Why People Accept Islam?
The topic ‘The Necessities of Da’wah in the Light of Current Conditions’ is extremely vast in its scope. People are accepting Islam in the West (USA, Canada, UK, France and Germany), in the Middle Eastern countries (Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States, Jordan), in Africa and the Far East (Malaysia, Philippines, Hong Kong, etc.). Each region has its own peculiar characteristics and the reasons for conversion vary accordingly. Furthermore, in each of these areas, the reasons for conversion differ depending on the point of contact with Islam. In fact, the numbers of reasons are probably as many as the number of people who have accepted Islam, as each person has his or her own special reasons why they decide to accept Islam. However, if the subject is considered from the general perspective of the shared characteristics of human beings, the reasons may be narrowed down to a few general groups of reasons.
If one assumes, as Islam proposes, that the nature of human beings has not changed since the time the first human being was first created, then the reasons for conversion in the time of the Prophet (pbuh) should essentially be the same reasons as found in the present age. According to Islam, there is only one revealed religion which has been repeatedly revealed from the time of Adam until the last of the prophets, Muhammad (pbuh). Consequently, the essential message of all the prophets was one and the same:
“Verily, We have sent to every nation a messenger (saying), ‘Worship Allaah and avoid false gods.”1
There was no difference in their basic messages also because the purpose of creation has only been one; to worship Allah.
“I did not create the jinn and mankind except for My worship.”2
This message addressed a fundamental need in human beings to worship. That primordial need was created in all human beings at the time of Adam’s creation. Allah addressed this need saying:
“When your Lord drew forth from the loins of the children of Adam their descendant and made them testify concerning themselves, (saying): ‘Am I not your Lord?’ they said, ‘Yes, we testify to it.’ (This) in case you say should say on the Day of Judgement, ‘We were unaware of this.” Or in case you should say, ‘It was our ancestors who made partners (with Allaah) and we are only their descendants. Will you then destroy us for what those liars did?’”3
