“Why Did you Become Muslim”?
Question

                One of the guys at work was asking me why I became Muslim and I told him it is the path I must follow. I don’t know sometimes what I should say, for me it is the path I must follow. What can I say to someone; I don’t want to push what I believe, so how should I answer someone if asked, what is the right way to answer the questions? Sometimes I feel I don’t give the right answers ... Any clues as to what I can say?
Praise be to Allah.
    Firstly:

    We ask Allah to 
    accept your Islam and to make you steadfast in adhering to the truth, and to 
    guide you to that which He loves and which pleases Him. 

    You should 
    understand that you have followed the right path, and that Islam is the 
    religion of sound human nature (al-fitrah), the religion of security and 
    happiness. This is felt by everyone who belongs to this great religion, but 
    it is felt most by those who were drowning in the darkness of ignorance, 
    misguidance and disbelief. The one who utters the shahadatayn (testimony of 
    faith) feels something in his heart that cannot be described to anyone; 
    hence most of them are overcome with tears of joy and happiness. Undoubtedly 
    Allah has given Islam a flavour and has given faith sweetness. This is what 
    is stated in the texts of our religion. This flavour and sweetness is tasted 
    by everyone who believes in Allah as his Lord, Islam as his religion, and 
    Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as his Prophet. 

    Secondly: 

    The one whom Allah 
    honours by bringing him into Islam may have reasons for entering it that no 
    one else has, and he may see aspects in it that no one else sees. That is 
    because of the greatness of this religion, and the many aspects of good that 
    there are in it, and the fact that it is suitable for all classes of people, 
    in all environments and all cultures. Hence a person who enters this great 
    religion may mention reasons for doing so that no one else usually mentions, 
    but all of them are correct answers that speak of their reality and the 
    reality of Islam itself. You can read some of these answers and benefit from 
    them. We would like you to tell us your own feelings and the reason why you 
    entered this religion, because it tells us about your situation and you are 
    best able to express that. 

    There is no reason 
    why we should not mention some of the reasons why other people have become 
    Muslim; there may be something in common between you and them. 

    1.

    A Bedouin was 
    asked: Why did you become Muslim? He said: I have never seen any word or 
    deed that reason regards as good or sound human nature (al-fitrah) indicates 
    is right but Islam encourages it and enjoins it and the Lord of Glory 
    permits it. And I have never seen anything that reason sees as bad and sound 
    human nature indicates is wrong, but Allah prohibits it and forbids it to 
    His slaves. 

    2.

    Robert Dixon, the 
    head of the American Lawyers’ Association, said: My answer to the one who 
    asks me why I became Muslim is: Islam is the religion of monotheism, 
    happiness, peace of mind and dignified living, if I adhere to it and apply 
    its teachings. It is the religion of divine justice. 

    3.

    Muhammad Asad, the 
    Austrian politician and author, said: It was not any particular teaching 
    that attracted me, but the whole wonderful, inexplicably coherent structure 
    of moral teaching and practical life programme.  

    4.

    Sylvie Fawzy, a 
    French lady who became Muslim, said: In Islam I found a way of life that 
    answers all questions and organizes man’s life in a way that benefits him 
    and is suited to his nature, with regard to his clothing, his food, his 
    work, his marriage, his choices in life, and his relationship with others. 
    So it comes as no surprise that the one who adheres to Islam feels content 
    and secure, which in my opinion are the most important factors in life. 

    5.

    Umm ‘Abd al-Malik, 
    an American Muslim woman, said: I was amazed by the way in which Islam 
    raised the status of parents. 

    6.

    Al-Shaykh Muhammad 
    ibn Ibraheem (may Allah have mercy on him) said: An Indian philosopher 
    studied the history of all religions, and he conducted an independent, 
    fair-minded study. He studied Christianity at length, because of the power, 
    influence and prominence in the arts and industry of the nations that claim 
    to be Christian. Then he examined Islam, and realized that it is the true 
    religion, and he became Muslim, and he wrote a book in English called “Why I 
    became Muslim,” in which he described what he saw as the advantages of Islam 
    over other religions, one of the most important of which was: Islam is the 
    only religion that has a true, preserved history. The one who follows it 
    knows that this is the religion that was brought by Muhammad ibn ‘Abd-Allah, 
    the unlettered Arab Prophet who is buried in Madeenah al-Munawwarah in 
    Arabia. He was astonished that Europe would allow itself to follow a 
    religion which raised the one after whom it is named from the status of a 
    human being and made him into a god, when they know little of his history. 
    The origin of these four Gospels is not proven, and their dates and authors 
    are not known for sure. They only mention a few events of the history of 
    Christ which happened – as they say – within a few days, and they do not 
    mention anything much about this man’s upbringing, education, childhood or 
    youth. But Allah decrees what He wills.  

    Fatawa al-Shaykh 
    Muhammad ibn Ibraheem 

    7.

    Yusuf Khattab – a 
    convert from Judaism to Islam – said, when he was asked why he had become 
    Muslim: Because Islam is the religion of monotheism. I read a great deal 
    about it and finally I was convinced that it is the way to Paradise. 

    There are many 
    words, which may be summed up as saying that Islam is the religion of sound 
    human nature (al-fitrah), security, happiness, wise rulings, and lofty 
    morals. Whoever compares Islam with other, distorted religions or human 
    systems and laws will clearly see the difference, and that there is no room 
    for comparison at all. 

    8.

    Mary Watson – an 
    American woman with three academic degrees, one of which is in theology – 
    describes the moment when the light of faith shone into her heart: I felt 
    one night, as I was lying in my bed about to fall asleep, that something 
    strange had settled in my heart. I sat up and said: O Lord, I believe in You 
    alone, and I uttered the shahadah (testimony of faith), and after that I 
    felt peace and tranquility envelop my entire body. Praise be to Allah for 
    Islam; I have never regretted that day which I consider to be the day of my 
    birth. 

    End quote. 

    We advise you to 
    read the book Islam and the World: 
    The Rise and Decline of Muslims and its Effect on Mankind, by Shaykh Abul 
    Hasan al-Nadvi and Islam at the Crossroads and The Road to Makkah by Prof. 
    Muhammad Asad. All three books are available in English.  

    We also advise you 
    to read true stories of people who have been guided to the Straight Path and 
    have submitted to Allah. These stories explain how they were guided and what 
    their first steps towards Islam were. You will find them by following this 
    link:


    http://www.themwl.com/AlDaawa/default.aspx?ct=1&cid=7&l=AR 

    We ask Allah to 
    make you steadfast in adhering to the truth and to help you to acquire 
    beneficial knowledge and to do righteous deeds. 

    And Allah is the 
    Source of strength. 

    And Allah knows 
    best.