Gerasimos Loukatos: my journey to Islam
November 13, 2009 by ImanK
My name is Gerasimos Loukatos and I was born and raised in Athens, Greece and officially became Muslim in 2008 in Stockholm. Since then I have been experiencing brotherhood and sincere kindness from Muslims, wherever I happen to meet them! My acceptance of the truth of Islam was so natural for me that it came as a relief after many years of searching and trying to understand the meanings of life. I embraced Islam wholeheartedly when I realized that, for most of my life, I was living in the proximity of the Islamic understanding of life and that everything happens for a reason as I was struggling to understand why something happens and what does it mean.
So, my way to Islam, as I have experienced it, begins very early on starting from the early age of seven when I became interested in the unseen. From the age of 11-15, I was given psychology books like Adler and Freud, where I started training myself on deep reflection and critical thinking. I would often reflect looking into the sky and stars and my surroundings on the countryside outside of Athens. I thought if my time is limited, how do I want to use that time? I needed to balance my spiritual and worldly development – my heart and mind.
I read the New Testament and kept the meaning of anything that taught good character. I really had a hard time understanding how Jesus could be son of God and die, but even more problematic was that he died to redeem us from our sins and how an all-loving and all-forgiving God can hold us accountable for the original sin? Somehow the whole concept didn’t resonate in my heart.
Later on I read a few books on Buddhism which I found far more spiritually cohesive but I still had a problem. I couldn’t understand how people can prostrate to a statue! The more I read about religions the more I became confused. At about 20 years old now, I decided once again to review my understanding by examining what I knew and try to understand what is false and what is true. For me, that meant going back to zero…either there is God or not!
So when I returned back to zero, I explicitly prayed to Him, if He exists to show me His signs!
I couldn’t accept the existence of many gods as this would mean the created gods are dependent on the one god that created them! It became obvious to me, if one God created us, He wouldn’t send different messages to different people. So, even if religions are expressed in different ways, their essence should be the same. The fact that religions were different indicated to me that people throughout time had used religion in order to control and manipulate people. After forming a foundation based on these facts, I started an ongoing dialogue of “if…then” with myself. I ended up believing in absolutely one God but not in religions in any absolute sense. I recognized there is truth in them mixed with fiction and it was a way for people to come together to realize that their religion was the same.
This was the most turbulent period for me spiritually partly because I felt so different than most of the people around me. I never enjoyed drinking or dancing or doing things just for the sake of doing them and I never adhered to fashions. These are enough reasons to characterize a person strange or even anti-social and it took me sometime to understand that there is nothing wrong with that if that’s what you are. Even in terms of intimate relationships, I had a strange understanding that it should be experienced in all three levels, physical, psychological and spiritual in order for it to have any meaning.
Thank God who sent on my way when I was 23, the person that I call my spiritual father! I met Gregory in an interview, on my way of joining a group of people who had far more knowledge and understanding than me in terms of book knowledge. Gregory became in a sense my mentor; it was like sitting at the feet of a teacher in a traditional way of learning. He taught me how not to get lost in the details, nor how to bypass them in face of the whole picture. He taught me that, most often, the same mistakes will come disguised as different ones. He taught me that the purpose can never sanctify the means. He taught me that experience is not always trustworthy, as wrong experience may take you down the wrong path. And when I wanted him to show me that path, he answered me, “I cannot show you the right path. You have to find it on your own and walk on it on your own. I can only try to show you how you will find it.”
He taught me that people who focus on targets risk losing sight of their surroundings. “Every person has his/ her Ithaki and you too,” he said. “Be aware of your Ithaki but always remember, it’s your journey who will take you there!” Well, I guess what I ever say it won’t be enough!
Otherwise, when there was a gathering, I used to remain silent as I felt I couldn’t compete in knowledge with any of the speakers. Until one day, I openly declared that I believe in God but I don’t believe in religions! The director replied, “The older you grow, the nearer you will draw to God.” The only person who stood up to my defense was an atheist but unfortunately none of them understood what I said. That was my last day at the gathering.
Eventually I moved to Sweden as a married man to an Iranian girl. It was my first contact with Muslims even though her family was rather neutral and she was an atheist. After seven years of marriage and three years of trying to make things work, we came to a mutual agreement to divorce in a friendly manner. Thank God once again we didn’t have any children as we realized we had to resolve the problems between us first.
