Chikhawa, Malawi: You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself one, so goes the old adage by Henry David Thoreau. The saying came alive in Ndakwela village, Sub T/A Ndakwela in Chikhwawa district where people witnessed over 90 conversions to Islam over the last 14 days due to the good characters of some Muslims in the area.
According to the one of the converts, group village headman Ndakwela told Malawi Muslim Official Website that he embraced Islam because he was pleased with the love and passion which Muslims are showing to their friends in the area regardless of their faith status.
“I am very happy to be a Muslim now because in the previous we have been misled by these unknown churches. And what has really made me to become a Muslim is because of the behavior of some Muslims here in my Village. They are very loving and passionate indeed, that is why I decided to join them so that I should be one of the pious,” he said.
Group village headman Chapemba also did not hold his words but to express his excitement by coming back to the faith he had lost and appealed to all those who have not yet embraced Islam to do so saying “Islam is only true Religion of God.”
“I am now free because I am a Muslim. I have been looking for a true religion of God and only to realize that it is Islam. And I am promising that as Chief, I will play my role towards the spread of this Deen wherever I go,” he said.
The converts have built a temporary fetched grass Masjid and also donated over 8 hectares of land which is to be used by all interested Islamic organizations in construction of Islamic Centre, according to Sheikh Basheer Hassan Goba who has also played a major role towards the uplifting of Islam in the area.
“As you can see here these chiefs has given us this huge land crossing to 10 hectares which can be used to construct a good Masjid, Islamic Schools, etc. We have burned Bricks and what it remains is the job to be started. So, I am appealing all interested parties to come and assist this Ummah whether materially or spiritually” said brother Goba, the owner of Surgical Laboratory.
Sheikh Ahmed Chienda, Limbe Islamic Information Bureau Coordinator who visited the area, also said he was impressed with development saying it just shows that people are now able differentiate what is true and not.
“This is a welcome development and I am really happy to see this happening in this area because it is one of the areas which have been neglected by other Islamic organizations. And the first convert being Chief, I am really impressed,” said Chienda
Chienda also asked other Muslims in Malawi and around the world to treat their neighbours with good kind because it is one of the measures Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) used to spread Islam in other countries.
“My appeal to all Muslims in the Country and all over the world is that let us treat our neighbours with love and passion despite them being Christians or Jews,” said the coordinator while giving an example of other countries like Indonesia where Islam was spread by the good behavior of some Muslims who were there in those times.
