By N.Z.
I was born and raised in a Muslim family in India. Growing up as a typical Muslim, I prayed and fasted. I was taught, to go to paradise, I must practice the compulsory five pillars of Islam: Shahada, prayer, zakat, fasting and pilgrimage. As all Muslims say, I thought Islam is a non-violent religion, and Muhammed is a prophet and the most holy man ever to live on the Earth. Many of my Hindu friends claimed Muslims conquered India. They demolished multiple Hindu temples and forced countless Hindus to convert to Islam. But at that, I defended Islam and assured my friends it is a peaceful faith.
One day after praying, I asked a man with a huge beard, “Who is Allah?” Men with large beards are considered holy in Islam. Rather than answering, he told me it was a horrible question and I should not ask or think about who Allah is. Then He asked for my father’s name and address. This scared me. To get away from him, I apologized for my question.
The first time I heard about Jesus was from my mother’s elder brother who had converted to Christianity. I did not hear the gospel from him but I heard he became a Christian. I didn’t give it much thought until I faced a turning point in my life. When my mother died suddenly, I began thinking about life after death. What happens when we die?
There was no peace in my life. I was desperately searching for answers. One day, I saw a church on the road and went inside to ask who Jesus is. The pastor told me Jesus is God, and He loves me and died for my sins. Hearing this, I felt great joy and relief from my concerns about life beyond death. I was overjoyed to hear the God of the universe loves me.
I began reading the Bible and Quran to learn about Jesus. I found, contrary to what the Quran claims, Jesus indeed is God and not a prophet. Jesus did many amazing things and never sinned. Reading the Bible, I learned we cannot earn our salvation through good acts. Only Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross can redeem us.
My life changed dramatically when I encountered Jesus and learned about the powerful message of salvation. I found true peace and purpose in my life. I repented, accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord, and took water baptism on March 10, 2003. My mission since then is to actively proclaim Jesus’ truth to transform lives and build devoted followers of our Lord Jesus.
N.Z has a bachelor’s degree in biblical studies and is currently working on his master’s degree. He lives with his wife and daughter. N.Z. shares the gospel in labor camps in the United Arab Emirates, hoping to lead other Muslims to Christ through his ministry. If you’d like to contact him, you can do so at: trinityministry-usa.com
