'Have you heard, Chelsea Clinton is about to become a Muslim?' This is now commonly heard among Muslims, especially in the US. 'Yes. And if it had not been for that terrible car crash, princess Diana would have married Dodi and she, too, would have embraced Islam. Then there would have been Muslim heirs to the British throne.' This theory concludes that there must have been a plot to eliminate Diana to preclude such a possibility.

Whatever the truth about the plot and it is difficult to know precisely there is nothing inherently wrong in Chelsea, or indeed princess Diana, showing interest in Islam. Chelsea certainly had obtained an English translation of the Qur'an, but it would be premature to assume from this that she was becoming a Muslim. As for Diana's interest in Islam, the less said the better, although one would be hard-pressed to convince those who thrive on gossip. The issue here is not whether these ladies were or are really interested in Islam. The more pertinent question is the Muslims' obsession with celebrities embracing Islam. Unfortunately there are Muslims who have reduced Islam's validity to such high-profile events. As the Qur'an mentions in many ayaat, it is Allah who provides guidance to whomever He wills, and for those who reject the Truth, a terrible punishment awaits.

The obsession with celebrities is not new. The most fantastic story was spun around Neil Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the moon, beginning in early 1983. We at Crescent International received phone-calls and letters from Muslims around the world inquiring about Armstrong's conversion. The story was imaginative and rather fascinating: after returning from his moon journey in July 1969, Armstrong went on a world tour. It was claimed that when he arrived in Cairo, the Egyptian capital, he heard the adhan being called out. Intrigued by the sound, he inquired about it and was told that this was the Muslim call to prayer. He is reported to have said that he had heard the same sound when he landed on the moon. This led him to embrace Islam! When this story reached fever pitch, and we were inundated with calls and letters from around the world, we contacted Armstrong's office in Ohio. This writer personally spoke to his secretary, who revealed that although Mr Armstrong had great respect for Islam, he had not become a Muslim and that the adhan story was pure fiction. She also said that the many calls and letters from Muslims from different parts of the world had intrigued her. She in fact offered to send a letter confirming our conversation and even requested that we publicize the facts to put the affair to rest.

Armstrong's secretary did write to us confirming that her boss had not embraced Islam. This, however, was not enough for some Muslims. Later still, some journalists arranged a conference call through the US embassy in Delhi to talk to Neil Armstrong personally and to hear from the horse's mouth, so to speak, that he had not become a Muslim. Only then did the story come to some sort of an end, perhaps much to the disappointment of the hero-worshipping Muslims.

Some Muslims have spun similar stories about Yusuf Islam, formerly the singer Cat Stevens. To his credit, wherever Yusuf Islam has lectured, he has told Muslims to worship only Allah and not humans. This message, unfortunately, seems lost on many Muslims. It is interesting to note that Yusuf Islam did not discover the deen of Allah through the effort of any Muslim but by reading the Qur'an himself. He says that his own brother (a non-Muslim) gave him an English translation of the Qur'an. He did not read it for about three years. Then one day, he picked it and was fascinated. This is how he was led to Islam. Allah says in the noble Qur'an, He guides whomever He wills. Yusuf Islam is one of them, alhamdulillah.

There are many well-known personalities in the world who have embraced Islam but there are countless non-celebrities - so-called 'ordinary people' - who have also embraced it. Islam's validity and strength are not dependent only on celebrities. In the early days of Islam, the noble Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, went to all the chiefs of the various tribes in Makkah. The majority, including two of his uncles Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab - did not pay heed. Many of the downtrodden - Bilal and others - embraced Islam. The tribal chiefs became implacable enemies of Islam but it still triumphed because Allah willed it so.

There are many downtrodden people in North America, Europe and other places who have entered the fold of Islam. Islam is enriched by the presence of the diverse groups of people who have entered its fold. All to often suuch people are looked down on by born Muslims, for racist, classist or nationalist reasons. This is entirely counter to Islam. It is the quality of these individuals, not their station in life, that matters.

  If Muslims truly want to see the miracle of Islam and the Qur'an in contemporary history, then they should ponder over the transformation that people undergo when they become Muslims. This is especially true of those who had previously committed heinous crimes. Many inmates in US prisons who embrace Islam become the most decent, civilised and God-fearing individuals. Despite the brutal regime in many US institutions, prison wardens readily admit the great transformation of these individuals when they become Muslims. It is to this aspect that Muslims need to pay attention. Further, Muslims must themselves live according to the tenets of Islam. It is embarrassing to constantly hear that Islam is the best religion but Muslims the worst followers. The challenge facing Muslims today is to present a model of the decent individual who is caring and compassionate and who provides inspiration by his or her own example.

   In the end, I would just like to re-iterate that the times when the result of such misdirected obsessions with celebrity conversions backfires, we end up cutting a very sorry picture. An example of such famous convert to islam, much touted on most Muslim websites is Jemima Khan nee Goldsmith.

"I am nevertheless fully aware that women are sometimes exploited and oppressed in Islamic societies, as in other parts of the world. Judging by some of the articles which have appeared in the press, it would seem that a Western woman's happiness hinges largely upon her access to nightclubs, alcohol and revealing clothes; and the absence of such apparent freedom and luxuries in Islamic societies is seen as an infringement of her basic rights. However, as we all know, such superficialities have very little to do with true happiness. Besides, without in any way wishing to disparage the culture of the Western world, into which I was born, I am more than willing to forego the transient pleasures derived from alcohol and nightclubs; and as for the clothes I will be wearing, I find the traditional shalwar kameez (tunic and trousers) worn by most Pakistani women far more elegant and feminine than anything in my wardrobe." Jemima on Salam.co.uk

  So when the media flashed Jemima(30) in arms of her friend Hugh(45) after being divorced from her husband Imran (51), in various stages of undress and at various places including night clubs, beaches, parties etc., she seemed to have forgotten all that she had spoken about Muslims and Islam just a couple of years ago and appeared to be neck deep in an adulterous relationship, the Muslims were shell-shocked and at a loss of words. Read Shocking Details of Jemima and Hugh.

   Jemima's statement above could have borne out of various motives. Enhancing political career of her husband in a seemingly orthodox Pakistani society is just one of them but equally blameworthy is her ex-husband Imran who despite knowing that his wife hasn't given up on any of the western cultural values, probably forced these words into her mouth, eventually bringing disrepute to himself and his community. The blame of being in adulterous relationships lie also on Imran for his constant denials and secret affairs with (then married) Sita White. His own wife now deserting him might have brought a feeling of Deja Vu.

The ongoing saga of Jemima is just one high profile example of how Muslims should not highlight or celebrate any celebrity or otherwise normal conversions. Those who convert to Islam do it for their own good, in this life and hereafter and those who become apostates thereafter do so at their own peril but those Muslims who look upon these conversions as another feather in Islamic cap, do it at the risk of not only embarrassing Muslim community in general but buying a heartache for themselves at real discounted prices.

This article is worth reading:

Saga of princess and heart surgeon - Diana and Jemima - Like Sisters in Arms: 

© 2000 May be reproduced for non-profit purposes only, in its entirety, with proper attribution, and with notification to the author. Edited versions must be approved in writing by the webmaster. All other rights reserved.