SOMETIMES wisdom dawns upon some people miraculously. The 40-year-old Joram van Klaveren, a former Party for Freedom (PVV) leader in the Netherlands, has embraced Islam.

He said he had changed his mind halfway through writing an anti-Islam book. Earlier, the hardliner pleaded for banning the burqa and minarets, saying ‘we don’t want any Islam, or at least as little as possible in the Netherlands’.

His conversion has caused ripples in PVV, weakening it to its core as its demands were totally unnatural and uncalled for.

Klaveren is now feeling abashed over his previous statements. Obviously, one who is destined for the right path will not go astray for a long time. Same is the case with Klaveren.

Welcome Klaveren to Islam! It is hoped that his energies will now be used in portraying the humane face of Islam, one of the largest religions the world believes in.

Iftikhar Mirza
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2019