Coming Back to Islam: A German Diplomat's Journey
Coming Back to Islam: A German Diplomat's Journey On September 8, 1980, I drove up to Venusberg Hill in Bonn, site of the diplomatic training school of the German Foreign Office, to participate in a seminar on Islam. At that time, I had no idea that only two years later I would find myself as a pilgrim to Makkah. The Magnitude of the turning point I was about to face in my life did not begin to drawn upon me until I had a chance to reflect on the astute lecture by my Muslim colleague, Muhammad Ahmad Hobohm, and got into a conversation with another speaker, Imam Muhammad Ahmad Rassoul, the German-Egyptian head of the Islamic publishing house in Cologne. I showed him a 12-page manuscript I had been fine tuning for quite some time. In view of my cousin's upcoming 18th birthday, I had drafted it to record for him the few things I considered unquestionably true - from a philosophical point of view. Rassoul's reaction was astonishing: If I really was convinced of what I had written down, then I was a Muslim! At first, I hesitated to believe him, but he subsequently convinced me when he asked for the rights to publish my paper as 'Philosophical Approach to Islam'. A few days later, on September 25, 1980, I professed my faith: I bear witness that there is no divinity besides Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is Allah's messenger. Trying to give an account of one's spiritual growth - leading up to such a crucial step - is a rather questionable enterprise... Besides, many a greater mind has failed in this attempt. Tempestuous Omar, later to be the 2nd Caliph, had been violently persecuting the Muslims up until his sudden conversion. It is impossible to fathom why, in the midst of a family feud, he was won over by Islam upon reading the 20th Surah, Taha... The same is true for the fascinating book about Muhammad Asad's (a Jew) Road to Makkah, where the experience of conversion is mentioned in but a few scant lines which also ae not very illuminating to the skeptical reader. In one passage, he even claims to have soaked up Islam as if it were by osmosis. A similar thing obviously happened to Christian (Abdul-Hadi) Hoffman during his instant conversion, which 'struck out of the blue'. I, too, had felt Islam's magnetic attraction for many years, if not decades, because I felt intellectually and emotionally so much at home with Islam as I had been there before. The following passage was extracted from Murad Hofmann's Journey to Makkah, pp. 27-28
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I am very happy to hear that there is another human who " realizes " finally who their God exactly is. I am also moslem since I was born. I have ever had a German boyfriend, but "unfortunately" he doesn't admin that Allah is the only one "real" God for human and all things in this life. That is why until today my relation to him is still unsure. But I really hope he realizes it totaly. I was just wondering why there are sooo many people out there ( I meant, out of my country ) do not believe in God ( atheist ) or... they believe in God, but they will not follow any religion. Do not they think where are they from, who created them, who gave them " a life " and so on ?? Do they think they come from a monkey ?? My Goodness!! Well anyway, I just want to express my feeling, I am truly happy with this news. Another brother for me in Islam.
Thanks for all Islamic City Staff.
Hopefully we will always belong to the loyal ummah to Allah.
Wassalam,
~Ve~
Praise be to Almighty Allah the great guide!
may you continue your beautiful journey ....Allah Willing, site: askislam.com may help. May Allah bless you abundantly. ameen.
It is Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) whom I fear. The only reward I desire is to serve - to the Glory of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala).
("Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu")
--Yahya Bergum
It would be nice to get in direct contact of such person and I had a great interest to learn from them about their life changing story. I would be grateful if one can put me intouch of such persons
Ma'assalam
Talha J Ahmad
Dawatul Islam UK & Eire
Rafatullah Siddiqi
this is my first latter iwillsay mor inshaallahu taala
I selected an rather inspirational novel by Walter Wangerin on Paul (Saul of Tarsus) and a copy of Sun Tzu (on the art of war). I then picked a copy of the Quran with an English translation by Shakir. After reading maybe a dozen or so passages, I concluded that what I was reading was quite reasonable (and completely true).
I decided to head directly for what I expected to be the biggest challenge to my Christian beliefs. This led me to verses such as Quran 4:157 and 3:85. After pondering Quran 3:85, I decided that my own faith was my own problem, my faith ought not to become my wife or children's problem and I was going to end up where the Quran and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace be upon him) took me. I embraced Islam before I reached the checkout counter. (Subhanallah.)
What initially led to my interest in Islam was that Muslim people seemed especially polite. They seemed sincere yet remarkably civil when I later realized I had surely said something worthy of offense. Also, in a fictional work on terrorism the main bad guy seemed to spent every idle moment reading the Quran - which made me curious.
I would say the "rapidity" of my reversion was due at least partly due to the sudden realization that everything I had ever heard about Islam (such as worshipping a different deity, etc.) was essentially a lie. I would say that - like when one end of a tightly stretched "rubber band" is suddenly released - I sort of flew in the other direction. Based on my own experience, I would suggest we let the (non-Muslim) liars lie as long and as loudly as they care to. I also suggest we Muslims should avoid making sweeping statements about Islam. Is Islam (primarily) a religion of peace? Wassalam.
To The Editor, I am a older sister looking for a good Allah Fearing Muslim brother to have Nikah with. Please advise me, in Sha Allah. As Salaamul Alaykum Wa Rahamatuallahi Wa Barakatuhu.
jazaka Allah khiaran
All praised to Allah the Almighty.
peace,
marianne
i m always very moved when i hear the testimony o f a conversion as myself am a muslim french convert..... i wish more and more people to embrace islam and feel joy and peace.... please do not stop sending me info in islamicity.com i cannot subscribeyet to audio conferences because of price and have small budjetbut always am sensitive to the message you convey through the ne to all the muslims of the world such as me.. thank you regards noor isabelle from paris france
Jazaka Allahu Khyran.
Muhaideen Batah
Rafi
Could these articles be printed and distributed
other Non-Muslims, if yes can you put it in pdf format.
Thanks