And another priest.....................................

"Thou wilt find the most vehement of mankind in hostility to those who believe (to be) the Jews and the idolaters. And thou wilt find the nearest of them in affection to those who believe (to be) those who say: Lo! We are Christians. That is because there are among them priests and monks, and because they are not proud. And when they listen to the revelation received by the Messenger, thou wilt see their eyes overflowing with tears, for they recognise the truth: they pray: "Our Lord! we believe; write us down among the witnesses." 005:82-83



Former Arab Priest Accepts Islam

I was born in an Arab city on the 13th of January 1919 and was sent to American Mission schools until I got my secondary education certificate there. In 1942 I got my diploma from an Arab university and then I specialized in religious studies as a prelude to join the Faculty of Theology. It was no easy task to join the faculty, as no candidate could join it unless he got a special recommendation from the church, and also, after he should pass a number of difficult exams. I got a recommendation from a few Churches after passing many tests to know my qualifications to become a man of religion.
My entrance was sanctioned into the Faculty of Theology in 1944 as a boarding student.
I was supposed to be appointed in Jerusalem had it not been for the war that broke out in Palestine that same year, so I was sent elsewhere.
My acquaintance with Islam started in the Faculty of Theology where I studied Islam and all the methods through which we could shake the faith 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 an Arab city. I used to teach Islam in the faculty as well as the faulty misconceptions spread by its enemies and the missionaries against it. During that period I decided to enlarge my study of Islam, so that I should not read the missionaries books on it only. I had so much faith in myself that I was confirmed to read the other point of view. Thus I began to read books written by Muslim authors. I also decided to read the Qur’an and understand its meanings. This was helped by my love of knowledge and moved by my desire to add more proofs against Islam. The result was, however, exactly the reverse. My position began to shake and I started to feel a strong internal struggle and I discovered 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 and continue my work.
I was sent to an Arab city as secretary general of the German Swiss Mission. That was only my apparent position for my real mission was to preach against Islam in an Arab country especially among Muslims. A missionary conference was held at that time at a hotel there. 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 when I know for sure I am a liar, as this is not the truth? I took my leave before the end of the conference and went out alone to my house. I was completely shaken. As I walked through [a] public garden, I heard a verse of the Qur’an on the radio. It said: (Say: It has been revealed to me that a company of Jinns listened (to the Qur’an). They said: We have really heard a wonderful recital! It gives guidance to the Right, and we have believed therein: We shall not join (in worship) any gods with our Lord.) (Surat Al-Jinn: 1-2), (And as for us, since we have listened to the Guidance, we have accepted it: and any one who believes in His Lord, has no fear of either a short (account) or of any injustice.) (Surat Al-Jinn: 13)


