A Dialogue with "Krig Green" telling his story from Christianity to Islam

• I read in all heavenly and man-made religions then I chose the right religion.

• I dream of being an Islamic preacher, and I have a good relationship with New Muslims.

• I visited Saudi Arabia and Yemen, and my happiness was limitless when I heard daily Adhan.

 

Jamal Salem:

Guidance is a divine treasure which Allah grants to whomever He wills no matter the volume of his sins is or keeping away from the true religion.

The story of Krig Green's Islam, whom Allah guided to Islam after he had been a Christian and read in all divine and man-made religions, contains many lessons and admonition.

 

In the beginning, we would like to introduce yourself to the readers?

• My name is "Krig Green." I was born in 1969 in the city of Washington, USA, and I lived in Washington for 10 years, then I moved to another city, a "Balbio Washington," where I lived most of my life. My family and I were Christian, my parents and my family are still Christian. We always went to a nearby church called "Jesus Church," and the sect we used to belong to believes that Jesus is the Son of God - the Almighty -. I did not believe that in my young age but believed in the divinity of Allah - the Almighty -, but I could not show that because that was my religion which I grow up in. I used to go to church on Sundays. My father died while I am 12-years-old, and I was much affected by the death of my father as I did not expect to live without him. At puberty, and I was addicted to drugs and alcohol, and I used to do undesirable actions. In my twenties, I was searching for the true religion while I was in the College of Music, and I was singing in a music band, and we used to go to discos everyday, but something has changed and I started to use music in searching for the truth!

 

Islam is the best:

Why did you choose Islam without the rest of heavenly religions?

• I have read Christian books, the distorted Torah of the Jews, and I read some books of Hindus and Buddhism. I benefited a lot from my search but I did not find any personal comfort because all these books contain polytheism. I have always believed that Allah - the Almighty - is One and has no partner. In Buddhism, their religion was not correctly applied where they go to mountains to speculate. Christians go to churches on Sundays only, so it is possible for Christians to go to discos on Saturday then go to worship god on Sunday, I could not believe these doctrines are true.

 

All these religions contain contradictions:

What do you think of these religions after what you have read?

• When I read these books, I found large contradictions and differences, so I did not feel comfortable in the beginning, so I started to read the biography of "Malcolm X." That man was very bad before puberty age when he committed all crimes you can imagine then entered prison and his life changed completely to the better. When he came out of prison, he was a man of integrity, honesty, and morals. I took advantage of that aspect, and I wanted to be like him because he was one of my people who bore love to justice and humanity. I found that love and intimacy inside me and wanted to be like him. His story incited me to search for Islam then I went to a bookshop and bought a copy of the Qur'an to read and a copy of Tafsir which I benefited a lot therefrom. The first impressing thing I found is the lack of contradiction. I also admired its easy application in everything, as it contains no fancy or high spiritual aspect.

 

Permanent Reflections:

What are the reflections which delivered you to this result: Embracing Islam?

• Even before Islam, I was trying to pray, and I used to wash my bodily organs with water as in ablution. I used to work in a hospital for old people and I benefited much from the stories of those old people at the end of their lives. That made me think of the Hereafter, believing that there is another life after this one. One day a Muslim old man and I went to Masjid in the time of Salah, so I performed ablution and prayed with him then I declared my conversion to Islam in that masjid. The man taught me things pertaining to the testimony of faith which confirmed my previous thoughts then I understood the meaning of monotheism.

 

Prayer was the first thing:

What was the first thing you learned in Islam?

• The first thing I learned in Islam was how to perform a valid Salah and I knew that Salah is very important as it is the relationship between man and his Lord, so I always maintain it. However, there are some things which I used to do in my pre-Islamic life and I could not give up, such as music which I could not leave and my relationships with girls. In the beginning, it was difficult for me to abandon them, but I gradually started to abandon them one by one even if I could not find someone to teach me the correct religion. I have preserved Salah and that the greatest reason for keeping to Islam and applying it in my life. Salah was my strong link with the Lord of mankind, and because it was a strange thing in our society, I used to do it solely for the sake of Allah without showing off.

 

The happiness of prostration:

How did you feel when you prostrated for the first time?

• I felt very happy while prostrating in prayers because I never prostrated myself to anyone before, and I cannot express my feeling during prostration where my heart was beating and I felt great physical and psychological comfort.

 

New Muslims:

What is your relationship with your peer new Muslims?

• In my city, there was a small number of new Muslims but the problem is I could not have the chance to communicate with new Muslims. Add to this the aversion of many Muslims to polytheism because of their lack of knowledge and incorrect understanding of Islam. I did not want to be like them, but our problem as new Muslims is that I could not find someone to teach me correct Islam and actions, therefore we directed to TV and the media for knowledge.

 

How do you feel when you see a work of art that offends Islam, especially you were a former artist?

• Whenever I see a work of art such as abusive movies to Islam in the media, I ask myself: Is this the true religion? Though this religion is true, I have to apply it correctly. That made me search intensively for knowledge. I went to "New Jersey," where there was a graduate of the Islamic University of Medina who was knowledgeable. So, I went to him after I had graduated from college to learn Islam although I had the chance to study for my masters, but I preferred to study religion.

 

Feeling happy with Arabs:

Have you ever travelled to Arab countries?

• Yes, I traveled to Yemen, and I was very happy when I arrived at Yemen as I heard the Adhan five times a day, and I was happy for living in a Muslim country. I found some Muslims who knew Arabic and English, and told me about a sheikh in a village who affected in me greatly because of his deep love to Islam. He urged me to love Islam, love Allah, love the Messenger, love knowledge, and love Muslims then I travelled to KSA. I lived in Ha'il and there I found the high morals of Muslims who used to respect me and invite me to food. They have opened the way of knowledge to me to know the truth of Islam.

 

Future wish:

At the end: What is your wish in the future?

• My wish is to become an Islamic preacher in all possible languages so as to contribute in helping straying people and to make them taste the sweetness of faith which I have tasted, and I invoke Allah to make my wish come true, accept my actions, and make me of the righteous.