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Why I Chose Islam
(BasedonaTrueStory)
by
Saalih al-Fawzaan
by:
M.Emery
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Copyright
This book is not copyrighted. Any or all parts of this book may be used for educational
purposes as long as the information used is not in any way quoted out of context or
used for profit.
This material has been reviewed and forwarded for publishing and distribution by the
English language section of the Department of Islamic Resources.
Form #: 4343
Date: 23/9/1426H
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Introduction
Oseekeroftruth,ifyoureallyseekthetruthputaside
all preconceived notions, and open your heartdo not
let others judge or make a decision for you. This being
said,Iwouldliketosharewithyouthisbeautifulaccount
ofamansjourneytothetruthIbelieveitbebestifhe
narrates his account to us himself, so I will leave you
withMr.Thomas
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IbeginwiththenameofAllah,theMostMerciful,theMostGracious
IwasborntostaunchCatholicChristianparents.Even
from my youngest days, my father sometimes took me
alongwithhimwhenhewenttopreach,itwasquiteob
vious that he wanted me to succeed him in his profes
sion. Bythe time I reachedgradetwelve,Icouldpreach
the Gospels in my own way. In college, I often met my
Protestant classmates and discussed the differences in
ourfaithsandtheperformanceofrituals.
By the time I completed the first year in college,I was
sufficiently grounded in the knowledge of the Christian
FaithasheldbytheCatholicChurch.Iwasgivenaschol
arshipfromtheChurchfundsandinreturnforthehelpI
received, I was required to receive special coaching in
understanding parts of the Holy Book, under the Chief
Priest of the Church who loved to teach me very much
andwasveryintimatelyattachedtome.
Havingappearedinthefirstgroupformyintermediate
course I used to sit working at his subjects till late at
night. One night when all were asleep and I was ab
sorbed in my studies an idea suddenly struck my mind
to examine the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, the basic
formulaoftheChristianFaith.Thequestionhowgodex
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istsinthreepersons,andyethasasingledivinenature,a
singlewillandbeofonesubstancearoseinmymind.
MyfailuretoreconcilemybeliefintheTrinitywiththe
reasoning of the science of logic, created a mental rest
lessness in me. Days passed on and many a time, I
thought of asking my father to help me in solving the
problemwhichpuzzledmymindbutIknewthatmyfa
ther would never appreciate the least doubt in the dog
matic belief of the Catholic School. However, one day
whenIfoundmyfatherinahappymoodandaskedhim
toexplaintheHolyTrinityhefinallysaid:
In matters of faith one has to stop reasoningthis
doctrine is beyond the grasp of human reason. One
should believe in the doctrine only by ones heart and
mind!
This reply from my father upset me to a great ex
tentallmythinkinggotcenteredinthequestionwhich
had become a definite problem to puzzle my mind fur
therandIwonderedsaying:Isthisthefoundationupon
which the huge edifice of the Christian faith is built? Is
thebasisofmyfaithonlyamatterofblindfollowingof
somedictatedbeliefwhichcanneverstandreasoningor
the independent scrutiny by the dispassionate and im
partialargumentsfromthecleanconscience?
Ibecameextremelyworriedandmadeupmymindto
blindlybelieveintheTrinity.
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Onedayoneofourseniorlecturerswassittingalonein
his room and I entered with his permission and asked
himifhecouldhelpmetosolvesomethingwhichtome
was a perplexing problem. He very kindly asked me
what it was. I asked him to explain to me how God, a
single being, can exist simultaneously as three distinct
persons:theFather,theSon(Jesus),andtheHolySpirit?!
The senior lecturer smiled and said: Is it that you do
notlikemystayinthiscollege?Iaskedhim:Whysir?
Hesaid:Whatdoyouthinkthecollegeauthoritieswho
are staunch Catholics will do with me, if someone in
formsthemthatIdiscussinmyprivateroomthingsop
posedtotheChristianfaithingeneral?Willtheykeepme
onthestaffoftheCollegeanylonger?Ifyouwanttodis
cussanythinghere,youmustconfineyourdiscussionto
thesubjectofyourstudiesintheCollege!
Thereafter,Imadeanappointmentwithhimtoseehim
inhishouse.
OnSundaywhenImettheseniorlecturerhefirstasked
meastowhatmademeinquireintotheDoctrineofTrin
ity. I said that I wanted to know how far the doctrine
stoodtoreasoning.
Hesmiledandsaid,Whydontyouaskanyoneofour
priests?
