Introduction
My name is Yusuf Estes now,
but in years past my friends used to call me Skip. I have preached
Christianity and worked in the entertainment and music industry since
I was a boy in the 1950's. My father and I have established music
stores, TV and radio programs and outdoor entertainment for fun (and
profit). I was a music minister and even used a pony ride and
entertained the children as "Skippy the Clown."
Once, I have served as Delegate to the United Nations Peace
Conference for Religious Leaders. Now I am a retired former Muslim
Chaplain for United States Bureau of Prisons, Washington, DC. and I
join alongside many American Muslims, working with Muslim student and
youth organizations as well as schools for Muslim children. As such, I
travel around the entire world lecturing and sharing the message of
the Christ of the Quran in Islam. We hold dialogs and discussion
groups with all faiths and enjoy the opportunity to work alongside
rabbis, ministers, preachers and priests everywhere. Some of our work
is in the institutional area, military, universities and prisons.
Primarily our goal is to educate and communicate the correct message
of Islam and who the Muslims really are. Although Islam has grown now
to nearly tie Christianity as the largest of religions on earth, we
see many of those who claim Islam as Muslims, that do not correctly
understand nor properly represent the message of "Peace,
Surrender and Obedience to God" [Arabic =
'Islam']
Dear me, I am afraid that I got a bit ahead of myself. I was
trying to give a bit of background of our work perhaps to see if it
would in anyway benefit those who may being going through what I
experienced while trying to resolve some of the issues of
Christianity.
How It Happened
This may seem quite
strange, while we perhaps may share a few different perspectives and
concepts of God, Jesus, prophethood, sin and salvation. But you see,
at one time I was in the same boat as many folks are today. Really, I
was. Let me explain.
Born A Strong Christian
I was born into a
very strong Christian family in the Midwest. Our family and their
ancestors not only built the churches and schools across this land,
but actually were the same ones who came here in the first place.
While I was still in elementary we relocated in Houston, Texas in 1949
(I'm old). We attended church regularly and I was baptized at the age
of 12 in Pasadena, Texas. As a teenager, I wanted to visit other
churches to learn more of their teachings and beliefs. The Baptists,
Methodists, Episcopalians, Charismatic movements, Nazarene, Church of
Christ, Church of God, Church of God in Christ, Full Gospel, Agape,
Catholic, Presbyterian and many more. I developed quite a thirst for
the "Gospel" or as we say; "Good News." My research into religion did
not stop with Christianity. Not at all. Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism,
Metaphysics, native American beliefs were all a part of my studies.
Just about the only one that I did not look into seriously was
"Islam". Why? Good question.
Music Minister
Anyway, I became very
interested in different types of music, especially Gospel and
Classical. Because my whole family was religious and musical it
followed that I too would begin my studies in both areas. All this set
me for the logical position of Music Minister in many of the churches
that I became affiliated with over the years. I started teaching
keyboard instruments in 1960 and by 1963 owned my own studios in
Laurel, Maryland, called "Estes Music Studios."
Business Projects In Texas, Oklahoma and
Florida
Over the next 30 years my father and I worked
together in many business projects. We had entertainment programs,
shows and attractions. We opened piano and organ stores all the way
from Texas and Oklahoma to Florida. We had earned millions of dollars
during those years, but could not find the peace of mind that can only
come through knowing the truth and finding the real plan of salvation.
I'm sure you have asked yourself the question; "Why did
God create me?" or "What is it that God
wants me to do?" or "Exactly who is God,
anyway?" "Why do we believe in 'original sin?" and
"Why would the sons of Adam be forced to accept his 'sins'
and then as a result be punished forever." But if you
asked anyone these questions, they would probably tell you that you
have to believe without asking, or that it is a
'mystery' and you shouldn't ask -
"Just have faith, brother."
Trinity Concept
Strangely enough, the word
"Trinity" is not in the Bible. And it has been a concern for religious
scholars as early as 200 years after Jesus was raised up by Almighty
God. I would ask preachers or ministers to give me some sort of an
idea how 'one' could figure out to become 'three' or how God Himself,
Who can do anything He Wills to do, cannot just forgive people's sins,
but rather and had to become a man, come down on earth, be a human,
and then take on the sins of all people; keeping in mind that all
along He is still God of the whole universe and does as He Wills to
do, both in and outside of the universe as we know it. They
never seemed to be able to come up with anything other than opinions
or strange analogies.
