Why do new Muslims from the West show more faith, steadfastness, love and obedience than Muslims who were born and raised in Islam?

This statement is not absolute. Among born Muslims, some hold firmly to the bonds of faith, while among new Muslims, some may be weak in their religiosity. However, there are many among them who have zeal for the religion and a love for righteousness. The reason for this is that they have tasted the pain of disbelief and recognized the danger of polytheism.

This is supported by the words of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah: "What some people think, that one who was born into Islam and never disbelieved is better than one who was a disbeliever and then embraced Islam, is not correct. Rather, consideration is given to the outcome, and whichever of them was more pious towards Allah in his outcome was better." He adds that one who knew evil and tasted it, and then knew good and tasted it, his knowledge of good and love for it may be more complete than one who has not known either. He cites the saying of Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him: "Indeed, the bonds of Islam will be undone, one by one, when one who does not know Jāhiliyyah (the pre-Islamic era of ignorance) grows up in Islam." For the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, were greater in faith and jihad than those who came after them, due to their complete knowledge of good and evil.