King Abdulaziz, the desert warrior

List of converts to Islam

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of notable people, mainly from the United States and Europe, who have converted to Islam sometime during their lives. Some have reconverted to other religions later in their life.

Contents

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• 1 Converts to Mainstream Islam
  • 1.1 Companions of Muhammad
  • 1.2 Politics related
  • 1.3 Sports related
  • 1.4 Art related
  • 1.5 Religious figures
  • 1.6 Scholars
  • 1.7 Philosophy related
  • 1.8 Writers and journalists
  • 1.9 Mystics
  • 1.10 Society figures
  • 1.11 Science related
  • 1.12 Military related
    • 1.12.1 Ranking officers
    • 1.12.2 Militants
  • 1.13 Crime related
    • 1.13.1 Terrorism-related
    • 1.13.2 Other crimes
• 2 Unclassified
• 3 Converts to Nation of Islam
• 4 See also

Companions of Muhammad

• Abbad ibn Bishr - known for his devotion to worship, knowledge and courage in battle
• Abd-Allah ibn Abbas - from paganism, cousin of Muhammad
• Abd-Allah ibn Jahsh - from paganism, cousin of Muhammad
• Abd-Allah ibn Mas'ud - from paganism, was the 6th man who converted to Islam after Muhammad started preaching in Mecca
• Abd-Allah ibn Umar - from paganism, son of the second Caliph Umar ibn Khattab
• Abd-al-Rahman ibn Awf - from paganism, one of the first eight persons to accept Islam
• Abdullah ibn Sailam - from Judaism, was a rabbi
• Abdullah ibn Hudhafah as-Sahmi
• Abu Ayyub al-Ansari - was one among the Ansar
• Abu Bakr - father of Aisha, first of the Four Caliphs and rightful successor to Muhammad (according to Sunni Muslims)
• Abu Dharr - from paganism, noted for his piety
• Abu Hurayrah - from Judaism, narrator of Hadith most quoted in the isnad
• Abu Musa al-Asha'ari - governor of Basra and Kufa
• Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith - son of Harith ibn Abd al-Muttalib
• Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah - member of the Quraysh clan al-Harith ibn Fihr
• Adiyy ibn Hatim - from paganism, was an Arab king
• Aisha - from pre-Islamic Arab paganism, scholar, the youngest wife of Muhammad, see Wives of Muhammad
• Al-Baraa ibn Malik al-Ansari - from paganism, personal aide of the Prophet
• Ali ibn Abi Talib - first Imam, last of the Four Caliphs and rightful successor to Muhammad (according to Shi'a Muslims)
• An-Numan ibn Muqarrin - was the leader of the tribe of Banu Muzaynah
• At-Tufayl ibn Amr ad-Dawsi - was chief of the Daws tribe from Tihama
• Bilal ibn Ribah - freed from slavery by Abu Bakr
• Habib ibn Zayd al-Ansari - martyr of Islam
• Hakim ibn Hazm - from paganism, was principal narrator of hadith
• Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib - from paganism, uncle of Muhammad
• Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman - one of the earliest converts to Islam
• Jafar ibn Abi Talib - known as "the possessor of two wings"
• Julaybib - from paganism, was a martyr
• Khabbab ibn al-Aratt - from the Banu Tamim clan in Najd
• Khadijah bint Khuwaylid - from pre-Islamic Arab paganism, businesswoman, the first wife of Muhammad, the first female convert to Islam, see Wives of Muhammad
• Muadh ibn Jabal - noted for his intelligence, quick wit, potency in speech
• Muhammad Ibn Maslamah - was among the first in Yathrib to become a Muslim
• Musab ibn Umayr - from paganism
• Nuaym ibn Masud - from paganism
• Rabiah ibn Kab - from paganism
• Rumaysa bint Milhan - from paganism, one of the earliest women converts to Islam
• Sa'd ibn Abi-Waqqas - from the Banū Zuhrah clan
• Sa'd ibn Muadh - from Paganism
• Salman the Persian - from Zoroastrism
• Umar ibn al-Khattab - second of the Four Caliphs
• Uthman ibn Affan - third of the Four Caliphs

