My love for knowledge led me to Islam

Posted on February 12, 2016February 19, 2020 by admin 25 Views

My love for knowledge led me to Islam

Al-Haj Ibrahim Khalil Ahmad, formerly Ibrahim Khalil Philobus, was an Egyptian Coptic priest who studied theology and obtained a high degree from Princeton University. He studied Islam to find gaps to attack it; instead he embraced Islam with his four children, one of whom is now a brilliant professor in Sorbonne University, Paris, France. In an interesting way, he reveals himself the following narrative:
I WAS born in Alexandria on the 13th of January 1919 and was sent to the American Mission schools until I got my secondary education certificate there. In 1942, I got my diploma from Asiut University and then I specialized in religious studies as a prelude to join the Faculty of Theology. It was no easy task to join the faculty, as no candidate could join it unless he got a special recommendation from the church, and also, after he should pass a number of difficult exams. I got a recommendation from Al-Attareen Church in Alexandria and another from the Church Assembly of Lower Egypt after passing many tests to know my qualifications to become a man of religion. Then I got a third recommendation from Snodus Church Assembly, which included priests from Sudan and Egypt.
The Snodus sanctioned my entrance into the Faculty of Theology in 1944 as a boarding student. There I studied at the hands of American and Egyptian teachers until my graduation in 1948.
I was supposed, he continued, to be appointed in Jerusalem, had it not been for the war that broke out in Palestine that same year, so I was sent to Asna in Upper Egypt. That same year I registered for a thesis at the American University in Cairo. It was about the missionary activities among Muslims. My acquaintance with Islam started in the Faculty of Theology where I studied Islam and all the methods through which we could shake the faith of Muslims and raise misconceptions in their understanding of their own religion.
In 1952, I got my M.A. from Princeton University in US and was appointed as a teacher in the Faculty of Theology in Asiut. I used to teach Islam in the faculty as well as the faulty misconceptions spread by its enemies and the missionaries against it. During that period, I decided to enlarge my study of Islam so that I should not read the missionaries books on it only. I had so much faith in myself that I was confirmed to read the other point of view. Thus I began to read books written by Muslim authors. I also decided to read the Qur’an and understand its meanings. This was implied by my love of knowledge and moved by my desire to add more proofs against Islam. The result was, however, exactly the reverse. My position began to shake and I started to feel an internal strong struggle, and I discovered the falsehood of everything I had studied and preached to the people. But I could not face myself bravely and tried instead to overcome this internal crisis and continue my work.
In 1954, I was sent to Aswan as secretary general of the German Swiss Mission. That was only my apparent position, for my real mission was to preach against Islam in Upper Egypt especially among Muslims. A missionary conference was held at that time at Cataract Hotel in Aswan, and I was given the floor to speak. That day I spoke too much, reiterating all the repeated misconceptions against Islam; and at the end of my speech, the internal crisis came to me again and I started to revise my position.
I began to ask myself: Why should I say and do all these things, which I know for sure I am a liar, as this is not the truth? I took my leave before the end of the conference and went out alone to my house. I was completely shaken. As I walked through Firyal public garden, I heard a verse of the Qur’an on the radio. It said: “Say: It has been revealed to me that a company of Jinns listened (to the Qur’an). They said: ‘We have really heard a wonderful recital! It gives guidance to the Right, and we have believed therein: We shall not join (in worship) any gods with our Lord’.” (Qur’an, 72:1-2)
“And as for us, since we have listened to the Guidance, we have accepted it; and any one who believes in His Lord, has no fear of either a short (account) or of any injustice.” (Qur’an, 72:13)
I felt a deep comfort that night, and when I returned home I spent the whole night all by myself in my library reading the Qur’an. My wife inquired from me about the reason of my sitting up all night and I pleaded from her to leave me alone. I stopped for a long time thinking and meditating on the verse: “Had We sent down this Qur’an on a mountain, verily thou wouldst have seen it humble itself and cleave asunder for fear of God… .” (Qur’an, 59:21)
And the verse: “Strongest among men in enmity to the believers wilt thou find the Jews and the Pagans, and nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say, ‘We are Christians’: Because among these are men devoted to learning. And men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant. And when they listen to the revelation received by the Messenger, thou wilt see their eyes overflowing with tears, for they recognize the truth: They pray: ‘Our Lord! We believe, write us down among the witnesses. What cause can we have not to believe in God and the truth which has come to us, seeing that we long for our Lord to admit us to the company of the righteous’?” (Qur’an, 5:82-84)

