Abdur Raheem Green (video)

A very inspirational and dynamic speaker is revert Abdur Raheem Green. Born in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania (in the then British Empire) to British parents. His father, Gavin Green was a colonial administrator. He later joined Barclays Bank in 1976 and was sent to Egypt to set up Egyptian Barclays Bank. When Abdur Raheem’s family moved back to the UK, he was sent to a Roman Catholic Monastic boarding school, Ampleforth College and went on to study history in the London University.
It was there that he really started to question what life was all about. Disillusioned by the British education system and eurocentricity, he began a private study of histories of other peoples of the world, various religious scriptures and philosophy. “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 was practicing Buddhism for nearly three years though never formally embraced it,” says Green.
He was attracted to the Qur’aan. It’s revelation convinced him that it was and still is a divine book. Moreover he was dissatisfied with the different views on Christianity since childhood. “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”, Green explained.
So when did he accept Islam? He was questioned by an Egyptian man. Green says, “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 realize that I was believing in as absurd a concept as two plus two is equal to five all through my adolescent years.
The 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.
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”.
Since 1987 Brother Abdur Raheem Green has been involved in letting others know about Islam.
He is well known for his efforts at the renowned “Speaker’s Corner” in London’s Hyde Park. Currently, he is engaged in different activities including media work (Peace TV and Islam Channel)
We make du’a that Allah keeps him steadfast and increases and accepts his efforts in spreading Islam.
Why Abdul Raheem Green Came to Islam