How a Devout Catholic Became a Believer in Abdullah Hashem

As the viral surge surrounding Aba Al-Sadiq’s declaration of himself as the new pope continues to ripple through Christian and interfaith circles, one of his companions has emerged as a compelling figure: Tiffany Oldani. She has become a prominent voice for the movement. Engaging audiences through daily TikTok Live sessions and filming episodes alongside Aba Al-Sadiq to address common Christian misconceptions, she remains steadfast in her mission to challenge prevailing Christian narratives.

Raised in the traditions of American Catholicism, with the rhythms of Sunday Mass, school liturgies, and ritual sacraments, Tiffany Oldani began life fully immersed in the rituals and values of the Catholic Church. But questions came early, and answers—at least the kind that satisfied both heart and intellect—proved elusive.

As her doubts deepened, she found herself increasingly troubled by what she saw as irreconcilable contradictions between the life and message of Jesus and the actions of the Church. What emerged in its place was a new conviction—one she describes as rooted in reason, scripture, and the teachings of Aba Al-Sadiq.

That conviction hasn’t come without a cost. In the recent viral surge of Christian attention toward Aba Al-Sadiq’s message, she and others who have converted faced fierce backlash. Former Christians who embraced the new faith were branded “traitors” and “Judas,” their sincerity questioned, their motives attacked. Still, she remains unwavering in her belief—calling not for blind acceptance, but for honest investigation.

What follows is a true story of religious transformation, doubt, and conviction—from a childhood as a traditional Catholic, to an adulthood as a stern believer in the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light.

Were you very religious? How often would you go to church and study the Bible?

Tiffany as a young child in church

I am from Texas, which is a very traditional state. I was born into a Catholic family and raised within the Catholic tradition. And my family was very religious. I was raised in a conservative household where my parents were intentional about instilling Christian values and morals. I attended Catholic school until middle school, when we moved abroad to a place without a Catholic school.

We went to Mass every Sunday as a family, and my school also held a service on Fridays so I was attending Mass twice a week. Religion class was a regular part of my education. I received the sacraments, including Baptism, Eucharist, and Confession. I was actively involved, serving as an altar server and singing in the choir. Even as a child, I had a children’s Bible, and our lives were very much centered around our Christian faith.

What were questions that you had about your religion?

One of the main questions I had was about how Jesus’s death could absolve humanity from sin. The actual mechanism behind that or why it was necessary was never clearly explained to me in a way that made sense.

Did you ask questions to priests or family that they could not answer?

I didn’t bring this specific question to a priest, but in conversations with other Christians, the answers I received often relied heavily on emotion or blind faith in Jesus, rather than logical reasoning. While I respect the faith of others, I personally wasn’t satisfied with those responses. No one could explain why God would need to come to earth in order to die for mankind’s sins. It just didn’t add up for me, and I began to wonder if something was wrong with me for not being able to accept it without evidence.

When did you realize that something was not right with Christianity?

As a teenager, I began to seriously question my faith. I was disturbed by the widespread sexual abuse scandals in the Catholic Church, which shook my trust in the leadership—from priests to the pope. I also noticed a stark contrast between the wealth and extravagance of the Church and the humble way that Jesus lived. Visiting the Vatican, I saw an opulent palace filled with golden treasures, while so many people around the world lived in abject poverty. That didn’t reflect Jesus’s teachings. 

I also felt that the Church was stuck in the past. Jesus was no longer physically present, so the pope held the authority to address modern issues—but there seemed to be a reluctance to do so. For example, the Church’s lack of acceptance toward the LGBTQ+ community and limited roles for women in leadership stood out to me. According to the Gospels, Jesus welcomed all people, especially those who were marginalized by society.

Over time, these contradictions made it clear to me that the institution of the Church didn’t align with the teachings of Jesus. Still, I remained a practicing Catholic into adulthood, even though my questions never truly went away. I wanted God but sort of gave up hope that His guidance was present in organized religion.

Were there any behaviors or instances of misconduct among priests or religious leaders in your community that surprised you or made you question their sincerity?

I want to be fair and transparent in saying that I never personally witnessed any misconduct. However, there was one practice that always puzzled me. In my church, we had two priests. One seemed to be a permanent fixture. He had been there for many years. The other, however, rotated regularly; every year or two, a new priest would arrive to replace the previous one.

Years later, I discovered that this pattern of constant rotation was not coincidental. It was part of a deliberate strategy used by the Catholic Church to conceal allegations of misconduct. Priests who had been accused were quietly transferred to different dioceses, effectively hiding the accusations rather than addressing them. When I learned this, especially in the context of the broader scandal surrounding the Church, I was alarmed. I realized that what once seemed merely odd was, in fact, evidence of a cover-up.

Before joining the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, did you explore or express interest in other religions?

