How I came to Islam..by Yousef Islam(CatStevens)

Hey Mooring & Shiny

I am a fan of Cat Stevens' (now Yusuf Islam) music and I found this post very interesting. But I have to state that your personal agenda is transparent - your thread has not even a veiled invitation to discussion. Is there something you want to discuss with the forum or are you just presenting a fait accompli?

Whilst Cat Stevens was a brilliant songwriter, and clearly a thoughtfull and intelligent man, the story you have posted has several inconsistencies. I think that people should find it disreputable and suspicious when politicians or religions start wheeling out their celebrity supporters.

My questions to you: -

1. Are you aware of the typical mental state of TB (tuberculosis) sufferers?

2. "Then I came to a stage where I decided that Buddhism is all right and noble, but I was not ready to leave the world. I was too attached to the world and was not prepared to become a monk and to isolate myself from society."

Conversion to Buddism (a very easy going religion/philosophy) does not require becoming a monk or isolating yourself from society.

Does this imply that Cat did not properly investigate any of the religions he discusses?

It seems to me, with respect, that Cat , after getting himself frazzled by the high-life, was looking for a bit of help staying on the straight and narrow. Not unusual for a sensitive young music star. Having contracted tuberculosis (I sympathise greatly with him as he must have been having a very tough time both to get the disease and then to deal with the symptoms) he would have been mentally very open to being indoctrinated.

I know that Yusuf Islam works at a school and is highly connected in the muslim world - I once met the Sheikh of Jeddah (a very intelligent and charming man) and he had been meeting Yusuf Islam. I sincerely hope that Yusuf Islam is teaching tolerance and understanding between religions as this is the only rational way forward for world.

Again with respect, it would be heartening to see more evidence of muslims showing that they do not agree to the extremists. This and more religious tolerance everywhere would be of great benefit to the world.

hi Bsturdy ....sorry for my late coming because these days i have exams....so excuse me i will answer you shortly...

it is awrong reason to think that yousef islam convert to islam because he suffered from TB becuase he didnt know any thing about islam except after his remedy ,when he want to Britin and received the holy quraan from his brother....but when he was suffered from TB he red many books about many religions but he didnt converted to any one of them....

and there are many people convert islam most of them are scientists,doctors,and philosophers ......do they suffer from TB also????

the really reasons that make millions of people convert islam are the justice they find it in , and the virtues they seek for .islam is the right way toward the happieness in life and after life.
so it is not astrang thing when we see such sensetive person with pure soul and kind heart convert to islam becuase islam identify with his character.islam is supported by the virtues ,the logical thoughts,and the science.
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also i wish to end this misunderstanding and i wish also that the end of these extremists is very close becuase they hurt us befor any one else :rage: :rage:
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iwish i pass the poetry exam tomorrow... :lol:

greetings :wave: :wave: :wave:

Hi Mooring

You seem to be a very reasonable and sweet person and I appreciate very much that you have not jumped at my post in a blind rage. Sincerely good luck in your exams: you have a very good grasp of language so I am sure you can do well.

I stand by my post - it doesn't take a very intelligent person to get what I am implying. There is clearly no insult meant to Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) or Islam itself.

Maybe you need to do some homework into the effects of TB.

Infact maybe you should be doing some revision for your exams rather than trying to find converts to your beliefs in places where people are trying to read things other than just the koran! I also really have work to do so I am being very hypocritical - sorry.

In the words of Anthony Burgess from The Malay Trilogy (approx.) "Islam is a derivatory, simple, observance based religion". Before you fly off the handle maybe you might think why such an undoubtedly highly intelligent (and learned and erudite) man thought this. I am not personally wanting to criticise Islam or muslims personally. That is a quote from a book (from memory). Oh..and he wrote it before he was diagnosed with a brain tumour and given a year to live (1957)- but he went on to live until 1993 and wrote 50 more books!

What I will criticise is your sticking propoganda up here and criticising other people's beliefs which you cannot understand (i.e. how much do you actually know about them?).

How do you know Islam is the way if you do not know about all other religions/philosophies. Because you accept that you are told so?

Doh! I was supposed to look at the poetry forum and I got distracted by this miserable sideshow.