When I met a friend in Athens, who knew both of us well, he told me, “Do you know why it didn’t work out between you? You believe in God while she doesn’t. Differences in view of the world will manifest themselves sooner or later.” Well, maybe he had a point and God knows best!
Several months later I got in touch with a Muslima from another town of Sweden. We communicated mostly by phone and we would discuss just about anything, from philosophy and psychology to religion and politics. Actually I met her in three different occasions over our 3,5 years of contact. She wasn’t a practicing Muslima for some time but eventually we were discussing more and more about religions. I had the same distorted views about Islam, as so many others in the Western hemisphere. Even my earlier contact with Muslims didn’t change my view. However, I was aware of the politics and the propaganda taking place through the media and I was aware that any understanding I had was not objective. So, I used to discuss, listen and reflect, until almost two years ago.
She started telling me that I think like a Muslim, I should become a Muslim, I am a Muslim. At the end I became curious to find out why she thinks I am a Muslim, so I started buying books about Islam and eventually I bought the Quran.
When reading, I came across the two most misunderstood verses of the Quran. One of them was verse Surat An-Nisaa: 34. After listening to the correct explanation of the verse, reading the whole Quran and listening to a couple of lectures, I knew why I was Muslim (in a sense) and why I should become Muslim officially. That Muslima, in the process of guiding me to the correct understanding of Islam, she returned herself in the practice of Islam. In many ways it was perfect between us in having almost everything in common but we had to go separate ways due to her refusal to move to Greece and my refusal to consciously deny Greece. It’s only for God to know what He saves for me and it’s for me to find out! One way or another, I couldn’t consciously give up my family and alhamdulillah, it is comforting to know that I will not be the only Muslim in Greece!
How has Islam changed my life? Well, in many practical ways, it hasn’t changed it a lot. I didn’t drink, I didn’t go out dancing and jumping up and down and I always strived not to have superficial relationships of any kind. My family didn’t have a problem with my religion either, even though my father doesn’t want to listen a word about Islam, he recognizes my freedom of choice and time given and God willing he will listen some day or even better see for himself. Surprised and disinterested as he might be, he doesn’t hold hard feelings, alhamdulillah.
However, Islam has changed my awareness of my relationship of God, my awareness of my actions and words towards others and my awareness of who I am, why I am what I am, why I am here and where I am going.
What I know from experience is that difficulties will come and they will pass by and if that will not teach us patience it will teach us something we really need to know. So many times I found myself at the edge and being in distress for not finding a way out and so many times I had an opening when least expected! At the end I couldn’t feel in distress even in the worst of situations because I knew the opening would eventually come! And every person I met, every stimulus to every thought or reflection my intellect could perceive, every situation I found myself in, was all part of my way to Islam. God showed me His signs as I prayed and He revealed to me how things are in truth. Until now, I can’t find a question Quran hasn’t an answer to. I am talking about answers my intellect can grasp and my heart can sense. Surely, I don’t have all the answers but I know where to find them inshaa Allah!
Finally I found the path I was searching for and it’s the straight path! It is difficult to walk on it, due to the many distractions around it, but it’s worthy following it. So, I am not anywhere near an ideal Muslim but if it is one person who played the most important role in my life, that person was my mother. She taught me Islam without knowing it! She taught me to forgive and pardon others for their shortcomings and she advised me to listen to my heart when I can’t see the way clearly. I would give the same advice to everyone who is in search of the truth. Just make sure to clear the distortions before listening to your heart, otherwise you will only hear cacophonic sounds!
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photo credit: Atonal Blue
Congratulations Brother! Welcome to Islam
Assalam Alekom, Brother Gerasimos.
I am a Romanian woman reverted to Islam since ‘88. Your story is amazingly resembling mine. In 2008 Alhamdolillah I went to Hajj. Words fall short expressing the multitude of feelings I had during the pilgrimage. What I can certainly express is that the real Islam is very feeble. I feel that it is our turn, reverted Non-Arabs, to study Qura’n and Ahadith and spread Islam the right way. I love Greece and Greeks without having have visited it more than once, while in transit, and without having had known anyone in particular. The Greeks have within them the right Islamic path: the stoning in Zorba the Greek moovie said it wordlessly, Penelope who waited faithfully for Ulises return, so on. But where are the Greeks? Perhaps that’s why the general happiness felt in the sacred land, was incomplete. I deliberately searched for the Greek flag. I could see the flag of countries I didn’t previously know they exist , let alone have Muslim communities. But not Greece. Not the so longed for flag. So I am happy to discover from your lips, from this site, that the Greek Islamic community DOES exist. I won’t hesitate a second to relocate in one of the most blessed places, Greece, especially that I perceive all Earth as one huge country with enough resources for everybody, and no need for claiming motherlands or fighting for survival. I have also searched for Greek Muslims on matching sites, but again, none. So let me express once again my relief that I found you, my Greek brothers.
