In my home country, I worked in an import and export business and followed the Sufi path in Islam alongside my younger brother. I devoted myself to studying the Quran and Hadith, but I struggled with how God was described. Titles like “the deceiver,” “the avenger” and “the proud” disturbed me deeply. I couldn’t reconcile these attributes with the idea of a merciful and loving God, and the scholarly interpretations left me unsatisfied.

I began to search what other religions said about God. I moved to Jordan and met a Salafi sheikh. I shifted from Sufism to strict Salafism, which led me into a mindset of hatred and fanaticism, even toward other Muslims. My upbringing in my home country, marked by sectarianism, only intensified my aggression and unnatural hatred.

I would share my doubts with the sheikh, doubts for which no one had been able to give me answers. I asked difficult questions:

• Who is better – the God or the Prophet of Islam?
• Why does God describe himself with attributes of arrogance, assault, violence and revenge?
• Where are mercy, forgiveness and accepted repentance with God?

I returned to searching. Eventually, I began exploring other religions and encountered the Bible. For the first time, I felt God’s love and my own worth. The gospel revealed truths that challenged the distorted ideas I had learned about Christ and Christianity. I realized many of Islam’s claims about Jesus were not found in the Bible itself. Through the gospel, I came to understand the incarnation of Christ in a way that was both logical and spiritually fulfilling.
I left the circle of revenge, killing and fanaticism found in Islam and stepped into the light of love and forgiveness in Christ. God answered all the questions I had about Islam through the gospel. The God Who communicates with those who seek Him and connects with the thoughts of their hearts is the One worthy of following and believing in.

I felt like I was being transformed, and the scales fell from my eyes. I was freed from the slavery of hatred and sectarianism into a life of comfort, love and unconditional acceptance in Christ.

When I returned home and shared my newfound faith in Christ, my brother openly threatened me. I left home again and took my family to Egypt. There, we found a place to be discipled and eventually met Pastor “B,” who baptized our two daughters and began training me in ministry.

Now, we will return to our home country – but not as we left it. We left confused and lost, and we will return as believers and evangelists to plant churches.