This former U.S. pastor converted to Islam after living in Saudi Arabia
"I saw good people, who take initiative to welcome others and treat them with generosity."
An
American pastor-turned-Muslim preacher has revealed the inspiration behind his
embracing Islam: The people of Saudi Arabia.
Samuel
Earle Shropshire shared the story behind his conversion to Islam in an
interview published on semi-official Saudi news
website Sabq
last week.
Shropshire,
who now lives
in Saudi Arabia, said living among the kingdom's "good
people" and witnessing their hospitality and "good morals"
majorly contributed to his decision to become Muslim.
The
former Christian pastor traveled to Jeddah in 2011 to
work as an editor for a new "easy-to-read" English version of the
Quran.
Speaking
to the Saudi daily, Shropshire said that prior to his trip, he was worried
about being discriminated against in the kingdom due to his religion,
explaining that media outlets portrayed Muslims, and Saudis specifically, in a
negative light. However, he soon realized that what he had seen on the media
was flawed due to stereotypes and misconceptions.
"I saw good people, who
take initiative to welcome others and treat them with generosity, regardless of
whether or not they are Muslim," he said.
The kindness, hospitality,
and amity he experienced, alongside his work on the Quran, encouraged him to
learn more about the religion and further convinced him to embrace Islam.
Shropshire
thoroughly spoke about his conversion to Islam in a video
shared on Youtube back in 2017.
While
working on the translation of the Quran, Shropshire
"had so many questions" and sought to find their answers,
he said in the video. He was impressed by how the Islamic holy book
holds Jesus Christ and Virgin Mary at a high regard. He added
that while living in Jeddah, he was moved by the calls to prayer and the sight
of worshipers at a nearby mosque.
"My
heart longed to be in that mosque. I felt compelled by God to go there,"
he said. Months later, he mustered the courage to visit the mosque, where he
"felt God's presence," and gradually started learning more about the
religion.
He
converted to Islam soon after and has been a devoted Muslim preacher ever
since.
Who is Samuel Earle Shropshire?
According
to IslamiCity, the 70-year-old
Muslim preacher holds a Doctor of Theology degree and has
dedicated his life to nonprofit causes. He has worked in the fields of
human rights and peacemaking, including lobbying the American, Canadian and
British governments, as well as the United Nations.
He
is also the founder of nonprofit organization Muslim Voice for Peace &
Reconciliation, which brings Muslims together to promote world
peace, human rights, justice, and religious reconciliation.
.
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