History of New Muslim

8/9/2019 History of New Muslim

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Kabul Afganistan

New Muslimsthe gretnes of islam in this

century

Abudul zaher Kabul university
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2006

Allah Guides to His Light Whom He Wills

By Amira Al-ShariffOct 27, 2005 - Vol.VIII Issue 43

SANAA - The number of foreigners who come to Yemen to convert to Islamis increasing, according to Abdul-Karim Al-Kohali, the Media Director of theCultural Center for Foreigners Call. He said that 120 foreigners haveconverted to Islam from the center in the past two years alone.

He said increasing numbers of people decide to convert to Islam as theybelieve being a Muslim results in a meaningful life. The center helpsprepare foreigners to convert to Islam, providing lessons on the Holy

Quran, Arabic and the Islamic way of life.

Mohammed Abdullah, an American at the center, says he decided toconvert after reading the Holy Quran.I converted to Islam, after I had completed studies of my own religion,Christianity, and found many areas to be missing, he said.

So I began to ask a brother in Alaska about Islam, and became convincedthat Allah (Subhanhu wa Taala) is the one guide. He gave me the HolyQuran and I read it. Then I converted to Islam. Haron, a convert also fromAmerica, said he became interested in Islam after talking to a friend when

in prison.I got into trouble and was sent to jail, where I made a friend who was aMuslim. He told me the positive things about Muslims, as well as telling methat having a girlfriend was not allowed. I thought about Islam, makingcomparisons between the Bible and the Quran and the differencesbetween Christians and Muslims. Slowly I came to believe that thearguments I read in the Holy Quran were right. Haron says that being aMuslim has taught him exactly how he should conduct his life.It told me what to do to be a good person. I had read stories in the Biblebut it never taught me why I have to be good, he said. But the Qurantold me exactly what to do to be a good person. It also taught me about

how I should act towards my wife and in business. Naeem Harry, also fromAmerica, says he decided to convert to Islam while playing basketball. Iembraced Islam when I was in college playing basketball. I used tomemorize the Bible, but sometimes I found I had difficulties inunderstanding parts because I thought there were contradictions. I wouldask my preacher if it was a mistake, but he said I just had to believe. Itmade me question many parts of my life. It was then Naeem started to


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turn Islam instead.I started studying the Holy Quran and converted to Islam. What amazedme about Holy Quran is that any question a person has, the answer is inthe Holy Quran, he says.

That was the main reason that encouraged me to convert to Islam. One ofthe other things that amazed me in my college was that Muslims didnthave mosque to pray in.Instead they prayed in the snow. I asked why they did so, and one repliedthat it was their duty to pray together. He gave me a book aboutmonotheism, and I read it three or four times in a month. After that I toldhim I wanted to be a Muslim.I remember watching a TV debate between Muslims and Christians,Naeem continues, where a man called Ahmed called people to Allah(Subhanhu wa Taala) and said Islam had an answer to every question. Onemember of the audience asked him what answer Islam gave to what God

was going to do with all the excess women in the world. He replied thatbecause in Islam men can marry more than one woman, that was is oneway to solve the problem. His friend Waseem, from the United Kingdom,converted to Islam four years ago. When I was teenager I spent time inprison, where I heard about Islam, he said.It made me think, and I decided I needed to follow it. Now I thank God whogave me this religion and changed my life, as I believe a life without Islamis meaningless.

Copyright (c) 2004 - 2005Yemen Observer Newspaper

Many foreigners come to Yemen and convertto Islam. YO Photo/Amira


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How Dr. Hofmann - German Diplomat and NATO Officer - Became Muslim

Dr. Hofmann, who accepted Islam in 1980, wasborn as a Catholic in Germany in 1931. Hegraduated from Union College in New York andcompleted his legal studies at MunichUniversity where he received a doctorate injurisprudence in 1957. He became a research

assistant for the reform of federal civil procedure, and in 1960received an LL.M. degree from Harvard Law School. He was Director ofInformation for NATO in Brussels from 1983 to 1987. He was posted asGerman ambassador to Algeria in 1987 and then to Morocco in 1990where he served for four years. He performed u`mrah (Lesser

Pilgrimage) in 1982 and Hajj (Pilgrimage) in 1992.Several key experiences led Dr. Hofmann to Islam. The first of thesebegan in 1961 when he was posted to Algeria as Attach in theGerman Embassy and found himself in the middle of the bloodyguerilla warfare between French troops and Algerian National Frontwhich was fighting for Algerian independence for the past eight years.There he witnessed the cruelty and massacre that the Algerian


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population endured. Every day, nearly a dozen people were killed -"close range, execution style" - only for being an Arab or for speakingfor the independence. "I witnessed the patience and resilience of theAlgerian people in the face of extreme suffering, their overwhelmingdiscipline during Ramadan, their confidence of victory, as well as their

humanity amidst misery." He felt it was their religion that made themso, and therefore, he started studying their religious book - the Qur'an."I have never stopped reading it, to this very day."

Islamic art was the second experience for Dr. Hofmann in his journeyto Islam. From his early life he has been fond of art and beauty andballet dancing. All of these were overshadowed when he came to knowIslamic art which made an intimate appeal to him. Referring to Islamicart, he says: "Its secret seems to lie in the intimate and universalpresence of Islam as a religion in all of its artistic manifestations,calligraphy, space filling arabesque ornaments, carpet patterns,

mosque and housing architecture, as well as urban planning. I amthinking of the brightness of the mosques which banishes anymysticism, of the democratic spirit of their architectural layout."

"I am also thinking of the introspective quality of the Muslim palaces,their anticipation of paradise in gardens full of shade, fountains, andrivulet; of the intricate socially functional structure of old Islamic urbancenters (madinahs), which fosters community spirits and transparencyof the market, tempers heat and wind, and assures the integration ofthe mosque and adjacent welfare center for the poor, schools andhostels into the market and living quarters. What I experienced is so

blissfully Islamic in so many places is the tangible effect whichIslamic harmony, the Islamic way of life, and the Islamic treatment ofspace leave on both heart and mind."

Perhaps more than all of these what made a significant impact on hisquest for the truth was his thorough knowledge of Christian historyand doctrines. He realized that there was a significant differencebetween what a faithful Christian believes and what a professor ofhistory teaches at the university. He was particularly troubled by theChurch's adoption of the doctrines established by St. Paul inpreference to that of historical Jesus. "He, who never met Jesus, withhis extreme Christology replaced the original and correct Judeo-Christian view of Jesus."

He found it difficult for him to accept that the mankind is burdenedwith the "original sin" and that God had to have his own son torturedand murdered on the cross in order to save his own creations. "I beganto realize how monstrous, even blasphemous it is to imagine that God


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he had written, then he was a Muslim. That indeed became the case afew days later when he declared "I bear witness that there is nodivinity besides Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is Allah'smessenger." That was September 25, 1980.

Dr. Hofmann continued his professional career as a German diplomatand NATO officer for fifteen years after he became Muslim. "I did notexperience any discrimination in my professional life", he said. In1984, three and half years after his conversion, then German PresidentDr. Carl Carstens awarded him the Order of Merit of the FederalRepublic of Germany. The German government distributed his book"Diary of a German Muslim" to all German foreign missions in theMuslim countries as an analytical tool. Professional duties did notprevent him from practicing his religion.

Once very artistic about red wine, he would now politely refuse offers

of alcohol. As a Foreign Service officer, he occasionally had to arrangeworking lunch for foreign guests. He would be participating in thoseluncheons with an empty plate in front of him during Ramadan. In1995, he voluntarily resigned from the Foreign Service to dedicatehimself to Islamic causes.

While discussing the evils caused by alcohol in individual and sociallife, Dr. Hofmann mentioned an incident about his own life caused byalcohol. During his college years in New York in 1951, he was oncetraveling from Atlanta to Mississippi. When he was in Holy Spring,Mississippi all on a sudden a vehicle, apparently driven by a drunken

driver, appeared in front of his car. A serious accident followed, takingaway nineteen of his teeth and disfiguring his mouth.

After doing surgery on his chin and lower hip, the hospital surgeoncomforted him saying: "Under normal circumstances, no one survivesan accident like that. God has something special in mind for you, myfriend." As he limped in Holy Spring after release from the hospitalwith his "arm in a sling, a bandaged knee, an iodine-discolored,stitched-up lower face", he wondered what could be the meaning ofthe surgeon's remark.

