Conversion

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Conversion Summary

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The Qur‘an: an Encyclopedia

CONVERSION

The term conversion stands for a total change, a change in belief, conviction or state. In general, conversion denotes ‘turn around’, ‘transformation’, ‘to bring over or persuade to a particular view’ and ‘to change from one state to another’. In psychology and sociology, this term is used to refer to ‘a change in conviction’ in the social and aesthetic fields. Religious conversion, however, is defined as the process of renouncing one’s own religious standing or affiliation for the sake of another religious ideal; a process which encompasses ‘spiritual evolution and development’, including the change of direction of one’s religious beliefs and attitudes. One who changes his religion is called a convert. However, when applied to a nonMuslim who identifies himself with Islam, the term ihtida is used rather than conversion, and the person who commits ihtida is called muhtedi. The term ihtida denotes entrance to Islam whereas conversion is used in a wider sense to refer to entrance to any religion.

The approach

The term conversion finds two different references in the The first is the word huda (the guide), which stems from the same root as the word hidayet (righteous guidance, or guidance) and which means showing someone the right path and guiding him thereupon. Although the word ‘guidance’ (hidayet) is not mentioned in the huda is repeated eighty-five times. In Islamic culture the term ‘guidance’ is used to refer to the transition from an insincere, superficial religious lifestyle to an entirely religious path. The second reference is the word ihtida, which means to arrive at righteous guidance, identifying oneself with the right; this is repeated sixty times. According to the ihtida is the process by which a nonMuslim, pagan or atheist accepts Islam and re-establishes his life according to its teachings; a process of purification and subjection to the will of the guide. By extension, we can term an act of hidayet as a ‘return to the religion’; and an act of ihtida as a ‘change of religion’.

The also contains other terminology associated with ihtida. Dahale (entrance) is one of these: ‘And thou seest mankind entering the religion of Allah in troops’ (110.2). Another is the word gayyara, which means ‘change’: ‘Lo! Allah changeth not the condition of a folk until they [first] change that which is in their hearts’ (13.11).

The perspective points to wahy (revelation) as the key factor underlying one’s guidance. In a sense, the mind is a lamp and the revelation is a path, whereby the necessity required by the revelation and the path to it can be distinguished from each other. The has disapproved of all endeavours that consider human mind and knowledge sufficient and thus lead to backsliding and turning away from divine revelation, that prefer a stance in materialistic knowledge to the flow of divine wisdom, and that seek to value the apparent stability of nature over a more subtle investigation.

The argues that guidance is bestowed only by Allah, the only source of guidance: ‘He who Allah leadeth, he indeed is led aright, while he whom Allah sendeth astray they indeed are losers’ (7.178). ‘Then Allah sendeth whom He will astray, and guideth aright whom He will. He is the Mighty, the Wise’ (Ibrahim 14.4) (see also 2.120; 10.35; 17.97; 18.17). However, Allah does not force people to accept righteous guidance; rather, he expects individuals to make their own preferences through their free will (irada). ‘Lo! We have shown him the way, whether he be grateful or disbelieving’ (76.3) (see also 28.56; 47.17). Heading the list of factors conducive to one’s guidance stand free will and determination. With the term tawba (repentance) defined in suras 5 and 11 of at-Tawba (the Chapter of Repentance), the process of guidance begins: ‘But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor due, then are they your brethren in religion’ (9.11). People are invited to divine guidance by means of prophets: ‘And thus have We inspired in thee [Muhammad] a Spirit of Our Command. Thou knewest not what the Scripture was, nor what the Faith. But We have made it a light whereby We guide whom We will of Our bondmen. And lo! Thou verily dost guide unto a right path’ (42.52); ‘Go thou unto Pharaoh Lo! He hath rebelled’ (79.17). Prophets represent the ideal: ‘each of them We guided… Each one [of them] was the righteous… Each one of them did We prefer above [Our] creatures; and We chose them and guided them unto a straight path; Those are they whom Allah guideth’ (6.84–90). The ultimate situation of people in the afterworld depends on their reaction to the guidance sent. The opposite of guidance in the Holy is dalalet (error), which means being led astray.

As the unique factor underlying the relation of one’s guidance to Allah is divine revelation, one who does not accept the prophets and denies the principle of the Holy Message will have rejected an obligatory guidance by Allah, which means denying Allah himself. At this point there is no difference between the total rejection of all of the prophets or any single one of them, since the flow-line of the guidance of all the prophets relies upon the same truth. A single ray cannot be deconstructed then multiplied; on the contrary, the rejection of a single ray among many rays equals a total rejection of all rays.

As the points out, the guidance bestowed upon people by Allah assumes three distinct forms:

1. Inborn guidance: ‘And inspired it [with conscience of] what is wrong for it and [what is] right for it’ (91.8). Everything has been equipped with a guidance appropriate to its inborn disposition. Reflection and being cognizant of the unknown can only be a fact that embraces inborn disposition, that does not change with eras and cities changing, and that is apparent in its essence. In that sense, ihtida is not the acceptance of a new religion, rather, it is a return to the old religion as the clarifies that one is born with the dispositional religion, which is Islam. By extension, one who commits ihtida remembers his/her religion and returns to it. The agreement expressed in the between Allah and people during their creation and some ahadith of the Prophet emphasize this very fact (Bukhari; Muslim). That is why a majority of Western converts to Islam prefer to use the term ‘revert’ rather than ‘convert’ for those who change religion.

2. Conscious guidance: As a conscious being, humanity needs more than dispositional guidance. Allah, through bestowing upon man a mind to think, has made it possible for him to reflect both on himself and the outer world, thus arriving at certain conclusions as to his place and duty in the world: ‘We shall show them our portents on the horizons and within themselves until it will be manifest unto them that it is the Truth’ (41.53).

3. Divine guidance: Allah has endowed mankind through revelation with a guidance that, if followed, makes it impossible to err. The Law of Moses and the Gospel of Jesus count as sources of guidance: ‘He hath revealed unto thee [Muhammad] the Scripture with truth, confirming that which was [revealed] before it and even as He revealed the Torah and the Gospel’ (3.3). It is also clarified that the provides the straightest of guidance: ‘Lo! This guideth unto that which is the straightest, and giveth tidings unto the believers who do good works that theirs will be a great reward’ (17.9).

The only condition for ihtida, according to the Holy is to recite the words of the shahada: ‘I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad, peace be upon him, is His servant and His Messenger.’ This needs not be carried out by any ceremony or in the presence of a religious authority or institution. Yet it has come to be a tradition to recite the words of the shahada in the presence of at least two persons. The guided (muhtedi) is first expected to have a total ritual ablution (ghusl) and to learn the basics of the religion afterwards. He need not change his name unless it has an anti-Islamic association. It is advisable for the male convert to be circumcised.

The concept of conversion discussed in the Holy indicates that guidance is up to Allah in order to ensure the general welfare of individuals and society, in this world and in the hereafter, and that secular solutions fall short of success in paving the way for widespread, permanent and comprehensive guidance. Besides this, it is suggested that individuals can guide themselves aright or lead themselves astray through their own free will, whereupon they will encounter divine support (tawfiq) or punishment according to their orientation.

The verses in the assure us that one who believes in Allah will never live through an existential vacuum, and that each instant of life will scatter holy meanings from the truth to embrace the person.

Conversion

CONVERSION

The approach

Further reading