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Article by: www.arabnews.com

Islamic Tolerance toward other faiths

Posted on February 9, 2016February 19, 2020 by admin 27 Views

Islamic Tolerance toward other faiths

The dealings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) with other religions can best be described in the verse of the Qur’an: “To you be your religion, to me be mine”

Islam Is the name of Peace

The Arabian Peninsula during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was a region in which various faiths were present. There were Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, polytheists, and others not affiliated with any religion. When one looks into the life of the Prophet, one may draw on many examples to portray the high level of tolerance shown to people of other faiths.
In order to understand and judge this tolerance, one must look into the period in which Islam was a formal state, with the specific laws laid down by the Prophet in accordance with the tenets of the religion. Even though one can observe many examples of tolerance shown by the Prophet in the 13 years of his stay in Makkah, one may incorrectly think that it was only due to seeking to raise the profile of the Muslims and the social status of Islam and in general. For this reason, the discussion will be limited to the period which commenced with the migration of the Prophet to Madinah, and specifically once the constitution was set.
The best example of the tolerance shown by the Prophet (peace be upon him) to other religions may be the constitution itself, called the ‘Saheefah’ by early historians. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) migrated to Madinah, his role as a mere religious leader ended; he was now the political leader of a state, governed by the precepts of Islam, which demanded that clear laws of governance be laid out to ensure harmony and stability in a society which once had been distraught by decades of war, one which must ensure the peaceful coexistence of Muslims, Jews, Christians, and polytheists.

Due to this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) laid down a ‘constitution’ which detailed the responsibilities of all parties which resided in Madinah, their obligations toward each other, and certain restrictions which were placed on each. All parties were to obey what was mentioned therein, and any breach of its articles was regarded as an act of treachery.
The first article of the constitution was that all the inhabitants of Madinah, the Muslims as well as those who had entered the pact from the Jews, Christian, and idolaters, were “one nation to the exclusion of all others.” All were considered members and citizens of Madinah society regardless of religion, race, or ancestry. People of other faiths were protected from harm as much as the Muslims, as is stated in another article, “To the Jews who follow us belong help and equity. He shall not be harmed nor his enemies are aided.” Previously, each tribe had their alliances and enemies within and without Medina. The Prophet gathered these different tribes under one system of governance which upheld pacts of alliances previously in existence between those individual tribes. All tribes had to act as a whole with disregard to individual alliances. Any attack on other religion or tribe was considered an attack on the state and upon the Muslims as well.
The lives of the practitioners of other religions in Muslim society was also given protective status.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever kills a person who has a truce with the Muslims will never smell the fragrance of Paradise.” (Saheeh Muslim)
Since the upper hand was with the Muslims, the Prophet (peace be upon him) strictly warned against any maltreatment of people of other faiths.
He said: “Beware! Whoever is cruel and hard on a non-Muslim minority, or curtails their rights, or burdens them with more than they can bear, or takes anything from them against their free will; I will complain against the person on the Day of Judgment.” (Abu Dawud)
In another article, it states, “the Jews have their religion and the Muslims have theirs.” In this, it is clear that anything other than tolerance would not be tolerated, and that, although all were members of a society, each had their separate religion which could not be violated. Each was allowed to practice their beliefs freely without any hindrances, and no acts of provocation would be tolerated.
