The worst thing for a Muslim is to convert to Christianity: former Islamist. Saints of the Orthodox Church who converted from Islam Prayer to the Mother of God for the conversion of the lost, St. Gabriel of Novgorod
03.10.2013
Conversions of Muslims to Christianity are increasing. The opinion has become stronger in the public consciousness that Muslims do not convert to other faiths, but it would be more accurate to define Islam as a religion whose members do not easily convert to other faiths. There is also a stereotype about the ineffectiveness of Christian missions in the Islamic world, which is not true. Every hour, 667 Muslims convert to Christianity. Muslims have no rational explanation for the new wave of Christianization.
The competition between two religions, Christianity and Islam, is their constant companion. The history of the struggle between Islam and Christianity is long, the results of the struggle were varied and changeable, but after the enormous success of Islam, Christianity is now winning. The conversion of Muslims to Christianity was especially numerous during the existence of the Byzantine Empire. Many Muslim nobles converted to Christianity at the end of the 9th and beginning of the 10th centuries. The most striking example of a large transition from Islam to Christianity occurred in 935, when the entire Arab Bedouin tribe Banu Habib, plus 12,000 soldiers with their families, subordinates, slaves, approached the Greek borders and converted to Christianity. In total, about 60,000 people. After that, they began to fight on the side of the Byzantine Empire, against the Muslims. There were many such examples.
In order to maintain peace in some countries, the president of the country is always a Christian, and the prime minister is a Muslim. Other countries are categorically Christian. However, Christians have the same rights that are guaranteed by the constitution and have freedom of religion. Before we consider the history of the Russian Church, let us turn to the history of Christianity, the principles of the schism into the Catholic and Orthodox churches.
Note: Order video shooting of christenings in Moscow at an affordable price. After all, such a day should not only remain in memory, but should also be captured on video.
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The hero of this conversation is a white American named “George” (for security reasons, his real name is not indicated), who at the age of 14 became a Sunni Muslim, studied at a madrasah to become an imam, studied the Koran (part of which he learned by heart), Arabic, Islamic theology, history, “hadith” (tradition about the sayings and deeds of the Islamic prophet Muhammad) and Islamic law. After 20 years, he left Islam and consciously converted to Orthodoxy.
In a conversation with the host of the program on “Ancient Faith Radio“We talked about the theology of Islam, common misconceptions of Muslims about Christianity, the differences between orthodox Islam and the “Nation of Islam” (a religious-nationalist radical organization of African Americans in the USA), about slavery and the attitude of Islam towards it, about what jihad is. And of course, about George’s unusual path to Orthodoxy.
"I was looking for discipline"
– Last time Islam– one of the main topics of news and media reports. Today we are talking with a former Muslim, George, who recently became an Orthodox Christian (we spoke with his confessor, and he confirmed George's whole story). George, before the interview you told me that as a teenager you began studying various religious and philosophical teachings.
– Yes, I was interested in some eastern spiritual traditions – Buddhism and Hinduism. I also read a little about philosophy, and I was especially fascinated by the Stoic school. I quickly lost interest in Buddhism and Hinduism, and although at the age of 12-13 I was quite receptive to new ideas, these two religious systems seemed too strange to me. I felt that there was no truth either in Hinduism with its polytheism, or in Buddhism with its denial of God. I believed that God exists and He is one.
– Why weren't you interested in Christianity?
“I saw nothing of value in the Christian movements that were available to me, whether it was the jumping and screaming televangelists who assured viewers that they could “buy” their way into the Kingdom of Heaven, or the constant hypocrisy and self-righteousness of the people I met every day. I haven't seen Christianity that has anything significant to offer. Of course, I misunderstood Christian theology back then. The idea of the Holy Trinity seemed too confusing, and the Western understanding of the Savior's crucifixion and His atonement of mankind seemed to be just a ploy to make people not pay much attention to their shortcomings and not make efforts to improve their lives.
– What particularly attracted you to Islam?
“Islam offered what I was looking for—discipline.” And a more or less understandable theology... It seemed that Islam historically did not have the same baggage as Christianity: slavery, racism, fanaticism, crusades, the Inquisition and intolerance towards everyone - everything that Christians have been accused of for centuries. In a spiritual sense, Islam proposed worship of God that involved your voice, mind and body, “not just waving your arms in the air and shouting and singing.” Finally, in Islam there is a practice called dhikr, which translates as “remembrance,” “keeping in mind.” Practitioners of dhikr try to clear their minds of everything and think only about God. They repeatedly repeat short prayers designed to help them be in the presence of God. But, of course, at the center of Islam is namaz, that is, prayer performed five times a day, obligatory for every Muslim.
Islam and slavery
– So, at the age of 14 you started going to the mosque. What kind of contingent was there at that time?
“They were mostly African Americans, as well as people from the Middle East and Asia.
– According to a survey done several years ago, 59% of US converts to Islam are African Americans. Why do you think so many African Americans convert to Islam?
– Some of the reasons why African Americans converted to Islam are similar to those for which I and many non-African Americans converted to this religion at one time. I have already said this. But African American communities have a more unique situation. From my own experience, conversations with people, and reading of literature, I can say that the conversion of many African Americans to Islam is seen as an attempt to return to the culture that they lost when their ancestors were captured, enslaved and taken to the Western Hemisphere and as a result deprived of their original traditions and identity. This is a way to get rid of the Eurocentrism imposed on them. Christianity became synonymous with the oppression and oppression that African Americans experienced in the West.
– But it was the Islamic slave traders who went to Africa, took Africans as slaves to sell to Europeans... Isn’t that so?
– Yes, the Islamic slave trade began in the 7th century with the rise of the Islamic empire and continued in some places until the 20th century, for example, in Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, where cases of human trafficking are still recorded. The Arab Islamic slave trade covered vast areas, including East and West sub-Saharan Africa (the main supplier), Central Asia, the Mediterranean and even Eastern Europe. The slave trade spread to northern lands such as the British Isles and Iceland. America at the dawn of its existence fell victim to Muslim slave traders from the so-called Barbary Kingdoms - independent Islamic states that existed along the coast of North Africa.
I would like to say that Islamic law does not allow Muslims born free to be taken into slavery. Only Muslims born as slaves and captured non-Muslims are allowed to be taken. This explains the fact that the majority of slaves were residents of territories bordering the Islamic empires, including, of course, Christians.
