An interesting article/comment on the Times websote that is a good read I think - accounts from a few people who have converted to Islam. What they have in common is that they are young, free thinking and female - the article mentions how 2/3rd of converts to Islam in the UK are female.

The conversion of people to Islam really does challenge those prejudiced against it, but at the same time their hatred of Islam may even help promote Islam - if you are confronted with something you are more likely to research it and sometimes even if you are researching a matter in order to refute it the innate beauty of Islam can still win out and overcome the prejudice with actual fact and knowledge.

Football star Abel Xavier embraced Islam on a trip to the United Arab Emirates last week and said he will now quit football at the age of 38 to pursue a career in humanitarian work, press reports revealed.

Former Portuguese international, Abel, who will now go by the name of Faisal Xavier, said he regretted leaving the sport but said he was happy to enter a new phase in his life.

"While it's an emotional farewell, I hope to participate in something very special as I enter a new stage of my life," press reports quoted Xavier, who also once played for Liverpool and Everton, as saying.

Just a video that I came across promoting the Ta'Leef Collective - a non-profit organization (in America only?) dedicated to assisting new Muslims and emerging young adult Muslims.

">http://vimeo.com/7733898]

While I do not know much about the organisation and this is a sort of promo for them, I do think this is a good video for other muslims to watch, to ponder over and to be aware of some of the hardship new muslims go through.