Yusuf Estes
Yusuf Estes | |
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Born | |
Region | Yusuf Estes |
Main interests | Islamic Preaching Dawah |
Website | [1] |
Yusuf Estes, (b. 1 January 1944) is an American convert to Islam and former National Muslim Chaplain for the United States Bureau of Prisons as well as a Delegate to the United Nations World Peace Conference for Religious Leaders held in September 2000. He is actively involved in Islamic missionary work in the United States and often features as guest lecturer and keynote speaker at various Islamic events as well as frequently appearing on various Islamic satellite TV channels.
Personal Life
Yusuf Estes was born Skip Estes in Ohio, and was raised in Houston, Texas in an evangelical Protestant Christian family who were devout members of the Disciples of Christ.
From 1962 to 1990, his career was in the music industry, entertainment, marketing, working as a music instructor and music minister, whose family owned several musical instrument companies including the Estes Piano and Organ Company. He produced and directed live entertainment programs in the United States from the mid 1960s until his last endeavor for cable TV in Florida, entitled 'Estes Music Jamboree'.[1]
Estes is currently semi-retired, living with his wife in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., in the United States.
Conversion to Islam
Estes converted to Islam in 1991 after meeting an Egyptian man he identifies simply as "Mohammed", with whom Estes' father had undertaken business dealings. According to Estes, he learnt about Islam accidentally and gradually while himself in the process of earnestly attempting to convert Mohammed to Christianity. Due to a series of co-incidences, Mohammed and a suicidal Catholic priest named Pete, whom Estes had rescued earlier from a homeless shelter, ended up living in the Estes household for several months. This ensued a lively daily dinner discussion about religion, which went on for months and which in the end, resulted in both Estes's wife and Pete converting to Islam. This surprising turn of events, along with his newfound knowledge of Islam, forced Estes to re-evaluate and confront his own beliefs about Christianity, especially the concept of Trinity, and he himself converted to Islam soon thereafter.[2].
Islamic Activities
Since his conversion, Estes has pursued Arabic language and Qur'anic studies in Egypt, Morocco and Turkey.[3] He has acknowledged a love of comparing words from the Qu'ran to his knowledge of the Bible, commenting that, had he not decided upon a path as an Islamic Chaplain in the United States prisons, he might have become an entomylogist.[4]
Since 2004, Estes has regularly appeared on the Islam Channel, as well as Peace TV and on Huda TV which are 24/7 Islamic channels broadcasting in many countries around the globe, via satellite and the website WatchIslam.com TV Channels.
His latest efforts are directed toward English speaking Muslim youth and include Muslims sharing videos, and Muslim Chatroom and for young children Preschool Learning
His latest Television series is aimed toward English speaking children of Muslim parents and is entitled, "Qasas Ul Anbiya" - Stories of the Prophets.
His Islamic activities have included:
- Volunteer Imam in a Texas military installation.
- National U.S. Chaplain for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, starting 1994.
- Delegate to the United Nations Peace Summit for Religious Leaders in August 2000.
- University guest speaker (including Carnegie Mellon Qatar)
- Television program producer and director, preacher, syndicated television programs on satellite and cable networks.
- Developing many hi-tech Islamic websites, including chatrooms, video conferencing, news sites, reference sites and entertainment sites for youth.
- Estes takes a dim view of public education in the United States for Muslim children, and recommends schools where they might receive an Islamic education as well as a more advanced scholastic education too.
Closing Motto
He is also well known for his motto which he regularly uses at the end of speeches and interviews, on the internet, "Visit Islamalways.com, where we're always open 24 hours a day and always plenty of free parking."[See Discussion]
References
- ^ YusufEstes.com
- ^ Priests & Preachers Enter Islam by Chaplain Yusuf Estes
- ^ Yusuf Estes, on IslamTomorrow.com
- ^ Yusuf Estes, on IslamTomorrow.com
Further reading
- Blade, David Yonke Toledo. (July 14, 2001) Journal Gazette Proselytizing preacher finds faith in Islam: Sheik Yusuf Estes. Page 1.
- Tilove, Jonathan. (October 23, 2001) The Star-Ledger To be a white U.S. Muslim: Converts embrace the oddity. Section: News; Page 10.
- Pinsky, Mark I. (January 6, 2003) Orlando Sentinel Muslims' radio message: we are regular people. Section: Life & Times; Page C1.
- The Hamilton Spectator (February 14, 2003) A Christian attends a mosque; A visitor finds a warm welcome and wonders if he'd be as liberal.
- Columbia State (SC). (April 7, 2003) Chaplain to speak at USC about Islam. Section: Metro/Region; Page B5.
- UWIRE (March 1, 2004) U. New Mexico speaker asks religions to unite.
- UWIRE (April 18, 2005) Muslim speaker educates U. Northern Colorado students about faith.
- US State News. (April 12, 2006) National Muslim chaplain Yusuf Estes to speak at senior center on April 14.
- The Modesto Bee (April 22, 2006) Converted preacher to speak about 'pure Islam.' Section: Lifestyles; Page G1.
- Nomani , Asra Q. (October 22, 2006) Washington Post Wife-Beating, Chapter and Verse.
- Wen, Sarah. (January 23, 2007 ) University Wire UCLA Muslim student group to promote Islam, religious unity.
External links
- Yusuf Estes (Official site of Yusuf Estes)
- Yusuf Estes Main
- The story of how he became a Muslim, as told by him
- Yusuf Estes Videos
- Yusuf Estes Audios
- Sharing Video Uploads for Yusuf Estes
- Yusuf Estes audio and video lectures from Halal Tube
- www.newu.uci.edu
- advance.uconn.edu
- dailybruin.ucla.edu
- gec.tamucc.edu
- www.stp.uh.edu
- www.da.wvu.edu
- www.hartford.edu