A New Muslim recounts his journey to Islam

Every day the sun shines on new people recognizing the truth and returning to their Creator in repentance and submission to Him. They are ambitious for His reward of eternal happiness in Paradise. These new followers give a new flavor to the Muslims of today with their sincerity, keenness and solid adherence to the teachings of Islam. From their vast experience in the past, they command strong endurance and a particular understanding of their newly-found path of truth to which Allah guided them, finding their way with easiness and surety in life. They came to Islam with broad-mindedness and discernment of what is right and wrong. Some of them had reached satiety and disgust with material, promiscuous life and turned to Islam with true love for purity and homage to their Creator.

Gathering the Initial Pieces of “the Purpose of Life Puzzle”

I once thought my upbringing offered an excellent way of life, especially since I felt satisfied both mentally and physically. As a young man, I lived the life of an average American who had a rather hedonistic lifestyle; I was fond of music, a festive atmosphere, sports, travel, ethnic foods and foreign languages. I reached a point, however, where I felt ‘spiritually bankrupt’ and I asked myself, “now what?”  And I thought, “there has to be more to life than this.” This realization was the impetus that led me to search for the truth through diverse avenues.

I assumed the reason I felt spiritually unfulfilled had to do with my lifestyle in America, which was often tied to instant gratification and impulsive behavior. As a result, I speculated that the answer might lie in finding a better locale. Thus, I began looking for that perfect place. After traveling to numerous destinations, I discovered that it wasn’t so much a perfect location I was looking for, but a particular culture with the most suitable approach to life. When I found what I considered to be the most appealing culture, I recognized that it still had flaws. Thereafter, I surmised that we should learn about the different ways people live and then select the best from these practices. This was perhaps the road to the truth.

Unable to really implement the life of a global citizen, I chose to read materials on metaphysics because the esoteric things in life always intrigued me. I quickly learned everything functions according to universal laws which can be used for one’s own benefit. After reading many books on this subject, I concluded that more important than these laws is the One Who created them, i.e., Allah. I also discovered metaphysics could be a precarious path to follow, in which case, I refrained from any further reading in this area.

On the suggestion of a good friend, we went on a three-month camping trip all over America and Western Canada with the intention of discovering the purpose of life. We witnessed the marvels of nature and realised this world could not have been created by mistake, and that it was clearly a wonderland of signs pointing to its Creator. Hence, this trip reinforced my belief in Allah.

After returning home, I felt distressed at the busy life of the city, so I turned to meditation for relief. I was able to find inner peace through meditation techniques. Nevertheless, this tranquil feeling was only temporary; once I stood up, I couldn’t take that feeling with me. Likewise, being consistent with meditation became too much of a formidable task, so I slowly started losing interest.

Before long, I thought the truth might lie in self-improvement. Therefore I became a voracious reader of motivational materials and attended related seminars. In addition, I was striving to live up to the US Army’s slogan on TV commercials, ‘Be all you can be’, through endeavors in fire-walking, skydiving and martial arts. Due to my reading and challenging exploits, I gained a keen sense of self-confidence, but in fact, I still hadn’t discovered the truth.

Soon afterwards, I read numerous books on various philosophies. I found many interesting concepts and practices; yet, there wasn’t any particular philosophy that I could totally agree with. Thus, I chose to consolidate what I thought was the best wisdom from among these doctrines. It became sort of a ‘religion à la carte’ which mainly emphasized good moral behavior. I eventually concluded that good morality is good, but it is not good enough to solve ‘the purpose of life puzzle’ a more spiritual approach to life.

Shortly thereafter, I obtained a job in a Muslim country where I had enough of free time to read and reflect on life. While continuing my search for the truth, I found a recommendation in a book concerning the need for sincere repentance to Allah. I proceeded to do so and felt remorse for all the people I had wronged in my life, to 0the degree that tears started rolling down my face.

A few days later, I had a conversation with some Muslim friends. I mentioned to them that I was used to having a lot more freedom in America than that was present in their country. One person said, “ Well, it depends on what you mean by ‘freedom’. In your part of the world, no matter how well parents teach morality to their children inside the home, as soon as they go outside, they generally encounter the society in contradiction to that morality. On the other hand, in most Muslim communities, the morals taught to the children at home are very similar to what they find away from home. So who really has the freedom here?” From this analogy, I inferred that the Islamic guidelines and restrictions partially sanctioning human behavior are not meant to curtail human freedom; rather, they serve to define and dignify human freedom.

