Then I Was Guided

Then I Was Guided is a religious autobiography that chronicles Muhammad al-Tijani al-Samawi's spiritual journey from Sunni Islam to Shia Islam. The author details his experiences as a religious scholar and teacher in Tunisia during the mid-20th century. The narrative follows al-Samawi through his research, travels, and encounters with various Islamic scholars and texts across multiple countries. He documents his investigations into historical events, theological differences, and religious traditions that shaped his evolving perspectives. As a work of religious scholarship, the book includes extensive references to Islamic texts, historical documents, and theological debates between different schools of thought. The author presents his findings through a combination of personal anecdotes and academic analysis. The book explores broader themes of religious truth-seeking, intellectual honesty, and the challenges of questioning deeply-held beliefs. It represents one scholar's attempt to reconcile historical facts with religious doctrine while maintaining academic rigor throughout his personal transformation.

Readers who converted from Sunni to Shia Islam found this book resonated with their own journeys and appreciated the author's research into historical sources. Several reviewers noted the book helped them understand differences between Sunni and Shia perspectives. Liked: - Clear presentation of evidence from Islamic texts - Personal story format makes complex theology accessible - Includes references to verify claims Disliked: - Some found tone combative toward Sunni beliefs - Critics say author cherry-picks historical sources - Translation quality varies between editions Ratings: Goodreads: 4.4/5 (371 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (92 ratings) "Changed my whole perspective on Islamic history" - Goodreads reviewer "Too biased against Sunni views and oversimplifies complex historical events" - Amazon reviewer The book receives strong positive reviews from Shia readers but criticism from Sunni readers who dispute the author's interpretations of historical events.

Peshawar Nights by Sultan al-Wa'izin Shirazi A Sunni scholar's documented dialogues and subsequent conversion to Shi'a Islam through theological discussions and historical evidence.

The Right Path by Sayed Sharafuddin al-Musawi A series of letters between a Sunni scholar and Shi'a scholar examining differences in Islamic jurisprudence and historical perspectives.

To Be with the Truthful by Muhammad al-Tijani al-Samawi The author's continued research journey through Islamic history and doctrinal differences between Sunni and Shi'a schools of thought.

The Shi'a are the People of the Sunnah by Muhammad al-Tijani al-Samawi An examination of historical narratives and hadith collections comparing Shi'a practices with early Islamic traditions.

Ask Those Who Know by Muhammad al-Tijani al-Samawi A methodical investigation of Islamic sources addressing common questions about differences between Sunni and Shi'a interpretations.

📚 The author was originally a Sunni Muslim scholar from Tunisia who converted to Shia Islam after extensive research and travel through Iraq and Iran 🕌 The book documents al-Tijani's personal journey and theological transformation, including detailed accounts of his meetings with both Sunni and Shia scholars in the 1960s 📖 Originally written in Arabic under the title "Thumma Ihtadayt," the book has been translated into over 10 languages due to its popularity 🤝 The work specifically addresses the historical split between Sunni and Shia Muslims by examining key controversial events after Prophet Muhammad's death 📑 Al-Tijani wrote several follow-up books expanding on his research, including "Ask Those Who Know" and "The Shiites are the Real Ahl al-Sunnah," but "Then I Was Guided" remains his most influential work