I felt a deep comfort that night and when I returned home I spent the whole night all by myself in my library reading the Qur’an. My wife asked me about the reason of my sitting up all night and I pleaded from her to leave me alone. I stopped for a long time thinking and meditating on the verse; (Had We sent down this Qur’an on a mountain, verily thou wouldst have seen it humble itself and cleave asunder for fear of Allah.) (Surat Al-Hashr: 21) And the verse: (Strongest among men in enmity to the believers wilt thou find the Jews and the Pagans, 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 are not arrogant. And when they listen to the revelation received by the Messenger, thou wilt see their eyes overflowing with tears, for they recognize the truth: They pray: “Our Lord! We believe, write us down 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?”) (Surat Al-Ma’ida: 82-84)
That same night I took my final decision. In the morning I spoke with my wife from whom I have three sons and one daughter. But no sooner than she felt that I was inclined to 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 he asked me about my true attitude, I told him frankly what I really wanted and then he said: “Regard yourself out of a job until we discover what has befallen you.” Then I said: “This is my resignation from my job.” He tried to convince me to postpone it, but I insisted. So he spread a rumor among the people that I had gone mad. Thus I suffered a very severe test and oppression until I moved to the capital of the country I was in.
In the capital, I was introduced to a respectable professor who helped me overcome my severe trial and this he did without knowing anything about my story. He treated me as a Muslim for I introduced myself to him as such although until then I did not embrace Islam officially. Dr. Jamal was highly interested in Islamic studies and wanted to make a translation of the Qur’an to be published in America. He asked me to help him because I was fluent in English since I had got my M.A. from an American university. He also knew that I was preparing a comparative study of the Qur’an, the Torah and the Bible. We cooperated in this comparative study and in the translation of the Qur’an.
When the professor knew that I had resigned from my job and that I was then unemployed, he helped me with a job in a company. So I was well established after a short while. I did not tell my wife about my intention to embrace Islam thus she thought that I had forgotten the whole affair and that it was nothing but a transitory crisis that no more existed. But I knew quite well that my official conversion to Islam needed long complicated measures and it was in fact a battle which I preferred to postpone for some time until I became well off and after I completed my comparative study.
In 1955 I did complete my study and my material and living affairs became well established. I resigned from the company and set up a training office for importing stationery and school articles. It was a successful business from which I gained much more money than I needed. Thus I decided to declare my official conversion to Islam. On the 25th of December 1959, I sent a telegram to the head of the American Mission in the country I was in informing him that I had embraced Islam.


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


When I told my true story to Dr. Jamal he was completely astonished. When I declared my conversion to Islam, new troubles began. Seven of my former colleagues in the mission had tried their best to persuade me to cancel my declaration, but I refused. They threatened to separate me from my wife and I said: “She is free to do as she wishes.” They threatened to kill me. But when they found me to be stubborn they left me alone and sent to me an old friend of mine who was also a colleague of mine in the mission. He wept very much in front of me. 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, for they recognize the truth: They pray: “Our Lord! We believe, write us down 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 Surat Al-Ma’ida: 84). I said to him, “You should have wept in humiliation to God on hearing the Qur’an and believe in the truth which you know but you refuse.” He stood up and left me as he saw no use. My official conversion to Islam was in January 1960.
My wife left me at that time and took with her all the furniture of our house. But all my children joined me and embraced Islam. The most enthusiastic among them was my eldest son Isaac who changed his name to Osman, then my second son Joseph and my son Samuel whose name is Jamal and daughter Majida who is now called Najwa. Osman is now a professor of philosophy in Sorbonne University in Paris teaching oriental studies and psychology. He also writes in Le Monde magazine.
My wife left the house for six years and agreed to come back in 1966 provided that she keeps her religion. I accepted this because in Islam there is no compulsion in religion. I said to her: “I do not want you to become a Muslim for my sake but only after you are convinced.” She feels now that she believes in Islam but she cannot declare this for fear of her family but we treat her as a Muslim woman and she fasts in Ramadan because all my children pray and fast. My daughter Najwa is a student in the Faculty of Commerce, Joseph is a pharmacologist and Jamal is an engineer.
During this period, that is since 1961 until the present time I have been able to publish a number of books on Islam and the methods of the missionaries and Orientalists against it. I am now preparing a comparative study about women in the three Divine religions with the object of highlighting the status of women in Islam. In 1973 I performed Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) and I am doing activities preaching Islam. I hold seminars in the universities and charitable societies. I received an invitation from Sudan in 1974 where I held many seminars. My time is fully used in the service of Islam.
My faith in Islam has been brought about through reading the Qur’an and the biography of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of God be upon him. I no longer believed in the misconceptions against Islam and I am especially attracted by the concept of unity of God, which is the most important feature of Islam. God is only One. Nothing is like Him. This belief makes me the servant of God only and of no one else. Oneness of God liberates man from servitude to any human being and that is true freedom.
I also like very much the rule of forgiveness in Islam and the direct relationship between God and His servants.


(Say: “O my servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. Turn ye to your Lord (in repentance) and submit to Him before the Chastisement comes on you: After that ye shall not be helped.”) (Surat Al-Zumor:53-54).

