Adnan Wood Smith’s journey to Islam began with his childhood interest in faith and his aspirations to join the FBI. Raised as a devout Christian, he was actively involved in his church, even delivering sermons as a teenager.

However, inconsistencies in Christian practices, such as the arbitrary changes in worship formats, troubled him. In high school, he decided to pursue a career in the FBI and was advised to study Arabic and Persian. This decision led him to Dartmouth College, where he majored in Arabic.

While studying, he was exposed to Islamic culture and heard the Adhan (call to prayer) for the first time, which deeply resonated with him. His exploration of Islam began as an effort to improve his Christian faith but gradually transformed into a realization that Islam provided the spiritual fulfillment he had been seeking.

Adnan started practicing Islamic rituals, such as Salah (prayer), even as a Christian. His first visit to the Muslim Student Association (MSA) introduced him to Islamic teachings, and he soon realized that his beliefs and practices aligned more with Islam than Christianity. Two months later, he formally converted to Islam by taking the Shahada (declaration of faith).

Although his conversion concerned his family initially, particularly his mother, Adnan remained committed to his faith. During this period, he also secured two internships with the FBI, obtained top-secret clearance, and received a job offer as an intelligence analyst, with aspirations to become a special agent.

However, Adnan began grappling with the ethical tensions between his role at the FBI and his newfound faith. He realized that the organization’s activities often perpetuated systemic oppression, conflicting with his spiritual values and the principles of justice he embraced in Islam.

These realizations, coupled with a pivotal conversation with his future father-in-law, led him to resign from the FBI and fully dedicate himself to serving his religious and spiritual community. Today, Adnan is a PhD candidate at Harvard, using his unique journey to inspire others.