He came to know it one day, but much later. "Finally, thirty years later,on the very day I professed my faith in Islam, the true meaning of mysurvival became clear to me."

Sunday : 01/02/2004


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Becoming Muslim

Mrs. Cecilia Mahmuda Cannolly (Australia)

Why I embraced Islam ?

First and foremost I would say it was because fundamentally I had always been a Muslim withoutbeing aware of it.

Very early in my life I had lost faith in Christianity for many reasons, the major one being thatwhenever I questioned any Christian, whether it was a person belonging to the so called HolyOrders or a layman, regarding any point that puzzled me in regard to the Church teachings, Iinvariably received the monotonous answer : `You must not question the teachings of the Church;

you must have faith.' I did not have the courage in those days to say : `I cannot have faith insomething that I do not understand', and, from my experience, neither do most of the people whocall themselves Christians. What I did do was to leave the Church (Roman Catholic) and itsteaching and to place my faith in the one true god in whom it was much easier to believe, than inthe three gods of the Church. By contrast with the mysteries and miracles of the Christian teaching,life took on a new and wider meaning, no longer cramped with dogma and ritual. Everywhere Ilooked I could see God's work. And although, in common with greater minds than my own, I couldnot understand the miracles that happened before my eyes, I could stand and marvel at thewonder of it all --- the trees, flowers, birds and animals. Even a new born babe became a beautifulmiracle, not the same thing that the Church had taught me to believe at all. I remembered how,when a child, I gazed at newborn babies and thought, 'It's all covered in black sin', I no longerbelieved in ugliness; everything became beautiful.

Then one day my daughter brought home a book about Islam. We became so interested in it thatwe followed it up with many other books on Islam. We soon realized that this was really what webelieved. During the time I had believed in Christianity I had been led to believe that Islam was onlysomething to joke about. Thus all that I then read was a revelation to me. After a while I looked upsome Muslims and questioned them on some of the points that were not quite clear to me. Hereagain there was yet another revelation. My questions were all answered promptly and concisely, sodifferent from the frustration I had experienced when questioning Christianity. After much readingand studying of the religion of Islam both my daughter and myself decided to become Muslims,taking the names of Rashida and Mahmuda respectively.

If I were asked what impressed me most in the religion of Islam, I would probably say the prayers,because prayers in Christianity are used wholly in begging God (through Jesus Christ) to grantworldly favours, whereas in Islam they ar used to give praise and thanks to Almighty God for all His

blessings since He knows what is necessary for our welfare and grants us what we need withoutour asking it.

From "Islam, Our Choice"

http://www.islamicweb.com/being/newMuslims/cannolly.htm


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Experience of a Canadian Woman

Many may ask why a young, Canadian-born, Caucasian woman would embrace areligion that not only supposedly oppresses women, but takes all her freedom andindependence and treats her as a second class citizen.I reject such accusations and pose to them the following question. "Why is it that somany women who have been born and brought up in the so-called 'civilized' societies ofCanada, USA, and Europe are willing to reject their liberty, and independence, toembrace a religion that supposedly oppresses them and is widely assumed to beprejudicial to them?"As a Canadian revert to Islam, I can only present my personal experience and reasons for

rejecting the freedom, that women claim to have in this society, in favor of the onlyreligion that truly liberates women by giving us a status and position which is completelyunique when compared to non-Muslim counterparts.

As a child growing up in a non-religious home, I often asked my parents if there was aGod, who is He, and where did He come from? Their response was always, believe inwhat you want to believe. This confused me, because many of my friends had religions,and I never understood why I didn't.

I remember when I was six or seven years old, I attended Sunday School, at a Churchwith a friend a couple of times. I found it very boring. I didn't feel comfortable around

the other children, and felt pressured by the instructor and other children because I didn'tknow anything about Jesus Christ, may Allaah exalt his mention. Feeling this way Istopped going to the Sunday school, and continued growing up without a religion, withno knowledge of God, which made me feel very lonely.

It wasn't until I was in high school when I learned about religion in my social studiesclass, and remember vividly how my teacher told us women in Islam have no rights,women are denied education, must be circumcised, and how women must obey men,otherwise, the men can beat them.

This made me think

No matter what this teacher said, something in my mind kept telling me this couldn't betrue. Ironically, around the same time I was learning this, I met a Muslim, named Khaled(who is now my husband) at the place where I worked and asked him about what myteacher said. He was shocked to hear the school boards were teaching this about Islamand told me they were all untrue. When discussing this with my teacher in front of myfellow students, the teacher told me that my source is wrong, and he has the information


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in his books, otherwise he wouldn't be teaching us this stuff.

My teacher pretty much made me look stupid; however some of my friends believed me.I continued talking to Khaled at work about Muslim women and was very curious about

the role of Muslim women. I have to admit that I never agreed all the time with whatKhaled said, but I was also a non-believer at that time, and never understood fully whatIslam was. I was (and still I am) always fascinated with how the Muslim women wouldcover themselves, they always seemed to have the look of peace on their faces. I wouldnever have guessed that I would one day be one of those ladies who is fully covered.

Two years later, Khaled and I were married and had our first child, Al-Hamdulillah. Itwasn't until one year after my second child was born, Al-Hamdulillah, when I began tofeel depressed and adrift, feeling a large spirituality void. I felt there was a big chunk ofmy life still missing. This was when I began to read about various religions, and it wasn'tuntil I bought a translation of the Holy Quran when I finally understood the true meaning

of life, and that there is none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah). The Qurananswered all the questions I was looking for, and some that I never even thought of.

One week before the holy month of Ramadan, I taught myself to pray, memorized twosuras (Quranic Chapters), and said my Shahadah (Testimony of faith). I no longer feltadrift and I believed in Allaah. It was like having the feeling and guidance from Allaah.

Wearing the scarf for the first time made me feel as though I had more peace, I wassomeone, not only a someone, but a Muslim. I was (and am) protecting myself from allevil. I felt a lot more close to Allaah, because He has ordained women in the NobleQuran to cover themselves.

I know in my heart that it bothered my husband a lot to have a wife who did not onlyembrace Islam, but to see her practicing it when he wasn't. My husband and I have nodifferences anymore in terms of raising our children (as Muslims), and have never beenso happy since he and I started practicing Islam.

My life has changed a lot since I embraced Islam (all for the best), andI'm loving every minute of it! I recommend it to everyone out there,whether a Muslim, Christian, Jew, Hindu, to pick up a copy of the NobleQuran and to read not just some of it, but all of it. May Allaah give

everyone the strength and courage that He has given me during the pastyear.Tuesday : 09/08/2005


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A Catholic Priest's Journey to Islam 100 Years Ago

When Professor Abdul Ahad Dawud, the former ReverendDavid Benjamin Keldani, was asked how he came to Islamhe wrote: "My conversion to Islam cannot be attributed toany cause other than the gracious direction of theAlmighty Allah. Without this Divine guidance, all learning,searching and other efforts to find the Truth may even

lead one astray. The moment I believed in the AbsoluteUnity of God, His Apostle Muhammad became the patternof my conduct and behavior."

Abdul Ahad Dawud is a Roman Catholic priest of theUniate-Chaldean sect. He was born in 1867 in Urmia inPersia; educated from his early infancy in that town. From

1886-89 (three years) he was on the teaching staff of the Archbishop of Canterbury's Missionto the Assyrian (Nestorian) Christians in Urmia.

In 1892 he was sent by Cardinal Vaughan to Rome where he underwent a course ofphilosophical and theological studies at the Propaganda Fide College, and in 1895 wasordained Priest. During that time he contributed a series of articles to "The Tablet on Assyria,Rome and Canterbury"; and also to the Irish Record on the "Authenticity of the Pentateuch."

He had several translations of the Ave Maria in different languages, published in the IllustratedCatholic Missions. While in Constantinople on his way to Persia in 1895, he contributed a longseries of articles in English and French to the daily paper, published there under the name of"The Levant Herald on Eastern Churches". In 1895 he joined the French Lazarist Mission inUrmia, and published for the first time in the history of that Mission a periodical in vernacularSyrian called Qala-La Sh r .", i.e. "The Voice of Truth

In 1897 he was delegated by two Uniate-Chaldean Archbishops of Urmia and of Salmas torepresent the Eastern Catholics at the Eucharistic Congress held at Paray-le-Monial in Franceunder the presidency of Cardinal Perraud. This was, of course, by official invitation. The paperread at the Congress by "Father Benjamin" was published in the Annals of the EucharisticCongress, called "Le Pelirin" of that year. In this paper, the Chaldean Arch-Priest (that beinghis official title) deplored the Catholic system of education among the Nestorians, and foretoldthe imminent appearance of the Russian priests in Urmia.

