Nailed It !
Posted on 02/03/2017 9:58:51 PM PST by nickcarraway
Teaching about Islam taught me many things.
I enjoyed being a priest helping the people for some years. However, deep inside I was not happy and I felt that there was something not right. Fortunately, and it is God’s will, some events and coincidences in my life led me to Islam.
I used to think of Egypt as a country of Pyramids, camels, sand and palm trees. I actually took a charter flight to Hurghada.
Shocked to find it similar to some European beaches, I took the first bus to Cairo where I spent the most wonderful week in my life.
This was my first introduction to Muslims and Islam. I noticed how Egyptians are such gentle, sweet people, but also very strong.
Like all Britons, my knowledge about Muslims up to that time didn’t exceed what I heard from the TV about suicide bombers and fighters, which gave the impression that Islam is a religion of troubles. However, getting into Cairo I discovered how beautiful this religion is.
Very simple people selling goods on the street would abandon their trade and direct their face to Allah and pray the moment they heard the call to prayer from the mosque. They have a strong faith in the presence and will of Allah. They pray, fast, help the needy and dream to have a trip to Makkah with the hope of living in heaven in the hereafter.
On my return I resumed my old job of teaching religion. The only compulsory subject in British education is Religious Studies. I was teaching about Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism and others. So everyday I had to read about these religions to be able to teach my lessons to the students, many of whom were Arab Muslim refugees. In other words, teaching about Islam taught me many things.
Unlike many troublesome teenagers, these students set a good example of what a Muslim could be. They were polite and kind. So a friendship developed between us and they asked if they could use my classroom for prayers during the fasting month of Ramadan.
Luckily, my room was the only one with a carpet. So I got accustomed to sitting at the back, watching them praying for a month. I sought to encourage them by fasting during Ramadan with them, even though I wasn’t yet a Muslim.
Once while reciting a translation of the holy Quran in class I reached the verse:
{And when they hear what has been revealed to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of what they have recognized of the truth.} (Quran 5:83)
To my surprise, I felt tears welling up in my eyes and I tried hard to hide it from the students.
The following day, I was taking the underground and noticed how terrified the people were. I was also afraid of the repetition of such acts in Britain. At the time, the Western people started fearing this religion they blamed for terrorism.
However, my previous experience with Muslims took me to a different direction. I started wondering ‘Why Islam? Why do we blame Islam as a religion for the action of terrorists who happened to be Muslims, when no-one accused Christianity of terrorism when some Christians have acted the same way?
One day I headed to the biggest Mosque in London, to hear more about this religion. Getting into London Central Mosque, there was Yusuf Islam, the former pop singer, sitting in a circle talking to some people about Islam. After a while, I found myself asking him” ‘What do you actually do to become a Muslim?’
He answered that a Muslim should believe in one God, pray five times a day and fast during Ramadan. I interrupted him saying that I believed all this and had even fasted during Ramadan. So he asked:
‘What are you waiting for? What is holding you back?’ I said: ‘No, I don’t intend to convert.’
At that moment the call to prayer was made and everyone got ready and stood in lines to pray.
I sat at the back, and I cried and cried. Then I said to myself: ‘Who am I trying to fool?’
After they ended their prayers, I headed to Yusuf Islam, asking him to teach me the words by which I announce my conversion.
After explaining its meanings to me in English, I recited after him in Arabic that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I couldn’t hold back my tears.
‘Gardens of Islam’
I decided to write this book “Gardens of Delight: a Simple Introduction to Islam” to give non-Muslims an idea about the basic principles of Islam. I tried to tell people how beautiful Islam is and that Islam has the most extraordinary treasures, the most important being Muslims’ love for each other.
The Prophet says:
‘Even a smile to your brother is a charity.’
May Allah have mercy on brother Idris Tawfiq.
Idris Tawfiq was a British writer, public speaker and consultant. He became a Muslim around 15 years ago.For many years, he was head of religious education in different schools in the United Kingdom. Before embracing Islam, he was a Roman Catholic priest. He passed away in peace in the UK in February 2016 after a period of illness. May Allah (SWT) have mercy on him, and accept his good deeds.
So what’s her name father?
the most important being Muslims’ love for each other.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And hatred for everyone else.
He chose poorly.
But he already knows that now.
The doctrine of “once saved always saved” has to be reconsidered or at least discussed. I know that this person was RC priest so you can argue that he was never saved. But suppose, this person was a Christian that professed to be saved by Christ and born again in the spirit. This type of act of free will would appear to contradict this later action.
I pray that this person would come to their senses.
The reason is obvious: he’s an idiot.
My take is possession or insanity.
The priest who abandoned Jesus is already dead; he knows the truth now...
London Central Mosque, eh? :
Muslims declare sovereignty over U.S., UK (Jihad Watch)
World Net Daily Web-Site ^ | July 9, 2007 | By Art Moore).
Across town from the site of the recent attempted car-bomb attacks, several thousand Muslims gathered in front of the London Central Mosque to applaud fiery preachers prophesying the overthrow of the British government – a future vision that encompasses an Islamic takeover of the White House and the rule of the Quran over America. “One day my dear Muslims,” shouted Anjem Choudary, “Islam will govern Britain!”
(Excerpt) Read more at worldnetdaily.com ...
Nailed It !
Superficially, the rituals in the Catholic Church and the rituals and structure of Islam seem similar to those who are of the “seed scattered on the wayside”. So if you haven’t actually accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and LORD, and have been filled with the Holy Spirit, it is easy to be fooled into believing the lie.
I pray that this person would come to their senses.
There is but ONE God. . .He evidently didn’t believe in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
This is either fake news, or just a lie.
"Luckily, my room was the only one with a carpet. So I got accustomed to sitting at the back, watching them praying."
Used to be he stayed away from women. Now he can abuse them.
Bear in mind there are two similarly named mosques in London... so the WND article may have the two confused...
the Central London Mosque [Regent’s Park Mosque] and
the North Central London Mosque [Finsbury Park Mosque] ; both are Sunni.
Finsbury was the hive of scum and villainy.
Oops. You blew it, padre.
good catch.
I find this man a simpleton who flows with any ideology that can put him to peace in his obviously unsettled mind. Oops, should have said pieces. What a complete dumbass.
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