– Today we see how ISIS and other radical groups capture, enslave, sell women and more... Are such practices allowed in the Koran and Hadith?
- Yes. They are prescribed in a certain way by the Koran and Hadith. ISIS and other groups view their atrocities as a holy war. All women-non-Muslim women captured by them become their property, even if they are married women. The Koran refers to such captives with the words “what your right hand possesses.” In verse 24 of the fourth Sura we read: “Married women are forbidden to you, except captives who were captured by your right hands, taken captive during the war with the infidels.” I have quoted part of a lengthy passage that talks about women with whom a Muslim is allowed to have sexual relations.
There is also a quote from Sura 33, verse 50, which says on behalf of Allah himself: “O Prophet! We have made lawful for you your wives, to whom you have paid their wages, and the [slaves] whom your right hand has taken possession of.” I can give many more examples, but I think you can already see how the holy books of Islam approve of committing atrocities.
Of course, a Muslim can argue with me and say that these verses refer only to historical events from the time of Muhammad. But the problem is that Islam looks at the Quran as the unchanging and eternal word of Allah. Therefore, if the entire Quran is absolutely perfect, being the infallible word of Allah directly dictated to Muhammad, then how can it only apply to a specific event or moment?
– This is very interesting, especially in light of the conversion of many African Americans to Islam in our time. After all, before Islam, the history of Christianity was closely connected, among other things, with Africa.
- Yes. Christianity has been deeply rooted in Africa since the beginning of church history. And in the Gospel of Matthew we find that the Lord Himself with His Most Pure Mother and Righteous Joseph fled to Egypt. We also find an Ethiopian whom the Apostle Philip meets, as described in the book of Acts. Alexandria is one of the oldest Patriarchates. We have such great saints of the Church as Athanasius of Alexandria, Anthony the Great, Moses Murin, Mary of Egypt, St. Augustine and many others. In my opinion, it is a crime that the rich history of Christianity in Africa has been forgotten, and I dare say that it has been deliberately discarded by the Christians of the Western churches.
– What are the significant differences between the teachings of the Nation of Islam and Louis Farrakhan - the current leader of this organization - and "orthodox Islam"?
– There are a lot of differences. But the most stunning thing is this: the Nation of Islam believes that the black man is divine, and the white man is genetically created by the mad scientist Yaqub (the Arabic form of the name Jacob), who was allegedly born in Mecca and created a pale devilish race "through scientific experiment on the Greek island of Patmos." Yakub allegedly did this after he had a quarrel with God. This statement alone is enough to clearly understand that the ideas of the Nation of Islam will not be recognized by orthodox Islam.
– So, followers of the Nation of Islam are not recognized as members of orthodox Islam?
- Of course not.
"I tried to be godly"
– Getting back to your story, what did it take for you to officially become a Muslim at age 14?
– It’s very simple: it required the proclamation of the shahada - a formula outlining the two main tenets of Islam: “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet.”
– Is this all that needs to be repeated in the presence of imams and other witnesses?
– It was necessary to at least have two adult Muslim men as witnesses.
– Did other white Muslim converts go to the mosque with you?
– Yes, there were several of them. One of them is now a co-founder of a national Islamic organization that has received much press coverage in recent years. However, I was then something of an unusual phenomenon for them, given my very young age and the fact that my conversion to Islam was not preceded by any Muslim missionary work. There seemed to be more women among the white Muslim converts. According to my observations, this was facilitated by marriages with Islamic men who emigrated from other countries.
– And from the age of 14 you began to try to live the pious life of a Muslim. How strictly did you follow the rules and what were your practices?
“I didn’t think of myself as pious.” You said it right: I tried to be pious. I wanted to get closer to God. You could say I was much stricter with myself than the average Muslim born into this faith. This is a common occurrence among people who have converted to a faith in which they were not raised - they will be especially zealous for a while at least.
I wanted to completely immerse myself in Islam. I studied everything I could. Therefore, at the age of 18, he left his hometown and moved to another state to study at an Islamic madrassa (seminary). He stayed there for three years. He studied Arabic grammar, the Koran, hadith, Islamic law and history. In addition, he prayed five times a day. I also read additional prayers, which, although encouraged, were not obligatory. I fasted during the month of Ramadan and fasted throughout the year outside of Ramadan. I followed all the instructions in food, in self-purification, abstained from extramarital sexual intercourse, and even tried not to shake a woman’s hand or look her in the face if it was not my relative.
A large part of a Muslim's life is observing the Sunnah. The Sunnah recounts the deeds of Muhammad and prescribes every aspect of a Muslim's life: how to eat, sleep, drink, dress, speak, use the toilet, even how a married man should discipline his wife. I tried with all my heart to comply with everything I could.
How did Christian heresies affect Islam?
– George, I think many Christians would agree that the Koran and Islam in general misinterpret Orthodox Christianity. What currents of heretical, non-Orthodox Christianity did Muhammad encounter in his life and where did he get these ideas from?
– Most Muslims tend to unite everyone who calls themselves Christians, even such sectarians as Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses, into a single homogeneous group. Pre-Islamic Arabia, especially the region where Muhammad was born known as the Hijaz, was predominantly pagan. But there were also Christian minorities in this region. The biography of Muhammad contains several cases of his meetings with Christians. It is difficult to say how Orthodox their beliefs were. But judging by the Qur'an, Hadith and their misunderstanding of Christianity, it can be assumed that at least some of these Christians were heretics.
As a young man, Muhammad accompanied his uncle named Abu Talib to Bosra (Syria). There Muhammad met a Christian monk named Bahira. This Bahira noticed that wherever Muhammad went, a cloud covered him. The monk called Muhammad to him and told him that God had chosen him as the last prophet.
Islamic sources claim that Bahira had copies of the “original Gospel, free from errors and additions,” which allegedly contained prophecies about the coming of Muhammad. Bakhira, according to some sources, was associated with another monk named Sergius, who, according to some sources, was a Nestorian, and according to others, an Arian. Based on my knowledge of Arianism and Nestorianism, I would say that Muhammad was influenced by Arianism with its denial of the deity in Christ - exactly the same way Muslims feel about the Savior.
