Wake Up!

Today after Zohr I was walking towards the Abraj Al-Bait Towers when I saw a familiar face. It was Yusuf Estes! Masha Allah. He was talking to what looked like some Malaysian pilgrims. I thought to myself that this was probably the best chance I'd have to be able to meet him in person and maybe chat a little, so without giving it a second thought I approached them.

Trying to be composed (I was quite nervous though) I said, "Assalaamu'alaikum Shaykh Yusuf!" and extended my hand.

He replied the Salam, turned to me and smiled and shook my hand. Then I introduced myself as a Singaporean and that I've seen his videos on YouTube. He replied, "Oh, so you are neighbors with them(the Malaysian pilgrims)?!"

When he learned that I was from the local university, he said, "Masha Allah, that's a good university, have you heard about the German boxer who became Muslim named Pierre Vogel? He studied at your university too. Look up his name in YouTube. You may even find one with me in it!"

I then had to leave and said my Salams to him and his minder and wished him all the best in his efforts.

With his charming and friendly smile he said, "You too, it was nice meeting you!"

If you don't already know who Yusuf Estes is, check out his amazing story about how he became a Muslim. He was formerly a priest and an active preacher of Christianity. He's been to many parts of the world with a simple intention to invite others to Islam and Allah Almighty has guided many people who attended his talks to revert to Islam. Check out his website, www.islamtomorrow.com

Anyway, the video above is generally about trying to take our da'wah efforts to another level by simply putting in a little more effort to extend the invitation to Islam towards our non-Muslim friends. It's also about practicing wisdom in our dealings with others in any situation, with Muslims and non-Muslims.. and to understand the context of any verse in the Qur'an or the Prophetic traditions before applying it. Whenever we're unsure, always check with the experts regarding it.. the scholars.