Aliaa
http://www.muslima.com/Member_Profile.cfm?ID=2110862
Assalaamu alaikum sister,
Welcome to our site. It’s nice to see Romanian Muslims!
Δεν έχω ασχοληθεί μαζί σας καιρό τώρα, θα συνεισφέρω και εγώ λοιπόν με μιά ωραία είδηση του 21ου αιώνα, γιά το Ισλάμ της αγάπης και της ανοχής, μάλλον του μίσους της βίας και της βαρβαρότητας, που το χαρακτήριζε και το χαρακτηρίζει ακόμη μία η απόπειρα να ανατιναχθεί στο αέρα το αεροπλάνο από τον νιγηριανό μουσουλμάνο και να την πληρώσουν όλοι φταίγαν δεν φταίγαν, μία η βία που υπάρχει σε διάφορες ισλαμικές χώρες κατά των αλλοθρήσκων αλλά και ακόμη κατά των Σιϊτών πχ Πακιστάν.
Διαβάστε και χαρείτε την θρησκεία που διαλέξατε που το μόνο που δεν έχει είναι αγάπη, αλλά υποταγή ακόμη και διά της βίας έμμεσης ή άμεσης.
Καλημέρα Βαρβαρότητα τον 21ο αιώνα.
Έγιναν Χριστιανές από μουσουλμάνες και….Αν δεν αλλαξοπιστήσουν, θα θανατωθούν!
http://news24gr.blogspot.com/2009/09/blog-post_7217.html
Μπράβο Μιχαήλ. Μας το έπαιξες έξυπνος. Και τώρα τι;
To Makis, whatever is your religion
Assalam alaykom, (Peace be with you)
It saddens me terribly to see such a display of ignorance in what Islam really means, and the worst characters associated with the power of the state. Show me where in Qura’n is written that those leaders of states have the right to kill people because they do not believe in Islam. Everywhere in the Qura’n it is written that religion is of free consent. It is not true Islam what you posted, and the only way to prove me wrong is to research the Qura’n, I won’t take anything less than the Qura’n itself. Preaching another religion to a Muslim without disrespect and blasphemy, which I define as calling names to Allah and his prophet, can not be punished. But insulting Allah and any of his prophets in front of a
Muslim who is literally a soldier in the army of Allah, can not be left unpunished. Everyone is free to choose any religion considers that is the Truth, and is also free to present it as one’s personal opinion, not as an absolute truth and mistreat the others who do not attach themselves to that opinion. I really hope I expressed right what I wanted to say, considering that I am not a Native English speaker, and that I am also emotionally involved. I am so positive that what is happening in Iran is wrong and has nothing to do with real Islam as to tell you that I will leave it myself, if you bring me the proofs that who ever ordered their deaths is right, according to it.. My sentence does not come out of taking religion and commitment to it lightly, but of certitude that you won’t be able to find any excuses in Qura’n for such a drastic behavior.
agapite maki…
salam aleikom
oxi idietera eksipni i enapo8etisi tou sigekrimenou ar8rou dioti den mas pi8ete afu einai ena ar8ro pou akoma ke i dosi ali8ias pu pi8anon na exei xanete me tin megali propaganda pou kanei…
enoite pos den eimaste iper kamias praksis vias(opos orizei kseka8ara to islam ke to quran), ke ego prosopika den eimai iper tou iranikou ka8estotos ke politikis gia diaforus logous. ke oso oi dio ginekes den evlapsan kanena musulmano (pou afto den to lei to ar8ro an egine i oxi) an 8eloun na pistevun i na min pistevun einai 8ema pou afora mono aftes ke kanena allo! kaneis den bori na kseri ti kani kapios spiti tu, idika an prosefxete i an nistevei i an den moixei i an exi agni kardia, i an plironei eleimosini!
etsi mono gia pliroforisi sas sto iran (me vasi to wikipedia) iparxune pano apo 600 ekklisies ke ekatondades xiliades xristianoi! prosfata malista pigan ke or8odoksoi klirikoi gia prosilitismo. giati dialeksan mono 2 ginekes na 8anatwsune ke tous allous olous oxi?