There are many other articles of this constitution which may be discussed, but the emphasis will be placed on an article which states, “If any dispute or controversy likely to cause trouble should arise, it must be referred to God and His Messenger.”
This clause maintained that all inhabitants of the state must recognize a higher level of authority, and in those matters, which involved various tribes and religions, justice could not be meted out by individual leaders; rather it must be adjudicated by the leader of the state himself or his designated representatives. It was allowed, however, for individual tribes who were not Muslims, to refer to their own religious scriptures and their learned men in regards to their own personal affairs. They could though, if they opted, ask the Prophet to judge between them in their matters. God says in the Qur’an: “…If they do come to you, either judge between them or decline to interfere …” (Qur’an, 5:42)
Here we see that the Prophet allowed each religion to judge in their own matters according to their own scriptures, as long as it did not stand in opposition to articles of the constitution, a pact which took into account the greater benefit of the peaceful co-existence of the society.
There are many other examples during the lifetime of the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, in addition to the Saheefah that practically portray the tolerance Islam shows for other religions.
Given consent by the constitution, the Jews had the complete freedom to practice their religion. The Jews in Medina at the time of the Prophet had their own school of learning, named Bait Al-Midras, where they would recite the Torah, worship and educate themselves.
The Prophet emphasized in many letters to his emissaries that religious institutions should not be harmed.
Here in a letter addressed to his emissary to the religious leaders of Saint Catherine in Mount Sinai who has sought the protection of the Muslims: “This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them. Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by God! I hold out against anything that displeases them. No compulsion is to be on them. Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries. No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims’ houses. Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God’s covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate. No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight. Muslims are to fight for them. If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray. Their churches are declared to be protected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants. No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).”[1]
As one can see, this Charter consisted of several clauses covering all important aspects of human rights, including such topics as the protection of minorities living under Islamic rule, freedom of worship and movement, freedom to appoint their own judges and to own and maintain their property, exemption from military service, and the right to protection in war.
On another occasion, the Prophet received a delegation of 60 Christians from the region of Najran, then a part of Yemen, at his mosque. When the time for their prayer came, they faced the direction of east and prayed. The Prophet ordered that they be left in their state and not harmed.
There are also examples in the life of the Prophet in which he cooperated with people of other faiths in the political arena as well. He selected a non-Muslim, Amr-ibn Umaiyah Ad-Damri, as an ambassador to be sent to Negus, the King of Ethiopia.
These are only some of the examples of the Prophet’s tolerance of other faiths. Islam recognizes that there are a plurality of religions on this earth, and gives the right to individuals to choose the path which they believe to be true. Religion is not to be, and was never, forced upon an individual against their own will, and these examples from the life of the Prophet are an epitome of the verse of the Qur’an which promotes religious tolerance and sets the guideline for the Muslims’ interaction with people of other faiths. God says: “There is no compulsion in religion…” (Qur’an, 2:256)

