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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Converts To Islam J. Scott Lynch Saeed Muhammad I converted to Islam about 21 months ago. My journey to Islam was a long one that spanned over more than 2 decades. All-American Boy Allah is a permanent reality that works in the lives of those who hear His message. Not having a personal relationship with my Creator tugged at my heart and mind for nearly two decades. Then, I discovered Islam. I would not be considered in the West as a stereotypical Muslim.

I believe the popular Western stereotype of a Muslim male is something like the following: dark skin, dark hair, bearded, Middle-Eastern or Asian descent, dressed in modest clothing and possibly a head covering. No, Im the complete opposite of this. I am in many ways the epitome of the all-American boy: blond-hair, blue-eyed, corn-fed Protestant/Christian background. However, Islam and Muslims take on many faces, many backgrounds, many cultures, many nationalities and many tongues.

Our family moved a few times in my youth, but my world was limited to the heart of the Bible-belt in Augusta, GA, and Spartanburg and Greenville, SC, all fairly large communities, but all offered little in religious diversity. I had normal, loving, God-fearing parentsthey are still happily married today after more than 30 years, and one younger brother. I grew up as a PK (for those of you outside of Protestant Christianity, I was a preachers kid).

My father was a Southern Baptist minister for more than 25 years. As you can imagine, for the first 18 years of my life, I attended church every Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night and any number of other nights that the church lights were on. I grew up believing in God and Jesus, or, should I say, fearing God and Jesus. Like most adolescents, I was afraid not to believe in the religion of my parents. However, something was wrong.

I can recall thinking, even at age 10, this Jesus story just doesnt make sense to me. Even at this young age, I didnt accept the divinity of Jesus and the notion of Christian salvation (i.e., Jesus dying for my sins).

As all my church friends were getting saved, baptized and confirmed during their pre-teen and teenage years (this all seemed like more of a rite of passage than a sincere decision for most, or just the popular thing to do), I quietly sat in the church pews questioning the fundamentals of Christian theology.