In Madras (Chennai), an Englishman embraced Islam. Upon entering a mosque, he saw that there was a great deal of phlegm and other such filth lying in the drain. He told the administrators that it was necessary to keep the mosque clean and that its condition should not be kept so bad.

Hearing this, the administrators began saying, “Christianity still remains within you; the smell of cleanliness has still not left your mind.” (As if it were necessary for a Muslim to remain dirty, filthy, and in a bad and dilapidated condition.) They became so furious that they beat this new Muslim and expelled him from the mosque.

When some wise people were informed of this incident, they came to this English convert to Islam and began comforting and consoling him.

The English convert to Islam said, “Are you afraid that I will abandon Islam because of the behaviour of these people?!... I have not placed my faith in these people; rather, I have placed my faith in Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and I know that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was not like this.”