Isaid:Ihaveaskedthembuttheysayitisamatterof
belieforfaithanditshouldnotbesubjectedtoanylogic
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dissensionswhichwetheChristianshaveinnovated?Isit
notthenthatwearefarawayfromtheoriginalobjectsof
theMissionofJesusChrist?
Againsttheirreconcilabledifferencesandtheinnumer
able dissensions of the social order in the very folds of
Hinduism and Christianity, I was very much impressed
by the genuine and real brotherhood practiced day and
nightamongtheMuslims.IfoundthataMuslimMosque
is a Mosque belonging to everyone who calls himself a
Muslim and that there is no reservation of seats in the
Mosque. I sawwithmyowneyes,Muslimsofallranks,
allsocialandeconomicalstatusofdifferentcomplexions
of various nationalities all standing in one row, turning
towards one direction, praying to one God in one lan
guage, and after the prayer shaking hands with one an
other. Brotherhood or social equality claimed more in
theorybyotherschoolsofthoughtintheworld;Ifound
it to be an ever experienced and a living reality in the
dailylifeoftheIslamicfolds.
OnedayIwasinformedbytheseniorlecturerwhoby
this time hadbecomeaclosefriendofminethataMus
limscholarwasgoingtodeliversometalksinEnglishon
the life of the Prophet of Islam in a hall near the big
Mosque of my town. My senior lecturer and I both at
tended the talks and met the lecturer who was an old
friendofmyseniorlecturer.Wetalkedwiththelecturer
aboutseveralimportanttopics.
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John14:Jesussays:16:IwillpraytheFather,andhe
shall give another comforter that he may abide with
youforever.
26:NeverthelessItellyouthetruth:itisexpedientfor
you that I go away, for if I go not away, the comforter
will not come unto you, but if I depart I will send him
untoyou.
16:Ihaveyetmanythingstosayuntoyou,butyecan
notbearthemnow.
16: Howbeit, when he the Spirit of Truth, is come, he
will guide you unto all truth for he shall not speak of
himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he
speak;hewillshowyouthingstocome.
I read the passages which I had already gone through
severaltimesbefore,butthistimetheperfectconfidence
withwhichthelectureraskedmetoreadtheversefrom
myownsacredscripturesinsupportofhisclaim,threwa
new light upon them for me to understand the matter
dispassionately.YetIreplied:Buttheprophecyisabout
theadventofJesus!Hesmiledandsaid:Readtheverse
again! Does not the verse say that God will raise a
Prophet like unto Moses i.e. he will be a man born of a
father and a mother as was born Moses; whereas Jesus
wasbornonlyofamother.BesidestheProphetpromised
by God must be a man like Moses but you yourself call
JesusasthesonofGod!MoseswasalawgivingProphet
andtheonelikehimmustbealawgiver,whereasJesus
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JesusaddressedGodashisfatherandalsoasourfather
which means that God is taken as the father of Jesus as
muchasHeisthefather(orthecreator)ofanyofus,and
henceJesussonshipcanmeaninthesenseofcreatureof
god, the term son of god used by Jesus can be only in
sense of servant of god as Jesus refers to himself as
godsservant.Thisfactistestifiedbytheversesbywhich
everyprophetofGodfromAdamhasbeentermedasthe
son of God in Luke 3rd chapter in verses from 23 to 30.
JesusiscalledasthesonofJosephandthegenealogyof
Jospeh is traced to Adam and Adamiscalledthesonof
God. Read the 30th verse of the same chapter: Which
was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which
wasthesonofAdam,whichwasthesonofGod.(Luke
3:30)
ThesereadyanswersfromtheBiblecreatedaverydeep
impressionuponmymindabouttheamountofcompara
tive study the Muslims do and how strong and reason
abletheyareintheirfaithabouttheOnenessofGod.
Iaskedthelecturer:DoyoubelieveintheHolyBible
asaHeavenlyBookornot?Inreplytomyquestionthe
lecturerrequestedmetoanswerthefollowingquestions:
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HisQuestions:
MyAnswers:
IstheBiblewhichisin
yourhands,thebookwhich
Jesuswroteasascripture
revealedbyGod?
No.
DidJesusorderordesire
atanytimeinhislifeto
writeanythingonhisbe
half?
No
WastheBiblewhichisin
yourhands,writtenduring
thelifetimeofJesus?
No
WastheBiblewhichisin
yourhandstodaywritten
immediatelyafterthede
partureofJesus?
