MY JOURNEY TO ISLAM

By: Bro. Khalid Sanchez

I was 18 years old when I started seeking the truth. I studied in Sultan Kudarat Islamic Academy and at the the same time part-time Bible student of Seventh-day Adventist Church. My journey to Islam started when I came across a book in our school library entitled A STUDY OF COMPARATIVE RELIGION written by late Sheik Ahmeed Deedat. I was amazed at the content of the book and the style of its argument presented by the author. I double checked every bit of information with the bible and found out that it was true. I learnt many things from it. My faith started shaking and my mind was declaring war against my heart. In my mind I knew that Jesus is not God and it is Allah who created everything and should be worshipped. Whereas my heart remained fooling itself though truth is CLEAR. Until one day, my conscience dictated me to embrace Islam. I approached one of my classmates and told him my purpose. I want to become a muslim. He was surprised and at first hesitant but through the help of another friend I said my SHAHADA on March 14, 1997 at Borhan Masjid in Cotabato City. The following day I wrote a letter to our church informing them that I changed faith. They responded with discrimination. The next day an owner type of Jeep parked near our house loaded with pastor and church laymen. Their mission? To get me back to my previous religion(SDA). I welcomed them to our house and entertained well. They were 6 or 7 brilliant church preachers sitting around me. Each of them threw questions at me on account of my newly embraced faith. ”Why you left Jesus as your God?” They said. But I humbly replied with a question too. ”I will be ready anytime today to become an adventist again, if you can answer my simple question with a concrete evidence according to the Bible”. They were elated and asked what was my question. I took out my Bible and posed this question, “Where in the bible Jesus is saying I AM GOD, WORSHIP ME?” Each of them competed to open their Bible at hand to read to me their answer. They read John 1:1, Titus 2:13, John 3:16, John 10:30 and etcetera. ”Where are the words Jesus saying I AM GOD, WORSHIP ME?” Again I repeated my question. They were silent for a moment. And the Pastor broke the silence by honestly saying, “There is none”. ”Thanks for your honest answer Pastor”. I said. They understood very well my point. They stood up and said goodbye. My mother, sister and aunt who were present during the discussion were surprised at the event. This event has a significant value in my life now as an Islamic Propagator because it shaped my mind to put my logic into actual practice. The immediate trial for me was my family who are not ready to see me as a muslim. But years rolled by, my sister, mother, cousins, aunts, uncles and lastly my father embraced Islam too. I heard also from an unconfirmed source that one of the Church laymen who confronted me is now a muslim. This is my story. Now I am happily married to a new muslima, she was from a family of devoted Roman Catholic. Currently, I am running an Islamic Center in Cotabato City, The MINDANAO PEOPLE DA’WAH ASSOCIATION (MPDA) sponsored by a benevolent muslim Brother who is not in favor to disclose his name for the pleasure of Allah.