Sense and Sensitivity

How to Accommodate New Converts

Aspects of the early years as a Muslim are all too often forgotten and ignored. This article may emerge as polemic outlook on Muslims' attempts to help those who have entered the fold of Islam. My aim is not to have a good moan at the Muslim community. That would be futile and only widen the gap that may already exist between us all.

I prefer to see this as one of those methods of self-development where to improve we must accept our faults, but to accept them we must first be aware of them.

clipped from www.readingislam.com Mosque near the centre of Glasgow, Scotland There are numerous articles on this site, as well as videos and books elsewhere to satiate us Muslims on the growth of Islam, giving us that ‘feel-good factor’ often needed in this Islamophobic milieu. But there is an issue that is too often ignored. What about how new Muslims, and prospective Muslims are dealt with in our communities? After people revert to Islam how do we go about advising, helping, guiding and most of all befriending them?? Is it a case of “You are on your now, you’ve said your shahada!” or, “Come to my house and meet the family, but there are a long list of does and don’ts you must follow.” As for knowledge and direction in Islam, it was delivered at a speedy rate. Probably it  was a rate that was just right for me at that time. I had been starved enough and I had a big appetite. But this was not the same for others.