Dr. Hofmann, who accepted Islam in 1980, was born as a Catholic in Germany in 1931. He graduated from Union College in New York and completed his legal studies at Munich University where he received a doctorate in jurisprudence in 1957. He became a research assistant for the reform of federal civil procedure, and in 1960 received an LL.M. degree from Harvard Law School. He was Director of Information for NATO in Brussels from 1983 to 1987. He was posted as German ambassador to Algeria in 1987 and then to Morocco in 1990 where he served for four years. He performed umrah (Lesser Pilgrimage) in 1982 and Hajj (Pilgrimage) in 1992.

Several key experiences led Dr. Hofmann to Islam. The first of these began in 1961 when he was posted to Algeria as Attaché in the German Embassy and found himself in the middle of the bloody guerilla warfare between French troops and Algerian National Front which was fighting for Algerian independence for the past eight years. There he witnessed the cruelty and massacre that the Algerian population endured. Every day, nearly a dozen people were killed - "close range, execution style" - only for being an Arab or for speaking for the independence. "I witnessed the patience and resilience of the Algerian people in the face of extreme suffering, their overwhelming discipline during Ramadan, their confidence of victory, as well as their humanity amidst misery." He felt it was their religion that made them so, and therefore, he started studying their religious book - the Quran. "I have never stopped reading it, to this very day."

Islamic art was the second experience for Dr. Hofmann in his journey to Islam. From his early life he has been fond of art and beauty and ballet dancing. All of these were overshadowed when he came to know Islamic art which made an intimate appeal to him. Referring to Islamic art, he says: "Its secret seems to lie in the intimate and universal presence 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 am thinking of the brightness of the mosques which banishes any mysticism, 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, and rivulet; of the intricate socially functional structure of old Islamic urban centers (madinahs), which fosters community spirits and transparency of the market, tempers heat and wind, and assures the integration of the mosque and adjacent welfare center for the poor, schools and hostels into the market and living quarters. What I experienced is so blissfully Islamic in so many places … is the tangible effect which Islamic harmony, the Islamic way of life, and the Islamic treatment of space leave on both heart and mind."

Perhaps more than all of these what made a significant impact on his quest for the truth was his thorough knowledge of Christian history and doctrines. He realized that there was a significant difference between what a faithful Christian believes and what a professor of history teaches at the university. He was particularly troubled by the Church's adoption of the doctrines established by St. Paul in preference to that of historical Jesus. "He, who never met Jesus, with his extreme Christology replaced the original and correct Judeo-Christian view of Jesus."

He found it difficult for him to accept that the mankind is burdened with the "original sin" and that God had to have his own son tortured and murdered on the cross in order to save his own creations. "I began to realize how monstrous, even blasphemous it is to imagine that God could have been fallen short in his creation; that he could have been unable to do anything about the disaster supposedly caused by Adam and Eve without begetting a son, only to have him sacrificed in such a bloody fashion; that God might suffer for mankind, His creation."

He went back to the very basic question of the existence of God. After analyzing works done by philosophers, such as Wittgenstein, Pascal, Swinburn, and Kant, he came to an intellectual conviction of the existence of God. The next logical question he faced was how God communicates to human beings so that they can be guided. This led him to acknowledge the need for revelations. But what contains the truth - Judeo-Christian scriptures or Islam?

He found the answer to this question in his third crucial experience when he came across the following verse of the Quran: "… no bearer of burdens shall bear the burdens of another." (Quran 53:38). This verse opened up his eyes and provided the answer to his dilemma. Clearly and unambiguously for him, it rejected the ideas of the burden of "original sin" and the expectation of "intercession" by the saints. "A Muslim lives in a world without clergy and without religious hierarchy; when he prays he does not pray via Jesus, Mary, or other interceding saints, but directly to God - as a fully emancipated believer - and this is a religion free of mysteries." According to Hofmann, "A Muslim is the emancipated believer par excellence".

