As strange as it may seem, I was not bothered in the least. I was so happy that Almighty God, Allah, had chosen to guide me aright that nothing else mattered.

TBC...

Now I only wanted to become as dedicated a Muslim as I was a Christian. This, of course, meant study. I realized that a person could grow as much as they wanted to in Islam. There is no monopoly of knowledge - it is free to all who wish to avail themselves of the opportunities to learn. I was given a set of Saheeh Muslim as a gift from my Quran teacher. It was then that I realized the need to learn about the life, sayings and practices of Prophet Muhammad . I read and studied as many of the hadlth collections available in English as possible. I realized that my knowledge of the Bible was an asset that is now quite useful in dealing with those of Christian backgrounds. Life for me has taken on an entirely new meaning. One of the most profound attitude changes is a result of knowing that this life must actually be spent in preparation for life in the Hereafter. It was also a new experience to know that we are rewarded even for our intentions. If you intend to do good, then you are rewarded. It was quite different in the Church. The attitude was that "the path to Hell is paved with good intentions." There was no way to win. If you sinned, then you had to confess to the pastor, especially if the sin was a great sin, such as adultery. You were judged strictly by your actions.

The Present and Future

After an interview by the Al-Madinah newspaper I was asked about my present-day activities and plans for the future. At present, my goal is to learn Arabic and continue studying to gain greater knowledge about Islam. I am presently engaged in the field of da'wah and am called upon to lecture to non-Muslims who come from Christian backgrounds. If Allah, Almighty, spares my life, I hope to write more on the subject of comparative religion.

It is the duty of Muslims throughout the world to work to spread the knowledge of Islam. As one who has spent such a long time as a Bible teacher, I feel a special sense of duty in educating people about the errors, contradictions and fabricated tales of a book believed in by millions of people. One of the greatest joys is knowing that I do not have to engage in a great deal of dispute with Christians, because I was a teacher who taught most of the dispute techniques used by them. I also learned how to argue using the Bible to defend Christianity. And at the same time I know the counter arguments for each argument which we, as ministers, were forbidden by our leaders to discuss or divulge.

It is my prayer that Allah will forgive us all of our ignorance and guide us to the path leading to Paradise. All praise is due to Allah. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon His last messenger, Prophet Muhammad, his family, companions, and those following true guidance.

Abu -

Quote:

As I myself was 100% secular prior to becoming a Muslim, my story is not really relevant, so I won't bore anyone with it.

I would not be bnored with it, but appreciate you may not wish to discuss it here.

Not really much to tell anyway, as I said I was 100% secular anyway, so it's not like I had any great 'leaving Christianity party' or anything, since I never really held any attachment to Christianity anyway.

Martin John Mwaipopo

Former Lutheran Archbishop

(It was December 23, 1986, two days away from Christmas, when Arch Bishop Martin John Mwaipopo, announced to his congregation that he was leaving Christianity for Islam. The congregation was paralysed with shock on hearing the news, so much so, that his administrator got up from his seat, closed the door and windows, and declared to the church members that the Bishop’s mind had become unhinged, that is, he had gone mad. How could he not think and say so, when only a few minutes earlier, the man had taken out his music instruments and sang so movingly for the church members? Little did they know that inside the Bishop’s heart lay a decision that would blow their minds, and that the entertainment was only a farewell party. But the congregant’s reaction was equally shocking! They called the police to take the "mad" man away. He was kept in the cells until midnight when Sheikh Ahmed Sheik, the man who initiated him into Islam came to bail him out. That incident was only a mild beginning of shocks in store for him. Al Qalam reporter, Simphiwe Sesanti, spoke to the Tanzanian born former Lutheran Arch Bishop Martin John Mwaipopo, who on embracing Islam came to be known as Al Hajj Abu Bakr John Mwaipopo)

Credit must go to the Zimbabwean brother, Sufyan Sabelo, for provoking this writer’s curiosity, after listening to Mwaipopo’s talk at the Wyebank Islamic Centre, Durban. Sufyan is not sensationalist, but that night he must have heard something - he just could not stop talking about the man! Who would not be hooked after hearing that an Arch Bishop, who had not only obtained a BA and Masters degree, but a doctorate as well, in Divinity, had later turned to Islam? And since foreign qualifications matter so much to you, a man who had obtained a diploma in Church Administration in England and the latter degrees in Berlin, Germany! A man, who, before becoming a Muslim, had been the World Council of Churches’ General Secretary for Eastern Africa - covering Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, and parts of Ethiopia and Somalia. In the Council of Churches, he rubbed shoulders with the present chairman of the South African Human Rights Commission . Barney Pityana and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission ‘s chairman, Bishop Desmond Tutu.

It is a story of a man who was born 61 years ago, on February 22 in Bukabo, an area that shares its borders with Uganda. Two years, after his birth, his family had him baptised, and five years later, watched him with pride being an alter boy . Seeing him assisting the church minister, preparing the "body and blood" of Christ , filled the Mwaipopos with pride, and filled Mwaipopo Senior with ideas for his son’s future.

"When I was in a boarding school, later , my father wrote to me, stating he wanted me to become a priest. In each and every letter he wrote this" , recalls Abu Bakr. But he had his own ideas about his life, which was joining the police force. But at the age of 25, Mwaipopo gave in to his father’s will. Unlike in Europe where children can do as they will after age 21 , in Africa , children are taught to honour their parent’s will above their own.

