Conversion to Islam growing dramatically in Austria

Conversion to Islam growing dramatically in Austria

Many Christians express that they were disillusioned and had lost their faith in Christianity, and of course the recent recurring sexual scandals of Catholic Church has played a major role in their exodus."

Official records suggest a dramatic growth in conversions from Christianity to Islam, in the predominantly Christian European country of Austria, Press TV reports.

“We see that people have spiritual longing that they feel there is something missing in their lives, if there is no dimension, no horizon as to the hereafter, or where am I? Why am I here?” Says Mr. Bagajati, an Austrian convert to Islam.

Austria is a predominantly Catholic Christian European country of over eight million people with strong and deep historical roots in Christianity.

Many Christians express that they were disillusioned and had lost their faith in Christianity, and of course the recent recurring sexual scandals of Catholic Church has played a major role in their exodus, which at the end led to many of them convert to Islam, where they could find comfort.

Most non-Muslim, European citizens have always been presented with an ugly and awful image of Islam, linked mainly to extremism and fundamentalism, by the Western culture.

Meanwhile, Ms. Bagajati believes that it is the “perfect time” for Islam to show its “peaceful nature” to non-Muslims, in a time when the United Nations has expressed concerns over growing religious discrimination and violence against religious groups.

Estimations show that almost half a million Austrian Christians have converted to Islam since roughly two years ago, with the numbers of conversions keeping thriving. 

Courtesy: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/236028.html

Moments- of -Dubai International Peace Convention APR-2012

"When you leave Mecca bring Islam home, not just dates and Zamzam water" Sheikh Hussain Yee

  

Sheikh Said Rageah,one of DIPC's speakers was born in Somalia & later moved to North America. He has a Bachelor’s in Islamic studies and a Masters in Shari'ah

A sister embraces Islam during Dr. Zakir Naik's Q/A session. Allahu Akbar!

Dr. Zakir Naik's second Q/A session just started, the last but not least activity of DIPC 2012

As the Dubai International Peace Convention comes to an end, what are your thoughts about it?

Three sisters and one brother embraced Islam as their religion during Dr. Tawfique Chowdhury's lecture. Allahu Akbar!

We have forgotten death, this is why we do not think of the afterlife. Don't fool youselves brothers and sisters, our lives are very limited - Dr. Tawfique Chowdhury

Moments ago a brother embraced Islam in the presence of Yusuf Estes at the Guide Us TV stand in the convention. Allahu Akbar!

Worship the creator, not the creation - Yusuf Estes

Lets not waste time discussing how a good person should be, lets be that person - Sheikh Muhammad Al Shareef.

To achieve Peace you have to have good morals and manners. Islam encourages us to acquire these traits. Peace starts with us as muslims and Peace starts with our connection with God. We have to ask ourselves, are we fullfilling the pledge of spreading the message of Peace through Islam? - Abdul Bary Yahya

A big thank you to the organisers for making these 3 days such a blessing and success

A sister and brother accepted Islam after asking their questions to Dr.Zakir Naik. Allahu Akbar!

Q:Why do we need religion? A: when you get a machine why do you need an instruction manual? To understand it. Quran is humanity's instruction manual - Dr. Zakir Naik

Shiekh Mishary Al Afasy leading the Friday prayers

الشيخ مشاري العفاسي يؤم بالمصلين أثناء صلاة الجمعة في مركز دبي التجاري العالمي

His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Bin Mohammed Bin Rashed Al Maktoum once his arrival to the convention

The honorable speakers have arrived to Dubai International Peace Convention

Canadian Professor Enters Islam - The True Religion

Professor David Roy Woelke of King Abdulaziz University is helped by Sheikh Abdul Elah Al-Ajlan of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth to recite the Shahadah during a brief ceremony at WAMY headquarters in Jeddah on Wednesday. In the top picture WAMY employees hug Woelke after he embraced Islam.

By JEDDAH: P.K. ABDUL GHAFOUR

Published: Mar 30, 2012 00:29 Updated: Mar 30, 2012 00:29

David Roy Woelke, a Canadian English language instructor at King Abdulaziz University, embraced Islam at the World Assembly of Muslim Youth’s (WAMY) headquarters here Wednesday.

Abdul Elah Al-Ajlan, deputy director of dawa programs at WAMY, assisted Woelke to recite the Shahadah (Lailaha Illallah Muhammad Rasulullah “there is no god but God(Allah) and Muhammad is the Messenger of God(Allah)” during a brief ceremony at the organization.

Woelke, whose new name is Dawood, said he embraced Islam after he was fully convinced that it is the true divine religion. He conducted a comparative study of Islam and his former religion Christianity and noticed a lot of differences.

“When I came to Saudi Arabia I realized how wrongly the Western media portrays Islam as a religion of violence and terrorism. In fact, it’s a religion of peace and universal brotherhood,” he said.

