How and why do people embrace Islam? ‘Part One’
People embrace Islam in the West (USA, Canada, UK, France and Germany), in the Middle Eastern countries (Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States, Jordan), in Africa and the Far East (Malaysia, Philippines, Hong Kong) and many other countries all over the world.
According to Islam, there is only one revealed religion which has been revealed from the time of Adam until the last of the prophets, Mohammad (PBUH), yet it was revealed on stages. Consequently, the essential message of all the prophets was one and the same, Allah says in the Holy Qur’an:
“Verily, We have sent to every nation a messenger (saying), ‘Worship Allah and avoid false gods.”
All the Prophets that Allah has sent had one basic messages, for indeed the purpose of creation is only one, which is worshiping Allah. Allah says in the Holy Qur’an
“I did not create the jinn and mankind except for My worship.”
This message addressed a basic and essential need in human beings; the need to worship. Such basic need was created in all human beings at the time of Adam’s creation.
Man’s Natural Disposition : the Fitrah
As Allah made all human beings swear to His Godhood when He first created Adam, this oath is printed on the human soul even before it enters the fetus in the fifth month of pregnancy. So when a child is born, he has a natural belief in Allah. This natural belief is called in Arabic the fitrah. If the child was left alone, he would grow with the same faith and believe in Allah. But what happens is that all children get affected by their surroundings, whether directly or indirectly. Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said that Allah said:
“I created My servants in the right religion but the devils made them go astray.”
Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) also said:
“Each child is born in a state of ‘fitrah’, but his parents make him a Jew or a Christian. It is like the way an animal gives birth to a normal offspring. Have you noticed any (young animal) born mutilated before you mutilate them?”
And since the child’s body submits to the physical laws which Allah has put in nature, his soul also submits naturally to the belief that Allah is its Lord and Creator. However, his family friends, and his surroundings affect him, and as he grows up, he may find himself following this or that’s way of life.
The religion the child follows at early stages of his life (childhood) is one of custom and upbringing, and Allah does not punish him for this religion. However, by reaching maturity one starts differentiating between what’s right and what’s wrong, an adult must now follow the religion of knowledge and reason; Islam. At this point the devil starts doing his best and trying hard to encourage him to stay as he is ( encourage him to stay passive and not do any good deeds), or bring down. Evils are made pleasing to mankind and thus we live in a constant struggle between our fitrah and our desires till we find the right road.
If one chooses his fitrah, Allah will help him control his desires, even though it may take most of his life to do so; for example some people embraced Islam in their old age, yet it is never too late.
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