Tariq and Salih who Went to Eton College

and Graduated from Cambridge University

Embrace Islam

Matthew and Nicolas : “We expect that Islam

will widely spread in Europe in the coming thirty years”

Tariq and Salih are two Muslim names which two Englishmen chose as names after embracing Islam. These two new converts graduated from Eton, one of the most prestigious public schools in Britain ; for only the sons of the upper class from inside and outside Britain can afford to go there. The British princes -William and Harry, the sons of Prince Charles- are at present studying there, hence the wide fame this school has gained not only inside Britain but also all over the world.

The old Eton schoolmates of the two converts know them by their names : Matthew Wilkinson and Nicolas Brandt, who are called today Tariq and Salih. They had studied Islam in depth, and then embraced it. They started to regularly attend, as far as possible, the religious lectures in London mosques, where they perform the five prayers, read Verses of the Holy Qur’an, and reiterate the usual: “Peace be upon him” whenever the name of the Prophet Muhammad is mentioned before them.

Let us follow the faith journey which led Tariq and Salih to embrace Islam and to carry out Da`wa among their old schoolmates in an attempt to convince the latter to convert to Islam, after they had given them ample explanation of this religion.

Tariq (30 years old) and Salih (31 years old) said that after having embraced Islam ten years earlier, they had been seriously trying to convince their former Eton schoolmates to embrace Islam, for it is the true religion that leads to the Right Path. They had set as a mission for themselves not only to call to Islam these schoolmates but also another duty which is as important as the first one, and which consists in bringing the Word of Allah to the British. They wanted to bring the Word especially the British youth for fear that the latter would commit sins due to the spiritual vacuum and psychological restlessness they were experiencing. Part of their mission, too, was to help the new British converts. They were entirely sure of the success of their Da`wa mission among the British youth, for they did not have the least doubt about the response of a number of this youth to the Da`wa and their joining of the ranks of the Godly inspired and enlightened converts.

Tariq and Salih expect that within thirty years Islam will spread on a wider scale in Europe, and will be dominant in many European countries, particularly Britain, France and Germany. These countries will in the coming three decades have large numbers of Muslims.  As a result, Islam will have a clear impact on these countries.  This situation has already led their politicians to start studying this matter seriously in an attempt to avoid any trouble in their political, economic and social systems during the first half of the 21st century.

Tariq says that if two upper class British young persons embrace Islam, their conversion will provoke a radical change in the religious nature of society because many people will follow their example, in embracing Islam. They would, thus, give a great impetus to the religious change in the British society, especially that this society is ready for this change, particularly the British youth. Actually, embracing Islam is no longer confined to lower classes and poor people in the society, for it is not a radical revolt of the poor against the rich. On the contrary, it is a sincere return to Allah and a Godly guidance for the rich and the poor alike. Therefore, the Call to Islam should include all human societies regardless of social class belonging. Almighty Allah created us all from one male and one female and made us into peoples and tribes so that we may know each other and honour the righteous amongst us. For the Almighty says in His Holy Book : “O mankind ! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (Not that ye may despise (Each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most Righteous of you”. (Surat Al-Hujurat, Verse 13).

Salih says that it is not enough for a Muslim to secretly call people to Islam, except when the Muslim is trying to convince a person who does not believe in religions and wants to save him from this abyss and from this darkness and bring him into light. Moreover, the Muslim knows that this person will be convinced with little effort but that this person is hypocritically and arrogantly dissimulating his real thoughts in this respect. In such a situation the Call in secret and in a special manner would be more appropriate and fruitful.

Salih went on to say : “The Muslim is a person who knows what he believes in, works according to what he believes in, dies for the sake of what he believes in, and kills in defence of what he believes in.”

Salih explained further : “The British converts are the only ones who understand how Islam can be applied in the modern world, since they are the largest community in the world who embrace the religion of Allah in batches, and who are capable of keeping a balance between the teachings of their new religion and the new developments in the modern age.

Sir William Wilkinson, the father of Tariq, and Peter Brandt, the father of Salih, are well-known British figures ; they have been friends since they were both studying at Eton where their sons -Tarik and Salih- studied, too. Sir Wilkinson was the president of a British institution while Brandt was a banker and the member of the Board of the National Corporation of Rivers. The question is what happened to their two sons who forsook the religion of their parents, embraced Islam and started to carry out Da`wa activities among the British youth, particularly among their former Eton fellow students who graduated from the university and occupy now very important posts in various fields and places ?

Salih answered this question : “When I was at Eton, I was an atheist despite the fact that I was, in name only, a Christian who adhered to the teachings of the Anglican Church. At school I learned the importance of defying authorities, while Islam taught me the contrary. However, I will not forget that Eton gave me the capacity to distinguish between good and bad. Despite my criticism of Eton, it helped me become a mature person.”

Salih said that his first contact with the Islamic World, namely his first contact with Islam occurred when he was studying history at East Anglia University. At that time he did not enjoy studying history. During one school vacation, he went to the Gaza strip to work with a refugee relief organization, where he met some Palestinians, and that made him return to Britain hating Israel.

After this, he met a group of new British converts who were working in a Palestinian relief organization in Norwich. On November 7th, 1989 he officially announced his conversion to Islam, and was very happy with the name Salih which was given to him then.

During this period, Tariq or Matthew Wilkinson was a theology student at Cambridge University. He was embarrassed by the moral decay in Western society and was suffering from a failing love relationship with a female fellow student. However, his life completely changed when Salih knocked at his door one day, and they both seriously talked about Islam. Tariq found the fulfilment of his cherished wish in this talk, especially that he had been embarrassed by the Western society’s moral decay. Salih explained to him how Islam dealt with moral issues and was a religion that was not confined to worshipping Allah on certain days and special occasions; on the contrary, Islam dealt with all the aspects of life and all the human being’s psychological and spiritual problems. It makes a person feel that he has a noble mission in this life.

Tariq (Matthew) started to ask Salih more and more questions and Salih provided the answers. It appeared to the latter that Matthew was on the way to embracing Islam so he asked him to travel with him to Granada in Spain. At this time Matthew started to study Islam and know its teachings and principles. As a result, his heart found its way to faith, and Almighty Allah guided him to Islam. Thus, he officially announced his conversion to Islam and changed his name to Tariq. Actually, the faith journey of Salih and Tariq was a journey pervaded by a Godly atmosphere which eventually ended in their embracing Islam.

Salih revealed that more than ten thousand British people annually embrace Islam, that the tendency of returning to Allah among the British youth was growing year after year, that the faith journey is continuing, God willing, and that many British youth were pleased with it and found in it what they had been searching for. This is why they joined it in groups and individuals.