I am often asked (and will be asked in the future even more) about the reason of my conversion into the Ismaili Muslim faith. Some of my friends and acquaintances can accuse me of light-mindedness and treason of Christ and the Catholic Church. I understand them. Probably, if I were them I'd do the same. Here I'd like to explain these reasons.
The opinion that Jesus was not an author of official Christian theology but Paul becomes common for both non-christian and christian scientists (Friedrich Nitzsche, Imad-ad-Dead Ahmad, Michael Hart). The most radical investigation of Paul's negative role in the development of Christian thought is, probably, made by Nitzsche in his Antichrist. There is also a notable Ukrainian politician and publicist who support such point of view, viz, Josyp Terelya, gulag deportee, visionary, and defender of the Ukrainian Catholic Church.
The imperfection of the most religions that claim to be called monotheistic (Judaism, Christianity, some followers of Sunni and Twelver Islam) is the opinion that worshipping many gods must be simply changed by worshipping one (of them). Then such a "god" is assigned by certain features (or has been assined before the transformation into a "monotheistic" one) and is considered as fully of partially comprehensible, i.e. experienced, understood to the believers (or to the priests at least). The "god" like some magician is now ready to hear out peoples' requests. However, it is not monotheism. Naive believing in such a fantastic "god" led straight to the modern atheism, because such a "god" does not exist. Such religions could be called "monoidolatry".
The purpose of the true monotheism is not changing many gods by one, the monotheism does not play with artificial (assigned by peoples) traits of "god" as well. Indeed, He who can be called by English word "God" is incomprehensible and quality less so cannot be experienced and understood (see Qur'an, sura al-Ikhlas). In Islam, there even is not a word with a meaning analogical to the Indo-European "God". There is the 99 names of Him; the most importamt of them - Allah (the only name that cannot be assigned to a perfect man). LA ILAHA ILLA'LLAHU - there is no "god" but Allah (One worthy of worshipping) - this is the first part of the Islamic confession (shahada). That's why I'll use "Allah" instead of "God".
See the 99 names of Allah on Alicia, Amin, & Alnoor's Web Page
Alicia, Amin, & Alnoor's Web Page
Ismaili Website constructed by Nina Jaffer with more links!
AgaKhan Ismailis Worldwide (The Cyber Murid - with more links and free e-mail for Ismailis!)
Shaksway's site (Buddhist about Ismailism)
Asian Ismailia Network
The Shia Ismailis of Afghanistan