In 1898 Father Benjamin was back again in Persia. In his native village, Digala, about a milefrom the town, he opened a school gratis. The next year he was sent by the Ecclesiasticalauthorities to take charge of the diocese of Salmas, where a sharp and scandalous conflictbetween the Uniate Archbishop, Khudab sh, and the Lazarist Fathers for a long time had beenmenacing a schism.

On the day of New Year 1900, Father Benjamin preached his last and memorable sermon to alarge congregation, including many non-Catholic Armenians and others in the Cathedral of St.Georges Khorov b ."d, Salmas. The preacher's subject was "New Century and New Men


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He recalled the fact that the Nestorian Missionaries, before the appearance of Islam, hadpreached the Gospel in all Asia; that they had numerous establishments in India (especially atthe Malbar Coast), in Tartary, China and Mongolia; and that they translated the Gospel to theTurkish Uighurs and into other languages; that the Catholic, American and Anglican Missions,in spite of the little good they had done to the Assyro-Chaldean nation in the way ofpreliminary education, had split the nation - already a handful - in Persia, Kurdistan and

Mesopotamia into numerous hostile sects; and that their efforts were destined to bring aboutthe final collapse. Consequently he advised the natives to make some sacrifices in order tostand upon their own legs like men, and not to depend upon the foreign missions, etc.

Five big and ostentatious missions - Americans, Anglicans, French, Germans and Russians -with their colleges, backed up by rich religious societies, Consuls and Ambassadors, wereendeavoring to convert about one hundred thousand Assyro-Chaldeans from Nestorian heresyinto one or another of the five heresies. But the Russian Mission soon outstripped the others,and it was this mission which in 1915 pushed or forced the Assyrians of Persia, as well as themountaineer tribes of Kurdistan, who had then immigrated into the plains of Salmas andUrmia, to take up arms against their respective Governments. The result was that half of hispeople perished in the war and the rest were expelled from their native lands.

The great question, which for a long time had been working its solution in the mind of this

priest, was now approaching its climax. Was Christianity, with all its multitudinous shapes andcolors, and with its unauthentic, spurious and corrupted Scriptures, the true Religion of God?

In the summer of 1900 he retired to his small villa in the middle of vineyards near thecelebrated fountain of Ch li-Boulaghi in Digala, and there for a month spent his time in prayerand meditation, reading over and over the Scriptures in their original texts. The crisis ended ina formal resignation sent in to the Uniate Archbishop of Urmia, in which he frankly explainedto Mar (Mgr.) Touma Audu the reasons for abandoning his sacerdotal functions.

All attempts made by the ecclesiastical authorities to withdraw his decision were of no avail.There was no personal quarrel or dispute between Father Benjamin and his superiors; it wasall question of conscience.

For several months Mr. D wd - as he was now called - was employed in Tabriz as Inspector inthe Persian Service of Posts and Customs under the Belgian experts. Then he was taken into

the service of the Crown Prince Muhammed 'Al Mirs . as teacher and translator

It was in 1903 that he again visited England and there joined the Unitarian Community. And in1904 he was sent by the British and Foreign Unitarian Association to carry on an educationaland enlightening work among his country people.

On his way to Persia he visited Constantinople; and after several interviews with Sheikhul-Isllud-Dm Jem .n Effendi and other scholars, he embraced Islam

Summarized: IPCI (Islamic Propagation Center International)

Monday : 12/01/2004


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After Seeing Deedat-Swaggart Debate, Mr Kenneth L. Jenkins, a US FormerMinister, Became Muslim

As a young boy I was raised with a deep fear of God. Having been partially raised by agrandmother who was a Pentecostal fundamentalist, the church became an integral part of mylife at a very early age. By the time I had reached the age of six, I knew all too well thebenefits awaiting me in Heaven for being a good little boy and the punishment awaiting in Hellfor little boys who are naughty. I was taught by my grandmother that all liars were doomed togo to the Hellfire, where they would burn forever and ever.

My mother worked two full-time jobs and continued to remind me of the teachings given to meby her mother. My younger brother and older sister did not seem to take our grandmother'swarnings of the Hereafter as seriously as I did. I recall seeing the full moon when it would takeon a deep reddish hue, and I would begin to weep because I was taught that one of the signsof the end of the world would be that the moon would become red like blood. As an eight-yearold child I began to develop such a fear at what I thought were signs in the heavens and onearth of Doomsday that I actually had nightmares of what the Day of Judgement would be like.

Every Sunday we would go to church dressed in all of our finery. My grandfather was ourmeans of transportation. Church would last for what seemed to me like hours. We would arriveat around eleven in the morning and not leave until sometimes three in the afternoon. Iremember falling asleep in my grandmother's lap on many occasions. For a time my brother

and I were permitted to leave church in between the conclusion of Sunday school and morningworship service to sit with our grandfather at the railway yard and watch the trains pass.

At age sixteen I began attending the church of a friend whose father was the pastor. This wenton for only several months before the church closed down. After graduating from high schooland entering the university I rediscovered my religious commitment and became fullyimmersed in Pentecostal teachings. I was baptized and "filled with the Holy Ghost," as theexperience was then called. As a college student, I quickly became the pride of the church.Everyone had high hopes for me, and I was happy to once again be "on the road to salvation. "


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I attended church every time its doors would open. I studied the Bible for days and weeks at atime. I attended lectures given by the Christian scholars of my day, and I acknowledged mycall to the ministry at the age of 20. I began preaching and became well known very quickly. Iwas extremely dogmatic and believed that no one could receive salvation unless they were ofmy church group. I categorically condemned everyone who had not come to know God theway I had come to know Him.

Welcome to the Real Church World

I soon discovered that there was a great deal of jealousy prevalent in the ministerial hierarchy.Things had changed from that to which I was accustomed. Women wore clothing that I thoughtwas shameful. People dressed in order to attract attention, usually from the opposite sex. Idiscovered just how great a part money and greed play in the operation of church activities.There were many small churches struggling, and they called upon us to hold meetings to helpraise money for them.

I was told that if a church did not have a certain number of members, then I was not to wastemy time preaching there because I would not receive ample financial compensation. I thenexplained that I was not in it for the money and that I would preach even if there was only onemember present... and I'd do it for free! This caused a disturbance. I started questioning those

whom I thought had wisdom, only to find that they had been putting on a show. I learned thatmoney, power and position were more important than teaching the truth about the Bible.

Cases of adultery and fornication went unpunished. Some preachers were hooked on drugsand had destroyed their lives and the lives of their families. Leaders of some churches werefound to be homosexuals. There were pastors even guilty of committing adultery with theyoung daughters of other church members. All of this coupled with a failure to receive answersto what I thought were valid questions was enough to make me seek a change. That changecame when I accepted a job in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

A New Beginning

It was not long after arriving in Saudi Arabia that I saw an immediate difference in the life styleof the Muslim people. They were different from the followers of Elijah Muhammad and MinisterLouis Farrakhan in that they were of all nationalities, colors and languages. I immediately

expressed a desire to learn more about this peculiar brand of religion. I was amazed with thelife of Prophet Muhammad and wanted to know more. I requested books from one of thebrothers who was active in calling people to Islam.

I was supplied with all of the books that I could possibly want. I read each and every one. I wasthen given the Holy Qur'an and read it completely several times within four months. I askedquestion after question and received satisfactory answers. What appealed to me was that thebrothers were not keen on impressing me with their knowledge. If a brother did not know howto answer a question, he would tell me that he simply did not know and would have to checkwith someone who did. The next day he would always bring the answer. I noticed how humilityplayed such a great role in the lives of these mysterious people of the Middle East.

I was amazed to see the women covering themselves from face to foot. I did not see anyreligious hierarchy. No one was competing for any religious position. All of this was wonderful,

but how could I entertain the thought of abandoning a teaching that had followed me sincechildhood? What about the Bible? I knew that there is some truth in it even though it had beenchanged and revised countless numbers of times. I was then given a videocassette of a debatebetween Shaykh Ahmed Deedat and Reverend Jimmy Swaggart. After seeing the debate Iimmediately became a Muslim.

