Hello, my name is Mohammed Abdul Viqar. I am from the city of Hyderabad (India). And this is my story, journeying from the crescent to the Cross.

Firstly, I am rejoicing and praising God that the Lord God chose to reveal Himself to me. I would never have come to know Him, had he not chosen me.

I was born into a devout Muslim family and growing up with Islam, I was a staunch Muslim, having firm faith and belief in Allah. I strictly believed in the monadic concept of God. By the age of 12, I was actively attending and participating in all the religious practices of Islam: listening to sermons and studying and preaching the Quranic concepts etc. I learned that Islam measures the righteousness in terms of ‘Nehki’ (doing good) and thus I was very passionate about it and wanted my righteousness to be on the top of my list by the way of my good works. Even though I was fervent in offering my ‘Namaz’ (prayers), listening to the sermons, practicing and preaching Islam – I still felt that there was something lacking and therefore I wanted to do something more.

Just like most of the Muslims, I grew up in a hostile environment which eventually made me emotionless and brutal as a person. Growing up, I witnessed religious clashes quite often and my perception was that all Muslims were the victims of religious oppression and thus Jihad was a defensive action.

Consequently, I began to read about Jihad and that curiosity led me to delve deeper on the past atrocities and terror attacks in the city. I began to read and investigate the Mecca Masjid blasts, the Charminar Temple conflict and the Dilsuknagar Twin Blasts. Also, I was very intrigued by the stories of some of the Jihadis from within our city – Viqaruddin, Yasin Bhaktal and Hafeez Saeed etc. 

These Jihadis were beginning to become the source of my inspiration to join jihad. I was mentally prepared and wanted to do something unique for Allah – something which nobody had ever done before. Eventually, with that attitude, I became so brave and ruthless that I was equipped and was ready to kill a person without any hesitation for the sake of Allah. However, with all of my zeal and passion for Islam and for Jihad, there were a few questions which always haunted me. The Quran talks about the previous revelations descending from Allah and that Bible also being one among them. It talks about ‘Injeel’ (gospel) which was given to Isa Masih (Jesus Christ) – “What happened to them?”, “How were they corrupted and who did it?” “Can man corrupt God’s revelation?” I couldn’t reconcile those questions.

All these questions and my curiosity led me to read it one day. I randomly opened it and was trying to read the shortest verse. To my surprise, it opened up to John 14:6 – “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” I couldn’t understand anything and thus immediately after reading it, I closed it. Because it had so much content – I didn’t want to read it. 

Providentially speaking, God knew that I was too immature to understand His word. I was trying to understand the things of God with my meager intelligence and that too at a very immature age. Little did I know that God had already equipped someone who could come and explain to me His Word. It was my elder sister – none in my family knew that she had already accepted Christ. And one day, she comes along, opens the Bible and shares the gospel. My entire family was shocked and were perplexed. That very moment, I could feel my soul accepting the gospel. In fact, I was the only one who didn't doubt but accepted it immediately. I don't know how but it was so relatable to me. The gospel had answered all my questions. 

The difficulty came when I encountered these verses – “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”, “Love God and love your neighbor as yourself”, “But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.” Those words freaked me out. It was impossible for me to even think of following them. I began to feel that the Bible was the scariest and the most terrible law ever given. Regardless, I turned my faith in Jesus and quit going to mosques.

Before accepting the Lord Jesus, I used to consider myself holy because I was offering namaz and had never committed 'Shirk' (blasphemy) or polytheism. I thought I was strong because I was willing to join Jihad but with Christ everything was the opposite. My so-called strengths turned out to be my weaknesses and made me fall into temptations. The more I got closer to Jesus, the more I realized how sinful and weak I was. And it was during these times, that Satan tried to ruin my life. Before I could implement my bravery in Jihad, I got caught up in a minor conflict with a friend and eventually, losing my temper, I stabbed him with my knife. I was to be imprisoned for attempting murder and would have spent the rest of my life in prison, but I had wholeheartedly repented my sin to God and asked for forgiveness. And He saved me by saving the victim's life. The Lord saved me from being imprisoned. 

