According to rahyafte (the missionaries and converts website):
An Exclusive Interview of a Revert to Islam from America, brother Henry Chelune Jr by Tina Baradaran and Rahyafte Radio Team.
After this interview, 6th to 8th verses of Zuha surah in holy Qur’an come to mind that God asks his last prophet Mohammad directly”Did He (Mighty God) not find you an orphan and give [you] refuge? (6), And He found you lost and guided [you], (7) And He found you poor and made [you] self-sufficient.(8)” (Holy Qur’an- SURAH AD-DUHA-6 to 8)
This is an interview with a man who was homeless in New York City at the beginning of his story, and finally his praying to Allah in late morning in New York City streets, changed his life.
1.How did you become familiar with Islam❓ and what drove you to convert to Islam❓
Bismillah ir rahman ir rahim! I first became familiar with Islam in high school around 2001, just was basic information about Prophet Mohammad’s (PBUH&F) living in Medina and Mecca as an Islamic empire. I didn’t have any more contact with the religion until about 2006 when I was in college and I met some really good friends from Bangladesh, they eased me into Islam (Ahul Sunnah wa Jammat). I just had a few questions about Tawheed. The founding drive that made me convert to Islam was Tawheed, the Oneness of Allah. Because, growing up, I never really accepted the
Trinitarian view of God. Growing up, I never really accepted ‘Father, Son, Holy Ghost’, I always knew innately in my nefs that God was one. Why does God need to have a child then kill that child to forgive me of my sins? I was never Atheist. I always
believed in God. When I first reverted, I was a Sunni from 2006 to about 2014. That is when I became a Shia Muslims Alhumduilah. Really just to emphasize on what drove me to convert to Islam the tenets of Islam: Tawheed, Nabuwah (prophethood) were all things I already believed in. I never really believed in the crucifixion of Isa (AS). When I was researching Islam I learned that Islam teaches that Isa (AS) didn’t die for the sins of the world. That God is strictly one without partners. That Christ (AS) is a prophet. So everything I already believed, Islam already taught. So I felt that I had no choice but to become a Muslim.
2.What attracted you towards the Shia school of thought?
You know that is a funny question, because the way I first heard about the Shia school of thought was from in former Sunni or Wahabi or Salafi or Takafri masjid. I was waiting for the azan to go off for Asr namaz. There was a moulana who was just yelling at a brother, who had a Shia roommate, and said “They are kaffars. They worship Ali”. He was saying these nasty things about the Shia. I said to myself “there is no way this is the Aqidah of a school.” After that day, I went down the street to Masjid Ahul- Bahyt. I started talking to the moulanas’. I was there for about two weeks, talking, and asking questions. They recommended some books to read and lectures to watch. It just made a whole lot more sense than what Ahul Sunnah was giving me or really not giving me. Anytime I had questions about the Ahul-Bhayt (AS) or Karbala, Jemel, or Siffin, I was told “it is fitna, don’t worry about it.” That wasn’t enough for me. I needed answers. The Shia school of thought provided those answers. Every misconception I was fed about the Shia was an absolute lie. Such as their qibla was Karbala, they pray three times a day and they believe Gabriel (AS) made a mistake. All of these things I was told for years were an absolute lie. Just to learn that I was blatantly lied to. It hurt. It really hurt.
3.What was your family’s reaction after you became a Muslim❓ Did you experience any problems with the people who knew you❓
My family’s reaction was basically; “Don’t become a terrorist.” My father before he passed away was really accepting of it. He actually stopped buying pork and cooked with beef. It wasn’t too bad Alhamduliah. A lot of people thought it was a phase I was going through, because I was in my twenties. About Problems with people; not so much. People tend to feel when someone embraces a religion, they think the person becomes ‘holier than thou’ that really isn’t the case. There really wasn’t any problems now that I really think about it Alhamduilah. The problems I really faced with people was when I doing dawah, and handing out Qurans in New York City. That is when I would get the stares, dirty looks and slander. The problems were more from the outsider who wasn’t in my life that gave me all the problems.
4.Please tell us more about handing out Qurans in New York. How did that feel?
Handing out the Qurans in New York City was one of the best rewarding experiences of my life. I did it for about two and half years. I raised over fifteen thousand dollars online. I handed out Qurans in English & Spanish, little booklets on the Prophet (pbuh&f). (As a result) I had about a dozen people take Shahada from me. There were some who were bigoted and called me a traitor and a terrorist. I would go with a duffle bag full of Qurans, within a half hour my bag would be empty. I would have to go back to refill. A lot of people just had misconceptions, their questions were really genuine. I loved it. I miss doing my dawah. I do dawah on social media now. For new Shia and Sunnis who want to learn about Shiism. I love doing dawah. Dawah is something I always loved doing. I would go the subways and train stations, handing out pamphlets on Isa (AS). Sadly all my dawah was for Ahul Sunnah. My dawah for Ahul Bhayt has been minimal sadly.
