We have heard that those who have converted to Islam have been taken by it. Why Islam has caused this feeling amongst so many people?

The beauty of Islam is what causes people to fall in love with it and be struck by it. Once someone is exposed to the inner qualities of Islam as it is outwardly manifested in daily life, one can do nothing but respect it. The Messenger of God said, “The believer is gentle, soft, generous, forgiving, and has good manners.” As these traits where experienced throughout history by various people, the beauty of Islam was transmitted from an idea into a living example.

One can also consider Islam as being a practical application of the Divine attributes of God, the message of the Qur‘an, and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad. This practical application in effect became the way in which Muslims interacted with their universe, which is what these people have seen concerning Islam and Muslims. With this practical application Muslims have been able to answer the first key question facing humankind: Where did we come from? This question is related to the past and has developed in man since man cannot remember the beginning. God says to this effect, “I did not let them witness creation of the heavens and the earth, nor their own creation; nor do I choose misleaders for (My) helpers.”

The Muslim answers with firm conviction that God is the creator and sustainer of the heavens and the earth as He is the creator of everything; “The Beneficent, He has made known the Qur'an, He has created man.”

The Muslim’s faith is infused by the concept of Divine monotheism (tawhid). However, this oneness is not just reserved for the Divine, rather Muslims believe that their prophet is one: “Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the messenger of God and the Seal of the Prophets.” , and their book is one, “Indeed We have revealed the reminder (Qur’an) and verily We are its guardian,” which has led to the Qur’an being preserved throughout the ages.

Muslims also see their community being one “Indeed this nation of yours is one and I am your Lord so worship me.” , and the direction of their prayer, i.e. Mecca, is one: “So turn thy face toward the Inviolable Place of Worship (Mecca), and where so ever you may be, turn your faces (when ye pray) toward it.” Lastly, the message of all the prophets is one and the same, “the faith of your father Abraham (is yours). He has named you Muslims of old time and in this (Scripture), that the messenger may be a witness for you, and that you may be witnesses for mankind.”

As this concept of unity has been a mark of Islam and Muslims throughout the ages, it should be a part of contemporary Muslims’ outlook even more so.

Part of the faith of Muslims is that with creation comes commissioning, which answers the second major question, “what are we to do here?” The principals of this commissioning are three: worship of God, “I created the jinn and humankind only that they might worship Me. I seek no livelihood from them, nor do I ask that they should feed Me. Indeed God is He that gives livelihood, the Lord of unbreakable might.” , building a civilization, “He brought you forth from the earth and has made you husband it” and “and do not do evil in the earth.” , and self purification “And a soul and he who has perfected it. And inspired it (with conscience of) what is wrong for it and (what is) right for it.

He is indeed successful who causes it to grow. And he is indeed a failure who stunts it.” This belief necessitates a belief in the hereafter, a time in which all of mankind will be taken to account for their deeds on earth, “and whoso does an atom’s weight of good will see it then. And he who does an atom’s weight of ill will see it then.”

This basic belief system allows one to understand the actions of Muslims. One can understand why a Muslim might take on a difficult task since this might be part of fulfilling the commissioning that God has given man. Or one might give up an act of pleasure seeing that this will draw him only
nearer to sin and the hellfire.

A Muslim’s actions are always focused on what the impact will be in the hereafter as a result of his belief system. This is ultimately a positive influence or else hope and fear would become obstacles to life, but hope and fear have been legislated by God to make life productive since this is the goal of the Shar’iah.

Muslims also believe in absolutes since God has no limits and boundaries, and belief in no limits and boundaries come from the belief of the Divine attributes of God which provide a paradigm of growth for Muslims, “to God belong the fairest of names so invoke Him by them.”

The names and attributes that God has used to describe Himself in the Quran are more than one hundred and fifty and in the hadith literature one hundred and sixty which makes the total two hundred and twenty since some names are found in both. These attributes and names are classified as names of Divine Beauty such as the Merciful, the Infinitely Good, the Compassionate, and the Oft Forgiving, names of Divine Majesty such as the Avenger, the Compeller, and the most Able, or names of Divine Perfection such as the First, the Last, the Manifest, the Hidden. All of the names and attributes of God can be classified under these three.

The Muslim adorns his character with the names and attributes of Divine Beauty and not the attributes of Divine Majesty as these are for God alone and a Muslim respects them as such. Therefore, a Muslim forgives and withholds his anger, “let not hatred of any people seduce you to deal unjustly, be just, this is nearer to piety and God consciousness” and “many of the people of the scripture long to make you disbelievers after your belief, through envy on their own account, after the truth has become manifest to them. Forgive and be indulgent (toward them) until God gives His command. Indeed God is Able to do all things. Establish worship, and pay the poor-due; and whatever of good you send before (you) for your souls, you will find it with God. Indeed God is the all Seer of what you do.”

Muslims also see mankind as being elevated by God and not just a simple part of the universe, “Verily we have honored the children of Adam. We carry them on the land and the sea, and have made provision of good things for them, and have preferred them above many of those whom We have created with a marked preferment.” Therefore man has been given a special rank in this universe as the carrier of the sacred trust given to him by God, “indeed We offered the trust unto the heavens and the earth and the hills, but they shrank from bearing it and were afraid of it. And man assumed it. Indeed he has proved a tyrant and a fool.” Accordingly man is the vicegerent of God on earth (khalifa) and is to act accordingly, “[God] has made of service unto you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth; it is all from Him.

Indeed in this are portents for a people who reflect.” This relationship enables Muslims to see that certain things are sacred and gives them their due respect such as the night of power , the K‘aba and it is also narrated that the Messenger of God said addressing the K‘aba saying “how pleasant you are and your scent, how great you are and how great your sanctity, by the One who posses the soul of Muhammad in His hands, the sanctity of a believer is greater to God than your sanctity, his wealth and life, and that [a believer] only think good of another believer.” The Muslim also honors the sanctity of the Qur’an “non but the pure touch it” and he gives the Messenger of God a lofty status, “Make not the calling of the messenger among you as your calling one of another.”

The manner in which Muslims live and the paradigm that guides them through life, one that has been created and legislated by God, is the cause of people to be struck by Islam which is an indication that it is the final message of God to humankind.