One issue that may not always be understood with respect to new (convert) Muslims, especially, is that people sometimes come from very different backgrounds which many “born” Muslims from traditional societies may almost not be able to comprehend.

For example, I was raised in the USA in the 1940s and 1950s as a Protestant Christian. In that tradition, not only is there nothing like a Shari’ah, the very concept of anything like a Shari’ah was literally condemned as a matter of religious principle as wrong and contrary to the will of God! Also, the nature of our reality was that you read the Holy Book and pray to God in your own language. Period.

When you grow up that way from infancy to young adulthood, it becomes part of the way you regard the nature of the universe itself. Then if someone like that is attracted to Islam, she/he does not immediately shed that mentality just by pronouncing the words of the Shahada itself (of course, Allah swt knows best). Now comes someone from a traditional society who may speak broken English (French, Spanish) and who does not really understand where some new Muslims are coming from, that individual often being a “leader” in the local mosque. He starts dumping rules all over the new Muslim with such things as cut your fingernails. (Seriously, that was the VERY FIRST thing I was told!)

The new Muslim becomes bewildered at this attitude and mentality which are so different from what she/he grew up with, with what formed her/his whole outlook on life, so that she/he gets confused and discouraged: What do all these minute rules have to do with my relationship with Allah swt?!?!? Couple this with the poor (sometimes almost non-existent) reception some converts receive in some places, and she/he thinks, This Islam is an impossible burden. All these meaningless rules which are so contrary to the way I grew up. And the new person slips away.