Jafar Reynolds
AUC student.
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
All praise belongs to Allah, who has blessed us with the religion of Islam, and peace and blessings be upon our Beloved Guide, the Messenger of Allah, and upon his noble family and companions.
Islam is truly a blessing. Some of us were born with this blessing and others were guided to it, yet we all share in the sweetness of its fruit together.
About ten years ago, at the age of 22, I accepted Islam as the religion of truth. Since then, I have been asked countless times – mainly by Muslims, but also by non-Muslims (or potential Muslims as I prefer to think of them) – as to why I became Muslim.
The answer is both very simple and very complicated. It is simple because, in reality, Allah is why I became Muslim. Allah guides to His religion whomever He wills; He is the Musabbib, the Causer.
However, when people ask me this question, they aren’t looking for the simple answer of “Allah the Musabbib”; they are looking for the “asbab”, the causes that led me to Islam. They want the story. This is where the answer becomes more complicated.
It is generally assumed when asking the question that the answer is one of two things: I accepted Islam at the hands of a Muslim who told me about Islam, or I became Muslim on my own accord, either through reading about the religion or some single event causing me to adopt the faith.
To be completely honest, I don’t even exactly know all the true causes; I only know what Allah has blessed me with knowledge and realization of. Becoming Muslim was written for me long before I was even born into this world – a blessing from the Bestower. Every single moment since the beginning of creation has led to the present and will continue to lead to the future – a series of causes and effects all willed into manifestation by the Causer.
My conversion is merely a small blip in the bigger picture of creation; yet within it, and within all our lives, can be found “ayat”, or signs pointing to the Creator, especially when one deeply reflects. The manifestation of Allah’s beautiful names, the meaning of “tawhid”, or monotheism, the reality of “there is no power or might except by Allah” – all can be witnessed and realized within our lives; we need only open our inner sight and cleanse the lens of our hearts.
God-willing, in future articles, I will relate parts of my personal journey through life and some of the reasons I converted to Islam, as well as how my life has been impacted since. I will also share some of the realizations I’ve been blessed with along the way.
I pray this can be a means of helping myself and others to reflect more on our lives, our surroundings, and the inherent signs of God, most glorified is He, as well as a means of opening hearts to the Truth and increasing faith and certainty within us. May Allah have forgiveness upon the author and all Muslims, and may He envelope us and all of creation in His mercy. And peace and blessings be upon the Best of Creation, our master Muhammad, and upon his family and companions.
