We Need to Belong

When a Muslim comes to faith in Christ they can face acute pressures and physical danger from their family and community. ‘Karim’ has shared his experiences and thoughts on how British churches can help Muslim-background believers

I was born in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, to Sunni Muslim parents. When I was six years old I came across a children’s story Bible and read about the healing of the paralytic man who was lowered through the roof to Jesus. That was my first introduction to Christianity, and I was drawn to this man Jesus because I also had a disability.

I was curious as I grew up and tried reading a Gideon Bible, but I didn’t have anyone to explain it and eventually lost interest. When I was nineteen I saw a banner advertising a healing crusade with an American preacher. I knew that in Qur’an Jesus did miracles, even raising people from the dead – so I went along. After that I started going to churches trying to find out more. I read the biography of Muhammad and compared it to the Gospels, and I saw what a big lie was there in my life.

I had been fearful of what my family would say, so for a couple of years I kept this hidden. But when I came to England I was more confident to openly profess my faith. I started associating with Christians and going to churches. It was seven or eight years before I made a full commitment and started attending an evangelical Baptist church.

Later my parents and brother came over. A Pakistani Christian family took my parents to church and they were converted and baptised, although very secretly. They feel vulnerable talking about it, because if my uncles and aunts back in Pakistan knew about my parents’ conversion or my conversion, they would banish us from the village graveyard. That’s a very big offence – a matter of honour.

I have met hostility from Muslims here in England and had to move a couple of times. Once my manager at work mentioned to someone that I had converted, and he got very angry and threw a chair at my face. The police tried to cover up, saying it was just a disagreement in the shop – they didn’t want to admit it was a religious thing. Another time somebody overheard my father saying that I went to church. They told a group of thugs who are involved in the local mosque. They came with iron bars and tried to smash the shopfront below our flat. They rammed our cars and attacked them with baseball bats.

There is a fear factor for converts. Islam is like the mafia – you can go in, but you can’t come out. If you share the gospel with Muslims, remember that there may be severe family and community problems for them. Pray about that.

Planting churches in Muslim contexts is very difficult. The biggest challenge for Christians from a Muslim background is the social bubble. You need a church family where you belong. You need a church family to embrace you and make sacrifices out of love, otherwise it’s a very lonely place. Sometimes we don’t communicate that love and Muslims don’t feel welcome. There is still racism in society. But if we make a conscious effort to be more loving and caring towards our neighbours, then Muslims will see that love is part of our Christian identity. That will break down a lot of barriers for evangelism. Jesus said, ‘Love one another; as I have loved you. People will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.’