Politics related

• Michel Aflaq - from the Greek Orthodox Church, the ideological founder of Baathism
• Yousef Al-Khattab (Yosef Cohen) - from Orthodox Judaism, converted to Islam with his wife and 4 children, his political goal is to implement Islamic Sharia worldwide [1]
• Haji Idi Amin - from Catholicism, former dictator of Uganda
• Khaled Edward Blair - English barrister, works for an investment bank, married to Princess Badiya of Jordan
• Jean-Bédel Bokassa - from Catholicism (later reconverted), Central African Emperor
• Omar Bongo - President of Gabon
• Torquato Cardilli - Italian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia
• Thomas Haidon - from Catholicism, lawyer, government advisor of New Zealand [2]
• Ibrahim Hooper (Douglas Hooper) - Islamic activist
• Iyasu V - former Emperor of Ethiopia
• Mathieu Kérékou - from Christianity (later reconverted), President of Benin
• Karl Nickner - Executive Director of CAIR-CAN [3]
• David Musa Pidcock - from Catholic Christianity, leader of the Islamic Party of Britain
• Apisai Tora - Fijian politician
• Sabrina Varroni - of Italy, fined € 80 for wearing a burqa in Drezzo, Italy sparking a controversy in Italian politics [4]
• Malcom X / Malik Shabazz (Malcolm Little) - from Christianity to NOI to mainstream Islam, African-American civil rights leader

Sports related

• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Lew Alcindor) - retired basketball player, NBA's all-time leading scorer
• Karim Abdul-Jabbar (Sharmon Shah) - former football player
• Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (Chris Jackson) - retired basketball player
• Tariq Abdul-Wahad - basketball player
• Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay) - from Christianity to NOI to mainstream Islam, American retired boxer
• Nicolas Anelka - French football player
• Chris Eubank - boxer
• Mustafa Hamsho - boxer
• Bernard Hopkins - boxer
• Mohammed Jaafar - Australian professional wrestler
• Bruno Metsu - French coach of the Senegal team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup
• Muhsin Muhammad - football player
• Matthew Saad Muhammad - from Catholic Christianity, former boxer
• Robin Van Persie - former Dutch football player, midfielder of Arsenal F.C.
• Dwight Muhammad Qawi - boxer
• Franck Ribery - French football player
• Ahmed Santos - American publicist, former boxer
• Philippe Troussier - former French football player, trainer of a Japanese football team
• Mike Tyson - former heavyweight boxing champion of the world
• Rasheed Wallace - basketball player
• George Weah - from Christianity (later reconverted), professional football player
• Danny Williams - British boxer
• Mohammad Yousuf - from Christianity, Pakistani cricket player

Art related

• Dawud Wharnsby Ali - singer [5]
• Maurice Béjart - French choreographer
• Art Blakey - jazz drummer
• Prince Buster - reggae musician
• Dave Chappelle - from Unitarianism (Christian roots), American Comedian
• John Coltrane - from Christianity (also adhered to other religions)
• Mos Def - rapper
• Everlast - from Catholicism
• Flesh-N-Bone - from the rap group, Bone Thugs N Harmony
• Abdullah Ibrahim - South African musician
• Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) - from Greek Orthodox and Catholic Christianity
• Jermaine Jackson - from Jehovah's Witnesses, former member of the Jackson Five
• Ahmad Jamal - jazz pianist
• Yusef Lateef - jazz musician
• Idris Muhammad
• Peter Murphy - from Catholicism, lead singer of the post-punk band, Bauhaus
• Napoleon - from a Christian / Muslim household
• Q-Tip - rapper, founder and leader of the former band A Tribe Called Quest
• A. R. Rahman - Indian music composer
• MC Ren - rapper
• Peter Sanders - photographer
• Omar Sharif - actor - from Maronite Catholicism
• Joe Tex - rapper
• Richard Thompson - songwriter

Religious figures

• Umar Faruq Abd-Allah - from Protestant Christianity, Islamic scholar
• Abdul-Ahad Omar (Gary Miller) - former Christian priest and missionary
• Shabbetai Tzvi - former Jewish religious leader

