Attempts are being made to distort the perception of conversion to Islam by associating it with extremism and terrorism. Conversion has become a victim of general apathy towards religiosity in secular societies, which view religion as a phenomenon of the pre-modern and pre-Enlightenment eras. This has affected the general understanding of converting to Islam in Western societies, creating challenges for new Muslims. At the same time, however, these barriers have not deterred truth seekers from finding their path. It is a bitter journey, but its fruit is sweet. One new Muslim puts it aptly: "The Quran commands us to call ourselves Muslims, but we are on a journey to become true believers."

Catherine Huntley, a 21-year-old from England, recounts her experience:
"My journey began when I was studying Islam as part of a 'Religious Studies' subject in high school. It felt as though something inside me had shifted. I would spend my lunch breaks every day reading about Islam on the computer. I felt a peace in my heart, and nothing else seemed to matter anymore. I found myself, but the person I discovered within was unlike anyone I knew!

I would hide my headscarf and Islamic books in a drawer, far from my parents. When I finally told them, they were very upset, but my passion for Islam only grew. I began dressing modestly and fasting secretly during Ramadan. I was living two lives until, at 17, I could no longer wait and embraced Islam.

A week later, my mother rushed into my room, asking if I had something to tell her. She pulled out my certificate of conversion to Islam from its folder. ‘I think it would have been easier for her to find drugs or cigarettes in my room,’ I thought. ‘That would have been dismissed as youthful folly.’ I saw fear in her eyes as she asked, ‘Why would you give up your freedom for a foreign religion? Why would you want to join those terrorists?’

It was tough being a Muslim in my parents’ house. They disliked my prayers, calling them an 'obsession.' I would pray in front of my bedroom door, yet my mother would deliberately walk past me, asking, ‘Catherine, do you want a cup of tea?’

I heard my grandfather say, ‘Muslim women walk three steps behind their husbands.’ That angered me because it was a cultural practice, not religion. I intend to marry a Muslim who tells me, ‘A Muslim woman is a pearl, and her husband is the shell that protects her.’ Our wedding will be in a mosque. I doubt my family will attend. Thinking about how my wedding won't be as joyful as the stories where brides are surrounded by their families saddens me. But I hope my new life with my husband will bring greater happiness.” ⁽¹⁾

This real-life account honestly illustrates the challenges faced by some new Muslims, particularly the discomfort and rejection within families, mockery of their new faith, and the secrecy or interference in their worship. It also reveals the estrangement that sometimes arises when families do not partake in their children’s joyful occasions.

Beyond the family, barriers prevent adequate support for new converts until they firmly establish their faith. Michael Young, a British convert to Islam, highlights the lack of support from Muslims in Europe. He notes that since his conversion, he has known only two Muslims in his town—his neighbor and a coworker. He is puzzled by the absence of systematic, ongoing initiatives to support converts academically and socially.

Young emphasizes the need for mosque-goers to embrace and invite new Muslims into their homes. He warns strongly against relying on the internet as a source of Islamic knowledge, given its mix of beneficial, misleading, and harmful content. Additionally, he criticizes Friday sermons, especially in British universities, for focusing on political issues at the expense of personal development and purification, leaving those without proper knowledge vulnerable to extremist ideologies. ⁽²⁾

Some researchers argue that Islamic expansion in the past was not about imposing a new faith on people but about creating an institutional framework where Islam could thrive. Once an "Islamic atmosphere" was established, mass conversion occurred naturally and gradually. However, in the contemporary world, this institutional approach to dawah is no longer viable. Instead, pluralism, secular states, and the minority status of Muslims have made it unlikely for Islam to spread through dominance. The alternative is a "personal and heartfelt" approach, where individual transformation precedes institutional change. ⁽³⁾

One of the most significant challenges to Islamic dawah in Europe is skepticism about Muslims’ commitment to peaceful coexistence—a coexistence that nurtures the invitation to non-Muslims. Hostile campaigns led by media outlets, political parties, and extremist figures in Europe seek to undermine Muslims' credibility by employing ridicule, accusations, and provocations such as cartoons mocking the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the burning of the Quran.

In Britain, the challenges new Muslims face are ranked as follows ⁽⁴⁾:

1. Learning Arabic.

2. Family and friends’ reactions.

3. Acceptance within the local Muslim community.

4. Establishing a support network for new Muslims.

5. Gender interaction and social integration.

6. Accessing accurate Islamic knowledge.

7. Understanding the Quran.

8. Forming friendships with Muslims.

9. Financial and banking issues.

10. Learning Islamic worship practices.

11. Adopting Islamic greetings and etiquette.

12. Islamic dietary requirements.

Learning Arabic is a top priority for new Muslims, as it is the key to understanding Islamic acts of worship and the Quran. This places significant responsibility on Islamic institutions. Family and friends' reactions are the second challenge, followed by acceptance within the local Muslim community. The risk of isolation looms if social support networks are unavailable.

A 2020 PhD thesis titled "Conversion to Islam and Family Relations in Contemporary Britain," submitted to the University of Cambridge, highlights the challenges some converts face in a liberal society. Through interviews with new Muslims, the thesis explores their experiences within families and society. One participant sums up the experience of converting to Islam in 21st-century Britain as being torn between two worlds: devout Muslims who understand their beliefs but are difficult to relate to in lifestyle, and "liberal" non-Muslims who share their lifestyle but not their beliefs. ⁽⁵⁾

As solutions to these challenges, born Muslims should not expect their convert brethren to adopt the same regional or cultural traditions. Conversion is solidified after uttering the Shahada by aligning the heart, spirit, and mind completely. However, cultural heritage can divert converts' focus from belief to lifestyle, making the journey difficult despite the spiritual joy and contentment it brings. Mosques and institutions must be open and supportive through structured programs to help converts integrate with the Muslim community, gain knowledge, and find reassurance.

The misconceptions about converts must also be challenged. A study of British newspaper content from 2001 to 2010 found that 62% of articles linked conversion to Islam with terrorism, and 14% with fundamentalism.

Remarkably, despite this hostile climate, people continue to embrace Islam in large numbers. This divine guidance often stems from studying the Quran, the Prophet’s biography, or comparative religion, but sometimes it emerges from a small, touching gesture, a fruitful interaction, or a heartfelt discussion whose impact may not be immediately evident.

Allah guides hearts and changes lives. You encounter people you would never expect to embrace Islam who do so through the mercy and will of Allah.

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(1) Harris, Young British Female Muslim: Thousands of young British women living in the UK decide to convert to Islam, The Times, 29 May 2010.

(2) Young, Frustrations of a Muslim Convert, The American Muslim, 4 April 2006.

(3) Greil & Poston, “Islamic Da’wah in the West: Muslim Missionary Activity and the Dynamics of Conversion to Islam,” Review of Religious Research. 35, 2, (1993): 185.

(4) Brice, A minority within a minority, report on converts to Islam in the United Kingdom, London: Faith Matters, 2010: 22.

(5) Ramahi, “Conversion to Islam and family relations in contemporary Britain”, (PhD thesis, University of Cambridge, 2020).

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