So many people I came across in New York City had no idea that we believe in Nabi Isa (AS). I was asked “Don’t you guys worship the moon? Don’t you worship Muhammad?” The knowledge on Islam in my part of New York was so poor. I feel that is partial the Muslims fault and the American education systems fault. There are so many other religions in the world even Jehovah’s Witlessness that post up with their bibles and booklets. But the Muslims especially the School of Ahul-Bahyt we really do not do outreach. That is hurting us in the long run and that is hurting our Imam [of our era] (may Allah hasten his reappearance).
5.What did you think the first time you heard about the Ahlulbayt (AS)?
I first learned about their tragedies before I learned anything else about them especially Abba Abdullah (AS). Like I said; as a Sunni, I would have these questions about the Ahul Bhayt (AS) and I wasn’t getting the answers. There are hadiths in the Sunni Sahih books that point to the Wilayah of Amir al Muminen (AS), that point to the infallibility of the Masoomeen (AS). I was just taken aback that the family of the Prophet was being ignored. I was a little hurt. Then when I learned about the crimes committed against them, it broke my heart. I was at first devastated.
It is hard sometimes because knowing the Ahul-Bahyt are masoom.It is hard for me to take them [only] as role models [while] they are infallible. When I learned the crimes against them, starting with Bibi Fatima Zahra (SA) and all the way to Imam Hasan al Askari (AS). How do people treat the Prophet’s family like this? I don’t understand that. People openly know this is a descendant of the Prophet and you are going to throw him in jail, murder him, and poison him. It’s a travesty; it really is. I don’t think we do enough to teach our brothers in Ahul Sunnah or the non-Muslim about the travesties that befell the Ahul-Bahyt.
6.We would like to know what you thought the first time you heard about Imam Hussain (AS) and the Day of Ashura. What effect did this have on your life?
I first learned about Ashura as a Sunni Muslim. Once again as a Sunni, I was never taught about the martyrdom of Abba Abdullah (AS). I was told we have to fast on Ashura because it is a Sunnah of the Prophet. After learning what happened to Abba Abdullah (AS) how he was betrayed by the Kufa people. How they denied the baby water. How do they do this to the last grandson of the last prophet? This man is one of the Masters of the Youth of Paradise. And you are going to deny him, his children, his sister, his nieces, and his nephews, water? You are going to trample over him with horses; you are going to cut his head off, and you think you are going to paradise? We know this man is already granted paradise already. How are youeven allowed to kill this man? It blew my mind that I learned it was Yazid who ordered the killing of Abba Abdullah; yet Ahul Sunnah will still say “Yazid (ra??)” and “Imam Hussein (ra!!).” It is depressing. [Are both ra?]
[the effects of learning about Ashura in my life ],I make it a point now (at least I try to) when I drink water I say “As’salamo Alayka Ya Abba Abdullah. May Allah curse your killers and curse oppressors. Alhamduilah Subhan Allah Astaghfirullah.” Because there have been times in my life I’ve been in motorbike accidents and everything the first thing I asked for in the hospital was ‘May I have some water! Water!” And I was given water. But yet Abba Abdullah (AS) and the Ahul Bahyt (AS) at Karbala were denied water. Why does Allah see it fit for me to have water but not one of the Masters of the Youth of Paradise? It breaks my heart really.
I hope in sha Allah one day soon I get to make Ziarat to Abba Abdullah (AS). I really cannot put into words what Ashura means to me. To be honest I really can’t.
7.What is your favorite Ayah or Surah of the Holy Quran?
My favorite ayah or surah from the Quran overtime has changed. For about the last year my favorite Surah has been Surah Tawba. It is just so powerful the way it starts without “Bismilah” and it starts with “Baraaa’atum” [A (declaration) of immunity…].It is a flat out disassociation of the enemies of Allah and his Messenger (pbuh&f). When I first became a Muslim in 2006 my favorite ayah was “Iqra bismi rab bikal lazee
khalaq” [Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists)] (Surah 96 ayah1) which was the first [ayah] given to the Prophet by Gabriel (AS). Then overtime it was Surah Al Balad (Surah 90), [and also] Surah Tawheed [is my favorite Surah]. There is a reason that if you recite that surah three times, it is as if you’ve read the entire Quran. Because the essence of Islam is Tawheed.
8.How can we better understand the Holy Quran?
