THOUGHTS ON MY 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF BEING FREE
Life has suprising twists and turns which are unexpected. at age 16 I was sentenced to 10 years and transferred to a maximum security prison upon my 17th birthday. I knew I didnt want to continue living life being in a gang, because this would lead me to death or Life in prison all for something pointless. So, I sought out for truth and began reading about many different paths and studied their scriptures and lessons. Upon researching the different religions Shia Islam held the proofs and guidance I was searching for. We are all lost without the guidance of of our Imam (as). Let us take a moment to thank God for bringing us out of the darkness of a life of ignorance into the light of Truth. May we all remain firm on this path.
“Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower.” Quran 3:8
رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّابُ – 3:8
I am very thankful that I was able to use my time from an early age, of accepting Islam when I was 17 years old, to study numerous books over the 9 years of my incarceration. I looked at being in prison as being in a University, instead of being in an actual prison.
I was finally released on August 1st 2007 and I cannot even begin to explain the feeling of that day! Upon coming home I set out with certain goals in life and by Gods grace I was able to achieve many of them. Some of the things that have helped me the most during this journey of life was having strong determination, being organized, making action plans, not listening to others who try to discourage you or tell you that you can’t do something and most of all being consistent.
My story (filmed in 2011):
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Published by Sheikh Mateen Charbonneau
Joshua Charbonneau is an American Muslim. He was born in 1982 in Sumter, South Carolina. He is of French Canadian and American descent. He was born into a Christian family, and later chose to revert to Shi’a Islam at the age of 17, having studied both faiths. After reverting to Islam he chose the name Mateen which in Arabic means strong, firm and unshakable. His first language is English and he also learned Quranic Arabic.
At age 26 he moved to Washington, DC area and has been an active part of the Muslim community. He took part in a documentary by Al-Anwar Hussain TV entitled Journey of the Spirit where he narrated his incredible story on how he became a Shia Muslim.
Since March of 2013 he has been studying Howza (Islamic Seminary) classes in America and Najaf al-Ashraf under esteemed scholars such as Sheikh Mustafa Akhound, Sheikh Mirza Abbas Shamsuddin, Sheikh Saed Kulayni, Sheikh Mohammad Baghernejad, Sayed Ibn Abbas Naqvi, Sheikh Mohammad Jafar Danesh, Sayed Baqir Imrani, Sayed Raad al-Alawi and Sayed Muhammad Baqir Shirazi.
Sheikh Mateen has also written, compiled and published some very in-depth books entitled The Suffering of the Ahl ul Bayt and their Followers (Shia) throughout History, Christians who defended and died for Prophet Muhammad and his Family (English, Spanish, French), Mystery of the Shia, a Study Guide for Logic and an extensive book of narrations entitled Prophetic Gems, A Commentary to the Faith of Shia Islam (Aqaed Imamiyya) of Allama Muzaffar (4 volumes) and Recalling the Sacrifices of Karbala. These titles are available at Amazon.
In 2014 he founded a nonprofit organization to send free books to prisoners entitled 2nd Chance Books, which was filmed about in a documentary by Ahlul Bayt TV entitled Faith Behind Bars.
He received his turban from the hand of Sheikh Ahmad al-Haeri on the martyrdom of Muslim ibn Aqil (ra) / Day of Arafat in 2016 and also from Marja’ Ayatollah Sayed Muhammad Taqi Modarresi in the Holy city of Karbala on the birth anniversary of Imam Sajjad (as) in 2018.
View all posts by Sheikh Mateen Charbonneau
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