Actually there have been some anthropological studies done on the topic of Western conversion to Islam. Zebiri's ''British Muslim Converts : Choosing Alternative Lives'' If I can quote some parts of it: ''If one asks to what kind of Islam converts are attracted, the picture is rather complex. It is generally acknowledged that a disproportionate number are attracted to Sufism,117 though it should be remembered that this covers a wide spectrum of tendencies from the perennial philosophical approach of people like René Guénon (1886–1951) and Frithjof Schuon (1907–98),118 to the more popular approach of Shaykh Nazim’s Naqshbandi group, which has attracted a high proportion of converts, both white and Afro-Caribbean.119 True to its historical record of tolerance and flexibility, Sufism can accommodate intellectual as well as anti-intellectual tendencies, and can also attract those who are seeking emotional contact or expression, since Sufi groups often offer a close sense of community and belonging.Not all people who become involved with Islamic mysticism or Sufi groups actually convert to Islam, but those who do become Sufi-oriented Muslims tend to have a certain respect for Islamic traditional scholarship and the classical schools of law. Not surprisingly, converts reflect the diversity of Muslim religious and political trends; Roald devotes an entire chapter to convert trends, but no research has yet attempted to quantify these tendencies among converts.120'' And then this insightful piece: ''Overall it would appear that converts reproduce the trends already extant among Muslims in their societies,with the proviso that they are less likely to be attracted to the more parochial trends such as, in the British context, the Deobandis and Barelwis. In this respect, they resemble second- and third-generation Muslims, who are increasingly moving away from the Islam of their parents and towards more universal expressions of Islam.'' The author sums up the conclusions that they make by reviewing most of the literature and research done in this area - so for more detail obviously one must consult the original book. But it is clear the Deobandi movement in essence was a reaction and a defence mechanism against colonialism - at the time this was an invaluable service and one that has been of immense importance. But in today's context, I think the Deobandi narrative has no real place in British Muslim discourse - it is becoming increasingly irrelevant thus confirming its origins as primarily a defensive and insular trend.