Father - Ordained Non-Denominational
Minister
My father was very active in supporting church
work, especially church school programs. He became and ordained
minister in the 1970s. He and his wife (my stepmother) knew many of
the TV evangelists and preachers and even visited Oral Roberts and
helped in the building of the "Prayer Tower" in Tulsa, OK. They also
were strong supporters of Jimmy Swaggart, Jim and Tammy Fae Bakker,
Jerry Fallwell, John Haggi and the biggest enemy to Islam in America,
Pat Robertson.
Distributing "Praise" Tapes for
Jesus
During the early 1980's my Dad and his wife worked
together and were most active in recording "Praise" tapes and
distributing them for free to people in retirement homes, hospitals
and homes for the elderly. We were really "winning souls
to the Lord - for Jesus" day after day.
Met A Man From Egypt
î Başa
It was early in
1991 when my father began doing business with a man from Egypt and
told me that he wanted me to meet him. This idea appealed to me when I
thought about the idea of having an international flavor. You know,
the pyramids, sphinx, Nile River and all that.
He Was A "Mozlem"
Hijackers; Kidnappers; Bombers, Terrorists - and who
knows what else?
î Başa
Then my
father mentioned that this man was a 'Moslem.' First, I hated the
idea of meeting an "infidel, hijacker, kidnapper, bomber, terrorist,
non-believer." Any normal person would be repulsed at the idea. I
couldn't believe my ears. A 'Moslem?' No way!
I reminded my dad of the various different things that we had
heard about these people.
Lies Against Muslims & Islam - They Told Us,
Muslims:
- They don't even believe in
God
- They worship a black box in
the desert.
- And They kiss the
ground five times a day.
No Way! I Did Not Want to Meet
Him!
I did not want to meet this 'Moslem' man.
No way! My father insisted that I meet him and reassured me that he
was a very nice person. This was too much for me. Especially since the
evangelists that we used to travel around with all hated Muslims and
Islam very much. They even said things that were not true to make
people afraid of Islam. So, why would I want anything to do with these
people?
Idea - "Change Him To Christian"
î Başa
Then
an idea came to me, "We can change this man to Christian." So, I gave
in and agreed to the meeting. But on my terms.
Met Him With A Bible, Cross and Cap with "Jesus Is
Lord!" on it.
I agreed to meet him on a Sunday after
church so we would be all prayed up and in good standing with the
Lord. I would be carrying my Bible under my arm as usual. I would have
my big shiny cross dangling and I would have on my cap which says:
"Jesus is Lord" right across the front. My wife and two young
daughters came along and we were ready for our first encounter with
the 'Moslems.'
Where Is He?
When I came into the shop and
asked my father where the 'Moslem' was, he pointed and said: "He's
right over there."
I was confused. That couldn't be the
Moslem. No way.
Turban & Beard?
I'm looking for a huge
man with flowing robes, a big turban on his head, a beard half way
down his shirt and eyebrows that go all the way across his forehead
with a sword or a bomb under his coat.
No Turban - No Beard - [No Hair at
All!]
This man had no beard. In fact, he didn't even have
any hair on his head at all. He was nearly bald. Best of all, he was
very pleasant with a warm welcome and handshake. This didn't make
sense. I thought they are terrorists and bombers. What is this all
about?
He Needs Jesus
Never mind. I'll get
right to work on this guy. He needs to be 'saved' in the 'Name of
Jesus' and me and the Lord are going to do it.
Introduction & Interrogation
After a
quick introduction, I asked him:
"Do you believe in
God?"
He said:
"Yes." -
(Good!)
Then I said:
"Do you believe in Adam and
Eve?"
He said:
"Yes." - (Very Good!)
I
said: "What about Abraham? You believe in him
and how he tried to sacrifice his son for
God?"
He said:
"Yes." -
(Even better!)
