Anyways, I made him sit down the other day and watched your video online, and he liked you as a speaker of course. I told him I could try to arrange for you to contact him and maybe help him in those tough times , of course to him he believe now that Christianity is the truth, it breaks my heart when Sunday comes and he is up early morning to join the church for prayers, will you please help me, maybe god will help you turn him around and the guidance comes through you, of course as an English speaker you will be more effective talking to him ,, please help us, he is an excellent kid and he need guidance and help.
. Answer:
Thanks for taking the time to write to me. I must agree with your assertion that you perhaps did not instill enough of Islam in his life as he was growing up. This is most usually the case. However, the condition now is very serious and not one that will be easy to fix. I have tried in the past to help Christians (former Muslims) see the truth of Islam. Most usually their attitude is one of being quite smug and condescending toward Islam - as they consider they have "Jesus" and are not in any need of anything or anyone else.
However, I do not agree with you regarding any guidance coming from me or through me for your child. Frankly, I too am in need of the Guidance of Allah. He alone is the Guide and whomever He guides will never be misguided and whomever He sends astray will never be guided, according to the Quran and the sunnah of the prophet, peace be upon him.
I have tried to help families in your condition in the past. A few have listened and came back to Islam, but even then their lives were not easy at all. After all, they had the truth, then rejected it and now if they come back, they should expect a life of serious difficulty due to their test being increased by Allah. Who would want that type of promise for their future when they can (in their minds) simply say, "Jesus paid the price" and then just go on singing and dancing their way into the Next Life?
A little side note - the parents of these children will have to suffer the pain of watching them here - and then expect to be asked about this on the Day of Judgment. This is the price that is extracted for trading the love of this world for the life of the Hereafter.
But there is hope - really!
Trying to simply argue and debate with your child at this point is nearly a waste of time. Allah is the only real Guide - not you and not me. If you want the child to have a proper relationship with Allah, then who do you need to be talking to? Me? (No) - Allah! He can and He will, Guide whom He chooses - not whom you love (nor whom I love). This is a very clear teaching of the Quran. However, there is something you can do - if you are really and truly serious with Allah.
If you can overcome the attachment of this life and really work toward getting close to Allah Subhannah wa Ta'ala. Devote 100% of your life back to Him - salat; charity; fasting; hajj; daw'ah - then maybe Allah will accept your petition and answer your request. But this means a lot of sacrifice, especially of time and energy from you.
Getting up early on Mondays and Thursdays to prepare for fasting (sunnah) and staying up in the night (qiyam layl), donating time to help the poor and needy and to clean the masjid - help the daw'ah - all of these are things that can make a difference in your dua being accepted.
Do you want to continue with this train of thought? Would you really like to put forth this effort? This is a lifelong commitment and one that I personally made years ago to Allah in order to save my own children from the Fire. It has meant a sincere effort on a daily basis without even one day off - but it is worth it when I look at the results and I do not regret the things of this dunyah that I sacrificed in order to be closer to Allah.
I do not have the chance to answer these emails very often - so please be patient when writing and keep in mind it is your communication with Allah that is most important anyway.
I am praying for you son and for you - and for all the Muslims who have neglected teaching Islam to their children while chasing after this world. I ask Allah to guide you, guide him, guide me and guide us all, to all truth, ameen.
Salam alaykum,
Yusuf Estes
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