BEING A NEW MUSLIM IN A FAMILY OF NON-MUSLIMS
at www.CONVERTSTOISLAM.com
Your family may think that you have become a Muslim because of someone
else, and not because you really believe it.
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Converting to Islam has to be a sincere action that is taken willingly by the individual.
There is no compulsion in religion, so an individual cannot be forced to convert. Also, the
motives for converting should be sincere and based on belief and not, for example, for the
purposes of marriage.
If your family think that you have converted because of someone else, for a reason other than
belief, it is probably because they find this easier to deal with. Perhaps they like to think
that it is a phase, it is something you are doing because of someone you have met and not
because you believe in Islam. This gives them the hope that one day you will leave Islam and
things will get back to normal.
I think that in addition to discussing your reasons for converting with your family you can
simply show them that you really do believe in Islam by your actions. Help them to realise
the extent of the Islamic knowledge you have obtained when you discuss matters with them.
Try and say things like 'yes I agree as in Islam we think....' or 'did you know that
scientifically ......, and this is in the Quran.'
In conversations tell them when you visited the Mosque etc etc. If you live separately,
when they visit you leave the Islamic books, prayer mats etc around so that they will see them.
When they see how much knowledge you have taken the time to gain, when they see how much
effort you put into abiding by the Islamic rules they will have to conclude that you
must have a mind of your own and you must really believe.
If you are a female convert and are due to marry a muslim, remember that if you were a
Christian or Jew previously then your husband to be could have married you anyway, without
the need for you to convert. Pointing this out to your family may help them realise that
your conversion was not for the purposes of marriage.
Return to 'Concerns List'