Why did they become Muslim?

 

Colonel DONALD S. ROCKWELL (American)



Why did I accept Islam? For a long time I had been greatly impressed
by Islam's clear logic and formal simplicity, by the magnetizing
attraction felt towards its mosques, by the great solemnity and
deep affection with which the adherents of that religion had devoted
themselves to their faith, by the profound respect and pure sincerity
in which Muslims all over the world had been prostrating themselves
simultaneously five times daily. However, all these things were
short of causing me to become a Muslim. Only after a thoroughgoing
analysis of the Islamic religion, which resulted in my exploring
a myriad of beautiful and useful aspects in it, did I become a
Muslim. A solemn and, at the same time, sentimental, attachment
to life, [which was Muhammad's a.s. personal approach]; a mutually
consultative method in doing daily chores; a habitually soft behaviour
flavoured with mercy and compassion in social lives, indiscriminately;
charity for the poor; property rights, which women had been given
for the first time; all these things, which were only a few of
the many other revolutions that could only be evaluated as 'the
most tremendous', and how aphoristical and concise a language
it is through which Muhammad a.s. expresses these concepts! By
cautioning, "Place your trust in Allahu ta'ala; yet do not
forget to tie your camel!", Muhammad a.s. conveys also that
Allahu ta'ala commands His born slaves to put their trust in Him
only after taking all sorts of necessary precautions. Then, contrary
to Europeans' assertions, the Islamic religion is not a religion
for those idlers who expect everything from Allahu ta'ala without
doing anything for their part. The Islamic religion commands everybody
first to do their best and only then to put their trust in Allahu
ta'ala.



The justice which Islam rendered to people of other religions
was one of its aspects which had had a great impact on me. Muhammad
a.s. commands Muslims to be benign towards Christians and Jews.
Qur'an al-karim acknowledges the prophethoods of the other prophets
as well, beginning with Adam a.s. and including Musa and Issa
'a.s. This is an exalted sense of faith and a great model of justice,
which other religions do not possess. While the believers of other
religions are casting inconceivable aspersions on Islam, Muslims
are answering them favourably.



One of the most beautiful aspects of Islam is that it has completely
purified itself of idols. Whereas pictures, icons and signs are
still being worshipped in Christianity, things of this nature
do not exist in Islam. This is an indication of how pure and unstained
a religion Islam is.



The facts stated and taught by Muhammad a.s., the Messenger of
Allahu ta'ala, have reached our time without any interpolation.
And the Qur'an al-karim, which is the Word of Allah, has been
preserved in its pristine purity, exactly as it was revealed,
without losing anything from the limpidity it had in the time
of Muhammad a.s.. The fabricated superstitions and legends with
which Christians have defiled the religion of Issa a.s. are not
the case with Islam.



Of the determinants that motivated me to become a Muslim, the
last one was the fortitude and the will power that I observed
in Islam. Islam induced an overall cleanliness, not only spiritually,
but also physically. Examples of the features that make up this
superior nature are not to overload the stomach when eating, to
fast for one month every year, to be moderate in every respect,
to be neither extravagant nor parsimonious in spending money,
etc. In an exquisite style, facts that would guide humanity not
only temporarily but also ever after were being inculcated into
individuals. I visited almost all of the Muslim countries. I saw
in person how all the Muslims in Istanbul, in Damascus, in Cairo,
in Algeria, in Morocco, and in the other Muslim cities observed
all these rules and thereby led a peaceful life. They did not
need ornaments, pictures, icons, candles, music, or other trivialities
of the same sort to initiate themselves into the life-style leading
to the sympathy of Allahu ta'ala. The sense of awareness of the
fact that they were the born slaves of Allahu ta'ala and their
acts of supplication before Him afforded them the greatest source
of spiritual peace, happiness and flavour.



The qualities of freedom and equity inherent in the Islamic religion
have always magnetized me towards it. Among Muslims, a person
occupying the highest rank position and the poorest member of
the society are equal before Allahu ta'ala, and they are merely
two individuals in the general recognition of fraternity. Muslims
perform their acts of worship side by side in mosques. There are
not any special places allotted for the leadership.



Muslims hold the belief that there is not a third person to act
as an intermediary between Allahu ta'ala and His born slave. The
Islamic acts of worship are performed between Allahu ta'ala and
the slave. They do not appeal to men of religion for the forgiveness
of their wrongdoings. Every Muslim is the only person responsible
for his personal behaviour.



The mutual fraternity among Muslims has always been helpful in
my personal life. This fraternity was one of the factors whereby
I was charmed towards Islam. I know that, wherever I go, a Muslim
brother of mine will help me and sympathize with me. All Muslims
the world over, of different races, colours and political views
as they may be, are brothers and they look on it as an obligation
to help one another.



These are the causes for my becoming a Muslim. I wonder if it
could be possible to conceive of causes more beautiful or more
exalted than these?