I was taken to the office of Shaykh 'Abdullah bin 'Abdul-'Azeez bin Baz to officially declare myacceptance of Islam. It was there that I was given sound advice on how to prepare myself forthe long journey ahead. It was truly a birth from darkness into light. I wondered what my peersfrom the Church would think when they heard that I had embraced Islam.


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It was not long before I found out. I went back to the United States for vacation and wasseverely criticized for my "lack of faith." I was stamped with many labels - from renegade toreprobate. People were told by so-called church leaders not to even remember me in prayer.As strange as it may seem, I was not bothered in the least. I was so happy that Almighty God,Allah, had chosen to guide me aright that nothing else mattered.

Now I only wanted to become as dedicated a Muslim as I was a Christian. This, of course,

meant study. I realized that a person could grow as much as they wanted to in Islam. There isno monopoly of knowledge - it is free to all who wish to avail themselves of the opportunitiesto learn. I was given a set of Saheeh Muslim as a gift from my Qur'an teacher. It was then thatI realized the need to learn about the life, sayings and practices of Prophet Muhammad.

I read and studied as many of the hadith collections available in English as possible. I realizedthat my knowledge of the Bible was an asset that is now quite useful in dealing with those ofChristian backgrounds. Life for me has taken on an entirely new meaning. One of the mostprofound attitude changes is a result of knowing that this life must actually be spent inpreparation for life in the Hereafter.

[Summarized from Mr Kenneth L. Jenkins' (Former Minister and Elder of the Church - Indiana)Story of embracing Islam]

Thursday : 23/10/2003

American Singer, Rodger Collins, Became Hajj Sabrie


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Haji Sabrie has operated an appliance repair business inOakland for years. The devoted family man and his lovingwife of 21 years have two children on the cusp ofadulthood. A self-described "very religious" Muslim born inTexas and raised in San Francisco, he is a humble, happyman whose face falls naturally into a deep, radiant smile.He is understandably leery about bringing up the past.

"Haji Sabrie can move around anywhere he wants," hesays. "But with Rodger Collins, things can be difficult."Rodger Collins is a name from Sabrie's past. During thegolden age of soul, Oakland never produced a bigger starthan Rodger Collins. When he headlined the Showcase onTelegraph Avenue, he tore up the crowds as much as theother big-name acts that came through the room -- MarvinGaye, the Temptations, Ike and Tina Turner.

And he cut a record that, if the country had heard it, would have made Rodger Collins anauthentic contender. "She's Looking Good" was not just another half-baked soul side that

never got any further than No. 101, "bubbling under" Billboard's Hot 100. The track was acertified, stone-in-the- groove, drop-dead classic that never got a fair hearing. Where it wasplayed -- including in the Bay Area -- the record was a smash. It vied for the top of playlists onlocal Top 40 stations with the Rolling Stones, the Monkees and Buffalo Springfield in the earlyweeks of 1967, a heady time for pop music on the radio.Sabrie, 64, doesn't like to do interviews. His last one, with Britain's Melody Maker magazinemore than 20 years ago, did not prove satisfactory. He was news at the time because anotherone of his old records was experiencing a comeback. While speaking with a reporter, he sips ahomemade brew of chopped ginger and picks at fresh fruit from a platter on the living roomcoffee table in his West Oakland home. The scent of spice and flowers wafts through the sunnyrooms.

"I liked performing," Sabrie says. "But I didn't like all these problems with bands, hassling withmusicians all the time. By this time, my career was fading. So I retired from show business."He remembers harmonizing doo-wop in the tiled bathrooms at the Hamilton RecreationCenter, where Bobby Freeman, San Francisco's first rock 'n' roll star, would work out with hisfirst vocal group, the Romancers.

As Rodger Collins, he won a talent contest pantomiming a Chuck Berry record and did awicked Elvis impersonation. Brook Benton, an older songwriter and recording star ("It's Just aMatter of Time"), counseled the young Collins backstage at Oakland's Paramount Theatre towork up his own act and sing the songs himself, promising to send him some material. Sabriestill has the acetates Benton sent.

He studied drama at the Actor's Laboratory in San Francisco and moved to Los Angeles, wherehe thought his star would rise, but wound up in a Wilshire Boulevard car wash polishing RockHudson's silver Chrysler Imperial. Back in San Francisco, singing at local clubs, Collins came tothe attention of Fantasy Records, which was having some success in the R&B field on itsGalaxy subsidiary with blues singer Little Johnny Taylor.

"Fantasy sold Mexican music and jazz," Sabrie says. "They weren't set up to handle a soulrecord or soul-pop" Collins began to develop an interest in Islam. He toured with soul singerJoe Tex, himself a Black Muslim minister, and together they visited mosques all over thecountry. "For a while, that white-man-is-the-devil stuff worked for me," he says. "But while Iwas saying that, I never gave up my white friends."

Sabrie followed the lead of Imam W. Deen Mohammed, of Black Muslim founder ElijahMuhammad, who took over the sect after his father's death in 1975 and immediately set amore conciliatory course. "Mohammed (PBUH) taught that everybody was equal," Sabrie says.


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"You may come with a male or female body, but the person inside is a human. The creatureinside doesn't have a race."

The more he studied the Koran, the more he grew disenchanted with the music business. Hislast nightclub engagement was opening for Ike and Tina Turner and Redd Foxx at Las Vegas'Hilton International, playing the lounge while Elvis played the big room, hardly hard-luck,bottom-rung show business. But he was not happy with his career in records and found himself

the victim of company politics.

"It discouraged me thinking I would get a fair shake with the record industry," Sabrie says."But it didn't discourage me to improve myself as a human being. I knew happiness wasavailable."

So, 30 years ago, Rodger Collins retired from show business and changed his name to HajiSabrie. With a couple of scarcely noticed exceptions -- a nightclub appearance here, a one-offsingle there -- Rodger Collins disappeared as if he'd gone into the witness protection program."People say, 'Didn't you miss out on a lot?' " Sabrie says. "Everything that happened wassupposed to happen. You can't change it. No one can change it."

Sabrie learned the appliance business. He has run his company, Trustworthy Appliance Repair,longer than he was in show business. His youngest child entered UC Riverside last fall. Sabrie

has made two pilgrimages to Mecca to pray at the holy Mosque. He leads a full, happy life withimmense dignity. "I'm successful when I wake up in the morning and see my wife and knowshe's a decent human being and know she lived up to a vow we made when we got married:not to criticize but to improve the other one."

"I do a lot of things that might not be what some other people like to do, " Sabrie says. "But itworks for me. If I see someone on a path I'm not on, I respect that. I love a lot of people whodisagree with me. But there is nothing worthy of worship except the Creator -- not thecreation, only the Creator."

Thursday : 11/03/2004


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Calling to Islam: The Duty of Every Muslim

While all the messengers appointed by Allah were

charged by Him with the responsibility to disseminatethe revealed guidance with which they wereentrusted, their respective nations too, were calledupon to share in the fulfillment of Allahs orders. Allahreminds in the Holy Quran:

And remember Allah took a covenant form the people ofthe Book to make it known and clear to mankind, and not to hide it (Quran 3:187(

The position of the Muslim 'Ummah' (community), in this respect is clear in the Quran:

You are the best Ummah evolved for mankind; you enjoin what is right and forbid what is

wrong (Quran 3:110(

Thus Allah Almighty has honoured this MuslimUmmah by appointing it to share in the noble cause of itsprophet by inviting people to follow the straight path. The Quran further stresses that:

The believing men and women are each others protectors; they enjoin what is right and forbidwhat is wrong. While, the hypocrite men and women are each others protectors, they enjoin

what is wrong and forbid what is right.(9:71(Hence the truth emerges clearly that to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong constitutes a

fundamental difference between a believer and a hypocrite who pretends to be a believer when he is quitethe reverse. Consequently, all members of the MuslimUmmah, men and women alike, are individually

responsible to further the cause of Islam with the zeal, determination and sense of sacrifice of the Prophet(PBUH) and his companions.

That the companions did their utmost, individually and collectively, to convey the light of Islam to allpeople even outside the Arabian Peninsula is demonstrated by the lengthy and dangerous journeys they

took reaching the Atlantic Ocean in the west and the Wall of China in the East. Countless distinguishedcompanions breathed their last in faraway and foreign lands preaching Islam, for which their sacrifices

knew no bounds.