Recommendations to Pilgrims and Visitors of the Holy Mosque

Posted on January 29, 2016February 19, 2020 by admin 28 Views

Recommendations to Pilgrims and Visitors of the Holy Mosque

We would like to offer certain recommendations to the pilgrims and visitors of the Holy Mosque in implementation of the Quranic verse in which Allaah The Exalted Says (what means): {And cooperate in righteousness and piety} [Quran 5:2]
These recommendations are also in line with the Prophetic Hadeeth in which the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), said: “Religion is Naseehah (sincere advice), to Allaah, His Book, and to the Muslim leaders and the Muslim public.”[Muslim]

Recommendations:

1-Fearing Allaah The Exalted in all conditions and cases. Piety is the source of all good morals and it is one of the Divine recommendations to His Messenger, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ). Allaah The Exalted Says (what means):
·{O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul…} [Quran 4:1]
· {And We have instructed those who were given the Scripture before you and yourselves to fear Allaah…} [Quran 4:131]
In many of his Khutbahs (sermons) the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), used to command people to fear Allaah The Almighty.
Piety means doing what Allaah The Almighty has imposed on His slaves and keeping away from His prohibitions out of sincerity and love for Him. This should also be with the aim of winning the reward of Allaah. The Almighty and being saved from His punishment, in accordance with the way that Allaah The Almighty and His Messenger, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), legislated for us.
‘Abdullaah ibn Mas‘ood may Allaah be pleased with him.Who was one of the senior scholars of the Companions of the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), said, “True piety and fear of Allaah The Almighty mean obeying Him without any form of disobedience, remembering Him without any form of forgetfulness, and thanking Him without any sign of ingratitude to Him.”
‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul ‘Azeez may Allaah have mercy upon him said, “Piety cannot be obtained only through fasting all day and praying all night, and then committing sins in between, but piety can be obtained through keeping away from what Allaah The Almighty has prohibited and doing what He has made obligatory. Anything good after that is an additional good.”
The revered Tabi‘ee, Talq ibn Habeeb may Allaah have mercy upon him said, “Piety is to act in obedience to Allaah, on a light (guidance) from Allaah seeking the reward of Allaah, and to refrain from disobeying Allaah, on a light from Allaah, fearing His punishment.”
These are precious words and they mean that the Muslim has to learn his religious affairs and know what will make him sinful if he does not know it. In this way, the Muslim will worship Allaah The Almighty with insight. This is the practical application of the Two Testimonies of Faith (I bear witness that there is none truly worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ).)
The first testimony of faith entails believing in Allaah The Almighty alone, and dedicating worship to Him alone, as well as doing everything for His sake alone, hoping for His mercy and fearing His punishment.
The other testimony of faith entails believing that Muhammad, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), is the Messenger of Allaah The Almighty to humankind and the Jinn, in addition to believing in his sayings, adhering to his Sharee‘ah and keeping away from whatever contradicts it. Those two testimonies form the foundation of the religion of Islam. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):
·{Allaah witnesses that there is no deity except Him, and [so do] the angels and those of knowledge – [that He is] maintaining [creation] in justice. There is no deity except Him, The Exalted in Might, The Wise.} [Quran 3:18]
·{And your god is one God. There is no deity [worthy of worship] except Him, The Entirely Merciful, The Especially Merciful.} [Quran 2:163]
·{Say, [O Muhammad], “O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allaah to you all, [from Him] to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death.” So believe in Allaah and His Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allaah and His words, and follow him that you may be guided.}[Quran 7:158]
2-All pilgrims and visitors to the Holy Mosque, as well as all Muslims, are advised to observe the five daily prayers on time. Every Muslim must revere these prayers and perform them tranquilly, because they constitute the greatest pillar of Islam after the Two Testimonies of Faith. They represent the post of Islam and the first thing about which the Muslim will be reckoned. Whoever leaves the daily five prayers is a disbeliever. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):
·{And establish prayer and give Zakaah and obey the Messenger – that you may receive mercy.} [Quran 24:56]
·{Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in particular] the middle prayer and stand before Allaah, devoutly obedient.} [Quran 2:238]
·{Certainly will the believers have succeeded: * They who are during their prayer humbly submissive}[Quran 23:1-2]
·{And they who carefully maintain their prayers – * Those are the inheritors * Who will inherit al-Firdaws. They will abide therein eternally.}[Quran 23:9-11]
The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), said:
– “Between a man and disbelief and Shirk is the abandonment of prayer.”[Narrated by Muslim in the chapter of “Calling the One who leaves the prayer a disbeliever”]
– “That which differentiates us from the disbelievers and hypocrites is our performance of prayer. He who abandons it, becomes a disbeliever”[Ahmad, Abu Daawood, An-Nasaa’i, At-Tirmithi, and Ibn Maajah]
– “Whoever observes prayer (punctually fulfilling its conditions), it will be light, evidence, and salvation for him on the Day of Resurrection; but whoever does not, it will not be for him light, evidence, or salvation; and on the Day of Resurrection, he will be associated with Qaaroon, Pharaoh, Haamaan, and Ubayy ibn Khalaf (a great enemy of Islam from among the Quraysh).” [Ahmad]
Some scholars interpreted this Hadeeth saying,
“The person who abandons prayer will be raised with such a foursome because his neglect of prayer may be due to his preoccupation with his property, his presidency, his work, or his trade. Hence, if he was preoccupied with his property, he will be resurrected with Qaaroon; if with his position as a leader, then he will be resurrected with Pharaoh; if with his work, then with Haamaan; and if with his trade, then with Ubayy ibn Khalaf, the trader among the disbelievers of Makkah.”

