Although famous 20th century figure Sir Winston Churchill was warned by his future sister-in-law against "conversion" to Islam, a history academic based at the UK's Cambridge University has laid to rest the idea in interviews with the British media.
Dr Warren Dockter, whose book on the wartime leader "Winston Churchill and the Islamic World: Orientalism, Empire and Diplomacy in the Middle East" is forthcoming, explained that Mr Churchill's fascination with Islam was part of a trend that was observed among many Victorians of the time.
The letter, written by Lady Gwendoline Bertie, who eventually became the wife of Churchill's brother Jack, reads:
"Please don't become converted to Islam; I have noticed in your disposition a tendency to orientalise ... If you come into contact with Islam your conversion might be effected with greater ease than you might have supposed, call of the blood, don't you know what I mean, do fight against it."
In contrast to Ms Bertie's concerns, the ex-British Prime Minister has been exalted by rigth-wing, anti-Islam bodies, such as the English Defence League (EDL), which presented a speech titled "Churchill warned us about Islam" in November.
According to Mr Dokter, Mr Churchill was "more or less an atheist" by the time he received the letter and "never seriously considered converting." However, the historian did confirm that during the same time frame, Mr Churchill and poet friend Wilfrid S. Blunt, who was recognised as an avid supporter of Muslim causes, would occasionally wear Arab clothing when spending time together, "a tradition Blunt and Churchill would carry on into the twilight of their friendship."