Why do Western women embrace Islam?It's partly through ignorance of Christianity and partly through ignorance of Islam.
Another Muslim convert, Karin Van Nieuwkerk, has explored this issue in her recent book Women Embracing Islam. She says that female converts are particularly attracted to Islamic conceptions of manhood and womanhood and to its clear moral boundaries and rules. Why take the plunge? Van Nieuwkerk's answer is -- and this is what Islam teaches -- that no one really "converts" to Islam. The real state of affairs is that people are reverting to the natural religion for which they are hard-wired, so to speak. And this is Islam. Interestingly, Van Nieuwkerk contends that many Americans are attracted not by mainstream Islam, but by a mystical sect called Sufism which does not conform to either Qur'an or Hadith. "Sufism," she says, "is the main agent for conversion to Islam in the West." In fact Sufism was started in the Iraqi city of Basra several centuries after Mohammed by women mystics such Rabia Basri who were influenced by Christianity, as Van Nieuwkerk also points. This is the only Islamic sect that is spiritual, unlike the Qur'anic Islam whose focus is on external matters only. But Van Nieuwkerk never grapples with the real question which this fact raises: are these new converts truly Muslims if they are not following the true Islam as portrayed in the Qur'an and in the life of Mohammed? In her book Van Nieuwkerk interviews a number of women in Western Europe who have become Muslims. They had become disillusioned with Christianity for various situational reasons. What they seem to have in common, I observed, is that they really don't know much about either Christ or Mohammed. One woman turned to Islam, for instance, because she wanted to divorce her adulterous husband, not because she saw something great in Islam or found faults in Christianity. Basically, she decided to make up her own version of religion and call it Islam. Sometimes they show a woeful ignorance of what Christianity actually teaches. Unlike Islam, Christ taught the sanctity of marriage, ie, marriage is between one man and one woman for life. In contrast, in Islam a man can divorce a woman by pronouncing the formula of divorce three times. No particular reason is needed. Moreover, a man can marry up to four women at a time. Mohammed himself had 11 wives, 4 known concubines, and 23 known women prisoners of war whom he kept to have sex with. All this appears to contradict Mohammed’s own prohibition of adultery. Sometimes women converts confuse Christianity and the mores of modern society. "Women regain the possibility of living according to their 'feminine nature'," Van Nieuwkerk writes. "Contrary to Western socialisation, Islam highly values motherhood and the nurturing qualities of women. Motherhood is not merely valued in Islam, but acknowledged as an important performance equal to labour and is also supported by men." One woman converted because "in Dutch society women are obliged to earn an income and Islam permits women to stay at home and raise children". Obviously this woman had a problem with Dutch society and not with Christianity. Christ did not require women to work outside the home if they do not wish to do so. And authentic Christianity certainly values the nurturing qualities of women. In fact, if one examines Muslim esteem for motherhood more deeply, one can see the real Islam. This commandment to stay home and not to leave the home without a male relative was issued because women could not be trusted morally. That is why women are forbidden to go out alone anywhere in Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia. This esteem is, in fact, a form of oppression. Modesty is another attraction of Islam for some of Van Nieuwkerk's subjects. But to some extent this is an extension of the same mistrust. One woman became a Muslim because she thought that "hijab is liberating because it forces people to judge a woman according to her intellect instead of appearance." But in Christianity, spirituality, holiness, and purity of the heart are far more highly esteemed than outward beauty. Christ never said that women should be judged by their attractiveness. In fact, Islam tends to look only at external behaviour. Often the standard of being a good Muslim is whether one refuses to eat pork. But Christ said that it is not what you eat that makes one a bad person but how one thinks and behaves. The hijab was invented because Muslim women are not trusted; it reassures a man that other men cannot see his wife’s or sister’s beauty. Muslim women do not hide their beauty from their husband. Sometimes devout Muslims contend that a hijab makes it easier for men to appreciate a woman's intellectual virtues, and not merely her physical charm. But, really, I ask, would a loving husband ignore his wife's intellect simply because she was beautiful? The interest of people in the West in Islam is greater than in any other time in history in the aftermath of 9/11. But despite the publicity given to Muslim conversions, more and more Muslims are turning to Christ than ever before. A number of Protestant evangelists quote an Al Jazeera interview in 2000 with Sheikh Ahmad Al Katani, the president of The Companions Lighthouse for the Science of Islamic Law in Libya, an institution specialising in graduating imams and Islamic preachers. Much to the astonishment of the journalist interviewing him, Al Katani complained about the number of Muslims converting to Christianity in Africa.
