WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:06.200 That may be no surprise, since a quarter of the estimated 6 million Muslims in the United States are converts. 00:06.920 --> 00:09.760 Delia Gallagher looks at two people who chose that path. 00:14.540 --> 00:20.260 Alison Poole says this phrase three times in Arabic, and then in English. 00:20.260 --> 00:47.100 There is no God. But God. And I bear witness. And I bear witness. That Muhammad. That Muhammad. Is the messenger of God. Is the messenger of God. And her conversion ceremony is complete. She's now a Muslim. Moments later, she'll marry Sammy and become Alison El Gamal. But Alison, who was raised a Southern Baptist in North Carolina, says faith, not marriage, made her want to become a Muslim. 00:47.100 --> 00:55.660 I think for a long time, I've been looking for something. There's been like a peace missing. Always one little thing that maybe wasn't right. 00:57.100 --> 01:03.820 At a ceremony marking the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, she explained why Islam appeals to her. 01:04.320 --> 01:14.040 I think because it's much more about peace. I'm praying five times a day. It's kind of hard to go out and say bad things or do bad things when you're praying five times a day. 01:14.040 --> 01:22.700 The imam who married Alison says he's seen more American converts recently, in part because of the prominence of Islam in the news. 01:23.000 --> 01:30.440 It may sound paradoxical, but what happens is that when something becomes more in the news, people tend to want to know about it. 01:30.940 --> 01:36.860 Alison says she was already on a spiritual quest when she began to hear a lot about Islam post 9-11. 01:36.860 --> 01:42.660 Barbara Cardibuke, another recent Muslim convert, says 9-11 also played a part in her conversion. 01:42.900 --> 01:52.360 After 9-11, I thought this is the time when people really have to start looking for real answers to get away from everybody fighting back and war. 01:52.460 --> 01:53.800 You have to start looking towards God. 01:53.960 --> 02:00.360 Barbara says through Islam, she found a one-on-one relationship with God she was unable to find as a Roman Catholic. 02:00.360 --> 02:06.880 I always felt when you go to church, you're praying to Jesus or you're doing Hail Marys. 02:07.500 --> 02:09.560 You know, I used to think, well, where's God? 02:09.760 --> 02:13.220 She says her family has been mostly supportive of her conversion. 02:13.840 --> 02:17.060 Alison says her family is completely behind her decision. 02:17.280 --> 02:21.680 It's a choice she's proud of and says she'll keep for life. 02:24.360 --> 02:26.760 Delia Gallagher, CNN, New York.