Cat Stevens, now known as Yusuf/Cat Stevens, has revealed that a near-death experience in 1976 prompted his conversion to Islam. The 72-year-old singer shared his story during an appearance on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs on 28 September.
Born Steven Demetre Georgiou, Stevens recalled swimming off the coast of Malibu when he was caught in a dangerous current. He said: 'I decided to turn back and head for shore and, of course, at that point I realised, “I’m fighting the Pacific.” There was no way I was going to win. There was only one thing to do and that was to pray to the almighty to save me. And I did.'
He described how a small wave pushed him back to shore, leading him to believe his prayer was answered. Following the incident, his brother gave him a Quran. Stevens said: 'I would never have picked up a Quran. But it became the gateway. After a year I could not hold myself back. I had to bow down.' He formally converted in 1977 and adopted the name Yusuf Islam the following year.
Stevens told host Lauren Laverne that the reaction to his conversion was mixed. In Turkey, he was 'raised on a pedestal', while others saw him as 'a bit of a traitor' for 'turning Turk'. He added: 'That was very difficult because at one point I was an icon of the majority and now I am part of the minority who are looked down upon and certainly, to a large extent, misunderstood.'
He also addressed the media's portrayal of him as a supporter of the fatwa against Salman Rushdie in 1989, calling it one of the most upsetting times of his life. Stevens said: 'I was certainly not prepared or equipped to deal with sharp-toothed journalists. I was cleverly framed by certain questions. I never supported the fatwa. I had to live through that.'
