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The Islamic Bulletin
Issue 9
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The Islamic Bulletin
Issue 9
Holy Qur’ans Donated to Oakland and San
Francisco Libraries
Last month, three members of the Islamic Center of San Francisco
distributed complimentary copies of the Yusuf Ali translation of the
Holy Quran and other Islamic materials to the Oakland and San
Francisco libraries. The gifts were well received and will be put into
circulation in the respective library systems.
The group also met with the San Francisco Library’s Director for Jail
Services about the great need for educational materials about Islam
for use in the San Francisco jail system. It was learned from these
visits that there is a large and growing interest in Islam in all these
communities and that the libraries have a difficult time keeping up
with the demand for information. Of the various English translations
of the Holy Quran which are available, the most frequently request-
ed is Yusuf Ali’s. Since his translation is not as readily available as
others, these donations were especially appreciated.
Arrangements were made by the San Francisco Islamic Center group
to keep in touch with these library representatives and to serve as a
possible resource for them in case they have questions about Islam
or about informational services that we might be able to provide.
If any of our readers are aware of a need for copies of the Holy
Quran or other Islamic materials in their local libraries or other
appropriate institutions, please send the pertinent information to
the editor of the Islamic Bulletin who will assure it will be given
proper attention. The basic information which would be needed is
the name of the library system or institution, their address, phone
number, and contact person, if it is known.
OHIO - First State to Give “Full Recogni-
tion” to American Muslims
The State of Ohio has become the first state in the United States
to proclaim an annual “Islamic Day” following resolutions of both
the Ohio Senate and House of Representatives (H.B. 280). The bill
establishes October 30 as the annual date. It was reaffirmed and
signed by Governor Voinovich. [The bill was the result of efforts of
the Islamic Council of Ohio and its coordinator, Mr. Bashir Ahmad.]
AMC Report, Spring 1992.
Al-Haj Ibrahim Khalil Ahmad, formerly Ibrahim Khalil Philobus,
was an Egyptian Coptic priest who studied theology and got a high
degree from Princeton University. He studied Islam to find gaps to
attack it; instead he embraced Islam with his four children, one
of whom is now a brilliant professor in Sorbonne University, Paris
France.
In an interesting way, he reveals himself saying: “I was born in
Alexandria on the 13th of January 1919 and was sent to the Amer-
ican Mission schools until I got my secondary education certificate
there. In 1942 I got my diploma from Asiut University and then I
specialized in religious studies as a prelude to join the Faculty of
Theology. It was no easy task to join the faculty, as no candidate
could join it unless he got a special recommendation from the
church, and also, after he should pass a number of difficult exams.
I got a recommendation from Al-Attareen Church in Alexandria and
another from the Church Assembly of Lower Egypt after passing
many tests to know my qualifications to become a man of religion.
Then I got a third recommendation from Snodus Church Assembly
which included priests from Sudan and Egypt.
The Snodus sanctioned my entrance into the Faculty of Theology in
1944 as a boarding student. There I studied at the hands of American
and Egyptian teachers until my graduation in 1948.
I was supposed, he continued, to be appointed in Jerusalem had
it not been for the war that broke out in Palestine that same year,
so I was sent to Asna in Upper Egypt. That same year I registered
for a thesis at the American University in Cairo. It was about the
missionary activities among Muslims. My acquaintance with Islam
started in the Faculty of Theology where I studied Islam and all the
methods through which we could shake the faith of Muslims and
raise misconceptions in their understanding of their own religion.
In 1952 I got my M.A. from Princeton University in U.S.A. and was
appointed as a teacher in the Faculty of Theology in Asiut. I used
to teach Islam in the faculty as well as the faulty misconceptions
spread by its enemies and the missionaries against it. During that
period I decided to enlarge my study of Islam, so that I should not
read the missionaries books on it only. I had so much faith in myself
that I was confirmed to read the other point of view. Thus I began
to read books written by Muslim authors. I also decided to read the
Quran and understand its meanings. This was implied by my love
of knowledge and moved by my desire to add more proofs against
Islam. The result was, however, exactly the reverse. My position
began to shake and I started to feel an internal strong struggle and I
discovered the falsehood of everything I had studied and preached
to the people. But I could not face myself bravely and tried instead
to overcome this internal crisis and continue my work.
