Most people who examine Islam intellectually recognize that it is the truth — yet many still hesitate to take the next step. What holds them back is not a lack of understanding, but the pull of desires: the fear of giving up comfortable habits, the attachment to worldly status, and the reluctance to change. In this insightful conversation, Abdur Raheem Green addresses the real obstacle between people and their Creator.
The Real Barrier Is Not Intellectual — It Is Desire
When people actually read the Quran and study the authentic life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) for themselves — rather than relying on news outlets or preachers with agendas — most recognize that Islam makes perfect sense. The real struggle begins when they realize that accepting Islam means changing their lifestyle. Unlike the “instant coffee” salvation offered in some faiths, where simply believing is enough regardless of how you live, Islam requires real commitment and real change.
“The main obstacle between people and Islam is not their failure to understand that it is the truth. It’s our desires. ‘If I become a Muslim, I have to stop this, I have to do that, I have to change my life’ — and that’s the real issue.”
Understanding the Nature of Desire
- In Islam, desires (nafs) are not inherently evil — they are essential drives for survival: hunger, thirst, self-preservation, and procreation
- The problem arises when desires are pursued without limits, outside the boundaries set by the Creator
- Islam does not ask you to eliminate your desires but to channel them in ways that bring lasting benefit rather than temporary pleasure
- The sweetness of connecting with Allah — through prayer, reflection, and remembrance — fills the heart in ways that worldly pleasures never can
“If you know there is one God, and you know Muhammad is the messenger of God — say it. Testify and join this beautiful nation of believers. The Shaytaan will just keep trying to delay you, hoping that you die without those words on your lips.”
Do Not Let Shaytaan Delay You
The devil’s strategy is not always to convince you that Islam is false — sometimes it is simply to make you delay. One more day, one more week, one more year. But none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. If the truth is clear in your heart, do not let your desires or the whispers of Shaytaan stop you from taking the most important step of your life. Testify that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His messenger — and begin your journey to true, lasting peace.
