A guest post by a German atheist.
I was a german atheist and now I am a german Muslim, I wear a beard, I invite people to Islam, and I feel a deep peace in my heart – this is my story.
Some people think I became Muslim from one day to the next, like I had a sudden “aha moment.” But that’s not true. It was a long process.
For months, I started thinking more and more about life. I asked myself big questions:
- How did everything come into existence?
- Can something exist without a creator?
- Why does everything in nature have a purpose, but humans act like they have none?
It felt like something deep inside me was pushing me to seek answers.
Then, one day, I looked at the world differently. Everything in life has a cause. A book doesn’t write itself. A car doesn’t build itself. Everything needs someone to create it.
Then I looked at nature: the sun, the stars, the oceans, the human body, the laws of physics – everything was designed perfectly.
So if everything has a purpose, then I, as a human, must also have a purpose. But what was it?
Searching for the Truth – The Purpose of Life
I started looking at different religions. But nothing made sense to me.
Some religions worship statues – but why would an all-powerful Creator need a statue?
Some said God has a son – but why would a perfect God need a child?
Others said there is no God – but then where did everything come from?
Nothing felt logical. Until I found Islam – and it’s absolutely logical concept of monotheism.
Ironically, this was the religion I hated the most.
When I was younger, I burned a German Qur’an with my friends. Back then, it was just a joke to me.
But now? Now I wanted to know what it actually said.
So I searched for a German Quran online and started reading. And then I found this verse:
“Whoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart to the right path.”
(Quran 64:11)
This was exactly what had happened to me. Over months, my heart had been pulled towards the truth, even though I didn’t realize it at first. I had simply followed the signs, and those signs had led me to Islam.
At that moment, I knew. This was the truth.
The Answers That Led Me to Islam
How Did Everything Come Into Existence?
As an atheist, I used to believe that everything happened by chance. The universe, the stars, the planets, life itself – all just a random accident.
But then I started thinking logically.
Everything we know has a cause, whether that is a book, phone, computer, or human! Things don’t pop into existence and a phone doesn’t assemble itself from metal and plastic!
So how could this entire universe – with its precise laws, its order, its complexity – just come from nothing? And nowadays, the fine tuning argument is ever so strong, even Astrophysicists are bamboozled how things are so perfect.
The Qur’an answered this question perfectly:
“Were they created by nothing, or were they themselves the creators? Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Rather, they are not certain.”
(Quran 52:35-36)
This verse hit me like a hammer. The logic was undeniable. There are only three possibilities:
- The universe was created from nothing – which makes no sense.
- The universe created itself – also impossible.
- The universe was created by something greater than itself – the only rational answer.
Some people say, “Maybe the universe always existed.” But even science disagrees. The Big Bang theory shows that the universe had a beginning.
Everything that begins to exist must have a cause.
The Quran confirmed this truth over 1,400 years ago:
“Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is, over all things, Disposer of affairs.” (Quran 39:62)
Nothing exists without a Creator. Everything we see – the sun, the stars, the oceans, life itself – is proof of an intelligent Designer.
Even atheists unknowingly believe in laws and order in the universe. But laws cannot create themselves. Order cannot come from chaos without an intelligent force behind it.
That intelligent force is Allah, the One and Only God.
Why Does Everything in Nature Have a Purpose, but Humans Act Like They Have None?
Nature is full of purpose.
- The sun provides light and heat.
- Trees clean the air and provide oxygen.
- Water nourishes the earth and gives life.
- Animals each have roles in the ecosystem.
But what about us? Why do humans exist?
I realized that I had spent years ignoring the most important question: What is my purpose?
The Quran answered it clearly:
“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Quran 51:56)
I was created to worship Allah – not because He needs it, but because I need it.
Life isn’t just about working, making money, and then dying. There is a greater purpose.
And once I realized that, my whole perspective changed. The Qur’an and Sunnah go even further to define the purpose of life.
Becoming a Muslim – Taking My Shahada
I didn’t want to wait. I searched for an online Islamic help chat and told them my story.
And right there, through my screen, with people I had never met, I said my Shahada:
“Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah.”
(“I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Messenger.”)
As soon as I said it, I felt something I had never felt before – a deep peace inside me. It was like my heart had finally found what it was searching for.
I had found my purpose.
Why Islam Over Other Religions?
I had looked at other religions before Islam. But none of them made sense to me.
- Christianity – God has a son? Why would a perfect God need a child?
- Hinduism – Millions of gods? How can there be more than one all-powerful Creator?
- Atheism – No God at all? Then where did everything come from?
Only Islam had a pure, logical concept of God:
- One God, no partners, no sons, no weaknesses.
- A direct connection between the Creator and creation – no priests, no middlemen.
- A clear purpose for life, based on truth, not blind faith.
Islam answered all my questions without contradictions.
People Thought I Was Crazy – But I Didn’t Care
When my family and friends found out, they thought I was crazy.
Some said: “If you became or convert to anything (they mean like Christian, Jewish, or even Buddhist), we would understand… but Islam? That’s absurd!”
They couldn’t believe it. First, they were shocked. Then, they started making fun of me.
They laughed, made jokes, and said: “Come on, are you serious? You, a Muslim? Praying five times a day, really?”
But it didn’t touch me. This belief had entered my heart so strongly that nothing could shake me. I had found the truth, and I wasn’t going to leave it.
And from the very first days of my Islam, I invited them to it.
Since that day, my life has completely changed.
I started praying, fasting, and following Islam. I also grew a beard, wanting to follow the way of the Prophet ﷺ.
But in Germany, having a beard as a Muslim often means discrimination.
People stared at me.
Some avoided me.
Others whispered insults behind my back.
But I didn’t care (and now I care less, because I made Hijra alhamdulillah).
Because Allah gave me something no one can take away – Sakina.
Sakina is a deep peace inside my heart. It’s not just “happiness.” It’s something stronger. A quiet calm that no insult, no hate, no hardship can destroy.
Before Islam, I had depression, anxiety, and felt lost. Now? I feel calm, certain, and an unshakable peace.
If you are reading this, I want to ask you one question:
What happens after you die?
Life is short. Maybe you live 70 years. Maybe 80, if you are lucky. And then? Then you meet Allah.
If Allah could guide someone like me – someone who burned the Quran, made fun of Islam, and never thought he would believe – then He can guide you too.
Don’t wait until it’s too late.
Your Brother, Yunus (Jonah).
Learn more here: Ruf zum Islam