Every day, I realize the need for Jesus Christ's sacrifice and His mercy upon me for my salvation. There is nothing I could do except to look at the crucifixion. Jesus Christ did it all. And now, all I need to do for my salvation is to believe in Jesus Christ and follow His commandments, “Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22: 37- 40.

Now, the past doesn’t haunt me anymore, nor does the future – I am a new creation in Christ Jesus – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

That's how the Lord led me from the crescent to the cross – the cross of Christ and now I am continuing my miraculous and adventurous journey with the Lord Jesus Christ. You too can join this amazing journey. Besides, what more would you want if not for a relationship with the one true living God – the Lord of the universe?  – all you have to do is “REPENT AND BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST” – Acts 16:31 “So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household” – GOD BLESS YOU.

Ali was born in southeastern Turkey, the eldest of nine children. In his youth, he helped support the  family by working as a shepherd. Spending long hours alone in the countryside, he talked freely with  God, telling Him how much he admired the beauty of His creation. 

By the time he reached his twenties, however, Ali had lost his boyish innocence. He became a heavy  drinker, and typically returned home from work drunk. He began to abuse his wife, Zehra, and terrify his children with his violent behavior. Deeply ashamed, he preferred to live for extended periods in  Istanbul, knowing his family would be protected from his alcoholism by physical distance. 

Ali moved to Saudi Arabia after hearing that alcohol was forbidden there and work was easy to come  by. Though his struggle with alcoholism continued (Ali was able to buy liquor on the black market), he became more determined than ever to overcome his addiction. While living in Saudi Arabia, he  made the hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca, determined to please God as a true and devout Muslim. 

While in Mecca, Ali had a dream that changed his life forever. In the dream, Jesus appeared to him  and said, “You belong to me.” Jesus also touched Ali’s forehead and said, “Depart from here. You  belong to me now.” When Ali woke up, he was filled with indescribable joy. The dream had seemed  so real! What had happened to him? Then he heard the voice of Jesus again, speaking to him, “Ali,  you belong to me. You will not make this pilgrimage. Leave this place. The next day, Ali cut his  pilgrimage short and returned to the city of Akba, where he shared an apartment with several other  Turks who, like him, had construction jobs in Saudi Arabia. As he washed up from his long journey,  he again heard the Lord speaking to him. He fell to his knees, declaring that he would do whatever  God asked him to do. That evening, he heard the Lord’s voice again, telling him he should return to  his family in Turkey. Ali left Saudi Arabia a few days later. 

Back in Turkey, Ali’s friends and neighbors came to his house to celebrate his return. Hearing the  voice of Jesus again, Ali announced to everyone that Jesus had appeared to him in Saudi Arabia and  that he was now a Christian. None of the neighbors took Ali seriously, but his wife and children saw  the positive changes in his life. Ali reconciled with his wife, Zehra, asking forgiveness for the way he  had treated her. In turn, Zehra expressed her willingness to join Ali in his new faith. A major obstacle  remained, however. Ali and Zehra had no Bible to read and there was no church for them to attend.  They didn’t know anyone who was a Christian. Needing work, Ali returned to the metropolis of  Istanbul, finding a job easily enough and earning a good salary to meet his family’s financial needs.  After a few months, however, it became clear that this arrangement would not work for long. Zehra  and the children missed Ali so he made the decision to return home. One day, while listening to the  radio, Ali heard the announcer talking about Jesus. He called Zehra to his side and told her that he  had found the voice of Jesus—inside the radio! Through this Christian radio program, Ali received a  New Testament in the mail. Today, Ali continues to share his Christian faith openly and unashamedly.  Alcohol no longer has dominion over him, and he cherishes his wife who he once treated so badly.  Truly, Ali has become a “new creation in Christ.” ©2015 More Than Dreams All Rights Reserved. 

