REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- A Muslim cleric from Texas, the United States, Sheikh Yusuf Estes, has invited Indonesians from all religious backgrounds to have dialogue in search of truth that will change their lives better. He observed currently Islam is the most growing religion.
"But on the other side there are Muslims and other believers, Hindus, Jewish, Buddhists who become atheists, and they are in the darkness," Estes told Antara here on Saturday.
Therefore, Sheikh Yusuf invited all people from different faiths to have open dialogue in order to seek the truth by understanding that all human beings basically have similarities in some respects.
"One important thing is to find similarities, that is, we understand that there is God who creates the universe in six periods, and we have common enemies, that is, devil," Sheikh Yusuf, who is dubbed "funny sheikh", noted.
He further explained that nowadays everyone is facing the same problems, such as television programs and games on internet and computer that take children out from their parents.
"Dialogues will open our way from darkness to light," Estes asserted, quoting a verse from the Noble Qur'an which means "Allah is the ally of those who believe. He brings them out from the darkness into the light."
According to him, the verse is in accordance with the topic that he will be delivered in his sermons in Indonesia, namely, "Going into the light of Islam".
To be able to attend Yusuf Estes sermons, people are expected to register themselves first through https://sahabatdakwah.org/yes.
Sheikh Yusuf Estes has arrived in Indonesia at March 17. In certain locations the preaching by Yusuf Estes is open to public, including for non-Muslims.
On March 19, he will be in Surabaya (East Java). The sermon will be held in JX International Convention, Surabaya. Public has to register prior to the event.
Next, he will be preaching in Balikpapan (East Kalimantan) on March 20 at19.30 Central Indonesia Standard Time at Dome Balikpapan Sport & Convention Center. To access the venue, public needed to register themselves first.
On Wednesday (March 21) at around 04.30 Central Indonesia Standard Time, he will be at Namirah mosque for dawn sermon. Then, he will travel back to Jakarta to preach at Balai Sudirman, Tebet, South Jakarta at around 19:30 West Indonesia Standard Time. Registered participants may attend the sermon.
Sheikh Yusuf Estes was born and raised from a very devout Christian family. Before becoming an Islamic preacher, he was an evangelist.
In 1994-2000, Yusuf Estes became a member of the US Delegation for Religious and Scholar Leaders to the United Nations Peace Conference.
Sheikh Yusuf Estes' sermons in Indonesia is organized by Sahabat Dakwah Internasional (SDI) which previously succeeded in presenting international Muslim scholar Dr. Zakir Naik, and Mufti of Perlis Kingdom of Malaysia, Dr. Mohd Asri Zainul Arifin (Dr. Maza) to perform sermons in several cities in the country.
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