In 1954, Mr. Khalil added, I was sent to Aswan as secretary general
of the German Swiss Mission. That was only my apparent position
for my real mission was to preach against Islam in Upper Egypt es-
pecially among Muslims. A missionary conference was held at that
time at Cataract Hotel in Aswan and I was given the floor to speak.
That day I spoke too much, reiterating all the repeated misconcep-
tions against Islam; and at the end of my speech, the internal crisis
came to me again and I started to revise my position.
Continuing his talk about the said crisis, Mr. Khalil said, «I began to
ask myself: Why should I say and do all these things which I know
for sure I am a liar, as this is not the truth? I took my leave before
the end of the conference and went out alone to my house. I was
completely shaken. As I walked through Firyal public garden, I heard
a verse of the Quran on the radio. It said:
“Say: It has been revealed to me that a company of Jinns listened
(to the Quran). They said: We have really heard a wonderful
recital! It gives guidance to the Right, and we have believed
therein: We shall not join (in worship) any gods with our Lord.”
(Quran 72:1-2)
“And as for us, since we have listened to the Guidance, we have
accepted it: and any one who believes in His Lord, has no fear
of either a short (account) or of any injustice.” (Quran 72:13)»
I felt a deep comfort that night and when I returned home I
spent the whole night all by myself in my library reading the
Quran. My wife inquired from me about the reason of my
sitting up all night and I pleaded from her to leave me alone. I
stopped for a long time thinking and meditating on the verse;
“Had We sent down this Quran on a mountain, verily thou
wouldst have seen it humble itself and cleave asunder for fear
of Allah.” (Quran 59:21)
And the verse:
“Strongest among men in enmity to the believers
wilt thou find the Jews and the Pagans, and nearest among them
in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say, ‘We are
Christians’: Because amongst these are men devoted to learn-
ing. And men who have renounced the world, and they are not
arrogant. And when they listen to the revelation received by
the Messenger, thou wilt see their eyes overflowing with tears,
for they recognize the truth: They pray: ‘Our Lord! We believe,
write us down among the witnesses. What cause can we have
not to believe in Allah and the truth which has come to us,
seeing that we long for our Lord to admit us to the company
of the righteous?’” (Quran 5:82-84)
Mr. Khalil then quoted a third quotation from the Holy Quran
which says: “Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered
prophet, whom they find mentioned in their own (Scriptures),
in the Taurat and in the Gospel; for he commands them what is
just and forbids them what is evil; he allows them as lawful what
is good (and pure) and prohibits them what is bad (and impure):
He releases them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes
that are upon them. So it is those who believe in him, honor him,
help him and follow the light which is sent down with him, it is
they who will prosper.” Say:
“O men! I am sent unto you all,
as the Messenger of Allah, to Whom belongs the dominion of
the heavens and the earth: there is no god but He: It is He
that giveth both life and death. So believe in Allah and His
Messenger. The unlettered Prophet, who believeth in Allah and
His Words: follow Him that (so) you may be guided.” (Quran
7:157-158)
Now that same night, Mr. Khalil dramatically concluded: I took my
final decision. In the morning I spoke with my wife from whom
I have three sons and one daughter. But no sooner than she felt
that I was inclined to embrace Islam than she cried and asked for
help from the head of the mission. His name was Monsieur Shavits
from Switzerland. He was a very cunning man. When he asked
me about my true attitude, I told him frankly what I really wanted
and then he said: Regard yourself out of job until we discover
what has befallen you. Then I said: This is my resignation from
my job. He tried to convince me to postpone it, but I insisted. So
he made a rumor among the people that I became mad. Thus I
suffered a very severe test and oppression until I left Aswan for
good and returned to Cairo.
When he was asked about the circumstances to his conversion
he replied: “In Cairo I was introduced to a respectable professor
who helped me overcome my severe trial and this he did without
knowing anything about my story. He treated me as a Muslim for
I introduced myself to him as such although until then I did not
embrace Islam officially. That was Dr. Muhammad Abdul Moneim
Al Jamal the then undersecretary of treasury. He was highly inter-
ested in Islamic studies and wanted to make a translation of the
Holy Quran to be published in America. He asked me to help him
because I was fluent in English since I had got my M.A. from an
American University. He also knew that I was preparing a compar-
ative study of the Quran, the Torah and the Bible. We cooperated
in this comparative study and in the translation of the Quran.