From other stories about Muhammad we learn that when he received his first revelation in a cave, supposedly from the angel Gabriel, he was confused and afraid, so that his first wife Khadija took him to her cousin. Her cousin's name was Waraqa ibn Nawf; he was a Christian, and according to some sources, a Nestorian priest. When Muhammad told him what had happened to him, Waraqa replied that he (Muhammad) was the last prophet foretold in the Scriptures. There are other accounts of Muhammad's meetings with Christians, but they all have the same theme: Christians allegedly confirm that Muhammad is the last and greatest prophet, which was supposedly predicted, but because Christians and Jews changed the texts of their Scriptures, then the prophecies about the coming of Muhammad were deleted or changed.
– According to Muslims...
– Yes, according to the Muslims. According to another account, the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius (610–641) recognizes Muhammad as the true long-awaited prophet and says that all Christians should convert to Islam. It is interesting that some verses of the Quran were directly taken from the apocrypha. One obvious example is a passage from the so-called Childhood Gospel of the Apostle Thomas, which says that when Jesus was a boy, He made clay birds, breathed life into them and they began to make noise and fly. Now compare this story with verse 110 of the fifth Surah of the Quran: “Then Allah will say: “Isa, remember the blessings that I have given you and your mother: I have strengthened you with the Holy Spirit, you have spoken with people from the cradle [when other children do not yet speak ], and in his mature years possessed indescribable eloquence; I taught you writing, wisdom, Torah and Gospel; you sculpted the likeness of a bird from clay, breathed life into it, and it immediately became a living bird with My permission.”
– This is very similar to the apocryphal text of Thomas. Good point. Preparing for our conversation, I am among heretical trends IV century found an Arab sect called the Collyridians, who worshiped the Virgin Mary as a goddess. Some Muslims believe that the Koran is against this particular sect because the Koran understands the Trinity as Father, Mary and Son.
- Exactly! There is one interesting tradition, most likely associated with the Collyridians. A few years before Muhammad's death, when he returned victorious to Mecca (the famous "Conquest of Mecca"), he first cleansed the Kaaba (Islam's most important sanctuary in Mecca) of hundreds of idols found inside and outside. According to legend, Muhammad entered the Kaaba and ordered all idols to be thrown out of it and all images destroyed, but the image of Christ and the Virgin Mary, surrounded by angels, to be left. Later, he reluctantly removed this image. So the presence of a painting of Christ with the Virgin Mary in a pagan temple of that time may well indicate the presence of a heretical group like the Collyridians.
– It turns out that Muhammad mistakenly believed that Christians worship three Gods: God the Father, Mother Mary and the Son Jesus, and not one God in three persons? Of course, Orthodox Christianity rejects this idea of tritheism, that is, that God is trinitarian in essence (three persons of the Holy Trinity - three Gods).
– Yes, I would say that it is so. One of the biographies of Muhammad mentions the arrival of a delegation of Arab Christians who came to talk with him. The narrator reports that Christians were arguing about the nature of Christ, and then writes: “They claim that He is the third of the Three, since God says: “We created, We commanded, We created and We decreed,” and they say: “If He was One, he would say: I created, I created, and so on,” but He is He, that is, God, Jesus and Mary.”
In the Koran, verse 73 of the fifth Surah is precisely related to this statement. It goes like this: “Verily, those who said: “Allah (God) is the third of three” have fallen into disbelief.”
– In the same way (correct me if I’m wrong) the Koran rejects the fatherhood of God the Father and the sonship of Jesus in the Christian understanding. Muslims believe that, according to Christian belief, God the Father enters into a physical relationship with Mary to give birth to God the Son. Of course, this extreme error has nothing to do with Christian teaching.
- Yes exactly. Regarding this, verse 88 of the 19th Surah of the Quran says: “And [some] said: “The All-Merciful has a child.” This misunderstanding arose from the belief of the polytheists of Arabia that angels and even their idols came into existence through some physical contact of God. Therefore, I think that Muhammad could understand the term “Son of God” in a purely human way, through the concept of sexual reproduction. Consequently, many Muslims began to think that Christians believe in the conception of the Son from the Father by human means. Of course, this is a completely ridiculous and blasphemous understanding.
– Yes, Muslims also deny that Christ was crucified on the cross. The Koran nowhere speaks about the atoning sacrifice of Christ, about His suffering for the salvation of mankind. Here is one of the best quotes confirming this - Sura 4, verses 157-159: “The wrath of Allah fell on them for their lies: they said that they had killed Isa, the son of Maryam, the Messenger of Allah. But he was not killed by them and was not crucified, as they imagined. They just imagined it all. They thought that they had killed and crucified the prophet himself. In fact, they killed and crucified another similar to Isa. Then they themselves argued: it was Isa who was killed or the other. They are all in doubt about this. They have no knowledge about this, but only assumptions. They weren't sure they killed him. They didn't kill him. Allah raised Jesus to Himself and saved him from his enemies. He was not crucified and was not killed. Verily, Allah is Almighty, Great and Wise in His deeds! And, truly, there is no one among the People of the Book who did not understand the truth about Jesus before his death - that he was a servant of Allah and His messenger. They believed in him, but it was too late - time had already passed. And on the Day of Judgment Isa will testify against them that he is a servant of Allah and His Messenger and that he conveyed the Message of his Lord.”
– Yes, you are absolutely right! I might also add that, according to some Islamic commentators, God changed the appearance of Judas Iscariot to make him look like Christ. Thus, in their opinion, it was not Christ who was crucified, but Judas...
The Qur'an nowhere speaks of Christ's atonement and saving sacrifice because Islam denies that Jesus is the Son of God. Followers of Islam do not recognize the Divinity of Christ, do not recognize the purpose of His incarnation and our salvation through Him. The entire formula of salvation in Islam boils down, by and large, to the declaration of shahada (“There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is His prophet”) and good deeds.
The Teaching of No-Love
– As we know, Christianity is based on love. In the conversation before our interview, you mentioned that Islam does not teach about the love and mercy of God for humanity or the unity of God with man. On the contrary, the relationship between man and God can be characterized as that of a slave and a master. Please tell us more about this.
– To understand how a Muslim man or woman will see his relationship with God, it is important to know what the purpose of the creation of man is in Islam.