"My , son , before I close my eyes (die), I would be glad if you could become a priest", that’s how father told son, and that’s how the son was moved, a move that saw him going to England in 1964, to do a diploma in Church Administration, and a year later to Germany to do a B.A degree. On returning , a year later, he was made acting Bishop.

Later, he went back to do Masters. " All this time, I was just doing things, without questioning . It was when he began to do his doctorate , that he started questioning things. "I started wondering … there is Christianity, Islam, Judaism   Buddhism each different religions claiming to the true religion. What is the truth? I wanted the truth" , says Mwaipopo. So began his search , until he reduced it to the "major" four religions. He got himself a copy of the Qur’an, and guess what?

" When I opened the Qur’an , the first verses I came across were, ‘ Say : He is Allah , The One and Only; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begeteteth not, nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him? (Surah Ikhlas)’ ", he recalls. That was when the seeds of Islam, unknown to him, were first sown. It was then that he discovered that the Qur’an was the only scripture book that had been untampered with, by human beings since its revelation . "And in concluding my doctoral thesis I said so. I didn’t care whether they give me my doctorate or not - that was the truth, and I was looking for the truth."

While in that state of mind he called his "beloved" Professor Van Burger.

"I closed the door, looked him in the eye and asked him ‘of all religions in the world, which is true’, I asked.

‘Islam’, he responded.

‘Why then are you not a Muslim?’, I asked again.

He said to me "'One, I hate Arabs, and two, do you see all this luxuries that I have? Do you think that I would give it all up for Islam?’. When I thought about his answer, I thought about my own situation, too", recalls Mwaipopo. His mission, his cars - all these appeared in his imagination. No, he could not embrace Islam, and for one good year, he put it off his mind. But then dreams haunted him, the verses of the Quran kept on appearing, people clad in white kept on coming, "especially on Fridays", until he could take it no more.

TBC...

So, on December 22, he officially embraced Islam. These dreams that guided him - were they not due to the "superstitious" nature of the Africans? "No, I don’t believe that all dreams are bad. There are those that guide you in the right direction and those which don’t, and these ones, in particular, guided me in the right direction, to Islam", he tells us.

Consequently, the church stripped him of his house and his car. His wife could not take it, she packed her clothes, took her children and left, despite Mwaipopo’s assurances that she was not obliged to become a Muslim. When he went to his parents, they, too, had heard the story. "My father told me to denounce Islam and my mother said she did not "want to hear any nonsense from me", remember Mwaipopo. He was on his own! Asked how he now feels towards his parents, he says that he has forgiven them, in fact found time to reconcile with his father before he departed to the world yonder.

"They were just old people who did not know. They could not even read the Bible…all they knew was what they had heard the priest reading", he states. After asking to stay for one night, the following day, he began his journey to where his family had originally come from, Kyela, near the borders between Tanzania and Malawi. His parents had settled in Kilosa, Morogoro. During his journey, he was stranded in Busale, by one family that was selling home brewed beer. It was there that he met his future wife, a Catholic Nun, by the name of Sister Gertrude Kibweya, now known as Sister Zainab. It was with her that he travelled to Kyela, where the old man, who had given him shelter the previous night had told him that that’s where he would find other Muslims. But before that, in the morning of that day he had made the call to prayer (azaan), something which made the villagers come out, asking his host why he was keeping a "mad" man. "It was the Nun who explained that I was not mad but a Muslim", he says. It was the same Nun who later helped Mwaipopo pay his medical fees at the Anglican Mission Hospital, when he had become terribly sick, thanks to the conversation he had had with her.

The story goes that he had asked her why she was wearing a rosary, to which she responded that it was because Christ was hanged on it. "But, say, someone had killed your father with a gun, would you go around carrying a gun on your chest?" Mmmhhh. That set the Nun thinking, her mind "challenged", and when the former Bishop proposed marriage to the Nun later, the answer was "yes". Secretly, they married, and four weeks later, she wrote a letter to her authorities, informing them of her leave. When the old man who had given him shelter, (the Nun’s uncle) heard about the marriage, when they arrived at his house, they were advised to leave the house, because "the old man was loading his gun", and the Nun’s father was enraged, "wild like a lion".

From the Bishop’s mansion, Mwaipopo went to live in a self built mud house. From earning a living as the World Council of Churches’ General Secretary for Eastern Africa, he began earning a living as a wood cutter and tilling some people’s lands. When not doing that he was preaching Islam publicly. This led to a series of short term imprisonments for preaching blasphemy against Christianity.

While on hajj in 1988, tragedy struck. His house was bombed, and consequently, his infant triplets were killed. "A bishop, whose mother and my own mother were children of the same father, was involved in the plot’, recalls Mwaipopo. He says instead of demoralising him, it did the opposite, as the numbers of people embracing Islam, increased, this including his father in law.

In 1992, he was arrested for 10 months, along with 70 followers, charged with treason. This was after some pork shops, against which he had spoken, were bombed. He did speak against them, he admits, saying that constitutionally, since 1913, there was a law against bars, clubs and pork shops in Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Mafia, Lindi and Kigoma. Fortunately for him, he was acquitted, and immediately thereafter, he fled to Zambia, exile, after he was advised that there was a plot to kill him.