No
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Thereisnotanationbutawarnerhasgoneamong
them.(35:24)
ItconvincedmethatIslam,alone,isanallcomprehen
sivefaithwhichrecognizesallotherreligionsandwhich
containsinitaperfectlyharmoniousintegrationofallthe
good, found partly in the other religious orders of the
world. The sacred book of Islam i.e. the Holy Quran is
thefinalexpositionoftheDivineTruth.Thelimitationof
thehumanmindofthedifferentages,didnotalloweven
ProphetlikeJesustospeakoutthewholetruth.Jesushad
to depart with many things yet to be told to his people.
(John16:14).Jesushadtotellhispeopletowaituntilthe
advent of the spirit of truth to disclose the whole of the
truth.(John16:13)
I was further impressed by the universal aspect of the
religion of Islam. Every answer from the lecturer was
withanunchallengeableauthorityandwithanunbreak
able argument. Iwas awakened to differentiate between
genuine truth and the fabrications of falsehood and to
know many new factors to which I was blind all those
years. But I did not know how to reconcile the dawn of
trueknowledgeoftruthwithmyoriginalblinddogmatic
beliefandmybelongingtotheChristianfaithanylonger.
I wanted to find out some failure on the part of the lec
turertoanswersatisfactorilysomequestionortheother,
sothatImayhavesomeexcuse,bethatevenafalseone,
tomaintainmypositionintheChristianfaith.
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ofoneintothreedifferentothers,tobeneithermorenor
less in number? There must be some cause for this con
trolledeffectandthatthecausativefactoractingsupreme
overthreewillbetheOmnipotentGodandnotanyofthe
three which will only be the effect of the Supreme con
trollingcause.
Similarly, it will raise the question, what is the causa
tive power which effects the three to be only one when
joiningtogetherratherthandividedintomanygroupsof
beingsand,iftherebeanysuchcause,thatsupremecon
trollingcausewillbetheomnipotentgod,notanyofthe
three who will only be the subservient ones. Under any
circumstances no sensible man can ever reasonably be
lieve in any effect whatsoever without some causative
factoreffectingit.
However, the Holy Trinity is only a problematic doc
trine created by the Christian Church which no logical
reasoningcaneverprovetrue.
Ihadtohelplesslyagreetotheviewsofthelecturerfor
I could not now reasonably believe in the existence of
anythingbeingitselfandatthesametimebeingitsown
opposite.
I would like you Mr. Thomas, said the lecturer to
ponder a little over How the belief of Jesus being God
HimselforthesonofGod,coincideswiththefactthathe
was so terrified at the impending crucifixion that he
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singleinstanceofhistakingtheleastinitiativeinattack
inganysinglesoul.Eachexpeditionofabattleheledor
he allowed was only in selfdefense! The Bible does not
preach selfdefense. The Bible preaches selfsurrender to
theextentofhandingovereverythinginonespossession
whenanythingwhichwasinoneshandhadbeentaken
awaybyanyaggressor.DoesanyChristianfollowthis?
Apart from the political history of the Christian na
tions of Europe, do you not remember the inhuman
methodsemployedbyChristendomtospreaditsfaith?
I was ashamed to hear what has been reported and I
have to listen quietly to the records of the disgraceful
conduct of the Christians. I at last ventured to ask one
morequestion.Thereisthedoctrineofatonementofex
piation of sins of men through the blood of Jesus. Jesus
havingpaidthepriceofthesinsofman,i.e.hewhobe
lievesinJesusiscleansedandsavedhaveyouanysuch
accommodationinIslam?
Thelecturersmiledandreplied:Myfriend,thegreat
estofGodsgiftstomaniscommonsense.Ifmanforfeits
it of his own accord, then no one can help him. First let
me know if the doctrine appeals to reason and common
sense.A,forexample,aChristianbyfaith,i.e.abeliever
inJesusChristashissavior,plundersthehouseofBand
themembersofBsfamily.Doessenseandlogicagreeto
A being let off unpunished by the law, particularly to
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theLawoftheAllJustLordof theUniverse,simplybe
causeAacceptsJesusashissavior?
I had to say No because, to say otherwise would
meanIforfeitmycommonsenseandgoagainstreason
ing!
He continued: There is one very grave aspect of the
doctrine of atonement through the blood of Jesus, i.e.
whenwepayforathing,thethingbecomesourownand
thepreviousownerofthatthingforfeitshisentireclaim
overitforthepricehehasalreadyreceived,isitnot?