Then I asked:
"What about
Moses?"
"Ten Commandments?"
"Parting the Red
Sea?"
Again he said:
"Yes." -
(Better still!)
Then:
"What about the other
prophets, David, Solomon and John the Baptist?"
He
said:
"Yes." - (Great!)
I
asked:
"Do you believe in the
Bible?"
Again, he said:
"Yes." -
(OK!)
So, now it was time for the big question:
"Do you believe in Jesus? That he was the Messiah
(Christ) of God?"
Again the said:
"Yes." -
(Fantastic!)
Well now - "This was going to be easier than I had
thought."
He was just about ready to be
baptized only he didn't know it.
And I was just the one to do
it, too.
Shocking Knowledge - Muslims Believe in the
Bible?
One day in the Spring of 1991, I came to know
that the Muslims believed in the Bible. I was shocked. How could this
be? But that's not all, they believe in Jesus as:
* A true messenger of God;
* Prophet of
God;
* Miracle birth without human intervention;
* He was the
'Christ' or Messiah as predicted in the Bible;
* He is with God
now and most important;
* He will be coming back in the Last Days
to lead the believers against the
'Antichrist.'
After "winning souls to the Lord for
Jesus" day after day, this would be a big achievement
for me, to catch one of these 'Moslems' and 'convert' him to
Christianity.
Cup of Tea - Discuss Beliefs
I asked him if
he liked tea and he said he did. So off we went to a little shop in
the mall to sit and talk about my favorite subject:
Beliefs. While we sat in that little coffee
shop for hours talking (I did most of the talking) I came to know that
he was very nice, quiet and even a bit shy. He listened attentively to
every word that I had to say and did not interrupt even one time. I
liked this man's way and thought that he had definite potential to
become a good Christian. - Little did I know the course of events
about to unravel in front of my eyes.
Agreed to Do Business
First of all, I
agreed with my father that we should do business with this man and
even encouraged the idea of him traveling along with me on my business
trips across the northern part of Texas. Day after day we would ride
together and discuss various issues pertaining to different beliefs
that people have. And along the way, I could of course interject some
of my favorite radio programs of worship and praise to help bring the
message to this poor individual. We talked about the concept of God;
the meaning of life; the purpose of creation; the prophets and their
mission and how God reveals His Will to mankind. We also shared a lot
of personal experiences and ideas as well.
Moved to Our Home
One day I came to know
that my friend Mohamed was going to move out of the home he have been
sharing with a friend of his and was going to be living in the mosque
for a time. I went to my dad and asked him if we could invite Mohamed
to come out to our big home in the country and stay there with us.
After all, he could share some of the work and some expenses and he
would be right there when we were ready to go to out traveling around.
My father agreed and Mohamed moved in.
Continued Ministry & Preaching
Of
course I still would find time to visit my fellow preachers and
evangelists around the state of Texas. One of them lived on the Texas
-- Mexico border and another lived near lived Oklahoma border. One
preacher liked to a huge wooden cross that was bigger than a car. He
would carry it over his shoulder and drag the bottom on the ground and
go down the road or freeway hauling these two beams formed in the
shape of a cross. People would stop their cars and come over to him
and ask him what was going on and he would give them pamphlets and
booklets on Christianity.
Preacher Has Heart Attack
One day my friend
with the cross had a heart attack and had to go to the Veterans
Hospital where he stayed for quite a long while. I used to visit him
in the hospital several times a week and I would take Mohamed with me
with the hopes that we could all share together in the subject of
beliefs and religions. My friend was not very impressed and it was
obvious that he did not want to know anything about Islam. Then one
day a man who was sharing the room with my friend came rolling into
the room in his wheelchair. I went to him and asked him his name and
he said that it didn't matter and when I asked him where he was from
he said he was from the planet Jupiter. I thought about what he said
and then began to wonder if I was in the cardiac ward or the mental
ward.
