Returning to his room after  praying Isha Salah, Abdur Rahman, 42, an Indian national, sits down with  a pen and a mind full of thoughts. He is writing the story of his life,  “Pandit bane Musalmaan” (Hindu priest becomes Muslim) in his mother  tongue, Hindi.   He works as a storekeeper in Saudi Binladin BTAT Construction Company at the King Abdul Aziz Endowment Project opposite to the Grand Mosque.  Sushil Kumar Sharma, he was  known as when he first came to Jeddah on May 12, 2002. His hometown is  Amadalpur, a small village in the north Indian state of Haryana. He was  born in an orthodox Hindu family who were privileged with conducting  religious rituals in the village’s temple.  While staying in the  company’s accommodation in Jeddah, a colleague of his gave him some  Islamic books in Hindi. He was then transferred to Riyadh to work for a project at Princess Noura University for Women.  “It was at the company’s  housing camp that I met a number of Muslims from India and Pakistan who  explained me the religion of Islam,” said Abdur Rahman.  “Among them was one of my closest friends, Saleem who hailed from Rajasthan (a northwestern state of India). Both of us shared the same room. During leisure time he narrated the stories of Prophets of Islam and read out Hadeeth (sayings of Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him).   “My heart trembled. I began  to question myself. What would happen to me after death? Will my sins  put me in the hellfire forever? I was afraid of punishment in the grave  for the sinners and non-believers,” he recalled.  “I began to spend sleepless  nights. I knew it was time for me to embrace Islam and become a true  follower of Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon  him. At last my lifelong search for truth ended here.  “The next day morning I  revealed my intention to embrace Islam to my friend Saleem and other  colleagues in the camp. There was jubilation in the company. Everyone  was happy, they congratulated and hugged me.  “It was also the system of universal brotherhood with no difference of caste, color, creed or race that attracted me towards Islam,” Abdur Rahman said.  The following day a meeting  with the members of the Cooperative Office for Call and Guidance in  Al-Batha, Riyadh, was arranged. The Imam of the camp’s mosque asked him  to say the Shahada.   “I recited La ilaha  illAllah Muhammad-ur-Rasool Allah wholeheartedly, accepting Allah as my  Lord and Muhammad as His Messenger. The Imam suggested me to change my  name to Abdur Rahman, which I readily accepted.”  Soon, Abdur Rahman was  transferred to Bahra, a town located near the Makkah-Jeddah highway.  “The project engineer there was very pleased to know I had embraced  Islam. He was very kind towards me and extended all help and  cooperation,” Abdur Rahman said.  “But I wanted to be closer  to God. I prayed to God to transfer me to Makkah. My prayers were  answered and I was transferred to the project I’m working on currently  which is located in close proximity of the Grand Mosque.”  His main concern now is his family back home.  “I now have a big task  before me: To take the message of Islam to my family members.” Abdur  Rahman has a wife and two sons – 16- and 7-years-old.   “I have told them on phone  that I have accepted the religion of Islam and have become a Muslim. At  first they did not believe me. My wife told me she would decide only  when I return to India on vacation. Everyday I am making Du’a and  pleading God to guide them to the right path and soften their hearts to  accept Islam,” said Abdur Rahman with tears in his eyes.  “I may also face lots of  opposition from relatives, friends and co-villagers. But I am determined  to face them. I am confident that God will help me,” he added.  Abdur Rahman also had some words of advice for everyone else.  “I would like to convey the  message to all non-Muslims of the world to accept Islam and be  successful in this life and in the hereafter. It also saddens me to see  so many Muslims not following the religion of Islam as preached by  Prophet of God. I appeal to them to stop imitating other people.”   |