Why did they become Muslims?

Why did they become Muslim?

The
Islamic religion is the final religion and is therefore at the
zenith of perfection. This fact is acknowledged even by (George)
Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) [Shaw's clever plays, e.g. Pymalion,
are based on faults in moral attitudes and in society.], the well-known
Irish writer and critic, whose personal comments on Islam can
be summarized as, "Were we to choose a common religion for
the entire world, it would definitely be the Islamic religion."
This conclusion is quite natural. For the Islamic religion is
the sole religion that has preserved its intact purity owing to
the promised protection against the interpolations suffered by
all the religious systems previous to it. Judaism, one of the
greatest monotheistic cults, had foretold about the advent of
a Messiah. Issa a.s. (Jesus) was hailed as the promised Messiah,
yet the Injil (Bible), the heavenly book of the religion he spread,
was lost. Later, various gospels were written in the name of Injil,
and these new gospels, which were no more than interpolations
themselves, were interpolated again and again. All these facts,
along with various other portents, announced the coming of a final
prophet, the real Messiah s.a.s. As a matter of fact, the name
of this Messiah is literally written in the Gospel of Barnabas.
Then, the Islamic religion is the last, the most true, the most
perfect religion wherein all the true religions converge and which,
therefore, reflects the full approval of Allahu ta'ala. A friend
of ours, [namely, Dr. Nuri Refet Korur], who had spent his entire
youth among Christians in Europe, said to us: "I am a Muslim
born from Muslim parents. I spent my life in Europe, where I had
the chance and time to study all religions and to compare them
with each other. If I had seen that another religion was superior
to Islam, I would have given up Islam and accepted that religion.
For there was no one to force me to remain a Muslim. Yet, all
the research and the comparative studies I carried on, reinforced
by the debates that I, in the meantime, indulged in with Christians,
revealed the fact that Islam is by far superior to all the world's
present religions and that it is the only intact true religion,
so clearly that I became attached to Islam with all my heart."



Sad to say, today's western world still accommodates Christians
who insist on the wrong and call Muslims "heretics",
"idle-minded", "devil-worshipers", "irreligious".
These misconceptions are inculcated in the minds of Christian
children by priests, whose real purpose is to distract their young
and inquisitive brains. These interceptive activities are fed
with the slanderous propaganda that the Islamic religion embodies
aspects disagreeable with modern civilization. The fact, on the
other hand, is that Islam is the only religion suitable for today's
civilized world. Our book Islam and Christianity deals with and
refutes these misconceptions. In addition to English, we translated
that book into French and German and sent the translated versions
to countries all over the world. Thereby we tried to countermand
the falsifications spread by priests and thus to state the actual
facts. It did not take us long to see how appropriate and useful
our work had been. No sooner had we distributed the books to the
world than they gave their fruits. We received a letter from India,
in which wrote an Indian Christian: "When I read your book
Islam and Christianity, I realized that Islam is the true religion
and I decided to become a Muslim." We have been receiving
similar letters from young Africans. Anyone who has the opportunity
to study the pure, clean, civilized and humane aspects of Islam
will feel an irresistible attraction to this religion. The Islamic
religion is spreading over the world without any such media as
propagation and organization. On the other hand, the missionary
organizations belonging to those countries whose primary objective
is to spread Christianity are spending huge amounts of money and
offering various types of social aid, and yet achieving very little
success in comparison with their tremendous efforts.



Despite all this wrongful and inimical volley of vituperations
carried on against Islam and all the stupendous efforts put forth
for the spreading of Christianity, there has been an ever growing
increase in the number of Muslims on the earth. Later ahead you
will find more extensive information on this subject. Some of
these Muslims remained Muslims because they had been born in Muslim
families. However, besides these people there are also people
who accepted Islam although their parents had been in other religions
and they therefore had been given their family education in other
religions. Among these people are universally renowned diplomats,
statesmen, scientists, scholars, men of letters, writers, and
even men of religion. These people studied Islam well, admired
its greatness, and became Muslims willingly. In addition to these
people, many other universally known celebrities met the Islamic
religion with deep respect and admiration although they did not
officially become Muslims; they even believed in the fact that
Islam is the true religion and did not hesitate to express this
belief of theirs. Scientists, philosophers, and politicians, admired
by the entire world, first of all believe in the fact that Allahu
ta'ala exists and is One and that He is the Creator of all beings.
In this chapter you will find the statements and observations
belonging to some of these celebrities.



Among the people who accepted Islam, there may be those who became
Muslims of necessity, for the sake of some advantages, or for
advertisement. For instance, a non-Muslim woman may have accepted
Islam without studying and learning Islam well for the purpose
of marrying a certain man who happened to be a Muslim, or an Indian
pariah may have done so in order to regain his lost civic rights.
However, the fact that well-known scholars, scientists and writers
accept the Islamic religion only after a long observation bears
a lofty import. Selections from the explanations given by these
cultured people on why they abandoned their religions and embraced
Islam have been compiled from various sources and books and listed
in the following pages. As you read them you will hear from the
very tongues of these respectable people why the Islamic religion
is superior to other religions. Perhaps a person who was born
a Muslim and has spent his life among Muslims is totally oblivious
of these superiorities. Yet when a person belonging to another
religion studies Islam, he will see the difference clearly and
will admire Islam. In fact, reading these explanations will provide
you with an opportunity to see and admire once again the high
merits of our religion, and thus feel and offer gratitude to Allahu
ta'ala for having been Muslims.



