What makes people convert to islam

The large number of Iranian American former Muslims is the result of a spike in immigration from Iran following the Iranian Revolution of and — which included many secular Iranians seeking political refuge from the new theocratic regime. Among those who have converted to Islam, a majority come from a Christian background.

When asked to specify why they became Muslim, converts give a variety of reasons. In recent years, the number of American Muslims has been growing steadily , by around , annually. See the survey questionnaire here PDF. In times of uncertainty, good decisions demand good data.

Please support our research with a financial contribution. It organizes the public into nine distinct groups, based on an analysis of their attitudes and values. Even in a polarized era, the survey reveals deep divisions in both partisan coalitions.

Pew Research Center now uses as the last birth year for Millennials in our work. For example, salafi interpretations of Islam have proved popular among young British-Somali Muslims , but there are many other Sunni and Shi'a groups with a variety of differences and similarities.

Personal background makes a difference. Returners have prior knowledge, experience and even language to draw on, as well as existing family and community ties. But newcomers have to build all this from scratch, a change which by turns can be exhilarating and traumatic.

It may also be hard for family and friends to come to terms with. Data on conversion is sparse and has to be extrapolated from diverse sources. In the US, converts more than , make up nearly a quarter of Muslims. In the West, most converts are aged between 20 and 30, and more women convert than men.

Why do people convert? The reasons given can be intrinsic — that conversion gives them a sense of belonging, provides certainty about life and the afterlife, or is personally empowering.

Extrinsic reasons include encouragement or pressure to convert for marriage, the impact of friends or a feeling of marginalisation by another religious group. Many converts give theological reasons, including the discipline of fasting and prayer, the focus on purity and piety, and the assurance that there is only one God. I was a sensible teenager.

I didn't drink. I am a teacher. So, I didn't drop out of an old life to find a new one. But Islam has strengthened my ethics and morals, and given a good foundation for our family life. You sometimes feel like a "trophy" because you are white. If you go to a gathering, everyone wants to help and teach you and take you under their wing, up to the point where I found it suffocating. But, mostly, a lot of conversion problems are human problems, women's problems.

I was the talk of the student Islamic society when I became a Muslim: happy-go-lucky, trendy, outspoken me. After meeting Muslims at university, I'd become intrigued. I started studying Islam and taking heed of the Qur'an's teachings. Two years later, at 23, I took my shahadah Islamic profession of faith. The fact that my family were Sikhs intrigued many Muslims. I was handed many sisters' phone numbers and people wanted to meet me. Then it all went quiet: the sisters were too busy.

It hurt; I was alone. I am single, 26, and live at home with my family who are non-practising Punjabi Sikhs. My family and Sikh friends have yet to learn of my conversion, but I am not hiding my copies of the Qur'an.

I want my family to see that I'm studying Islam with a fine-tooth comb, so they'll know I've made a well-informed decision; Islam has given me a sense of independence and serenity, I've become more accepting of what life throws at me and less competitive. But I feel they will be disappointed, somewhat embarrassed and also scared that the world will treat me unfairly if I'm Muslim. Becoming a Muslim is not easy: people say hurtful things about your faith, and it's a struggle to fit in with pious-looking sisters who wear traditional Arabic dress.

It's also hard to kiss goodbye to nights out in bars with friends. I loved to party; I still do. I take pride in my appearance: I wear makeup, dresses and heels. Initially, I went in all guns blazing and covered every inch of my body. I used to go to work in the hijab and remove it as I drove back into my home city. It was as if I was leading a double life and that became tiresome and stressful, so I stopped.

I would like to marry sooner rather than later, but how will I ever find a suitable husband? Most Muslims find mingling with women haram [forbidden by Islamic law]. Because I am not fully out in the open, Muslim men won't know I exist. Around 5, British people convert to Islam every year — and most of them are women. When one submits to the will of God he or she will experience an innate sense of security and peacefulness.

There we will find total peace, tranquility and security and be free from the fear, anxiety and pain that are part of the human condition. However the guidelines provided by Islam allow us, imperfect humans, to seek happiness in this world.

The key to being happy in this world and the next is seeking the pleasure of God, and worshiping Him.