SINCE embracing Islam some eight years ago, the ex-Catholic British priest Idris Tawfiq has chosen to devote his entire life to preaching Islam, a mission which has seen him tour the world lecturing in front of people of different racial and religious backgrounds. Despite this exhausting schedule, Tawfiq feels rewarded when seeing lots of people declare the Shehada (That there is no God but Allah and Mohamed is His messenger). Passing through this experience himself, Tawfiq feels a special responsibility towards new Muslims to help them in their first days after conversion. He considers them to be like new plants that need to be nurtured well in order to grow to their full height. Therefore, he has devoted a whole book, Talking to New Muslims, to discuss this issue in his "Ask about Islam" series. In this book, Tawfiq tries to give some answers to the many questions facing new Muslims when they announce their decision to embrace Islam. "This book also aims to help those new to Islam learn more about their way of life. It will attempt to give practical suggestions on how to deal with many of the problems new Muslims face," he writes. In addition to giving answers to the many questions new Muslims or indeed that anyone may want to know about the religion, Tawfiq refers to the journeys of specific early Muslims as a way to assist new converts on their journey of faith. For this, he allocates around half the book, giving examples of great Muslims from the early days of Islam such as the Prophet Mohamed's uncle, Hamzah, his wife Khadijah, his cousin, Ali ben Abu Taleb, Umar ben Al-Khattab and the Ethiopian slave Bilal ben Rabah who was the first person to deliver the call to prayer. Meanwhile, the writer begins the book by referring to some of the difficulties new Muslims may face, whether from their families and friends to even the entire community they live or were brought up in. "It is not an easy thing to give up all that you once held dear, often facing rejection from family and friends because of your decision," he argues. In this regard, he makes it clear that embracing Islam doesn't mean abandoning one's family and friends. "Embracing Islam does not mean the end of their love for their family or pride in their country. It does not absolve them of the need to think. Far from it, the decision to embrace Islam often comes after a period of turmoil and wrestling with the truth as well as weighing up the possibility that friends and family might reject this change." As well as calling for tolerance from friends and families of new converts, the writer turns to the Muslim community as a whole and especially preachers, requesting them to extend their hand to those new Muslims and show them all kind of support they would need in their new life. "Those new to Islam need to be looked after with special care," he asserts. "The Muslim community has a great responsibility to care for its new brothers and sisters.” According to him, Muslims spend a lot of energy on da'wah, the duty of calling others to Islam. "It is incumbent upon every Muslim to spread the message of Islam. However, it is not enough to call others to Islam then leave them to fend for themselves once they have joined the Muslim fold." In this regard, Tawfiq reiterates that it is Allah, the Almighty, who calls others to Islam. So, da'wah, for him, is not to convince others to become Muslim but to continue to look after them after conversion. "In fact, da'wah is a whole attitude. It is not about winning numbers for Islam. Allah is in no need of extra numbers! It is about showing others what Islam really is. There is no need to persuade anyone to become Muslim. Allah Almighty, after all, will call whom He wills." Tawfiq also chooses to address the controversial question: "Do Muslims have to fight non-believers?" as he believes that new Muslims will undoubtedly face many questions from their loved ones, who may question why they chose to convert. First he stresses the point that the idea of Islam fighting non-believers is one of the most widely spread misconceptions of the religion. There is therefore no concept of "holy war". He goes even further to explain the controversial term of Jihad, noting that it comes from an Arabic root word, Juhd, which means to exert one's utmost efforts. "There are two kinds of jihad. The first is known as the lesser jihad, and this is the duty incumbent upon all Muslims to fight in defence of what is right. This is defensive and it means fighting back where there is injustice or oppression." The writer narrates how in the earliest days of Islam, the Prophet Mohamed (Peace be upon him) showed the Muslim community how to live in peace with people of other faiths. "In the city of Madinah, for example, which became the very first Muslim state, he drew up a treaty between the Muslims and the other two groups who lived there: the polytheists and the Jews. Each group was free to practice their own religion and each group was to defend the other under attack," writes Tawfiq. Throughout his book, he uses verses from Islam's holy book the Qur'an to show how the Muslims have much in common with Christians and Jews, and even asks Muslims to fight in their defence if they are being persecuted. He notes that it is only when those non-Muslims plotted against Islam and its followers in Medinah in present-day Saudi Arabia that Allah ordered Muslims to fight those who fight them. "Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day," (verse 29 of Surat Al Towba). The author cites many examples from Muslim history when Muslims, Christians and Jew were living under Islamic rule in full tolerance and peace, as was the case in Andalusia (Spain today) for nearly eight centuries. "It was only in 1492, when the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella finally defeated the Muslims, that persecution began. Muslims and Jews were forced to convert and mosques and synagogues were ransacked and burned." Tawfiq concludes his book by offering precious advice to new Muslims asking them to allow themselves time to get to know the real Islam. He asks them not to concentrate all their efforts on their external appearance and taking special care of how they dress. Instead he asks them to learn what it means to pray with all their heart and soul when they hear the beautiful words of the Adhan. "Time should not be spent wondering whether to dress this or that way, instead new Muslims should look to becoming a better person, devoting all their time to acquiring the beautiful manner and demeanor which befits every Muslim," he remarks. "If those new to Islam can resist the temptation to concentrate only on externals, and, instead, take on what it is to be a true Muslim, then they will teach us all, Muslim or not, what many have forgotten and what many have never discovered. Islam is so beautiful and so gentle and so sweet that it can reduce to tears the strongest of men," writes Tawfiq. "It can make the mighty powers of this world sit up and take note of its universal message, if only its message can be heard."
