Son Of Top Hamas Minister Converts To Christianity
31/07/2008
Haaretz
A moment before beginning his supper, Masab, son of West Bank Hamas leader Sheikh Hassan Yousef, glances at the friend who has accompanied him to the restaurant where we met. They whisper a few words and then say grace, thanking God and Jesus for putting food on their plates.
It takes a few seconds to digest this sight: The son of a Hamas MP who is also the most popular figure in that extremist Islamic organization, a young man who assisted his father for years in his political activities, has become a rank-and-file Christian. “I’m now called Joseph,” he says at the outset.
Masab knows that he has little hope of returning to visit the Holy Land in this lifetime.
“I know that I’m endangering my life and am even liable to lose my father, but I hope that he’ll understand this and that God will give him and my family patience and willingness to open their eyes to Jesus and to Christianity. Maybe one day I’ll be able to return to Palestine and to Ramallah with Jesus, in the Kingdom of God.”
Nor does he attempt to hide his affection for Israel, or his abhorrence of everything representing the surroundings in which he grew up: the nation, the religion, the organization.
“Send regards to Israel, I miss it. I respect Israel and admire it as a country,” he says.
“You Jews should be aware: You will never, but never have peace with Hamas. Islam, as the ideology that guides them, will not allow them to achieve a peace agreement with the Jews. They believe that tradition says that the Prophet Mohammed fought against the Jews and that therefore they must continue to fight them to the death.”
Is that the justification for the suicide attacks?
“More than that. An entire society sanctifies death and the suicide terrorists. In Palestinian culture a suicide terrorist becomes a hero, a martyr. Sheikhs tell their students about the ‘heroism of the shaheeds.’”
And yet, in spite of the criticism of the place he left, California can’t make the longings disappear.
“I miss Ramallah,” he says. “People with an open mind. … I mainly miss my mother, my brothers and sisters, but I know that it will be very difficult for me to return to Ramallah soon.”
The continuation of this article will appear in the Haaretz Weekend Magazine
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Oh shit! I hope that kid has good security. We all need to pray for him. He seems aware of the danger he is in so I have to assume that he is pretty much in hiding. It’s a dangerous path he has chosen but it is the right one and I salute his bravery.
July 31st, 2008 at 11:20 amWHAT THE HELL?
July 31st, 2008 at 11:28 amWhenever I think being a Christian is too burdensome, I should probably stop and think about this young man…..Kind of makes me feel stupid for being so petty about things. Always asking God for something, this kid GAVE UP to receive Jesus Christ.
May God protect him and give him the means necessary to get his message out to ALL muslims.
July 31st, 2008 at 1:09 pmPraise the Lord! God can save the worst of sinners, even a Jihadi! Jesus is coming soon.
July 31st, 2008 at 1:10 pmGod bless you Masab, you’ll be in all our prayers. If there’s one, there will be more. The pitiful life the Palestinians have chosen will drive the ones with insight away from the cult of death.
July 31st, 2008 at 1:46 pmAnd i thought my relatives gave my unce a hard time when he went from R.Catholic to baptist.
July 31st, 2008 at 3:41 pmSo which is the Religion of Peace and which is not? Interesting isn’t it, that when an Islamic terrorist jihadi scumbag converts to Christianity he suddenly develops a working conscience, support for God’s country.. Israel
and denouces jihadism.
This guy gave up everything to become a Christian. More than that he put his own life at risk for doing so.
This is what many ex-jihadis and Islamics are doing. Islam is only on the rise in the West. In the east it is dying of its own weight.
When this guy gets to heaven, it won’t be because he detonated a suicide vest in an act of murder. But rather:
“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.” (Matthew 16:29)
Welcome brother Masab.
July 31st, 2008 at 4:53 pmI hope no one hurts him
July 31st, 2008 at 5:08 pmtwo things come to mind 1)he could be lying. we on this website know that for a muslim, lying is okay in order to save your ass. 2)Jesus said in Luke 12:53 ‘the father shall be divided against the son,and the son against the father;’ Truer word have never been spoken. PRAISE GOD!!!
July 31st, 2008 at 7:30 pm