Maryam Jameelah, a New York based Jewish woman who reverted to Islam at the age of 27, passed away in Lahore on October 31. She was 78.
Born as Margret Marcus in New York in a non-observant Jewish family, Maryam Jameelah developed a keen interest in religion when she was 19. She explored Judaism and other faiths and reverted to Islam in 1961 following long communication with the founder of Jamaat-e-Islami Syed Abul Ala Maudoodi. She left for Pakistan in 1962 and never returned to the United States.
On her emigration to Pakistan, she was married to Muhammad Yusuf Khan, a leader of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan and has five children.
She has over thirty books on Islamic culture to her credit. Her books include “Western Civilization condemned by itself”, “Islam and modern man”, “Islam and Modernism”, “Modern Technology and the Dehumanization of Man”, “Who is Maudoodi?”, “Orientalism” and “Western Civilizations and Man”, etc. With her books, articles and review articles published in many reputed journals and magazines including Radiance Viewsweekly, she has rekindled the spirit of Islamic mission in numerous young men and women.
In her open letter to her parents published in The Universal Message and on Iqra.net, she presented very logical arguments for them to consider Islam as their way of life. She writes very fervently: “Americans today, both young and old, are desperately searching for guidance. They know from bitter experience that the personal freedom and opportunities they as Americans enjoy are meaningless and self-destructive without reliable guidance, direction and purpose. Secularism and materialism are powerless to provide any positive or constructive moral values for Americans either individually or collectively…. In Islam as new Muslims, they find a sane, healthy, clean and honest life. And for Muslims, everything does not come to an end at death. They look forward to an Eternity of bliss, peace and perfect happiness (in the Hereafter)….”
Amir Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umari expressed his deep sense of sorrow and grief over her demise. He called her passing away a great loss of Muslim Ummah and prayed to Allah the Exalted for her forgiveness and high status in the Paradise.
In a statement on October 31, the Maulana said that once the truth of Islam became evidently clear to her with the study of the Qur’ān she did not let any fear, greed or relationship to be an obstacle in the way of her coming to the fold of Islam despite the American Jewish background; this is the most outstanding aspect of the life of Maryam Jameelah and it would be remembered for the times to come. Leaving her native land for good, she took rendering academic service to Islam as her life mission and established an exemplary precept with her ideal social life. Expressing his condolence to the members of her family, the JIH chief prayed for their patience.