Verse 56 of Sura 51 of the Quran says: “I did not create jinn (invisible spirits) and people so that they would bring Me any benefit, but only so that they would worship Me. But worship benefits them.” And verse 7 of Sura 11 reads: “He is the One Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, when His Throne was on the water, in order to test whose deeds would be better.”
I think these two verses generally demonstrate Islam's understanding of why man was created. The first is to fulfill what God wants: that He be worshiped in accordance with Islam; and secondly, participation in a kind of competition: who will do the most good deeds. These two thoughts are often repeated in the Qur'an and Hadith. Thus, a person is obliged to worship God and thereby appease Him, and also to prove that he is worthy of God's mercy: if he proves, he will be rewarded. This is what the purpose of human life boils down to. All this strongly contrasts with how the purpose of creation and human life is understood in Orthodox Christian teaching, according to which man is called to communion and unity with God, to be a partaker of Divine love and to become God by grace.
– You also told me that you would characterize God in Islam, that is, Allah, as a tyrant.
- Yes. It's difficult to explain in a short time, but I'll try. According to the Koran, Allah guides whomever He wishes and leads astray whomever He wishes (this phrase is repeated countless times). Now I will give one famous quote from the words of Muhammad: “One man asked: “O Messenger of Allah, is it possible to distinguish the inhabitants of Paradise from the inhabitants of Fire?” The Prophet said: “Yes.” The man asked: “So why do people try to do good deeds?” The Prophet replied: “Everyone will do what he was created for (or: what was made easy for him).”
Another passage is devoted to how the fetus is formed in the womb of its mother. “Forty-two days after a drop of semen is in the womb, Allah sends an angel to it, who gives it a preliminary appearance and creates hearing, sight, skin, flesh and bones in the embryo, and then says: “O my Lord, boy or a girl?” - and your Lord decides as he wishes, and the angel writes it down. Then the angel asks: “O my Lord, what will be his life span?” - and your Lord says whatever he wishes, and the angel writes it down. Then the angel asks: “O my Lord, what will be his destiny (heaven or hell)?” - and your Lord decides as he wishes, and the angel writes it down. And then the angel leaves with the scroll in his hand, adding nothing to it and taking nothing away.”
I think these two quotes show the fatalistic aspect of Islam. Sura 7, verse
179 of the Qur'an states: "We have created many jinn and people who will enter hell on the Day of Judgment." We see that among the people created by God, many are specially created for hell. And this is repeated in the Qur'an many times. “Fear the Fire, whose fuel is people and stones.” From all of the above we can conclude that in Islam we are not dealing with a just God. Instead, we are taught that the Creator designed everything as a mechanism where no one, including God Himself, can deviate from the precise program.
Everything is subject to fate, to such an extent that the things we perceive as the result of our free will, in fact, were prescribed for us. According to Islam, humanity is given the illusion that it has free will, when in reality there is no free will. Therefore, any judgment about the love and mercy of such a God can be considered insignificant and even ignored.
– What you just talked about echoes, by the way, with the teachings of John Calvin on predestination. You also told me that in Islam the ideas of love and mercy are very different from what we find in Orthodoxy. Can you explain this to us?
– One of these differences can be found by asking any Christian familiar with the Holy Scriptures: does God love sinners and non-Christians? The answer will be: “Of course, yes.” A Christian can cite many quotes from the New Testament, for example: “But God demonstrates His love toward us in this, that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). And, of course, these words: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, let you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13: 34–35).
Unfortunately, over the centuries and to this day, the gospel covenants about love have not been put into practice by many Christians, for which we, of course, will be responsible. But now I’m talking about the difference between the sacred texts of Christianity and Islam.
Sura 2, verse 276 of the Quran says: “Allah does not love any ungrateful (or unbelieving) sinners.” But Sura 3, verse 32: “Say: “Obey Allah and the Messenger.” If they turn away, then Allah does not love the disbelievers.” And here is the previous verse of the same surah: “Say: “If you love Allah, then follow me, and then Allah will love you and forgive you your sins.” We see that, according to Scripture, love in Christianity is real, unconditional, truly Divine love, which the average Muslim would laugh at (and I laughed at my time). In Islam, love is conditional, conditional. In Islam, Allah has 99 names, or attributes, and only one of them sounds like “loving.” But in the Bible, through the Holy Spirit, we know that God is love, that He created us only out of His infinite love, redeemed us through His Son, and gave us the opportunity by grace to be His children and call Him our Father.
"Muslim limits God"
– Yes, in Islam and Christianity we see completely different spirituality and character. George, would it be fair to say that in Islam you still had no experience and life in faith, but only following the rules of prayer, observing fasts, Islamic law and just obedience?
– Yes, I completely agree with this statement. In Islam there is a movement called Sufism, which contains the doctrine of the unity of man with God, but the ideas of Sufism in relation to traditional Islam are considered controversial at best, and some are even heretical and blasphemous. Since Islam does not have the doctrine of God dwelling in His creation through the Holy Spirit, it is impossible to know God in this religion. When the Quran says that God is close to His creation, it is meant metaphorically. A good example is verse 16 of Sura 50: “And we are closer to him (man) than the jugular vein.” This means that God is close to us through knowledge, but we are not talking about the real presence of God next to His creation. Even the claim that "God is everywhere" is highly controversial throughout Islamic theology. It would be more accurate to say that in Islam God is omnipresent by knowledge, and not by His essence; He is above the Throne with His essence.
– Were there any positive aspects to your life in Islam?
– Yes, I firmly believe that Islam gave me the direction in life that I so needed. He gives this direction to many people today. It is unlikely that anyone will argue that this is bad if your life is built around faith in one God, around prayer, fasting and works of mercy. Especially if we compare this life with the alternative that the world around us offers us - life without any knowledge of God and without high morality.
The problem with Islam, in my opinion, is that it inhibits a person's spiritual growth. I believe that without recognition, faith and confession of the true God, who revealed Himself in the Holy Trinity, a Muslim unwittingly limits God and creates an idol, and this limitation is reflected in a person’s worldview, in his vision of his neighbors. I think that the way a person sees God affects his life and worldview.
– Looking back on your life in Islam, would you say that this life was devoid of experiential knowledge of God?