Man in Wheelchair - Needed the
Lord
I knew the man was lonely and depressed and
needed someone in his life. So, I began to 'witness' to him about the
Lord. I read to him out of the book of Jonah in the Old Testament. I
shared the story of the prophet Jonah who had been sent by the Lord to
call his people to the correct way. Jonah had left his people and
escaped by boat to leave his city and head out to sea. A storm came up
and the ship almost capsized and the people on board threw Jonah over
the side of the ship. A whale came up to the surface and grabbed
Jonah, swallowed him and then went down to the bottom of the sea,
where he stayed for 3 days and 3 nights. Yet because of God's Mercy,
He caused the whale to rise to the surface and then spit Jonah out to
return back home safely to his city of Nineveh. And the idea was that
we can't really run away from our problems because we always know what
we have done. And what is more, God also always knows what we have
done.
Catholic Priest
After sharing this story
with the man in the wheel chair, he looked up and me and apologized.
He told me he was sorry for his rude behavior and that he had
experienced some real serious problems recently. Then he said that he
wanted to confess something to me. And I said that I was not a
Catholic priest and I don't handle confessions. He replied back to me
that he knew that. In fact, he said: "I am a Catholic
priest."
I was shocked. Here I had been trying
to preach Christianity to a priest. What in the world was happening
here?
Priest in Latin America
The priest began to
share his story of being a missionary for the church for over 12 years
to south and Central America and Mexico and even in New York's 'Hell's
Kitchen.' When he was released from the hospital he needed a place to
go to recover and rather than let him go to stay with a Catholic
family, I told my dad that we should invite him to come out and live
with us in the country along with our families and Mohamed. It was
agreed by all that he would so, he moved out right away.
Priests Must Study ISLAM? -
YES!
During the trip out to our home, I talked with
the priest about some of the concepts of beliefs in Islam and to my
surprise he agreed and then shared even more about this with me. I was
shocked when he told me that Catholic priests actually study Islam and
some even carry doctors degrees in this subject. This was all very
enlightening to me. But there was still a lot more to come.
Different Versions of the Bible
After
settling in, we all began to gather around the kitchen table after
dinner every night to discuss religion. My father would bring his
King James Version of the Bible, I would
bring out my Revised Standard Version of the
Bible, my wife had another version of the Bible (maybe
something like Jimmy Swaggart's 'Good News For Modern
Man." The priest of course, had the Catholic
Bible which has 7 more books in it that the
Protestant Bible. So we spent more time
talking about which Bible was the right one or the most correct one,
than we did trying to convince Mohamed about becoming a
Christian.
Quran Has Only ONE Version - In Arabic - And Still
Exists
At one point I recall asking him about the Quran
and how many versions of it there were in the last 1,400 years. He
told me that there was only ONE QURAN. And that it had never been
changed. Yet he let me know that the Quran had been memorized by
hundreds of thousands of people, in it's entirety and were scattered
about the earth in many different countries. Over the centuries since
the Quran was revealed millions have memorized it completely and have
taught it to others who have memorized it completely, from cover to
cover, letter perfect without mistakes. Today, over 9 million Muslims
have memorized the entire Quran from cover to cover.
How Could This Be?
This did not seem
possible to me. After all, the original languages of the Bible have
all been dead languages for centuries and the documents themselves
have been lost in their originals for hundreds and thousands of years.
So, how could it be that something like this could be so easy to
preserve and to recite from cover to cover.
Priest Goes to the Mosque
Anyway, one day
the priest asked the Mohamed if he might accompany him to the mosque
to see what it was like there. They came back talking about their
experience there and we could not wait to ask the priest what it was
like and what all types of ceremonies they performed. He said they
didn't really 'do' anything. They just came and prayed and left. I
said: "They left? Without any speeches or singing?" He said that was
right.
Priest Enters Islam!
A few more days went
by and the Catholic priest asked Mohamed if he might join him again
for a trip to the mosque which they did. But this time it was
different. They did not come back for a very long time. It became dark
and we worried that something might have happened to them. Finally
they arrived and when they came in the door I immediately recognized
Mohamed, but who was this alongside of him? Someone wearing a white
robe and a white cap. Hold on a minute! It was the priest. I said to
him: "Pete? -- Did you become a 'Moslem?'
He said that he had
entered into Islam that very day. THE PRIEST BECAME A MUSLIM!! What
next? (You'll see).