Scholars

• Aminah Assilmi - from a Southern Baptist, scholar, director of the International Union of Muslim Women
• Hamid Algar - a tenured British professor at the University of Berkeley, has particular expertise in the Ja'fari school of thought and Iranian civilization
• Dr. Sherman A. Jackson - Islamic Scholar and Academic, University of Michigan Near East Studies and Law School
• Nuh Ha Mim Keller - from Catholic Christianity to agnosticism to Sufism, Islamic scholar
• Martin Lings - from Protestantism to Sufism
• Ingrid Mattson - Canadian scholar
• Jeremiah McAuliffe - from Catholicism, American convert to Islam who holds a doctorate in formative spirituality from Duquesne University [6]
• Akbar Muhammad - scholar of history and African studies
• Muhammad Pickthall (Marmaduke Pickthall) - from Christianity, a translator of the Qur'an
• Zaid Shakir - Islamic scholar
• Haschem Wilde - British Muslim professor
• Timothy J. Winter - Islamic scholar, Lecturer in Islamic Studies at the University of Cambridge
• Sheikh 'Abd al-Wahid Yahya (René Guénon) - from Catholic Christianity to Sufism, philosopher
• Khalid Yasin - former American Christian, the Executive Director of the Islamic Teaching Institute (ITI)
• Hamza Yusuf - Islamic scholar

Philosophy related

• Titus Burckhardt - philosopher, historian, mystic
• Roger Garaudy - French philosopher, writer

Writers and journalists

• Ali Bey al-Abbasi - writer, explorer (disputed)
• Muhammed al-Ahari - from Christianity, American essayist
• Muhammad Asad - from Judaism, writer
• Amir Butler - Salafi Australian author
• Ian Dallas - writer
• Isabelle Eberhardt - from Lutheran Christianity, 19th century explorer and writer
• Knud Holmboe - 19th century Danish journalist, explorer
• Ali Ibrahim Kalyanaraman - from Hinduism and Zoroastrianism, poet, author, scholar
• Maryam Jameelah - from Reform Judaism, essayist, poet, journalist and author
• Ruqayyah Waris Maqsood - from Protestant Christianity, British author
• Margaret Marcus - from Reform Judaism
• Daniel Moore - from Christianity, poet
• Lev Nussimbaum - from Judaism, writer
• Harry St. John Philby - from Anglicanism, Arabist, explorer, writer, British colonial office intelligence operative
• William Abdullah Quilliam - from Christianity, poet, solicitor, ambassador, journalist
• Bilal Racheha - Australian social commentator
• Yvonne Ridley - from Anglicanism, journalist
• Stephen Schwartz - Sufi journalist
• Kamala Suraiya - Indian writer
• Pamela Taylor - writer and board member of the Progressive Muslim Union [7] [8]
• Brandon Toropov - from Christianity
• Alexander Russell Webb - from Presbyterian Christianity, 19th Century U.S. journalist
• Michael Wolfe - writer, documentarist
• Michael Young - of Britain [9]

Mystics

• Samuel L. Lewis - aka Ahmed Murad Chisti or Sufi Sam
• Daniel Moore - Sufi poet

Society figures

• Jemima Goldsmith - from Judaism, British socialite, ex-wife of Imran Khan
• Heather Laird-Jackson - from Christianity, American Muslim activist, wife of Dr. Sherman A. Jackson
• Ayesha Sultana (Sharmila Tagore) - from Hinduism, Bollywood actress, converted to marry her husband

Science related

• Jeffrey Lang - mathematician, has a Saudi Arabian wife
• Susanne Osthoff - German archaelogist, hostage in Iraq

Ranking officers

• Mehemet Ali - German general
• Józef Bem - Polish-Hungarian general
• Claude Alexandre de Bonneval - French general
• Murad Wilfred Hofmann - from Catholic Christianity, NATO official
• Jacques-Francois Menou - French general, governor of Egypt
• Emin Pasha - German general
• Omer Pasha - Bosnian general
• Suleiman Pasha - French general
• Rudolf Carl von Slatin - Austrian general
• James Yee - American captain

Militants

• Ryan G. Anderson - former Lutheran, convicted of charges of espionage for Al Qaeda [10] [11]
• Aukai Collins - Hawaiian American, fought in Chechnya, paid FBI informant, author of an autobiographical book [12]
• Bob Denard - French mercenary
• David Hicks - presumably from Christianity, held by the U.S. as an illegal enemy combatant
• John Walker Lindh - from Catholic Christianity, the "American Taliban"
• José Padilla - detained by the U.S. as an illegal enemy combatant
• The Portland Seven - Jeffrey Leon Battle, Patrice Lumumba Ford and October Lewis
• Hiram Torres and Thomas Fischer - converts who died while participating in armed jihad, American Torres died in Afghanistan [13] and German Fischer died in Chechnya [14]

Terrorism-related

The following converts have been convicted on charges related to terrorism.

