Islam Rediscovered
23. Conversion: An Intellectual Transformation
~ 397 ~
finally it was rejected by the academic world, being
replaced by the heliocentric theory, this having
stood the test of observation. Conversion in the
world of thought is called religious conversion,
which is only a small part of the vaster scheme of
nature.
The truth is that conversion is a universal law
established by nature itself, on the basis of which all
the material progress of the modern world has been
taking place. Just as the physical growth of living
beings (humans and animals) has depended wholly
on this principle of conversion, so also has all the
progress made in the world of thought over
thousands of years. That is, theories have become
established truths when proven by available facts.
In this world no meaningful development can take
shape without going through this process of
conversion. This is especially true of the acceptance
of religion, which is another name for recognition of
spiritual truth. Only that religion can become one’s
own which has been discovered as a result of
personal struggle. Religion is deeply related to
conviction and conviction in turn is related to