When Dr. Jamal knew that I had resigned from my job in Aswan
and that I was then unemployed, he helped me with a job in
Standard Stationery Company in Cairo. So I was well established
after a short while. I did not tell my wife about my intention to
embrace Islam thus she thought that I had forgotten the whole
affair and that it was nothing but a transitory crisis that no more
existed. But I knew quite well that my official conversion to Islam
needs long complicated measures and it was in fact a battle which
I preferred to postpone for some time until I became well off and
after I completed my comparative study.”
Then Mr. Khalil continued, “In 1955 I did complete my study and
my material and living affairs became well established. I resigned
from the company and set up a training office for importing statio-
nery and school articles. It was a successful business from which
I gained much more money than I needed. Thus I decided to
declare my official conversion to Islam. On the 25th of December
1959, I sent a telegram to Dr. Thompson, head of the American
Mission in Egypt informing him that I had embraced Islam. When
I told my true story to Dr. Jamal he was completely astonished.
When I declared my conversion to Islam, new troubles began.
Seven of my former colleagues in the mission had tried their best
to persuade me to cancel my declaration, but I refused. They
threatened to separate me from my wife and I said: She is free
to do as she wishes. They threatened to kill me. But when they
found me to be stubborn they left me alone and sent to me an old
friend of mine who was also a colleague of mine in the mission.
He wept very much in front of me. So I recited before him the
following verses from the Quran:
“And when they listen to the revelation received by the Mes-
senger, thou wilt see their eyes overflowing with tears, for they
recognize the truth: They pray: ‘Our Lord! We believe, write
us down among the witnesses. What cause can we have not
to believe in Allah and the truth which has come to us, seeing
that we long for our Lord to admit us to the company of the
righteous?’” (Quran 5:84)
I said to him, “You should have wept in humiliation to God on
hearing the Quran and believe in the truth which you know but
you refuse. He stood up and left me as he saw no use. My official
conversion to Islam was in January 1960.”
Mr. Khalil was then asked about the attitude of his wife and chil-
dren and he answered: “My wife left me at that time and took
with her all the furniture of our house. But all my children joined
me and embraced Islam. The most enthusiastic among them was
my eldest son Isaac who changed his name to Osman, then my
second son Joseph and my son Samuel whose name is Jamal and
daughter Majida who is now called Najwa. Osman is now a doc-
tor of philosophy working as a professor in Sorbonne University
in Paris teaching oriental studies and psychology. He also writes
in «Le Monde» magazine. As in regards to my wife, she left the
house for six years and agreed to come back in 1966 provided
that she keeps her religion. I accepted this because in Islam there
is no compulsion in religion. I said to her: I do not want you to
become a Muslim for my sake but only after you are convinced.
She feels now that she believes in Islam but she cannot declare
this for fear of her family but we treat her as a Muslim woman and
she fasts in Ramadan because all my children pray and fast. My
daughter Najwa is a student in the Faculty of Commerce, Joseph
is a doctor pharmeologist and Jamal is an engineer.”
“During this period, that is since 1961 until the present time I
have been able to publish a number of books on Islam and the
methods of the missionaries and the orientalist against it. I am now
preparing a comparative study about women in the three Divine
religions with the object of highlighting the status of women in
Islam. In 1973 I performed Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) and I am
doing activities preaching Islam. I hold seminars in the universities
and charitable societies. I received an invitation from Sudan in
1974 where I held many seminars. My time is fully used in the
service of Islam.”
Finally Mr. Khalil was asked about the salient features of Islam
which have attracted his attention most. And he answered: “My
faith in Islam has been brought about through reading the Holy
Quran and the biography of Prophet Muhammad, peace and
blessings of God be upon him. I no longer believed in the miscon-
ceptions against Islam and I am especially attracted by the concept
of unity of God, which is the most important feature of Islam. God
is only One. Nothing is like Him. This belief makes me the servant
of God only and of no one else. Oneness of God liberates man
from servitude to any human being and that is true freedom.”
I also like very much the rule of forgiveness in Islam and the direct
relationship between God and His servants.
Say:
“Omy servants who have transgressed against their souls!,
despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins:
for He is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. Turn ye to your Lord (in
repentance) and submit to Him before the Chastisement comes
on you: After that ye shall not be helped.” (Quran 39:53-54)
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