When I lost faith in the religious institution of the Church, I still believed in the message of Jesus and I still wanted to find God but I didn’t know where to look. One of the biggest obstacles I faced when considering a change in religion was precisely that: my belief in Jesus. I couldn’t renounce Him, and for that reason, I couldn’t seriously consider Judaism.

In Islam, while I admired many teachings, I found that their view of Jesus was limited to that of a prophet. But I believed that Jesus was more than that. Biblically speaking, he was unique among the prophets and messengers. He reflected the divine attributes of God in the most complete way.

What ultimately drew me to this faith was that it affirmed my understanding of Jesus. Not as the absolute divine in the Trinitarian sense, but as a perfect messenger of God and a manifestation of God’s will in creation. I converted directly from Christianity to this faith.

What else convinced you as a Christian of Aba Al-Sadiq’s teachings?

What first drew me in was the logic in his teachings—I couldn’t deny the truth in what he was saying. One of the core ideas is that God has never left humanity without a guide. Throughout history, He has always appointed a representative—a messenger—to lead people.

That made complete sense to me. God is infinite and beyond our comprehension, so how would He communicate with us? He sends a manifestation of Himself in human form: God in creation. This helped me understand Jesus’s role: Jesus was God’s messenger, a manifestation of God in creation, sent to guide his people. This was a much more satisfying explanation than the confusing “Trinity” doctrine.

The concept of God in creation also extends to other prophets like Muhammad, who was a manifestation of God's spirit in his time. And it applies today as well—God’s guidance doesn’t stop. It continues with a living guide in every era. Otherwise, we’re left to wander in misguidance. That idea resonated deeply with me.

It also explained why the Catholic faith had felt so stagnant and leaderless—because the institution was no longer following a living messenger of God. In this faith, everyone is welcome—regardless of gender, race, or sexual orientation. Unlike the exclusionary institutions I had grown up with, here I found a message that truly reflected the inclusivity and justice of God.

Another powerful concept was the rejection of man-made political systems. Scripture shows that God always chose His messengers—never did He tell the people to elect their leaders. Democracy, in that sense, is completely out of step with divine scripture. As someone disillusioned by politics, this message made sense. How could Christians justify being ruled by laws that go against their faith? That contradiction had bothered me for years—and now I understood it as a consequence of turning away from God’s appointed leadership.

In this faith, I learned that religion is not about rituals—it’s about humanity. It’s about God, through His messenger, uplifting the world. Every point I learned was logical and evidence-based, not dependent on feelings or blind faith. I’ve believed in this for nearly 12 years, and I’ve never encountered a more coherent or rational explanation of religion.

What do you think about the recent reactions of the Christians to the call?

There seem to be two types of reactions. The first is very emotional and defensive. Some people react hysterically, and I understand that—it’s painful to realize you’ve been deceived by the very institution you trusted to guide you. What’s more surprising is how some Christians—people who claim to follow Jesus—have shown behavior and attitudes that contradict his character entirely.

There’s also a lack of scriptural reflection. Slandering and making false accusations is a dangerous thing to do and it’s in the Bible. For example, in the Gospel of John, when Jesus was being accused of being a false messiah, Nicodemus—a Pharisee—defended him and asked, “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?” (John 7:51). I see many Christians doing today exactly what was done to Jesus—judging without investigation. Maybe they prefer following a distant, historical messenger over someone alive among them. But Jesus said the work of God is to recognize the one He has sent. (John 6:29) If people took a step back and listened objectively, I don’t believe they could deny what’s being said. No one has presented a reasonable or logical counter to any of Aba Al-Sadiq’s teachings.

On the other hand, there’s a quieter group, those who recognize the truth in what he’s saying. Some have commented that while they’re not ready to fully believe, they do acknowledge the truth in his words. That’s the seed of hope. If those individuals sincerely seek the truth, it will lead them straight to him.

What do you feel they do not understand about their religion?

Most Christians today follow a religion shaped more by the teachings of Paul than by Jesus himself. Many are unaware of this, but I encourage them to research it. Paul never met Jesus and wasn’t divinely appointed—so he had no authority to alter Jesus’s message.

If you remove Paul’s influence, you’ll see that Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom of God—God’s rulership over the earth. That’s exactly what this faith teaches. There is nothing in this faith that contradicts Jesus’s message. In fact, it is the only religion I’ve found that aligns fully with Christ’s teachings. That’s because Jesus and Aba Al-Sadiq were both sent by the same God.

What would you like to tell them?

The most important thing is this: don’t take this lightly. God is calling you, and this is not a matter you can afford to get wrong. I urge you to approach this with sincerity. Don’t seek confirmation of what you already believe, seek only the truth. God guides those who are sincere. Don’t rely on scholars or religious figures to tell you what to believe. Otherwise, you may end up like those who clung to the Pharisees and rejected Jesus.

Investigate for yourself. Ask questions. We’re here to help. Even if the news is shocking, don’t judge it without investigation.