The Search For Truth
Black then began to study Islam and to attend conferences on Islam. In March of 1997, she became a Muslim by reciting what is called the shahada (below), which is the first pillar of Islam. The shahada is a sentence that new Muslims recite by declaring "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger.`' Black’s husband converted to Islam a month after she did. Black, a licensed nurse, said that becoming a Muslim has changed her life. "We are both very happy."
At the rate that Islam is spreading, demographers predict that by the year 2025 one out of four people in the world will be Muslim.
Canadian resident Nicol Duran, or "Zahra" her Islamic name, became a Muslim July 23, 1997 at the young age of 16. "About two years ago, I was in an immense state of denial. I was Christian and those Moslems would never suck me into their religion." She took a course on world religions to prove to herself that other religions were wrong, particularly targeting Islam. "I found myself sticking up for Islam after my teacher’s ignorant statements about the religion and women in it," said Duran. She discovered that the more she engaged in discussions with Muslims in an attempt to prove their religion wrong the more she realized what Islam was truly about. This encouraged her to question her faith and led her to research Islam. A year later she recited the shahada declaring her intentions and became a Muslim.
"Alhumdulillah, since then I’ve never felt so content, fulfilled and close to Allah (swt). I love how Islam forces you to read and to try to gain knowledge so you don’t fall into the gap of ignorance." Duran’s mother also became a Muslim.
Islam’s growth in the number of reverts can be a sign that Islam is becoming more accepted into Western society, particularly into the Judeo-Christian society of the United States. This could be a result of the work of several American-based organizations such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations which focuses on educating non-Muslims about Islam and diligently monitors the media to ensure fair and accurate representation of Islam and Muslims. Other organizations like the American Muslim Alliance have also been established for the purpose of encouraging American Muslims to become more active in the political system.
There has also been a marked increase in the number of mosques,
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