A conclusion drawn from all these explanations, in other words,
a summary of the reasons why Islam is superior to the other religions,
has been added in an independent chapter.



We hold the belief that this work will give you fresh information
about the Islamic religion and will confirm once again that Islam
is a great and true religion.



A FEW WORDS



Allahu ta'ala created mankind. All people are the born slaves
of Allahu ta'ala. Allahu ta'ala is the creator, the Rabb, not
only of a certain nation or race or only of the world, but also
of the entire humanity as well as of all the worlds of existence.
In the view of Allahu ta'ala, all people are the same, and no
one is different from another. In addition to a body, He has given
a soul to each one of them. He has sent them Prophets 'alaihimus-salawatu
wattaslimat' to lead them to spiritual and physical perfection
and to guide them on the right way. The greatest ones of these
Prophets are Adam, Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses),
Issa (Jesus), and Muhammad s.a.s. The tenets of belief that they
taught are the same. The final and the most perfect system is
Islam, taught by Muhammad a.s.. No Prophet will come after Muhammad
a.s.. For the religion he brought is at the uppermost point of
perfection and has no deficiency to be made up; and Allahu ta'ala
has declared that mankind will never be able to change or interpolate
this religion. The well-known German Writer Lessing (1729-1781),
in his book Nathan der Weise (Nathan the Wise), likens the three
(heavenly) religions to three identical rings made of sapphire.
Yet he feels uncertain as to "whether one of them is genuine
and the other three false?" Yet the fact is that all three
of them are genuine essentially.



However, as a result of various personal interests, advantages,
sordid and biased considerations, jealousies, superstitions, misinformation
and misconstructions, men failed to understand this reality, inserted
numerous wrong beliefs and ideas into the Musawi and Nasrani religions,
and thus changed, defiled these true religions, which were based
on Tawhid (unity, oneness of Allahu ta'ala). Only Islam remained
in its original purity. Consequently, adherents of these three
religions became hostile to one another. This hostile attitude
they have assumed means to oppose to the Will of Allahu ta'ala.
For, as we have already stated, Allahu ta'ala invites all people
to the true religion. In the view of Allahu ta'ala, all people,
regardless of race, are equal. All people are Ummat-I-da'wat.
And the true religion is Islam, which is the only continuation
of the original forms of Judaism and Christianity.



The following passage, which we have paraphrased from Prof. Robinson,
reflects the opinions formed in the minds of today's people who
are stuck fast in materialism:



"I joined a tour of Israel organized for the teaching staff
and students of the University of Orel Roberts. Orel Roberts,
the founder of the university and one of the notables of the Catholic
Church, was with us. During our scheduled visit to Ben Gurion,
a former premier of Israel, Orel Roberts presented a copy of the
Holy Bible to Mr. Gurion. The first portion of the Holy Bible
was the Old Testament, that is, the Torah. Roberts requested Ben
Gurion to read the passage he liked best of that holy book. Ben
Gurion met his request with a smile. We sat under a tree in the
small yard in front of his house. We were all quiet and ready
to listen intently. Ben Gurion opened the Holy Bible, turned one
or two pages, and read the following passage: "So God created
man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male
and female created he them." [Gen: 1-27] I thought to myself,
'good Gracious! Is this the statement he has found after all?'
I frowned because I had been expecting him to read a passage from
one of the Pentateuchal parts with meanings of a higher level,
such as a verse telling about creation or a passage from the Ten
Commandments. I beckoned to the television cameraman shooting
the event. This beckoning meant: 'Don't bother! These statements
are not worth being televised the world over.'



"Sometime afterwards, however, Ben Gurion explained with
enthusiasm verging on ecstasy why he had picked up this statement,
as follows: 'Quite a long time before we became Americans, Russians,
Israelis, Egyptians, or Christians, Muslims, Magians, Jews, etc.,
that is, before the formation of differences separating today's
people from one another, such as nationality, state, religion,
belief, and the like, we were all a man and a woman created by
Allahu ta'ala. This is the greatest fact which all religious systems
are primarily trying to teach us. Why don't we realize this and
why are all these hostilities among us? Let us join hands and
supplicate Allahu ta'ala to help us realize this fact.'



"We all hung our heads. Roberts, being a religious man, said,
'Amin,' on behalf of us all. The statement that Ben Gurion picked
up really was the wisest choice.



"Throughout my way back from Israel this statement completely
occupied my mind. We human beings are all the same. We are the
born slaves of Allahu ta'ala. There is only one way leading to
Him. This way is the way of belief guided by Abraham (Ibrahim),
by Moses (Musa), by Jesus (Issa), and finally by Muhammad s.a.s.
People who follow this way shall attain to salvation. By abandoning
the way guided by Prophets, mankind has made the gravest error.
It is for this reason that they have lost their way and their
moral qualities and have even forgotten Allahu ta'ala. The earth's
resuming its peace and salvation is dependent upon men's realizing
that they have been on the wrong way and returning to the right
way."



