Just after spending one month in the Kingdom, where he was treated with kindness in a spiritual atmosphere, American businessman and pilot Richard Patterson, converted to Islam.
Richard, who is now called Abdulaziz, owns a company providing services in critical care. It has a capital of $50 million, and a fleet of two aircraft and two helicopters, specializing in medical flights.
Abdulaziz arrived in the Kingdom on a contract with the Saudi Red Crescent to train students for air emergency. During his stay, three members of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance invited him out for dinner. The members who worked with the “Guide Me to Islam” project, talked to Abdulaziz about Islam and it’s real essence.
“I came to the Kingdom for a commercial deal. I was so thrilled to make the best deal of my life with God Almighty by converting to Islam,” said Abdulaziz, during the conversion ceremony, commending the Saudi attire and describing it as comfortable and beautiful.
When Abdulaziz was in his country, he used to hear negative things about Islam through media channels, which were aimed at distorting its image.
“Just reading about Islam is not enough to understand Islam. It’s meeting people who best represent it and reflect its true spirit,” said Abdulaziz. He considers himself lucky to discover through Muslim friends he met and dealt with in the Kingdom that Islam is a religion of righteousness and tolerance. “Muslims and Saudis are kind, humble and open to others,” said Abdulaziz, adding that he felt they were like family to him, and never experienced alienation or ill treatment from their side.
What attracted Abdulaziz the most to the Saudi society is that it is religious. That helps people relate to religion as a part of their daily life. “I wish I could bring all my colleagues to the Kingdom to experience what I have and change their viewpoints on Islam,” he said.
Abdulaziz called upon fellow Muslim businessmen to work on attracting foreign businessmen to Islam, accusing them of not taking serious initiatives to call their peers to this glorious religion. “We can provide books on Islam to delegates during business meetings which help present true image of Islam to others,” said Abdulaziz.
Teacher and scholar Esam Abdul Razzaq, who translated for Abdulaziz, said that celebrities and key figures play a greater role in their societies in projecting a certain image. “Successful people have a credibility among members of their society, as they are considered important. Therefore, when they choose to convert to Islam, they trigger curiosity in others, who in turn, want to know more about this religion,” said Abdul Razzaq.
--------Courtesy: Arab News
New conversions to Islam.
I am a Non-Muslim, a serious doubt in me lies unanswered, many muslim evangelists,Preachers,and Even Dr.Zakir Naik, could not answer me convincingly, the doubt it, Whey only new converts to Muslim are treated royally,why Muslims by birth,are totally neglected, are these people not muslims to be treated respectfully, or is treating new converts royally is a strategy to convince others to accept Islam, what is the reason behind it. Why Muslim by birth are treated so disrespectfully worse than the cattles, can any one give me a convincing reply.
New conversions
Dear Non-muslim neither any muslim by birth is totally neglected nor new converts are royally treated with a strategy to convince others to accept Islam. The reason behind it is very simple that the new converts are just welcomed when he enters the spiritual true path of Islam & after some days the person is not remembered again. You may contact to reknowned personalities who has chosen Islam as their religion & ask about which type of treatment they are getting now. And for the treatment towards the muslims by birth can you cite any example where they are treated disrespectfully & worse than the cattles? Can you give any example that a muslim by birth was not allowed in any of the Masjid that exist on any part of this earth?
Reply to Anonymous
Not convincing,your comment and the realistic picture does not match,surprisingly you yourself have proved me correct, by saying,after some days the person is not remembered, do i say anything more, after reading your comment i came to a conclusion that you do not have knowledge of Muslim living conditions in other parts of India.Just to prove myself, i am giving here under a few happenings which proves that Muslims by birth are neglected. Venture into any slum all over India, Muslims are in high numbers, their living conditions,their earning capacities, inter rivalries among the various sects of Muslims,children without education, youngsters involved in robberies,gangs,are very clearly visible to all,What have made them to lead their lives in such a pitiable conditions, why are they neglected,is it due to political differences or is it because of total neglected from the affluent class of Muslims, both are equally responsible, Muslim leaders have failed these class of people, they have been made into a vote bank, the affluent class of Muslims shy away from such places, they do not give a look to such mohallas, in my view all Muslims are responsible for their pitiable living which is worse than cattles,i have witness the same scene in Lucknow,Hyderabad, Chennai,Bangalore,Delhi,Patna,Ahmedabad,Bhopal,amd many towns,almost the living conditions of the poor is in such a pitiable conditions which is worse than cattle. I could give you a more detail picture,but in such forums i feel it is not justified, fools jumps to the conclusion and star writing offensive replies. For your last line in reply, there is a community in Kurnool, who are Muslims by birth, their occupation is stone cutting and laying, they have very peculiar names like Chinna Khaja, Pakeer Suleiman, but they are Muslims by birth, their forefathers were muslims,today, after 64 years of Independence, these people are not allowed in Masjid, such a wide difference among these class of people and the one who call themselves pious muslims, that they dont greet each other with Assalamwalekum. i can give you many such examples, which will make you surprise. Alas, it is not my concern, i am just researching on why there is duality among Muslims, the pious Muslims who vow on Holy Quran and Prophet Mohammed and neglected Poor Muslims.
The point you made here why
The point you made here why muslims by birth are not respected, i believe you in complete wrong notion let me clarify your point in simple one line, prophet(saw) said the whole muslim ummah is like one body it means that everything in your body is important and looked after properly and WHITE MUSLIM IS NOT SUPERIOR TO BLACK NOR RICH IS SUPERIOR TO POOR ALL ARE EQUAL, the perfect defination who define democracy by in islam you could see 5 times in masjid where all stand equal shoulder to shoulder with no differences its all about individual, if you made up a opinion stating by birth muslims are not treated respectfully is on individual basis but its against the teaching of quran and hadith. show me any religion in the world who insist equality apart from islam none take jews they are graded,hinduism well we know what it is the very basis religion manusmirithi is biased and humans are graded, christanity is wont exist as its not in purist form more than 80 version of bibles every one preach its own christanity, in islam there is no shia or sunni or any sect its just mislead by some people within muslim community which has resulted us divided but inshalla with time as young generations are gaining more knowledge reading thngs by theselves with time it will finish just matter of time
SubhanAllah!!
SubhanAllah!!
Allah is great....
Allahu Akber... Allah is great... i love you all my brother of islam for the sake of Allah.
SubhanAllahh
SubhanAllah Allahh duniye ke har insaan ku ye hidayat ata farmaiye
Post new comment