## Christian Upbringing and Early Doubts
### Childhood and Simple Faith:
- **Religious environment**: Grew up in a committed Christian family, with both parents serving as Sunday school teachers
- **Childlike faith**: Adopted a simple faith as understood by a child, with affection towards Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him)
- **Superficial understanding**: Knew Jesus was "who we pray to" and "Son of God," but without deep understanding of the Trinity doctrine
### Adolescence and Doubt:
- **Transition to agnosticism**: During teenage years, began questioning his faith and became agnostic
- **Intellectual fluctuation**: Oscillated between faith and disbelief during university and beyond
- **Final attempts**: Even attended Welsh-language church services before embracing Islam
## Reasons for Drifting Away from Christianity
### Perplexing Questions:
- **The dilemma of Hell**: Particularly struggled with the concept of Hell when salvation depended solely on accepting Jesus' divinity
- **Sense of injustice**: Didn't feel this was fair or merciful
### Seeking Answers:
- **Approaching clergy**: Consulted Church of England priests with his questions
- **Disappointing responses**: Was told it was a matter of faith, and cautioned that asking such questions might imply he considered himself more merciful than Jesus
- **Frustration**: Never received satisfactory answers, leading to continued doubt
## The Beginning of the Journey to Islam
### First Experience in Turkey:
- **Unexpected visit**: Traveled to Istanbul to see Greek and Roman history
- **First call to prayer**: Stood between Hagia Sophia and the Sultan Ahmed Mosque hearing the Adhan for the first time
- **Frozen in place**: Felt the call was directed at him, as if he should answer it
### Initial Readings about Islam:
- **Historical novels**: Read a historical novel about Turkey containing Hadith
- **Positive shock**: Moved by the Hadith about the woman who gave water to a dog and entered Paradise
- **Admiration for the Prophet**: Began admiring Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a great, merciful, and wise human being
## The Turning Point: Reading the Quran in Ramadan
### Unexpected Gift:
- **Precious gift**: A friend gifted him an English translation of the Quran with commentary in Kuwait
- **Procrastination**: The book remained unopened for months
### Decision to Participate in Ramadan:
- **Complete fasting**: Decided to fast completely despite not being Muslim
- **Daily reading**: Every day after school, while waiting for Iftar, he would read 20 pages of the translated Quran
### Impact of the Reading:
- **Psychological depth**: Amazed by the Quran's psychological depth and how it portrayed the prophets' inner struggles
- **Consistency**: Couldn't stop reading, it became a daily habit
## The Moment of Danger and Decisive Decision
### The Accident:
- **During the last ten days**: Was in a traffic accident where a bus hit him
- **Forced interruption**: Couldn't complete the fasting month or finish reading the Quran
### Spiritual Awakening:
- **Warning bell**: Felt the accident was a warning that he was mortal and didn't know when he might die
- **The crucial question**: "Do I want to become Muslim based on my current knowledge, even if incomplete?"
- **The answer: Yes**: Found himself answering affirmatively
## Declaring Islam
### First Attempts:
- **Symbolic purchase**: Bought a prayer mat and tried learning prayers at home
- **Sense of isolation**: Realized he couldn't continue alone
### Contacting the Friend:
- **The fateful call**: Contacted the friend who had gifted him the Quran commentary
- **Decisive questions**:
- Do you believe Muhammad is the Messenger of God?
- Do you believe there is no god but Allah?
- **Answer and guidance**: Answered yes, and his friend advised him not to delay the declaration of faith
### The Moment of Shahada:
- **At the mosque**: Went to the Dewan mosque in Kuwait
- **Pleasant surprise**: The Imam asked him to declare Shahada in front of everyone at the mosque
- **Difficulty and ease**: Had memorized the words but his tongue didn't cooperate easily
- **Immediate feeling**: Felt "as if a knot was untied in my chest"—almost a physical sensation, and felt lighter
## Family's Reaction
### Smart Preparation:
- **Logical waiting**: Decided to tell his parents face-to-face during winter break
- **Preliminary conversation**:
- Refused whiskey for Christmas
- Requested vegetarian dinner
- **Direct question**: His mother asked directly via WhatsApp: "Tom, have you converted to Islam?"