He says that that very day he was released, police came to re-arrest him. And guess what? "The women said no ways! They said that they would resist my arrest physically against the police. It was also the women who helped me cross the borders unnoticed. They clothed me in the women’s fashion!", according to Mwaipopo. And that is one of the reasons that make him admire women.

"Women must be given a high place, they must be given good education in Islam. Otherwise how would she understand why a man marries more than one wife…It was my wife, Zainab, who proposed that I should marry my second wife, Shela, (her friend), when she had to go for Islamic studies abroad", it’s the bishop who says so. Yah?

To the Muslims, Al Hajj Abu Bakr Mwaipopo’s message is, "There is war against Islam…Flood the world with literature. Right now, Muslims are made to feel ashamed to be regarded as fundamentalists. Muslims must stop their individualistic tendencies, they must be collective. You have do defend your neighbour if you want to be safe", he states, also urging Muslims to be courageous, citing the Islamic Propagation Centre International’s Ahmed Deedat. "That man is not learned, but look at the way he has propagated Islam".

Quote:

While on hajj in 1988, tragedy struck. His house was bombed, and consequently, his infant triplets were killed. "A bishop, whose mother and my own mother were children of the same father, was involved in the plot’

Ahh those peace-loving Christians, I wonder why jihadwatch.org doesn't report stuff like this...

Possibly because it is untrue.
This story is quite farcical.

I could find no Professor Van Burger




Quote:

"This was after some pork shops, against which he had spoken, were bombed. He did speak against them, he admits, saying that constitutionally, since 1913, there was a law against bars, clubs and pork shops in Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Mafia, Lindi and Kigoma

What does that mean ?

Quote:

I'd personally be interested to(hear) any stories of Muslims who actually practised or knew anything about Islam.

Me too.
It is so difficult to get a credible, consistent, answer to the question, what is a muslim, and how should he behave?

mozzaok wrote on Oct 20^th, 2008 at 8:34am:

Quote: I'd personally be interested to(hear) any stories of Muslims who actually practised or knew anything about Islam. Me too. It is so difficult to get a credible, consistent, answer to the question, what is a muslim, and how should he behave?

Would it be much easier if you asked Christians?

Yes, Helian, although I hold no truck with either, it is much easier to get a credible, consistent view from Christians.

mozzaok wrote on Oct 20^th, 2008 at 8:51am:

Yes, Helian, although I hold no truck with either, it is much easier to get a credible, consistent view from Christians.

I'm not so sure. I've heard evangelists and protestants condemning Catholicism and the reverse.

I find many so called evangelists have no idea about Christianity and spout an oxymoronic mash of religious-secularism as a creed, or they parrot what some self-styled pastor-messiah pours into their ears.

That's alright Abu.
Feel free to delete it, no offence taken.

Well I'd prefer if you did make a thread about it, I've been itching for the chance to refute the allam conversion for a long time!! Please do repost it.

hahha, sure.

Here's one for soren.

A very moving speech by a Danish brother, who's been Muslim for 25 years now, and who has seen thousands upon thousands of Danes seeing the light of Islam and submitting to the will of their Creator, especially since the cartoon fiasco. How their ploys and devious plots are returned back on them..

Alhamdulilah!

http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/kru6XQ8CT48

A British doctor, Ian Webber, recounts what made him choose Islam.

http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/gUZR6XwU8Pw

This one is a must-see. Turning Muslim in Texas, the story of average Texans who embraced Islam and now live as Muslims, even some in small country towns where they're the only Muslim.

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ysRqH2U3Mk

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJBgKKq4708

Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUcBG-vIkq4

Part 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gyRZAV4Zao

Part 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arJ47s0Lcck

It's far too dark in my world, I couldn't even view those clips. In fact, I can't even read what I'm typing or see the computer screen, damn dark world I live in!!

abu_rashid wrote on Mar 4^th, 2009 at 10:51pm:

Here's one for soren. A very moving speech by a Danish brother, who's been Muslim for 25 years now, and who has seen thousands upon thousands of Danes seeing the light of Islam and submitting to the will of their Creator, especially since the cartoon fiasco. How their ploys and devious plots are returned back on them.. Alhamdulilah! http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/kru6XQ8CT48

He sounds like Billy Connolly with a Danish lilt. I am forever waiting for the punchline.

Don't start me on the cartoons.

I don't think religious affiliation is a useful way to judge character. Idiots seem to come in all flavours.

I am happy for people to be Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Atheist, gay or straight so long as they don't insist I sign up too.

I have friends in most of the above categories, but I don't have any friends who shout "bugger <category>!" ...and I am not planning on acquiring any.

Quote:

I am happy for people to be Muslim,

You do realise though, that Islam wants to destroy your society and impose sharia with force - by way of a jihad? that kind of puts it in a category of its own.

Probably not original, but this type of “seeing light” is tempting to reply:

yea like rabbit dazzled by the headlights, which doesn’t see huge truck behind them.

AlanIde wrote on May 6^th, 2009 at 2:18pm:

I don't think religious affiliation is a useful way to judge character. Idiots seem to come in all flavours. I am happy for people to be Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Atheist, gay or straight so long as they don't insist I sign up too. I have friends in most of the above categories, but I don't have any friends who shout "bugger <category>!" ...and I am not planning on acquiring any.

