Nuh Ha Mim Keller
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, CHICAGO - Nuh Ha Mim Keller's renowned as an expert in Islamic law. In fact, he ditabalkan became a leading theologian and expert on Sufism in the West. Keller was a row of books translated into English. Behind all the accomplishments that, who would have thought, he is a devout Roman Catholic who later converted to Islam.
Keller was born in 1954 in the Northwestern United States (U.S.). He then studied philosophy and Arabic at the University of Chicago and University of California, Los Angeles. He claims raised in a farming area in families embrace devout Roman Catholic.
"Since childhood, the church provides a spiritual nature that is not denied, which is more real than the physical nature that is around me. However, I was growing up, my relationship with religion was sertamerta creates problems, in creed or charity," he was quoted in a book case of the MoonCrescent in Upper Statue of Liberty.
Since childhood, he tried to read the Bible. However, when reading it, he said the holy book was rambling and did not have a coherent composition."So that makes it difficult those who want to make it as a way of life," said Keller. His views on religion that inherited their parents were more open when he started to go to college.
"When I go to university, I knew that the authenticity of the scriptures, especially the New Testament, is really questionable and is a product of modern hermeneutic study of the Christians themselves," he said. Curiosity tehadap truth religion is very high. He then read a translation of Norman Perrin on The Problem of the Historical Jesus by Joachim Jeremias, one of the leading New Testament scholars of this century. This was done in order to understand contemporary theology.
Keller also began to be affected by the views Jeremias and the German theologian, Rudolph Bultmann, who stated that writing a biography of Jesus is an impossible dream. According to them, the actual life of Christ can not be reconstructed from the New Testament decisively.
"If this is recognized by the adherents of Christianity and one of the renowned textual expertise, then what will be said by his enemies?" Keller said. He then studied philosophy at university. According to him, philosophy teaches us to ask two things against anyone who claims to have kebenaranApa do you mean? And, how do you know? He also filed a second question on the Roman Catholic tradition dianutnya."However, I found no answers and I was aware that Christianity has been released from my hand. I, too, then began a search that might not be popular with most young people in Baratyakni looking for the meaning behind the world is not meaningful," said Keller.
In search of the truth of this, she then began to recognize the Koran. Initially, he only read the translations of the Koran. Keller admitted to not so interested in the translation of the Qur'an. He was just curious about the Koran in Arabic.
"I know the original book (the Koran) who speak Arabic have recognized the beauty and eloquence among the various religious books of mankind. I am determined to learn Arabic for reading the original, "he explained. He also decided to learn Arabic at Chicago.
Within a year, he managed to learn the grammar with good grades. Even so, he still feels lacking. Keller finally decided to study Arabic in Cairo, Egypt. In Egypt, Keller admitted to emukan something that really took him to Islam.
"That is a sign of pure monotheism in its adherents, is far more surprised than anything I've ever seen before," said Keller. In the land of the pyramids, he met many Muslims, ranging from good to bad.
While in Egypt, there is an experience that is memorable in the hearts of Keller. Once, there was a man on the edge of the Nile River near the park Muqyas. The place is usually passed. He also approached the man.Apparently he was praying on a piece of cardboard, with her face to the other side of the water.
Initially, Keller claims will pass in front of him. However, the intention was diurungkannya. He chose to turn and walk behind the man who was praying it was because did not want to disturb. "I saw a man absorbed in his relationship with God, oblivious to my presence."
He also had met a teenager in Cairo. The boy then say hello to Keller near the Khan al-Khalili. Students who sit in middle school who speaks English was telling him about Islam. He explained about Islam could. "When we parted, I think she prayed for me to become Muslim," he said.
While in Cairo, Keller claimed to have a friend who came from Yemen. He always asks his friend to take the Qur'an and teach him to learn Arabic.Staying in a hotel room where there was no table. Thus, the Qur'an laid Keller near the books lined up on the floor.
See Keller save the Koran on the floor, his friend then leaned over and picked it up. "It glorifies the Qur'an. It impressed me because I know he is less obedient to practice the religion, but still looks the influence of Islam against him," said Keller.
While in Egypt, Keller admitted experiencing a lot of events and experiences. After removing the dianutnya Roman Catholic religion, he preferred to irreligious while. Under conditions of no religion that is, his mind is always racing.
He realized too that a man must be religious. At that time, he began to impress on the religious influence of Islam on the lives of Muslims. Keller assess the Islamic religion is so noble goal. "I became increasingly attracted to Islam because its expression is more complete and more perfect."
Keller also gave thoughtful. Until finally, he realized that Islam is a religion of perfect roads. Religion is the most comprehensive and easy to understand to practice this in everyday life. He also really fall in love with Islam.
Until finally, a friend in Cairo to ask questions, "Why have you not become a Muslim?" Upon hearing the question, Keller has been believed that Allah has created her to be a part of Islam. "Islam is really enriches its followers, from the heart of the most simple to the most brilliant intellectuals. One becomes a Muslim not through tin engaged in acts of mind or the will, but solely through love of God," he said. Keller also said two sentences creed and became a Muslim in 1977 in Cairo, Egypt. Until finally, he became a leading thinker and scholar. Islam in Nuh Ha Mim Keller's view By Heri Ruslan Keller is an expert on Islamic law that recognized his greatness by a leading cleric Abd al-Shaghouri alRahman. No wonder if Keller was recognized as a sheikh in the tariqa tawasuf Shadhili. He settled in Amman, Jordan. He is known as a scholar and thinker of Islam in the modern age.
Then, what he thinks about the condition of Muslims today? Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller argues that the plight of political Islam today is not an Islamic religious humiliation, or place it on a low position in the natural order of world ideologies.
"I view it as a low phase in a broader historical turnover. Foreign hegemony of Islamic countries has never happened before," he explained. According to him, Islamic civilization had slipped on harubiru destruction from the invasion of the Mongols in the 13th century AD
At that time, he said, the Mongols sacked the towns and set up a pyramid of human heads from the deserts of Central Asia to the heart of Islamic lands."After that, fate has led to the Ottoman Empire to raise the word of Allah SWT, and make it a political reality that berlan thrilling sung for centuries," he said.
According to him, this is the time to encourage contemporary Muslims to fight for new crystallization history of Islam, something that might be coveted mankind.
