Ottawa Imam Worries About Increase In Young Male Converts To Islam

The rise in young male converts in their 20s and 30s has the imam of a Canadian mosque in Ottawa plenty worried. Sam Metwally heads one of the largest mosques in the city, and it seems this increase has occurred ever since the shooting last October when convert Michael Zehaf-Bibeau gunned down a soldier, and then made his way into the Canadian parliament guns a blazing.

Metwally said anywhere from 15 to 20 men in their 20s to 30s have come to the mosque to convert since the shootings.

“This is the biggest number after an event like this happens, and it was strange,” he said.

What is worrying for the Muslim community is that the new converts are not returning back to the mosques for further education about Islam.

“We try to give them our contacts, we try to encourage them to come again, but unfortunately the vast, vast majority of new converts, they come once and they disappear,” Metwally said.

“They never come back again. And this is a big concern for us.”

Some Muslim leaders demand a strict policy in place at all mosques across Ottawa, requiring potential converts to take a course in order to understand the religion.

“What we’ve been hearing from converts for years is that the Muslim community actually needs to do more for converts,” Amira Elghawaby, a member The National Council of Canadian Muslims, said.

She added: “The community needs to be providing more Muslim 101 classes, we need to be inviting people who are new to the faith to come in and learn.”

If he's that worried, don't do it. Most other religions require lessons before conversion. Maybe he should follow the lead of those other Muslims who allow conversion only after taking a course.

At least he's bringing it to the light.