Why Islam is my choice — Page 87
87 reader a short outline about him. Then proceeded to my flat to read this book that I felt was a precious gem. All the books on Isl ā m that I had previously read were nothing like what appeared to me while reading this sublime book. I immediately wrote to the mosque in Washington DC to get a list of A ḥ madiyyah literature. After receiving it, I was aroused with ecstatic admiration of the titles and wide range of books that A ḥ madiyyat offered especially the books on Jesus (peace be on him). I saw that there was a mosque in Jamaica, New York, so I figured I could get books from the mosque rather than dealing with the mail to Washington back and forth, etc. I proceeded to the mosque one Jumu‘a day and I was in the street a half hour or more searching for the mosque because I couldn’t find it. This was because it was on the second story and I could not find an address number when suddenly I espied brothers and sisters emerging from upstairs coming down the sidewalk. I immediately rushed over and gave my Sal ā ms and said I wanted to purchase some books and literature. A brother said, “Brother Bash ī r, we have to go back upstairs. This brother wants to buy some books. ” So we went back into the mosque. I was pleased with their easy manner and willingness to help me. They did not have as many books as I thought they would have but what I found was more significant any way. After I purchased what I could, one of the brothers at the mosque came over to me. His manner was soft but intense and loving. He said, “Brother, I’m buying this book for you,” and, he gave me the book. This affected me with a strong emotion towards the seriousness of A ḥ mad ī s and in particular this brother, who I later found out was ‘Umar Bil ā l Ebrah ī m who became mentor and sincere Muslim brother. The book he bought for me was “Isl ā m and its Comparison with Other Religions,” by Ḥ a ḍ rat Mirz ā