My Journey From Christianity_to_Islam
by
Muneer A. Rasheed

Bismillaahir ra Hmaanir ra Hiim One man's christianity_to_islam journey.

This is my short testimony on my return to my true nature. The nature in which I was created; in Submission to Allah!

Keep Them Away From Islam!

I was born in Philadelphia in 1956 and grew up in a household where we were given the freedom to make our own choice with regard to religion.

For roughly 20 years of my life the choice was to not think about God or religion at all; Especially the religion of Islam which at the point of my life I like many of my friends feared.

Later I learned that certain government programs (FBI) as well as those who control print and media worked to give people this view. This was particularly sad given the wonderful work the Muslims were doing under the leadership of The Honorable Elijah Muhammad. The Muslims had and still have programs in place to get people off of drugs, alcohol and other forms of vices and decadents that have plagued the Black community of the USA.

If I have any regrets, it is that I wish I had seen through the tactics to keep us (The black man and women in the USA) away from Islam and had joined the Nation of Islam earlier. But as it says in the Holy Quern man plans and God plans and truly God is the best of planners.

It was sometime during the summer of 1976 that an uncle of a friend was outside of his friends home talking to a couple of men about God, sin and Jesus (pbuh). While listening I realized that I needed to make a decision in my own life regarding God.

As a result of thinking about my own lack of spiritual life I became a Christian. The years that I spent living as a Christian were good.

Like many Christians, I believed the trinity doctrine and that there was nothing wrong with celebrating Christmas or Easter.

I spent time participating in as well as leading bible studies. On various occasion’s I was given the opportunity to give lectures (sermons) at churches, Christian retreats and fellowship gatherings. Then...

The start of my journey from Christianity_to_Islam

Time to Question!

But looking back to 1995 things started to change on a private spiritual level with me. It is interesting when you are a way from the rushes of life you find time for serious thought. My thoughts at this time turned toward the Trinity and the Eating of swine’s flesh and the concept of Original Sin.

Why those three? I do not really know. Maybe they had been the three areas that had often come up as questions.

But for which ever reason, I put myself to the task of not finding something in the bible against the three but to support my evangelical arguments that both were acceptable.

However, the more I searched for supportive evidence the more I found reasons against what I held as truth.

Having not found anything to support my eating pork, I stopped consuming it. Likewise, not only did I stop sharing and trying to prove the trinity but I started searching for information to when this false belief started.

After doing some reading I learned that it was some 325years after Jesus (pbuh) that the church under Constantine rule and the various councils that much of what is the Christian belief came about.

Still, even though I stopped believing in the Trinity I still attended various church functions.

Full Circle

In 1996 while visiting a friend Andre DuPerry who was on assignment here in Taiwan with General Motors, I was reintroduced to the Nation of Islam through some video tapes that he had.

My first reaction was to not watch; again this was due to all the misinformation I had been implanted with. Then I thought I could watch and point out what was wrong. I believe the name of lecture I watched by Minister Louis Farrakhan was entitled:

“I Will Be the Winner Living or Dead!”

To my complete surprise, I agreed with message.

After watching an additional tape and subsequent conversation with my host, I started to seriously ask questions about why those in power in the USA worked so hard to keep us the American black man from Islam. Why was it so important?

Chance Encounter

In the Spring of 1997 during a business trip to the USA I asked the driver of the car that I hired, if he knew where I could get more information Tapes from the Nation of Islam in the USA.

He said that he had a good friend who was the proprietor of Shabazz restaurant and bakery and that he had a good collection of tapes.

Upon arriving there I was introduced to a Muslim brother by the name of Terry X who’s former (slave) name had been Terry Braggs.

I immediately felt a brotherly closeness to him and was fascinated by his understanding of both the Bible and the Holy Quran.

I recall that in all the area’s we touched on he shared information that he learned from the teachings of The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

I enjoyed talking with Brother Terry X so much that he agreed to stop by my hotel the next morning before I checked out so that we could continue our discussion.

I have kept in contact with Brother Terry X every since.

In fact, it was during our second face to face meeting during November of that year that I expressed to him my interest in Islam on a personal level.

I truly believe that it was during that time that by faith I became a Muslim in my heart in that I believed that Allah is one and that He has no partners or associates and that The Honorable Elijah Muhammad (pbuh) was raised up as a messenger among the so called American Negro.

Grand Mosque of Taipei

The Grand Mosque in Taipei is a place (for my 12 years) I noticed on my way to and from church but never visited. It was after church service one Sunday in August of 1999 that I resolutely decided to stop by the mosque and become aquatinted with them.

