format_quote Originally Posted by
Beardo
I was feeling a bit relaxed today after submitting my assignment, so I decided to take a book and read on a bench in the middle of the campus field. It’s how I release all the stress and frustration life thrusts at me. There’s nothing like a good book along with a refreshing drink.
Anyhow, as I’m sitting on the bench alone, these two guys come forward and ask if I can spare a couple minutes. I smiled and untangled my legs onto the floor. One of them literally sat next to me leaving no gap in between. The other one sat next to my backpack, and I presume he’d brush against me too if my backpack didn’t serve as a shield.
The one sitting next to me took out a miniature book entitled, “Would you like to know God personally?” There were so many similarities to Islam, and I kept nodding my head in agreement or understanding to everything he mentioned. After reading the booklet to me, he put his phone number and name on the book, telling me to give him a call anytime I wanted to hang out.
even the title is a bit of rubbish, isn't it? you can't know Allah personally, because Allah is not a person! you can personally know about Allah as Rabb, as well as His other Attributes and how to worship Him. why would you you sit there nodding (like a fool), instead of offering a rebuttal to each idiotic thing he read from the book? i'm disappointed that someone who helps oversee an Islamic website could be so unprepared to deal with such a simple situation.
Anyway, right before this, the other guy wanted to ask me a few questions. After some small talk about my name, its origins, and my career plan, he whipped out Thr ultimate question. Rather bluntly, might I add.
What is keeping you from converting from being a Muslim to a Christian, he asked.
you might try, "cuz i'm not an idiot and i don't want to jeopardize my eternal life on fairy tales and some anonymous books. the only thing anyone knows for certain about the New Testament is that Paul wrote 7 letters. in 1 of the "authentic" letters of Paul, Galatians, he specifically rejects the what the Apostles have been preaching (read the 1st 3 chapters).
I smiled. I explained to him that I have a hard time wrapping my head around the concept of Jesus being a son of God, but I certainly admire and love him as a Prophet.
nothing to "wrap your head around", Surah Al Ikhlas states that Allah has no children.
He then asked me about how I intend to achieve salvation, and I explained that God is Most Merciful, and so on. So one of them the asks, “If you were to die today, how sure are you that you’ll be granted the good eternal life?”
we have no guarantee of eternal life, but we do retain hope in Allah's Mercy.
I was a little caught off-guard, but I light-heartedly joked, saying, “God forbid, because I’m not studying for my finals if I’m going to die tomorrow.” He laughed and gave me a light hug, probably thinking I was offended by his question.
But I continued, saying that faith is all about believing in the Unseen, and that I am very hopeful in God.
Anyway, they seemed to have nothing else to add. What else is there to say? I hope they didn’t think they could convert me right then and there. Anyhow, they left me with the book with their contact information, and they were on their way.
Good times.
It’s funny this happens right after I was conversing with another friend of mine earlier. He asked me if I preach Islam. I told him that I do not, and he asked why. I told him that I simply don’t want to misrepresent my religion. It’s also due to the fact that I believe in preaching through action and conduct, rather than preaching directly. We all have our own ways of expressing ourselves, and that is the one I tr for.
And Allah Ta’ala knows best.
Should I have offered Da'wah directly? What would you have done?
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