How right Prof. Robinson is in his statements paraphrased above!
Today most people have left the way prescribed by the religions,
and material values have become their only concern. These poor
people do not know that material values are a mere nothing. They
are doomed to destruction and extinction. What is immortal in
man is his soul. And the soul, in its turn, will not feed on material
nutritives. The soul's primary diet is a correct belief in Allahu
ta'ala, who created all from nothing; next comes worshipping Him,
observing the duties required from His born slaves. Today, all
scholars, scientists and state presidents believe in the existence
of Allahu ta'ala. Yet in matters pertaining to belief and worship
they mostly get stuck in wrong and misguided thoughts and ideas
and thus deviate from the right way. A beautiful description of
this case is given by Prof. White, a brain surgeon who has won
many scientific awards and has attained international fame for
the various operational methods he has found, and who is presently
a professor at the University of Cleveland and at the same time
the director of the Clinic of Brain Surgery founded in the same
city. See what he says, (as paraphrased):



"The child that was brought in for a surgical operation was
a six-year-old lovely girl. She was very graceful, lively, intelligent,
and cheerful. Yet after examination we spotted a big tumour in
her brain. We took her in for operation. A cyst attached to the
tumour had made It grow very big. I began to operate on the sac
containing liquid. But, alas, the global cystic tumour suddenly
contracted and the wide veins on its surface tore. blood was gushing
out unto the operation bench. My friends and I were doing our
utmost to stop the blood flowing as if from a water pump. It was
of no avail. We saw in despair that we were losing the battle.
The child was dying in our hands. We were under the hopeless oppression
of profound sadness. I was trying to stop the bleeding by putting
pieces of cotton on the torn veins. The bleeding seemed to come
to an end. Yet I could not lift my hand off. For I knew that if
I did so the bleeding would begin again and in that case nothing
could be done any more. My assistants began to inject blood into
the child's body. My fingers were still on the pieces of cotton.
How incapable and powerless I felt! poor me, how did I dare to
cut off a tumour formed in a small girl's brain? How on earth
could I assume the responsibility of so tremendous a job? How
could a pitiable human being even touch that stupendous work of
art, which we call 'brain', which manages all the so many various
functions, provides humankind with their personality and equips
them with a variety of faculties such as intellect, memory, emotions,
feelings, tastes, pains, thoughts and fancies, and which Allahu
ta'ala, alone, could create? We term this tiny object 'brain'.
Yet, in actual fact, it was this very child that lay helpless
before us.



"Half an hour later. Utter silence reigned in the operation
room. We were all extremely tense with anxiety. Everybody, and
I myself, knew that were I to lift my hand the flood of blood
would begin again, which meant the death of the child. At that
moment I began to supplicate to Allahu ta'ala and trusted myself
to His help. I begged, 'O my Allah, do give my fingers the strength
I need so that I can prevent the bleeding!' Presently a strong
feeling of relief suffused me. For I had now committed my trust
to Allahu ta'ala. I had the belief that I could now lift my fingers
off and there would be no bleeding any longer. I felt the existence
of Allahu ta'ala with all my soul. Slowly, I lifted my fingers.
The bleeding had stopped.



"It was now easy to perform the operation. The operation
lasted for exactly four and a half hours. I did not leave the
child for a whole week. I felt so happy as I observed that the
child was gradually recovering. As of today, the child is ten
years old, a perfectly healthful, cheerful and happy little dear.



"In 1974 I examined a child who had had a brain haemorrhage
and I saw that there was a small tumour in the middle of its brain.
Yet the tumour had begun to bleed and suppurate. The situation
was dangerous and hopeless. We opened the skull, placed tubes
on both sides of the brain, and began to wash the brain with antibiotics.
This was quite a new method and I was the first to use it. Because
the child was burning with fever, we placed it in a respirator
and covered it with cold blankets. In the meantime we continued
to wash the brain. This hopeless situation lasted for weeks. I
kept praying and supplicating Allahu ta'ala to help me. In my
supplications, I was begging Allahu ta'ala not only to have mercy
on the child and its parents, but also to give energy and strength
to those people who had undertaken this heavy responsibility and
who had been working with me continuously for weeks.



"Eventually, the divine help reached us. This event, which
had seemed to be a total hopelessness, ended in success. The child
recovered. My friends were happy and they were saying that the
new method we had used had 'yielded a very good result.' They
thought that I did it and they prided on it. Yet I did not think
so. I was of opinion that, no matter how hard we worked, no matter
how new methods we found, no matter how new techniques we applied,
success in operations of that sort depended only on the help of
Allahu ta'ala. I have always felt this in my heart in the numerous
operations I have performed up to now. However improved our technology
may be, the result of a brain operation, like all other things,
is within the power of Allahu ta'ala, and success is possible
only with His help.



"During the brain operations I have performed for years,
I have felt great excitement before the human brain. As I have
dealt with the brain, and each time I have seen the brain, I have
felt in my heart that it is impossible to solve the mystery of
this tremendous work of art, that the power which created it is
very great, and that it is necessary to believe in the existence
of Allahu ta'ala. Even the most perfect computers made by people
today can be only toys when compared to the tiniest brains.



"Now I believe that the brain is a case in which the human
soul is preserved. As we perform an operation around this case
we perform a religious rite. A brain operation, in my personal
credo, is a religious rite, identical with performing an act of
worship. The operator's technical knowledge and skill are not
the only requirements. He should, at the same time, believe in
the existence of Allahu ta'ala and beg Him for help and mercy
for a successful operation.



"What happens to the soul kept in the case of the brain when
a person dies? The soul is not in the body now, but definitely
it is not dead. Where does it go, then? It is not for me as a
doctor to speculate on where the soul goes or where it stays.
For physical areas of knowledge cannot answer this question. The
only guide that will help us in this respect is a religious book.
I believe that inasmuch as their brains and souls possess the
faculty for reasoning, the humankind should leave aside the material
values, attach themselves to the religion with all their hearts
and believe in the teachings written in religious books."