Gerasime sygxwritireia gia tin epilogi pou exeis kanei pou einai to SYMANTIKOTERO gia kathe anthrwpo to pws tha zisei tin zwi kai poia grammi me poio tropo tha akoulithisei. To islam (pou simenei ypakoi kai eirini) einai o dromos twn profitwn pou mas stalthikan kai olwn twn pragmatikwn pistwn pou exoun perasei, pernane, kai tha perasoun apo auto to mistireio pou legete zwi(i aliws dokimasia). To mono pou ksexwrizei apo ta gyro dimiourgimata ton antrwpo einai to mialo tou. Einai alitheia oti o antropos skeftete me basi auta pou kserei, to exoume zisei oloi auto kai to blepoume oti i mia pliroforeia pws mas alazei tin optiki kai ti skepsi mas, diladi mexri thanatou prepei na eimaste stin anazitisei tis gnwsis kai basi autis tis gnwsis tin epilogi tis swstis skepseis kai sti synexeia stin efarmogei tis (lew egw).. Gerasime sou diabazw ta sxolia sto forum kai eilikrina pernw mia xara kai geysi otan ta diabazw. Sou euxomai kali dokimasia…Allax na einai o boithos mas gia na ton thimomaste, na ton doksazoume kai na ton latreuoume..Amin
Maki (s) mono ena tha sou pw kai tha se afisw monos sou na krineis : Me ton sxolio pou ekanes mas fanikes poli agenis kai kakos parola mporei na eisai kalos kai euaisthitos.To idio kanoun kai ta MME gia tous mousoulmanous, psaxnoun kapoio lathos,sfalma i apotixia ton mousoulmanon (OXI TOY ISLAM) kai to dixnoun pws to islam einai etsi kai dinoun auto to minima pou theloun autoi stous anthropous pou den kseroun ti einai auto (diladi tous dinoun lathos gnwsi). Kai sou ypenthimizw oti oloi mas eimaste anthropoi kai olois mas kapou kanoume lathoi amarties ktl
To islam ws thriskeia den exei lathoi alla oi mousoulmanoi ws anthrwpoi kanoun lathoi.
I eirini kai i agapi tou theo mazi sas.!
Assalam Alekom, Brother Gerasimos
Thank GOD you found the truth,the true path that leads the followers to success.I don’t know when you last visited Greece but if you visit recently you’ll see the different scene.there are many rented house mosques almost in every area of athens and subarban area which you find packed for juma prayer and weekend gathering for zikar allah.and besides this if ever you come visit Greece again let’s know us we show you spiritual aspect of islam but practically.
My email’s tariqmuhammadkhan@hotmail.com
MAY ALLAH BLESS YOU AND DEEPEN YOUR FAITH.
Welcome to islam ,dear brother.
May Allah bless you and reward you for choosing the right and true path.
Ameen
ASSALAM-O- ALAIKUM. WR. WB. BROTHER,
A few days ago I wrote few words.I’m here again causing you disturbance,please don’t be angry. i know one greek student in uk is in the same situation as you experienced in the beginning due to which he joined non beleivers.All of us need to do our best to show sb the truth.My brother if you like i can give you his contact perhaps you may explain well on behalf of your experiences in your native language.May be your few words change his life.let’s try
muhammad tariq
athens greece
Salam,
Please brother Muhammad forward the contact of the Greek brother to info@greeksrethink.com, this is the best choice, the person in charge will contact him immediately. Br. Gerasimos is a manager of Greeks Rethink team, so this message will reach him also.
But the important thing is you to tell this brother to unite with us all to come on his own, not being isolated, so the best thing is that the brother in UK to contact with us. Our arms are open wide but we cannot give our support to people if they do not ask for it.
We converts have been there and we know how it feels.
Don’t worry about disturbance, we are a family and we can feel your concern.
Salam,
Glad to meet you Brother.
I give a website name, ‘answering christianity’ by Osama Abdullah a tallented palestine man by mercy of Allah. Anyway hope you forwarded to other fellow brother and sisters.
For further enquiry my e-mail
asadul_a@yahoo.com
Until Allah Bless us.
Dear Mr Loukatos, misery requires no work it happens life is not fair such are the temporal aspects of our existence. Happiness on the other hand we must work hard to attain it. The “easy” way to philosophic calm and and general contentment is “religion” based on one pivitol argument surreneder to the belief of the existence of god and you have inner peace…inner peace now thats a joke! All religions offer a “reward” if your actions are deemed worthy of god’s plan. My friend life is pain and to use religion as a drug or a sheild amounts to denial. Religion is more a socio-political -ism ,dressed with tradition and cultural tribalisms. Islam is only a religion of “peace” when everyone becomes a muslim! it is a brotherhood of the most henious violent subjugation of human existentialism.