Well we have to take it off our shelves not only during Ramadan. You know in the School of Ahul-Bhayt (AS) we have the Thaqalain. We have Kitab Allah (Quran) and Ahul Bhayt (AS) and they are together until they meet the Prophet at the Pond of Kawther.We, include myself, have to make it a habit of reading the Quran in our native languages. Yes there is benefit in reading in Arabic. There are much more benefits in reading the Quran in a language you understand fluently. Of course in namaz we have to recite it in the Arabic but reading it in the Arabic and not having a grasp of the Arabic language is a detriment to ones soul in a sense. When I read the Quran in English it hits me so much more than when I am reciting it in Arabic. Because English is my first language, I know the vocabulary. So I feel to get a better relationship with the Quran one should read it often in their tongue just as much as they read it in the Arabic.
9.Which books other than the Holy Quran have you studied that have helped you better understand Islam?
This is probably my favorite question. Dr. Tijani’s ‘Then I Was Guided’ was a real eye opener. His ‘Tragedy of Thursday’ was another real eye opener. Believe it or not when I was researching Shia Islam it wasn’t Dr. Tijani or Al Kafi it was all Sahih Bukahri, Sahih Muslim, Abu Dawood at first because that was the source material I had at first. As I said earlier Ahul Sunnah’s hadith was more than enough at first because it all points to Ahul-Bhayt (AS). Afterwards it was a lot of Dr. Tijani’s. I also watched a lot of lectures on YouTube by Sayed Ammar Nakshawani, Hajj Hassanain Rajabali. It was a lot of their lectures and Question and Answers that helped me a lot. Definitely wise Dr. Tijani’s books [are so helpful].
10.What do you believe is the best way to promote the message of Islam to the rest of the world?
Well first by one’s action, first and foremost. We cannot just throw the Quran down people’s throats.We have to go out of our way, especially this day in age to be extra nice to the non-Muslim and even to our brothers in Ahul Sunnah. We have to make the effort to propagate our material engaging in healthy respectful discussions. A lot of people nowadays, especially on social media, think they are promoting Islam and they think they are helping the Imam of our era (may Allah hasten his reappearance) but they are not. Their akhlaq is really bad and the way they go about it is really disgusting, on both sides Sunni and Shia. Then the non-Muslim sees this infighting and says “why would I want to be a
part of this religion when they cannot even get along with themselves.” I think it is our behavior our mannerism and we do have to make the effort to promote the message of the Ahul Bhayt (AS). We have to rise above this politics and sectarianism.
11.[From one of our listeners] How did you find Allah and Islam❓ There are some people, example like me, who are born Muslims but are still far from Islam and Allah. What advice do you have for them?
I was homeless in youth. I walking the streets of New York one late morning and I was walking to the bakery to ask for bread. I supplicated to Allah (which I found out later was a Dua). I remember it like it was yesterday. I said “Yeah God, if you get me out of this situation I will worship you, however you want me to worship you.” So the next day I walked for hours. I wound up enrolling in school. Within three days I got a job, found an apartment, and I was in school. Literally after that Dua things picked up for me. So I asked God “How do you want me to worship you?” That is when I met my friends from Bangladesh and they introduced me to Islam. It all happened so fast in such a sequence that I knew this religion was true. I made that supplication to God then He blessed me with the things I needed. The first religion that was introduced to me after I became stable was Islam. So I saw it as a sign from God that He wanted me to be a Muslim. Then He led me to the correct version of Islam, which is the School of Ahul Bahyt.
12.If you want to say some words about the beauty of Islam, the peace, the calmness you have found in this religion what would you say?
Islam has given me focus, assurance. I know this is the religion of truth. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh and f) is the final messenger. I know the Imams (AS) are his rightful successors. It isn’t s blind faith either. It doesn’t bump heads with science or logic. It makes so much sense. Like there were things in Christianity that did not meld well with science. That isn’t the case in Islam. Islam has done more for me than what I have done for Islam. I can never do for the religion what the religion has done for me. But the Quran says not to despair in the mercy of Allah. So I try not to despair in the Mercy of Allah but at the same time not take his mercy for granted. The religion is peace. The religion is submission. For me Islam is the truth.
13.Is there anything else you would like to add on?
I just want to thank you for having me. I want to send my salaams to all the Muslims around the world who are listening and who will listen. In sha Allah the Imam comes soon. I hope we can all get banner of Muhammad and Ahl Muhammad. Allahumm-a Sall-i ‘Ala Muhammad-in Wa Al-i Muhammad. Walaykum salaam rahmatulah wa barakaktu
DUA: Allah please accept this from us. You are All-Hearing and All-Knowing. You are The Most Forgiving.You are The Most Relenting and repeatedly Merciful. Allah grant us The Taufiq to read all the 5 prayers with sincerity.
(Taken from: To Be Earnest In Prayers By Amina Elahi)
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