This comes to mean that even the world's famous and greatest surgeon
sincerely expresses that he believes in the existence of Allahu
ta'ala and that without His help nothing can be done.



Now let us lend an ear to a scientist:



You all know Edison,[Edison (Thomas Alva) died in 1350 [1931 A.D.]]
the well-known American scientist. About this renowned inventor
who, in addition to various discoveries, made the first electric
bulb and thus illuminated the world, his closest colleague relates
the following memory in a book published several years ago:



"One day, as I entered the room, I found Edison deeply plunged
in thought, motionless, looking at some container which he was
holding in his hand. An expression of utter astonishment tinted
with deep signs of respect, admiration and adoration had suffused
his face. He did not even notice me till I was quite near him.
When he saw me he showed me the container in his hand. It was
full of quicksilver. 'look at that,' he said. 'What a tremendous
work of art! Do you believe that quicksilver is extraordinary?'
I replied, 'Quicksilver is really wonderful substance.' Edison's
voice quivered as he spoke. He murmured to me, 'As I look at quicksilver,
I admire the greatness of its Creator. So many varying properties
He has given to it! As I think of these I almost lose my mind.'
Then he turned to me again, and said, 'People world over admire
me. They presume that all these various inventions and discoveries
I have managed are wonders and great accomplishments. They want
to look on me as a superhuman. What a great error it is! I am
a person who is not even worth a penny. My discoveries consist
in uncovering only an infinitesimal part of the great wonders
that actually exist in the universe but which people have not
noticed so far. A person who says, "I made this," is
the most abject liar, the most drivelling idiot. Man is an incapable
creature who can do nothing by himself. Man is a creature who
can talk a little and who can think a little. If he thinks well,
he will, let alone being proud, see how void he is. So, as I think
of these facts, I realize what a powerless, incompetent and weak
creature I am. Me, an inventor? [He raised his hand and pointed
to the sky.] The real inventor, the real genius, the real creator
is He, Allah!' "



As is seen, scientists believe in the existence of Allahu ta'ala
and hold fast to His religion with both hands. Materialists mostly
cannot find solutions to their problems and give up hope. This
is because their souls are empty. The human soul, like the body,
needs food. And this, in its turn, is possible only when one has
iman, and the only way leading to Allahu ta'ala is the religion.
Even those who deny Allahu ta'ala will some day feel this need.



The famous Russian writer (Alexander) Solzhenitsyn (1918 - -),
when he settled his home in the U.S., thought he would now be
free from great troubles, mental depressions, and from the state
of being only a mechanical tool. One day he summoned a group of
American youth around himself in a university and said to them,
"When I came here, I thought I would be very happy. Unfortunately,
here, too, I feel myself in a vacuum. For we have become the slaves
of material values. Yes, there is freedom here, and one can do
whatever one wishes. But material values are the only important
things. The souls are empty. However, what makes a human being
a real human is its matured, refined soul. My piece of advice
to you is this: Try to improve and beautify your soul! In that
case only will those monstrosities that have infested your country
and which have been worrying you begin to disappear. Pay the religion
its due importance! The human soul is fed on religion. People
adherent to their religion will be your greatest helpers in whatever
you do. For the fear of Allah will keep them on the right way.
On the other hand, your police forces, no matter how powerful,
cannot establish a twenty-four-hour control over everybody. What
deters people from iniquities is not the concept of police, but
the fear that they feel in the permanent presence of Allah."



As we have stated above, religion is the only source of nutriment
for the human soul. Of all the existent religions, Islam is the
truest, the newest, and the most comprehensive so that it provides
its adherents with an ever during adaptability to the world's
changing conditions. In this booklet you will read selections
from the autobiographical documents in which some cultured people,
who, while formerly belonging to some other religion during their
childhood, studied various religions and their books and finally
embraced Islam on their own volition and without even any marginal
outside influence, give their personal accounts on why they decided
to change their religion and become a Muslim.



In addition to these highly cultured people, there are quite a
number of celebrities who believe in the existence of Allahu ta'ala
and who admire Islam for its greatness. There is mention of these
people in the next chapter. In the so-called chapter, we shall
paraphrase paragraphs from the reflections on the existence of
Allahu ta'ala and the superiority of Islam selected from the statements
of Emperor Napoleon (Bonaparte, 1769-1821), (Thomas) Carlyle (1796-1881),
Prof. (Ernest) Renan (1823-1892), and the Indian hero (Mahatma)
Ghandi (1869-1948), and the statements made by (Alphonso Marie
de) Lamartine (1790-1869) about our darling Prophet Muhammad a.s..



As all these indicate, the religion is the most vital necessity
for mankind. Those unfortunate people who do not believe in their
own religion, and who have not had the chance to study Islam,
either, will remain hollow-souled and will get hold of false credos
fabricated by liars. For a person definitely needs to believe
in the existence of a being superior to him and to attach himself
to that being. Even those people living in the most improved and
developed countries have sought ways to satisfy this need and
finally attached themselves to aberrant ideas and fabricated beliefs.
On November 17, 1978, nine hundred votaries of a heretical sect
were taken to Guyana in North Africa by a miscreant priest named
Jim Jones, the founder of the sect, which he called People's Religion,
and thence to a camp which this eccentric priest, again, called
Jonestown,[This event is widely known as the "Jonestown Massacre."]
where he induced them to poison themselves (by drinking poison
together). In Italy, a pair of parents who believed another similar
priest killed their own child with their own hands because the
heretic priest had told them to kill their child and the child
would come back to life and would become even healthier than before
upon his sending his prayers; it goes without saying how ruined
the parents felt when they saw that the child would never return
to this life. If these people, who had left their religion, had
studied the Islamic religion like those people who embraced Islam,
and whom you will get to know more closely further ahead, they
would have found in it what they had been looking for, and the
Islamic religion, whose lexical meaning also is 'peace and tranquillity,
salvation, trusting oneself to Allah', would have given them the
spiritual serenity they had been yearning for.



