Why Did They Become Muslims

Its meaning was, as some people told me, “O Buddha, be our
guide! Be our canon! Exalt our souls!” That prayer was simple
enough, yet it consisted of a few unsatisfactory words which had no
effect on the human soul. And there was no mention of the great
Creator.
On the other hand, the acts of worship practised by my
Muslim boatman were only exquisite! This time, I began to
discuss Islam with my boatman. During the hours I spent with
him, I asked him numerous questions. The extremely elegant and
logical answers that that unsophisticated man gave me urged me
into reading books written about Islam. When I read those
books, I learned with amazement and admiration all the
accomplishments that Muhammad ‘sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa
sallam’ realized in a short time in Arabia. I found myself some
Muslim friends. I entered into Islamic deliberations and chats
with them. It was in those days when the First World War broke
out. I was commanded to immediately join the war on the
Arabian front. I did so. There were no Buddhists here. There
were Muslims all around me. The Arabs were the earliest
Muslims. The Qur’ân al-kerîm, the Holy Book of Allâhu ta’âlâ,
had been revealed in the Arabic language. My contacts with the
Arabs increased my interest in Islam. When the war was over, I
began to study Arabic. In the meanwhile I continued to read
books about Islam. The greatest attraction I found in Islam was
Muslims’ belief in one Allah. On the other hand, as a Christian, I
had to believe in three gods, which was quite illogical to me. As I
deliberated over it, I gradually realized that Islam was a much
more genuine religion. I began to accept the fact that a religion
that contained belief in one creator should be a true religion.
Eventually, after doing ten years’ service in Palestine, i.e.
between 1932 and 1942, I decided to become a Muslim. So I
officially became a Muslim in 1942. I have been a thorough
Muslim ever since.
I officially professed Islam in Jerusalem, which the Arabs
called ‘Sacred City’. At that time I was a staff major in the British
army. When I professed Islam, I had to undergo some unpleasant
situations. My government would not approve of my becoming a
Muslim. I had to leave the army. Upon this, I went to Egypt first,
and then to Pakistan, and began to live among my Muslim
brothers there. I wrote some articles about Islam. There are more
than five hundred million Muslims living on the earth today, and
they are one another’s brothers. To become a Muslim means to
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