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 nonviolent religion, and Muhammed is a prophet and the most holy man ever to live on the Earth.
Many Hindu friends claim Muslims conquered India, demolishing multiple Hindu temples and forcing countless Hindus to convert to Islam, but at that time, 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.
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. 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 only heard he became a Christian.
A turning point in my life came when my mother died suddenly. I was thinking about life after death.
There was no peace in my life. 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.
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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 all the amazing things and never sinned.
Reading the Bible, I learned we cannot earn our salvation via 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 lived and worked in the Middle East. He is the founder of Trinity Ministry USA and is part of a nondenominational church.
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