Islamic Da`wah in the West: Muslim Missionary Activity and the Dynamics of Conversion to Islam

This book explains the concept of Islamic "da'wah", or missionary activity, as it has developed in contemporary Western contexts. Poston traces the transition from the early "external-institutional" missionary approach impracticable in modern Western society, to an "internal-personal" approach which aims at the conversion of individuals and seeks to influence society from the bottom upwards. Poston also combines the results of a questionnaire-survey with an analysis of published testimonies to identify significant traits that distinguish converts to Islam.