Hi, my name is Shaad and today on this occasion of Eid I want to share my story with you. I humbly  plead that you would take a few minutes and give it a read. Trust me, your life will change. 

To begin with, my entire life, I had been a devout Muslim, deeply rooted in the faith, on Mohammad  and in Islam. But I always struggled to accept what was happening in and around the world with  regards to Islamic terrorism, wars, killings, beheadings...so on and so forth - all done in the name of  Allah. However, all of it was accepted by my Muslim friends and the people around me. 

Even though my soul longed for the truth, I always suppressed it and forced myself to look on the  pacifist side of Islam and not to its violent side. I began to dig deeper into the subject and started  defending my Deen (faith) from western criticism and stepped in arguments with my friends who  came from different faiths, engaging them in dawah (Islamic Apologetics). 

As I delved deeper, I slowly began to understand the rottenness in Islam. This literally left me crushed  in my spirit. I began to see how Islam puts the curtains of deception on the eyes of people. The  aspect of Taqiyyah (lying in order to exalt Quran and Mohammed). This was my moment of exodus  from the deception of Islam. 

I began to watch and listen to the Christian apologists who destroyed the sugarcoated and glazed  reputation of Muhammad into bits and pieces which eventually led me to believing that apart from  lying, Islam would crumble. The very foundation of Islam stands on deception and lying. And at that  moment I began to go into depression. Life made no sense. Everything seemed so meaningless. I  found no reasons to live. Morality didn't make any sense to me anymore. I started to doubt my very 

existence. 

But something always pulled me to the person named Jesus Christ and Him being hanging on a  cross. I always wondered, why would someone worship a person hanging on a cross. I had never  known the true Jesus Christ. I only knew about Isa - the false Christ, depicted in the Quran. o I  decided to read the Bible and find out for myself who the true Jesus Christ was. I read the Gospels, I  read the teachings of Jesus Christ, I studied His parables and trust me when I say this, I had never  encountered such power ever. That's when I knew that the Jesus Christ in the Holy Bible is the one  true Lord God of the universe. 

The true Jesus Christ - Yeshua - from the Holy Bible spoke to me. He was the one who died for me  and redeemed me and freely gave me eternal life. He died for me. I did not deserve it but still He  died for me. Every time I think about this aspect my soul shivers. I can only express it in this one line:  ❝ Hands that cradle the stars are the stars that bled in me ❞ If it wasn't for the true Lord  Jesus Christ of the Bible, I would never have come out of Islam and its deception. Glory be to God!  Hallelujah! I'm free now in Christ. Free from my sin. I humbly plead with all my Muslim brethren to  open the Bible just once and read. Just once! I dare you with my life that you'll encounter the true  God. You will know who the true Jesus Christ is, and that truth will set you free. Just like it happened  with me. And now I've crossed the crescent over to the Cross of Jesus Christ. And you can too. All glory to God Almighty. In Christ’s name, Amen. 

My name is Tabassum Shaikh and today I want to share my story with you for God's glory. 

To begin with, while I was still in my mother's womb, she was mentally tortured and taunted to give  birth to a son and then when it was me, growing up I felt rejected all the time and I thought God had  made a mistake by bringing me into this world. 

I constantly tried to be perfect in everything so that I would be accepted by others but I failed. For a  little while I confided in other people and in worldly relationships whom I thought they would never  leave me but when they did, it broke me even more.

By then, my companions were sadness, heartache, depression and loneliness. To ease the pain, I  started to abuse myself by cutting and injuring my body. And when nothing worked and nobody  helped, I finally decided to commit suicide. I remember accurately, I battled depression for 2 years  and when nobody even noticed what I was going through, I decided to end it all and I tried taking  my life. 