Lovely sentiment but there are many in the religious world who would not grant you the same basic courtesy.  Idiots do indeed come in many flavours but the groupthink of the religious makes them very dangerous, or at least potentially dangerous indeed.  

My Journey from Hinduism to Islam
FRIDAY, 03 DECEMBER 2010 21:20       ZAMEER ABDULLAH  

One of my earliest recollections about Islam is as a boy. I saw a news clip showing Muslims praying in Mecca on Hajj, all in one direction to the one God Allah سبحانه وتعالى. I remember admiring how the Muslims were all praying to one God, direct with no intermediary or intercessor. This particularly appealed to me because I was always in a state of confusion and intellectual unrest with my own belief and manner in which I had been shown to worship.

I had been taught that we should respect all religions, because they were all different pathways to God, with Hinduism being the oldest and most sacred religion to attain the highest of knowledge and become one with God. I believed people who were born Hindus had been through numerous reincarnations until they had reached sufficient level of good Karma to be born in a Hindu household and have access to what was supposed to be the most supreme divine knowledge.

This belief in reincarnation plus the belief that God had in the past incarnated into numerous forms was something that just did not make sense to me. However despite all the doubts, I thought to myself it was inconceivable that such an ancient religion practised by millions of people could all be wrong? The problem, I thought to myself must be within myself. I did not possess sufficient knowledge and that's why I could not understand Hinduism.

To find an answer to these doubts I had previously as a boy asked my parents numerous questions. I asked them why if we were Hindus, did we not as the Hindu scriptures teach renounce the world and live as monks. The answer I received was that we need to be balanced and practical and not cop out of life's responsibilities. I asked if God had in the past incarnated into various forms why were these incarnations just in India and why did God not do this any more? Why if all religions were correct and different paths to God, were their teachings so contradictory? Their response was to tell me not to take religion too seriously or I would go mad trying to comprehend it. I thought to myself; How can we not take our whole purpose in life seriously? Surely if there was a God, who created all of us, he would've given us clear guidance and a message for us to follow.

The unanswered questions and contradictions led me on a quest where I would debate, question and discuss with various people. I spoke frequently to Jehovah Witnesses. I also read the bible and the bagwat geeta secretly in my room. I did find the various stories in the bible comforting but never in a way that would expel the doubts that I had.

I like many non-Muslims frequently asked questions,

If there was a God why was there so much suffering in the world?
Why were there so many different contradictory religions?
Why was there no clear message from God without contradictions and confusion?


I was an individual just waiting to be shown the truth, although for some reason I had never come across Islam, despite the fact that there had been many Muslims in my school and my very best friend was a Muslim!

It was when I was 19 years old before starting university that I bumped into an old friend and was shocked he had spent his holidays learning a foreign language - Arabic! I was really shocked that someone would want to use their summer holidays, instead of having fun, in a classroom learning another language. Whilst my friend explained to me that it was the language of the Qur'an, I thought what a waste of time. My parents had frequently discouraged me from thinking too much about religion or one would go mad and I thought this is what had happened to my old friend. I thought he had gone over the edge trying to figure out his purpose in life and now he was going to flunk life and probably become a monk.

However at the same time my stereotype of a person devoted to God did not fit the reality. My friend had told me he was going in to the second year of his degree, studying at a prestigious UK university whilst I was just starting. I agreed to meet him again, to discuss further his newly found passion for Islam.

By the time I was 19, I had become frustrated with not finding the answers to all my questions about life, so I had decided to put all my doubts to the back of my mind and become a pragmatic follower to the teachings of the Hare Krishna movement.

My friend and I met regularly to debate; we were accustomed to this manner of discussing. I would continue to repeat what I had read in the Baghwat Gita regarding Hindu philosophy. After every point I would just repeat what I had learnt regardless of whether it made any sense. We ended our discussion on amicable terms. However even though I refused to budge in the slightest on the validity of Hindu teachings my friend still wanted to meet regularly.

Now thinking back to those days over 20 years ago, it is Allah that guides whom he wills, but he used the dedication of my friend to guide me. I have to admire and appreciate his determination not to give-up and write me off as another one of those people who are blind to the truth, ‘a kafir' who will never embrace Islam, especially after our first encounter where I seemed such a stubborn follower of Hinduism. May Allah reward him for all his efforts and dedication in the service of Islam.

TBC...

I had as a result of studying Hindu Philosophy developed a warped understanding of God. For the justification in Hinduism for worshiping the creation is that everything is a part of God. This belief was challenged and brought back to the reality that all of creation is limited whereas Allah is beyond any limitation. Indeed the creation and creator are completely different in their nature.

This began to change my attitude towards creation. Previously I had always believed in God but my belief was plagued with doubt. Now I had come to an intellectual conviction in Allah, the Almighty's existence - The One who has no beginning and whose existence can be identified but essence is beyond human comprehension. (Just like if a person knocks on the door, you know there is someone knocking from the noise but have no idea as to his appearance). I had realised that Islam was not the stereotype I had previously held in my head. Muslims were not just angry fanatics who went around burning effigies but a people who followed a unique belief that had an intellectual foundation. A strong foundation that could answer my every question I had never previously been answered.

Suddenly all my doubts left my mind. All my unanswered questions were for the first time being answered. Every aspect of life's existence and the Hereafter;

Q. Why was there so much suffering in the World?
Q. Why all the contradictions between religions?
Q. Why was there no clear message?

