Growing up in the African-American community as a Baptist, Dexter (now Mustafa) never had much exposure to Islam beyond scattered misconceptions: that it was a cult, an invalid religion, or that Muslims did not believe in God. But when he began working alongside Muslims in his late teens, what he encountered was nothing like the stereotypes. His first Muslim colleague, a brother named Elijah, was one of the most mannerly, calm, well-tempered, and well-respected people he had ever met, and that encounter planted a seed that would eventually change his life forever.
A Seed That Grew Through Character
Over the years, Mustafa continued to encounter Muslims in his professional life. He learned about fasting, discovered that Allah is the same God worshiped by Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, and began asking the questions that had troubled him since childhood. Chief among them was the question that many Christians struggle with: in a faith that presents three entities, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who exactly do you pray to? Islam answered that question with absolute clarity: you pray directly to the One God, with no intermediary and no confusion.
Even in my early years I had questions. In Christianity you have three: the Holy Ghost, Jesus, and God. But the question was always in my mind: who do you pray to? Islam answered that clearly.
Accepting Islam After 9/11
- Mustafa accepted Islam after the events of September 11, when many expected Muslims to hide their faith, not gain new adherents
- He studied the facts for himself rather than accepting media narratives at face value
- He understood without a doubt that Islam preaches peace, despite the actions of some misguided individuals
- Learning that the God who created Adam, Abraham, Jesus, and Muhammad is the same God made everything unquestionably clear
I tell people to rush, to hurry up, to search out your truth, because life is only temporary. While we have time, we should make up our own minds with facts. And Islam is a fact-based religion.
Mustafa’s journey from the Baptist church to Islam is a powerful reminder that the truth often reaches people through the character and conduct of everyday Muslims, not through lectures or debates. A single encounter with a Muslim of good manners planted a seed that no amount of negative media coverage could uproot. His advice to those still searching is simple and urgent: do not wait, do not rely on others to tell you what Islam is, and pray directly to your Creator for guidance, because the clock of life is ticking for all of us.
