Conversion to Islam: A Study of Native British Converts

Abstract

Part 1 Muslims in Britain: immigrant Muslims of Britain - the history of Muslims in Britain, the contemporary Muslim community native British Muslims - the history of native British Muslims - the Liverpool Mosque and Muslim Institute, the Woking Mission, the contemporary native British Muslims - the Islamic Party of Britain, the Association for British Muslims Da'wah strategy in Britain - indirect Da'wah approach, direct Da'wah approach. Part 2 On the way to conversion: childhood experiences - happiness versus unhappiness, father figure in childhood - absent or withdrawn father, mother - father's substitute and independence from her, parents' affiliation and upbringing regarding religion, Freud and religious conversion conversion and adolescence - conversion age, emotional and cognitive issues in adolescence, rebellion conversion, Eriksonian concept of identity - moratorium and conversion at a later age. Part 3 Conversion process: background analysis - religion, socio-economic status immediate antecedents of conversion - emotional antecedents, cognitive antecedents conversion motifs (patterns) social influence in the process of conversion and the conversion process model - the convert as a social type, conversion through marriage, conversion process model. Part 4 Postconversion - the transformed self: the new being - change - beliefs, practice and habits, maintenance and socialization, cultural transition, relations with parents, ex-friends and the society. Part 5 Conversion through Sufism: Sufism - the agent of Islam, Sufism in the West Sufism and new religious movements (NRMs) in the West - resemblance between Sufis and NRMs' members with regard to their background the group of Shaykh Nazim - mission in Britain, initiation to the group, Dhikr and the belief of lower-self, basic teachings of the Shaykh which play major role in attracting converts and some features of the group, leader-member relations, psychotherapeutic treatment findings on Sufi and non-Sufi differences regarding their backgrounds and conversion experiences.