### Positive Reaction:
- **Mother's initial shock**: Said, "Why would you do that? With all those laws? You'll have to pray 63 million times a day!"
- **Father's wonderful understanding**: On Christmas Day itself, drove 40 minutes to the nearest city to buy chicken slaughtered Islamically
- **Alhamdulillah**: Acknowledges he was fortunate to have understanding parents
## Fundamental Differences Between Christianity and Islam
### Pure Monotheism:
- **In Islam**: God is one without partners, neither begets nor is begotten, and there is nothing like Him
- **In Christianity**: The Trinity makes man divine and God human, contrary to Quranic monotheism
### Christian Contradiction:
- **Hierarchical thinking**: Many ordinary Christians think the Father is higher than the Son
- **Theological confusion**: Ordinary Christians don't understand complex theological details
## Status of Women: Comparison Between Islam and Christianity
### In Historical Christian Thought:
- **Adam and Eve story**: Woman considered the source of original sin
- **Unjust justifications**: Used to explain women's suffering and justify their oppression
- **Historical reality**: In Britain, women couldn't hold property independently until 1870
### In Islam:
- **Different narrative**: Doesn't blame woman alone, no concept of original sin
- **Equal responsibility**: Adam and Eve shared responsibility
- **Active role**: Women in early Islam were teachers and narrators of Hadith
## Understanding Jesus (Peace be upon Him): Before and After Islam
### As a Former Christian:
- **Simplistic understanding**: Merely "who we pray to" and "Son of God"
- **Doctrinal confusion**: Couldn't comprehend how he could be both human and divine simultaneously
- **Cessation of prayer**: Due to this confusion, stopped praying
### As a Muslim:
- **Genuine closeness**: Feels closer to Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him)
- **Consistency with his message**: A Muslim's life aligns more with Jesus' true message
- **True worship**: Prays as Jesus prayed, worships his God, and respects his message
## New Perspective on Life After Islam
### From Meaninglessness to Meaning:
- **Material perspective**: Life may seem empty and meaningless
- **In Islam**: Everything can be meaningful with correct intention
- **Eternal reward**: The simplest actions have lasting impact and great reward
## Prophet Muhammad Through Historian's Eyes
### Michael Hart's Choice:
- **Most influential figure**: Even from a non-religious perspective
- **Global role model**: No other star or hero has so many people named after them
- **Ideal example**: A perfect model even for those less religiously committed
## Why Didn't the Roman Empire Embrace Islam?
### Historical Context:
- **Entrenched Church**: Christianity was already established as a powerful institution in the Empire
- **Complete integration**: The Church was one of the most effective institutions in the Roman world
- **Fear of loss**: Emperors feared losing their worldly power
### Indirect Islamic Influence:
- **Influence on art**: There was a period when Eastern Roman churches had no images of saints
- **Movement toward purer worship**: Were significantly influenced by Islam in seeking purer worship of God
## If You Met Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him)
### First Words:
- **Gratitude**: Thank you for the sacrifice and suffering for the message to reach us
- **Allegiance**: Giving him my pledge of allegiance
### Practical Questions:
- **Question about Paradise**: "What should I do to ensure Paradise?"
- **Daily guidance**: How life could be easier with direct guidance from the Prophet
### Lessons Learned:
1. **The search for truth** never stops
2. **Courage in questioning** leads to knowledge
3. **Personal experience** is stronger than abstract theories
4. **Inner conviction** overcomes all obstacles
### Message for Seekers:
- **Islam** is the natural religion that suits both mind and heart
- **Reading the Quran** with contemplation opens doors to guidance
- **Shahada** isn't the journey's end but the beginning of a new path
Thomas's story reminds us that guidance is a gift from God, but it requires:
- **An open heart** to seek truth
- **A questioning mind** that doesn't accept things without thought
- **Courage** to make the right decision even when difficult
- **Patience** in learning and spiritual growth
All praise is to Allah by whose grace good deeds are accomplished. We ask Allah to keep Thomas and his Muslim brothers steadfast in their religion, and to guide through him whom He wills among His servants.
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