“I found myself among these faithful hearts.”
A new Muslim now, the once strident Islamophobe, who produced an offensive film about Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), was among the great Muslim gathering of Hajj this year.
Since his spectacle conversion to Islam a year ago, Arnoud van Doorn, former leader of the far-right Dutch Geert Wilders’ Freedom Party (PVV) and a former anti-Islam activist, has become a dedicated follower of the very religion and the Prophet he harshly antagonized before, even becoming an inspiring example of a devoted Muslim.
Van Doorn bitterly regrets having taken part in the production and creation of the derogatory film Fitna (Sedition), declaring that his visit to the holy sites is just a little atonement for his sins.
“I hope that my tears of regret will wash out all my sins after my repentance”, Van Doorn told Saudi Gazette.
About the peace and tranquility he found during the soul-searching journey he articulated: “I found myself among these faithful hearts”.
A Thing of the Past
Van Doorn was among party leaders who helped produce the offensive film that linked Islam and the Qur’an to terrorism and violence.
But after worldwide Muslim outrage the movie provoked, and with the intention of producing another anti-Islam film, Doorn took to read and learn more about the Islam and its Prophet (peace be upon him), before becoming spiritually inspired by divine religion and later embracing it.
As a token of atonement, Von said he will produce a new film that will unfold the truth about essence of Islam and the correct noble personality of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Now he described Fitna as a blind hostility and totally wrong image which contained a lot of misleading and incorrect information that had nothing to do with the great divine and peaceful religion or its great Prophet.
“I felt ashamed standing in front of the Prophet’s grave. I thought of the grave mistake which I had made by producing that sacrilegious film”, he said.
“I hope that Allah will forgive me and accept my repentance.”
Unmatchable Joy in a Whole New Life
Doorn said that since his arrival in this holy land, he has been living the best days of his life, planning to spend more time in Madinah.
Doorn’s visit to the holy lands in Makkah and Madinah is not the first as, after his conversion, he had come to Saudi Arabia in February to perform `Umrah, where he met the two imams of the Prophet’s Mosque, Sheikh `Ali Al-Hudhaifi and Sheikh Salah Al-Badar, and where he acquainted himself more closely with the basics and rites of Islam.
“I find tranquillity inside my heart when I am near the Prophet Mohamed’s tomb,” he then said.
He was given sermons by the two imams on how to lead the life of a good Muslim and confront challenges facing Islam in the West.
“I will spare no efforts to protect the rights of Muslims in all European countries as well as to serve Islam and its followers throughout the world. I will try my best to repair the damage that I caused to Islam and its Prophet (peace be upon him) through the film ‘Fitna’,” he said then.
“I will use all my experience in producing an alternative film, which will speak about the true image of Islam and all aspects of the personality of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as well as his great qualities.”
About his Hajj experience the joy he felt for being in the holy city of Madinah, Doorn posted different tweets reflecting his feelings during Hajj.
“Prayer in the Sacred Rawda #Madinah,” Doorn said in a tweet.
“I’m not complaining about crowds at the Market on Saturday #Jamarat”
“Inspiring meeting with the Imam of The Prophets Masjid His Excellency Ali Al-Hudayfee,” he said in another tweet.
Expressing how Islam impacted his entire life Van said:
“Islam has filled the emotional void I have long desperately felt. I missed many things before embracing Islam,” Arnoud was quoted by Okaz.
“My previous life was futile and aimless.”
But, ”now with Islam, many things have changed” in his life, he added.
That’s why he decided to perform the Hajj; “to seek repentance and forgiveness from Allah.”
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Source: Saudi Gazette and Agencies