– There was very little “experiential” knowledge of God. I believed that God exists, that I should worship Him, but, as stated above, the Islamic idea of God does not allow man to know Him. The God of Israel did not fully reveal Himself to people and was not fully known by people. But everything changed with the incarnation of the Word of God - our Lord Jesus Christ, and this became the greatest event in history and a huge step forward for humanity. But then six centuries pass, and Muhammad appears, who (in a sense) turns back the course of history by denying the incarnation of the Son of God and His saving ministry. Essentially, Muhammad brought his followers back under the rule of law and deprived them of knowledge of the truth about God as revealed in the only begotten Son of God and the Holy Spirit.
– Before the conversation, you told me an interesting thing: while observing the outer precepts of Islam, inside you felt like a kind of “monster.” Tell us in more detail.
- Oh yeah. In Islam, so much emphasis is placed on observing external rituals that the need for spiritual development and growth is often ignored. Lack of spiritual growth affects how we treat our neighbors. This happened to me and I saw the same thing happen to so many other people. I felt such deep complacency within myself that I was observing all the external rites and laws of Islam. And this complacency grew into real pharisaism. All this reached such proportions that I began to look down not only on non-Muslims, but even on those who loved and cared for me all my life. As a result, I turned into a monster...
– In general, can we conclude that Islam fosters in believers a sense of pharisaism when they begin to condemn and criticize other people instead of loving them?
- Yes, this is possible. And I saw this with my own eyes more than once, it happened to me too. Sura 5, verse 51 says: “Believers, do not take Jews and Christians as your awliya (close friend, associate). Some of them are awliya for others. Whoever of you takes them as patrons will be one of them. The Almighty does not guide oppressors and tyrants [obvious sinners] on the right path.” Such verses form a system of relationships in believers: “we – they.” Hence the fanatical zeal for being on the right (in Islam: “straight”) path, as well as distrust, paranoia and contempt for any non-Muslims and even some fellow believers.
Peace or war?
- Let's talk about something else now. Many argue that Islam is a religion of peace, the word “jihad” simply means spiritual struggle, and groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS simply hide behind religion. There is a lot of talk about this today. What have you personally heard about jihad and the teachings of the Qur'an "behind the scenes" on this topic?
– The word “jihad” first of all means struggle in a general sense, but also in a military and spiritual sense. However, in most cases, when mentioning jihad in Islam, a military connotation is implied. In the Koran and Sunnah a special word is used: “kital”, that is, “battle”, “battle”.
I do not believe that the groups you mentioned are just hiding behind religion. In the holy books of Islam one can find many places where their atrocities are justified. But it’s not easy to interpret these texts unambiguously. Some place them in the context of historical events when the Koran was written, and that they supposedly have no relevance for Muslims in our time. However, others believe that the Qur'an is the eternal and unchanging Divine Word, no part of which can become irrelevant.
"Behind the scenes" O Most of the Muslims I met were indifferent to Islamic terrorists. They will neither praise nor especially condemn the actions of radicals. And I rarely see public condemnation of Islamic terrorists. Even if you start talking about the indifference of Muslims to these events, they will become defensive and remember, for example, the crusades to justify the atrocities of terrorist groups. In this regard, I find it a little strange that some Christians, including the late Pope John Paul II, still apologize for the Crusades. How often do we hear Muslims publicly condemn the horrors that their fellow believers have committed in the name of Islam? Turkey still denies the Armenian genocide, and Saudi Arabia, the birthplace and seat of Wahhabism, is notorious for all kinds of human rights violations, and nothing is being done about it.
– George, would you call the radical terrorist activities of the groups we are discussing their personal radical choice? Or is this the norm, according to the teachings of Islam?
“Given the vast number of passages in the sacred texts of Islam that endorse violence against non-Muslims, and the historical reality showing that Islam has used force and terror to spread itself from the very beginning, I do not know what other conclusion can be drawn than this: Yes, this is the norm for Islam, not the exception. I will go even further: to better understand Islam, it should be looked at not exactly as a religion, but more as a political movement, heavily influenced by the pagan and Bedouin culture of the era of Muhammad, with a slight admixture of Judeo-Christian overtones to give it legitimacy in Arabic world.
N and the path to Christ
– Let us now return to your path to Orthodoxy. I know that your mother (her memory eternal) died quite early - at the age of 50, when you were still very young. How did this event affect your relationship with Islam?
– Yes, it shocked me, as you can imagine, and forced me to ask myself difficult questions. Islam is absolutely clear regarding the afterlife of non-Muslims. I was horrified by the thought that my mother, who loved God and was one of the most loving and kind people I have ever known, should be condemned to eternal damnation simply because she was not Muslim.
On the evening of the day she died, I went to the mosque to pray, think and find peace. There he met his fellow believers and told them about what had happened. Instead of condolences, the first thing I heard was the question: did she convert to Islam? When I said no, the reaction was: “Oh, what a shame. But we think it was the will of Allah.”
I felt extremely disgusting. But this is what Islam teaches, I thought, how can I argue with it? There is only one thing left: if I start to doubt Islam, then there is something wrong with me. I tried my best to push these thoughts away, but they persisted.
– So you began to move away from Islam and religion in general?
“Of course, it wasn’t like I got up one morning and said: that’s it, I’m finished with Islam, I’m forgetting it once and for all.” No, it was a gradual process that took years.
For a long time I looked at life only through the eyes of Islam. He devoted himself entirely to the teachings of Islam and the belief in God according to Islam. Sometimes I even prayed that it would be better to die right now than to die outside of Islam. Islam had such a huge impact on my soul and mind, and suddenly I started losing it all. I began to abandon everything that defined me. But previously I was not just a believing follower of Islam, but even studied to become an imam - an Islamic cleric. I taught Islam, preached it, invited other people to Islam - and suddenly I myself began to turn away from it... As a result, I ended up with a strong feeling of bitterness: both towards Islam, and towards religion, and towards that period in life.
“There’s a huge void in my life.” I spent so much time looking for God and thought I had found Him, but in the end I came to the conclusion that I was wrong. I felt mentally and spiritually exhausted. I felt betrayed by God. There was only darkness inside. I continued to believe in some higher power, but my faith in the true Personality of God was shaken. I didn’t know how to return to the previous state, and maybe I didn’t really want to.
– It is fair to say that you have experienced a serious crisis of faith.
– Why do you think?
