First published on: Vince Vocarelli, From Notorious to Righteous


  Abeer Eltahan

     Vince Vocarelli was one of the most notorious Italian gang leaders in Australia.  The Mafias didn’t even want him because he was too crazy.  In his late thirties, his twenty-two years old stepson was killed in an attempted assassination on Vince Vocarelli’s own life.  That was the sixth attempted assassination and it really stopped him to think. He was imprisoned for fifteen months; on drugs and gun charges; in isolation where he read the Quran, said it spoke to him, and found Allah and Islam in 2012.

Vocarelli’s Journey to Islam


     The journey he took from being notorious to righteous was long, heartbreaking and miraculous. He was feared by everyone he encountered, even the police, hurt so many people and done all sorts of sins and crimes. Vocarelli hit his wife and betrayed her so many times that she feared even leaving him.  He abused alcohol and drugs and even had his own gang.

That horrific person, had two gang members blow themselves up in a try to assassinate him and yet he was spared.  Vence reverted to Islam after losing his stepson, his imprisonment, then his father’s death just two hours before his release, Vocarelli changed his ways.  He said: “When I read this verse (and for each community there is an appointed term. When their time arrives, they can neither delay it for a moment, nor could they advance it.) [quran.com/7/34] (1), I was very moved.  Regardless of me being a gangster, it was my son’s time to die”.  Vocarelli gave up addiction to alcohol, drugs, his criminal life and turned it all around.

Vocarelli After Islam and Effect on Others


     From Vince Vocarelli to ‘Imran Abdul-Salam, from Notorious to righteous and from sinful to a truthful, generous and honest Muslim. The first thing Vocarelli did after fifteen months of imprisonment was to offer Salaht (Islamic prayer) and then visited his son’s grave.

On account of the miraculous transformation she witnessed on him, Vince Vocarelli’s wife reverted to Islam and wears Hijab now.

Islam: Happiness, Mercy and Humanity


Many people even former friends and gang members accepted Islam following his revert. He even works with convicts and addicts providing guidance and help. Abdul Salam says: (Islam made me be born again. I cannot picture to you how much happiness and satisfaction that fills my heart after my conversion to Islam.)

Abdul Salam now owns a restaurant on Carrington Street feeding the homeless on Tuesdays nights and donating to the needy. Vocarelli became an effective active member in his community.  Then, the Australian government deported him back to Italy and now he resides in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Furthermore, Vince is now actually a caller to Islam that is active and striving to please His Lord.  Vocarelli’s target audience is youths because he realizes how vulnerable and important, they are out of his own experience being on the other side of the fence. 

Conclusion


This is Vocarelli’s story who was daring enough to make the most important decision in his life. What about you? You can know how to be a Muslim right now!