Suddenly everything became clear. Allah had revealed the Quran, the word of God revelealed 1400 years ago. Preserved to the letter and in it clears proofs as to its authenticity. He had sent 124,000 messengers but their message had become changed over time accounting for all the conflicting religions. With the message of the next life Allah had also revealed a comprehensive system on how to organise life's affairs. Its political system of ruling (Khilafah) was absent in the world today and that's why the world was full of oppression and suffering.

Whilst I was contemplating Islam I had many worries in my mind. If I were to become Muslim, I would no longer be part of a large Indian Community which I belonged to in the UK. I also thought to myself that it would be highly unlikely that I would be able to get married since Muslim fathers would not allow their daughters to marry an outsider convert like myself. This thinking continued and I thought that what if I thought Islam was correct but was in reality making a mistake and there was some error in my thinking but I had not identified it yet.

Although I was only 19 years old, I had previously engaged in many business ventures. All of them had failed, even though at the time I was absolutely convinced that my idea was certainly going to make me rich. What if Islam was another one of those ideas - something that I was sure of at the time only to realise later that I was mistaken in my analysis? This is what worried me the most that I was going to sacrifice so much for something that might not even be the absolute truth.

So I decided that things had gone too far and I had to stop myself from making the mistake of becoming a Muslim. I suddenly told my friend that I did not want to convert and I no longer wanted to meet him if he was going to talk about Islam. So my friend disappointed in my stance which allowed no further discussion since by that point I had even put my hands over my ears to prevent him further influencing me.

Three months then passed. Every day I tried to block out what I had learnt and get on with my life as a non-Muslim. However now my belief in Hinduism had completely been destroyed yet at the same time I still believed in God. What a situation, believing in Islam, yet at the same time trying to convince myself it was wrong.

It was the most awful time but I tried to busy myself going to parties, getting drunk and anything else that would distract me. Over time, to try and justify my viewpoint, I became angry with Muslims. How can they be so arrogant to believe they are the only ones with the divine truth and all other religions are incorrect?

It was when I got a copy of the Qur'an that I realised I cannot run forever. At this point I decided to challenge Islam. I had decided enough was enough, I was going to read the Qur'an for myself, discover its contradictions and errors and then I could be at peace with myself in the decision I had made not to convert.

However as a result of reading the Quran I underwent a radical change in my thoughts and feelings. This change did not occur over the days that I read the Quran, it actually happened with me within seconds of the first night reading the Quran.

The very first verses had a striking effect upon me. "Alif Lam Meem.. This is a book of which there is no doubt..."

It was as though the Quran was revealed especially just for me and Allah was communicating to me directly from the heavens, eliminating my every fear and doubt. I was able to relate to every single verse which was a message I had never experienced before. The message was so powerful and gripped me into a truly undiverted attention to the verses in the book. This was truly a book with no contradictions. Surely as Allah says if this book was from man it would be full of errors but the Quran has none.

TBC...

After two days of reading the Quran, I felt my belief was now unshakeable. I was fully convinced with not an ounce of doubt as to the validity of this message. As well as knowing the truth, I now had the strength to follow it.

I rang my friend who I had debated with and to his surprise I told him that I wanted to embrace Islam. The night before taking my declaration of faith I thanked God and made a promise that I was willing to sacrifice anything and everything to submit to the word of God. The night I became Muslim, I was in a very serious mood, feeling that my life was from now on about to take a radical and difficult change. My friend was probably a bit worried since I did not display any joy as a result of becoming Muslim but I was aware of the verses that Allah would test everyone and I was preparing myself for these tests.

I would like to share some of my experiences of what happened after my embracing Islam.

The next day when I woke up my heart was filled with an intense sense of tranquillity. I was at last at peace with myself, no longer searching for the answers to life. Content with the conclusion and contract I had made with Allah the day before. I was Al-hamdulilah a follower of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, who was the last in the line of Prophets which started with the Prophet Adam and included Prophet Noah, Moses and Jesus.

The day after converting I went to University and announced to everyone I had become Muslim. Initially people did not seem too bothered until I told my friends I would no longer be joining them in the university pub. I took every opportunity that the interest in my conversion brought to try and also persuade others about Islam. Looking back it is remarkable how someone can go from one stance in one week of being an opponent of Islam to a propagator of it the following week. This is indeed how Islam was spread in the past when the people of conquered nations embraced Islam and immediately took it upon themselves to be carriers of this message to other nations.

My parents were to find out about my conversion a few days later when my Mum noticed that I was no longer wearing my Hindu luck charm on my neck. She asked me why I was no longer wearing my necklace, which was supposed to protect against evil. I said to her absolute shock, "I don't need the charm to protect me. Allah will protect me," She swore at me - What do you mean ‘Allah will protect you?' -- She warned me of the implications of what I was saying and I acknowledged I had recognised the implication but this is what I believed in and that she too should also convert to Islam.

My mum was in tears and that was the hardest part of my conversion, to see my Mum so distraught with the news of my conversion. However I stood firm, realising that I could never hide my belief, because I wanted to share it with those I love so they to could come to the same realisation that I had.

