Long back, during my Government service one lady muslim coleague proposed I become a muslim. I was bemused and reflected within myself religion is part of a person's culture. Conversion is a foolish thing to do. So, in Hinduism there is no concept of conversion. One generation earlier, when one maternal uncle of mine was doing PhD in King's college, he used to visit a church occassionally. The padre one day suggested to my uncle why does not he convert to christianity! My uncle replied, my religion does not prohibit me to come to a church. Why shall I convert to christianity? If I do, you will give me a different name and tell what to do and what not to do. I am quite happy the way I am. Coming back to my case, the lady coleague in question had a blurb under the glass over her table, which read : There is no God, there is only Allah. One day I asked my coleague, since I too am a believer, tell me how are you a better muslim than me? Or, putting it in another way, how am I a less christian than any other christian? She replied, I have no reply to your question. I do invoke Allah, as also Christ whenever I feel like, as much I pray before Hindu deities. Long back, Ramkrishna Paramhansa, Vivekananda, Bahaullah and the Brahmos explained away the external differences. Coming back to the blurb : There is no god, there is only Allah, sikhs too say as well as Brahmos, there is one supreme. And in Hindu pantheon too, there is the one and only creator Brahmaa. Actually small minds conclude from external differences, differences of religions. Let me take the stated proposition, there is no god, there is only Allah. Then, descent of Mahavira, Buddha, Guru Nanak, Chaitanya, Bahaullah, et al are all Allah's wishes. And if people are paying respects to them all, what is wrong? One God of the Jews, or the one and only one Allah do not create any problem. During Mohammed's time there was no photography. We only read in books how Mohammed looked like. But people are prohibited to make a sketch of him. I do admit, Islam's ideals are lofty. Equality, Zakat, mass prayer to almighty Allah are excellent features of the manifestation of Islam to general populace. Rishi Aurobindo said, though we are all existing at the same time on this earth, as far as each individual is concerned, some are a little ahead in evolution, some lagging a little. So if I believe in God, I too am a muslim. And did not Mohammed said respect people of other sects! And that is why my muslim lady coleague said, I do not know, when I asked her, how she is a better muslim than me! My friend was honest.