Dubai, September 11: The Holy Quran is an inexhaustible guidebook for all mankind, its miracles are endless and, it best suits all times and places, according to an ex-German diplomat here.
“I never stop reading the Quran. I changed and my problems as well. However, I always find perfect answers in the Quran,” said Dr Murad Wilfried Hofmann, winner of the Islamic Personality prize, which is part of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award.
Hofmann then said that being selected as the Islamic Personality of the year is an honour to him and to all Muslims in Europe and the West.
“It is a nice gesture to more than 30 million Muslims in Europe. Such a move proves that Muslims all over the world are one nation,” he said.
Talking about his journey with Islam, Hofmann said he was first connected with Islam in Algeria where he held his first posting as a German ambassador.
“I always wondered how the Algerians were so disciplined though they were suffering. I therefore, read about their Holy Book, the Quran,” he said.
“I then got touched by the Islamic and Arab architecture in Spain and Tunisia, where I regularly go for vacation. It is an elevated art other than the cold Greek and Roman one.”
For his son’s 18th birthday, Hofmann gave him a gift of 14 papers on which he wrote what he believed to be true religion.
When Hofmann later met a Muslim scholar named Mohammed Rasul and showed him a copy of the 14-page gift, he told him that he was a Muslim if he truly believed in what he wrote.
In 1980, Hofmann reverted to Islam. He then wrote many books, book reviews and hundreds of articles about Islam in German.
His ‘Diary of German Muslim’ was well received.
Fifty copies of that book were even distributed to all German embassies in Muslim countries as instructed by the German Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Retiring in 1994, Hofmann dedicated all his time in service of Islam.
He gave hundreds of lectures in the US and Europe.
“I never said what I wanted. I always asked the audience what they want me to talk about.
“They better know about their countries and problems,” he said.
Hofmann then said he has not changed his official name ‘Wilfried’ which means a man with a strong will but for peace.
“My Turkish wife is the one who has chosen my Muslim nickname ‘Murad’,” he said.
Hofmann then called upon Muslims to smartly call for Islam telling people what Islam is, not what it is not.
“It is much better to talk about Islam and jazz, not about Islam and terrorism”, Hofmann said.
–Agencies