I explained to my family why I had converted to Islam - that all the idols in our house had no power at all. They were all part of mythology just like the Quresh who had over time come to worship 360 idols instead of the one God who is beyond any limitation. The Kabba was originally a place built to worship the one God, over time this message had been lost as idolatry replaced the monotheistic belief. In the same way ample evidence shows Hinduism originally had divine origins but over time the pure message had become distorted and lost.

When my Mum heard this message she was shaken and could not sleep that night. However her emotions were not in line with her intellect and as she says to this day she feels she cannot convert because she lacks strength of feeling to make that change.

I was fortunate in that although my conversion did upset me parents at the same time they have always respected and even admired my decision to follow my convictions.

After embracing Islam, I was very optimistic that once my relatives heard the message of Islam they would inevitably also witness that there was No God but Allah and that the Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم was a Prophet of Allah. However to my surprise until today none of my parents, nor my brother or any of my relatives has yet embraced Islam. However, writing this account has reminded me that I should never give up or loose hope.

Before embracing Islam, I thought I would be losing in this life many things. But in reality I have only gained. Gained being part of a bigger family of the Ummah, a brotherhood of Muslims throughout the world. I gained a tranquillity which comes from the acknowledgment in the truth which is confirmed in the mind and settles in ones heart. A tranquillity where the human being is no longer searching or trying to persuade himself about the answers about life's purpose and creation.

Before becoming Muslim, I felt I had compromised the highest ideals, due to not abandoning all of life's pleasures and devoting myself to become a Monk. Islam does not ask or encourage its followers to abandon life. Rather it commands the Muslim to work. Recommends them to get married and have children, to look after others and involve in societal affairs. Indeed when one does this in accordance with Gods commands he is worshiping his Creator.

TBC...

Finally my fears of never being able to find a wife were false. Al-Hamduliah, Allah has given me what every persons desires in life - a wonderful wife (who was also a convert like myself) and four lovely children.

For all those on their search for the truth, Muslim and non-Muslim I would like to end with a perfect Prayer,

O Allah, Help me see the Truth as TRUTH and give me the strength to follow it
And O Allah, Help me to see Falsehood as FALSE and give me the strength to Abstain from it.

Catholic Priest embraces Islam!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSeOb9Dco-k

abu_rashid wrote on Oct 19^th, 2008 at 11:57am:

This thread is going to be a place to list inspirational stories of those who've made the great journey of embracing Islam. There's been quite a few threads so far claiming that millions of Muslims are leaving Islam for Christianity, personally I think it's a load of rubbish. There's very few sincere sounding stories, and most of them just seem to be extremely secular/poor people who've become Christians for some worldly gain, or because they don't really want religion in their life, so becoming a Christian is an easy way to do that. Whilst on the contrary many Christians who become Muslims tend to be quite knowledge and active members of Christian churches. As I myself was 100% secular prior to becoming a Muslim, my story is not really relevant, so I won't bore anyone with it. Anyway if any Christians have stories from Muslims who've embraced Islam, feel free to start another thread, but don't put them in this thread. I'd personally be interested to any stories of Muslims who actually practised or knew anything about Islam, rather than just people who were already agnostic/secular anyway, if they actually exist.

You'd do well not to quite unsubstantiated numbers regarding the deaths in Iraq.

Better yet you'd do well to actually out forward a nuanced position on the matter.

i am not religious..

namaste

-:)

it_is_the_light wrote on Jun 25^th, 2011 at 2:23am:

i am not religious.. namaste -:)

Rubbish - you turn the conversation into Christ's love on every thread.
You are forgiven - go & sin no more.
Namaste.

Islam takes root in land of mini-bikinis and Carnival
By Claire de Oliveira (AFP) – 1 day ago  

RIO DE JANEIRO — "As-salam aleikum!" Omar greeted worshippers as he entered Mesquita da Luz, Rio's first mosque where he had just broken his Ramadan fast at dusk.

Those are some of the only words Omar knows in Arabic, and he quickly continued his conversation in Portuguese with fellow Muslims who mostly, like him, converted recently to Islam in the world's biggest Catholic country.

In a land known more for its mini-bikinis and extravagant Carnival featuring scantily clad women, a small but growing number of Brazilians of various backgrounds call themselves Muslim.

For decades, it was primarily families of Libyan, Palestinian and Syrian descent who practiced Islam in Brazil.

Omar, who until just four years ago officiated as Catholic priest at a local church, explained why he embraced Islam.

"I found in Islam everything I had always looked for. I met God as he is, with no adaptation," the 34-year-old graphic designer told AFP.

Wearing a traditional long djellaba robe, he refused to give his official name, instead only revealing his Muslim one: Omar Israfil Dawud bin Ibrahim.

"At the seminary, you learn that Islam is one of the monotheistic religions. There is no prejudice against this religion," said Omar as he stood by his wife Alessandra Faria, who goes by the name "Fatima" after converting and deciding to wear the veil.

"In the beginning, my mother was mortified at the thought of going outside with me. I wear the veil to show I am Muslim and aware that I am part of a minority," she said.

Fatima's hijab may raise eyebrows in Rio, where it is more common to see women walking the streets in bikinis in seaside neighborhoods, but she says her beliefs can find a place here.

"Brazil is a mix, made up of several different cultures. This mix makes Brazilians very adaptable and tolerant."

