Latest News 3rd July

In Alexandria for a recent talk

Asalaamu alaykum,

In the talks I give throughout the world, one topic of interest for audiences is how I came to embrace Islam. Some in the audience are perhaps there to hear stories about my former life as a priest or to hear me criticise the Church or the pope. I am quick to point out out that if that is why they have attended the talk, then they are at the wrong talk! Indeed, I am always keen to stress that I have only feelings of gratitude and love for those people with whom I lived and worked for so many years and who have helped to shape the person I am today.

One priest of the Episcopal Church of Scotland once remarked to me that one of the reasons he respects me is that I refuse to collude with those who would see my acceptance of Islam as a rejection of my former life. I thank Allah Almighty that the whole journey of life has brought me to where I am today. It is maybe for this reason that the parishioners at Saint John's Church in Edinburgh welcomed me to give the sermon in their church, as a Muslim, during choral evensong. Dialogue is always based on respect.

Imagine how disappointed I felt, then, to turn up for a talk recently and to read on the publicity posters that I was "the right-hand man of the Vatican Pope," as if  basking in reflected glory would somehow add to the greatness of Islam. I made clear that such a claim was nonsense and bears no relation to fact. Making false claims only serves to make our whole message seem false. because of such claims, there are even some detractors of Islam who suggest I wasn't even a priest at all.

For the record, let me make clear the following. I held no position of authority in the Vatican and I never claim to have done so. I lived and trained there and studied Philosophy, Theology and later Canon Law at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas. I received the Ministry of Lector from Bishop (now Archbishop) Michael FitzGerald and was ordained a deacon by Cardinal Jan Schotte, Secretary General of the Sacred Congregation for Bishops. When my studies were complete I returned back to the UK for Ordination a  priest and my assignment to work in a parish.

In the whole of this website, the only mention of my being a priest is in the words "Before embracing Islam, Idris was a Roman Catholic priest." It would be wrong not to make this clear, since I am delighted and honoured to have worked in the Church with such good people, but I make no other claims than this and I would encourage Muslims not to make false statements that only make us seem less than truthful.

Now that that is said, my only news is that on Tuesday 6th July I have a talk in Zagazig, Egypt. Take a look at facebook for more details. As this is the month of Ragab, you might also like to take a look at the latest article on the website:

• The Night Journey and Ascension (Muslims Believe section)

Jazakum Allahu Khairan

Idris Tawfiq