Twenty-four-year-old Michael from Virginia in the United States is one of the hundreds of new Muslims performing Haj this year. He said he was happy to be among the 3 million Muslim faithful assembled in Arafat.

“It’s an amazing experience,” Michael said. “It reflects the universal brotherhood promulgated by Islam. Haj brings together people speaking different languages and belonged to difference races.”

Michael said the participation in Haj has given him a feeling that he is part and parcel of the great Islamic Ummah.

“It gave me an opportunity to live with Muslims from different countries, wearing the same form of dress and participating in the same forms for worships and rituals,” he said.

Michael said he embraced Islam following a detailed interaction and debate on the religion with a Muslim classmate in his college. He wanted to change his name but experts told him that there is no need to change it.

Another new Muslim from Scotland said he decided to embrace Islam after his mother, who is a hotel manager, accepted Islam as her way of life. “My mother was searching for the true religion. She was not happy with Christianity because of its belief in trinity.”

He said it was the Islamic dress that impressed his mother and finally changed her mind to become a Muslim.

“She had not forced me to become a Muslim. However, she had discussed with me about Islam and Christianity and I reached the conclusion that Islam is the best religion.”

He said Haj itself would encourage many people to learn more about Islam and become Muslims.

About 6,250 new Muslims are performing Haj this year under a charitable program organized by Saud Al-Rajhi. The program has arranged 180 preachers and 180 supervisors to enlighten the new Muslims about Haj and Islam.