Like most practicing Muslims here, Omar and Fatima are only recent converts to Islam. They plan to travel to Saudi Arabia next year on a Saudi government grant to learn Arabic.

Renovations on the mosque they attend in the suburb of Tijuca north of Rio got under way four years ago with donations from worshippers. It will soon hold up to 400 people during prayers, a major upgrade.

"The number of Muslims continues to grow, and most are Brazilians who are converting. We recruit members mostly online," said Sami Isbelle, a spokesman for the Beneficent Muslim Society (SBMRJ).

"In Rio, there are about 500 Muslim families, 85 percent of them Brazilian converts who have no Arab links," Isbelle said.

Things are different in Sao Paulo state and southern regions of Brazil, where most Muslims were born as such and are often of Arab descent.

Brazil's census does not count the number of Muslims, and only provides data on Catholics, evangelicals, Jews, spiritualists and followers of Afro-Brazilian religions.

"Muslims are listed in the 'other' category, along with Buddhists, for example, said Islam expert Paulo Pinto of Fuminense Federal University, who estimated Brazil is home to about a million Muslims.

The best indicator of the growth of Islam in the country is the rapid increase in the number of places of worship, according to Pinto. There are now 127 mosques, four times as many as there were back in 2000.

After the September 11 attacks in the United States, "there was a growth of interest in Islam, and many people decided to convert," Pinto added. "Islam was seen as a new form of resistance."

But it was a "telenovela" or soap opera launched just three weeks after the 2001 attacks, "The Clone," that sparked some Brazilians' infatuation with Islam.

Set in Morocco, the popular show showed a "positive imagine of that part of the world, with a benevolent Muslim hero," said Pinto.

"There is a tendency to think that Brazilian culture, as liberal and sensual as it is, is against the rules of Islam. But in fact, there are many conservative rules that are part of moral and sexual control. Look at how many evangelicals are successful in Brazil!"

Source: AFP

It's understandable that Islam has taken root among the many fringe dwellers that Brasilian society has generated. Brasil is a great place for those who have money and for foreign tourists, but is not so great for the vast majority of its citizens.

When you have nothing and no hope of improvement then you will naturally be open to the seduction of a movement that promises all sorts of delights in the next life in return for total obedience in this one.

I include all organised religion in this, not just Islam.

Well that might hold for some religions, but I think even a basic look at what kind of people are usually attracted to Islam will suggest otherwise.

Islam is not the refuge of lost souls that Christianity is for example, where we find the largest group of "born again" adopters of the religion are ex-drug addicts or recovering alcoholics etc. that need an anchor in their life to keep them on the straight and narrow.

We find that those who embrace Islam are usually astute, intelligent, and often more affluent people in societies, who realise there must be something more fulfilling to life. That's why we find not just average Christians coming to Islam, but missionaries, priests, even bishops who embrace Islam.

Since becoming a Muslim, I've come across the kinds of people I never would've crossed paths with previously, like Quantum physicists, doctors, lawyers, mayors etc. many of them converts to Islam like myself.

Like this recent example:

---

A TOP RAF pilot trainer has shocked military chiefs by converting to Islam and criticising Britain’s air strikes in Libya.

Dr Joel Hayward launched an attack on the military campaign in a Muslim magazine.

He has been dubbed “the Air Force Ayatollah” by fellow officers.

Dr Hayward, who taught Prince William, 29, at his Top Gun-style training school, stunned bosses by questioning the NATO strikes on tyrant Colonel Gaddafi after he ordered his army to attack civilians.

The 47-year-old dean of RAF training college Cranwell, in Lincolnshire, said: “Various leaders congratulated themselves for preventing an ‘atrocity’ or ‘slaughter’.

“Yet we do not know that Colonel Gaddafi’s army would have ‘slaughtered’ civilians.”

He also slated the UN resolution on Libya and claimed military action would lead to “distrust”.

His article has worried some defence chiefs, who fear he is giving too much time to Islamic activities.

One senior officer yesterday slammed Dr Hayward’s views as “nothing to do with the RAF”.

Concerns were also raised that air cadets were in fear of saying anything that Dr Hayward might consider “anti-Muslim”. It is not the first time Dr Hayward has courted controversy.

In 2000 he was accused of denying the Holocaust after he questioned the number of Jews killed by the Nazis.

An RAF spokesman maintained the doctor’s writings “did not impinge” on his classes at Cranwell.

Source: Daily Star

abu_rashid wrote on Aug 25^th, 2011 at 11:46pm:

A TOP RAF pilot trainer has shocked military chiefs by converting to Islam and criticising Britain’s air strikes in Libya. Dr Joel Hayward launched an attack on the military campaign in a Muslim magazine. He has been dubbed “the Air Force Ayatollah” by fellow officers. Dr Hayward, who taught Prince William, 29, at his Top Gun-style training school, stunned bosses by questioning the NATO strikes on tyrant Colonel Gaddafi after he ordered his army to attack civilians. The 47-year-old dean of RAF training college Cranwell, in Lincolnshire, said: “Various leaders congratulated themselves for preventing an ‘atrocity’ or ‘slaughter’. “Yet we do not know that Colonel Gaddafi’s army would have ‘slaughtered’ civilians.” He also slated the UN resolution on Libya and claimed military action would lead to “distrust”. His article has worried some defence chiefs, who fear he is giving too much time to Islamic activities. One senior officer yesterday slammed Dr Hayward’s views as “nothing to do with the RAF”. Concerns were also raised that air cadets were in fear of saying anything that Dr Hayward MIGHT consider “anti-Muslim”. It is not the first time Dr Hayward has courted controversy. In 2000 he was accused of denying the Holocaust after he questioned the number of Jews killed by the Nazis. An RAF spokesman maintained the doctor’s writings “did not impinge” on his classes at Cranwell. Source: Daily Star

The guy's a total nutter .. yet you felt compelled to post this article for some reason Abu. Wonder why? Are you suggesting that you are like this guy also?