• Jerôme Courtailler and David Courtailler - two French brothers, convicted by French authorities in 2004 for abetting terrorists, [15] [16] alongside with fellow converts Johann Bonté and Jean-Marc Grandvisir [17]
• Lionel Dumont - convicted by French authorities for participation in a series of attacks in the 1990s, including an attempt to bomb a Group of Seven summit in Lille [18]
• Wadih el-Hage - from Catholicism, Lebanese, Osama bin Laden's right hand man, convicted for conspiracy against the United States and mass murder
• Clement Rodney Hampton-El - converted from the Moorish Science Temple, member of al-Fuqra, convicted of conspiracy in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing [19] [20]
• Domenico Quaranta - Italian, convicted for setting fire to a Milan subway station and trying to attack ancient Greek temples in Agrigento, Sicily [21]
• Richard Reid - British "Shoe Bomber"
• Jack Roche - former Jemaah Islamiah member in Australia
• Andrew Rowe - of Britain [22]
• Randall Royer - American, convicted for possession of illegal arms and explosives, struck a plea bargain with U.S. prosecutors [23]
• Ilich Ramírez Sánchez - aka "Carlos the Jackal"
• Steven Smyrek - German convert, served seven years for preparing a suicide attack [24]
• Joseph Thomas - of Australia [25]
• Jason Walters - of the Netherlands [26]

The following converts died in the commission of suicide attacks.

• Muriel Degauque - Belgian, died in a suicide bombing against American troops in Iraq
• Sergey Dimitriyev - Russian, died during a suicide attack in Chechnya on June 11, 2000
• Jamal Lindsay - participated and died in the 7 July 2005 London bombings [27] [28] [29]

The following converts are suspected by various governmental authorities of being involved with terrorism.

• Adam Yahiye Gadahn - from Christianity, suspected Al Qaeda spokesman in the U.S.
• Christian Ganczarski - suspected by German authorities of ties with high ranking Al Qaeda officials [30]
• Abu Malik - American, implicated by the U.S. Department of Justice in the 1998 United States embassy bombings [31]
• Vladimir Khodov - from Russian Orthodoxy, allegedly participated in the Beslan raid, suspected by Russian authorities to be a terrorist [32]
• Pavel Kosolapov - Russian, suspected by Russian authorities of planning several suicide operations in Chechnya [33] [34]
• Ahmed Santos (militant) - from Roman Catholicism, of the Philippines, fugitive, founder of the Rajah Solaiman Movement, suspected by Filipino authorities to be an Al Qaeda operative [35] [36]

Other crimes

The following converts are associated with notable criminal cases.

• Yasin Abu Bakr - of Trinidad and Tobago, under trial for an attempted coup as of March 9, 2006 [37]
• Mumia Abu-Jamal - journalist, political activist, convicted of murder, his case is being reinvestigated
• Hasan Akbar - U.S. soldier, convicted of killing two U.S. officers during duty in Kuwait [38]
• David Belfield - American convert, assassinated Ali Akbar Tabatabai, an Iranian dissident and subsequently fled to Iran, [39] charged with murder [40]
• Jill Courtney - Australian, girlfriend of convicted killer and drug trafficker Hassan Kalache, arrested on March 26, 2006 for attempted murder of unnamed people [41] [42] [43] [44]
• Michael Julius Ford, shot by a SWAT team during a shootout in a Safeway warehouse in Denver, Colorado [45]
• David Myatt - from Paganism, Neo-Nazi-activist [46]
• Pierre Robert - French convert, sentenced to life imprisonment by Moroccan authorities for establishing an Islamist network in northern Morocco [47] [48]

Unclassified

• Yusman Roy - imprisoned in Indonesia for conducting Islamic ceremonies in a language other than Arabic