GRACY’s lean frame, slightly gray hair, round glasses and inquisitive observations reflected a middle-aged woman of insight and knowledge. She had come to know what Islam was all about and I was there to tell her just that.

Allah gave me the opportunity to be part of ‘Peace – Vision of Islam’, an international exhibition and conference first held in 2004 in Chennai, India. The 2008 exhibition was no different in its uniqueness; the kind which has probably never been witnessed in any other part of the world. Over 300 six-foot tall panels – containing mostly Qur’anic verses and Prophetic narrations on different topics, designed with graphics and pictures to deliver the message of Islam – were spread over huge hangers that could easily hold over a thousand people at once. Some 30 volunteers were trained to further explain the panels out to visitors.

VIP treatment for non-Muslim visitors was already thought out. A volunteer would accompany every non-Muslim guest from the start till the end explaining all panels of interest and clarifying questions to give the guest a truly personal experience.

Offering to walk her through the exhibition, I went on to confidently explain the panels that started out first with the basics of Islam.

Knowing the background and the faith of a visitor is quite important to explain the message precisely. But Gracy was different. She revealed almost nothing about herself and was only interested to know, and know more. We came at the panel titled “Every child is born as a Muslim” based on the Prophet’s Hadith, “Every child is born in a state of fitrah (the natural state of man, i.e., Islam), then his parents make him into a Jew or a Christian or a Magian.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

I explained to her how when a child is born, it is in the natural state to obey and submit to God, which literally in Arabic means a Muslim, but as and when it grows up it adopts the beliefs and paths of the society, especially the parents.

“Oh, OK. So you mean ‘Muslim’ only in the literal sense of the word? Or do you mean even in the religious sense (that every child is born Muslim)?” she questioned. That was a tough, direct and mature question. We were only starting and we hadn’t come to the panels that explained and proved how Islam was truly a universal religion from God; we hadn’t come to the panel ‘Mankind were one community’ where I always loved to explain how we, human beings, are one who have one Creator and who should have only one religion to follow. The existence of multiple religions and faiths is a product of our human differences and deviation from the true, one path.

Taken aback by the question early on and burdened by the responsibility of saying only the truth, I said, “Well, it means in the literal sense… and also in the religious sense… because Islam asserts itself as being the truth and I hope Insha, Allah you will acknowledge that by the time we finish.”

She thought and nodded. We went ahead.

I fumbled, but thanked Allah for those words. The rest went smooth. I explained with great zeal the guidance of Allah, the miracles of the Qur’an, the preservation of the religion, the lucid and simple message of Islam, the hereafter and the finality of prophethood with Muhammad (peace be upon him). To my pleasant surprise I had an extremely patient and interested ears listening to every word of mine, until I myself felt exhausted.

What was bothering though was I had almost no idea what the impact my message was having on her. I was done with saying everything I had, but her expressions were unchanged (this was unusual because by now most people would be dumbfounded by the message of Islam).

The upcoming sections were highlighting the lives of Muslim scholars and scientists and their contribution to the modern world. Then next sections were on social causes. To be honest, I didn’t have much interest in them. But to my surprise she was interested. She knew many of those Latinized names of Muslim scientists. She revealed for the first time she was a teacher and that she knew those big names, but didn’t know they were Muslims.

We continued and towards the end, I thought I must frankly ask her what her religious beliefs were. Christian, she said. I slowly asked her if she knew what the major differences between Islam and Christianity were. I went on to answer her and those few minutes, by Allah’s Grace, contained the message I had so desperately sought to deliver from the start.

I questioned her, “Christians believe God sent several prophets to guide people to worship Him alone, then why is it and how is it that when it comes to Jesus, they believe he was a son of God and not a prophet?

“Do you think the fundamental message of worshipping and obeying God for salvation suddenly changed with the coming of Jesus? How much sound do you think is the belief that salvation is through believing that Jesus died on the cross for human beings’ sins?

“Don’t you think Jesus also brought the same message, consistent with all previous prophets that God is One and He alone deserves to be worshiped and that we will be accountable for our deeds?”

Christians fell in the same mistake as the people of Nuh (Noah). They loved Jesus so much that they exaggerated his status to the level of God and deviated from the fundamental message he brought to them. Allah has clarified Jesus’s message and his status in the Qur’an.

This simple message hit home. Though Gracy didn’t display any emotion, her face had changed, as if a sense of realization suddenly hit a chord with her mind and heart. She was speechless. I thought the moments of silence, as we headed towards the exit gate, were good for introspection and self-reflection.

I knew, she knew! I finally broke the silence and asked her if she wished to embrace Islam. She did not reply for a while, almost as if she took a deep breath, and then said, “I will think about it, deeply.” She gave me her email to get in touch with her before bidding me goodbye.

I happily thanked Allah because her reply definitely meant she did acknowledge the truth of Islam. So, Alhamdulillah, my job was done. All credit, praise and thanks are for Allah and Allah alone. – SG

Published on July 13, 2009, in Saudi Gazette