"I began to see Islam with its own eyes, as the unadulterated, pristine belief in the one and only, the true God, Who does not beget, and was not begotten, Whom nothing and nobody resembles … In place of the qualified deism of a tribal God and the constructions of a divine Trinity, the Quran showed me the most lucid, most straightforward, the most abstract - thus historically most advanced - and least anthropomorphic concept of God."

"The Quran's ontological statements, as well as its ethical teachings, impressed me as profoundly plausible, "as good as gold," so there was no room for even the slightest doubt about the authenticity of Muhammad's prophetic mission. People who understand human nature cannot fail to appreciate the infinite wisdom of the "Dos and Don'ts" handed down from God to man in the form of the Quran."

For his son's upcoming 18th birthday in 1980, he prepared a 12-page manuscript containing the things that he considered unquestionably true from a philosophical perspective. He asked a Muslim Imam of Cologne named Muhammad Ahmad Rassoul to take a look at the work. After reading it Rassoul remarked that if Dr. Hofmann believed in what he had written, then he was a Muslim. That indeed became the case a few days later when he declared "I bear witness that there is no divinity besides Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is Allah's messenger." That was September 25, 1980.

Dr. Hofmann continued his professional career as a German diplomat and NATO officer for fifteen years after he became Muslim. "I did not experience any discrimination in my professional life", he said. In 1984, three and half years after his conversion, then German President Dr. Carl Carstens awarded him the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. The German government distributed his book "Diary of a German Muslim" to all German foreign missions in the Muslim countries as an analytical tool. Professional duties did not prevent 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 arrange working lunch for foreign guests. He would be participating in those luncheons with an empty plate in front of him during Ramadan. In 1995, he voluntarily resigned from the Foreign Service to dedicate himself to Islamic causes.

While discussing the evils caused by alcohol in individual and social life, Dr. Hofmann mentioned an incident about his own life caused by alcohol. During his college years in New York in 1951, he was once traveling 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, taking away nineteen of his teeth and disfiguring his mouth.

After doing surgery on his chin and lower hip, the hospital surgeon comforted him saying: "Under normal circumstances, no one survives an accident like that. God has something special in mind for you, my friend." As he limped in Holy Spring after release from the hospital with his "arm in a sling, a bandaged knee, an iodine-discolored, stitched-up lower face", he wondered what could be the meaning of the 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 my survival became clear to me."



Sunday : 01/02/2004

Alhamdulillah what an inspirational story.


Brother gavin have you heard of Shiek Yusuf Estes, his website is http://www.islamtomorrow.com/ he is a former preacher and priest, his family where preists and preachers before as well as his friend who was a catholic priest before they entered into Islam, inshallah you may find his site of use.

Here is my story.

I grew up in a family comprised of Jews. The strongest sense of religion was withheld in my maternal grandparents. As you went down the family tree, religion became softer and softer. Even for a time, I did not even consider myself Jewish. But verily, I always believed in Ar Rahmaan.

Then, out from the smokey haze in which my faith was guided in, a friend called out to me. He showed me Islam and introduced me to it. His name is Jameel (peace and blessings be upon him! He is a great friend). This was in the year of 2003 during Ramadaan. I was introduced to Islam, learned a great deal, and I converted. Everything about Islam felt so...right. When I was first learning about Islam, I felt as if I was completely blind to the truth. I had to learn more, and my knowledge could not be quenched. Infact, that same incredible thirst for knowledge and purification still burns within me. I want to do as much as I possibily can do devote myself to Islam. Unfortunately, I do not know how to pray yet (I still have not visited a Mosque! I undoubtably will be visiting one soon. Most likely next weekend!). This one boundary is keeping my heart from believing that I am a true Muslim. Once I learn how to pray, a new spark of joy will be within me.

