Journey towards Islam
Yvonne Ridley
a freelance journalist and a peace campaigner, was
arrested by the Taliban for entering Afghanistan illegally. She
feared severe punishment, but instead she was released after
promising to read about Islam and emerged from her imprisonment
praising the civility and courtesy of her captors. News reports of
her embracing Islam have proved premature, but Yvonne Ridley has
certainly been wooed by Islam and the Muslims.
Islam is by far the most misunderstood religion in the world today
thanks to centuries of medieval-style propaganda successfully
peddled by bigots and Christian zealots.
So I should not have been entirely surprised by the almost
hysterical reaction in the mainstream media to news that I am
considering becoming a Muslim. I have even been accused of suffering
from Stockholm Syndrome as a result of spending 10 days in the hands
of the Taliban. Bearing in mind I spent my last four days in the
company of six bible-bashing Christians in Kabul Prison I think we
can knock that theory on the head.
The truth is my captors probably thanked Allah when I was kicked out
of Afghanistan. They appeared very happy to see the back of me since
I spent most of my time being rather abusive and obnoxious to them -
I think some are still receiving counselling! When I initially
thought about converting, I reflected I had a fundamental problem. I
started the day with a bacon sandwich and ended it with a large
glass or three of whisky. I was told by someone who had ‘crossed
over’ that these issues would become insignificant and indeed they
have.
However, my spiritual journey, like that for many converts/reverts,
was always meant to be a personal affair between myself and God.
Unfortunately, it has now become a very public issue and so I have
decided to set the record straight to prevent any more
misunderstandings or misconceptions.
Stories of my premature conversion were wired around the world
resulting in a deluge of e-mails from Muslims congratulating me -
some e-mails were not that complimentary.
It is true my journey did begin in the unlikely surrounds of an
Afghan prison where I was being held by the Taliban facing charges
of spying for entering heir country illegally disguised in the
all-enveloping burqa. I remember the day very clearly.
Hamid, my interpreter, said I had a very important visitor and that
I must be respectful. My heart skipped a beat as a tall man wearing
long flowing white robes and a turban walked into my room. I
realised immediately he was a religious cleric. He asked me about my
religious status - Protestant - and then asked me what I thought of
Islam and if I would like to convert.
I was terrified. For five days I had managed to avoid the subject of
religion in a country led by extremists. If I gave the wrong
response, I had convinced myself I would be stoned to death. After
careful thought I thanked the cleric for his generous offer and said
it was difficult for me to make such a life-changing decision while
I was in prison.
However, I did make a promise that if I were released I would study
Islam on my return to London. My reward for such a reply was being
sent to a primitive jail in Kabul where I was locked up with six
Christians who faced charges of trying to convert Muslims to their
faith.
I was also brought up in the Christian faith, sang in the church
choir and was a Sunday school teacher, but I felt their brand of
Christianity was almost as extreme as the Taliban’s brand of Islam.
I remember one evening sitting outside my cell in the prison
courtyard listening to happy clappy hymns in my left ear as someone
made the call to prayers in my right ear.
I thought to myself I was caught in between two sets of religious
fundamentalists. It was a very clear night and as I gazed up at the
stars I felt I was trapped in a parallel universe and pondered my
fate. Several days later I was released unharmed on humanitarian
grounds on the orders of Mullah Omar, the Taliban’s one-eyed
spiritual leader.
My captors had treated me with courtesy and respect (despite my bad
behaviour) and so, in turn, I kept my word and set out to study
their religion. It was supposed to be an academic venture but as I
became more engrossed with each page I turned, I became more
impressed with what I read. I turned to several eminent Islamic
academics, including Dr Zaki Badawi, for advice and instruction. I
was even given several books by .Sheikh Abu Hamza Al-Masri who I
spoke to after sharing a platform at an Oxford Union debate.
This latter snippet was seized upon by some sections of the media in
such a ridiculous fashion that outsiders could be forgiven for
thinking I was going to open a Madrassah for Al-Qaida recruits from
my flat in Soho (West End, London). It earned me a place on a ‘Watch
on Terror’ website in America, so I’m probably now classed as a
subversive by those incompetent spooks from US intelligence
agencies.
I have also listened to and spoken with Dr Muhammad Al-Massari and
had a very enlightening lunch recently with three sisters from Hizb
ut-Tahrir. One of the most useful reference points for me has been
the New Muslim Project chat site on the Internet, which has given me
access to others who, like myself, are in the process of converting.
Thankfully the support and understanding I have been given from my
brothers and sisters (for I regard them as that) has been unstinting
and comforting. Not one of them has put pressure on me to become a
Muslim and every convert/revert I’ve spoken to has urged me to take
my time.
One of the big turning points for me happened earlier this year when
the Israelis began shelling The Church of the Nativity in Manger
Square … one of the most precious monuments for Christians. Every
year thousands of school children re-enact the Nativity at Christmas
time, a potent symbol of Christianity.
Yet not one Church of England leader publicly denounced the Israelis
for their attack. Our Prime Minister Tony Blair, who loves to be
pictured coming out of church surrounded by his family, espousing
Christian values, was silent. Only the Pope had the guts to condemn
this atrocity. I was shocked and saddened and felt there was no
backbone or conviction among the C of E religious leaders. At least
with Islam I need no mediator or conduit to rely upon; I can have a
direct line with God anytime I want.
While I feel under no pressure by Muslims to convert/revert there
has been real pressure to walk away from Islam from some friends and
journalists who like to think they’re cynical, hard-bitten,
hard-drinking, observers of the world. Religion of any form makes
them feel uneasy - but Islam, well that’s something even worse.
You’d think I had made a pact with the devil or wanted to become a
grand wizard in the Ku Klux Klan. Others feared I was being
brainwashed and that I would soon be back in my burqa, silenced
forever like all Muslim women.
This, of course, is nonsense. I have never met so many
well-educated, opinionated, outspoken, intelligent, politically
aware women in the Muslim groups I have visited throughout the UK.
Feminism pales into insignificance when it comes to the sisterhood,
which has a strong identity and a loud voice in this country.
Yes, it is true that many Muslim women around the world are
subjugated, but this has only come about through other cultures
hi-jacking and misinterpreting the Qur’an. I wish I had this
knowledge (and I’m still very much a novice) when I was captured by
the Taliban, because I would have asked them why they treated their
own women so badly. The Qur’an makes it crystal clear that all
Muslims, men and women are entirely equal in worth, spirituality and
responsibility.
Allah ordained equality and fairness for women in education and
opportunity, at least that is my understanding. Fair property law
and divorce settlements were introduced for Muslim women 1500 years
ago - maybe this is where Californian divorce lawyers got their
inspiration from in recent years!
The Qur’an could have been written yesterday for today. It could sit
very easily with any Green Party manifesto, it is environmentally
friendly and it is a true inspiration for the 21st century, yet not
one word has changed since the day it was written - unlike other
religious tomes bent on courting popularity. “It’s more punk than
punk rock,” musician Aki Nawaz of the band Fundamental recently told
me. And, of course he is right.