The Roman Catholic priest who converted to Islam

A Roman Catholic priest, Idris Tawfiq, who became a 
Muslim about 15 years ago has shared his experience on
 how he converted.

Although he died after a period of illness in February 2016
 in the UK, he was head of religious education in different schools in the United Kingdom for several years. Read the amazing story he wrote about his life before death came calling:

"I enjoyed being a priest helping the people for some years.

However, deep inside I was not happy and I felt that there
 was something not right. Fortunately, and it is God’s will, some events and coincidences in my life led me to Islam.

 I used to think of Egypt as a country of Pyramids, camels, sand and palm trees. I actually took a charter flight to Hurghada.

"Shocked to find it similar to some European beaches,
 I took the first bus to Cairo where I spent the most
 wonderful week in my life. This was my first introduction
 to Muslims and Islam. I noticed how Egyptians are such gentle, sweet people, but also very strong.

"Like all Britons, my knowledge about Muslims up to that
 time didn’t exceed what I heard from the TV about
 bombers and fighters, which gave the impression that
 Islam is a religion of troubles. However, getting into Cairo I discovered how beautiful this religion is.

















"Very simple people selling goods on the street would abandon their trade and direct their face to Allah and pray
 the moment they heard the call to prayer from the
 mosque. They have a strong faith in the presence and will
 of Allah. They pray, fast, help the needy and dream to have a trip to Makkah with the hope of living in heaven in the hereafter.

"On my return I resumed my old job of teaching religion. 
The only compulsory subject in British education is 
Religious Studies.

I was teaching about Christianity, Islam, Judaism, 
Buddhism and others. So everyday I had to read about
 these religions to be able to teach my lessons to the 
students, many of whom were Arab Muslim refugees. 
In other words, teaching about Islam taught me many
 things.


"Unlike many troublesome teenagers, these students
 set a good example of what a Muslim could be. They 
were polite and kind.

So a friendship developed between us and they asked if 
they could use my classroom for prayers during the 
fasting month of Ramadan.

"Luckily, my room was the only one with a carpet. So I got
accustomed to sitting at the back, watching them praying
 for a month. I sought to encourage them by fasting during Ramadan with them, even though I wasn’t yet a Muslim."

On how he finally converted, the Roman Catholic priest
-turned Muslim said:

"One day I headed to the biggest Mosque in London, to 
hear more about this religion. Getting into London 
Central Mosque, there was Yusuf Islam, the former pop 
singer, sitting in a circle talking to some people about 
Islam. After a while, I found myself asking him” 
‘What do you actually do to become a Muslim?’

"He answered that a Muslim should believe in one God, 
pray five times a day and fast during Ramadan. I interrupted him saying that I believed all this and had even fasted 
during Ramadan. Sonhe asked:

‘What are you waiting for? What is holding you back?’ I
 said:M‘No, I don’t intend to convert.’

"At that moment the call to prayer was made and everyone
 got ready and stood in lines to pray. I sat at the back, and I cried and cried. Then I said to myself:

‘Who am I trying to fool?’

"After they ended their prayers, I headed to Yusuf Islam,
 asking him to teach me the words by which I announce
 my conversion.

After explaining its meanings to me in English, I recited
 after him in Arabic that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I couldn’t hold back my tears."