Saudi Daily: 'More and More Jews are Realizing That Judaism and Christianity are Symbols Leading to Islam'

The Arabic press occasionally publishes articles about Western Christians and Jews who converted to Islam. One report claimed that 34,000 Americans converted to Islam one month after September 11, 2001.[1] The government of Saudi Arabia has been on the forefront of Da'wa - spreading Islam throughout the world. Recently, the Saudi Gazette[2] dedicated an entire page to the topic of Jews converting to Islam. The Gazette listed names such as Shabbtai Zvi, the self-proclaimed Jewish messiah of the 17th century who was forced to convert to Islam. The following are excerpts:

"True Stories of Jews Converting to Islam"
"These are the true stories of Jewish people who followed Judaism and later became Muslims, despite the Israeli-Arab political conflict, more and more Jews are realizing that Judaism and Christianity are symbols leading to Islam, whether you were a Messianic Jew, a Jew for Jesus, or an Orthodox Jew, any Jew can be for Allah. The notable Jews include the following: Isa Adam Naziri; Moshe (sic); Muhammad Daniel; Hasan of Yard Al-Mukaddasa (sic - probably Al-Ard Al-Muqdassa - meaning, the Holy land); former Moroccan rabbi, Abdul Haqq Al-Islami; Dr. Moustafa Mould; Rachel Singer; Rabbi of Makhachkala; Haj Mustafa Ali; Suleyman Ahmad; Jemima Goldsmith; Maryam Jameelah; Michelle; Kari Ann Owen; Emad-Ud-Deen; Michael Wolfe; Muhammad Asad; Shabbtai Zvi and Abdullah Ibn Sailam."[3]

'The Story of "Moshe"'
One such example of a Jew converting to Islam comes from "Moshe," who discusses the need for Jews to reevaluate the Tanakh [Bible] and the Koran: "I am Jewish who converted to Islam because Islam is the rational choice. I wanted to believe the Torah is true and like most Jews I tried to block out reality, thinking if I ignore the Koranic revelation it would go away and the facts which the Koran mentions like the universe was formed with a big bang and the planets by the contraction of early gases."

"I pretended it didn't matter that my religion was, to be honest, little more than a collage of fragments of cooked up false, albeit well-meaning, ideas. If one carries out an objective evaluation of Judaism and Islam, not as a Jew but as an intellectual, one will be convinced that Islam is the rational and intellectual choice. Despite that, I still hold prejudices that Muslims are uncultured compared to sophisticated Jews and that it would be great to live in Israel. But Islam is the truth, Ha Emet."

"The reason most orthodox Jews don't become Muslim is because of ignorance, prejudice, and deliberate desire to disbelieve in Islam, if it wasn't for the scientific proof in the Koran and Hadith, I would have quite happily dismissed it as a pale imitation of Judiasm. I gain a greater satisfaction thinking I am from Hashems, a chosen nation and that I am better than the rest of the world and especially the Ishmaelites, but the truth is our God sets up his final Prophet as an Arab. Now it took me a long time to accept that God gave the final prophethood to an Ishmaelite, but as I am objective, I had to swallow my pride and accept it."

"I miss Judaism so much, wearing my Tzitzit and my Yarmulka, spending countless hours studying the amazing and fascinating parables, stories and teachings of the Talmud, Maimonides, Baal haturium, Kli Yaakov, Rashi and other insightful Torah commentaries, but in my personal conviction I know that although I truly loved these books their foundation was not on God's true word. Jews everywhere need an objective reevaluation of the Tanakh [Bible] and the Koran forgetting racism and prejudice and I think the results will be pleasing."

'The Testimony of Jemima Goldsmith Khan'[4]
"The media present me as a naïve, besotted 21 year-old who had made a hasty decision without really considering the consequences - thus effectively, condemning herself to a life of interminable subservience, misery and isolation. Although I must confess I have rather enjoyed the various depictions of a veiled and miserable 'Haiqa Khan' incarcerated in chains, the reality is somewhat different. Contrary to current opinion, my decision to convert to Islam was entirely my own choice and in no way hurried. Whilst the act of conversion itself is surprisingly quick - entailing the simple assertion that 'There is only one God and Muhammad is his Prophet' - the preparation is not necessarily so speedy. In my case, this began last July, whilst the actual conversion took place in early February- three months before the Nikah [marriage] in Paris..."

"In the statement given out a week ago, I particularly stressed that I had converted to Islam entirely 'through my own convictions.' The significance of this has been largely ignored by the press. The point is that my conversion was not, as so many have assumed, a pre-requisite to my marriage. Religiously speaking, there was absolutely no compulsion for me to convert prior to my marriage. As it explicitly states in the Koran, a Muslim is permitted to marry from 'the People of the Book' - in other words, either a Christian or a Jew. Indeed, the Sunnah- which describes the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him) - shows that the messenger of Islam himself married both a Christian and a Jew during his lifetime..."

"I believe that much of this hostility toward my marriage and conversion stems from widespread misconceptions about an alien culture and religion. Not only is there a huge gulf between the Western view of Islam and the reality, but there is in some cases also a significant distinction between Islam based directly on the Koran and the Sunnah and that practiced by some Islamic societies... At the risk of sounding defensive, I would like to point out that Islam is not a religion which subjugates women whilst elevating men to the status of mini-dictators in their own homes... I am nevertheless fully aware that women are sometimes exploited and oppressed in Islamic societies, as in other parts of the world. Judging by some of the articles which have appeared in the press, it would seem that a Western woman's happiness hinges largely upon her access to nightclubs, alcohol, and revealing clothes; and the absence of such apparent freedom and luxuries in Islamic societies is seen as an infringement of her basic rights. However, as we all know, such superficialities have very little to do with true happiness. Besides, without in any way wishing to disparage the culture of the Western world, into which I was born, I am more than willing to forego the transient pleasures derived from alcohol and nightclubs; and as far as the clothes I will be wearing, I find the traditional shalwar kameez (tunic and trousers) worn by most Pakistani women far more elegant and feminine than anything in my wardrobe..."

'Koranic Evidence Supports Jews Converting to Islam'
The following Hadith (tradition) was included in the paper as an example of Jews historically converting to Islam.

"Safwan Ibn Assal relates that a Jew asked his fellow to take him to the Prophet (peace be upon him), and when they came to him they inquired from him about the nine clear signs (as stated in the Qur'an 17:101) 'after stating them, they kissed his hands and feet and said: We bear witness that you are a Prophet.' (The Compilation of traditions by Al-Tirmidhi)."