Dr. Jeffrey Lang: From Atheism to Faith

Dr. Jeffrey Lang was born in a Roman Catholic family in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1954. Currently, he serves as an Associate Professor of Mathematics at the University of Kansas, one of the largest universities in the United States. His religious journey began at a young age, spending his first 18 years in Catholic schools, which left him with many unanswered questions.

“Like most kids back in the late 60s and early 70s, I started questioning all the values that we had at those times—political, social, and religious.”

“I rebelled against all the institutions that society held sacred, including the Catholic Church.”

By the time Lang reached the age of 18, he had become a full-fledged atheist.

“If there is a God, and He is all merciful and all loving, then why is there suffering on this earth? Why does He not just take us to heaven? Why create all these people to suffer?”

Such were the questions that haunted him during that period of his life. However, his path took a profound turn when he became a lecturer in mathematics at San Francisco University.

There, Lang was introduced to Islam through a few of his Muslim friends at the university. He began asking questions, and he was surprised by how carefully they had thought out their answers.

Lang met Mahmoud Qandeel, a Saudi student who was prominent in his class. Qandeel answered Lang's questions about Islam with perfect English and great confidence. Despite their differences, the two would explore various places that, while glittering, offered no real joy or happiness—just laughter. At the end of their journey, Qandeel gave Lang a copy of the Holy Quran and some Islamic books.

Lang started reading the Quran on his own and began visiting the student-run prayer hall at the university. He describes how he was captivated by the Quran's words, almost as if the book was responding to his thoughts and providing answers to his questions.

“Painters can make the eyes of a portrait appear to be following you from one place to another, but which author can write a scripture that anticipates your daily vicissitudes?... Each night I would formulate questions and objections and somehow discover the answer the next day. It seemed that the author was reading my ideas and writing in the appropriate lines in time for my next reading. I have met myself in its pages…”

Lang embraced Islam and began to perform the Salah (prayers) five times a day, which strengthened his bond with Allah. He finds the Fajr (pre-dawn) prayer to be one of the most beautiful and moving rituals in Islam.

When asked about the recitation of the Quran in Arabic—an unfamiliar language for him—Lang responded, “Why is a baby comforted by his mother’s voice?” For him, reading the Quran brought strength, comfort, and a special sense of peace, particularly during difficult times. From that point on, faith became a matter of practice for Lang’s spiritual growth.

In parallel with his newfound faith, Lang pursued a career in mathematics. He earned his master’s and doctoral degrees from Purdue University. He has always been fascinated by mathematics, as he explained:

“Math is logical. It consists of using facts and figures to find concrete answers. That is the way my mind works, and it is frustrating when I deal with things that do not have concrete answers.”

For Lang, the intellectual freedom of Islam to question, analyze, and reason appealed to his critical thinking mind. This is why Islam resonated so deeply with him.

As the faculty advisor for the Muslim Student Association, Lang sees himself as a bridge between the university and its Muslim students. He holds lectures on Islamic teachings after university approval, helping students adjust to American culture and university procedures. He said, “The object of being their faculty advisor is to help them get their needs met as far as adjusting to American culture and university procedures. They appreciate the opportunity to have misconceptions corrected.”

Dr. Lang is the author of several bestselling Islamic books in the U.S., including his famous work, "Even Angels Ask: A Journey to Islam in America." In this book, Lang shares his personal journey of self-discovery and the insights he has gained through his embrace of Islam.

To learn more about Islam and its teachings, you can explore more resources on Learn Quran.