Article by: www.islamweb.net

Purpose of life in islam

Posted on January 25, 2016 by admin 30 Views

Purpose of life in islam

Islam is the response to humanity’s search for meaning. The purpose of life & creation for all men and women for all times has been one: To know and worship God.
The Qur’an teaches us that every human being is born conscious of God: “(Remember) when your Lord extracted from the loins of Adam’s children their descendants and made them testify (saying): ‘Am I not your Lord?’ They said: ‘Yes, we testify to it.’ (This was) in case you say on the Day of Judgment: ‘We were unaware of this.’ Or you say: ‘It was our ancestors who worshipped others besides God and we are only their descendants. Will you then destroy us for what those liars did’?” (Qur’an, 7:172-173)
In Christianity, the Purpose of life is rooted in faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. However, the proposition is not without serious problems.
First, if this is the purpose of creation and the precondition for eternal life, why was it not taught by the prophets to all the nations of the world? Second, had God turned into man close to the time of Adam all mankind would have had an equal chance to eternal life, unless those before the time of Jesus had another purpose for their existence! Third, how can people today who have not heard of Jesus fulfill the Christian purpose of creation? Naturally, such a purpose is too narrow and goes against divine justice.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) teaches us that God created this primordial need in human nature at the time Adam was made. God took a covenant from Adam when He created him.
God extracted all of Adam’s descendants who were yet to be born, generation after generation, spread them out, and took a covenant from them. He addressed their souls directly, making them bear witness that He was their Lord. Since God made all human beings swear to His Lordship when He created Adam, this oath is imprinted on the human soul even before it enters the fetus, and so a child is born with a natural belief in the Oneness of God. This natural belief is called fitra in Arabic.
Consequently, every person carries the seed of belief in the Oneness of God that lies deeply buried under layers of negligence and dampened by social conditioning. If the child were left alone, it would grow up conscious of God — a single Creator — but all children are affected by their environment. The Prophet of God said, “Each child is born in a state of ‘fitra,’ but his parents make him a Jew or a Christian. It is like the way an animal gives birth to a normal offspring. Have you noticed any young born mutilated before you mutilate them?” (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)
The Arabs would cut the ears of camels and the likes as a service to their gods in pre-Islamic times.
So, just as the child’s body submits to physical laws, set by God in nature, its soul submits naturally to the fact that God is its Lord and Creator. However, its parents condition it to follow their own way, and the child is not mentally capable of resisting it.
The religion which the child follows at this stage is one of custom and upbringing, and God does not hold it to account for this religion. When a child matures into an adult, he or she must now follow the religion of knowledge and reason.
As adults, people must now struggle between their natural disposition toward God and their desires in order to find the correct path. The call of Islam is directed to this primordial nature, the natural disposition, the imprint of God on the soul, the fitra, which caused the souls of every living being to agree that He Who made them was their Lord, even before the heavens and earth were created, “I did not create the jinn and mankind except for My worship.” (Qur’an, 51:56)
According to Islam, there has been a basic message which God has revealed through all prophets, from the time of Adam to the last of the prophets, Muhammad (peace be upon them). All the prophets sent by God came with the same essential message: “Indeed, We have sent a messenger to every nation (saying), ‘Worship God and avoid false gods…’.” (Qur’an, 16:36)
The prophets (peace be upon them) brought the same answer to mankind’s most troubling question, an answer that addresses the yearning of the soul for God.
What is worship?
Islam means ‘submission’ and worship, in Islam, means ‘obedient submission to the will of God.’ Every created being ‘submits’ to the Creator by following the physical laws created by God, “To Him belongs whosoever is in the heavens and the earth; all obey His will.” (Qur’an, 30:26)
They, however, are neither rewarded nor punished for their ‘submission’, for it involves no will. Reward and punishment are for those who worship God, who submit to the moral and religious Law of God of their own free will. This worship is the essence of the message of all the prophets sent by God to mankind. For example, this understanding of worship was emphatically expressed by Jesus ((peace be upon him), “None of those who call me ‘Lord’ will enter the kingdom of God, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”
‘Will’ means ‘what God wants human beings to do.’ This ‘Will of God’ is contained in the divinely revealed laws which the prophets taught their followers. Consequently, obedience to divine law is the foundation of worship.
Only when human beings worship their God by submitting to His religious law can they have peace and harmony in their lives and the hope for heaven, just like the universe runs in harmony by submitting to the physical laws set by its Lord. When you remove the hope of heaven, you remove the ultimate value and purpose of life. Otherwise, what difference would it really make whether we live a life of virtue or vice? Everyone’s fate would be the same anyway.

