Cebu – All the inhabitants of Bantayan island of Cebu – Philippines converted to Islam on Sunday after a UK-based Islamic organization approached them and explained the status of Jesus in the Koran.
Abu Bakr, a local Muslim convert who runs a mosque called ‘Medina Masjid’ in Christian-dominated Bantayan Island in the central Philippines province of Cebu, invited the UK-based Islamic Educational organization to conduct orientation lectures and social welfare activities in the area.
The team prepared dry food packs at the mosque to distribute among the poor that day. After they approached the village, they conducted a dialog with the locals about the status of Jesus in the Islamic scriptures.
They also explained how Prophet of Islam – Mohammed – made it an incumbent article of faith to believe in Jesus and his mother Mary, but Islam condemns worshipping of idols, crosses, stones, trees, humans, spirits, angels, and the Prophets.
According to the locals, the call appealed the rationality of the villagers, eventually they decided to adopt Islam.
“It was an emotional charged moment as the whole village accepted Islam together as one united community,” one of the volunteers said.
According to International Religious Freedom Report for 2014, Islam is one of the oldest monotheistic religions in the Philippines. Muslim traders from Persian Gulf, Southern India, and from several sultanates of Malay Archipelago arrived in Philippines in 13th century, around 200 years before Christian forces arrived to evangelize.
Muslims make up to eight per cent of Filipino population, which makes Islam second largest religion in the country.
