Various important positions in government the United States (U.S.) once occupied Robert Dickson Crane. He served as foreign policy adviser to U.S. President to-37, Richard Nixon, from 1963 to 1968, and for a very short time deputy planning director of the National Security Council during the Nixon administration, as well as ambassador to the United Arab Emirates ( UAE) in the reign of President Ronald Reagan.
After embracing Islam, a man born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, March 26, 1929 is more involved in various activities to campaign about Islam. Crane journey in discovering Islam long enough. Crane ancestors of the maternal line came from mainland Europe who migrated to the Americas.
His family came to New Haven, Connecticut, in 1636. Some of them settled in Elizabethtown (now Elizabeth), New Jersey. While paternal grandmother came from the Cherokee Indians. Although derived from the Indian tribes, but the Crane family still come first educational affairs. Crane’s father was a lecturer at the Faculty of Economics, Harvard University.
While his mother’s large family known as the American public one financial backer Northwestern University. Therefore not surprising that from childhood to adulthood he gets an adequate education.
After completing upper secondary education, Crane had enrolled at Harvard University, but not until the end. Then he went on a baccalaureate level education at Northwestern University. After graduating from Northwestern, he was asked to help run the family business.
Then his parents asked him to continue studying at Harvard Law. Since young, Crane likes to write numerous articles. One of the articles ever written is about the strategy of the Soviet space. When the Cuban Missile Crisis broke out, he wrote a long article about the strategy of psychological warfare.
“I have suspected that the Soviets would win the missile crisis. Everyone thinks that the United States will subdue them, but to me it is clear that the purpose of Khrushchev (Soviet leader at the time, red) is not intimidating or using its mission to fight the United States.
The aim is to consolidate Communist power in Cuba. The trick is to install the missiles, then pull it back with a guarantee of America’s commitment not to interfere in the affairs of Fidel Castro, that’s what really happened,”said Crane in the book American Jihad, Islam After Malcolm X, by Steven Barbosa.
Without he guessed, the article read by the former number one in America, Richard Nixon. Nixon read it on the plane on a flight from California to New York. “He called me soon after landing, in January 1963, and asked if I would become advisers to foreign political affairs,” said Crane.
As an adviser to the president of course he must master the various aspects of issues related to foreign policy. Its main task then was to collect the best articles on every subject and combines all of the article into a book summary to be read by Nixon.
Variety of articles read, one of which is about religion. He was interested to read about the various religions. And he wanted to know about Islam. “At that time I’ve read a bit about Islam, because I think it would be the ally of the United States the most powerful and durable to resist Communism. For both of us, me and Nixon, looking at the world of Communism as a threat, “said Crane.
When Nixon was about to run for U.S. President, Crane was one of Nixon’s closest men who do not provide support. What’s more thoughts that are often at odds with a successful team leader Henry Kissinger, making him removed during the 1968 campaign.
Once elected to the 37th U.S. president, Nixon appointed Crane became deputy director of planning for the National Security Council. While the position of director held by Kissinger. However, a less harmonious relationship with Kissinger makes Crane out of the National Security Council.
Crane admitted at first never thought of Islam seriously. He knows about Islam is that a good Muslim to kill Christians and Muslims heaven like a house of prostitution. “I am very disgusted and never desire to learn this religion. Religion is very primitive. And I advised Nixon to use Islam as an ally against communism. I think Islam is a disgusting, but at least, can be used to fight communism, “he explained.
However, a banquet in Bahrain to change his views about Islam. It was the summer of 1977, Crane and his wife were in Bahrain. In the middle temperature is so hot, his wife asked him to accompany a look around the palace in Al-Muharraq, which is the oldest city in the world trade. The city consists of only narrow passageways, such as a chaotic road network.
This chaotic condition of the road which makes Crane and his wife got lost in the crowd. In a confused state, suddenly there was an old man passes in front of him and invites Crane to his home, not far from its location at the time. Crane and his wife then spent the rest of their days there. The host entertained them with a variety of foods.
“We talked about various things, and he said that he was a Muslim. I was fascinated because he’s really good people. We never talked about Islam. We talked about what is good in the world, about the bad things in the world, and about what is important in the world. Also about the role of God in the world, but not about the religion of Islam,”said he recalled.
Moment really made an impression on him. After the banquet, the crane started to wonder if he should begin to study Islam. He studied Islam, and realize that everything in Islam is really what has always believed.
In 1980, he had the opportunity to follow a conference on the Islamic movement in New Hampshire. The whole great thinkers of the world Islamic movement there. When lunchtime arrives, Crane prefer to join with the foreign guests. Had in mind when it was just a desire to learn as much as possible from them.
Without much question, Crane then follow in the footsteps of these foreign delegates to a room whose floor covered with carpet. At first he thought they were going to lunch. However, he realized that that day is Friday.
“They will perform Friday prayers. I decided I should leave them. But I think it would offend them. Then I just sat in the back room, “he said. Acting as the priest prayed at the time was Hasan al-Turabi, a leading figure of international Islamic movement from Sudan. Witnessing the prostration of Al-Turabi, Crane was stunned for a moment.
“I realized that he bowed to Allah. If he can prostrate to Allah so that means he is ten times better than me. I decided that I must kneel, “he thought. He was a model of it. At that moment, Crane prostrate and decide to become a Muslim.
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