My Wife Announces Her Islam!
So, I went
upstairs to think things over a bit and began to talk to my wife about
the whole subject. She then told me that she too was going to enter
into Islam, because she knew it was the truth.
Shocked!
I was really shocked now. I went
downstairs and woke up Mohamed and asked him to come outside with me
for a discussion. We walked and talked that whole night
through.
Truth Had Come!
By the time he was ready to
pray Fajr (the morning prayer of the Muslims) I knew that the truth
had come at last and now it was up to me to do my part. I went out
back behind my father's house and found an old piece of plywood lying
under an overhang and right there I put my head down on the ground
facing the direction that the Muslims pray five times a
day.
Guide Me! O God! Guide Me!
Now then in that
position, with my body stretched out on the plywood and my head on the
ground, I asked: "O God. If you are there, guide me, guide me."
Sign Inside of Me
And then after a while I
raised up my head and I noticed something. No, I didn't see birds or
angels coming out of the sky nor did I hear voices or music, nor did I
see bright lights and flashes. What I did notice was a change inside
of me. I was aware now more than ever before that it was time for me
to stop any lying and doing anything sneaky. It was time that I really
work at being an honest and upright man. I knew now what I had to do.
Wash Away the "OLD"
So I went upstairs and
took a shower with the distinct idea that I was 'washing' away the
sinful old person that I had become over the years. And I was now
coming into a new, fresh life. A life based on truth and
proof.
- And Become New!
Around 11:00 A.M. that
morning, I stood before two witnesses, one the ex-priest, formerly
known as Father Peter Jacob's, and the other Mohamed Abel Rehman and
announced my 'shahadah' (open testimony to the Oneness of God and the
prophethood of Muhammad, peace be upon him).
"I bear witness, there is no deity to worship,
except Almighty Allah, alone and He has no partners and I bear witness
that Mohammad is His messenger and servant."
My Wife Was Next
A few minutes later, my
wife follow along and gave the same testimony. But hers was in front
of 3 witnesses (me being the third).
Then My Father
My father was a bit more
reserved on the subject and waited a few more months before he made
his shahadah (public testimony). But he did finally commit to Islam
and began offering prayers right along with me and the other Muslims
in the local masjid (mosque).
Children Too!
The children were taken out
of the Christian school and placed in Muslim schools. And now ten
years later, they are memorizing much of the Quran and the teachings
of Islam.
Father's Wife (Stepmother) Next
My father's
wife finally acknowledged, before she died, that Jesus could not be a
son of God and that he must have been a mighty prophet of God, but not
God. She passed away within a few months of this statement at age 86.
May Allah accept her statement of faith, ameen.
Houseful of New Muslims - What's Next?
Now
stop and think. A whole entire household of people from varying
backgrounds and ethnic groups coming together in truth to learn how to
know and worship the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. Think. A
Catholic priest; a minister of music and preacher of the Gospel; an
ordained minister and builder of Christian schools; and the children,
even a great-grandmother - they all come into Islam!
His Mercy and Guidance
Only by His Mercy
were we all guided to see the real truth of Islam, by removing the
coverings over our ears and the blinders on our eyes, no longer having
seals over our hearts - He was Guiding us now.
Amazing Story - Family and Friends Entering Islam -
From One Man
If I were to stop right here, I'm sure that
you would have to admit that at least, this is an amazing story,
right? After all, three religious leaders of three separate
denominations all going into one very opposite belief at the same time
and then soon after the rest of the household.
More? - Yes! Baptist Seminary Student Reads Quran -
Accepts Islam
But that is not all. There is more! The same
year, while I was in Grand Prairie, Texas (near Dallas) I met a
Baptist seminary student from Tennessee named Joe, who also came to
Islam after reading the Holy Quran while in BAPTIST SEMINARY
COLLEGE!
More? Yes. Catholic Priest Loves Islam - But Needs
His Job!
There are others as well. I recall the case of
the Catholic priest in a college town who talked about the good things
in Islam so much that I was forced to ask him why he didn't enter
Islam. He replied: "What? And loose my job?"
- His name is Father John and we still pray for Allah to Guide
Him.