Infact, as of now, I decided it would be great to remember the ninety-nine perfect names of Allah! Tonight, I memorized the first ten. Each night I will memorize the next ten and so on untill I know all ninety-nine. Truely, Islam will guide me to the right path and I will recieve Al Mu'min's shade. Verily, Allah's shade is better than all shade.

I grew up in a christian home in Detroit, Mi. I always new alot about religion but to me christianity never made sense. when I reached teenage years I started becomming rebelious and in and out of the youth home as well as placment homes. My mom eventully imancipated me at 15 years old so I was on my own. I started drinking and doing drug because I didn't know where to turn. Then I started to gang bang and commited several different crimes until I was 18 and went to jail but was released on bond. at that point I ben in a bad relationship for 3 years and desided it's time to better my life so I enrolled into Detroit job corps and took up a C.N.A. trade AlhamdulAllah I passed the corse to become a nurse.I soon fell back into rebellion and got hooked up with the wrong peeps [commited some big time felonys]and got locked up again. I had to take a plee bargain to get a lesser sentance witch was 4 years probation under the hida program. I got off in 18 months with no felony or misdamenor rocord they black filed it. I was 19 by then and dicided no more I gonna be a better person to the best of my ability.So I moved in with my best friend and her brother. after I moved in her brother would wiat till his sister would go to work and would try to make me get with him and all his boys,witch I never did[Walahe].So one day I saw an opprotunity to get out of this situation so I left but had nowhere to go. I walked out the appartment and went nextdoor to a gas-station and asked these 2 brothers in a big white van for a ride.I had no idea there were muslim. I never got to where I was going insted I ended up at the drivers wifes house and she told me about Islam.As a kafir I was a sceptic and did not accept Islam right away but these people were so nice,they let me stay for dinner and gave me some clothes.The next day I left and went to stay with another friend of mine for a week. I knew when I left that I wanted to be muslim but I wanted to go to all my hangouts to tell everybody and get all the clubin I did out of my system.One night I was on my way to the club but Allah had different plans for me and led me right back to that sisters house, it was around 12am and I guess the brothers had just got back from Isha becouse they let me in, we sat up till fajr talking about Allah they made salat.After about a week of seeing how real muslims live I took Shahada.A week after I took Shahada I got married.I married into paligamy and absolutly love it. The two men that gave me a ride, the passenger became my wali and the driver was who gave me Shahada and became my husband. It's been 6 years and I'm still married to the same man and still muslim, InshAllah I will die muslim. I also have 4 beutiful children, 2 boys, 2 girls And 1 child that went back to Allah. So ending on that note I love Allah, I worship Allah and I will die for the cause of Allah and Muhammed[p.b.u.h.] is the last pro[het of Allah. Shukran Allah for allowing me to live long enough to become muslim,get married, and have muslim children. SubhanAllah!!! Shaakira :love:

Mashallah great story. If you become a muslim all your previous years of disbelieving are forgiven alhamdulillah.

Assalamu 'alaikum


Jazakallah khair brother Henry and sister Shaakira for sharing your stories. May Allah bless you both and keep us all steadfast, ameen.

Ameen

I just read the beautiful and spiritually rejuvenating stories posted by Gavin, Henry, and Shaakira. Its interesting that every story is unique in some way. Shaakira and Henry were introduced to Islam by Muslim friends, while Gavin's was based more on research and was literally a "journey" to Islam. I loved all your stories very much, may Allah Glorified and Exalted reward you for posting them.

I would recommend the following link to become more familiar with the basic Islamic concepts:
http://www.beconvinced.com

And I would strongly suggest reading the Qur'an, God's Last revelation to humanity. You can use either of the following links, choose wichever translatrion you feel more comfortable with:
quranicrealm.com

jazakallah for the links brother!

Maashallah what wonderful stories Sister Shaakira (trully amazing) and brothers Gavin and Henry. I loved all your stories very much, may Allah Glorified and Exalted reward you for posting them.