Very sad to say, we Muslims cannot propagate our brilliant religion
to the world as efficiently as we wish to do. One of the deciding
factors contributing to this failure is our own slackness in paying
our religion due attachment and our contagious remission in carrying
out its commandments. The Islamic religion enjoins, first of all,
physical and spiritual cleanliness. Spiritual cleanliness is obtainable
by believing first in the existence of Allahu ta'ala and then
in the totality of His commandments and prohibitions which He
sent to humankind through Muhammad a.s., His final Messenger.
That the soul has been likewise cleansed is identifiable from
the presence of certain characteristic signs, such as never lying,
never deceiving anybody, habitual rectitude, not holding heretical
dogmas, readiness to help others without discriminating among
them, and full submission to the commandments of Allahu ta'ala.
This is the sole behaviour expected from a Muslim. Then, if a
person means to propagate the Islamic religion, first of all he
himself has to be a model Muslim. If we exhibit this model and
modest behaviour, people belonging to other religions will observe
us with admiration, which in turn automatically prompt them to
study the Islamic religion. Our newly converted Muslim brothers
explained in their answers to the question, "Why did you
become a Muslim?" that they decided to become a Muslim upon
seeing true Muslims and their life-styles. These Muslims request
us to try to spread and publicize the Islamic religion and to
set an example, a model Muslim for others by holding fast with
both hands to the commandments of our religion. For all our faults
and our insufficient capacity of propaganda, the Islamic religion
is growing piecemeal and spreading over the world. In 1954 the
population of the world was 2.4 billion. By 1978 it reached 3.8
billion. Between 1954 and 1978 the number of Christians reached
150 million, while that of Muslims became 220 million. According
to the statistics of the year 1978 written in the World Almanac,
published by an international statistics center, there are 1.7
billion Buddhists and Magians, 950 million Christians (Catholics,
Protestants and Orthodox Christians), 10 million Jews, 538 million
Muslims 1,5 billions - 1996 - UNO statistics) on the earth. On
the other hand, Time, (an American magazine), allotted its April
1979 issue to Islam. It was recorded in this issue that the real
number of Muslims was 750 million and the existing statistics
were incorrect. Christian statisticians make every endeavour to
represent a lower number of Muslims on the earth.



- 2 - SELECTIONS FROM THE EXPLANATIONS MADE BY CELEBRITIES WHO
WERE FORMERLY NON-MUSLIMS AND WHOSE ADMIRATION FOR ISLAM EVENTUALLY
LED THEM TO BELIEVING IN Allahu TA'ALA



The following chapter contains a few paraphrased selections from
the statements made by some of the many non-Muslim celebrities
who believed in Allahu ta'ala and admired Islam; these statements
reflect their views of Islam. So many are the people who share
the same opinions that we have had to pick out only the famous
ones. Among our selections are great commanders, statesmen and
scientists whom you all know very well. Now let us read with attention
to what they said:



NAPOLEON (BONAPARTE):



Napoleon I (1769-1821 [1237 A.H.]), who went into history as a
military genius and statesman, when he entered Egypt in 1212 [C.E.
1798], admired Islam's greatness and genuineness, and even considered
whether he should become a Muslim. The following excerpt was paraphrased
from Cherfils's book (Bonapart et Islam):



"Napoleon said:



The existence and unity of Allahu ta'ala, which Musa a.s., had
announced to his own people and Issa a.s. to his own Ummat, was
announced by Muhammad s.a.s. to the entire world. Arabia had become
totally a country of idolaters. Six centuries after Issa a.s.,
Muhammad a.s. initiated the Arabs into an awareness of Allahu
ta'ala, whose existence prophets previous to him, such as Ibrahim
(Abraham), Ismail, Musa (Moses) and Issa (Jesus) a.s. had announced.
Peace in the east had been disturbed by the Arians, [i.e. Christians
who followed Arius], who had somehow developed a degree of friendship
with the Arabs, and by heretics, who had defiled the true religion
of Issa a.s. and were striving to spread in the name of religion
a totally unintelligible credo which is based on trinity, i.e.
God, Son of God, and the Holy Ghost. Muhammad a.s. guided the
Arabs to the right way, taught them that Allahu ta'ala is one,
that He does not have a father or a son, and that worshipping
several gods is an absurd custom which is the continuation of
idolatry."



At another place in his book he quotes Napoleon as having said,
"I hope that in the near future I will have the chance to
gather together the wise and cultured people of the world and
establish a government that I will operate [in accordance with
the principles written in Qur'an al-karim.]"