Another Catholic Priest Makes Shahadah
The
very next year I met a former Catholic priest who had been a
missionary for 8 years in Africa. He learned about Islam while he was
there and entered into Islam. He then changed his name to Omar and
moved to Dallas Texas.
Any more? Again - Yes! Orthodox Arch Bishop
leaves church for Islam
Two years later, while in San
Antonio, Texas I was introduced to a former Arch Bishop of the
Orthodox Church of Russia who learned about Islam and gave up his
position to enter Islam.
Daughter of Hindu Pundit (Religious Leader) - Accepts
Islam - Helping thousands to Islam
I met a woman in New
York who wanted to make our CDs about "What Is Islam?" After giving
her permission several years ago, I have learned she has produced and
distributed over 600 thousand of these to the non-Muslims in America.
May Allah reward her and keep her strong in her efforts,
ameen.
Hundreds - Thousands - Still Coming
And
since my own entrance into Islam and becoming a chaplain to the
Muslims throughout the country and around the world, I have
encountered many more individuals who were leaders, teachers and
scholars in other religions who learned about Islam and entered into
it. They came from Hindus, Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Jehovah's
Witnesses, Greek and Russian Orthodox, Coptic Christians from Egypt,
non-denominational churches and even scientists who had been
atheists.
Why? Good question.
The combination always
seems to be the same; people are sincerely seeking the truth and are
willing to put their different prejudices and biases out of their
minds and begin to ask God for His Guidance in their lives.
So,
now you have the introduction to the story of my coming into Islam and
becoming Muslim. There is more on the Internet about this story and
there are more pictures there as well. Please take the time to visit
it and then please take the time to email me and let us come together
to share in all truths based on proofs for understanding our origins
and our purpose and goals in this life and the Next Life.
9 Steps to Purify the Heart
May I suggest to the
seeker of truth do the following NINE STEPS to purification of the
heart?
- Clean - your mind, your
heart & soul - remove all prejudices & biases.
- Thank God - for what you
have - every moment of every day.
- Read - a good translation
of the meaning of the Holy Quran in a language that they can
understand best. (http://islamtomorrow.com/downloads/noblequran.exe)
- Reflect on the meanings & consider the
bounties of your Lord.
- Seek - Forgiveness From God &
Learn to Forgive others.
- Ask - in your heart for
Guidance from Above.
- Open - your heart and
mind.
- Continue - to do this up for a few months.
And be regular in it.
- Avoid - the poison of evil while your
heart is opening for the "rebirth of your
soul."
Remember: Clean; Thank; Read; Reflect -
then:
"Seek, and ye shall find. Ask, and it shall be given thee.
Knock, and it shall be opened."
Then: Continue &
Avoid
The rest is between you and the Almighty Lord
of the Universe. If you truly love Him, then He already Knows it and
He will deal with each of us according to our
hearts.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
Now as I promised here are the answers to the questions many
have asked me connected with my choice of Islam:
1. "How could you have turned your back on the perfect plan
of salvation of Jesus Christ on the cross for you sins?"
Answer: Your question implies you have not considered the
similarities and teachings of the Bible and the Quran.
"ISLAM" means - "Surrender, submit and obey your Lord in
sincerity and peace." Whoever is trying to do this, is a "MUSLIM."
If someone believes in Almighty God as One God and One Lord and
wants to commit their life to serving Him and obeying His
Commandments, then that person will be in the right way and they
will be "saved" according to God's Mercy. No one can take the sins
of another and the guilty must stand accused for what they have
done. It will be up to Almighty God to Forgive or Punish according
to His Judgment on that Day.
According to the remains of the translations of the Bible
[see: "Bible, A
Closer Look"] Jesus, peace be upon him, did not preach a
message of salvation by worshipping him. This was something added
later by Saul (who later became Paul). We find clear statements
indicating salvation would come only through acknowledging
Almighty God as One God and worshipping Him with all the heart,
mind and strength. Jesus, peace be upon him, taught his followers
to worship "My God and your God, My Lord and your
Lord."