Finally, in November 2017, my mom told me about Jesus Christ and how He loves me and what He  did on the cross to demonstrate His love for me. Until then, I knew the cross only to be worn as an  object of fashion. But on that day, I got to know the real meaning of the Cross of Christ and I had an  encounter with Christ. Ever since then, I've never been the same. I never tried to kill myself because  now I know that 2000 years ago Jesus Christ the one true God loves me and that He died and rose  from the dead for my sins and because He died for me, I should live for Him. 

It's 2021 now and I'm still here and I know for sure that God didn't make a mistake by making me a  girl. He me made a girl because He has a purpose for my life. 

My advice for you all would be that you stop thinking and worrying about what you did in the past.  Come back home because He still loves you and will always do. And always remember this truth:  "GOD NEVER MAKE MISTAKES."

As a small child, I stood there watching my alcoholic father kill my mother. Scared! My two elder  sisters took me and ran away from there. They took me to Mumbai and the day we arrived at the  railway station; I lost them both in the crowd. No where to go. I started cleaning the compartments  of the train with the one T-shirt I was wearing. I wouldn't get one meal a day. I remember, I used to  fight with dogs and snatch food from their mouth and eat. 

I wept. But I had to survive somehow. So, I became a professional pick -pocketer, started my own  gang, carrying four blades in my mouth, always ready to fight, having numerous police cases on me.  This was my life. 

I longed for meaning, truth, purpose and answers to my questions. 

I was a Muslim, So I went to the mosque, prayed to Allah but did not find any answer. Went to the  temple, worshipped all the idols but did not find any answer. Finally, I made my own god, picked up  a stone, made a temple and began to worship that stone but nothing happened. 

I came to a conclusion that there is no God. Out of my angst and grief, I uttered "Aye Khuda! Kya tu  sach mein hai zinda? Agar tu sach mein hai zinda! Toh mujhe yahan se nikaal." Translation: (Oh God!  Are you really alive? If you're really alive, bring me out from these circumstances) 

After that, my life was never the same. The Lord Jesus Christ - the one and only true, loving, living  and prayer answering God, transformed my life. 

He'll transform your life too. Come to Him. It's never too late to come to Him.

Jeremiah 33:3 

"Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." 

Watch his full story here. (Link)

My name is Kareem, I was born and raised as a Staunch Sunni Salafi (Radical Orthodox) in Egypt. I grew up in an environment memorizing the Quran. Growing up, I was always on fire to take the path of jihad on behalf of my Muslim brothers and sisters.

In the year 2003, I felt the need to die for the sake of Allah and was getting ready for an operation. Instead, I received a call from my higher authorities saying that the operation had been cancelled and that left me devasted. I thought that Allah didn't consider me worthy enough to be a Jihadi for the sake and cause of Islam. I was heartbroken.

However, I didn't stop there. I went on to become a Da'wah speaker (Islamic Apologetics) following the footsteps of Ahmed Deedat and Zakir Naik. Defending and evangelizing Islam and its teachings.

But over the years, learning and teaching Islam I realized that in reality Islam doesn't stand the test of truth. It didn't make any sense. It had no answers to difficult questions. It had failed to answer my deepest longings and eventually, long story short, that led me to leave Islam. I started to believe that there was no God at all. I became an atheist.

Not even 6 months into my atheism, I was exhausted and nothing made sense as usual. Thus, I wanted to study and discover more deeply. I began to study both Islam and Christianity. Islam because I had come from it and Christianity because I wanted to know more about it.

3 years into it and I was convinced that Islam was false and that biblical Christianity is the only truth. The Lord used the means of a dream to get me to himself. I still remember those words, "It's time to follow me", "Didn't I tell you, it's time to follow me"

And now, here I am as Thomas Samuel, born again and baptized by the grace of God to the glory of God, empowered by the Holy Spirit in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the Name of our Triune God,

Amen and Amen and Amen.

Watch my testimony in the video format here:

https://youtu.be/B04MqmRv-FE?si=LFTQyI7qJzImpj2n

Or read my story from my book:

India: https://amzn.eu/d/cCDhQng

USA: https://a.co/d/fesh54r