Prof. (THOMAS) CARLYLE:



Thomas Carlyle of Scotland (1210 [C.E. 1795]-1298 [C.E. 1881]),
one of the greatest men of knowledge known world over, entered
the university when he was only fourteen years old, studied jurisprudence,
literature and history, learned German and oriental languages,
exchanged letters with, and even visited, the well-known German
writer (Johann Wolf-gang von) Goethe (1749-1832), was awarded
by the King of Prussia with the medal of honour called 'pour le
mérite', and was elected president by the University of Edinburgh.
Among Carlyle's works are Sartur Resartus, The French Revolution,
On Heroes, Hero Worship And the Heroic in History, Past and Present,
Latter-Day Pamphlets, The Life of Friedrich Schiller, and Critical
and Miscellaneous Essays.



The following passage was selected from one of his works:



"The Arabs, Muhammad a.s., and his age: Before the advent
of Muhammad a.s., (the Arabs were in such a state that) if a big
piece of fire spurted out at the place where the Arabs lived,
it would have dIssappeared on the dry sand without leaving any
traces behind itself. But after the advent of Muhammad a.s. that
desert of dry sand turned into, as it were, a barrel of gunpowder.
From Delhi to Granada, everywhere became rapidly rising flames.
This great person was, so to speak, lightning, and all the people
around him became explosives catching fire from him."



From his conference:



"As you read the Qur'an al-karim, you will presently realize
that it is not an ordinary tome of literature. The Qur'an al-karim
is a work of art that springs from a heart and instantly penetrates
all the other hearts. All the other works of art are quite dull
when compared with this tremendous masterpiece. The most striking
characteristic of the Qur'an al-karim is that it is a truthful
and excellent guide. To me, this is the greatest merit of Qur'an
al-karim. And it is this merit that begets other merits."



From his memoirs of a trip:



"In Germany I told my friend Goethe about the facts I had
gathered concerning Islam and added my personal reflections on
the subject. After listening to me with attention, he said, 'If
that is Islam, we are all Muslims.' "



MAHATMA GANDHI (Mohandas Karam-chand):



Gandhi (1285 [C.E. 1869]-1367 [C.E. 1948]) descends from a West
Indian Christian family. His father was the chief ecclesiastic
of the city of Porbtandar, and he was very rich. Gandhi was born
in the city of Porbtandar. He went to Britain for his high school
education. After completing his education he went back to India.
In 1893 he was sent to South Africa by an Indian firm. Upon seeing
the heavy conditions under which the Indians working there were
and the utterly inhumane treatment they were being subjected to,
he decided to put up a struggle for the betterment of their political
rights. He dedicated himself to the Indian people. As he was conducting
a vigorous campaign against the South African government for the
protection of the Indians' rights, he was arrested and imprisoned.
Yet he was too undaunted to give up struggle. He stayed in Africa
till 1914. Then, quitting his perfectly lucrative job there, he
returned to India to carry on his struggle. He waged a struggle
in co-operation with the Indian Muslims Unity, which Muslims had
established in 1906 for the liberation of India. All his personal
property and his father's property he spent for the promotion
of this cause.



When he heard that the British were going to launch a second operation
of violence and cruelty similar to the one they had perpetrated
in the state of Pencap in 1274 [A.D. 1858], he co-operated with
the Muslims, induced his friends to withdraw from the civil service,
and waged a silent protest and a passive resistance. By wrapping
a white piece of cloth around his naked body and contenting himself
with the milk of a goat which he continuously kept with him, he
carried over his passive resistance. The first reaction on the
part of the British was to laugh at him. It did not take them
long, however, to see with astonishment and dismay that this man,
who believed his own ideals with all his heart and who was ready
to sacrifice all his existence with alacrity for the sake of his
country, was with the entire India in tow and resounding with
his speechless struggle. Imprisoning him proved to no avail. Gandhi's
efforts resulted in India's attaining its independence. The Hindus
gave him the name 'Mahatma', which lexically means 'blessed'.



Gandhi studied the Islamic religion and Qur'an al-karim with meticulous
attention and finally found himself a sincere admirer of Islam.
The following is his observation concerning this subject:



"Muslims have never indulged themselves in bigotry even in
times of greatest grandeur and victory. Islam enjoins an admiration
for the Creator of the World and His works. As the West was in
a dreadful darkness, the dazzling star of Islam shining in the
East brought light, peace and relief to the suffering world. The
Islamic religion is not a mendacious religion. When the Hindus
study this religion with due respect, they, too, will feel the
same sympathy as I do for Islam. I have read the books telling
about the life-style of the Prophet of Islam and of those who
were close to him. These books generated profound interest in
me, so much so that when I finished reading them I regretted there
being no more of them. I have arrived at the conclusion that Islam's
spreading rapidly was not by the sword. On the contrary, it was
primarily owing to its simplicity, logicality, its Prophet's great
modesty, his trueness to his promises and his unlimited faithfulness
towards every Muslim that many people willingly accepted Islam.



"Islam has abrogated monastic life. In Islam there is no
one to intervene between Allahu ta'ala and His born slave. Islam
is a religion that commands social justice from the outset. There
is not an institution between the Creator and the created. Anyone
who reads Qur'an al-karim, [i.e. its explanations and books written
by Islamic scholars], will learn the commandments of Allahu ta'ala
and will obey Him. There is no obstruction between Allahu ta'ala
and him in this respect. Whereas many ineluctable changes were
made in Christianity on account of its shortcomings, Islam has
not undergone any alterations, and it preserves its pristine purity.
Christianity lacks democratic spirit. The need to equip that religion
with a democratic aspect has necessitated an increase in the Christians'
national zeal and the concomitant reforms."



