My path to Islam - The return to the truth

Growing up in an Evangelical Lutheran congregation

As a teenager and child, I had little contact with any religion other than that of my family. As a Protestant Christian at the time, I went to confirmation classes and I remember that I was one of the few ones who took religion seriously. Most people only took part to get money. I tried to understand theology. I even had a small, handy Bible with me at middle school. At that time, I was in church up to twice a week, more often than many of the self-proclaimed defenders of Christianity are in their entire lives. A first turning point regarding Christianity, which slowly but surely led to the dismantling of my Christian identity, was a question I asked about a psalm.

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me, staying far from my salvation, from the words of my cry? ”
Psalm 22:2 (Christian Bible)

That made no sense to me - then or now: Why should the “Son of God” according to Christian doctrine, who is considered to be a separate person but is also identical in essence to God within the framework of the doctrine of the Trinity, call on God for help as if he had been abandoned by him? Does this make logical sense to you?

I can and will inshaAllah write a separate article about the logical problems with Christianity. In any case, like most young people in Germany, I became less and less religious over the next few years. Officially, I was still a member of the church, but towards the end I was more of an atheist with an openness or tendency towards theism. However, atheism in its purest form was never a movement that I joined. In a world in which we experience a clearly metaphysical phenomenon, namely consciousness, we cannot explain everything in terms of matter in the context of creation. Just because you understand a particle under a microscope does not mean that this disproves the existence of a higher power.

As a young man who was also health-conscious, I was never able to integrate 100% into the social dynamics of youth and club culture. Not because I didn't have the social skills, but because I was averse to the “German cultural asset” called alcohol consumption. In most of these circles, having a beer or two is considered good manners, and I often looked for excuses not to drink this disgusting stuff. That's what I liked about Islam on the surface back then, namely that physical health is much more protected there by the ban on alcohol and drugs and that health is considered a gift/blessing from God.

Work colleague and Dawah

Towards the end of my school days, I had increasing contact with Muslims, and one of them later even became my work colleague. When he came to visit me, it was the first time I had seen a Muslim praying in person. This was completely new to me and, logically, we quickly got talking about religion and to the invitation to Islam. Martin Luther, the founder of my former Christian denomination, described almost perfectly what should happen next.

"Our religious are mere shadows compared to them, and our people desecrate the sacred compared to their behavior. Not even true Christians (...) ever showed such a great expression of religiosity. I sincerely believe that no pope, monk or clergyman would remain steadfast in the faith if he were to spend only three days among the Turks."

- Martin Luther, Preface to the treatise on the religion and customs of the Turks, 1530

And I had a similar experience myself: after months of intensive study of Islam, reading a German translation of the Quran, further literature reading and conversations with a scholar and the earlier mentioned work colleague, I was convinced of Islam's claim to truth. In the end, I converted - Alhamdulillah - to Islam (end of 2019). The reason why I didn't take longer was also the fear that death could reach me sooner and therefore also eternal hellfire.

What exactly convinced me of Islam?

In conversations with non-Muslims, I am often told that I converted to Islam because of a woman or because I wanted to belong to a group. But this is not true. My reasons for accepting Islam and continuing to practise it are theological.

1. Uncompromising monotheism (Tauhīd):
Islam calls for the pure worship of the one God without partners or intermediaries. The Qur'an argues rationally and clearly: with intelligent design, inner harmony of creation (continuity) and the principle of an ultimate, singular cause - i.e. a superior, necessary existence that underlies everything. At the same time, the Qur'an answers the central logical weaknesses of the Christian doctrine of the Trinity.

That alone is more than convincing, but there is more:

2. Rules and duties in Islam (Sharia):
Interestingly, the point that many Islam-haters like to criticize was and is one of the points about Islam that I absolutely love. Because Allah's set of rules, which he transmitted to mankind via the prophets, is truly a great blessing, a great gift. At the beginning, I already explained how the ban on alcohol makes Islam appealing. Benefits of a similar nature can be seen in the implementation of all rules and duties. In some Islamic worship activities, the benefit is spiritual and may not be immediately visible in this world, but Allah knows what is best for his creation. For example, the traditional division of roles between men and women, when applied correctly and in accordance with Islamic tradition, leads to highly functional families. The generally life-affirming attitude that Islam conveys also feels good.

3. The Islamic prophecies:
Statements from the Qur'an and authentic Sunnah about coming events, developments in humanity or certain social signs of the end times that are visibly occurring today have shown me once again: This religion is based on wisdom, not speculation. It comes from a Creator who is outside the framework of his creation. This includes the following prophecies:

- Prophecy of the victory of the Romans over the Persians (Sura Ar-Rum 30:1-6) Approximate meaning “The Romans have been defeated. But they will be victorious - in a few years ...”

-Sahih Al-Bukhari 50, approximate meaning: “When will the ‘Hour’ come?” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied: “The answerer has no better knowledge than the questioner. But I will inform you of its portents. 1. when a female slave gives birth to a child to her master. 2. when the shepherds of the black camels begin to boast and compete with others in building taller buildings.“
This is very reminiscent of the new skyscrapers that have sprung up in cities like Dubai, whose builders were camel herders just a few generations ago.

- Sahih Muslim 2128, approximate meaning: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said this: - “Two are the kinds of the inhabitants of Hell that I have not seen: People who have whips like ox-tails with them and beat people, and the women who are clothed but appear to be naked, and who are inclined to evil and make their husbands incline to it. Their heads are like the humps of a camel leaning to one side. They will not enter Paradise, and they will not smell its smell, while its smell can be smelled from a certain distance. “
This is strongly reminiscent of modern fashion trends, which emphasize skin-tight clothing, especially for women, and often show a lot of skin.