Even in theocratic Iran, conversion to Christianity has become an issue for the regime. IPS, a reliable "third world" news service, reported in 2004 that a cleric working for the education ministry exhorted a gathering of high school students to remain faithful to Islam by warning them of apostates. "Unfortunately, on average, every day 50 Iranian girls and boys convert secretly to Christian denominations in our country," he told them. (The same IPS article also reported that Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi, a prominent Shi'ite teacher, denounced the deceptions of Sufism, as well -- not good news for American converts.) This is happening despite the capital punishment sanctioned in the Qur'an for those who leave Islam. It's good to remember that there is no capital punishment for Christians if they become Muslims; Christians believe that Christ sends rain on both Christians and non-Christians alike. Christ gives them a chance to change instead of ordering their murder. Jesus commanded his followers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them. In my opinion, it is this love for humanity commanded by Jesus that is bringing more to Christ than the hatred expressed in Qur'an for one's enemies, especially Jews and Christians. Statistics for conversion to Islam are very scarce. Van Nieuwkerk resorts to naming a few elite men and women who have converted, most of them through marriage. She reports that "in 2002, the Muath Welfare Trust in Birmingham reported that seventeen women converted to Islam, eight of them through marriage, while the rest, nine, came to Islam as a result of personal search." Compared to six million Muslims converting to Christ, very few Christians convert to Islam. As noted above, many of these converts are either ignorant of the real teachings of Islam or have been scandalised by the misbehaviour of nominal Christians who hardly live up to the high standards of the teaching of Christ. For most women converts to Islam, the old saying still holds true: "The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried." Shamim Hunt holds an MA in History of Ideas, a BA in philosophy, and a second BA in Humanities. She resides in the US and is currently a student at Westminster Theological Seminary in the M.Div program. Her email address is |
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Comments (14)
abdullah james colloway said...Shamim Hunt wrote:
“This is happening despite the capital punishment sanctioned in the Qur’an for those who leave Islam. It’s good to remember that there is no capital punishment for Christians if they become Muslims; Christians believe that Christ sends rain on both Christians and non-Christians alike.”
My comment:
Islam is the only religion in the world that explicitly guarantees the freedom of faith:
Al-Kafirun, 109:6
LAKUM DIINUKUM, WA LIYA DIIN
“To you be your religion (faith, way), and to me mine.”
Al-Baqarah, 2:256
“Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects Evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things.”
Christianity explicitly denies the freedom of faith:
Deuteronomy 17:3-5
“And he should go and worship other gods and bow down
to them or to the sun or the moon or all the army of
the heavens, .....and YOU MUST STONE SUCH ONE WITH
STONES AND SUCH ONE MUST DIE.”
2 Chronicles 15:13
“All who would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel,
WERE TO BE PUT TO DEATH, whether small or great, MAN
OR WOMAN.”
Deuteronomy 13:6-9
“If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or
the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly
entices you, saying: Let us go and worship other gods
(gods that neither you nor your fathers have known,
gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far,
from one end of the land to the other, or gods of
other religions), do not yield to him or listen to him.
Show him no pity. Do not spare him or shield him.
You must certainly PUT HIM TO DEATH. YOUR HAND MUST
BE THE FIRST IN PUTTING HIM TO DEATH, AND THEN THE
HANDS OF ALL PEOPLE.”