Prof. ERNEST RENAN:



Now let us make mention of a French man of ideas: Ernest Renan
was born in 1239 [C.E. 1923] in the Treguier city of France. His
father was a captain. He was five years old when he lost his father.
He was raised by his mother and by his elder sister. Because his
mother wanted him to be a man of religion, he was sent to the
church college in his hometown. Here he was given an efficient
religious education. His strong interest in the oriental languages
won him a full command of the Arabic, Hebrew and Syrian languages.
Later he entered the university, where he studied philosophy.
As he made progress in educational areas and carried on very minute
comparative studies on the German philosophy and the oriental
literature, he observed some flaws in Christianity. By the time
he was graduated from the university in 1848, at the age of twenty-five,
he was entirely defiant towards the Christian religion, and he
compiled his thoughts in his book titled 'The Future of Knowledge'.
Yet, because the book was of a rebellious nature, no printhouse
dared to print it, and it was only forty years later, in 1890,
that the book was printed.



Renan's primary objection was against the belief that Issa a.s.
was the 'Son of God'. When he was appointed as a professor of
philosophy in the university of Versailles, he began to gradually
explain his thoughts on this subject. However, it was not till
after he was appointed as a professor of the Hebrew language for
the university of College de France that he voiced his most vigorous
protest. By the time he finished his first class he had had the
courage to say, "Issa a.s. was a respectable human being
superior to the other human beings. Yet he was never the son of
Allahu ta'ala." This statement had the effect of a bomb.
All the Catholics, and especially the Pope, rose up. The Pope
officially excommunicated Renan before the entire world. The French
government had to dismiss him from office. Yet the world was already
resounding with Renan's statements. Great numbers of people sided
with him. He wrote books, such as 'Essays on the History of Religions',
'Studies on Criticism and Morals', 'Discourses on Philosophy'
and 'Life of Jesus', and his books sold like hot cakes. Upon this
the French Academy accepted him as a member (in 1878). Also, the
French government invited him back to office and appointed him
as the director of college de France.



Renan observed Issa a.s. as a human being in his work 'Life of
Jesus'. According to Renan, "Issa a.s. is a human being like
us. His mother Maryam (Mary) was betrothed to a carpenter named
Yusuf (Joseph). Issa a.s. was a superior human being, so much
so that, the statements that he made when he was only a small
child were a source of astonishment for many a scholar. Allahu
ta'ala deemed him as worthy of prophethood and gave him this duty.
Issa a.s. never said that he was the 'Son of God'. This is a slander
fabricated by priests."



The contention between Catholic priests and Renan continued for
a long time. While the Catholics accused him of blasphemy, he
in his turn indicted them for their mendacity and hypocrisy. Renan
was saying, "The real Nazarani religion is based on the belief
that Allahu ta'ala is one and that Issa a.s. is only a human being
and a prophet." Before Renan had died, he had prepared a
written will enjoining from a religious ceremony in the church
and prohibiting priests from attending his funeral procession.
So, when he died in 1892, a crowded congregation containing only
friends who loved him and people who admired him attended his
funeral procession.



LAMARTINE (Alphonso Marie Louis de):



One of France's universally known poets and statesmen, Lamartine
(1204 [C.E. 1790]-1285 [C.E. 1869]) made official journeys through
Europe and America, which gave him the opportunity to have been
to Turkey, in the time of Sultan Abd-ul-majid Khan. He was admitted
in an utterly friendly manner by the Padishah (Ottoman Emperor),
and was also presented with a farm within the state of Aydin,
(which is in the western part of Turkey). See what he says about
Muhammad a.s. in his book Histoire de Turquie (History of Turkey):



"Was Muhammad 's.a.s. a false prophet? We cannot think so
after studying his works and history. For false prophethood means
hypocrisy. As falsehood does not have the power of trueness, likewise
hypocrisy does not have convincing capacity.



"In mechanics the range of something thrown depends on the
power of the thrust. By the same token, the power of a certain
source of spiritual inspiration is assessed with the work it accomplishes.
A religion, (i.e. Islam), which has carried so heavy a burden,
which has spread to such distances, and which has maintained its
full power for such a long time, cannot be a lie. It has to be
genuine and convincing. Muhammad's a.s. life; his efforts; his
courage in attacking and destroying the superstitions and idols
in his country; his bravery and valour in standing against the
fury of a fire-worshipping nation; his thirteen year endurance
to the various attacks, insults and persecutions inflicted on
him in Mecca, among his own citizens; his migration to Medina;
his incessant encouragements, preaches and admonitions; the holy
wars he fought against overwhelmingly superior enemy forces; his
spirit for victory; the superhuman confidence he felt at times
of greatest afflictions; the patience and trust he displayed even
in victory; the determination he showed in convincing others;
his endless devotion in worships; his sacred communings with Allahu
ta'ala; his death, and the continuation of his fame, honour and
victories after his death; all these factual events (and many
others untold) indicate that he was by no means a liar, but, on
the contrary, an owner of great belief s.a.s.



"It was this belief and this trust in his Creator that made
him put forward a two-staged credo: The first stage consisted
of the belief that 'there is one eternal being, who is Allah;'
and the second stage inculcated that 'idols are not gods.' In
the first stage he informed the Arabs about the existence of Allahu
ta'ala, who is one and whom they had not known until that time;
and in the second stage he shook from their hands the idols which
they had looked on as gods until that time. In short, at a single
stroke with the sword he broke the false gods and idols and replaced
them with the belief in 'One Allah'.