Article by: arabnews.com

A spiritual journey of a revert

Posted on January 4, 2016February 19, 2020 by admin 24 Views

The conversion of Arcadio Jeffrey Perida, a Filipino Judeo-Christian, to Islam at the hands of Saudi student Khaled Almehmady in Manila brings to limelight the important role of Saudi students — who pursue their higher studies in reputable universities abroad — as ambassadors of Islam disseminating its divine message.
Speaking to Saudi Gazette, Perida, who performed Haj this year as the guest of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, narrated his spiritual journey to Islam and noted the role played by his ESL student Almehmady by not only giving him Islamic books and videos but also continuously encouraging him to read or watch them.
A number of Saudi scholarship students in foreign countries have already set a good example in this respect like Almehmady.
In a wide-ranging online interview, Perida emphasized the important mission of Hajis in their society as ambassadors of Islam when they return to their respective countries. “They should be able to touch every soul with the new experience they have gained and the enormous blessing that has been bestowed on them by God, by making use of every opportunity of speaking in centers, schools, symposiums and social gatherings when invited as resource persons,” he explained.
Perida added: “This would be a way of spreading Islam on a personal level after becoming a living witness to the miraculous journey that we have just embarked upon during the pilgrimage.” The Hajis should also impress their family, friends and countrymen through the changes in their lives, giving them inspiration, spiritual encouragement and motivation, he said.
Perida, whose newly adopted name is Jabir Kalid Perida, expressed his deep concern over the Daesh terror group’s efforts to tarnish the image of Islam, which is a peaceful religion.
“With the obvious threat of the IS and other extremist groups, my hope is that the life that we will lead from here on as a Haji and the good messages we will bring forth will serve as a living testament that will outweigh the evil perpetuated by any segment of our society willfully and purposely promoting hate, violence, terror and injustice, affecting any human being,” Perida said while answering a question.
“I sincerely beseech Allah’s divine guidance and blessings to give us the courage, determination and endurance to march on and continue the work that we all have started in Makkah, and if we can do this task from now on and for as long as we live, then we can honestly and sincerely say, Haj Mabroor,” Perida said.
The Filipino revert explained how he met Almehmady. “During my studies for the master degree, I was given a job as a professor in one of the colleges in Manila where I taught ESL. It was also this time my father passed away and the day after his death I met Almehmady. The dean had assigned me to personally take care of this Saudi student since I was the only ESL teacher available at that time. Little did I know that this will be the beginning of my journey to Islam.”
Although Almehmady took only two months to study English with Perida, the two had developed a strong bond “which I would describe as some kind of divine providence.” They stayed in touch even though the Saudi had enrolled in another university and kept on sending videos from YouTube regarding Islam after giving him books about Islam and a small Qu’ran in English.
“For months I did not even bother about watching or reading them because of apprehensions about Muslims caused by negative stereotypes promoted by the media and the influence of a Jewish teacher who used to tell me only negative things about Islam, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and even the Roman Catholics. But every time Khalid would ask me about the books and videos, whether I have read them, or watched them, and I would say yes, which was a lie. It bothered me a lot because of a prick of conscience. I never condoned lying, especially to a friend. So I started watching the videos and reading the books,” he said.
Perida adds: “To my surprise, I honestly enjoyed them and found them interesting. It gave me new knowledge which opened my heart and changed my entire perspective about Islam. So now whenever I chat with Almehmady, I can say with confidence that I truly find all the things he gave and sent to me really good and relevant.”
Almehmady went on vacation to Saudi Arabia and both of them were communicating on WhatsApp. “One day he told me that he was very tired. So I asked why? And he said he just finished doing an ‘Mrah.’ I was clueless what that meant. I actually got worried because I thought it was some sort of a medical procedure. When I searched that word, it showed Magnetic Resonance or something, so I asked him why he had to do it. But he just told me it’s hard to explain, it is something religious and what they do as Muslims. So I stopped asking, although I was really bothered by it.”
That night, while Perida was deeply asleep he had a wonderful dream. He still remembers that it occurred between 4 and 5 am. “It was so real that I actually felt I was entirely in it. The first part, I can clearly see that I was watching from afar multitudes of people walking around in a circle in what I can describe as a black, box type monument. I saw this in one of the books I read and some pictures too. It seems like I was on the second floor of a building. Then in just a blink, I saw myself inside the circle walking around and I was puzzled because I was wearing an entire white robe just as everybody was, then I came closer and closer to the big black structure with some gold writings around it. As I was about to touch its wall, I looked at my right and there he was, Khaled, walking along with me to the wall and we touched it the very same time. As soon as we laid our hands on it, I felt this strong wind swirling around us for a number of times and went inside our bodies, I can still see our robes blown out when it entered and for some reason, I looked up, without knowing that it is forbidden, and saw a ray of light coming down from the heaven in what seemingly appears from a cloud opening like a door to give way to it and shone upon me.”