Quote:

The guy's a total nutter

As he doesn't blindly follow the standard narrative that we're spoon fed by our media? Yeh he must be a nutter...

Try thinking for yourself for once Lisa.

"They plot and plan, and Allah too plans; but the best of planners is Allah." (Qur'an 8:30)

---

Conversion To Islam One Result Of Post-9/11 Curiosity

First Posted: 8/24/11 05:42 PM ET Updated: 8/24/11 06:25 PM ET

BOSTON (RNS) Like a lot of other people in the haze and confusion of the 9/11 attacks, Johannah Segarich asked herself: "What kind of religion is this that could inspire people to do this?"

She had studied other religions, but never Islam. So she bought a copy of the Quran, wondering if her notions of Islam as a patriarchal and now seemingly violent religion, would be confirmed.

Then she got to the first chapter, with its seven-line message about seeking guidance from a merciful creator. She finished the Quran a few weeks later, then started reading it again. About half way through, barely 10 weeks after 9/11, "I came to the realization," she said, "that I had a decision to make."

Segarich began studying Islam more intensely, and within a few months, the Utah-born music instructor made her Islamic declaration of faith, or shehadah, at the Islamic Society of Boston in Cambridge.

"It seemed kind of crazy to do. I was a middle-aged professional woman, very independent, very contemporary, and here I was turning to this religion, which at that point was so reviled," Segarich recalled.

Indeed, it seems counterintuitive that Americans would consider joining a religion that many associate with terrorism and violence -- especially after 9/11. But there are more than a few people like Segarich who, compelled by curiosity, became converts.

The majority of post-9/11 converts are women, according to experts. Hispanics and African-Americans, who were already converting well before 9/11, are the most common ethnic groups to convert.

Though exact numbers are difficult to tally, observers estimate that as many as 20,000 Americans convert to Islam annually.

Some conversions make headlines, such as Yvonne Ridley, a British journalist who converted in 2003 after being held captive by Taliban; Lauren Booth, the sister-in-law of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair; or the rapper known as Loon, who converted last year.

Angela Collins Telles grew up in southern California but had a travel bug that took her to Egypt and Syria, where she made friends and found most people generous and compassionate. When anti-Muslim rhetoric flared after 9/11, Collins Telles felt a need to push back.

"I saw my country demonizing these people as terrorists and oppressors of women, and I couldn't think of anything further from the truth," she said, "and I felt a need to stand-up and defend them. But then I realized that I couldn't argue without knowledge."

Like other converts, Collins Telles said some Christian beliefs, such as the Trinity and priests as intermediaries to God -- had never quite seemed right her.

"The concept of God was the most beautiful thing, and that concept fit with what I believe," said Collins Telles, who converted a few months after 9/11.

Chicagoan Kelly Kaufmann had a similar experience. When relatives chastised her for volunteering for President Obama's presidential campaign because they believed, erroneously, he is Muslim, she felt a need to study religion. When she came to Islam, her beliefs finally seemed in sync.

"Once I realized that's where my beliefs aligned, I had that big uh-oh moment that a lot of people have when they realize, 'Uh-oh, the (religion) I align with is the big fat scary one, as treated by the media, and understood as such by the public," she said.

But after nearly a year of study, Kaufmann could find nothing wrong with Islam. She decided to convert after confronting a man at a public lecture who said Muslims hated peace.

"That's when I realized, if I'm taking this personally, I think I must be ready," she said.

Because of a slow but steady number of converts, many mosques have launched programs to help them with learning the essentials: prayer, basic beliefs, and proper behavior.

Vaqar Sharief, who was tapped to create a program for converts at the Islamic Center of Wilmington, Del., estimates his mosque gets four or five converts every month.

Despite their enthusiasm, some converts worry about how friends and colleagues will react, or whether they are exposing themselves to harassment or attack.

"I guess it will always be a concern until the rhetoric changes a little bit," said Kaufmann, whose family has been supportive -- except for an uncle who now forbids his daughter from seeing Kaufmann. "What are they afraid of, conversion by proximity?"

Trisha Squires hasn't been a Muslim for even a month, following her July 31 declaration of faith, and has told only a few people, with mixed results.

Among the disappointing reactions was a close friend who said, "The godmother of my children is going to be a Muslim?" Squires hesitates to wear a headscarf to work, unsure what her employer might think.

Others, however, don't worry at all.

"I never cared about being accepted," said Collins Telles, who now lives in Brazil with her husband, who also converted after meeting her. "I knew that I had found God, and that's all I ever wanted."

Source: Huffington Post

Coptic Bishop speaks about massive number of Copts embracing Islam each year and dispels the myths peddled in the West that they are "kidnapped".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dwkgm9aG0Oo&feature=grec_index