Isaid:Yes.
Then he said: If the sins of man have been paid for,
godhasnorighttopunishanysinner!Everysinnerwho
merelybelievesinJesuswouldbefreedoanythinginthe
world which his brutal passion dictates him to do, for
God his Lord has no right whatsoever even to question
anysinner,forJesushasmetthecostofallhissins.Can
this ever be sensible logic or common sense? Can this
doctrinehelplifeonearthtocontinueforonemomentin
peaceandsecurity?
He continued: Please remember, Islam wants every
individual to be kept bound by his being answerable
withhisownindividuallifeaswellastheinterestofthe
collective life in this world, himself as a member of not
onlythehumanracebutalsoofthecreationoftheLord
as a whole. Islam continuously invites and encourages
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mantowardsrighteousnesswiththepromiseofthebliss
fullifeintheHereafterandrepeatedlywarnshimagainst
vice and the consequent chastisement from the All Just
Lord.TheHolyQuranrepeatedlywarnssaying:
And be on your guard against a Day when one
soul shall not avail another in the least, neither
shall intercession on its behalf be accepted nor
shalltheybehelped.(2:123)
Whoever goes aright, for his soul does he go
aright and whoever goes astray to its detriment
onlydoeshegoastray,norcanthebearerofabur
den bear the burden of another nor do we punish
untilWehavesentaMessenger(togivewarning).
(17:15)
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tionofamendinghisconductinthefuture,andtheturn
ing wholeheartedly to obedience and gratitude to the
AllMercifulLordforHisinfinitegrace.
Forgoodnesssake,tellmeMr.Thomas,whichdoyou
think is reasonable and sensible, either making man in
toxicated and careless against sinning (i.e. making him
unreasonablyconfidentofthepriceofhissinsashaving
alreadybeenpaidbysomeone)oralertingmanwithhis
commitment to virtue against vice, (i.e. keeping him
warned of the natural consequences of getting punish
ment by the AllJust Lord, against any misconduct or
disobedience)?
I felt that I had the day understood the hollowness of
thedoctrineofatonementuponwhichisbuiltthewhole
edifice of the Christian faith. The divine mercy of the
Lorddawneduponmyheart,anewlightofDivineguid
ance.Ithankedgodforliberatingmefromtheclutchesof
thegrosslymisleadingdogmaticdoctrineandleadingme
toIslamwhichIhavemyselffoundthroughanimpartial
enquirythatitistherightandtheStraightRoadtosalva
tionwhichtheAllMercifulLordHimselfhasshownman
through this Last Apostle Muhammad, may peace be
uponhimandhisdivinelychosendescendants.
When I disclosed my acceptance of the true argument
advancedbythelecturerandthankedhim,hetoldme:
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WhiletheentryintoafaithlikeIslamiseffectedonly
after a detailed study and enquiry by the learned ones
with perfect conviction, we Christians pride over our
successinswellingupourranksbymassconversionsof
illiteratelaborers,whobycircumstancesareforcedtoac
cept the Christian doctrine without knowing what they
are doing is right or wrong? An ignorant mind is like a
blank sheet, one can draw upon it whatever ones fancy
chooses and once the inscription is made to be settled
upon such raw material, any artist can pride over the
palettehavinganyparticulardesignofhisown.Iftoday
towinthesympathyoftheignorantmassesweboastbe
foreourilliterateconvertsofourhumanityandselfsacri
ficesinthecauseofthespreadofourfaithwilltheouter
world also forget the Edict of Milan, father, and will all
the records of history of the brutal outrages that Chris
tendom committed against the poor helpless Jews, in its
own passionate eagerness and anxiety to swell its ranks
totallyvanish?
I continued: If you kindly permit me father, I would
liketoknowfromyouiftheBibleinyourhandsistobe
merelyread,memorizedandpreachedtotheothersor
isittobeacteduponinourdailylife?Ifitistobeacted
upon will you kindly show me, father, if the Christian
world could ever practice the principle of turning the
othercheekalsoifoneisalreadysmitten?Couldanysin
cereChristiantillnow,giveawayhisshirtwhenhiscoat
was taken away? Will you, father, surrender our whole
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ABriefintroductionofIslamforNewMuslims
Islam is to submit completely to Allah by believing in
His Oneness; by worshipping Him, and forsaking all
typesofShirk(polytheism).
