Why Do Priests & Preachers Enter ISLAM? The story of conversion of the Preacher Yusuf Estes (6)

§  Sign Inside of Me

§  Wash Away the “OLD”

§  And Become New!

§  My Wife Was Next

§  Then My Father

§  Children Too!

§  Father’s Wife (Stepmother) Next

§  Houseful of New Muslims – What’s Next?

§  His Mercy and Guidance

§  Amazing Story – Family and Friends Entering Islam – From One Man

§  More? – Yes! Baptist Seminary Student Reads Quran – Accepts Islam

§  More? Yes. Catholic Priest Loves Islam – But Needs His Job!

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How a preacher or priest in Christianity can ever go to Islam?

How could a preacher have turned his back on the perfect plan of salvation of Jesus Christ on the cross for you sins and converted to Islam?

The American ex–preacher Yusuf Estes continues saying:

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, amen (Pronounced Ameen in Arabic).

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.

 

Written by: Chaplain Yusuf Estes

To be continued.

Chapter 50 of the Quran (18) Suicidal Rate Here and There

It is said that the regular prayers are the Muslims’ relief from depression, sadness, despair, angry, irritability etc.  For this reason, the suicidal rate and tendency in the poor Muslims’ community is extremely low in comparison to the wealthy non-Muslims’ community.

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In the previous article, The Jews came to the Prophet Muhammad and asked him about the creation of the heavens and earth.

He said to them: Allah has created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six days.

 

The Jews said: ‘you would have answered correctly, if you added: and then He rested on the seventh day, the Sabbath’.

Upon hearing that, the Prophet Muhammad was furious.

The Prophet Muhammad was very angry upon hearing that.

It is a great insult to Allah when one says that He rested or rests or will rest.

 

But, what Allah has commanded His Prophet Muhammad to do in order to get rid of his angry?

Allah commanded him to tolerate what the Jews said.

 

The verse 50:39 says:

 

Therefore, O Muhammad, bear with what they say and bear with the lies of the Jews.

So endure patiently what the Jews say about Allah rested on the seventh day.

And glorify with praise of your Lord,

Perform prayers with praise of your Lord, before the rising of the sun,

In other words, perform the Morning Prayer, and before the sunset, that is to say, perform both the midday and the afternoon prayers; and hymn the praise of your Lord.

This means that performing the regular prayers is an effective way to get rid of angry.

 

In addition, the verse 50:40 says:

 

And glorify your Lord at night; hymn His praise when you perform the two evening prayers,

And glorify your Lord after prostrations.

In other words, perform supererogatory prayers after the obligatory ones.

It is also said that it means the actual uttering of glorifications at these times, with continuous praise.

 

It is said that the regular prayers are the Muslims’ relief from depression, sadness, despair, angry, furiousness, irritability etc.  For this reason, the suicidal rate and tendency in the poor Muslims’ community is extremely low in comparison to the wealthy non-Muslims’ community.

 

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The verses 50:39-40 in different translations

 

QARIB:

39) Bear then with patience what they say. Exalt with the praise of your Lord before sunrise and before sunset.

40) And exalt him in the night, and at the ends of the prostrations.

 

SHAKIR:

39) Therefore be patient of what they say, and sing the praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before the setting

40) And glorify him in the night and after the prayers

 

PICKTHAL:

39) Therefor (o Muhammad) bear with what they say, and hymn the praise of thy Lord before the rising and before the setting of the sun;

40) And in the night-time hymn his praise, and after the (prescribed) prostrations.

 

YUSUFALI:

39) Bear, then, with patience, all that they say, and celebrate the praises of thy Lord, before the rising of the sun and before (its) setting.

40) And during part of the night, (also,) celebrate his praises, and (so likewise) after the postures of adoration.

Chapter 50 of the Quran (14) Paradise is for those…

In the previous article, the Angels is kept throwing thousands by thousands of the disbelievers in the Eternal Hell and they say to the Hell: are you filled up. The Hell keep saying: are there any more?

Finally, the Eternal Hell is filled up to the full and it is hugely overcrowded with its dwellers.

And this is the ultimate eternal abiding of the unbelievers.

 

What about the believers?

The verses 50: 31-33 say:

 

Not far anymore from them, the Allah-fearing servants, those who kept from evil and those who warded off disbelief, idolatry and indecencies, will see with joy the Eternal Garden that is prepared for them, whereupon it will be said to them:

This, that you see, is what you were promised in the life of the world.

 

This is for everyone who turned to Allah in sincere repentance and who kept his law.

This is for every penitent one who was reverting after sin to obedience of Allah.

This is for everyone who is mindful of the bounds of Allah’s religion.

This reward and honor is for every observant of Allah’s command in his private moment and n his prayers.

This reward is for everyone who fears His Beneficent Lord even he has not seen Him.

This honor is for everyone who fears His Compassionate Lord while He is in the Unseen.

This Paradise is for everyone who comes to Allah with a contrite heart, sincere in his worship and profession of Allah’s divine Oneness.

 

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The verses 50:31-33 in different translations

 

QARIB:

31) And paradise, which is not far away, shall be brought closer to those who were cautious.

32) (It shall be said to them): ‘this is that you were promised. it is for every heeding penitent.

33) Whosoever fears the merciful in the unseen, and comes with a contrite heart.

 

SHAKIR:

31) And the garden shall be brought near to those who guard (against evil), not far off:

32) This is what you were promised, (it is) for every one who turns frequently (to Allah), keeps (his limits);

33) Who fears the beneficent Allah in secret and comes with a penitent heart:

 

PICKTHAL:

31) And the garden is brought nigh for those who kept from evil, no longer distant.

32) (And it is said): this is that which ye were promised. (it is) for every penitent and heedful one,

33) Who feareth the beneficent in secret and cometh with a contrite heart.

 

YUSUFALI:

31) And the garden will be brought nigh to the righteous,- no more a thing distant.

32) (A voice will say 🙂 “this is what was promised for you,- for every one who turned (to Allah) in sincere repentance, who kept (his law),

33) “Who feared (Allah) most gracious unseen, and brought a heart turned in devotion (to him):