From Doubt to Faith: Discovering Islam

Series Index | Part 2 →

I begin in the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

Although I believed in the existence of one God, I was once largely sceptical about religion, the Scriptures, and Islam as a whole. This is the first part of a multi-part series, where I’ll share some of my earlier viewpoints and reflect on how reading the Quran and practicing Islam have changed my perspectives.

Religion (Part 1)

I used to think that religion was created by people in power to manipulate the beliefs and behaviours of the masses for their own agendas. In my eyes, a religious person was someone with rigid personal convictions, reliant on external directives and guidelines to navigate life. I believed religion confined our perspectives while life experiences are so diverse, and concepts of right and wrong can be very individual.

As a believer now, I observe that religious devotion is often seen as unusual, even odd, in today’s modern world – almost like an old tradition that no longer fits our times. In wealthier societies, where people often feel a greater sense of control over their lives, some even identify as atheists and reject the idea of a higher intelligence behind our existence. Yet, at a very basic level, many people around the world seem to affirm the existence of a higher divine power.

But is simply acknowledging the existence of God enough? If we don’t seek to understand His nature – and what this could mean for us – then what shapes our thinking, actions, understanding of ourselves, and our sense of life’s purpose? For many, it seems to be the societal norms and cultural trends of their time and place.

After reading the Quran – and I imagine this applies to other holy scriptures, such as the Bible – one begins to appreciate how estrangement from God causes an inner loss within our souls. This disconnection manifests not only in our personal struggles, but also in the broader challenges we face today. Issues like the climate crisis, excessive materialism and consumerism, injustice rooted in self-interest, and ethical confusion are natural outcomes of a world detached from divine principles and lacking a sense of accountability before the Creator.

We all have an innate God-given instinct to distinguish right from wrong, but do we always follow it? Don’t we sometimes let our egos and desires take over? Without truly knowing the One who created us, the heavens and the earth – the One in whose hands all dominion rests – can we rely solely on our personal understanding and trust that God aligns His Truth with our subjective reality?

To close, I’ll leave you with a few Quranic verses that I found thought-provoking in this context:

God wants to turn to you in mercy, but those who follow their desires want you to drift far away. God wishes to lighten your burden, for humankind was created weak. (4:27-28)

As for those who do not believe in the Hereafter, We have certainly made their evil deeds appealing to them, so they wander blindly. (27:4)

If you obeyed most of those on earth, they would lead you away from the path of God. They follow nothing but speculation; they are merely guessing. (6:116)

And do not be like those who forgot God, so He made them forget themselves. (59:19)

Thank you for reading this far. May it be of benefit. I’d be glad to hear your thoughts. In the next part, I will talk about Revelations and Prophets, God willing. Until then, peace be upon you.