HowtoenterthefoldsofIslam:TheTwoTestimoniesof
Faith
(LailahahIllaAllahwaannaMuhammadRasoolAllah)
ToenterIslam,youmustknowthemeaningofthesetwo
testimonies; pronounce them out of pure conviction,
withouttheslightestdoubt.
TranslationoftheShahadah:
Ashhadu: I certainly know and believe without the
slightestdoubt
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ItsGeneralMeaning:(LailahahIllaAllahMuhammad
Rasool Allah) There is no god worthy of being wor
shipped except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger
ofAllah(Weobeyhiscommands;refrainfromwhateverhehas
forbidden.Webelieveallthathehasinformeduswith,andthat
Allah is not to be worshipped except in the manner which he
hastaughtus.)
TheDivineScriptureofIslam:ItistheQuran,whichis
thewordsofAllah;itwasrevealedtoMuhammad,may
Allah exalt his mention, through Angel Jibreel, may Al
lahexalthismention.
It is incumbent upon the Muslim to memorize from it a
portionenoughforhimtocompletehisprayers.
Indeed, all previous scriptures were distorted by their
people;buttheQuranremainsinitspureformasitwas
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TheFivePillarsofIslam:(Thesepillarsaretobephysi
cally executed, whether the action is attestation in the
heart,professionbythetongueoraphysicalaction)
TheFirstPillar:TheTwoTestimoniesofFaith.
There is no god worthy of being worshipped except Al
lah, and Muhammad, son of Abdullah, was a Prophet
andMessenger,whowassentbyAllahtobothmenand
jinn,toguidethemtoworshipAllahalone,withoutasso
ciatinganypartnerstoHim.
TheSecondPillar:TheSalah(Prayer).
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They are five prayers in total during the day and night.
The reward the Muslim would attain from performing
them would be equal to the reward of fifty prayersif
performed with its necessary conditions, pillars and
compulsoryacts.Someofitsconditionsarethattheper
son who wants to pray be a sane Muslim, who has
reachedtheageofdistinction,havingmadeTaharah(ab
lution) and intention (to pray a certain prayer), and to
facetheQiblahwhilepraying.
TheThirdPillar:Zakat(PoorDue).
ItisdueoneveryMuslimwhosewealthhasreachedthe
Nisaab (amount of wealth which renders it incumbent
upon its owner to pay Zakat) and has been held in pos
session for 12 lunar months, to give 2.5% from it to the
poor and needy from among his relatives whom he le
gally does not have to support, and to other poor and
needyMuslims,aswell.
TheFourthPillar:Fasting.
The person should intend to fast from the night. He
should abstain from food and drink and sexual inter
course from Fajr till the sunset. The Month of Fasting is
called Ramadhan. It is compulsory on every sane, adult
Muslim.
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TheFifthPillar:Hajj(Pilgrimage)
ItisthevisitationtoMakkahandothersacredsiteswith
theintentiontoperformUmrahandHajj.Itisadutyon
every adult, sane Muslim who can afford performing it,
onceinalifetime.WomenwhohavenoMahram(guard
ian)donothavetoperformHajj.
Whoeverrejectsoneofthesepillarsoutofdisbeliefordueto
lazinesswouldbecomeaKaafir(disbeliever)andwouldexitthe
foldsofIslam.
TheSixPillarsofFaith:
1.BeliefinAllah:ThatistobelievethatHeistheCrea
tor,theProvider,theOneWhocausesdeathandlife,and
theOneinWhoseHandsareallaffairs.HeistheFirstbe
foreWhomthereisnone,andHeistheLastafterWhom
there is none, He is the Supreme above Whom there is
none, and He is the MostKnowledgeable from Whom
nothingishidden.WebelieveinallHisbeautifulnames
and attributes without distorting or suspending them,
striking parallels between them or comparing them. Al
lahsays,ThereisnothingthatresemblesHim,andHeisthe
AllSeeingAllHearing
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4.BeliefintheMessengers:Allahsentthemtomankind
to guide them to worship Him alone, and not associate
partners with Him. We believe that Allah sent them.
Among them are the Ulul Azm (Prophets who exerted
greatefforts)whoare,Nooh,Ibraheem,Musa,Eesa,and
finally Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, and
renderhimsafefromeveryderogatorything,whoisthe
lastandbestofthem.
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LastThought
Ihopethatyoureadthisbookwithanopenheartand
mindandIpraytoGodthatyouseethelightoftruth.
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