At this point some commonplace misconceptions ought to be cleared. To call all peoples of the world toAllah is the duty of every responsible and conscientious Muslim. Since there is no priesthood in Islam or

sacerdotal class among Muslims, the duty of the call to Allah cannot be transferred to an ill-conceived andimaginary group called men of religion. In Islam everyone is a man of religion and every man will beaccountable to Allah as to whether he fulfilled his obligations sincerely and to the best of his abilities or


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not. The following verse of the Quran should be very enlightening in this respect:

Say (O Muhammad) this is my way I do invite unto Allah, on evidence clear as the seeing withones eyes, - I and whoever follows me. Glory to Allah! And never will I be of those who associate

partners to Allah. (Al-Quran 12:108(

Thus, anyone who rightly claims to be a follower of the Prophet (PBUH), peace be upon him, cannot evadehis duty to call people to Allah.

The following prophetic traditions amply elucidate this point: Let those who witness inform those who are absent. (Bukhari(

The word witness here is taken to mean anyone who possesses some Islamic knowledge. The Prophet(PBUH) is reported to have said:

Preach on my behalf even with just one verse. (verse here is referring to a verse from the Qur'an(

Therefore, one does not have to be a profound scholar or a great jurist to call people to Islam. No doubt aperson well-versed in Islamic sciences would be able to speak more authoritatively and he would be in a

position to explain matters of religion to the minutest details. However, a high level of scholarship is not aprerequisite to call others to Islam. Everyones effort has a definite gap to fill. A Muslim scholar willaddress his counterpart with a refined style and scholarly content while a Muslim layman will have to

reason out with his equals in practical terms, each having a role complementary to the others.Every individual of the Muslim Ummah is obliged to be actively engaged in whatever way he can to guide

people to the right path and support, morally as well as materially, those who labor to discharge thisresponsibility. A common misconception that found appeal even among earlier Muslim generations and

which still lingers on to this day stems from failure to comprehend the meaning of the following Quranicverse in the proper context:

O you who believe! You are responsible for your own souls. The misguided one will not harmyou if you are guided on the right path. (5:105(

In all fairness to oneself, the above verse does not connote, by any stretch of imagination, that a so-calledpious or saintly person may absolve himself of the responsibility to call mankind to truth simply by

thinking that evil would not knock at his door, on account of his being pure and peaceful. Regardless ofhow pious one may appear to be, he can never equal the Prophet (PBUH) or excel his companions in their

moral perfection, sincerity of worship and religious devotion.None of the Prophet's companions ever dreamt of resigning from the noble task of inviting nations of theeast and the west to eternal bliss and salvation offered by Allah through Islam. It was precisely to correct

this wrong notion about the verse that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) issued the followingwarning:

O people, verily you read this exalted verse and put it in a place other than its own. Whereas I heard the

Apostle of Allah saying: Verily if people see a cruel person and they do not prevent him, Allah may punish

all of them'.

So fulfill your obligation to Allah and His Messenger. Learn what you are able and convey the Truth

Islam to those whom you come in contact with. Because calling to Islam is truly the Duty of all Muslims.

----------------------------------Source:

Dr. Talib Ali


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[Excerpts from: Proceeding of the Fifth International Conference of WAMY on Islamic Da'wa.

Held at Nairobi, Kenya 20-24 April 1982]

Monday : 24/01/2005

Experience of a Canadian Woman

Many may ask why a young, Canadian-born, Caucasian woman would embrace areligion that not only supposedly oppresses women, but takes all her freedom andindependence and treats her as a second class citizen.I reject such accusations and pose to them the following question. "Why is it that somany women who have been born and brought up in the so-called 'civilized' societies ofCanada, USA, and Europe are willing to reject their liberty, and independence, toembrace a religion that supposedly oppresses them and is widely assumed to be

prejudicial to them?"As a Canadian revert to Islam, I can only present my personal experience and reasons forrejecting the freedom, that women claim to have in this society, in favor of the onlyreligion that truly liberates women by giving us a status and position which is completelyunique when compared to non-Muslim counterparts.

As a child growing up in a non-religious home, I often asked my parents if there was aGod, who is He, and where did He come from? Their response was always, believe inwhat you want to believe. This confused me, because many of my friends had religions,and I never understood why I didn't.

I remember when I was six or seven years old, I attended Sunday School, at a Churchwith a friend a couple of times. I found it very boring. I didn't feel comfortable aroundthe other children, and felt pressured by the instructor and other children because I didn'tknow anything about Jesus Christ, may Allaah exalt his mention. Feeling this way Istopped going to the Sunday school, and continued growing up without a religion, withno knowledge of God, which made me feel very lonely.

It wasn't until I was in high school when I learned about religion in my social studiesclass, and remember vividly how my teacher told us women in Islam have no rights,women are denied education, must be circumcised, and how women must obey men,otherwise, the men can beat them.

This made me think

No matter what this teacher said, something in my mind kept telling me this couldn't betrue. Ironically, around the same time I was learning this, I met a Muslim, named Khaled(who is now my husband) at the place where I worked and asked him about what myteacher said. He was shocked to hear the school boards were teaching this about Islamand told me they were all untrue. When discussing this with my teacher in front of my


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fellow students, the teacher told me that my source is wrong, and he has the informationin his books, otherwise he wouldn't be teaching us this stuff.

My teacher pretty much made me look stupid; however some of my friends believed me.

I continued talking to Khaled at work about Muslim women and was very curious aboutthe role of Muslim women. I have to admit that I never agreed all the time with whatKhaled said, but I was also a non-believer at that time, and never understood fully whatIslam was. I was (and still I am) always fascinated with how the Muslim women wouldcover themselves, they always seemed to have the look of peace on their faces. I wouldnever have guessed that I would one day be one of those ladies who is fully covered.

Two years later, Khaled and I were married and had our first child, Al-Hamdulillah. Itwasn't until one year after my second child was born, Al-Hamdulillah, when I began tofeel depressed and adrift, feeling a large spirituality void. I felt there was a big chunk ofmy life still missing. This was when I began to read about various religions, and it wasn't

until I bought a translation of the Holy Quran when I finally understood the true meaningof life, and that there is none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah). The Qurananswered all the questions I was looking for, and some that I never even thought of.

One week before the holy month of Ramadan, I taught myself to pray, memorized twosuras (Quranic Chapters), and said my Shahadah (Testimony of faith). I no longer feltadrift and I believed in Allaah. It was like having the feeling and guidance from Allaah.

Wearing the scarf for the first time made me feel as though I had more peace, I wassomeone, not only a someone, but a Muslim. I was (and am) protecting myself from allevil. I felt a lot more close to Allaah, because He has ordained women in the Noble

Quran to cover themselves.

I know in my heart that it bothered my husband a lot to have a wife who did not onlyembrace Islam, but to see her practicing it when he wasn't. My husband and I have nodifferences anymore in terms of raising our children (as Muslims), and have never beenso happy since he and I started practicing Islam.

My life has changed a lot since I embraced Islam (all for the best), and I'm loving every minute of it! I recommend it toeveryone out there, whether a Muslim, Christian, Jew, Hindu, to pick up a copy of the Noble Quran and to read not justsome of it, but all of it. May Allaah give everyone the strength and courage that He has given me during the past year.

Tuesday : 09/08/2005

Father Viacheslav from Church to Mosque

Viacheslav Polosin, a former priest of the Russian Orthodox church and chairman of theCommittee of the Supreme Soviet on Freedom of Conscience, recently announced hisconversion from Orthodoxy to Islam. This unprecedented event of the adoption of the religionof the Prophet by a prominent Orthodox clergyman was a surprise for many.


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The former archpriest is suspected of psychological illness or of subtle political calculation. Buthe himself speaks of his own free, spiritual, philosophical choice: As far as I know, this is thesecond time in your life when you have officially announced a change in your worldview. Fromchildhood I believed in God, in my spirit.

Later, when I was in the university, I came across Orthodox literature and went to the church

and found there something that I had not seen in philosophy classes. I do not regret that; Ilearned a lot there. I submitted my documents to the ecclesiastical seminary in 1979 and havenow, after twenty years, given an interview to the journal "Musulmane;" these are two stagesin the development of my life.

Interview with Musulmane:

"Several years of intense work have brought me to the conclusion that the Koran does notcontain an assimilation of the Creator God to his creation, humanity, which isanthropomorphism, the essence of paganism. There is no basis for the ritual practice ofappeasing God like some kind of human ruler. . . .

