How Cat Stevens Became Yusuf Islam

In a thread about music, I noticed someone mentioned Cat Stevens. Many people probably know that Cat left the music industry after converting to Islam in the 1970s. I found this program on YouTube and really enjoyed hearing his story:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcgCdn8I8kU

 

The world misses Cat. But he is a man of his word. Hard to come by folks like that. I wonder if he ever picks up a guitar and sings a verse or two of Morning Has Broken.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0TInLOJuUM

 

Thanks, June.

Here is a 2009 performance of the same song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzq6U-w9_OI

 

Wow, Jordan! I thouroughly enjoyed that. What a great video, and music from the heart of a talented and sincere human being. I did not know that he had played in public in all these years. Was that some charity concert or something?

 

He is back on the concert circuit playing his old & new songs. He just finished touring Australia & New Zealand. You can catch him on his Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/yusufofficial#!/yusufofficial?v=wall

 

When he comes to Atlanta, Hank will be there!

Thanks for that, Nwspin.

 

He did not, actually. He left music for about 25 years and has only recently started to perform again. Most of the proceeds of his work go to charity. He has established numerous charitable projects and has been especially active in Bosnia. If you get the chance to watch the first video, he explains that he was not happy with his previous lifestyle, which was all about fame and fortune and did not feed his soul. I have heard him speak numerous times and feel emotionally moved each time he tells his story.

 

He's a phenomenal talent, and a beautiful soul.

 

I was and still am a huge Cat Stevens fan and love playing his music on my guitar. In my opinion however, religion really screwed him up causing him to dump his true gift of music. It was only a matter of time before something sucked him in as he went through all of the hippy stuff, then astrology, drugs ... heard it all before. It took him about 25 years to get his head screwed on again and finally pick up a guitar again thank goodness. What a shame he went AWOL for 25 years though all because of religion.

Scott

 

Now if I remember the interview correctly, when Cat was drowning in the undertow, he pledged that if God would save him he would give up performing for the rest of his life. So after 25 years, has God given him a reprieve from that oath? What puts him back performing?

 

If it was Cat's pledge to God, it doesn't mean it was God's pledge. I don't think God barters with us, holding us to promises that we make that have nothing to do with God's love or guidance. I'm sure Cat realized that after all these years.

 

I'd be inrerested to know Cat's thinking on that. Perhaps Jordan knows.

 

Hank,
I may be mistaken, but I don't think that is exactly what he said. I think he said that he would serve God, but not specifically that he would give up performing. As I mentioned above, fame and fortune never made Cat happy or fulfilled. It was life in the fast lane, and he basically hit rock bottom due to all the stuff he was involved in. He wanted to leave performing because he no longer wanted the reckless, hedonistic lifestyle, which included women, drugs, etc. He knew that this was not the lifestyle of a person who strives to please God and serve him. He thus wanted to be free from all of this and start fresh, away from the spotlight.

When Cat became a Muslim, he soon found out that many/most Islamic schools of thought prohibit singing and music, except for very specific types that are religious in nature. If a religious Muslim does sing, he is typically singing to praise God and does not aim to achieve rock-star status or become a sex-symbol. As a new Muslim, Cat wanted to be on the safe side and do other things with his life, which included starting a family and working in God's service, helping orphans, building schools and starting many charitable projects.

After some time, he started singing for Muslim children as there are very few English-language Islamic songs for kids.

More recently, he became more open to other Islamic schools of thought, which do allow for singing/music on a very subdued level. When Cat (Yusuf) sings in front of audiences these days, he only sings songs with meaningful themes and lyrics and stays away from anything containing offensive themes and lyrics. He does not present himself as a sex-symbol and uses the money he makes to continue his charitable projects. His performances are also a means of reconnecting with fans and sharing his new faith and lifestyle with interested people.

Scott, if you get the chance to watch the first video posted above, I think you will find that Yusuf did not lose or waste the last 25 years of his life due to religion. To the contrary, this is an extremely strong-willed person who was able to abandon fame when he was at the height of popularity. He knew that music, singing, money and popularity were not everything in life and that he had better and greater work to do. It is true that he has great talent, but he finally found a way to use his talent to serve God and not just himself. Additionally, his conversion to Islam was genuine and not just a passing diversion like astrology. His faith in God is what has enabled him to help countless suffering people.

If I seem keen to explain all this, it is because I am proud to have Cat Stevens as a spokesman for Islam. He is a very good role model for Muslims around the world, and I especially like the way he is able to reach out to people of other faiths.

 

His website (http://www.catstevens.com/) contains more information about his life and thoughts, including this:

Ultimately, the reason for Yusuf’s return to music and performing is simple, he explains. “The language of song is simply the best way to communicate the powerful winds of change which brought me to where I am today, and the love for peace still passing through my heart. I feel gifted to have that ability still within me. I never wanted to get involved in politics because that essentially separates people; whereas music has the power to unify, and is so much easier for me than to give a lecture.”

At this he smiles knowingly. “You can argue with a philosopher, but you can’t argue with a good song. And I think I’ve got a few good songs.”

Source: http://www.yusufislam.com/biography/

 

Good for him, and for us. Thanks, Jordan.

 

When I watched the oiginal viedo, I though for sure I had heard his prayer to God to say if you will save me I will run to you. Then he spent many years discovering just how to do that. Thank-you Jordon for bringing me that testimony. It just shows how one person can make a difference and find a way to bring his music (something he never stopped his love for) into his personal belifs and faith. I also felt that, apparently, this man was destined to remain famous regardless of his path.

 

a talented musician in deed

Something in my gut tells me that although he's professed to Islam that perhaps one day he will explore the possibility(s) of Christianity. Nothing I've read or watched; just something within my gut. I hesitated writing this even as I don't want to get into a discussion but something - maybe a feeling I have that before his life ends he will possibly explore the words of Jesus.

 

Holly,
This struck me, too, and is something I was discussing with my children the other day. I believe we all born with special talents and skills, blessings and resources, but that our job is to find out how to channel them into something productive. Even being born into a "bad" situation can be the catalyst that drives one to do great things.

There is one other thing I wanted to mention about Yusuf's decision to return to music...
Something I heard him discuss in a different interview several years ago is the fact that his music was still being sold, whether he liked it or not, due to whatever agreements he had with the record producers so many years ago. Getting back into the industry on his own terms gave him a chance to take control over his image/brand and change it to something he was more comfortable with. When he was absent from the music scene for so long, people only remembered Cat's songs and wild image and did not know/realize who he had become in the meantime.

 

Aladdin,
I believe that some people in this life have something special that shows in their face/eyes. It is the light of faith and sincerity that is clearly visible and makes others feel that they have come into contact with a true believer. I believe that Cat Stevens is the type of person who makes people feel this way, and perhaps you (like many others) feel/recognize this. In Yusuf's case, the choice he made was very deliberate as he was raised a Christian and has specific issues with Christianity that he has outlined in an essay he once wrote (which I will paste below). Only God knows what path we will ultimately take in life, but I do want to mention once more that Jesus is an important prophet in Islam. Like Yusuf, I was raised among Christians but feel I did not truly know, understand or "find" Jesus until I became a Muslim.