Luke 19:27, (a saying of Jesus of a character in a parable):
“But as for these enemies of mine who did not want
me to reign over them—bring them here and slaughter
them in my presence.”
(2 Thessalonians 1:7-8).
“When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his
mighty angels, in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on
those who do not know God and on those who do not obey
the gospel of our Lord Jesus”
(1 Cor. 15:25).
“For he must reign until he has put all his enemies
under his feet”
Netherlands | Monday, 28 May 2007 at 9:13 pm
Ken said...colloway,
If you are going to quote the Christian Bible it would be best to focus on the New Testament. This is because the Old Testament has more in common with the Jewish faith rather than Christians.
The word Christian means follower of Christ. Since Christ was not introduced until the New Testament, there is no point in quoting the Old Testament. The reason that we still use the Old Testament is because it provides a foundation for the New. Starting with the New would be like starting to read a book from the middle to the end. This would not give a sufficient explanation of the history of the faith. The Old testament has historical significance, but the teachings of Christ supercede the older laws.
Quoting books is a pointless effort because quotes do not display the full meaning of the verses. I could quote the Qur’an and make Islam look like a religion of killers and criminals, but I don’t need to do this. The actions of the followers reveal the true meaning of Islam.
My question is, Why are you trying to defend a religion that is destroying itself? The basic foundation of Islam is to spread the faith by killing all opposing forces. This includes killing moderate Muslims, Jews, and Christians. Anybody who has actually read the Quaran knows this. This strategy isolates Islam from the rest of the world and makes it a target of all other faiths. When moderate Muslims see the Christian alternative to this killing mentality, they are easily converted. Why would Allah want us to kill each other?
There was a time where Christians and Jews were enemies, but now they have banded together to face a common enemy. It is only a matter of time before all religions band together to defend against their common enemy and eliminate the Muslim threat.
Canada | Tuesday, 10 July 2007 at 6:28 am
Krishna Kant Jha said...Any religion curtailing freedom for human development deserves rejection. The writer’s view tested in long practice suggests that Islam socialises its believer, to follow the commands based on irrational decision causing people to lead miserable life. Especially women are disastrously victimised.
Krishna Kant Jha
India | Tuesday, 10 July 2007 at 3:49 pm
Michael said...This whole article is clearly christian propoganda.
New Zealand | Sunday, 5 August 2007 at 4:59 pm
Mohamed said...I fully agree with Colloway. Islam is a beautiful religion. The very meaning of the word Islam means peace. Regarding the Old testament, if one cannot quote it for this argument sake why do the Christians quote it all the time. Why don’t they just discard this book? The contemporary Christian doctrine is full of contradictions. Christians make ambiguous statements as justification for their arguments. For example the previous writer stated that Christians are tolerant of people who revert to Islam from Christianity. The practice is quite different. Such people undergo emotional torture subjected by their relatives and friends.
Ken said: “The Old testament has historical significance, but the teachings of Christ supersede the older laws”. This statement is absurd. Christ himself said he never came to destroy the law but to fulfill it!!!!!!!
United Kingdom | Friday, 10 August 2007 at 12:12 pm
Khan Arshad said...Dear Editor,
Very interesting to read the comments posted here.
Religions have divided people and people of the same religion. Therefore, no good has come out of it. The three major religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam originated from almost the same location but in different languages. God sent his messengers in different languages for HE knew man is curious and would also read about the religion that is not his; man would find then that all religions are the same, interpreted and perceived differently. But, ALAS, man has not lived up to God’s perception as HE made him. Man of different religion want to be different, only his religion is right and the religions are false. We have WARS, killing and cleansings.
Regards.
Malaysia | Tuesday, 16 October 2007 at 8:10 pm
Ken said...Khan Arshad,
You are very knowledgeable about religious history and war. A major misconception is that wars are fought over religion.
