A.R. Webb

A.R. Webb received his early education at the Home School in Glendale, Massachusetts and later attended college at Claverack College near Hudson, New York. He excelled in college and upon finishing school purchased a weekly newspaper in Unionville, Missouri and became the publisher. The prowess as a journalist was soon apparent and he was offered city editorship of the St. Joseph, Missouri Daily Gazette. Next he became associate editor of the Missouri Morning Journal. Later he became one of the editors at the Missouri Republican in St. Louis. This newspaper was the second oldest and largest daily newspaper at that time.

While working for the Missouri Republican, he was appointed (in September, 1887) by President Cleveland to be Consular Representative to the Philippines at the U.S. office at Manila. According to the editor of his book The Three Lectures, he had given up any concept of religion at least fifteen years before that point. He started his life as a Presbyterian but found it dull and restraining. As early as 1881 he started a search for his true faith by reading in books from a well stocked library of over 13,000 volumes that he had access to. He started his study with Buddhism and finding it lacking , he began to study Islam. In 1888, he formally declared himself to be a Muslim.

At that time he had yet to meet a Muslim but was put in contact with several Muslims in India by a local Parsi businessman. A newspaper publisher, Budruddin Abdullah Kur of Bombay, published several of Webb's letters in his paper. A local businessman, Haji Abdullah Arab, saw these letters and went to Manila to see Webb.

After the visit, Webb began plans to tour India and then return to the U.S. to propagate Islam.

A.R. Webb received his early education at the Home School in Glendale, Massachusetts and later attended college at Claverack College near Hudson, New York.He excelled in college and upon finishing school purchased a weekly newspaper in Unionville, Missouri and became the publisher.The prowess as a journalist was soon apparent and he was offered city editorship of the St. Joseph, Missouri Daily Gazette.Next he became associate editor of the Missouri Morning Journal.Later he became one of the editors at the Missouri Republican in St. Louis.This newspaper was the second oldest and largest daily newspaper at that time.

While working for the Missouri Republican, he was appointed (in September, 1887) by President Cleveland to be Consular Representative to the Philippines at the U.S. office at Manila.According to the editor of his book The Three Lectures, he had given up any concept of religion at least fifteen years before that point.He started his life as a Presbyterian but found it dull and restraining.As early as 1881 he started a search for his true faith by reading in books from a well-stocked library of over 13, 000 volumes that he had access to.He started his study with Buddhism and finding it lacking, he began to study Islam.In 1888, he formally declared himself to be a Muslim.

At that time he had yet to meet a Muslim but was put in contact with several Muslims in India by a local Parsi (Zoroastrian) businessman.A newspaper publisher, Bedruddin Abdullah Kur of Bombay, published several of Webb's letters in his paper.A local businessman, Hajji Abdullah Arab, saw these letters and went to Manila to see Webb.

After the visit, Webb began plans to tour India and then return to the U.S. to propagate Islam.