Uganda — For 24-year-old Francis, the path to Islam was not one he ever intended to walk. Born and raised in a devout Catholic family, his identity was deeply rooted in his upbringing. He had no interest in listening to Muslim preachers; in fact, he actively avoided them.
But the seeds of change were planted close to home. Francis’s own brother had recently encountered a team of iERA Duats. Struck by the clarity and truthfulness of their message, the brother embraced Islam. When he returned home to share the news, Francis was not happy. He was annoyed that his brother had been “swayed,” and he dismissed the conversation entirely.
One afternoon, Francis went about his usual routine. He visited a local butcher and bought pork, looking forward to cooking it for his meal. But as he walked home, pork in hand, destiny intervened.
He bumped into his brother, who was standing with the very same iERA Duats who had converted him.
The Duats approached Francis with the trademark kindness iERA is known for. They requested a few minutes of his time. Francis hesitated, glancing at the pork in his hand. However, a spark of curiosity overtook his annoyance. He agreed to listen—not because he wanted to convert, but because he desperately wanted to know: “What did these men tell my brother that was strong enough to make him leave his faith?’’
They asked him to look at the sky. They explained that God is One, the Almighty who created the vast heavens and suspended the world without a single pillar to hold it up.
They connected with his Catholic roots, explaining that Islam is not a new religion but the continuation of the true path. They reminded him that Jesus (peace be upon him) worshiped by bowing his face to the ground the very way Muslims pray today.
Francis felt a shift within him. The logic was sound. But he had one burning question, heavily influenced by the pork he was holding.
“If this is the truth,” Francis asked, “Why does Islam forbid pork?”
The Duats explained gently that the prohibition wasn’t a punishment, but a protection. God prohibits what is harmful to a person’s life and health, and pork was deemed impure for the human body.
The answer struck a chord. It resonated with Francis’s mind and spirit. Standing there, he realized he was holding onto something that God did not want for him, both physically and spiritually.
Francis made his choice. He decided to throw away the pork he had just bought, symbolizing his departure from his old life.Right there, with his brother and the iERA team bearing witness, he recited the Shahada. The young man who had once been annoyed by the mention of Islam chose for himself the name Muhammad, eager to start a new chapter of light and truth.
