Imbalances Experienced by New Converts to Islam or... Missing the "Middle Way"

 

     We sometimes see a familiar sight in Western media: a famous person, as a result of their research or an accident, announces their conversion to Islam. However, this process often involves some peculiarities and imbalances. The points we will detail below lead to a question about those who convert to Islam (especially those who make it a priority and a way of life): "Why do some converts, particularly celebrities, experience certain imbalances and even traumas, especially in the early stages?" Let's examine this situation by considering Islam's comprehensive tenets and its principles that turn believers into "men of action," combined with the sharpness and "dizziness" that comes with a fresh conversion.

1. The Lure of Translations

     One of the initial ways people connect with Islam is naturally through translations. It's a method almost everyone uses to see what the holy book contains and to quench their immediate "thirst." The unique eloquence and rhetoric of the Al-Qur'an al-Kareem captivate people and inspire even the most passive individuals (this is evident even in the most perfunctory translations). There is nothing wrong with this. The real problem arises in the next step: trying to continue shaping one's life based solely on these translations.

      A translation is simply a rendition of the Al-Qur'an al-Kareem into another language based on a person's limited understanding, often for financial gain. These translations can lead to people being influenced by unqualified individuals and cause certain verses and chapters to be misunderstood in a way that is the exact opposite of their true meaning, with obvious consequences. Unfortunately, many new Muslims, starting their journey with good and pure intentions, end up in the shallow waters and swamps of these translations. The most painful part is that they are completely unaware of this, believing, "I'm learning Islam from its original source, I don't need anything else." As is well known, there is no cure for this "compounded ignorance," and it's nearly impossible to teach something to someone who thinks they already know.

     Another aspect of this issue became clearer with the rise of ISIS. The Western world was once preoccupied with young people who eagerly went to join these gangs. People couldn't understand why these youths would go to "jihad." However, most of these new converts were captivated after reading jihad verses in a simple, hastily done translation that was put into their hands. Lacking anyone to guide them and pressured by other confused and directionless groups like themselves, they got involved in things that no sane person would. Thinking they were fighting infidels, they found their way to the Middle East, and many died without ever properly learning about Islam.

2. The Focus on Appearance (Beard and Clothing)

    For many striving to make Islam their way of life and fully follow its teachings, another area where they miss the "average" is their appearance, particularly growing a beard. In more advanced cases, there's a tendency toward turbans and robes, but we can summarize all of these under this point. This is often a manifestation of a sincere desire to follow the Our Beloved Prophet and his guidance. However, the mistake here is not fully understanding the place of the beard in Islamic law, and even when they do, the sharpness and dizziness that comes with being a new Muslim leads to a rush to share the newly found blessing with everyone.

                            

Yusuf Islam past & present

     When this well-intentioned fervor is combined with the error of learning the religion from translations (as discussed in the first point), there's a risk of being thrown far off the "average." As we have discussed in another text, in countries outside the Arab world—especially in the West—and particularly after the September 11th attacks, attempting to be an active public figure with a beard, turban, robe will bring many problems and misunderstandings. Trying to display a "non-obligatory sunnah" makes a person seem like a potential terrorist, a boogeyman, or at the very least, unkempt or backward in the eyes of others. They are viewed through various preconceived notions, and people don't even want to interact with them. This doesn't seem like a very wise thing to do.

Hamza Yusuf then & now

     To clarify, of course, it is highly rewarding to follow every Sunnah of Our Prophet, but giving people a reason to mock beards, robes, and turbans while performing a Sunnah that is not even accounted for on the Day of Judgment is not a good deed. It can cause young people to become alienated from Islam and even lead them to become Islamophobic.

3. Broken Relationships with Their Social Circles

     This imbalance often appears in young people who convert to Islam while in a social environment with limited religious practice or one that is entirely secular. The tension between the two sides escalates, and in many cases, there are sharp breaks and separations. Some of these relationships may normalize later, but the pain of "heartbreak" doesn't easily go away.

4. The Haste to "Enjoin Good and Forbid Evil"

     The principle of "amr bil ma'ruf wa nahy 'anil munkar" is one of the famous 54 obligatory duties of Islam, and it can be described as "enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong." It is a duty that Islam places on every individual according to their capacity. However, there are certain conditions for performing this duty, and attempting to do so when these conditions are not met will cause more harm than good. This topic is also directly related to the "lure of translations" we examined in the first point because people who rely on translations often lack the skill to balance the concept of enjoining good and forbidding evil.

5. Following the Wrong People

     This is a particularly noticeable factor today. It manifests through "scholars" who are full of empty words and use flashy rhetoric to trap young people. They target sincere young people who are new to the faith. Young converts fall into the traps of fake mystics, despicable individuals whose lives don't match their words, people who hastily write translations and commentaries for money and fame, and malicious individuals who inject poison into well-written articles. They become victims of severe spiritual poisoning. This often happens especially as a result of the Salafi movement, backed by Wahhabi Saudis, dominating social media. For example, on Reddit, Salafi propaganda is immediately noticeable in most threads related to Islam.

     When we pile these elements up, we encounter figures and ideas that have strayed far from the center—claiming to be Muslim yet failing to grasp the essence, without a firm grounding in Sunni tradition. You can see nearly all of these imbalances in people like Yusuf Islam and more recently, Sinead O'Connor (Shuhada' Davitt). Yusuf Islam's change in appearance and rhetoric is a perfect example: when he first converted, he completely quit music and disconnected from his social circle. Over time, however, he returned to the music scene, took off his turban, trimmed his beard, and picked up his guitar again.