I have decided to bring my social status into conformity with my convictions and to bear publictestimony that I consider myself a follower of the great tradition of the correct belief and of the

prophets of monotheism, beginning with Abraham, and thus I do not consider myself anylonger either a clergyman or a member of any Orthodox church. . . . As regards possiblepenalties, we all are mortal and all sooner or later will depart from this life, so it is better todepart from it abiding in the Truth and not in spiritual ambivalence or in the delusions ofhuman fantasy.

With regard to the practical difficulties, including the Arabic language, I must place my hopesin help and cooperation from my new brethren. My will fully shares this worldview choice."

How did your clerical path evolve?

Within the church circles of Moscow I was not "my own person." There also were familycircumstances which forced me to request ministry in Central Asia. I served briefly in Frunzeand somewhat longer in Dushanbe. There I dealt with Islamic culture and the easternmentality for the first time, which made a deep impression on my soul.

After half a year I was ignominiously deprived of my registration for disobedience to secularauthorities, that is, to the commissioner for religious affairs. For three years I was notaccepted anywhere and was in complete disgrace. In 1988, when perestroika began, I wasoffered a half-destroyed church near Obninsk. From there I was elected in 1990 as a memberof the soviet of the RSFSR.

The position of the Moscow patriarchate

For the Moscow patriarchate, the announcement by Archpriest Viacheslav Polosin of hisconversion to another faith came as a complete surprise.

In the Department of External Church Relations his move is explained as instability ofcharacter and convictions and a quick "subsequent change" of religious views is predicted. In

the patriarchate there is an inclination to let the matter drop, relying on the decision of FrViacheslav's ruling bishop, Archbishop Kliment of Kaluga and Borovsk.

Were you suspected of conversion to Protestantism?

American Protestants, who in 1991 arrived in Russia in abundance and whom I received,proposed that we begin our meeting with prayer.

But I categorically objected, saying that this was a secular institution and that I protectedfreedom of conscience and thus there must not be any prayer here.


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I was cordial with Protestants, but where this rumor that I wanted to adopt Protestantism camefrom, I don't know.

For many it is a puzzle what your real position on the new law on freedom of conscience of1997 is? Some consider you its author and some recall that you have frequently criticized thelaw itself.

As long as I am a state employee I cannot discuss the whole truth about this law. I participatedin the writing of this law as one of fifteen members of the working group and I had very littleinfluence.

Then the law was presented to the Duma where work on it went forward.

I can consider myself a coauthor of what resulted from this work. But the demonization of thelaw was necessary to those circles and forces who figured on being able to make a name andmoney for themselves on the basis of the negative events that arose around the country.

Actually the law upheld the principles of a secular state and maintained the situation.

Was your religious quest provoked by your displeasure with formal Orthodoxy?

While I was working in the state apparatus I began to see more clearly how various activitieswithin the church or politics affect the life of the people.

Some people try to interpret Christianity so as to justify the irresponsibility of the government,giving it an image of divine ordination. There are similar examples in the history of the Islamicworld: khans, Turkish sultans, palace intrigues of the Sublime Porte. In the Koran viewing thegovernment as "God's anointed" is strictly forbidden. It is said that if someone usurps powerand a Muslim tolerates this, then he is an accessory to this sin.

In the Ottoman empire there was a stagnation of Muslim culture-the cult of the military,violence, slavery. Islam degenerated there. The Revelation itself is a different matter.

What has been the reaction of your new Muslim brethren to your decision?

My interview with the journal Musulmane provoked lively interest, so much so that it was

necessary to put out another printing.

What has been the reaction on the part of your leadership in the Duma?

Some naturally will be unhappy, but I don't care to please everyone. I think that nothing willchange in my work in the duma. I do not intend to criticize Christianity. When I was withinOrthodoxy, I criticized it rather harshly. Now I don't. Islam, as it is presented in the Koran, isthe most democratic religion because it contains a prohibition of tyranny. There are nomediators of a priestly caste or anointed monarchs in the Koran.

Viacheslav Polosin's office:

In the State Duma he occupies one office along with Murad Zaprishiev, a former deputy andnow an employee of the staff of the duma Committee for Relations with Public Associations

and Religious Organizations. In a prominent place in the office there is the Koran and the wallsare decorated with Arabic inscriptions. In this office Polosin and his colleague sometimesperform their prayers, for which they use a special rug. At the same time, ViacheslavSergeevich opposes making a demonstrative profession of Islam in his secular work andespecially in governmental service.

Do you have plans to return to a more political life?

For the time being, no. I would prefer to use my profession and knowledge for socially usefulactivity within the bounds of Islam. I see myself as a public and academic Islamic leader, butnot a politician. But what the future will bring, only God knows. In 1990 my election as a


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deputy also was unexpected.

Information:

Viacheslav Sergeevich Polosin was born in 1956. In 1979 he graduated from the PhilosophyFaculty of MGU and in 1984 from the Moscow Ecclesiastical Seminary. He was ordained apriest and served in parishes in the dioceses of Central Asia and Kaluga of RPTs.

In 1990 he was elevated to the rank of archpriest. In the same year he was elected a people'sdeputy of RSFSR from Kaluga region and headed the committee of the Supreme Soviet onfreedom of conscience. While working in the Supreme Soviet, he graduated from thediplomatic academy of the ministry of foreign affairs and defended his dissertation on thesubject: "The Russian Orthodox church and the state in USSR, 1971-1991."

From 1993 he has been an employee of the staff of the State Duma on relations with publicassociations and religious organizations. He was a member of the Russian ChristianDemocratic Movement and a member of the Council of Christian Organizations. In 1991 hewent on leave from the Kaluga diocese and since 1995 he has not officiated in liturgies.

In his interview with the Musulmane journal, he officially called himself a Muslim: "I considerthat the Koran is the final Revelation on earth, sent down to the Prophet Muhammad. There is

no god but the One God, Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger."Viacheslav Polosin is the author of many scholarly works on historical, political, religious, andphilosophical subjects. In February of this year he defended another dissertation on thesubject: "The dialectics of myth and political myth-making." His basic philosophical ideas arepresented in his book "Myth, Religion, and the State" (Moscow, 1999).

From the point of view of Islamic theologians, to convert to the religion of the Prophet it issufficient to recite the famous formula containing the profession of faith in the one God Allahand his prophet Muhammad. In doing so it is not important which language is used for recitingthe formula. It is important that the recitation be made before two witnesses who are Muslimand can give written confirmation of the fact of the profession of Islam. (Note - this is not true.Once could be in the desert and make shahadah and it would be accepted.)

Tuesday : 10/02/2004

Finding a Home in Islam

Shaheed "Damian" Williams grew up Christian and pursued fame as a rapper before becominga Muslim. The days of Damian Williams running with his fellow rappers, pursuing fame, womenand a hip-hop image are over. The 26-year-old turned in baggy jeans for long robes around thehouse. He sports a curly beard and is studying Arabic with his wife so they can read the Qur'antogether.

Williams, who now goes by Shaheed, is a convert to Islam, a religion that has brought a sense


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of truth and direction the Christianity of his youth and reviews of other religions didn't provide,he said.

Now, he speaks periodically at the Muslim Community Center in north Wichita as one of anestimated 5,000 Muslims in the Wichita area.

His discovery of Islam started with his childhood comic book collection, he said.

A fan of the "X-Men," Williams learned of the character "Thor," the god of thunder from Norsemythology.

It expanded his view of the world and religions beyond his Sunday school and youth groupupbringing at St. Paul AME Church in Wichita.

When he was in high school, a member told him about an Old Testament verse that prohibitedeating pork. It surprised Williams and made him more curious about the Bible. Later, he foundverses about honoring the Sabbath, which he also didn't think Christians observed.

By mid-high school, he told his father he would no longer go to church. He was an agnostic.

His passion became the Flatland Brigade, a local group of about eight rappers, who performed

at parties.There was drinking, carousing and talk of pimping. The lifestyle smacked of arrogance, hesaid.

"I despise that behavior," he said. "That's not being a man. They think it's being in a gang orhaving a gun or going to prison or mistreating a woman."

Williams' older brother told him about the Nation of Islam, a controversial movement of someAfrican-American Muslims. Williams never joined.

A fellow rapper who had converted to orthodox Islam talked to Williams about the faith.

Williams began to study Islam seriously and was soon persuaded by its teaching that there isone God to whom he could pray without a mediator.

He admired the closeness among brothers and sisters of Islam despite their national andcultural differences.

It was a religion of structure that he knew he needed. It taught obedience and submission toGod, Almighty, and His law.

And he was persuaded by Islam's teaching that people ought to be accountable to God,Almighty, for their actions. The Christian idea of Christ bearing sins on people's behalf, he said,weakened personal accountability.

