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
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?
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:
- D 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"
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" [click]
Source: http://www.islamtomorrow.com/yusuf/priests_n_preachers.htm
