I have been thinking about the concept of noor —- light, and what it means for people to have noor. My understanding is that it is a certain light that emanates from a person when they have a close connection to Allah (swt).

I am not sure I have seen exactly that, but certainly the person who introduced me to Islam has a certain presence. That something that makes you know there is something more to that person than meets the eye – and it is different from simply charisma.

I would never presume to say I emanate light, especially as I am struggling with so many things just now, but I had a very strange experience the other day. I had an all day work meeting with a colleague in London, visiting various customers. I had never met this person and would not normally work with him. I was having the meeting in order to learn more about this particular part of the business.

My colleague was clearly a Sikh. Not an uncommon sight in London. What was strange is that he almost immediately began speaking to me about more spiritual matters rather than work.

As a reminder, I do not wear hijab at work. I am covered otherwise, but no hijab. I look like any other Western career woman and am quite senior in my organisation.

Though I was a bit surprised, I had no problem talking to him about such things. I learned about the personal crisis he went through that made him realise the importance of God in his life and his decision to become an orthodox Sikh. I learned how that led to meeting his wife and getting this job. It was a wonderful story.

At the end of it he stopped suddenly to say that he had not really told anybody else in the company that story, and did not tell that many people about the personal crisis he went through. He did not understand why he decided to tell me, other than I seemed to him like a woman of faith. And then he asked me if that was true… was I a woman of faith.

I told him that I was a Muslim.

He was thrilled and began to tell me about the similarities between Sikhs and Muslims. (I must admit, for all the reading I do on religion, I do not know much about Sikhism.)

It was a very enjoyable day.

But I wondered, what made him begin that conversation with me?

Has that ever happened to you? Has someone simply known you were a person of faith without any external signal? Do you think he would have told anyone that story that day and I just happened to be there?

Do you do think a relationship with Allah (swt) can visibly transform a person? (Beyond simply a change in personal style.)

If so, what does that mean?