History has proven that the main difference between warring factions is language, not religion. Your statement that the same religion has been divided by language is insightful. It helps to explain why religion is the scapegoat for the cause of war.
Canada | Wednesday, 17 October 2007 at 6:33 am
Shamim Hunt said...Calloway quoted Deuteronomy 17:3-5.The God of Bible is holy, and he requires perfect righteousness,unlike the God of Islam. Since God is also Merciful He came to this world to die for their sins, and He cannot just forgive sins and take it lightly because He is Holy and Just, He has to punish them,unlike Muslim God who arbitrarily forgives sins. Since the punishment of every sin is death, only God can take these upon Himself and forgive the sins of people.Jesus orders his followers to love all people regardless of their religion. This kind of mercy to all people is foreign in Islam according to both Hadith and Quran. You quoted Deuteronomy 13:6-9. These OT verses do not apply to Christian anymore because Christ fulfilled the death penalty Himself, and took the punishment upon Himself. Christians are called to be merciful to all, and leave the judgment on God. Muslims are told by Mohammad to kill all who oppose them. You quoted Luke 19:27
It is a parable and Jesus is talking about His kingdom,and the judgment day. Jesus will come back to judge because He is God, Only He is the way, the light , and the Truth. No one comes to the Father unless through Him. You quoted 2 Thessalonian 1:7-8 This passage is also talking about the Judgment day. Although God rains on Christians and non Christians alike (common grace)there is no universal salvation (saving grace)for people who deny Him. Salvation is through Jesus alone. And people who deny Him will die, that is separated from God, or sent to hell. You quoted, 1 Cor. 15:25 This passage is also about the Last day. Every knee will bow to him, and confess that Jesus is Lord when he comes back, willingly or unwillingly.
-- | Saturday, 3 November 2007 at 5:33 am
balaord said...I dont know about the veracity of the sheikh or how he arrived at this number of 6 million
But i can refer to two articles one in newyork times and the other in christian science monitor both mentioning about the conversion issue in africa
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/07/international/africa/07RWAN.html?ei=5007&en=e0838186e9f4832f&ex=1396756800&pagewanted=all&position;=
http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0110/p13s1-woaf.html
India | Sunday, 18 November 2007 at 4:55 pm
Kahn Arshad said...I want to keep on receiving updates on this subject. I made an error in requesting that I be removed from this site.
Regards.
Kahn Arhad
-- | Monday, 19 November 2007 at 4:26 pm
savant said...dear friends. do not believe the lies against Islam. Allah does not want to force islam on anyone. but do not give your neck & brain to the liers who will ruin your life in this world and after death. Because what Allah said must be done and He has angels to do it. He can do without them also but He shows us His System and we can’t have arguments against Allah and His Words (Quran-The Holy book of Islam).
The Torah, Psalms & Gospel were the previous 3 books of Allah but people destroyed by their editing (additing and deleting) the truthfulness of these books. Torah (old testament & Gospel were bookbinded together (printed as one book called as Bible) after the printing press came into the field. Even Jesus does not know this great innovation christian popes, bishops and fathers did....Wahwah...what a great innovation.The death is from Allah and we don’t have a choice regarding our place of death and time etc. Allah has decided everything for us. But we are given a book from Him that does not make us follow someone blindly & fall into ditch only to suffer unprecedented and irrepairable damage!!!???Tsunami can destroy everything & everyone. Allah is always showing us His Bounties & mercy daily, but we use the tongue,mind, money etc to deceive Allah but we deceive ourselves in Fact.
