Testimony of
Abdur-Raheem Greene (Formerly Anthony Greene)
the well known caller
to Islam
Interviewed
by Islamic Voice, Volume 11-11 No: 130, November 1997
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- Lanky, blonde, green-eyed, 33-years-old
Abdur-Raheem Greene
appears to be a character straight out of a Hollywood movie Ben Hur.
The Tanzania-born British embraced Islam in 1988 and has been a dawah
practitioner in Britain since then. He wears a look that instantly evokes
comparison with the popular portrayal of the Prophet Jesus (Pbuh) in the
imagery of Christian Europe. Greene’s tryst with
Islam took place in Egypt where he mostly spent his vacations. He lectured in
Bangalore in early October on “God’s Final Revelation.” He spoke to the
Islamic Voice while in the city.
-
- [Excerpts]
Your background
I was born to British parents in Darussalam in Tanzania in 1964. My father
Gavin Green was a colonial administrator in the still existent British empire.
He later joined Barclays Bank in 1976 and was sent to Egypt to set up Egyptian
Barclays Bank. I was educated at famous Roman Catholic Monastic School called
Ampleforth College and went on to study history in the London University.
However, I left my education unfinished.
Currently, I am working with an Islamic media company based in England and
engage myself in dawah activities including lectures on Islam in London’s
famous Hyde Park.
What kept you from obtaining a degree?
I grew totally disillusioned with the British educational system. It was
thoroughly Eurocentric and projected world history in a way that suggested
that the civilisation attained its full glory and apogee in Europe. Having
lived in Egypt and seen some of the majestic ruins which only archaeologists
have access to, I found the West’s interpretation of history totally
fallacious. I began a private study of histories of other peoples of the
world, various religious scriptures and philosophy. I was practising Buddhism
for nearly three years though never formally embraced it.
Study of the Holy Qur’an immediately attracted me. Its message had a magical
appeal and I grew convinced that it was a divine revelation. I believe only
Allah guided me, none else. I don’t know what made me deserve Islam.
But anything specific that could have appealed to you?
I was dissatisfied with Christianity from the age of eight. The concept that
was taught to us through rhymes such as Hail Mary! Was not at all
acceptable to me. While on one hand the Christians described God to be eternal
and infinite they felt no compunctions in ascribing birth of God from the womb
of Mary. This made me think that Mary must be greater than God.
Secondly, the Christians’ concept of trinity was puzzlesome for me. The
similitude like Canadian Maple leaf being one despite three sections appeared
utterly unapplicable.
The crunch came when an Egyptian started questioning me. Despite being
confused about the Christian belief I was trying to be dogmatic as most white,
middle-class, English Christians do. I was flummoxed when he led me to accept
that the God died on the crucifix, thus laying bare the hollowness of the
Christian claims of eternity and infinity of God. I now came to realise that I
was believing in as absurd a concept as two plus two is equal to five all
through my adolescent years.
West’s prelaid, programmed life intensely repelled me. I began to question if
a person has to live a life merely to get strait-jacketed in a rigorous
schedule. I found Europeans struggling a lot to enjoy life. They had no higher
purpose in life.
West’s capacity to brainwash its people became plain to me when I discussed
the Palestine issue with Egyptians and Palestinians. Several myths-historical,
political, economic - were fabricated by the Zionists and propagated
unchallenged by the Western media. How could a land vacated by Jews 2000 years
earlier be their homeland? I also came to know that existing Jewish people
were actually Slavs, not
Semites and that Palestinian land was always a green
orchard. Israel fabricated the myth of “magical transformation of desert into
greenland.”
The American double-speak and hypocrisy began to sink in as I studied the US
role in planting and sustaining despotic rulers in Latin America while
punishing the Soviet Bloc.
What contrast have you found between people’s lives in Egypt and the UK?
Egyptians were poor, suffered hardships, yet were happy. They left everything
in the hands of Allah and forget their miseries when they return home. Prayers
help them place their worries before their God. I noticed humility as well as
intimacy in Islamic prayers.
But in England I found people shallow, materialistic. They try to be happy but
happiness is superficial. Their prayers combined songs, dances, clapping but
no humility, nor intimacy with God.
I realised that popular opinion in the West was totally hostage to the
Zionist-controlled media. The question of Palestine was one among these. My
conversation with Palestinians revealed as to how the West had believed in
myths about Israel. First among them was that the Jews had the right to return
to their original homeland in Israel. Secondly they conveniently described
themselves Semitic while the fact was that most Jews
of the world were Slavs
who had later converted to Judaism. Thirdly Israel’s economic miracle was
theorised to create the economic and scientific myth.
The fact was that I never got to know the Palestinian side of the issue. I got
convinced that the people of the West were brainwashed by the media. I found
that the US was trying every trick to punish nations indulging in small
violations of human rights in the third world but was itself sending death
squads into Latin American nations to liquidate their leaders who refused to
toe the US line. Such hypocrisy is never criticised by the US media.
How do you find life as a Muslim in the UK?
The Western psyche emphasizes one’s individuality. This is at variance with
Islam. Any sincere Muslim feels disturbed. He or she is constantly bombarded
by sex and sexuality. Most girls lose virginity by 13 and it is normal for
girls to have three to four boyfriends.
The dilemma before Muslims in the West is as to how to integrate with a
society so steeped in sex, drugs, drinks and sexual intimacy. And if no
integration, then how to save themselves from ghettoisation.
Has the dawah work produced some results in the UK?
Dawah is progressing at a steady pace. Neo-converts have a lot of enthusiasm.
They know how dark is the life for a commoner.
How does a common British citizen look at the organisations like the Muslim
Parliament?
This kind of terminology is frightening and intimidating for a common citizen.
The Muslim Parliament was an organisation founded by Kaleem Siddiqui. I cannot
praise him as a italics. Such attempts are doomed to failure. This is an
attempt to create artificial unity.
Does the Hizbut Tahrir find approval in Britain?
Again this organisation unnecessarily intimidates the people. The objective of
dawah is to invite the people to worship one Allah. The Holy Prophet (Pbuh)
did not preach Khilafah. All this is damaging for Islam in the UK. They say
the only place to meet a Jew is on a battlefield while a Muslim should expect
him to be sitting or standing next to him.
Your family life
I have two wives, both British-born Muslims of Indian origin and six children.
Does not the British law prohibit bigamy?
It does. Yet several Britishers are bigamists. But those who practise bigamy
can protect the second marriage under the provisions of “common law wives”.
Under this children out of such marriages are legitimate and wives inherit
property.
[End]
Articles by Abdur-Raheem
Greene