Again, according to the remains of the English translation
of the Bible, we see the one on the cross crying out a very
blasphemous statement, "Eli! Eli! Lama sabachthani?"
(Which being translated means, "My God! My God! Why have you
forsaken me?") This statement on the cross clearly
indicates the one on the cross is not pleased with the situation
nor does he consider it right or just. Therefore, one would have
to conclude this was not something Jesus approved of nor did he
accept, or else someone else was on the cross in his place. Either
way you look at it, the one on the cross did not accept this as a
plan of salvation.
The Quran is absolutely in agreement with these teachings
and Muslims do worship the same God and Lord of Jesus, Moses,
Abraham and Adam, peace be upon them all. The Quran states in many
places, no one will be taken to task for the sins of another, nor
can anyone carry the burden of another. We will all be on our own
on that Day. And I ask Allah to have Mercy and Forgiveness for all
those who believe in Him, ameen.
I consider that I have not left the teachings of Jesus
Christ, peace be upon him. On the contrary, I feel much closer to
Jesus, peace be upon him, and I look forward to His return on
earth more than ever before. Now I am worshipping the same God he
worships and I serve the same Lord he serves, in the very same way
he does. Jesus prayed to Almighty God and taught his followers to
do the same. I am simply doing what he commanded to the best of my
ability and ask Almighty God to accept it.
2. "Do you consider you were really "saved" and that you had
in fact, been "born again?"
Answer: The Baptists have a statement, "Once saved, always
saved." I asked one of them about this and he agreed it was true.
Then I mentioned at one time I had become a Baptist (in my teen
years) but now I was a Muslim. I had also been "saved" and
baptized at the age of 12. I had accepted the very statement of
Jesus being the way, the light and the truth and no man coming on
to the Father except by him. I understood these statements to mean
I must follow Jesus and his teachings. Therefore, I read the Bible
for myself and did not let others tell me what to think about what
I was reading.
The Bible states that Jesus prayed for salvation for
himself in the garden of Gethsemane in this way, "Let
this cup pass from me, even so, Thy Will be done."
This prayer was repeated by Jesus, peace be upon him, a number of
times and it is mentioned in more than one Gospel. Yet, according
to Biblical accounts, the cup did not pass from him and his
prayers were NOT ANSWERED. Islam teaches us his prayers were
answered and he did not have to endure the cruel treatment and
death on the cross, but rather he was taken up while still alive
and is with Almighty God even now and ready to return in the Last
Days to bring victory to the believers.
Additionally, we find Jesus, peace be upon him, teaching
his disciples to pray like this, "Our Father in
Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done
on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and
forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against
us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from all evil. For
Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and Glory, forever and ever,
ameen." Every Muslim I have met accepts every single
word of this pray with the exception of calling "Allah" our
"Father." Muslims consider it better to call on Almighty God by
His Names, which we do consider to be
"Hallowed."
3. "How did your family respond to your
conversion?"
Answer: This is always difficult for families to adjust to
and it usually takes time. My family was no exception. Although my
wife, children entered into Islam and eventually my father came to
declare Islam to be the way of salvation for himself, still my own
mother and many others in my family resented our going to Islam at
first. Eventually, things became more normalized and we do stay in
touch, although they are all still very much involved in
Christianity.
Allah promises to test those who declare their faith in Him
with many types of difficulties and family is one of those
mentioned as a test in the Quran. I do pray for them and ask Allah
to guide them to the very best in this life and the very best in
the Next Life. But it is up to Allah if He wants them to be in
Submission to Him (Islam means, submission to Allah) or
not.
4. "How about your congregation? What did they
say?"
Answer: I never had my own church. I was a music minister
in the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana branch) in Texas and did
my preaching to businessmen and informal gatherings. Those who
knew me for the most part did not object and some even came to
Islam, but there were a few who felt very upset and accused me of
"Turing my back on Jesus, peace be upon him." No matter what I
tried to say or do, these particular individuals would not listen
nor did they want to learn anything about Islam.
5. "Did you experience a lot of difficulties in changing
religions?"