Woelke said it was this biased portrayal of Islam that prompted him to learn more about this religion and read the Holy Qur’an. “When I came to know that Islam is the true religion I decided to cut my relation with Christianity.”

The Canadian said he saw a totally different picture of Islam and Muslims in Saudi Arabia, adding that it was quite opposite of what has been projected in the Western press.

“Many Muslim friends encouraged me to accept Islam as my religion. Once a Pizza salesman told me he wished to see me becoming a Muslim very soon,” he said, adding that deeper studies about Islam made him closer to the religion.

Asked what would be the response of his family, Woelke said: “Mine is a tolerant and open family. However, they may find it a bit strange in the beginning because of their wrong perception of Islam painted by the Western media.”

He expected his family members would ask him about the Islamic teachings and how he would adapt with them. “There are a lot of misunderstandings about Islam in their minds. But I am quite sure that their impressions about Islam would change when I explain to them its various teachings,” he pointed out.

“There is a vast distinction between faith and religion,” said Woelke.

“Religion is a man-made institution but faith is the relationship between man and God,” he told Arab News. “I want to be busy working on my own relationship with God and not so busy about another man’s relationship with God,” he added.

Soon after reciting the Shahadah, WAMY employees embraced Woelke and congratulated him for accepting the true religion. The dawa department at WAMY gave him a copy of the Qur’an and a number of Islamic books in English as a gift.

Dr. Muhammad Badahdah, assistant secretary-general of WAMY, expressed his happiness over Woelke’s decision to embrace Islam. “Thousands of people belonging to different religions and nationalities, especially educated men and women like Woelke, are coming to the fold of Islam every year,” he said.

The WAMY official reminded Muslim governments about their duty to propagate the message of Islam and urged them to establish a ministry for the purpose. WAMY conducts dawa programs in more than 70 countries through qualified Islamic preachers. “Muslims are responsible to take the message of Islam to other communities,” Badahdah told Arab News.

He said a large number of men and women in the West had embraced Islam following the trident media campaign against Islam and Muslims following the 9/11 events. “There was huge demand for English translation of the Qur’an and Islamic books at bookstores. I am sure Islam will attract honest people like Woelke.”

Dr. Ismail Maritheri, an English teacher at KAU and a social activist, was overjoyed hearing the pleasant news. He said Harold Trupos, a former South African English professor at the university, had also embraced Islam because of the negative portrayal of the religion in the Western press. “He started learning about Islam when he saw a different picture of Islam and Muslims in Saudi Arabia.”

courtesy: http://www.islamnewsroom.com/news-we-need/1830#.T4FQnD7Reno.facebook

One million US women to wear hijab for Iraqi woman killed in California

Shaima Alawadi, an Iraqi mother of five, died on March 24 after being 
stabbed in her home in the US State of California.

One million non-Muslim women in the United States will be wearing hijabs in support of Shaima Alawadi, an Iraqi immigrant brutally killed at her home in March.

Many non-Muslim women in the United States have posted photos of themselves wearing a headscarf on “One Million Hijabs for Shaima Alawadi,” which is a recently created webpage on Facebook.

The Facebook page had about 10,000 likes on April 2.

Jean Younis, the office manager at Bonita Valley Adventist Church in National City, California, said she would wear an Islamic headscarf to support the family and friends of Shaima Alawadi on Sunday, according to a recent article published by the Washington Post.

“I do expect a reaction, but that’s the point. It needs to be discussed,” said Younis.

The 59-year-old church office manager is one of the many non-Muslim women who have expressed solidarity with 32-year-old Shaima Alawadi.

Alawadi, mother of five, was found unconscious at her home in El Cajon, California, on March 21. She died after being found beaten and lying in a pool of blood next to a note saying “go back to your country, you terrorist”.

There have also been “hijab and hoodie” demonstrations at several universities across the United States in recent days. The notion of “hoodie” refers to the killing of Trayvon Martin, a black teenager gunned down by a neighborhood watch volunteer in Florida on February 26.

“They were both killed because of the way they looked and that is so wrong,” Younis said.

Trayvon Martin and Shaima Alawadi are not the only victims of alleged hate crime in the United States in recent weeks.

On March 24, 19-year-old college student Kendrec McDade was shot and killed by two Pasadena police officers in Los Angeles County, California. Pasadena Police Chief Phillip Sanchez said he believed as many as “eight shots” were fired at McDade.

According to a report by Federal Bureau of Investigation, only in 2010 the statistics regarding single-bias hate crime incidents that were prosecuted in the United States showed there were 3,949 victims of racially motivated hate crimes, with 70 percent being victims of anti-black bias.

The FBI compiles annual statistics on hate crimes in the United States, but many commentators believe the bureau understates the real level of reported and unreported hate crimes each year.

Courtesy: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/234399.htm
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7 People entered into the folds of Islam, by Zakir Naik in Bihar.