A further opportunity to learn about Islam arose when I was invited to sit with a group of Muslims over dinner. After mentioning to the group that I had been living in Las Vegas, Nevada before coming to the Middle East, a Muslim from America said, “ You must make sure you die as a good Muslim.” I immediately asked him to explain what he meant. He said “ If you die as a non-Muslim, it is like playing the game of roulette in which you put all of your chips (all of your life, including your deeds and your particular belief in Allah) on only one number, just hoping that perhaps by the Mercy of Allah, you will enter Paradise on Judgment Day. In contrast, if you die as a good Muslim, it is like spreading your chips all over the roulette board, so that every number is covered in this way, no matter what number the ball falls on, you’re safe. In other words, living and dying as a good Muslim is the best insurance you will not go to the Hell, and at the same time, it is the best investment that you’ll go to Paradise.” As a former resident of Las Vegas, I could directly relate to this poignant example with the game of roulette.

At this point, I understood I would not find the truth until I established a relationship, which concentrates on those religions in which Allah had sent revelation to His Prophets and Messengers. Hence, I chose to continue my search for the truth through Christianity and Islam. 

Christianity in Focus 

Even though I was brought up as a Christian, I had been confused and uninterested in Christianity. I felt like I inherited a mysterious religion beyond understanding. I believe it was for this reason that I was a Christian by name but not in practice. Furthermore, I realized my doubt about Christian beliefs caused me to be in a state of non-religiousness. Nonetheless, while I was searching for the truth, I had a chance to re-examine those beliefs I inherited from my parents yet never bothered to scrutinize. 

 Through booklets, cassettes and videotapes on Christianity produced by Muslims and non-Muslims, I surprisingly found out about hundreds of verses in Bible which reveal a lack of harmony in Christian beliefs. According to these materials, Allah was One prior to Jesus (peace be upon him). Likewise, Jesus (pbuh) propagated the belief in One Allah. However, after Jesus (pbuh) Christianity emphasized the Trinity instead of the Oneness of Allah. Also, before Jesus (pbuh), Allah was without sons and equals. Similarly, Jesus (pbuh) said he was Allah’s messenger, whereas after his time, Christianity stressed that Jesus (pbuh) is Allah’s son or Allah Himself.   

Regarding monotheism, the first of the Ten Commandments upholds Jesus’ (pbuh) assertion for the belief in One Allah,  “…Here, O Israel, the Lord our Allah is one Lord.” (Mark 12:29) Likewise, there is plethora of verses in the Bible that refute the divinity of Jesus (pbuh). For example, Jesus (pbuh) admitted he could not do miracles independently, but only by the Will and permission of Allah. Interestingly, it says in the Bible that Jesus (pbuh) prayed. I asked myself, “How can Jesus (pbuh) be Allah and pray to Allah at the same time?” A praying Allah is a contradiction. Additionally, Jesus (pbuh) states that his teachings are not his own, but those of One who sent him.

 Logically, if what he says is not his own, he is just a Prophet receiving revelation from Allah like those before (and after) him. Moreover, Jesus (pbuh) admits that he does what is taught by Allah. Again, I asked myself, “How can Jesus (pbuh) be taught and be Allah at the same time?” In my discussions with Muslims, they concurred with what Jesus (pbuh) commanded with respect to the belief in only One Allah, as in the following Qur’anic verse: Say, “ He is Allah, [Who is] One.” (112:1)

 I was also surprised to find out about the verses in the Bible which refer to Jesus (pbuh) as a Prophet of Allah. Likewise, I learned about the Islamic view of Jesus (pbuh) which is that he is a Prophet and Messenger of Allah. In the Qur’an Allah says, “The Messiah, son of Mary, is not but a Messenger; [other] Messengers have passed on before him. And his mother was a supporter of truth. They both used to eat food. Look how We make clear to them the signs; then look how they are deluded.” (5:75)

Another common belief in Christianity is that Jesus (pbuh) is the son of Allah. 

According to the Bible, it was customary to call any Prophet of Allah, or righteous man, a son of Allah. Jesus (pbuh) called himself the son of man, not Allah or Allah's literal son. Evidently, Paul was most responsible for elevating the status of Jesus (pbuh) to the son of Allah, distorting the teachings of Jesus (pbuh).

What's more, Jesus (pbuh) did not appear to be the 'begotten' son of Allah (as it used to say in John 3:16) since this word has been cancelled from the Revised Standard Version (RSV), as well as many other new versions of the Bible. Furthermore, Allah emphatically says in the Qur'an that He does not have a son. However, Allah also declared that He created Adam (pbuh) and Jesus (pbuh): "Indeed, the example of Jesus to Allah is like that of Adam. He created him from dust; then He said to him "Be", and he was." (3:59)

  Subsequent to these modifications, emperors and clergy made further fabrications, contrary to what Jesus (pbuh) said or did. Of these is the concept of Trinity in which Jesus (pbuh) is one of the three manifestations of the Trinitarian Allah [the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost]. In the Bible, this verse given as the best proof for the Doctrine of Trinity, even though this doctrine was never put forth by Jesus (pbuh), his disciples, or Christian scholars. In fact, it was enacted after much disagreement and conflict among Christians in the year 325 AD at the Council Nicea. Interestingly, this verse has been expunged from the Bibles of the modern age.