– After the death of my mother, the events of September 11 and their consequences, my struggle with Islam and with life in general, I suddenly began to look at the world like an adult. As the Apostle Paul says: “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I thought as a child, I reasoned as a child; and when he became a man, he left behind his children” (1 Cor. 13:11). You could say I grew out of Islam, its rituals, laws and the idea of God. I felt that all structure and discipline were meaningless if they did not lead to something, but I did not yet have a clue to what they should lead to.
– Tell us what happened in you and how you turned to Christ.
– I was in a state of uncertainty. It seemed that he was spiritually dead, and his personal life was full of hatred and unspeakable malice. I hadn’t prayed for a very long time and thought that if I start praying, what’s the point? What will I say? How should I approach this matter? And is there anyone listening to me? I began to read books on philosophy, as I did in my distant adolescence, trying to find at least some meaning to everything and, perhaps, answer the questions myself. And then one day I saw an unusual dream (I must say that until then I had not attached any importance to dreams and visions). In that dream I felt the presence of Christ. I didn’t see Him, I only felt that He was nearby. It was as if He wanted to bring me closer to Him, but I constantly pushed Him away, rejected Him - and then I heard a sob. When I woke up, I didn’t know what to do about it. I did not consider myself spiritually experienced to interpret such dreams.
At first I didn’t attach any significance to this strange dream. But, after some time, walking along the street, I suddenly, for no apparent reason, began to repeat the Lord’s Prayer. I had never learned it by heart before. Later, while at home, I physically felt that some force was squeezing me and pulling me down. I started crying loudly. He fell to his knees at the edge of the bed and covered his face with his hands. Then something affected me, and the words burst out of my chest: “Jesus Christ, if You are here, then help me!”
A few months later I saw the Apostle Paul in a dream. Paul went to Damascus, as described in the Acts of the Apostles. And suddenly I saw him fall to the ground. I looked into his face, but instead of Pavel’s face I suddenly saw mine! Then I realized that all this could not be a mere coincidence. I felt I had to do something, although my mind told me to weigh everything and come to a rational decision. However, something inside me said: tell your mind to shut up and listen to your heart for once in your life!
– Now tell us how you learned about Orthodox Christianity and what brought you to Orthodoxy after more than 20 years in a religion hostile to Christianity.
“After everything I had experienced, I still didn’t know what to do. I didn't know where to go. I was not interested in any of the thousands of Christian sects. I wasn't looking for emotional excitement, I was looking for something real.
I remember visiting the state fair where we live with my girlfriend (she has since become my wife and a rare example of Christian love, patience, kindness and understanding). We stopped next to a Christian stall where they were handing out Bibles. I approached, told about myself, and they gave me a copy of the Bible, suggesting that I also read the “sinner’s prayer.” The people seemed nice, but something was wrong about them. An inner voice told me to continue searching.
Reading the New Testament, I began to wonder whether the historical Church was preserved somewhere. All the Christian denominations around me were claiming to be called the Church proper. Coming from an Islamic background, I valued religious tradition and historical continuity, but I did not see this in any denomination. The Catholic Church seemed to be the only church that retained contact with the apostles and the first Christian communities. However, I had internal disagreement with Catholicism on a number of issues.
Once I typed the following words into an Internet search engine: “ancient Christian Church, the first Christians.” I started looking at the results, and a website of one Orthodox jurisdiction caught my attention. On the site there was a quote from the book of the Acts of the Apostles: “For a whole year they met in church and taught a considerable number of people, and the disciples in Antioch for the first time began to be called Christians” (Acts 11: 26). I finally saw the connection between a historical community of believers in Christ and a specific place. I was intrigued and wanted to know what this Church believed in, what its connection with the first Christians was and the features of worship. I began to read more about the Orthodox Church, its doctrine, rituals and history. Then he said to himself: “This is what Christians should be!” And since then he has repeatedly repeated: “What a pity that I didn’t know about this Church many years ago.”
The more I learned, the more everything became clearer. I must say that one of the teachings of Orthodoxy that really captivated me is the teaching of theosis, that is, “about O marriage" of a person by grace. It turned out to be the center of a Christian's life. Then I contacted the priest of the local Orthodox church, met with him and after about a year I became a catechumen.
“Belief in God cannot be purely intellectual”
– What brought you to Orthodoxy in the first place: a spiritual experience associated with the person of Christ Himself, or also an intellectual search?
- Both. But spiritual experience certainly played a decisive role in my conversion to Christianity, as opposed to my conversion to Islam in adolescence.
All my life I have been accustomed to carefully thinking and rationalizing everything, this even applies to spiritual matters, which can have a detrimental effect on those who seek God. This turned out to be a clear obstacle for me. Belief in God cannot be purely intellectual.
One day about a year ago, sitting at home, I peered at the icon of the Crucifixion of the Lord. My gaze lingered on the position of His hands. Suddenly something struck me like an electric shock: His body did not express pain and torment. That is, I in no way belittle all the terrible pain and suffering of the crucifixion, but at that moment I saw something beyond that. I saw something beautiful - as if Jesus was telling me: “I did this for you and for the whole world because I love you and want you to come to Me and follow Me.” This feeling just blew me away. I experienced something similar in childhood: sometimes I would hurt myself, and my mother, hearing my cry, would rush to me. I see her outstretched arms, she hugs me, and a feeling of calm, love and security comes over me.
– I forgot to ask you about this earlier. Islam denies the Deity of the Holy Spirit, doesn't it?
- Yes it is. The Holy Spirit is mentioned in the Qur'an, but the Archangel Gabriel is implied. Islam believes that he is the "Holy Spirit".
– Have you ever had to overcome yourself by learning the basic Christian dogmas that Islam rejects: about the Holy Trinity, about the only begotten Son of God and the Holy Spirit as the Person of the Holy Trinity?
- Of course, I had an internal struggle. A huge task stood before me: rebirth - of the mind, the soul, of everything that I was, and the way I saw the world around me. Islam rejects everything that is considered fundamental to Christianity. The most significant example is the denial by Muslims of the Divinity of Christ and His crucifixion. Even the form of the name of Jesus used in the Quran is different from the form used by Arabic-speaking Christians for centuries before the advent of Islam. The question of whom Muslims call Christ and Whom Christians call Christ may seem trivial to some, but it is very important. Because the Jesus we find in Islam and the One we know as the Lord and Savior of the World are not the same person. Now, when I hear from a Muslim that he also believes in Jesus Christ, I answer him: “No, you don’t believe.” There is only one Christ, and not two Christs - “Islamic” and “Christian”. And if a person does not accept Him and does not believe in Him as He really is, then he does not believe in Christ at all. During the period of internal struggle, I realized that the more I read, study, participate in the Liturgy and pray, the more everything became clearer. I also realized that God as the Holy Trinity is a mystery that you just need to accept, believe in it and follow the Church.