"This is Muhammad a.s., the philosopher, the orator, the
Prophet, the law-giver, the warrior, the enchanter of human thoughts,
the maker of new principles of belief, the great man who established
twenty gigantic world empires and one great Islamic empire and
civilization s.a.s.



"Let all the criteria used by humanity for the judgement
and evaluation of greatness be applied. Will anyone be found superior
to him? Impossible." s.a.s.



I wish to free myself from fancies and whims;

My eccentric nafs will not leave me alone.

I wish to free what is good from the bad;

My eccentric nafs [1] will not leave me alone.



I wish to discipline my essence;

I wish to know what's good for me, 'n what's bad;

I wish to come to my senses;

My eccentric nafs will not leave me alone.



FOOTNOTES



1. Nafs is a malignant force in human nature. It is recalcitrant,
stupid, and evil. It always urges man to behave against the commandments
of Allahu ta'ala. It is the only creature whose all wishes are
against itself.



If we behave in a manner befitting a true Muslim, the number of
Muslims will increase even more rapidly, which in its turn means
that, as will be stated in the following explanations made by
people who converted to Islam from other religions, wrong beliefs
will gradually disappear from the earth and the human race will
attain their long-awaited peace and happiness.



PEOPLE WHO CHOSE ISLAM



There are a number of people who abandoned their former religion
and accepted Islam. These people belong to various races, countries,
nationalities, colours and professional groups. Forty-two of these
people were asked several questions, such as, "Why did you
become a Muslim?" "What are the aspects of Islam that
you like best?" by some magazines or societies, or by their
own friends. Their answers were quite clear and sincere. These
noble people decided to embrace Islam after thinking over the
matter for a long time and studying the Islamic religion with
meticulous attention. Each and every one of their answers, which
we have compiled from various books and magazines and we will
paraphrase in the following passages, is of documentary value.
There are many lessons to be taken from these answers, and those
who read them will once again feel in their hearts the sublime
nature of our religion.



These documents have been arranged in an alphabetical order of
the initial letters of the nationalities to which our new Muslim
brothers belong. These countries are:



America, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Holland,
Hungary, Ireland, Japan, Malaya, Poland, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Zanzibar.



1 - MUHAMMAD ALEXANDER RUSSEL WEBB (American)

Diplomat, Author & Journalist



(Muhammad Alexander Russel Webb was born in 1262 [1846 C.E.],
in Hudson, United States of America. He studied in the university
of New York. In a short time he was a very much loved and admired
writer and columnist. He published magazines named 'St. Joseph
Gazette' and 'Missouri Republican'. In 1887 he was posted as the
American consul in the Philippines. After embracing Islam, he
thoroughly dedicated himself to the promulgation of Islam and
presided over the organization in the United States. He passed
away in 1335 [1916 C.E.].)



I was asked by quite a number of people why I, as a person who
was born in the United States, a country with an overwhelmingly
numerous Christian population, and who listened to the preaches,
or, rather, foolish talks, made by Christian priests throughout
his growing years, changed my religion and became a Muslim. The
brief account I gave them on why I had chosen Islam as my guide
in life: I became a Muslim because the studies and observations
I carried on indicated that men's spiritual needs could be filled
only with the sound principles established by Islam. Even as a
child I had never had a disposition to completely dedicate myself
to Christianity. By the time I reached the adult age of twenty,
I was completely defiant towards the mystical and annoying church
culture which interdicted everything in the name of sin. Gradually
I disengaged myself from the church, and finally abandoned it
for good. I had an inquisitive and curious character. I would
always search for causes and purposes for everything. I would
anticipate logical explanations for them. On the other hand, the
explanations provided by priests and other Christian men of religion
did not satisfy me. Most of the time, instead of giving satisfactory
answers to my questions, they would dismiss the matter with evasive
prevarications such as, "We cannot understand these things.
They are divine secrets," and "They are beyond the grasp
of human mind." Upon this I decided to study, on the one
hand, oriental religions, and on the other hand, books written
by famous philosophers. I read various works on philosophy, such
as those written by John Stuart Mill (1806-73), English thinker;
On Liberty.], by John Locke (1632-1704), English Philosopher],
by Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), German philosopher; Critique of
Pure Reason], by George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831), German
thinker], by Johann Gottlieb Fichte (1762-1814), German philosopher],
by Aldous Huxley (1894-1963), British writer; Brave New World.],
and others. The books written by these philosophers always dealt
with such subjects as protoplasms, atoms, molecules, and particles,
and did not even touch on reflections such as "What becomes
of the human soul?" "Where does the soul go after death?"
"How should we discipline our souls in this world?"
The Islamic religion, on the other hand, treated the human subject
not only within the corporeal areas, but also along the spiritual
extensions. Therefore, I chose Islam not because I had lost my
way, or only because Christianity had incurred my displeasure,
or as a result of sudden decision, but, on the contrary, after
very minutely studying it and becoming thoroughly convinced about
its greatness, singularity, solemnity and perfection.



Islam is based on belief in the existence and the unity of Allahu
ta'ala, entire submission to Him, which spontaneously entails
worshipping Him and thanking Him for His blessings. Islam enjoins
fraternity, goodness, and friendliness upon all the human race,
and advises them to be cleanly, spiritually, physically, verbally,
and practically. Definitely, the Islamic religion is the most
perfect, the most superior and the most conclusive of all the
religions known to humanity so far.