 In addition, the Qur'an warns the Jews and Christians to refrain from disbelieving in revelation of Allah and against believing in Trinity.

 A related area of controversy I read about was 'original sin' and salvation through 'the crucifixion' of Jesus (pbuh). Presumably, before Jesus (pbuh), there was no Doctrine of Original Sin. However, after Jesus (pbuh), the Doctrine of Original Sin appeared. Moreover, before Jesus (pbuh), salvation was obtained by obedience to Allah whereas after Jesus (pbuh), salvation was achieved through his crucifixion so they said.

In Christianity, the Doctrine of Original Sin is the justification for having salvation through the crucifixion of Jesus (pbuh). Nevertheless, I found out that this doctrine is strongly negated in the Old Testament. It seems this concept may have been designed as a way for its believers to eschew their accountability of sins before Allah on Judgment Day. It was brought to my attention that, according to Jesus (pbuh), man is saved through obedience and submission to Allah. Correspondingly, in the Qur'an, every soul is compensated for what it earns. However, it seems that changed this doctrine, making salvation through the crucifixion of Jesus (pbuh).

The theory of salvation through crucifixion holds that Jesus (pbuh) offered himself to be crucified to ransom and save humanity If so, why did Jesus (pbuh) request help Allah before the soldiers came to arrest him?: “…Father, save me from this hour.” (12:27) Likewise, why does the Bible say Jesus (pbuh) cried out in a loud beseeching Allah for help on the cross: “…My Allah, my Allah, why have you forsaken me?”(Matt. 27:46)     In addition, how could Jesus (pbuh) have been crucified for the sake of all humans when he was sent only to the Children of Israel?  This is clearly contradiction. I found the foregoing verses to be very convincing that Jesus (pbuh) was crucified on the cross to redeem the sins of mankind. The Qur'an says they did not crucify him, but it was someone else who was made to look like him. If this is correct, then it may explain the appearance of Jesus (pbuh) to his disciples after the crucifixion. If he had really died on the cross, then he would have come to his disciples in a spiritual body. As shown in Luke 24:36-43, Jesus (pbuh) met them with his physical body after the event of his alleged crucifixion. Accordingly, I learned it was Paul who taught the resurrection of Jesus (pbuh). Paul also admitted the resurrection was his own gospel.

I came across many sources indicating that Paul and others were frustrated by the Jewish rejection of the message of Jesus (pbuh), so they extended their call to the Gentiles. They reached into southern Europe, where polytheism and idolatry were spreading. Gradually, the message of Jesus (pbuh) was modified to suit the tastes and traditions of the Romans and Greeks of those days. The Bible warns against adding or removing information from its teachings, which is precisely what happened. Allah addresses this point in Qur'an as well, "So woe to those who write the "scripture" with their own hands, then say, "This is from Allah," in order to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn. " (2:79)

Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho aliahi wasallam)
in the Scriptures

Another interesting point I learned about concerns Biblical prophecies on the advent of Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho aliahi wasallam). I discovered that clear prophecies exist in the Bible, (even the original text had been distorted), foretelling the coming of Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho aliahi wasallam) after Jesus (pbuh). Muslim scholars have affirmed that the description by Jesus (pbuh) of the one to come after him (in the verses cited below) cannot apply to any other person but Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho aliahi wasallam). Furthermore, there is a verse in the Holy Qur'an confirming what Jesus (pbuh) said regarding this point,   "... O Children of Israel, I am the Messenger of Allah to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad ... " (61:6) The name Ahmad is another name for Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) and derived from the same root word.

Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho aliahi wasallam) in the Qur'an

I observed that the Qur'an directs us to believe in Allah and Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) as in the following verse: Say, [O Muhammad], "O mankind, Indeed, I am the Messenger of Allah to you all, [from Him] to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death.  So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the illiterate Prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him that you may be guided. " (7-158)

I came to know that the Qur'an also refers to Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) as the Last Prophet: "Muhammad is not the father of [any] of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of Allah and Seal [i.e., last] of the Prophets..." (33:40) Even though Allah states in the Qur'an that Muhammad (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) is the Last Prophet, I discovered that Muslims still believe in and accept all the previous Prophets, along with the revelations they received in their original form.

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