According to Estebsar International Foundation, it has been 6 years that Dmitry Kartashev has converted to Islam and became Shia. He talks about his reasons for converting to Islam and says: “After studying a lot books about different religions, specially Christianity, I knew that this religion has a big problem and can’t answer my questions”.
Then I studied Quran and understood that this book is right and correct and doesn’t tell except the truth and wants to show human the truth and reality. Finally, after two years of hard studying, I became Muslim.
This Russian guided man who has been praying for 6 years states that: “I understood that Quran has clear and vivid outlooks about Tawhid ( belief in Oneness of God ). When I was studying about Christianity, I didn’t get the meaning of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and how did Christians get to this concept that Jesus is the Son of God. But Quran clearly says that God is One. This finding was very important for me.
Kartashev added: “I have read a lot about differences between Shia and Sunni and finally got that Shia is right because the beliefs and opinions of Shia are very clear. The other reason that led me to become Shia was the concept of Imamat. Shia has 12 Imams that all of them have been approved by the Prophet (pbuh) himself. So I found out that Shia is right. And their beliefs and opinions are based on the words and speeches of the Prophet. So, I conclude that Imams of Shia Muslims are all true and right.”
Kartashev called himself Amin after becoming Muslim. He also expressed : “I have tried a lot to introduce Islam to my family and my friends. But it isn’t an easy job, since they think that all Muslims are as rude as Wahhabis. Of course, I constantly try to introduce Shia Islam to them and to some extent, I‘ve been successful in introducing Islam to some of my friend”.
About the situations of Muslims in Russia, he said that the first problem is that they have to live among other infidel communities who easily commit sins and also there is corruption in this society. It must be said that Russian government gets into trouble with Wahhabis, but Shia Muslims don’t have problems with this government.
He added that people of Russia are worried about future and apocalypse. So we can promote and develop Islam in Russia by talking about justice, messiah, and apocalypse. We should introduce Imam Mahdi (as) to the people of Russia.
Dr. Kartashev’s points of view about apocalypse and reappearance of Imam Mahdi (as) is that with his reappearance justice will fill all the world and cruelty and oppression will end.
He added that characteristics and personality of Imam Mahdi (as) was very influential in my conversion to Islam because I found that the great man of Shia at the present time is an infallible Imam. And we should wait for this heavenly leader and also we should strongly believe that he will inevitably reappear.
If I meet, some day, Imam Mahdi(as), I will say to him: I ‘m ready to sacrifice myself for you and I will do whatever you command.
