Yusuf Islam- book review

book title:The Boy Who Looked at the Moon: The Life and Times of Cat Stevens
Author: D.Evans
publisher: East-West Publications (UK) (1995)

Yusuf Islam original name was Steven Demetre Georgiou and born at 21 July 1948.his religion was Greek Orthodox.he is the younger out of three siblings.his parent run a restaurant at Shaftesbury Avenue,Britain. unfortunately, his parent got divorce and he follow his mother to Sweden. like his said "I was the only dark-haired, dark-eyed, olive-skinned boy in the whole blond- haired, blue-eyed school. At play time, I was the centre of attention. I had a section of the playground for myself where all the boys could come to take a look at me. This way, I got to choose who would be my friends that day, but it increased my sense of being an observer.". in this point, i realized that he is quite introvert child and like to observe people behaviour.

the career
He began to perform his songs in coffee houses and pubs and change the name to Cat Steven.The first singles, "I Love My Dog" and "Matthew and Son"reached Britain's Top 10, and the album itself began charting. after that he never look back and become a pop star. Stevens was living a fast-moving pop-star life and in early 1968 at the age of 19, he became very ill with tuberculosis. During several months in the hospital and a year of convalescence, Stevens began to question aspects of his life, took up meditation, read about other religions and became a vegetarian. During that time, as part of his spiritual awakening and questioning, he wrote as many as 40 songs, which were much more introspective than his previous work. Many of those songs were to appear on his albums in years to come.

in 1975, he got accident in Malibu, and he said to himself,"Oh God! If you save me, I'll work for you". fortunately, he save from the accident and searching for religious book and until last, he feel calm and feel after reading book giving by his brother.and that is Quran. in 1977, he converted to Islam and change name to Yusof . he also stop singing at his peak popularity.

today, he devoted his life service at Muslim community. he make another recording but more into education and religious song. Yusuf Islam become popular Muslim figure at the western country.

my opinion.
Yusof Islam just like a newborn baby. he got hidayah from Allah and now turn to pious Muslim. he dedicate his life and wealth now to Muslim society. give awareness to non-Muslim. he use his fame to tell the truth to Westerners.i anm glad to have him as brother in Islam.