Stephen, From Communist Being Muslim

Every human being has basically a high curiosity. Stephen Suleyman Schwartz, a journalist born in Columbus, Ohio, United States (U.S.) has a curiosity about the existence of God. The man who had embraced communism was time to look for the divine truth in every religion in this world.

Initially, Schwartz sought God in his mother's religion, Protestant. However, columnist and author was unable to find it. He then turned to Catholicism, a religion which considers beautiful. Again, he did not manage to find God was looking for. Until then, former trade unionist was acquainted with the Jews.

Schwartz was attracted to the teachings of the Jewish Kabalah. Not only that, he also researched Shinto and Zen in Japan and Korea. He also had admired Buddhism. However, he felt that a West ak can really be a Buddhist.

All religions had learned it was unable to make Schwartz found peace. He did not judge any one religion taught something simple and easy to understand. Until finally, he found peace and God in Islam. In 1997, he established himself as a careful and Muslims in Bosnia.

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Schwartz was born of Jewish father and Christian mother. The mother was the daughter of a Protestant minister. and he was baptized as a baby Presbyterian church. He did not come from a religious family. His mother was an activist of the Communist Party, and he called his father as a fellow traveler''''.

Initially, Schwartz was also a Communist supporter and defender of the Soviet Union. His father and mother are selling books social workers. His family moved to San Francisco, when he was a kid. In the city, Schwartz was educated at Lowell High School.

Since adolescence, Schwartz was fond of writing. Initially, he was very infatuated make poetry. After graduating, Schwartz had joined the labor movement activist. Then, being a journalist, author, and columnist.

For eight years, he became a newspaper reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle. Schwartz has also written several articles and columns in leading newspapers, such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Weekly Standard, and The New York Post.

Grandma's a person who has an important influence in the development of life. From them, Schwartz studied religion. At age eight, he began to be taught to believe in God. And since he also rebelled against her parents who followed the line of the left and a religious man.

Schwartz often discuss with my grandmother and mother about religion, but do not let his father know of this activity. "When I told him, his reaction would be very extreme," he said in a message sent to the Director of the Institute of American Jews, Kerry Olitzky.

As a teenager, he saw a similarity in the sociology of religion and radical communism. He was affiliated with the Communist Lenin until 1984, when he could no longer engage in it. He became a crypto-theis among atheists. The first faith community is visited by the Protestant Reformation.

At the age of 17, he was also involved with Catholic spirituality. He went to Mass and getting ready to move to the Catholic faith in 1966. But the reaction of the people around him unfriendly and even hostile. "This is a setback in my religious journey," he said.

At the same time, he met a poet, Kenneth Rexoth which have an influence on Buddhism in America. Stephen even tried to study Shinto and Zen in Japan and Korea. He found a lot of things that are awesome and inspiring the Buddha.

Catholic is the first thing that makes contact with Sufism. This he can through reading the writings of philosophers and priests Catalan, Ramon Llull, who explicitly as a model in the style of religious exposition.

Catholic influence is quite long compared to other traditions. He researched traditional Catholic syncretism in the Brazil and Cuba. He worked with many Catholics. The author is also a journalist was also approached the mass, but did not take Communion. In addition to Catholic Mass, he also attended a Jewish service as a researcher is curious.

Schwartz serious interest of Jews began in 1979 in Paris, when he came across a book called The Zohar in Moslem and Christian Spain. That's why he turned to the Jewish Kabalah and Sephardis with great interest, but resist the urge to join.

While in Spain that he knows Islam. Schwartz observed behind the triumph of Catholic Spain there is a strong influence of Islamic history, when it came to power in Spain. He was amazed and inspired by the religion taught by the Prophet Muhammad SAW.

"As a writer I have observed this (Islam) for years," he said. Since then, he began studying Islam for the past 20 years. He was interested in Sufism in Islam.

Schwartz looked at Islam could offer a way to get the love of God. He was fascinated with the religion of Islam. Until the end, he determined to become a Muslim. He also bersyahadat in Bosnia in 1997.

Schwartz saw Islam as a religion that simple. As he studied Protestant, he did not find spiritual depth. He loved Catholic, but can not accept the divinity of Jesus. He also can not accept Buddha, because God was not there.

He believes that religion sent to mankind to make life better and lighter. He can not believe sin or human depravity derived. Schwartz attracted to Islam because of their strong opposition towards characterizing God as humans (anthropomorphism).

In Islamic Sufism, he claimed to find the wisdom of the popular religion of Bosnia to Khazakstan, Morocco to Indonesia. A lot of positive things that he found in religion Samawi. Positive values ​​were reflected in the teachings of Islam. "Islam came to refine previous religion," said Schwartz.

After embracing Islam, the most memorable for him is peace of mind with the presence of God in every thing. Schwartz is confident Islamic values ​​were able to solve the problems in America, especially moral crisis.

Stop being a journalist, he is believed to be the executive director of the Center of Islamic Pluralism in Washington. He has also written many books, one of which sold out was The Two Faces of Islam: Saudi Fundamentalism and Its Role in Terrorism.

Since becoming a convert to Islam, he was very careful about revealing the change to his family, especially his father. He did not want to preach carelessly for fear of conflict and controversy. He tried to tell his Islam not because of the influence from the Balkans.

"I love the beautiful message of Islam brought by the Prophet as the messenger of God to His people."

source: kisahmuallaf.com