"There's no free ride," he said of Islam, unlike Christianity's teachings on grace and sin.

For weeks, Williams' friend would ask if he was ready to accept Islam. Finally, in 1996, at age

19, Williams met with an imam, a Muslim leader.After speaking with him, Williams recited the "shahada," a statement of faith that is the firststep in accepting Islam:

"I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is themessenger of Allah."

The room full of men now became a room of brothers who came up one by one to hug andcongratulate him.


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He took a bath when he returned home as is customary for new converts. Still, it would takeanother three years, he said, before his new faith took hold of his life.

"I just got fed up with feeling regret with the way my life was going," he said. "You never knowwhich day is going to be your last."

He listened to more sermons on tape, read books and attended services at the mosque,

sometimes staying there overnight to pray and meditate.

As a Muslim, he knew promiscuity was wrong and wanted to marry and start a family. Hefollowed traditional Islamic customs in seeking out a wife.

He spoke with several women about marriage, including a former co-worker, Nicole Childers,who was often at parties where he rapped.

She had also converted to Islam from Christianity the year after he had.

He proposed to her on a Tuesday and on Saturday they were married. She had accepted hisdowry of 200 dollars, a silver necklace that said "Allah" on it and fragrant oil, among othergifts.

During the five-minute ceremony, no rings were exchanged. She stood in a room nearbywithin earshot of the imam and her future husband.

Today, they have three children, ages 3, 2 and six months. Williams works as a water meterreader for the city of Wichita.

The hip-hop life is gone. A bookcase full of Islamic teachings and the Qur'an are his focusthese days.

"To me, Islam has the answer to racism, discrimination, feminism, abortion, high murder ratesand drug selling," he said, "because it's trying to show human beings how to live their livesright."-- The Wichita Eagle

Tuesday : 01/07/2003

Finding a Home in Islam

Shaheed "Damian" Williams grew up Christian and pursued fame as a rapper before becominga Muslim. The days of Damian Williams running with his fellow rappers, pursuing fame, womenand a hip-hop image are over. The 26-year-old turned in baggy jeans for long robes around thehouse. He sports a curly beard and is studying Arabic with his wife so they can read the Qur'antogether.

Williams, who now goes by Shaheed, is a convert to Islam, a religion that has brought a sense

of truth and direction the Christianity of his youth and reviews of other religions didn't provide,he said.

Now, he speaks periodically at the Muslim Community Center in north Wichita as one of anestimated 5,000 Muslims in the Wichita area.

His discovery of Islam started with his childhood comic book collection, he said.

A fan of the "X-Men," Williams learned of the character "Thor," the god of thunder from Norsemythology.


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It expanded his view of the world and religions beyond his Sunday school and youth groupupbringing at St. Paul AME Church in Wichita.

When he was in high school, a member told him about an Old Testament verse that prohibitedeating pork. It surprised Williams and made him more curious about the Bible. Later, he foundverses about honoring the Sabbath, which he also didn't think Christians observed.

By mid-high school, he told his father he would no longer go to church. He was an agnostic.

His passion became the Flatland Brigade, a local group of about eight rappers, who performedat parties.

There was drinking, carousing and talk of pimping. The lifestyle smacked of arrogance, hesaid.

"I despise that behavior," he said. "That's not being a man. They think it's being in a gang orhaving a gun or going to prison or mistreating a woman."

Williams' older brother told him about the Nation of Islam, a controversial movement of someAfrican-American Muslims. Williams never joined.

A fellow rapper who had converted to orthodox Islam talked to Williams about the faith.

Williams began to study Islam seriously and was soon persuaded by its teaching that there isone God to whom he could pray without a mediator.

He admired the closeness among brothers and sisters of Islam despite their national andcultural differences.

It was a religion of structure that he knew he needed. It taught obedience and submission toGod, Almighty, and His law.

And he was persuaded by Islam's teaching that people ought to be accountable to God,Almighty, for their actions. The Christian idea of Christ bearing sins on people's behalf, he said,weakened personal accountability.

"There's no free ride," he said of Islam, unlike Christianity's teachings on grace and sin.

For weeks, Williams' friend would ask if he was ready to accept Islam. Finally, in 1996, at age19, Williams met with an imam, a Muslim leader.

After speaking with him, Williams recited the "shahada," a statement of faith that is the firststep in accepting Islam:

"I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is themessenger of Allah."

The room full of men now became a room of brothers who came up one by one to hug andcongratulate him.

He took a bath when he returned home as is customary for new converts. Still, it would takeanother three years, he said, before his new faith took hold of his life.

"I just got fed up with feeling regret with the way my life was going," he said. "You never knowwhich day is going to be your last."

He listened to more sermons on tape, read books and attended services at the mosque,sometimes staying there overnight to pray and meditate.

As a Muslim, he knew promiscuity was wrong and wanted to marry and start a family. He


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followed traditional Islamic customs in seeking out a wife.

He spoke with several women about marriage, including a former co-worker, Nicole Childers,who was often at parties where he rapped.

She had also converted to Islam from Christianity the year after he had.

He proposed to her on a Tuesday and on Saturday they were married. She had accepted hisdowry of 200 dollars, a silver necklace that said "Allah" on it and fragrant oil, among othergifts.

During the five-minute ceremony, no rings were exchanged. She stood in a room nearbywithin earshot of the imam and her future husband.

Today, they have three children, ages 3, 2 and six months. Williams works as a water meterreader for the city of Wichita.

The hip-hop life is gone. A bookcase full of Islamic teachings and the Qur'an are his focusthese days.

"To me, Islam has the answer to racism, discrimination, feminism, abortion, high murder rates

and drug selling," he said, "because it's trying to show human beings how to live their livesright."-- The Wichita Eagle

Tuesday : 01/07/2003

He Reverted to Islam then Died

A Muslim scholar, Sheikh Muhammad Farraj, continuouslyinvited an Indian Sikh (who used to live in Saudi Arabia) toIslam. He (the Sikh) neither refused nor accepted the ideabecause of his family.

Then one day Allah opened his heart to Islam, he came tothe sheikh in his mosque to embrace Islam. The sheikh wasbusy with his students and some Du'ah (Muslimmissionaries who invite people to the worship of Allah).

Sheikh Muhammad did not know that the man wanted to enter Islam so he did not give himany attention and he left the mosque with his students.

The man, who wanted to enter Allah's religion, remained standing at the door of the mosquewatching the sheikh and his students driving their cars and moving away. On that sight hecould not prevent himself from crying and burst into tears. While he was standing weeping atthe door of the mosque, a young man who lived in the same quarter passed by him.

He asked him about the reason of his crying and the Indian replied that he wanted to be aMuslim.

The young man (May Allah reward him the best) took him to his house. He made him performablution (wudoo) and say the two testimonies (None deserves to be worshipped but Allah andMuhammad is His Messenger). The Indian left after he said the testimony and it was about thedusk prayer (Al-Maghrib). Then he went to his room and suffered from a severe stomachache.

The young man came to sheikh Muhammad and told him the whole story. The sheikh regretedwhat he had done though he was ignorant of the matter. He went to the Indian's room, but his


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colleagues told him that he had died last night and he was then in the morgue of the CentralHospital. The sheikh went with some Du'ah to the hospital to receive his corpse, but thehospital refused stating that the embassy had sent to his family in India and they wouldreceive his corpse to be burnt there. The sheikh objected saying that the man became aMuslim and there were witnesses to that, but still the hospital refused.

Sheik Muhammad went to Sheikh Abd Al-Aziz Bin Baz (May Allah have mercy upon him) and

told him the whole story. Sheikh Abd Al-Aziz said that the Indian should not be given to hisfamily as he became their brother in Islam; they should pray on his corpse and bury him there.He should not be given to the unbelievers. Sheik Abd Al-Aziz sent a copy of the subject to theemirate and requested an order to give the corpse to sheikh Muhammad Farraj.

The emirate ordered the hospital to give the corpse to Sheikh Muhammad and he received it.Some Du'ah washed the man and put him in his coffin. The funeral prayer coincided with Al-Jumu'ah (the Friday congregational prayer). Sheikh Muhammad gave a wonderful oration onthe one who embraced Islam then died without making one prostration to Allah. He stated inthe first oration some similar examples from history, then he stated in the second one thestory of the Indian man upon whom they would pray after Al-Jumu'ah. The Muslims prayedupon him, then they carried him upon their shoulders and they all went to the graveyard ledby many Du'ah and scholars.