Narrating the last part of the dream he said: “I saw myself walking inside a very big mosque, with so many people, I was looking around in amazement as I walk in normal pace until finally once again, here was Khaled pulling my right hand and asked me to walk briskly and not slowly, which made me wonder why. Up to that point, I finally woke up, it was dawn already and when I woke up, I was disoriented and confused where I actually am. In my mind, I am convinced that I was in Saudi Arabia, in Makkah, while I was in my room. Eventually, after a few seconds, I began to realize that it was just a dream. At that point, I didn’t waste any time, I texted Khaled in WhatsApp and told him about the dream, although he did not tell me directly, he implied that it was what he did the other day, the ‘Mrah’ (Umrah).”
Almehmady kept on telling Perida that it was his ultimate wish that he would really become a Muslim one day to perform the same thing, Umrah, but the latter was still undecided on embracing Islam.
Perida went on with his daily normal routine, but the images of his dream kept pursuing him “like a blazing iron imprinted in my heart.” He had two more dreams which had taken him to a dessert, again with Almehmady and it felt exactly the same. “I knew it was again in Saudi Arabia because the setting was exactly what I am seeing now. Four months later I decided to do my shahada. On Aug. 1, 2014, I declared that I wanted to become a Muslim. My friend was not available to take me to the masjid and told me that he would be free after 6 days and then take me to do my shahada. So after 6 days, I finally did it and became a Muslim. It was the best thing that ever happened. The feeling was so surreal that I never could have imagined that will happen to me in my life, but it did. Alhamdulillah.”
Perida expressed his happiness over receiving a golden opportunity to perform Haj as the guest of King Salman and visit the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah. “By the grace of God, I was able to visit the very place, which I dreamed about. The message is perfect when Allah guides someone to come back, Allah shows the way and makes it clear, that it was indeed a divine mandate. All things work together for those who open their hearts and allow the spirit of Allah to come, and once it has, the peace that surpasses understanding will come upon us.”
He said the Haj had given him an enormous opportunity to meet Muslim brethren from different parts of the world and gain new friends to share their different views, perspectives, and experiences. “The fascinating facts and stories of each individual are indeed a treasure which I shall forever keep upon my return, and the bond of friendship we have established is one of the best things that have happened.”
Perida said he was fortunate to have the support of his entire family including mother, for coming back to Islam. “I have never experienced any form of rejection nor prejudice with my decision of changing to another religion. I never had a tough time convincing them to accept me and my newfound faith. As a matter of fact, they are even mindful of the things that are allowed (halal) and not allowed (haram) for me to eat, drink and do as a Muslim.”
He expressed his discomfort about the increasing negative propaganda against Islam. “The media has created an image of violence and terrorism associated with Islam which gave an apprehensive attitude toward Muslims compared to followers of other religions. But through every challenge, an opportunity arises, and this is the time for every Muslim to show the true spirit of Islam, by promoting peace and harmony through absolute and unconditional submission to Allah, and firm obedience to the commandments and messages revealed by the Prophet, peace be upon him. We must uphold the principle that the way of Islam is to create unity and peaceful coexistence in love and compassion not only with every human being but also with nature and Allah’s other creations. Through these ideals, we will be able to spread Islam and clear the path of uncertainty that has clouded the minds of people belonging to other faiths,” he said while stressing the need to make use of modern technology and social media networks for the dissemination of Islamic message.
Speaking about his family and religious upbringing, Perida said: “I was born in a strict Roman Catholic family. My grandparents in the province never miss the usual angelus held every 6:00 pm and demand that all of us be there on the dot to pray the rosary with them or otherwise suffer the consequences of not having dinner. I have the foundation of becoming a very successful priest someday.” Perida later went to the US where he stayed for 7 years. Upon return, he continued his studies and completed his Bachelor in Business Administration course with a major in Human Resource Development Management. Later he obtained a master’s degree in business administration.
The Filipino revert was all praise for King Salman. “Thanks to the blessing of Allah and the king’s support, I was able to perform Haj in the most opportune manner, which I can say is a proof of the wonders and miracles of Allah. As a result of the royal gesture, this dream has become a reality for me, and for the 2,399 others who were also chosen to be the king’s guests for Haj 1436H. And of all the journeys that I have been to before or will be embarking on in the future, this is the ultimate, something which can never be forgotten, for this is the journey of my faith, a realization of a dream and the fulfillment of a spiritual quest.”

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Article by: saudigazette.com.sa