Why Islam is my choice — Page 16
16 Khal ī l Ma ḥ m ū d How I Accepted Isl ā m I was born in Boston, Massachusetts on March 7, 1929. My family was from the West Indies. My father, John Steven Drewry Peters, came to the United States in 1903, and my mother, Josephine Maud Blanchard Peters, came later. At the time of my birth, my name was John Stevens Fredrick Peters. Ironically, I was born ten years after my parents got married and I was ten years old when my mother passed away. Our father took very good care of us, but since the nature of his job was such that he had to travel to many different cities, we were left in the care of our aunt. I was brought up in a very religious environment. My parents were of a very conservative background. They belonged to the Anglican Church in the West Indies, but after moving to the United States, they joined the Church of Christ in Harvard Square (Cambridge, MA). I went to Sunday School regularly where I learned about Christianity and Jesus Christ. That left a very deep impression on me, and religion became a regular part of my life. As kids, we were always told to respect religion. As a matter of fact, we were not allowed to play on Sundays because that was the Lord’s Day. My father was deeply interested in religion. He used to go to other churches, as well, to find out how others worshipped. My father’s love for religion left a lasting impression on my life. In my senior year at Latin Technical High School, I found