It was a moving scene, May Allah accept him and have mercy upon him.

Sunday : 29/06/2003

How a Former Egyptian Coptic Priest Came to Islam

Ibrahim Khalil Ahmad, formerly Ibrahim Khalil Philobus, was an Egyptian Coptic priest who studied theologyand earned a masters degree from Princeton University. He studied Islam to find gaps to attack it; insteadhe embraced Islam with his four children, one of whom is now a professor at the Sorbonne, Paris. Now let

Mr. Khalil tell his story.

"I was born in Alexandria on the 13th of January 1919 and was sent to the AmericanMission schools until I got my secondary education certificate there. In 1942 I got mydiploma from Asiut University and then I specialized in religious studies as a prelude tojoin the Faculty of Theology. It was no easy task to join the faculty, as no candidatecould join it unless he got a special recommendation from the church, and also, after heshould pass a number of difficult exams. I got a recommendation from Al-AttareenChurch in Alexandria and another from the Church Assembly of Lower Egypt afterpassing many tests to know my qualifications to become a man of religion. Then I got athird recommendation from Snodus Church Assembly which included priests fromSudan and Egypt.

The Snodus sanctioned my entrance into the Faculty of Theology in 1944 as a boardingstudent. There I studied at the hands of American and Egyptian teachers until mygraduation in 1948.

I was supposed to be appointed in Jerusalem had it not been for the war that broke out inPalestine that same year, so I was sent to Asna in Upper Egypt. That same year Iregistered for a thesis at the American University in Cairo. It was about the missionaryactivities among Muslims. My acquaintance with Islam started in the Faculty of


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Theology where I studied Islam and all the methods through which we could shake thefaith of Muslims and raise misconceptions in their understanding of their own religion.

In 1952 I got my M.A. from Princeton University in U.S.A. and was appointed as a

teacher in the Faculty of Theology in Asiut. I used to teach Islam in the faculty as well asthe faulty misconceptions spread by its enemies and the missionaries against it. Duringthat period I decided to enlarge my study of Islam, so that I should not read themissionaries books on it only. I had so much faith in myself that I was confirmed to readthe other point of view.

Thus I began to read books written by Muslim authors. I also decided to read the Qur'anand understand its meanings. This was implied by my love of knowledge and moved bymy desire to add more proofs against Islam. The result was, however, exactly the reverse.My position began to shake and I started to feel an internal strong struggle and Idiscovered the falsehood of everything I had studied and preached to the people. But I

could not face myself bravely and tried instead to overcome this internal crisis andcontinue my work.

In 1954 I was sent to Aswan as secretary general of the German Swiss Mission. That wasonly my apparent position for my real mission was to preach against Islam in UpperEgypt especially among Muslims. A missionary conference was held at that time atCataract Hotel in Aswan and I was given the floor to speak. That day I spoke too much,reiterating all the repeated misconceptions against Islam; and at the end of my speech,the internal crisis came to me again and I started to revise my position.

I began to ask myself: Why should I say and do all these things which I know for sure I

am a liar, as this is not the truth? I took my leave before the end of the conference andwent out alone to my house. I was completely shaken. As I walked through Firyal publicgarden, I heard a verse of the Qur'an on the radio. It said: "Say: It has been revealed to me thata company of Jinns listened (to the Qur'an). They said: We have really heard a wonderful recital! It givesguidance to the Right, and we have believed therein: We shall not join (in worship) any gods with ourLord." (Qur'an 72:1-2) "And as for us, since we have listened to the Guidance, we have accepted it: andany one who believes in His Lord, has no fear of either a short (account) or of any injustice."(Qur'an72:13)

I felt a deep comfort that night and when I returned home I spent the whole night all bymyself in my library reading the Qur'an. My wife inquired from me about the reason ofmy sitting up all night and I pleaded from her to leave me alone. I stopped for a long timethinking and meditating on the verse: "Had We sent down this Qur'an on a mountain, verily thouwouldst have seen it humble itself and cleave asunder for fear of Allah."(59:21)

And the verses: "Strongest among men in enmity to the believers wilt thou find the Jews and thePagans, and nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say, 'We are Christians';because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they arenot arrogant. And when they listen to the revelation received by the Messenger, thou wilt see their eyesoverflowing with tears, for they recognize the truth: They pray: 'Our Lord! We believe, write us down


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among the witnesses. What cause can we have not to believe in Allah and the truth which has come to us,seeing that we long for our Lord to admit us to the company of the righteous?'"(Qur'an 5:82-84)

And also the verses: "Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find

mentioned in their own (Scriptures), in the Taurat and in the Gospel; for he commands them what is justand forbids them what is evil; he allows them as lawful what is good (and pure) and prohibits them what isbad (and impure). He releases them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that are upon them. So itis those who believe in him, honor him, help him and follow the light which is sent down with him, it isthey who will prosper. Say: 'O men! I am sent unto you all, as the Messenger of Allah, to Whom belongsthe dominion of the heavens and the earth: there is no god but He: It is He that giveth both life and death.So believe in Allah and His Messenger. The unlettered Prophet, who believeth in Allah and His Words:follow Him that (so) you may be guided." (Qur'an 7:157-158)

Now that same night, I took my final decision. In the morning I spoke with my wife fromwhom I have three sons and one daughter. But no sooner than she felt that I was inclinedto embrace Islam than she cried and asked for help from the head of the mission. His

name was Monsieur Shavits from Switzerland. He was a very cunning man. When heasked me about my true attitude, I told him frankly what I really wanted and then he said:Regard yourself out of job until we discover what has befallen you. Then I said: This ismy resignation from my job. He tried to convince me to postpone it, but I insisted. So hemade a rumor among the people that I became mad! Thus I suffered a very severe testand oppression until I left Aswan for good and returned to Cairo.

The Circumstances to my Conversion:

In Cairo I was introduced to a respectable professor who helped me overcome my severetrial and this he did without knowing anything about my story. He treated me as aMuslim for I introduced myself to him as such although until then I did not embraceIslam officially. That was Dr. Muhammad Abdul Moneim Al Jammal, the thenundersecretary of treasury. He was highly interested in Islamic studies and wanted tomake a translation of the Holy Qur'an to be published in America. He asked me to helphim because I was fluent in English since I had got my M.A. from an AmericanUniversity. He also knew that I was preparing a comparative study of the Qur'an, theTorah and the Bible. We cooperated in this comparative study and in the translation ofthe Qur'an.

When Dr. Jammal knew that I had resigned from my job in Aswan and that I was thenunemployed, he helped me with a job in Standard Stationery Company in Cairo. So I waswell established after a short while. I did not tell my wife about my intention to embraceIslam thus she thought that I had forgotten the whole affair and that it was nothing but atransitory crisis that no more existed. But I knew quite well that my official conversion toIslam needs long complicated measures and it was in fact a battle which I preferred topostpone for some time until I became well off and after I completed my comparativestudy.

In 1955 I did complete my study and my material and living affairs became well


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established. I resigned from the company and set up a training office for importingstationery and school articles. It was a successful business from which I gained muchmore money than I needed. Thus I decided to declare my official conversion to Islam. Onthe 25th of December 1959, I sent a telegram to Dr. Thompson, head of the American

Mission in Egypt informing him that I had embraced Islam.

When I told my true story to Dr. Jammal, he was completely astonished. When I declaredmy conversion to Islam, new troubles began. Seven of my former colleagues in themission had tried their best to persuade me to cancel my declaration, but I refused. Theythreatened to separate me from my wife and I said: She is free to do as she wishes. Theythreatened to kill me!

When they found me to be stubborn they left me alone and sent to me an old friend ofmine who was also a colleague of mine in the mission. He wept very much in front ofme. So I recited before him the following verses from the Qur'an: "And when they listen to

the revelation received by the Messenger, thou wilt see their eyes overflowing with tears, forthey recognize the truth: They pray: 'Our Lord! We believe, write us down among the witnesses. Whatcause can we have not to believe in Allah and the truth which has come to us, seeing that we long for ourLord to admit us to the company of the righteous?'" (Qur'an 5:84)

I said to him, "You should have wept in humiliation to God on hearing the Qur'an andbelieve in the truth which you know but you refuse. He stood up and left me as he saw nouse. My official conversion to Islam was in January 1960.

The Attitude of my Wife and Children:

My wife left me at that time and took with her all the furniture of our house. But all my

children joined

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