Why Islam is my choice — Page 10
10 Mu ḥ ammad Ṣā diq How I Accepted A ḥ madiyyat In one of his addresses during the 1993 U. K. annual convention, Ḥ a ḍ rat Mirz ā ā hir A ḥ mad, Fourth Successor to the Promised Messiah made a special comment about Br. Mu ḥ ammad Ṣā diq, that Bro. Ṣā diq had lost the light of his eyes but All ā h had increased the light of his heart. My name is Mu ḥ ammad Ṣā diq. Before accepting Isl ā m, my name was Howard William Scott. I was told that the first Muslim missionary to the United States was Muft ī Mu ḥ ammad Ṣā diq. I liked that name so much that I decided to take it for my own. I was born in Newark, New Jersey, on October 29, 1912. My parents lived in Irvington, New Jersey, but due to some unpleasant domestic circumstances, they separated. I, along with my mother, was brought to live with my grandparents in Newark. I went to school in Newark, but, unfortunately, could never finish high school. My family, by tradition, had a very keen interest in the profession of music. I also grew up learning music from my family members. My instructions were mostly in classical music. However, since jazz had gained an overwhelming popularity in this country, my own interest also shifted towards it. That was the main reason for the discontinuity of my