by Ehab Shehata

Created on: January 02, 2007   Last Updated: March 14, 2007

These are the words of a muslim convert:
In the Name of Almighty God, the All-Merciful, the One who created the heavens and the earth and everything in them, the only One who deserves all of Mankind's worship...
My name is Abul-'Abbaas. It is an 'Arabic name, it means "the father of Al-'Abbaas (the one who frowns excessively)." I have four daughters and a son (named Al-'Abbaas of course).

I am an American from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I was raised a Christian, but later investigated other religions and found Islaam. I accepted Islaam there in 1994, a few years after high school. I got married about two years later in Cincinatti, Ohio, after having made Hajj (pilgrimage) to Makkah. My wife and I now reside happily in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, with our children.

The Importance of Islaam in My Life

Upon embracing Islaam, I felt a sense of ease. For the first time in my life, things were making sense. I realized that I haven't been created to chase after women, money, or status. My Lord wants something different from me.

As a Christian, I felt that I was not fulfilling God's Rights over me. I inwardly knew that I was not being shown how to properly thank my Lord for all of His Blessings. This is what drove me to look for something else.

When I started reading literature about Islaam, I knew with surety that this is indeed the religion that the prophets came with. I knew the Qur'aan was God's Revelation, and I knew that Muhammad was indeed a truthful messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam).

When I accepted Islaam, I felt that I was finally doing what I was supposed to do with myself. These mere feelings became confirmed by scientific proofs found in the Qur'aan and in the sayings of the prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam). My further reading led me to understand more and more details about the life of the prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), his sayings, his manners, etc. With each piece of knowledge my conviction became stronger.

These days I am a student in a university here in Makkah called Umm Al-Quraa University. I study Religion full-time. I could never have imagined studying any religion full-time, let alone in a foreign language! Obviously, I am a different person now.

So even now, semester by semester, year by year, with each midterm and final exam and the knowledge that comes along with them, I feel more and more at ease, knowing that Islaam is the true Religion from God.

I have changed from a confused person who never knew what to do, which

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