Why I Embraced Islam by Oum Abdul-Aziz I am often asked why I have chosen to follow the religion of Islam. As an American woman, my choice of dress – long, loose and including a headscarf – visibly identifies me as being different from most Americans. Even complete strangers stop me on the street or in the store to ask me why I dress as I do. I can answer that I am Muslim and Islam enjoins modesty in dress as it enjoins modesty in all spheres of life, but I know that does not answer the real question they are asking, which is: "Why are you Muslim?" Those who know me a little better are perhaps not really asking me why I am Muslim but rather why I am no longer Christian. To answer all of these questions really takes some explaining. I did not become Muslim overnight. In fact, at first, learning about Islam came quite unexpectedly on my part. I had simply become acquainted with some Muslims and questioned them wanting to understand something of their beliefs. I was surprised to discover many similarities between the teachings of Islam and Christianity. I came to understand that I could not judge Islam merely from the actions of some "Muslims" I had seen and heard about. To learn something of the real teachings of Islam, I was going to have to throw away my prejudices and listen open-mindedly. I believe it is essential for us to have some understanding of other's beliefs so that relations between communities can improve and flourish. After all, we are all brothers and sisters together in the family of mankind. Unfortunately, today there is actually a great deal of misunderstanding between the Christian and Muslim communities partly due to biased media coverage on both sides and by Muslim and Christian individuals who are not living by the standards of good conduct taught in both these great faiths. Just as the teachings of Christianity are not always apparent from observing the actions of the "typical American Christian", I realized that to understand Islam I was going to have to look beyond the actions of some Muslim individuals to get to the truth. I was encouraged by a new friendship with a sincere, amicable Muslim woman. As I have always enjoyed reading, I went in search of some good books about Islam. What surprised me most, initially, was that the Muslims already had some knowledge of the teachings of Christianity because Muslims, too, love and believe in Jesus Christ, peace be upon him (p.b.u.h). I learned that the word "Islam" literally means peace through submission to God by belief in His oneness and by obedience to Him. Thus, Islam claimed to be the same religion preached by all the earlier prophets, in whom Muslims also believe. These prophets, among others, include Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, John the Baptist, and Jesus (peace be upon them all). The Quran says, "And We (Allah) did not send any Messenger before you but we inspired him (saying): There is no God but Allah. None has the right to be worshipped but I (Allah). So worship me" (21:25). Islam is strictly monotheistic and teaches worship of Allah, who is none other than the only God Almighty. ("Allah" is the same God that Arabic speaking Christians also worship.) Islam teaches a pure monotheism without any anthropomorphic tendencies, avoiding associating the Creator with the created. As the Holy Quran, Islam's holy book states, "Allah forgiveth not the sin of joining other gods with Him; but he forgiveth whom He pleaseth other sins than this: one who joins other gods with Allah hath strayed far, far away" (4:116). How similar to many verses found in the Bible, like Exodus 20:2-3: "I am the Lord your God…you shall have no other gods besides me…" This Islamic monotheism can be summed up in the words of the Quran's shortest chapter: "Say: He is Allah, the One; Allah, the Eternal, the Absolute; He begetteth not nor is begotten; and there is none like unto Him" (112). In Islam, the ultimate purpose of this life is to recognize and worship Allah as our Creator, as One, All-Knowing and All-Powerful believing that success or failure in the life after death depends on it. Allah says in the Holy Quran: "I have only created (men) that they may worship me (alone)" (51:56). "Blessed is He (Allah) in whose hand is the dominion; and He over all things has power; He who created death and life that he may try which one of you is best in deed and He is the exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving" (67:1-2). Among the effects of this monotheism is that the Muslim should see everything on earth as Allah's, including himself. This can motivate the Muslim to take responsibility for himself and the other trusts in his care, namely his children, his family, his community, and the whole earth. Islam teaches that every child enters the world pure and free from sin and that his innate nature and his capacity to reason will guide him to monotheism and knowledge of right and wrong. The Quran says that at the beginning of the creation Allah "brought forth all the offspring of Adam and made them testify as to themselves (saying): 'Am I not your Lord?' They said: 'Yes, we testify.' lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: 'Verily, we have been unaware of this'" (7:172). As the child matures into puberty he becomes accountable to Allah for his transgressions against Allah and Allah's creatures (man, animal, or nature); but he will not be called to account for the actions of any other person. "Who receiveth guidance receiveth it for his own benefit: Who goeth astray doth so to his own loss: No bearer of burdens can bear the burdens of another" (17:15) "and whoever earns sin, he earns it only against himself" (4:111). In relations with non-Muslims, the Holy Quran instructs the Muslim "to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion nor drove you out of your homes. Verily, Allah loves those who deal with equity" (60:8). Islam teaches that although the Muslim will repeatedly make mistakes during his lifetime, he should never lose hope of Allah's mercy. As Allah says: "O my servants (slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the mercy of Allah. Truly, He is the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful" (39:53). In Islam, repentance is a key to salvation. Islam teaches that as long as man recognizes his failings, hates them, seeks the forgiveness of Allah and tries to improve himself, that he can await this promise of Allah's mercy. "And those who, when they have wronged themselves with evil, remember Allah and ask for forgiveness for their sins and do not