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It's
been two decades since academic and author Jeffrey Lang made the
passage from atheist to devout Muslim, yet he remains as
passionate as ever about his conversion.
Born
to a Roman Catholic family in Bridgeport, Conn., in 1954, Lang
spent his early years questioning the existence of God and
finding no satisfactory answers.
"I
rebelled against all the institutions that society held sacred,
including the Catholic Church," Lang said in a recent talk
to Toronto's Forum for Learning, where he spoke from the heart
about his passage from questioning to conviction and from
bitterness to belief.
His
abusive home life, with an alcoholic father, led to more
bitterness, so at 16, Lang publicly declared himself an atheist.
In
1982, at age 28, Lang accepted Islam, based primarily on a
chance
reading
of the Qur'an.
As
Lang became a practising Muslim he also experienced the
challenges of being a convert, both from within and outside the
community.
"It's
lonely being a convert to Islam," he said in an interview
following his talk. "I felt vulnerable and disconnected
from the host community and needed support.
"The
Muslim community was somewhat critical that I wasn't
conservative enough and that there was no physical change in my
appearance...but I didn't become Muslim to enter into a
community — I already had a family. I wanted to be accepted as
I am and this was a challenge."
To
address these challenges, Lang wrote Struggling To Surrender
— Some Impressions Of An American Convert To Islam, in
which he also tackled the rigidity of the mosque culture.
"At
first I used to attend mosque for the five daily prayers and I
loved going there, but once I got married and had girls, they
were not welcome at the mosque," he wrote.
"I
would like to see mosques being more family friendly —
presently they are like a
men's club."
Lang
has three daughters ages 17, 16 and 14. "Without me, my
girls would lose their only link with Islam and I don't want
that to happen."
After
the book was published, Lang received hundreds of e-mails,
letters and phone calls.
"Mostly
from atheists, converts and second-generation Muslims (living in
the West) who also feel alienated from the mosque culture."
His
latest book, A Call For Help From Within The American Muslim
Community, is based on the feedback he received from
second-generation Muslims.
And
it illustrates that Lang has grown increasingly concerned about
the future of young Muslims in America. He says many do not feel
welcome at the mosques and are falling away from the faith.
He
suggests that the mosque should be a place for spiritual
education and bonding and "cultural traditions that are
nonessential need to be removed — mosques should not become a
cultural asylum."
In
the recently published book, Lang has offered solutions.
"Take
back the mosque," he says, "don't give it up or
smother Islam — that will keep our children away. Make it user
friendly, let women become an essential part of the
mosque."
His
wife is on the board of directors for their local mosque.
After
his talk in Toronto, as Lang was autographing books for his
audience, a young man came up to him and said, "Dr. Lang
you've made a believer of me — I was an atheist but now I want
to revisit my faith."
Lang
had a very positive experience in Canada and upon his return to
Kansas, wrote to say, "Many Muslims from around the world
have expressed to me their hopes that the U.S.A. Muslim
community will lead the way toward Islamic reform, but I keep
responding that my hopes are in Canada.
"This
latest trip has left me all the more convinced that Canada is
where to look for an Islamic reformation.
"I
only hope our community in the U.S. gets dragged along."
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