The war against Islam will be won by Islam as you can how Soviet Union could not take it, after 70 years of nonstop efforts to destroy Islam& finally their invasion of Afghanistan in 1978? They spent in 70 years, billions of dollars worth money on false propaganda against Religion, They paid for their citizens upbringing and facilities, there was non stop blatant lies against Allah and Islam and religions in their TV,radio&magazines;.Nothing could save their communist ideology. Now it is your turn to take on Islam & see the end. There is no protection other than Allah’s. Spend time studying Islam & Holy Quran & you will be a great person and salvation will be yours in the hereafter…
Belgium | Saturday, 15 December 2007 at 6:51 pm
azra said...I read some of the comments and came to the conclusion that I am very thankful to God that I am not as ignorant as some people. I just want to say one positive thing about the article, which is that it brought about one good point. It is true that most of the time people equate Christianity with the Western ideas of today’s times. For example, some Muslims claim that women in Christianity are being exploited sexually. This statement is just as biased as almost everything else that was said about Islam in the article. First of all, the reason why the writer felt that they must include conversion rates to Christianity is because it has been shown that Islam is the fastest growing religion. Therefore, by including it in such a way into the article, the writer has implicitly affirmed this notion through a religious apologetic manner. In addition, it is very ignorant to state such a ridiculous notion that most converts change their religion because they want to marry Muslim men. I really laughed at this notion. You are thereby affirming that for some reason these women find Muslim men to be more appealing (for some reason) then Christian men. If the religion of Islam is so bad then why are so many people converting, especially women? I really urge the writer to educated herself about Islam but not from sources like wikipedia or by typing searching for negative things about Islam which is written by other people such as herself, but rather other authoritative and moderate writers (If she comes across fundamentalist writings about Islam that is because she is searching for it. If I am prejudice against Christianity and want to find negative things about it I can also search for fundamentalist doctrines about Christianity ‘like the Creationist movements’.)
United States | Tuesday, 25 March 2008 at 4:42 am
azra said...What was also important to note was how uneducated the writer is about Islam. For example, the majority of Sufis believe in not only the Qur’an but also the Hadith. The base of Sufism is the recitations and remembrance of the Qur’an by heart. In addition all Sufis preach about is the various Hadith, which are about love and devotion (which Jesus also preached). What I wrote about was not in order to put this person down (writer), but in order to correct the writer because she is very, very, unknowledgeable. Please stop spreading a message of hatred. I am not a Sufi but rather a Sunni Muslim, but maybe you can learn a little bit about Sufism (which is a mythical form of Islam and that is added to mainstream Islam to attain higher spirituality and philosophical knowledge). If you study this a little in depth, maybe you will learn about the message of love that they teach and will therefore not be so angry with Muslims.
Much love,
Azra
United States | Tuesday, 25 March 2008 at 5:05 am
Ali said...The verse quoted earlier above....."there is no compulsion in religion” is one of the most typically quoted verses from the Koran. It is quoted by two types of people. Ignorant people that think it is valid, and muslims that know damn well that it has been abrogated.
Here is the verse that “officially” abrogates it. This is official. It is recognised by practically all muslim scholars, clerics, Imams, regardless of sect.
AT-TAWBA 5
So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
Abrogation means that this verse substitutes the earlier verse. What many don’t realise is that 90% roughly, of all of the verses revealed in Mecca are abrogated by later verses. Different sects believe different rules of abrogation. Some believe that hadith can abrogate Koranic verses, some believe the Koranic verses abrogate hadith, but one thing they all agree on is that Koranic verses in conflict with each other abrogation is applied to the older verse. This process is supported by other verses in the Koran as well as by hadith.
To complicate things, the Koranic verses are not in order chronologically. This is why the Koran is practically useless without ahadith and extensive studies into the subject. This is also why it is so easy for muslims to point to verses in the Koran that promote peace and love and tolerance that they know full well are abrogated and are used only to fool and recruit knew converts and give Islam a mask to hide behind for public acceptance.
The muslims that use rubbishing the OT as a way of discrediting Christianity shoot themselves in the foot because the OT is officially recognised by Islam. Muslims have the OT and the Koran, Christians have the OT and the NT. Christians follow Christ above OT
-- | Friday, 15 August 2008 at 6:52 pm
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