Mr. Loukatos you have missed the point of your original christian faith…you try to analyze scripture but fail to accept the “mystery”. I was a muslim and converted to the only tue christian church the one you abandoned, like the Bosniacks under the Ottoman rule…submit or die yes this is a religion of peace.
Ali
Dear Ali Bashar,
The fallacy of your arguments and the twist in your logic show that though you claim you have been a Muslim you never really understood Islam!
At first, God does not exist since He has no beginning nor an end. That is the starting point in both religions Islam and Christianity. Thus, God cannot be found among created things! What exists is His signs all around us and the only “mystery” is how some people fail to recognize them.
Second, Islam is not a religion. The word “religion” comes from the Latin word “religio” which means “to bind together”. What we have “in common” is the essence of culture and tribalism and every -ism. Ironically , “Χριστιανισμός” or “Christianism” is an -ism by definition. Any -ism is derived when some people take one interpretation of what is said and they turn into a dogma, an absolute truth that can neither be proven nor can it be questioned once accepted.. You will never find an -ism in Islam or accepted by Islam had you studied it carefully. There is no Islamism or Islamist, Muhammmadism, extremism or any other -ism in Islam. These terms are ascribed to Islam either intentionally or unintentionally by people who are ignorant about Islam.
It follows that some ignorant Muslims will turn Islam into an -ism and the same happens to every system of belief. Christian priests preach unconditional love and at the same time they “baptize” everything other than the specific aspect of Christianity they adopt, as a work of the devil. And in much the same way as you, they claim that everyone else does not understand the scriptures. The question is was that what Jesus (PBUH) was teaching or some people’s interpretation of what he was teaching? Is it his message or is it an -ism?
So, your third fallacy is that you define your belief as sound based on your thorough study of the scripture , yet you define another belief based the actions of its followers selectively. Guess what! Christians, Muslims, Hindus or Buddhists may be ignorant of their scriptures but that is not a fault of the scriptures it is a fault of their own ignorance.
So, instead of using specific arguments that only serve your dogmatic ideas, I suggest you study the history of Islamic civilization in its totality before you arrive to your conclusions. In every civilization one can find the black spots. But to compare the best of “ours” and the worst of “theirs” is quite distorted, don’t you think?
Now, I understand misery very differently. Misery is not when your life is difficult nor is happiness when your life is easy. Misery is when you can’t recognize the blessing even in difficulty and when you are not happy with what you have. That doesn’t mean you cross your fingers and do nothing to improve yourself and become a better person with everything you possess. Misery is an attitude towards life, it doesn’t happen, we allow it to steer our life.
So, if we need to work hard on something that is on ourselves. If you have found the truth, live it and inspire others. Don’t go around trying to correct them just because they have a different belief than yours. You don’t know how well I know or understand the Christian scriptures nor did I come to you to question your faith. It was you own arguments that revealed your ignorance about Islam and one way or another no one forces you or should force you to accept it.
Finally, if there is one religion that uses philosophy to convince its believers they will find inner peace if they surrender themselves to it, that is Christianity. Maybe inner peace is a joke to you if you’ve never experienced it but keep the option that it might not be a joke after all. One thing is sure, you cannot fool yourself or convince yourself that you found inner peace. You will know that you found it when your mind doesn’t contradict your heart and vice versa. That’s where Christianity didn’t do the trick for me but it might work for others. That’s not my concern.
To me, life is a blessing even if it is a struggle. We are given all these gifts of hearing, sight and intellect among others but above all…consciousness! So, religious and God-conscious are two different things. Personally, I am striving to be God-conscious and I feel pity for the religious!
Gerasimos Loukatos
Assalamu aleikum brother Gerasimo,
I would very much like to to comunicate by Email with you do discuss about some aspects of your past. I am no scholar but I believe i can assist you. One of A.S.W”s greatest gifts to mankind is Muzakara that is roughly translated the sharing of empirical knowledge.I am in my late fifties and Muslim since 30 and 99% of what I learned is from others with simmilar love for Islam. Negative debates and diatribes only destroy ibada and iman. hope to hear from you, Masalam Noureddin
ps How good is your greek ?