Part 2 in a two-part series about a young Muslim man’s quest for true religion. Click here for part 1.
Frontiers worker Michael was discouraged. He and his family had given so much to bring the Gospel to Nahrayn, a village they helped rebuild after an earthquake. In spite of their efforts, they saw no spiritual fruit.
But instead of giving up, Michael committed to a week of prayer.
“God, I would be so encouraged to meet one person You’ve shown Yourself to,” he prayed. “Please show me that You haven’t given up on the people of Nahrayn.”
At the end of his week of prayer, Michael got a phone call from an unknown number.
“My name is Sohail,” said the unknown caller. “You don’t know me, but I’m from Nahrayn, and I’m a new follower of Jesus. I want you to teach me from the Bible.”
After a moment of stunned silence, Michael asked, “How did you get my phone number?”
“From my Uncle Amir,” Sohail replied. Hearing the trustworthy name of Amir, his right-hand man in Nahrayn, Michael agreed to meet Sohail.
Could this be who I’ve been praying for—someone God’s been showing Himself to? Michael wondered.
When they met, Sohail shared about the pure faith he had witnessed—not in Islam, but through the love and care of Bashir, the follower of Jesus he met in prison.
Through their Bible studies, Sohail quickly grew in faith in Christ.
“Who else needs to hear what you’re learning?” Michael asked him at the end of every lesson. Sohail responded that everyone needed to hear from God’s Word. He began sharing the Gospel with others in Nahrayn while also finding ways to serve his community.
It wasn’t long before several of Sohail’s friends and his mother, and siblings started following Christ. After wedding the woman his family had arranged for him to marry, Sohail led his new wife to Jesus too.
But he’s faced severe persecution. One time, a group of men came to his house and beat him for his faith. The worst offense came from an old man who used his walking stick to break Sohail’s shoulder bone.
Others in the village came to Sohail’s defense. The young believer was known for doing good in the community. Before a crowd of hundreds, a village elder ordered Sohail’s attackers to ask for forgiveness and pay him a fine of about six month’s wage.
“I forgive you,” Sohail told his attackers. “And you don’t have to pay me anything. Jesus Christ gave Himself to forgive us. He freely forgave me, so I freely forgive you.”
- Pray that Sohail’s testimony will win many to the Lord. Pray that his persecutors will know the love and forgiveness of Christ.
- Pray also for Muslim-background believers like Bashir and Sohail to glorify the name of Jesus by loving and serving others.
- Ask the Lord to encourage field workers to “not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).
**This account comes from a long-term worker. Names and places have been changed for security.**
Original article: https://www.frontiersusa.org/blog/article/sohails-journey-of-faith-part-2