Two books that helped me a lot are the work of St. Athanasius the Great “On the Incarnation” and “An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith” by St. John of Damascus. In general, I learned and - most importantly - experienced how wonderful, majestic and beautiful God is - the Indivisible Trinity.
- This is cool! We are coming to the end of our conversation. Tell us now about your experience of Orthodox worship and compare it with the experience of Islamic worship.
– First of all, I’ll say that it’s impossible to imagine what my first Liturgy in church was like. All my senses were involved at the same time. It was amazing. I felt like a child. I have never experienced anything like this in Islam. There can be no comparison. I felt that worship is mutual communication between people and God: believers sing and praise the Creator, and He acts through people. External rituals in Orthodoxy, such as bowing, did not turn out to be strange to me at all. But it took me a while to get used to the icons. I read “A Word in Defense of Sacred Images” by St. John of Damascus. The way he defends the holy icons impressed me so much that since then there have been no doubts about the veneration of icons. These are not just works of religious art - they are the consequences of the incarnation of the Word of God.
– Yes, I also think that this is a very important book. I am glad that you are reading the early Church Fathers, and not just explanations of the Orthodox faith. And the last question. Has life in Orthodoxy changed you, and if so, how?
– Yes, she changed me thoroughly, and this process continues. I feel that I have not yet even begun to understand the true meaning of death, burial and resurrection with Christ. I know that the main attention in life should be devoted to the death of the former (“old”) “I”, my former thinking, outlook on life, on myself and my neighbors. This is a wonderful process that transforms and changes your entire life... But it is also scary at the same time. After all, I was baptized into Christ, and it was as if a mirror had been placed in front of me. Now I have to look at myself honestly, with all my sins and shortcomings. You cannot fool God, and in order to have a relationship with God, you must first be honest with yourself. For the first time in my life I understand what true love is. The Lord says: “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). There is no greater love than if you lay down your life: a husband - for his wife, a wife - for her husband, a parent - for her child... to deny yourself and lay down your life for the sake of others is truly God’s work, and the Lord was the first to do this for us . That's where true love is. May I and each of us, by the grace of God, bring it to life.
Kevin Allen spoke with ex-Muslim George
Translated from English by Dmitry Lapa
Ancient Faith Radio
The wave of migration in recent years has led to an increase in the number of people from traditionally Muslim countries in European countries. At the same time, sociological observations show that after becoming acquainted with the local culture and religion, many migrants decide to convert from Islam to Christianity. For example, recently hundreds of migrants from Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq have converted to Christianity in Finland. This was reported by the Finnish national television channel Yle.
Many people from these countries began to attend church services on their own and then turn to the clergy with requests for baptism.
To meet the needs of migrants, the state church of Finland, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, has created special catechetical courses. The classes are taught by Lutheran pastors, who are assisted by translators into the Dari language. In particular, such classes are regularly conducted by Vesa Julin, pastor of a church northeast of Helsinki.
Some migrants hope that converting to Christianity will help them assimilate into Finnish society. But most say their commitment to Christianity stems from dissatisfaction with Islam.
“They understand that in Finland there are different rules and people should be treated with respect,” said Lauri Perälä, head of the Imatra reception center.
“I have not been baptized yet, but I am looking forward to it, and I am confident that I will be a good Christian,” the publication quotes Aliraza Hussaini, a native of Iran, as saying.
Islamic migration as hope for the revival of Christianity?
The situation in Finland reflects a trend developing elsewhere in Europe. Observers say new converts to Christianity from Islam have breathed life into many moribund parishes.
Germany, which has recognized more than a million Muslim migrants since 2015, has reported a small but growing wave of conversions to Christianity.
Last year, mass Muslim baptisms took place in Berlin and Hamburg. They were carried out in municipal swimming pools. “The motive for changing faith is the same for many. They are disappointed with Islam,” the publication quotes Albert Babajan, pastor of the Syro-Persian Alpha and Omega Church in Hamburg.
Since 2014, the congregation of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Berlin has grown from about 150 parishioners to more than 700 people, with the majority of converts being former Muslims. Some of them first encountered Christianity in Germany, others were attracted to the Christian faith after becoming more familiar with the life of Christians in their home countries.
“There is a massive Christian awakening among Iranians and Afghans,” says Trinity Church pastor Gottfried Martens. “This remains completely incomprehensible to German atheists.”
During 2015 Fr. Martens baptized at least 150 Iranians and Afghans.
“One thing is for sure: the temple is bursting at the seams on Sundays. At the moment there are 600 Iranians and Afghans in our community. I baptized 150 this year alone. And every week new refugees come and become our parishioners. We are now building a new parish hall behind the church,” he said in an interview with the German publication Die Welt.
Sources in the Lutheran Church of Germany confirm that the number of refugees expressing a desire to convert from Islam to Christianity has recently increased.
At the same time, church leaders, testifying to the presence of this trend, note that the phenomenon has not acquired mass proportions. When talking about the growing number of Muslim refugee converts in the country, they prefer to talk about a “noticeable” but not “huge” increase in the number of baptisms among followers of Islam.
Conversion of Muslims to Christianity: religious rebirth or search for profit?
Not all German priests are equally confident that the decision of Muslim refugees to accept baptism was influenced only by their acquaintance with European Christianity.
For example, International Business Times, citing AFP, quoted the rector of one of the Berlin parishes of the Free Evangelical Church of Germany, Pastor Matthias Linke, who believes that priests have no way to check the sincerity of potential converts and ensure that their wishes being baptized is associated exclusively with religious life, and not with the fear of being expelled from the country.
From this point of view, the pastor noted, for many Muslims, the fear of deportation to their homeland outweighs the fear of retribution for abandoning Islam.
In Austria, the Catholic Church received 300 adult baptism applications during the first quarter of 2016, with almost three quarters of the applicants being converts from Islam.
