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From
the Desk of: Chaplain
Yusuf Estes
TO: Takashi Settai
Staff Writer for Nikkei (Japanese Newspaper)
New York, New York
RE: Your email request for more information on
former Christians
coming to Islam
Peace
be unto all those who follow right guidance.
Greetings Takashi:
Thank
you for your kind letter and for your offer of publishing the
story of my
"converting"
from Christianity to Islam.
Before I begin, I must
mention that I am leaving on a flight from here (Washington, DC)
to Atlanta in 30 minutes to speak at a special event there. You
had requested information on how a Christian priest (a Catholic
priest friend of ours named Peter Jacobs), a preacher (myself)
and a reverend (my father came last) came to Islam. This email
will serve as our permission to publish any information published
on our website or in this email for your newspaper. You may feel
assured that we are most happy to cooperate with you in any way
possible.
I
could perhaps begin by saying, that I have personally witnessed
many "converts" coming into Islam in this country (and
Mexico as well). But many people consider my own personal experience
to be rather unique in that it was not simple one person changing
their religion, but rather an entire household of very religious
Christians of three different denominations [Catholic, "Born
Again" and Protestant) all "converting" to Islam.
The reason I choose to
put the word "convert" in brackets is because the understanding
as taught by the prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is that
all children are born in a state of "Islam" (surrender,
submission and obedience to Almighty God) and it is their parents
who raise them up as Jews, Christians, Fire Worshippers. So, Muslims
consider it more like returning or "reverting" to Islam.]
But
please do not get the wrong idea, although we entered into Islam
within a close proximity in time we each individually came to
the conclusion that Islam was our own personal choice and it was
not an instant decision as a group coming over to Islam.
While
we would all agree that there are always going to be a certain
number of people who, for whatever reason, will change from one
religion to another, we must also quickly agree that it is highly
unusual to find a number of priests, preachers, reverends and
holy men (and women) from various faith groups, simultaneously
entering the same faith around the world.
My
own personal story begins on the Texas/Mexican border in December
of 1990. I was born a white, Anglo-Saxon Protestant and at that
time I was working very actively toward preaching "Born Again"
Christianity to anyone and everyone that would listen. I was definitely
NOT LOOKING FOR ISLAM. In fact, religious leaders of Christianity
and Judaism would have us believe, that Islam is a cult of some
kind with the followers worshipping a black box in the desert
and kissing the ground five times a day. Additionally, we have
been programmed by the media to classify most Muslims as "terrorists,"
"highjackers" and "kidnappers."
So why would anyone even look at Islam???
Good
question . . .
All my close friends at that time were either preachers, ministers
or very much active and involved in preaching a message of
"Saving Grace by blood sacrifice from
the Holy Trinity of Jesus."
One
preacher I knew used to carry a huge (12' long) cross on his back
and walk alongside the highway to attract people to "come
to Jesus."
Another
preacher used to take me into Mexico and we would preach in the
square or market to individuals about the "salvation of Christ."
We were even arrested in the night by the Mexican Federal Police
and investigated (Mexico is predominantly Catholic and does not
encourage other religions).
Ah
alas, I feared that I would run out of time before completing
this story for you. I must go immediately to the airport now....
Please feel free
to write to me and to discuss this subject and other stories of
priests and preachers coming to Islam...
Best Regards and
May Allah Guide us all in all that is best, Ameen.
Yours Very Truly,
Yusuf
Estes
Yusuf Estes.
National Muslim Chaplain.
Today Islam Project - USA.
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Priests & Preachers - Enter Islam