Assalamualaikum w.b.t.. Allahamdulillah again Allah assists me to write and tell you about Idris Tawfiq and I really appreciated and feel grateful to Allah when I read about Idris Tawfiq yesterday (an article). Do you know him?? Idris Tawfiq is a British writer who became a Muslim a few years ago. Previously, he was head of religious education in different schools in the United Kingdom. Before embracing Islam, He was a Roman Catholic Priest. He now lives in Egypt. Iqraa TV Egypt was interviewed him. Hope all readers would read patiently till the end of the story ok??
Iqraa TV : Mr. Idris, Assalamualikum w.b.t
Speaking in Brussels at the European Muslim Youth Conference
Iqraa TV : I want you to tell me when was the first time you were touched by Islam?
With the Lord Mayor of Nottingham
Idris tawfiq : Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. The First time I was touched by Islam was when I came to Egypt. Before I came to Egypt, what I know about Islam was what everyone in the west knew about Islam it comes from the television. I knew that Muslims were terrorist and that they were cruel to ladies and that Islam was about suicide bombers and very bad things. This was what we hear all the time and since September 11 it got worse and worse.When I left the priesthood ( I used to be a Roman Catholic priest) I was feeling down. So I decided to come on a holiday. So I looked up in the internet where i could get a good holiday. I came to Egypt not knowing about Muslim, not knowing about Egypt and I arrived just thinking there'll be sand, pyramid, and palm trees. I came for a week and that was the most extraordinary week in my life because for the first time I saw ordinary,simple,sweet Muslims, and I said to myself but these aren't the people I've seen on the television. They are not the people the radio tells me about. These are not fanatics, extremist, they are just ordinary people but were very religious and for example in the main station in Cairo,when the call to prayer sounded, I was astonished to see ordinary man just going down on their knees and praying and it really touched my heart just seeing in the streets a little boy selling bananas and he greets you with Assalamualaikum! and he asked me -how are you? Alhamdulillahirabbilalamin I've never seen that before and I've never seen people in England or France or in America with such a deep faith and it touched my heart absolutely. I saw kind and very sweet Muslims.Iqraa TV : How did your image of Islam changed when you returned to London?
Sharing a joke in the park in Kuala Lumpur
Idris Tawfiq : When I returned to London, I went to school, I was teaching in a school again about religious education but this time I was teaching not just about Christianity but about Buddhism, Sikhism, and all other religions including Islam. so I had to teach about something I didn't know anything about except for what I've seen in Egypt. Every night I would read the books ready to teach the children. The more I talked and the more i read I liked what I read and I found myself. Subhanallah! in front of a class of thirty students and i found my throat getting choked and when I mention the name of the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w, I found tears coming into my eyes. Many of these boys they were Muslims and they were refugees from different Arab countries. It was their example that lead me to Islam. Can I tell you the first Ramadan I was in the school, the boys came to me and said :"Sir we have nowhere to pray Solat Zohor and your room is the only room with a carpet." so I said okay you can pray on my room. For the whole month they prayed.I sat at the back and I watched and I listened and by the end of Ramadhan I knew the prayers because on Friday they would say the prayers out loud. I knew what the movements of the prayers were in their example taught me about Islam. Egypt was the catalyst and working with these children really taught me what Islam was like.Iqraa TV :What happened to make you declare Syahadah?
During his visit to Lincoln
Idris Tawfiq : In London, there is a big mosque (London Central Mosque). every Saturday they have talks for non-Muslims. I went there to get information(not to become a Muslim). The last saturday I went, there was Yusuf Islam, so I said to him, "brother Yusuf what does a person do to become a Muslim? I dont want to become a Muslim but just what does a person do?" He said : "Well, Muslims believe in one God." So I said, "I believe in one God" and he said, "Muslim pray five times a day". I said, I know the prayers and I know them in arabic. He was very surprised. "well.. Muslims fast during Ramadhan.". Actually. I fasted with the boys in Ramadhan. He looked at me in the eyes and he said to me " who are you trying to fool?". At that moment the azan sounded and they all went upstairs for solah Maghrib, while everyone prayed solah Maghrib I sat at the back of the mosque( at the back of the prayer hall) and the prayer began. And Subhanallah really touched my heart. I cried and I cried and I cried as the prayer went on. At the end of the prayer I went up to Yusuf Islam and I said " Brother yusuf I want to declare syahadah now." In front of him and all the other brothers present in the mosque, I declared that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah and it changed my life....Alhamdullilah.. can you see?? how amazing this story.. I really really enjoy to read this story.. I hope that you too and proud to being a Muslim. ok that's all maybe from me astaudiu'kumullah wa fi amanillah . And you should be answer it with ma'assalamah wa iyyakum. (^_^)
At the European Parliament in Brussels
Vocabulary :Assalamualaikum = Peace be upon you
Waalaikumussalamwarahmatullah = Peace and mercy be upon you
Alhamdulillah = Praises be to Allah
Subhanallah = Glory to Allah
Bismillahirahmanirrahim = In the name of Allah the most Gracious and most Merciful
Astaudiu'kumullah =I leave you with the protection of Allah
Fi amanillah = May Allah save you
Maassalamah = Good bye
Iyyakum = You too
