The following article covering WhyIslam DC’s 2008 Fundraiser at ISB in Baltimore, MD was featured in the Muslim Link:

Fundraiser to Help Raise Islam Billboard Baltimore Highway

By Muslim Link Contributing Writers

The WhyIslam-DC chapter held its annual fundraiser at the Islamic Society of Baltimore on the evening of Saturday, April 5th. The theme of the dinner was “Spread the Light”. The program kicked off with a delicious dinner provided by Shahi Grill.

Brother Yusha Evans, one of the volunteers of WhyIslam in Florida, led off the night discussing his conversion to Islam. He was brought up in a Bible loving household and began his studies in Christianity at an early age. Yusha attended weekly bible classes and would engage in long discussions about religion with his family. He was finally inspired and thrilled to go to Bob Jones University to become a textual scholar of the Bible. Once he was able to delve deeper into the text, he noted a lot of inconsistencies with logic. He could not understand how noble Prophets like Abraham, David, Lot, Solomon and the like could engage in such reportedly heinous acts such as adultery and murder.

It made no sense to brother Yusha and he was not given capable answers by those with knowledge, only told to not let a little knowledge of the Bible ruin his faith. He eventually left Christianity due to his discomfort and went on a religion finding mission, since he still deeply believed in God. He studied all the various well known creeds, and even read a book about Islam from the local library. In it he learned that “Moslems” [sic] pray to the moon god and oppress their women, so he knew that the deen was not for him. He left all religion for a while and became an agnostic.

Eventually he was re-introduced to Islam by a drug-dealer who happened to be Muslim and invited him to Juma’. The khutbah discussed the hadith of repentance where Jibra’il confirmed that even an alcoholic, murderer, adulterer, etc. could be forgiven if they repent. In fact the only unforgivable sin is shirk. Yusha then witnessed the prayer and was moved deeply by the congregation after overcoming his fears of possibly being attacked by the mob. He immediately recognized the prostration as an act of worship performed by all the Prophets throughout time. He went to the imam after the salah and inquired about further guidance, and was given an English translation of the Quran.

Yusha finished the entire translation in 3 days and was fully convinced of its truths. He recognized all the wonderful Prophets he had know from the past, but in the noble and infallible light they deserve. These were the true God-fearing believers worthy of Messengerhood.

Yusha went on to say how there are millions of people just like him here in the United States in need of the message, and it’s our role to convey it to them. He said the first mosque he went to shared the same parking lot with a church he’d attended for many years. Until that time he was completely unaware of the mosque. Not once was he approached by a Muslim and told about Islam despite the proximity of the houses of worship. Brother Yusha stressed the importance of da’wah and the tremendous responsibility we have in spreading knowledge of our deen to all of our families, neighbors, coworkers, countrymen, and the world.

Sister Julie Mair, a former prosecution lawyer in Pittsburgh, spoke next. She came to Islam in 2001. She discussed the two phases of conversion she has felt. Initially it’s taking the shahada, and the second phase is when Islam solidifies in the heart. Sister Julie discussed many of the hardships new converts face and how they are often shunned or treated rudely by many of their new brothers and sisters. She urged for more compassion and a gentler manner in teaching new Muslims their deen, and the realization that some will be need to take “baby steps” and have a harder time breaking strongly-ingrained habits than others.

After Maghrib, there was a short video showing the many activities of WhyIslam and the work that has been done throughout the country. Radio ads during the first 10 days of Ramadan on WTOP, an upcoming 14’x48’ billboard ad on I-95 near Baltimore in May, participation in community events were all different means of relaying the message of Islam to our fellow citizens. Brother Atif Sajid showed some of the events that the local WhyIslam chapter organized including many booths at fairs in the DC metropolitan area and at the Inner Harbor in downtown Baltimore.

Brother Jawad Ahmed, director of the 1-877-WhyIslam hotline then discussed the purpose of the hotline and gave examples of some of the calls he has received. Ten trained da’ees share the responsibility of answering the phone at all times. He said about 1000 calls per month are made to the hotline, and there is an average of one shahada per day. During campaigns such as radio ads during the first 10 days of Ramadan the volume of calls can triple. He described many friendly callers, but also those who can be hostile.

One caller startled Br. Jawad with an angry expletive-laden tirade that he timed to last about ninety-five seconds. Once the caller finished what he had to say, he was astonished to find Br. Jawad still on the line and cool and calm. In fact the caller was so impressed he spent another half hour discussing Islam with Jawad. The fund-raising efforts were able to successfully raise over $50,000. This will be enough money to support a large billboard in downtown Baltimore for 3 months, with enough left over to fund many of the local WHYISLAM summer activities.

The night was capped off by a comedy performance by Azhar Usman. He mainly ridiculed Muslims from the subcontinent with subtle shifts in accent, and language manipulation to draw hearty laughter and applause from the crowd.

WhyIslam is a non-profit project of ICNA. If you would like to learn more, please visit WhyIslamDC.org. We welcome volunteers to help staff our booths in the upcoming fairs and festivals beginning in May and lasting through October.

The writers, Salman Sheikh and Kashif Munir, are active participants in local WhyIslam activities.