01-05-2007, 06:25 PM
Pastor's Wife Converts to Islam - Habiba Adamu
Her name is Fatima Edoh, a 47-year-old Deeper Life elder. She lives in Karon-Majigi, a satellite town located along Airport Road in Abuja. On April 12, 2001, Fatima performed ablution and recited Lailaha Illa Llaahu, Muhammadu Rasullullah (Salallahu Alaihi wa salam). She accepted the Islamic faith and converted to Islam.
Fatima, who hails from Togo, a small West African country, is married to a Deeper Life Pastor who hails from Benue State. With four children, Fatima said she never had any personal problem with her husband neither did she experience maltreatment from him. She was neither underfed nor uncattered for in any form. The Deeper Life elder narrated her experience to Abuja Trust thus:- "On a night, sometimes in April this year, I had a dream. It was about the calling of Adhan - the Muslim call for prayer. The following night I had the same dream. After the first dream, I confided in an old Muslim woman who happens to be one of my customers. She told me that the dream was a divine calling for me to become a Muslim. I refuted it and left her after my second dream, I had to organise myself to embrace Islam, which I did successfully without my husband and relations' knowledge.
When my family heard about my conversion, they were not pleased. It was bad news for my relations, friends, church members, husband and a host of others with whom I worship at the Deeper Life Church. Even my daughter who is a nurse, when I informed her, she thought that I was crazy. She went ahead as she had threatened to pack all her belongings in my house and leave me. She forsook me."
Mallama Fatima told Abuja Trust that she was traumatised as a result of her decision to convert to Islam. She recounted further:- "It all began with my church members quarrelling with me. They warned that I was going the dangerous way. When all verbal effort to change my mind failed, enemies resorted to witchcrafts and charms. At one time, I became seriously sick. My stomach was swollen like that of a pregnant woman. In fact when I was taken to the hospital, doctors could not diagnose my ailment. Instead, I was told that it was not an hospital matter.
"I was later taken to a Mallam who wrote some verses of the Quran on a slate and rinsed it for me to drink. The Mallam prayed for me and told me that I was going to vomit through out the night. I drank it, and throughout the night, I was vomiting. When morning came, I felt strong and healthy! It was a wonderful experience."
According to Fatima, her church members were surprised that her protruded stomach had become normal. She continued her narration: "After some period of time, another traumatic experience started. I began to see some people in my dreams with blood in their mouth. This time around, some Muslim brothers and sisters in prayers joined me. That was how I overcame the problem."
Perhaps worst than Fatima's health problems was the fact that her father and in-law disowned her. The old woman only reacted with a lot of tears but could not change her mind. Said she, "My family members told me that I had brought shame to them by converting to a Muslim. They persuaded me to reconvert to Christianity. They applied a lot of tactics. They even drew my attention to the attack on America, but I was rather angered. I told them that there is no evidence that Muslims masterminded the attack for religious purpose. If you know the Muslim very well, you will agree with me that they are a peace loving people."
As far as Fatima is concerned, her conversion to Islam was a manifestation of divine calls. As expected, Fatima received a lot of assistance from Muslim brothers and sisters. Her ordeals was so deep that she even had to be assisted with such things as dresses to wear and mattress to sleep on, after her daughter made away with all her belongings. But the woman had what she described as a pleasant dream. "While I was in the hospital, I had a dream that my spirit was lifted from the earth to a big building. I was ushered in by a small girl through a big gate and was welcomed by some women dressed like me in white gowns, gloves and socks. They sang some beautiful songs to me in a language quite foreign. I woke up only to find myself on the hospital bed with drips. I am also pleased to tell you that my son-in-law has converted to Islam through my influence. I believe it is gradual. Some day, we will all become Muslims.
"I must tell you however, that when my son-in-law converted, I received serious warning from some people who told me that they were aware that my conversion would influence a lot of people, adding that I should be careful.
But I replied and told them that I had converted many people to Christianity when I was one. Today I am no longer a Christian, so why should they be aggrieved at that."
Fatima, who is firm in her decision and actions further told Abuja Trust that she used to lock her door in the night for fear of physical attack from enemies. Now she is no longer afraid of them for she knows that the heaven is open for those who die in the pursuit of the course of Allah.
Mallama Fatima has since converted two other Christians to Islam, one of whom is her sister.
allafrica.com