Top Catholic Christian priest Hilarion Heagy embraced Islam. His new name is Said Abdul Lateef.

 

“One simply can’t be a priest and monk publicly, and a Muslim privately.”

As per news outlet Ummid, Father Hilarion Heagy said his conversion to the Islamic religion is like "homecoming" and is actually a "reversion to Islam."

Heagy wrote in his blog post:

“It truly is like 'coming home.' My primordial faith. For the Qur’an states that we worshipped God alone and submitted to him since before we were even born.”

Further justifying his stance, Hilarion Heagy quoted from the Holy Quran:“And remember when your Lord brought forth from the loins of the children of Adam their descendants and had them testify regarding themselves. Allah asked, A 'Am I not your Lord?' They replied, 'Yes, You are! We testify.' He cautioned, 'Now you have no right to say on Judgment Day, ‘We were not aware of this.’ ' — Qur’an (7:172)"

Father Heagy, who had gained respect among his followers for being kind, holy, and exceptionally patient, was earlier a Russian Orthodox Monk.

Around 2003, Fr. Heagy converted to the Antiochian Orthodox Church, which he left in 2017 to join the Eastern Catholic Church. He then graduated from St. Nazianz's Holy Resurrection Monastery and became a Byzantine Catholic priest monk. He has since become a Muslim.

As per news outlet Ummid, Heagy added that this is the reason why people who convert to Islam don't speak about 'conversion' but about 'reversion' to Islam, which is a long process of returning.

Heagy said that ever since he announced the news of his conversion to Islam, he has been receiving heartfelt messages from Muslims.

“The warmth and hospitality that I’ve witnessed and received from the Muslim community is simply phenomenal. Never have I experienced such hospitality. The future, for me, is uncertain. A leap into the dark is always wrought with some anxieties."

Twitterati has been buzzing about the former Christian priest's conversion, with several users wishing him well on his journey.

Further in his blog post, he said that after making his decision to convert to Islam, he has been feeling "peace, joy, and relief" that "has finally led me home."

You can also watch a video regarding his announcement of Islam.

Hilarion Heagy Embraced Islam

California: Father Hilarion Heagy, a prominent Eastern Christian Priest based in California, United States has renounced Christianity and became a Muslim.

Fr. Hilarion Heagy, the American Priest who was earlier Russian Orthodox Monk, is highly respected among his followers who found him exceptionally patient, kind, and holy. 

“Fr. Hilarion Heagy converted to the Antiochian Orthodox Church around 2003. Left there to join the Eastern Catholic Church in 2017. He became a Byzantine Catholic priest-monk at Holy Resurrection Monastery in St. Nazianz, WI. Now he has become a Muslim”, a social media post said.

Fr. Hilarion Heagy said the flames of Islam had ignited his soul twenty years ago. But he announced his conversion to Islam only recently as he said:

“One simply can’t be a priest and monk publicly, and a Muslim privately.”

After making the announcement, the former Christian Priest, who was till recently planning to establish an Eastern Christian Monastery in California, said his conversion to Islam is actually “reversion to Islam” and “like home coming”.

“It truly is like “coming home”. My primordial faith. For the Qur’an states that we worshipped God alone and submitted to him since before we were even born”, Fr. Hilarion Heagy, who has changed his name to Said Abdul Latif, wrote in a blog post.

He also quoted from the Holy Quran to justify this. He writes:“And ˹remember˺ when your Lord brought forth from the loins of the children of Adam their descendants and had them testify regarding themselves. ˹Allah asked,˺ “Am I not your Lord?” They replied, “Yes, You are! We testify.” ˹He cautioned,˺ “Now you have no right to say on Judgment Day, ‘We were not aware of this.’ “ — Qur’an (7:172)

“It is for this reason that converts to Islam often do not speak so much of ‘conversion’ as they speak of a ‘reversion’ to Islam — our primordial faith. A long process of Returning”, he wrote. 

Fr. Hilarion Heagy, now Said Abdul Latif, has been received warmly by the Muslims.

“The warmth and hospitality that I’ve witnessed and received from the Muslim community is simply phenomenal. Never have I experienced such hospitality”, he wrote.

“The future, for me, is uncertain. A leap into the dark is always wrought with some anxieties.
“And yet, I feel such a peace. A joy. A relief. My pull towards Islam over twenty years has finally led me home. Now begins the work of entering deeper into the faith. A deeper learning. A love for the Deen. A love for the Ummah. A love for the Prophet ﷺ”, he wrote in the blog post.

The former Christian priest is receiving calls and messages from all across the world, majority of them being the people who are asking him the reason behind his decision to renounce Christ and embrace Islam.

“Since news of my embrace of Islam has now officially gone public, my message inbox has been jammed full and my phone has been ringing off the hook", he said in another blog post where he has also listed some of the resources that according to him, were very helpful for him and brought him to the current embrace of Islam.