How does Islam continue to grow in the West?

Someone posted this question recently on an Islamic forum that I belong to:
There all kinds of people coming to Islam. There are some that even
convert in huge masses (20+ people). It's the fastest growing religion
in the UK and USA. Just visit Youtube. How is thata religion that is
put down in the media constantly is the most popular choice today?
Let me put it in marketing terms to start. I don't want to cheapen our
deen which is the most beautiful way of life, ordained for humanity by
Allah. But most people in this consumer culture of the West understand
marketing concepts.
In the marketing industrythey say that there is no such thing as bad
publicity. That may or may not be true, but I do believe it is true
when you have a quality product. Islam is a qualityproduct.
I have heard of many people who initially wanted to learn more about
this "terrible religion" that gets so much bad press. So they picked
up a book on Islam or a copy of the Quran, began reading, and
SubhanAllah, were guided to the truth.
That's the way of it.
Throwing a rubber ballat the ground
This deen is a clarion call,it is the sunlight through the clouds. It
is manifest truth. As much as the enemies of Allah try to badmouth
Islam, they only serve its cause. As Allah says (paraphrasing) in the
Quran, they desired to extinguish the light of Allah with their
mouths, but Allah will complete His light, though the disbelievers may
detest it.
Someone once said to methat those who try to damage Islam are like
someone throwing a rubber ball down on the ground. The harder they
throw it, trying to smash it, the higher it bounces back in the air.
When I say there's no such thing as bad publicity, that doesn't mean
that I am happy about things like terroristattacks, "honor killings",
female genital mutilationand other bad actions that bring bad
publicity to Islam. I despise those acts and I utterly condemn them,
not only because they damage theimage of Islam and make life harder
for Muslims, but because they are evil in themselves, and they bring
suffering to innocent people.
No, when I say there's no such thing as bad publicity, I am thinking
more of the lies that are told about Islam. Hateful preachers who
insult the Prophet (peace be upon him); or the often-made false claim
that Islam wasspread by the sword; or the bigoted epithets
(like"Islamofascists") that are used to try to discredit Islam in the
eyes of the public. In the end, all these lies will fail, because
truth is clear from falsehood.
Quran 61:8
(8) They want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but
Allah will perfect His light, although the disbelievers dislike it.
(9) It is He who sent His Messenger with guidanceand the religion of
truth to manifest it over all religion, although those who associate
others with Allah dislike it.
(Umm Muhammad translation)
The enemies of Islam think that Allah's light is like a candle that
can be blown out with the breath from their mouths, by propagating
false rumors and lies about this deen. They might as well try to blow
out the light of the sun. Allah's light is far more powerful even than
that.
Quran is a light
"O humankind, there has come to you a conclusive proof from your Lord,
and We have sent down to you a clear light."(Quran 4:174)
Allah has manifested His light in the revelation of the Quran. It is
an eternalbook, protected by Allah, unchanged, shedding light like a
lamp that never runs dry. It illuminates the souls of those who read
it and practice it, and so light spreads in the world, purifying it.
That's why the Messengerof Allah (pbuh) said,"The best amongst you are
those who learn the Quran and teach it."[Al-Bukhaari] Because theQuran
is the source of guidance and a light, andby spreading it we ensure
the victory of Islam over oppression, we perpetuate Truth in the
world, and we offer guidance to the lost.
The Quran is also a sourceof internal peace. Recitation and
contemplation of the Quran soothes the heart and carries away the
stresses of life, and it brings one closer to Allah.That's why the
Prophet (pbuh) said,"No people assemble in one of the houses of Allah,
and recite and study the Bookof Allah, except that tranquility
prevails over them, mercy encompasses them, the angels surround them,
and Allah makes a mention of them in the presence of those near
Him."[Muslim]
Wow. SubhanAllah.
So it's not surprising when you hear stories from people who were
non-Muslims; became curious about Islam due to the constant
fear-mongering in the media; decided to pick up a Quran and check it
out for themselves; and found themselves moved,and their hearts
touched,so that they accepted Islam. It's a very common story.
Trust in Allah
I started out by answering the question, "How does Islam continue to
grow in the West in spite of all the negative press and lies?" Now I
want to add a finalmessage for my Muslim readers: Don't despair when
you see the forces of falsehood arrayed in all their power against
Islam. When you read about Muslims being oppressed in Palestine,
Chechnya, East Turkestan (a Muslim province of China) and so many
otherplaces, you should feel pain and sympathy for your brothers and
sisters,but don't let your heart be filled with rage or hatred.
Don't despair! Hatred anddespair are the oppositesof faith; they lead
to corruption and are the fuel that drives evils like terrorism, where
people cast aside the principles of their religion, and allow
themselves to be seduced into blind violence, justifying it to
themselves because they are so angry.
Trust that Allah will perfect His light.Do your part to serve the
cause ofIslam(that is key!), and then trust that Allah will manifest
the Truth over all, no matter who standsagainst it. Trust also that
Allah will guide you, and bring you into the light, and reward you in
this life and the next.
In these next two verses there is a double message, one for the People
of the Book (the Christians and the Jews), calling them to the light
that Allah has revealed; and one to the believers, calling on them to
"pursue His pleasure to the ways of peace…", in other words to seek
Allah's pleasure through compassionate and righteous action on the
paths of peace.
"O People of the Scripture, there has cometo you Our Messenger making
clear to you much of what you used to conceal of the Scripture and
overlooking much. There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear
Book; By which Allah guides those who pursueHis pleasure to the ways
of peace and brings themout from darknesses into the light, by His
permission, and guides them to a straight path."(Quran 5:15-16)