Answer: Certainly anyone who wants to consider Islam in
these times, just as in times gone by, will have to recognize
there will be certain difficulties and tests along the way. The
followers of Jesus, peace be upon him, were highly criticized and
persecuted even until death (read what Paul said he used to do to
them in the Bible; Book of Acts of the Apostles). Those who
followed Muhammad, peace be upon him, suffered at the hands of
their very own tribes, yet they were determined to continue to
worship Almighty God Alone, without partners and submit to His
Will.
The biggest problem with non-Muslims, is their lack of
understanding and lack of knowledge as to what Islam is really all
about and who the Muslims are supposed to be. I pray for them all
and ask Allah to forgive the Muslims for not showing a better
picture to everyone.
6. "Who was responsible for converting you?"
Answer: As Muslims we believe that it is only Allah who
guides the people and whoever He guides will not be misguided and
whomever He lets go astray none will be able to guide them. As
such, it means we don't believe anyone really can "convert"
someone else.
Also, we accept that all children are born in the natural
state of submission to Almighty God and as such that means they
are Muslims. Should a child die he or she would go to Heaven as
they are not responsible for what they do not
understand.
7. "Don't you ever think about coming back to being a
Christian?"
Answer: "Christian" indicates a follower of Christ. When
Jesus, peace be upon him, returns to earth in the Last Days, all
the Muslims will be obliged to follow him. But we would not call
ourselves "Christians" anymore than he would. He never called
himself or his companions "Christians." The Bible tells us they
were never even called "Christians" until Paul was preaching his
message in Antioch.
8. "Doesn't it bother you to have left the way of peace,
justice and love for a religion of hatred, violence and oppression
toward women and others?"
Answer: All the prophets, peace be upon them all, called
the people to worship Almighty God as One God and One Lord. As
such, those who did not want to submit to Almighty God would
combat them and treat them with hostilities, even unto death, as
Paul had done while still being a Pharisee. The prophets, peace be
upon them all, did encourage their followers to live in peace and
deal with people in justice and certainly love is the highest form
of emotion a human can have for another human being.
Yet at the same time, believers have to defend themselves,
their families and the religion itself, lest those who are not
believers should remove belief from the very face of the earth.
Islam, like Christianity preaches a message of peace and tolerance
- to a point. But when this is no longer possible without totally
compromising and loosing one's way of life and belief system, then
there is no alternative except to engage in open combat against
those who are combating against the believers.
Jesus called upon his followers to sell their coats and buy
swords. He explained that he did not come with peace, but rather a
sword. He and his companions were engaged in mortal combat with
their enemies, the Pharisees when one of the priests slaves had
his ear cut by the sword. Jesus then told them to put down their
swords. This is mentioned in the Bible.
The word "sword" appears over 200 times in the Bible - but
even though the Arabic language has more than a dozen words for
sword, there is not a single occurrence of any of these words
anywhere in the Quran.
Combat is ordered in the Quran, only under very specific
and limited conditions and it is nothing more than what we would
today call "The War on Terrorism." Fighting against all acts of
organized aggression, oppression, persecution and terrorism is an
obligation on all believers. But it certainly has limits and
women, children, elderly and any innocents are not to killed or
injured during such occasions. Treatment of prisoners is not to be
humiliating or torture of any kind. Even the dead of the enemy are
to be buried with dignity and
respect.
Now since writing my story and publishing
here on the internet many other websites have picked up this story and
it had become a famous example of how "Priest and Preachers Are Coming to
Islam."
Again, I thank you for visiting. And I
thank our Christian friend for his email. If he hadn't sent it, I
probably would still not have completed this task of putting down the
story once and for all of how my family, friends and myself all came
to Islam.
Please feel free to share this story with others.
You should print it out and make copies for everyone. Give them our
links, add our story to your website or blog page, and send out emails
to everyone you know. Maybe it could make a difference for others like
us, God Willing.
May Allah guide you on your journey to all truth.
Ameen. And May He open your heart and your mind to the reality of this
world and the purpose of this life, ameen.
Peace to you and Guidance from Allah the One
Almighty God, Creator and Sustainer of all that exists.
Your
friend,
Yusuf
Estes
Chaplain Yusuf Estes
More Proof? Read: "Success,
Happiness & Peace"
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