I found two of the brethren (one from Bangladesh and the other from India) especially helpful as I told them who I was and my purpose for visiting.

The Indian brother arranged an introduction for me with the Iman Ishaq Ma a Chinese brother who is one of the hardest working men for the cause of Islam here in Taipei that I have ever met.

I explained to the Iman (Ishaq) my internal embrace of Islam and how I had been using my speaking engagements at the churches et cetera to introduce the principles of Islam to my Christian audiences.

Through our lengthy discussion the Iman expressed his belief in my sincerity and that I was not just one of those Christians who would come in to the mosque to gain a little knowledge and then try to use it against Islam.

He did state that although he believed I was a Muslim, but for the sake of others I should perform the Shahadah. (statement of belief.)

The Iman said this would also help, if I decided to perform the Hajj in that I would have a letter from the mosque.

Up until that time I did not think it was necessary to make a big proclamation about my belief, especially since I was trying to work as an undercover Muslim in the church.

What I really appreciated about the Iman is that he did not try to use any tactic to get me to do the Shahadah then and there, but left it up to Allah’s timing.

I still remember it was Saturday September 25th.1999 that I called the Iman and asked him if I could come by the mosque to give him a hand with preparations for the mosque being declared a “National Landmark”.

He stated that even though there was not much to do that I was always welcome to stop by and talk.

I did not reveal over the phone that I was ready to make my public confession of faith so to speak.

After I arrived, I let him know my intention and he quickly arranged for the witnesses.

With my right index finger pointing toward the sky and witnesses around me I performed Shahadah!

As the word quickly spread that I was a former Christian missionary who had embraced Islam many of the brothers came to offer their congratulations.

I guess many found my acceptance unbelievable since I was a Christian from the USA, sharing the Christian faith in Taiwan and then becoming a Muslim here.

I imagine it is not something that happens all the time!

Christian Friends!

When the word started spreading among my Christian friends a few of them started sending me emails asking me various questions about why I left Christianity and about my embrace of Islam.

To simply put it, I explained to some of them that It was not the finding of contradictions in the bible that led me away from the faith. (I already knew about some of them.)

It was more towards my desire to get to know about the creator Allah (God) more and to understand the life of the prophet Jesus(pbuh) and his ministry.

My walk, study and prayer through the bible led me not to a conversion, but a return to myself or should I say how Allah (God) created us; In Submission to Him.

He did not stray we did and do.

In my explanation to Christian friends and people I still meet, I tell them that of course the above process in my life toward the eventual embrace of Islam took some time.

In fact I resisted; things are always much more comfortable (we believe), if we do not have to change.

Believe me when I say I realize the difficulties that are associated in ones own heart when such a decision is to be made.

To look at this in history; The Hebrews did not want to leave what they were familiar with (Egypt) to go to what was waiting for them. After all, Egypt was familiar!

Christianity was familiar and comfortable to me, but I knew I had to leave it. I shared with people:

"I NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH FOLLOWING JESUS (PBUH). I TRY TO FOLLOW WHAT HE AND ALL THE PROPHETS TAUGHT. WHAT HAS TO BE ADMITTED IS THAT JESUS NEVER TAUGHT A RELIGION CALLED CHRISTIANITY. MY REJECTION IS OF IT (Christianity), NOT OF HIM".

Sometimes, Christian friends will talk with me as if they never knew me when I was a Christian. They will actually ask me, if I read or considered certain bible passages that show the deity of Jesus (pbuh) or about original sin.

Still, even in these encounters All Praise to Allah who gives me wisdom not to beat people down with their bible, but to use it to point back to Allah and the coming of His messenger.

I learned in life that winning a convert is more valuable than winning an argument. As I believe it is written; who knows, today’s unbeliever may become tomorrow’s believer.

Family!

Many people ask about how my wife and her family handle my new life in Islam.

To them I answer that she knew me as a Christian (which she is at the time of the writing 3/10/2000) and she knows of my love for Allah (God) and reading His revelation.

She knows me well enough that I would never had changed unless I was totally convinced that what I was doing was correct.

While she has not totally embraced Islam, she is watching my life and Insha’Allah someday she and the rest of her Christian family may make that decision; Who knows, at that time we can all read there story: Insha Allah!

PS. My eldest brother Anthony and many of my relatives have embraced Islam many years prior to my coming home!

May Allah continue to guide and bless all those seeking His truth.

As-Salaam Alaikum

Muneer A. Rasheed Jouney from Christianity_to_Islam

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