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How and why do people embrace Islam? ‘Part One’
People embrace Islam in the West (USA, Canada, UK, France and
Germany), in the Middle Eastern countries (Saudi Arabia, the Gulf
States, Jordan), in Africa and the Far East (Malaysia, Philippines,
Hong Kong) and many other countries all over the world.
According to Islam, there is only one revealed religion which has been
revealed from the time of Adam until the last of the prophets,
Mohammad (PBUH), yet it was revealed on stages. Consequently, the
essential message of all the prophets was one and the same, Allah says
in the Holy Qur’an:
“Verily, We have sent to every nation a messenger (saying), ‘Worship
Allah and avoid false gods.”
All the Prophets that Allah has sent had one basic messages, for
indeed the purpose of creation is only one, which is worshiping Allah.
Allah says in the Holy Qur’an
“I did not create the jinn and mankind except for My worship.”
This message addressed a basic and essential need in human beings; the
need to worship. Such basic need was created in all human beings at
the time of Adam’s creation.
Man’s Natural Disposition : the Fitrah
As Allah made all human beings swear to His Godhood when He first
created Adam, this oath is printed on the human soul even before it
enters the fetus in the fifth month of pregnancy. So when a child is
born, he has a natural belief in Allah. This natural belief is called
in Arabic the fitrah. If the child was left alone, he would grow with
the same faith and believe in Allah. But what happens is that all
children get affected by their surroundings, whether directly or
indirectly. Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said that Allah said:
“I created My servants in the right religion but the devils made them
go astray.”
Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) also said:
“Each child is born in a state of ‘fitrah’, but his parents make him a
Jew or a Christian. It is like the way an animal gives birth to a
normal offspring. Have you noticed any (young animal) born mutilated
before you mutilate them?”
And since the child’s body submits to the physical laws which Allah
has put in nature, his soul also submits naturally to the belief that
Allah is its Lord and Creator. However, his family friends, and his
surroundings affect him, and as he grows up, he may find himself
following this or that’s way of life.
The religion the child follows at early stages of his life (childhood)
is one of custom and upbringing, and Allah does not punish him for
this religion. However, by reaching maturity one starts
differentiating between what’s right and what’s wrong, an adult must
now follow the religion of knowledge and reason; Islam. At this point
the devil starts doing his best and trying hard to encourage him to
stay as he is ( encourage him to stay passive and not do any good
deeds), or bring down. Evils are made pleasing to mankind and thus we
live in a constant struggle between our fitrah and our desires till we
find the right road.
If one chooses his fitrah, Allah will help him control his desires,
even though it may take most of his life to do so; for example some
people embraced Islam in their old age, yet it is never too late.
People embrace Islam in the West (USA, Canada, UK, France and
Germany), in the Middle Eastern countries (Saudi Arabia, the Gulf
States, Jordan), in Africa and the Far East (Malaysia, Philippines,
Hong Kong) and many other countries all over the world.
According to Islam, there is only one revealed religion which has been
revealed from the time of Adam until the last of the prophets,
Mohammad (PBUH), yet it was revealed on stages. Consequently, the
essential message of all the prophets was one and the same, Allah says
in the Holy Qur’an:
“Verily, We have sent to every nation a messenger (saying), ‘Worship
Allah and avoid false gods.”
All the Prophets that Allah has sent had one basic messages, for
indeed the purpose of creation is only one, which is worshiping Allah.
Allah says in the Holy Qur’an
“I did not create the jinn and mankind except for My worship.”
This message addressed a basic and essential need in human beings; the
need to worship. Such basic need was created in all human beings at
the time of Adam’s creation.
Man’s Natural Disposition : the Fitrah
As Allah made all human beings swear to His Godhood when He first
created Adam, this oath is printed on the human soul even before it
enters the fetus in the fifth month of pregnancy. So when a child is
born, he has a natural belief in Allah. This natural belief is called
in Arabic the fitrah. If the child was left alone, he would grow with
the same faith and believe in Allah. But what happens is that all
children get affected by their surroundings, whether directly or
indirectly. Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said that Allah said:
“I created My servants in the right religion but the devils made them
go astray.”
Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) also said:
“Each child is born in a state of ‘fitrah’, but his parents make him a
Jew or a Christian. It is like the way an animal gives birth to a
normal offspring. Have you noticed any (young animal) born mutilated
before you mutilate them?”
And since the child’s body submits to the physical laws which Allah
has put in nature, his soul also submits naturally to the belief that
Allah is its Lord and Creator. However, his family friends, and his
surroundings affect him, and as he grows up, he may find himself
following this or that’s way of life.
The religion the child follows at early stages of his life (childhood)
is one of custom and upbringing, and Allah does not punish him for
this religion. However, by reaching maturity one starts
differentiating between what’s right and what’s wrong, an adult must
now follow the religion of knowledge and reason; Islam. At this point
the devil starts doing his best and trying hard to encourage him to
stay as he is ( encourage him to stay passive and not do any good
deeds), or bring down. Evils are made pleasing to mankind and thus we
live in a constant struggle between our fitrah and our desires till we
find the right road.
If one chooses his fitrah, Allah will help him control his desires,
even though it may take most of his life to do so; for example some
people embraced Islam in their old age, yet it is never too late.