://://://The future for the world must be tolerance and acceptance://://://

I think the important thing is that we should all agree that religions are nothing but set of doctrins aiming to make this world a better place to live in by teaching people to better themselves. The unfortunate point is that people interpret religious teachings as they see fit, in a way to suit their own needs and agendas.
In core, all religions advice similar things, maybe in different words.

We don't like our egg done in the same way. Some of us don't like eggs at all. Yet, this doesn't change the fact that egg is good for us, eaten in moderation. Even if you don't like yours sunnyside up or scrambled, why carry a grudge towrds someone because they happen to?

I know it is very simplified but sometimes simplification is the only way forward. There is always the risk of losing our way if we complicate things more than they deserve.

Do I get a penny for my thoughts? :p

Very well said Scherehezade I agree with much of what you say. Except that encouraging blind acceptance of doctrines is a particularly bad trait of Islam (a verry young, though derivatory religion) - therefore muslims can be easily exploited by power mungers. Christianity/Judaism has had longer to be debated/adapted (but also of course has been/is used for political purposes)

Have just started - Catcher in the Rye, quite good so far

A bit tired, must go and hopefully speak to you in the Literature forum soon!

Take care Mooring and all here - Please try not to take this as an insult - I am trying to encourage love and acceptance of difference. Vive la difference! :) :) :)

On a side note about preaching.... it really bothers me when people preachoutright as I can guess from almoste very agnostic or athiest that I have met, two groups that get preached to alot. But really my veiw is the each relgion provides a method for each person to find clarity in the world around them whether its a truth or not there are many versions of the truth and one of them could be islam just like it could be hinduism or buddhism but the point is is that each religions allows its adherants to make that choice of which path they want to follow and converts simply find a better path more suited to themselves with a different religion.

Personally its the fanatics that get all the press and the bad rep for religions :flare: :rage:

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Originally Posted by BSturdy

Very well said Scherehezade I agree with much of what you say. Except that encouraging blind acceptance of doctrines is a particularly bad trait of Islam (a verry young, though derivatory religion) - therefore muslims can be easily exploited by power mungers. Christianity/Judaism has had longer to be debated/adapted (but also of course has been/is used for political purposes)

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BSturdy,

I think "encouraging blind acceptance of doctrins", as words suggest by themselves, is not and cannot be a healthy attitude and I don't think it would be wise to attribute such a characteristic to a whole religion and its followers. Every religion and every social group have extremists within themselves and we should not judge and brand religions based on those extremist. Afterall, this would be a blind prejudice.

All religions exploit. Correction: Few followers of all religions try to exploit. The history is full of examples of this (Since I do not want to start a religious discussion as to who did what and when, I will not go into detail. Are we allowed to do that?) Singling out one religion does not seem plausible.

On a lighter note, I am hoping to read 'Catcher in the Rye' soon too. How do you like it?

Enough preaching to the converted (sic.)

Scheherazade (if I use your name again I will have to use the abbreviation Sche. as I have trouble spelling it easily) I am really enjoying old Catcher - I especially like the period slang (or maybe some of it is the author's own, I don't know).

In ways I find the protagonist very sympathetic. It is certainly a brilliant (swell) characterisation. I'd like to know if his brother, D.B., is fictional.

I often seem to think that I am glimpsing some allegorical level in books at the moment (phoney) - I won't let on about what I think this is, in this case, because I haven't finished it, I may be wrong (crap), and I don't want to ruin it for you.

On the other hand a friend of mine saw me reading it at the weekend and said something like: "Oh, that bloke just had problems with his dad" - I think this was literally a throw-away comment (lousy crumby moron)

thanks for ur post May Allah Reward u:)

How can one expect the person who himself asked to be forgiven be one's example in conducting one's life? Even he asked for mercy and commanded his followers to always do the same for him.

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Your smile is the most beautiful, nightshade!

thankyou but its only there because I decide to stay out of a potential fight:nod:

I'll stay out...

In regards to the topic of this thread, personally, I don't see why some else's coversion should influence other person's belief. As I think spiritual issue is a matter of subjective truth, thus it shouldn't be an issue afterall..