Coming to Islam Despite Muslims
The illogical nature of the concept of trinity put me on a quest. The Quran provided the answers - Shawn Smith
I used to be an atheist for most of my life, convinced that God did not exist. A significant part of my rejection of the possibility of God’s existence was the illogical nature of Christianity as presented to me by my grandmother when I was a child (if God is three, he can’t be one and vice versa, and if he has a mother, who was God before he was born?), etc., to which my grandma could not provide satisfying answers.
Later on, through my interest in science, I came suddenly to the conclusion that everything in the universe fits so amazingly precisely together that there must be God. I already knew that Christianity had it wrong, my impression of Judaism was that it a) teaches that God is only for Jews, and b) teaches a lot of other stuff I thought incompatible with an All-Knowing God, and from my extensive first hand exposure to Muslims (Lebanese and Syrian traders) during my business travels to Africa, I was convinced that Islam certainly has it wrong as well. Consequently, I was convinced that I had my own religion, just me and my belief in God, which was just fine with me.
"I came across some scientific facts in the Quran which I knew were only discovered during the 20th century, so Muhammad could not have known them, so it was instantly clear to me that Quran can only be from God."
Then I once got into a discussion of our mutual religious beliefs with a Lebanese guy in Ivory Coast, and he asked me if I had read the Quran. He was surprised I had not, since a lot what I was saying I would find in there. When I asked him how come that people who assured me they were Muslims when I asked would consider it okay to lie and cheat and be dishonest in business, to drink alcohol etc., he told me not to judge Islam by those who say they are Muslims. So I purchased an English translation (N. J. Dawood, which in fact isn’t the best) of the Quran, and it sat unopened on my shelf for about 3 years. Then, out of curiosity, I started reading the translation and, for about a third of the book, I was impressed by how smart Muhammad must have been, as I found everything logical, with no contradictions. After that, I came across some scientific facts which I knew were only discovered during the 20th century, so Muhammad could not have known them, so it was instantly clear to me that Quran can only be from God. This was about 17-18 years ago and I never looked back.
My family and friends could not for a long time believe I was serious and were convinced it was some sort of a joke, but even now, when they got used to the idea and know I am serious, they still can’t understand why I chose Islam. Can’t I see how they kill innocent people? Can’t I see how they treat women? Can’t I see how they would like the whole world to go back to the Middle Ages?
"Muslim society did not impress me. Instead of supporting God, they rally round their brethren even if they are violating God's commandments."
To my children (22, 14, 11, 10 years) Islam comes natural, but my wife of 27 years, although she believes in one God, rejects the concept of Trinity, rejects the divinity of Christ, rejects any intercession between man and God, forcefully disagrees if I tell her that her beliefs are Islamic, because in her mind she cannot reject the divinity of Christ, rejects any intercession between man and God, forcefully disagrees if I tell her that her beliefs are Islamic, because in her mind she cannot divorce Islam, as defined by God in the Quran, from the “Islam” as “practised” by the majority of “Muslims” around the world. (She has met many of my Muslim friends and considers them nice people, but always considers them to be exceptions to the rule).
Part of the tragedy of today’s Muslims is that, rather than being supporters of God and rejecting anything and anybody who contravenes God’s commandments, even if the perpetrator claims to be a Muslim, they are supporters of anyone and anything claiming to be “Islamic” and feel they have to rally around him, even if what the concerned practises is in direct contravention of what God has commanded. So they fear people instead of God, and compromise God’s commandments to be with such people, forgetting that they won’t be of any help to each other on the Day of Judgement or in the Hereafter.
snsmith@welchlink.welch.jhu.edu
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