persist in what (wrong) they have done, while they know; For such, the reward is forgiveness from their Lord" (3:135-136). Islam unites mankind as one humanity. Islam teaches that all men will be held equally accountable before Allah, with no distinctions based on race or heritage, and that the best among men are only the most righteous. "Mankind were one community and Allah sent prophets with glad tidings and warnings and with them He sent down the scripture in truth to judge between people in matters wherein they differed" (2:213). Islam enjoins justice, equal rights, freedom of movement, the sacredness of one's property, the right to self-defense, honesty in business dealings, avoidance of deception and usury, and encourages hard work and honest competition. "He commands them what is just and forbids them what is evil; He allows them as lawful what is good and pure and prohibits them from what is bad and impure" (7:157). Islam enjoins the highest moral conduct on its followers, including the purity of intentions, care and love of one's parents, and modesty in dress. Islam encourages marriage as a means of sexual chastity and a means of comfort and happiness in life. A marriage is considered a contract between a man and a woman with each of the parties having rights and responsibilities. Upon marriage, a Muslim woman loses neither her family name nor control of her own property. In fact, I discovered that Islam is not oppressive to women, as I had previously thought. I learned that for centuries Muslim women have had rights that most Western women have only obtained in recent years. I also learned that the followers of Islam worship Allah in ways strikingly similar to the worship described in the Bible. The Muslim prays daily reciting these words from the Holy Quran: "In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful; Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds; Most Gracious, Most Merciful; Master of the Day of Judgement; Thee (alone) do we worship and Thine aid we seek; show us the straight way, the way of those on whom thou has bestowed Thy Grace, those whose portion is not wrath and who go not astray" (1:1-7). The Muslim orally calls his brothers to come to prayer. Similarly, Moses was instructed by God to "make trumpets…and use them for summoning the congregation" (Numbers 10:2). Before beginning the prayer, the Muslim performs ablutions, washing his face, hands and feet just as "Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet" before formal worship (Exodus 40:31). Then the Muslim extols Allah's greatness and bows down before Him, kneeling and prostrating just as "Moses and Aaron fell on their faces" (Numbers 20:6), "Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped" (Joshua 5:14), and as Daniel "went into his house and his window being open in his chamber towards Jerusalem he went on his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks before his creator as did aforetime" (Daniel 6:10). Muslims worship Allah by fasting and by giving charity, which can be tangible like money or food or intangible like the kind word or smile one gives to his brother. They also worship Allah through pilgrimage to the city of Mecca (now in Saudi Arabia) which is the site of the first house of worship built by the prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael (peace be upon them). Islam enjoins belief in angels, divine destiny, and the divine scriptures given to the earlier prophets including the Torah, the Psalms, and the Gospel of Jesus (p.b.u.h.). Islam defines goodness as constantly proceeding through life and worshipping Allah as if you actually see Him, knowing that although you do not see Him, He sees and knows everything about you. The prophet Mohammed (p.b.u.h.) was the messenger through whom Islam was given to the pagan Arabs of the sixth century and then to the rest of the world. Islam claims that Mohammed (p.b.u.h.) brought no new message. The principles of Islam had been Allah's eternal message throughout the ages. Allah tells Mohammed (p.b.u.h.) in the Holy Quran: "to thee we sent the scripture (the Quran) in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and as a watcher over it" (5:48). By declaring belief in the messengership of the prophet Mohammed (p.b.u.h.), the Muslim states his faith in all the divine teachings of Mohammed (p.b.u.h.) because the Holy Quran says of Mohammed (p.b.u.h.) that he "is neither astray nor being misled, nor does he say ought of his own desire; it is no less than revelation sent down to him" (53:2-4). In short, Islam can be summed up by the Muslim "shahadah" (or statement of faith by which one enters Islam): "I bear witness that there is no god (or anyone worthy of worship) except Allah, and I bear witness that Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah." Christians are kindly referred to in the Holy Quran as the people of scripture or "people of the Book" and are addressed directly. "Say: O people of the Book! Come to common terms as between us and you: That we worship none but Allah; That we associate no partners with Him; That we erect not from among ourselves lords and patrons other than Allah" (3:64). Christians and Jews are also told that their own scriptures will guide them to the truth of the Quran and Mohammed's (p.b.u.h.) prophethood (2:146, 5:41-47, 7:157). Obviously, I was going to have to take this "challenge" and see if my Bible could really vouch for the divine origin of Islam. Evidence of the unity and oneness of God as taught in Islam is found throughout the Bible. In Deuteronomy (32:39) God himself says, "There is no god beside Me" and in Isaiah (43:10) "Before Me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after Me." In Exodus (8:10) "No one is like the Lord our God" and in Jeremiah (10:6-7) "There is none like unto Thee, O Lord." Other verses stating the same can be found in Deuteronomy (4:35, 4:39, 6:4), Isaiah (45:5, 45:21-22, 46:9), II Samuel (7:22), I Kings (8:60), I Chronicles (17:20), Psalms (86:8, 89:6, 113:5), Hosea (13:4), and Zechariah (14:9). When asked "Which commandment is the first of all?", Jesus (p.b.u.h.) answered "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is One" (Mark 12:28-29). Even after the ministry of Jesus (p.b.u.h.), his apostles understood this oneness of God. Evidence of this is found throughout the epistles. "God is One" (Romans 3:30); "There is no God but One" (I Corinthians 8:4); "One God" (Ephesians 4:6, I Corinthians 8:6, I Timothy 2:5); and Paul writes to James (2:19) "You believe that God is One: you do well."