He found faith in an unlikely place!

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

   Found at  http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA090906.14 A.911profileVillarreal.2d09705.html 

Jesus Rogelio Villarreal: After terror attacks, UTSA student found faith in unlikely place 
Web Posted: 09/08/2006 11:59 PM CDT
Abe Levy
Express-News Staff Writer 
Jesus Rogelio Villarreal used to curse Muslims and blame Islam for inspiring the 9-11 terrorists. 
He hoped to kill the Taliban overseas. 

He's now a convert to Islam and among the first to enter local mosques for weekly prayers and the last to leave. He marvels today at how he could, as a baby, be baptized Catholic, hop back and forth between Protestant churches and then credit the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks for an unforeseen conversion. 
"I found my way in life," said Villarreal, 28, summing up the experience. 
The morning of 9-11, he was headed to history class at St. Philip's College, searching for gangsta' rap on radio stations but finding only news reports about the first plane. Frustrated, he popped in a rap CD. Once on campus, he went to the cafeteria for breakfast tacos. He noticed a group huddled around TV sets. 
He watched as the second plane hit. 
Some people began to cry. 
He let out an expletive and fumed inside. 
That weekend, he and a buddy, both Marine reservists, signed up for active duty. 
"Sept. 11 was like a button. I was like, 'Man, I'm gonna get those guys.'" 
He studied books on Arabic and Islam. He wanted to know his enemy. In February 2002 he got up the courage to enter a local mosque. His friends thought he was crazy. His mother was afraid for him. She insisted he call afterward to make sure he survived. 
He drove into the parking lot of the Islamic Center of San Antonio, the city's largest mosque near the city's hospital district that draws mainly Arab Muslims for daily prayer services. If threatened, he had a .45-caliber pistol in his car and a concealed handgun permit. As he approached the entrance, he felt uneasy. 
"I had to reassure myself that I could do this," he said. 
Once inside, he told an older man that he was there to learn about Islam. The man instructed him to remove his shoes and wait in the library. 
In a few minutes, Abdullah Mohammad, the mosque's public affairs contact at the time, came in and fielded Villarreal's questions about Islam: What does it say about treating women, suicide bombers who cite the Koran as justification and the deity of Jesus. 
For 14 straight days, he met with Mohammad and other members of the mosque. He read books on Islam provided to him and watched in wonder as men and women of different races and backgrounds prayed together. 
Finally, after more discussions in the mosque library, he was asked whether he was ready to become Muslim. 
He repeated in broken Arabic the declaration of faith in one true God and recognition that his last, true prophet was Mohammad. He stopped eating pork. He stopped going to clubs and parties. He lost many old friends. He grew out his beard, shaving off only his mustache, a custom among some Muslim men. And he also ended his military involvement. 
"I felt relief," he said. "This made more sense than anything else I had heard in my life." 
He now is a biology major at UTSA, dreaming of being a doctor. He's also the vice president of the Muslim Student Association. He still despises the 9-11 terrorists. But he's also strangely thankful. 
"I have to say thanks to Osama (bin Laden) and Sept. 11, because without it, I wouldn't be Muslim." 

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
mariyah Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 29 March 2006 Status: Offline Points: 1283	Post Options Post Reply Quote mariyah Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: He found faith in an unlikely place! Posted: 30 September 2006 at 11:50pm
	Found at http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA090906.14 A.911profileVillarreal.2d09705.html Jesus Rogelio Villarreal: After terror attacks, UTSA student found faith in unlikely place Web Posted: 09/08/2006 11:59 PM CDT Abe Levy Express-News Staff Writer Jesus Rogelio Villarreal used to curse Muslims and blame Islam for inspiring the 9-11 terrorists. He hoped to kill the Taliban overseas. He's now a convert to Islam and among the first to enter local mosques for weekly prayers and the last to leave. He marvels today at how he could, as a baby, be baptized Catholic, hop back and forth between Protestant churches and then credit the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks for an unforeseen conversion. "I found my way in life," said Villarreal, 28, summing up the experience. The morning of 9-11, he was headed to history class at St. Philip's College, searching for gangsta' rap on radio stations but finding only news reports about the first plane. Frustrated, he popped in a rap CD. Once on campus, he went to the cafeteria for breakfast tacos. He noticed a group huddled around TV sets. He watched as the second plane hit. Some people began to cry. He let out an expletive and fumed inside. That weekend, he and a buddy, both Marine reservists, signed up for active duty. "Sept. 11 was like a button. I was like, 'Man, I'm gonna get those guys.'" He studied books on Arabic and Islam. He wanted to know his enemy. In February 2002 he got up the courage to enter a local mosque. His friends thought he was crazy. His mother was afraid for him. She insisted he call afterward to make sure he survived. He drove into the parking lot of the Islamic Center of San Antonio, the city's largest mosque near the city's hospital district that draws mainly Arab Muslims for daily prayer services. If threatened, he had a .45-caliber pistol in his car and a concealed handgun permit. As he approached the entrance, he felt uneasy. "I had to reassure myself that I could do this," he said. Once inside, he told an older man that he was there to learn about Islam. The man instructed him to remove his shoes and wait in the library. In a few minutes, Abdullah Mohammad, the mosque's public affairs contact at the time, came in and fielded Villarreal's questions about Islam: What does it say about treating women, suicide bombers who cite the Koran as justification and the deity of Jesus. For 14 straight days, he met with Mohammad and other members of the mosque. He read books on Islam provided to him and watched in wonder as men and women of different races and backgrounds prayed together. Finally, after more discussions in the mosque library, he was asked whether he was ready to become Muslim. He repeated in broken Arabic the declaration of faith in one true God and recognition that his last, true prophet was Mohammad. He stopped eating pork. He stopped going to clubs and parties. He lost many old friends. He grew out his beard, shaving off only his mustache, a custom among some Muslim men. And he also ended his military involvement. "I felt relief," he said. "This made more sense than anything else I had heard in my life." He now is a biology major at UTSA, dreaming of being a doctor. He's also the vice president of the Muslim Student Association. He still despises the 9-11 terrorists. But he's also strangely thankful. "I have to say thanks to Osama (bin Laden) and Sept. 11, because without it, I wouldn't be Muslim."
	"Every good deed is charity whether you come to your brother's assistance or just greet him with a smile.

abuzuhri Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 12 September 2006 Location: Malaysia Status: Offline Points: 136	Post Options Post Reply Quote abuzuhri Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 26 February 2007 at 2:42pm
	Thanks Maryah, we welcome another wave named Rogelio in the vast ocean of Islam that never stop giving us rains and sustenance from its vast expanse above and below It gives us oils and wars sometime or precious pearls and a lot sushi of whales, salmons and cod liver oils...... Villareal, this sound very familar but dont get blown away by the mad football fans and rich spoiled footballers especially in europe, south america and now catching up in asia and usa david beckham is coming. Our great zidane is teaching new kids So one day..the tiny ray light of islam burst out in unlikely names We heard that Ribery also a muslim, he never show if openly so with anelka, are all these guesses right or too hard to swallow. welcome and marhaban, jesus rogelio villareal we anxiously wait for a new name to emerge soon from all the chaos, hatred, wars and arrogant of bush and lies of blair to melt away in next few months now our terrible winter and snows are almost gone a new spring has arrived, spring festival of china just celebrated a week ago, thanking Heaven that provide men with food, peace and prosperity ! We cannot count all the blessings of Heaven but to stand, bow and prostrate five times daily is the humble beginning. No one can take it way. Viva Real, viva Rogelio !
	abuzuhri shin