British Muslim Brother John Hanz
« Mohammed Ali » says:
● The clean and straight behavior of some Muslim observing workers has made me revere Islam and want to embrace it.
● In the West, we dream about happiness but never find it as we encounter grief and regret after the end of any joy we get.
● I have dedicated myself to Islamic Religious Studies to save myself and to guide my family and society.
● The Greater Prophet (P.B.U.H) and his purified family (A.S.) are the teachers and leaders of humankind; we must take them as examples.
As materialistic philosophies and atheistic currents spread and invade the media in every country while backed by the most sophisticated means of communication and publication, a group of people finds its clear straight path amidst the accumulating dust and congestion of ideologies and doctrines, guided by the light of Islam which attracts to its arena a lot of those upon whom Allah has bestowed the grace of the True Religion - Islam. From the heart of the West which has turned its back to religion and the Divine Path at the beginning of the scientific renaissance which has given the west materialistic welfare but failed to lead it to the courtyard of tranquility or the oasis of happiness in this worldly existence besides the hereafter, we begin talking about this rightly guided group with the conversion to Islam of British young man John Hanz. This glimpse summarizes the interview Noor Al-lslam Magazine had with this rightly guided young man.
We have met him in the courtyard of Lady Zeinab’s honorable shrine in the suburbs of Damascus. In the evening, following the performance of the blessed visit rituals and the prayers, his face came into sight from among those good faces that came to the honorable shrine. With a bright visage and a nice smile, he looked interesting with his religion-student garment. After we greeted and welcomed him, we had the following dialogue.
A: With pleasure. I was born in a British community. I lived my childhood as any Christian individual who goes with his family to church on Sundays and Holidays. I had not felt that anything could occur in my life and change it.
Our life was monotonous. We dreamt about happiness but never found it; we did a lot of searching but could not find happiness in the limits of the worldly existence joys. On the contrary, we encountered grief and regret as every joy we have obtained ended. That is why we lived a life at the end of which our existence vanished. A lot of young men, therefore, have opted to get rid of this empty life either via resorting to drugs, as a temporary solution, or by committing suicide. It has happened that many young men took their lives after they read German novelist Goethe’s tale The Sorrows of Young Werther. At that period I was not different from any of my peers. I studied in England and graduated as an engineer from the university before I left England to work overseas.
A: The beginning of the change in my life occurred when I traveled to work in Pakistan. During my stay there, I used to observe the simple workers who worked under my supervision. I noticed their faithfulness in work, honesty in dealing with others, and devotion to perform what they are told to do with extreme respect and politeness. I noted that the reason behind this was the spirit of discipline and the atmosphere of purity that they had gained through good habits. They used to stand up uniformly for prayers a few times a day after they had cleaned their bodies in water tanks, washing or wiping members of their bodies in a clear indication of the body purity and an implicit one of the spirit’s cleanliness and soul’s purification. I have learned from them the saying of the Apostle (p.b.u.h.),« The best of all perfumes is water. » As for us, of what good are the perfumes worn by a human being on a body that is full of dirt and impurities, such as dead meat, pork and the like? Moreover, I have learned from these workers how to fill my time with useful things and organize the hours of the day after I stand up, like them, in submission and say the same words that filled my soul with security and tranquility.
Due to this, I have realized that a Muslim individual represents materialistic purity, in his clean body, and the cleanliness of his soul from sins.
A: As I said earlier, we, the Westerners suffered a huge vacuum due to the lack of values in the life of the western human being. This causes anxiety which leads, in turn, to the suffering of the soul.
I had not believed there was a creed that brought tranquility and stability to man until I saw with my eyes, heard with my ears, and made sure of the unchallenged fact that tolerant Islam is the safe resort and oasis sought by the souls that look for happiness. The great change in my life was when I learnt about the Final Message, the Essence of Faiths, and the True Religion, Islam. It was an absolute blessing bestowed on me by the care of the Merciful.
A: When I was guided to Islam, I thought about my family and society. I knew they would oppose my decision, so I wanted to be armed with evidence and proof. The way to obtain these is science and knowledge; therefore, I decided to learn Islamic sciences and knowledge.
A: Basically, I haven’t thought about saving myself only; I wanted to save my countrymen. That is why I anticipated difficulties. I’m proud of wearing the turban and the religion-student garment, for these loose clothes give me freedom of movement and liberate me from the skin-tight clothing which pressures and annoys me. The Muslim attire is a symbol for abandoning the fake civilization in adornment and beautification.
Besides, the western society claims to be free and democratic; therefore, I have the right to wear what I want.
A: Based on what Imam Ali (A.S.) has said:« Wish to others what you wish to yourself. » I want good for my brethren in humanity in my motherland for Imam Ali (A.S.) has also said,« Know that people are either a brother of yours in faith or a creature just like yourself. » Consequently, I will perform my duty of Islamic invitation, and I hope they will respond positively.
A: I have sought in passion and love to learn about Islamic knowledge and sciences. I am acquainted with the lives of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) and the Imams (A.S.) besides what they have said and done. I believe that they are the infallible teachers and leaders of humankind. I follow their lead; their sayings are my slogans, and their acts are examples to me.
A: I affirm that I have found a value for life after I had embraced Islam. I believe we have not been created absurdly, but rather for a sublime goal. Coincidence is an untrue and unreal criterion that means nothing to me anymore.
I reiterate what Great Marjeh (Authority) Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Kashef Al-Ghataa has said,« Deliver Islam to the West, for if you succeed in your mission there, you will achieve your goal of invitation here, » because the Orient is fond of imitating the West. This is the disease of this generation. During the Islamic era, the Spanish West looked towards the Orient as a model. I call on everyone to closely read and learn about Islam to be able to be guided and, consequently, guide others for human beings are hostile towards the things they do not know about. And all praise be (only) to Allah Who guided us to this, and we would not have been guided had not Allah guided us.