Photo: Bwag (CC by-sa 3.0) In response to a wave of such calls, the Austrian Bishops' Conference issued new guidelines for priests, warning them to be wary of migrants seeking baptism for residency or other benefits. Today in Austria, anyone who asks to join the Church must first complete a one-year training period, after which the results of their training will be evaluated by representatives of the Church.
“There must be a noticeable interest in the faith that goes beyond just the desire for [official] paper,” said Friederike Dostal, a spokeswoman for the Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna. - We don't need formal Christians. It must be possible to witness the process of internal change in people.”
She noted that nine out of ten applicants successfully complete the training course and are baptized.
About the increase of love and the eradication of hatred and all malice
Troparion, tone 4
By the union of love, Thy apostles bound Thy apostles, O Christ, and us, Thy faithful servants, thus firmly bound to Thyself, to do Thy commandments and to love each other unfeignedly, through the prayers of the Mother of God, the One Lover of Mankind.
Kontakion, tone 5
Our hearts have kindled toward You with a flame of love, O Christ God, so that with that kindling, in our hearts, in our minds and in our souls, and with all our strength, we may love You, and sincerely, as ourselves, and keeping Your commandments, we glorify You, the Giver of all good things.
Prayer to Saint Gury, Archbishop of Kazan
Troparion, tone 4
The Lord gave you the rule of faith and the image of chastity, a teacher of good deeds and a mentor of salvation to the newly enlightened city of Kazan, in which you acquired a new language for people and brought you to Christ. For this reason, having joyfully come together in your memory, we honestly celebrate your holy Dormition, and you, Our Father, pray to the Saint of Christ Guria, pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls.
Kontakion, tone 4
Having conquered sensual passions, you shone with purity like the sun, preserving a pure life to the end, and you led many from unbelief to faith to Christ; For this reason, you are honored by God with incorruptibility, you surprised everyone with your miracles. We pray to you, Saint Guria, with your prayers deliver us from troubles, and we call to you: Rejoice, wonderful Father, praise and affirmation to the city of Kazan.
Missionary Prayer
God! God! Laying down Your soul for the salvation of all people! For O Lord of Thy harvest, bring forth many laborers into Thy harvest! Give to those who are exhausted the spirit of prayer, the spirit of Thy love, the spirit of humility, patience and reason. Grant them to preach the gospel with great power in fulfillment of Your Gospel.
May the desire of those who wish to help us with deeds of benevolent love be strengthened and increase, may our similar helpers multiply. Reward those who do us good with Your blessings: grant health and prosperity to the living, and give rest to those who have fallen asleep with Your saints in eternal settlements. Forgive those who hate and offend us, Lord, Lover of Mankind, enlighten their hearts, enlighten their minds. Grant to all of us, redeemed by Thy blood, those who lead and those who do not yet lead Thee, the light of reason of Thy Holy Gospel. Hasten to call and unite everyone into one Thy flock here on earth and remain with You forever, inseparable in the light of Thy Father and our God, to Him with You and the Holy Spirit be glory and power forever. Amen.
Prayer to the Mother of God for the conversion of the lost, Saint Gabriel of Novgorod
Oh, All-Merciful Lady, Virgin Lady Theotokos, Queen of Heaven! By Your Nativity You saved the human race from the eternal torment of the devil: for from You Christ was born, our Savior. Look with Your mercy on this (name), deprived of God’s mercy and grace, intercede with Your Mother’s boldness and Your prayers from Your Son, Christ our God, so that He may send down His grace from above on this perishing one. O Most Blessed One! You are the hope of the unreliable, You are the salvation of the desperate, may the enemy not rejoice over his soul!
Prayer to St. Serapion of Kozheozersk for the conversion of relatives and neighbors who profess Islam
O most wonderful and glorious, our Father Serapion! Having rejected the evil faith of your parents, and being jealous of the love of Christ, you have taken up the feats of repentance, labor and abstinence, for this sake you have appeared as a vessel of Divine grace and a partaker of the Divine nature: glorified by the Father, unconsecrated by Christ, sanctified by the Holy Spirit; In the same way, we cry out to you: ask us from the Lord for the correction of our hearts, so that we can learn to do the will of the Most High God and love the Kingdom of Heaven more than earthly goods, and may our neighbors and relatives in the flesh, through your prayerful intercession, lead the All-Merciful Lord out of the darkness of the disastrous Hagarian delusion may he enlighten with the light of true faith, may he be considered holy by His Church, may he guide him on the path of righteousness, to whom honor and worship befits the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages,
If there are two or three Christians who want to save their Muslim relatives, then let them read the prayer by agreement. To do this, agree on a time and read it at the same time. Sometimes this prayer is also read when reading the Psalter and Gospel.
Prayer by agreement
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Thou hast spoken with Thy most pure lips: Amen, I say unto you, For if two of you take counsel on earth concerning every thing which thou askest, it shall be received from My Father who is in heaven: for where there are two or Three gatherings in My name I am in the midst of them. Thy words are immutable, O Lord, Thy mercy is unconditional and Thy love for mankind has no end. For this reason, we pray to Thee: grant to us, Thy servants (names), who have agreed to ask Thee to turn to the Light of Thy knowledge from the darkness of the Hagaran evil-belief of Thy servants (names). We ask You to fulfill our request. But not as we want, but as You want. Thy will be done forever. Amen.
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Georges Houssney, founder and president of Horizons International, conducted a study of 100 former Muslims who believed in Christ, Christian Megaportal invictory.org reports, citing Christianity Today.
The results of the study helped determine what determines the transition from Islam to Christianity.
As scholar Scot McKnight writes, conversion to Christianity is directly related to how accessible we present the Gospel.
Of the Muslims surveyed, 40 percent were mediocre Muslims and 40 percent were nominal Muslims. 20 percent claimed to be fanatics, saying their relationship with Allah was based on fear or a sense of duty.
55 percent said they perceived Islam as a cultural system versus a religious system.
Nine out of ten converts stated that they now worship a different God than Allah.
So what are the characteristics of God that distinguish Him from Allah? Approximately three out of four Muslims surveyed said that this quality is love, which to a large extent characterizes only the Christian God. And 25 percent said it is forgiveness that God gives.
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Also, eight out of ten people said that the love of Christians played a significant role during the time they were evangelized. And six out of ten claimed that only this love helped them accept Christianity.