Young pious Muslim have experienced a crisis of faith. Later, three dreams led this man to Jesus Christ.
Nabeel Qureshi have heard since childhood that Islam is a religion of peace, and he strongly believed in it. When the attacks occurred on 9 September, Nabil was a first-year student. First he found it difficult to reconcile the Islam that he saw on the TV screen, with Islam, which he knew all his life.
“I really find it difficult to understand. At that time all the claims that Islam is a religion of peace, came into conflict with a very vivid visual images of how people kill in the name of Allah,” says Nabeel Qureshi.
Nabil childhood was a devout Muslim. He grew up in a loving family of peace-loving sect of Islam.
“The cult was the slogan “Love all, hate none.” That is, since childhood I was taught to love everyone,” says Nabeel Qureshi.
Nabil followed his religion. He prayed five times a day and memorize the Holy Quran in English and Arabic. The guy was determined to prove — especially to Christians, that Islam is the only true faith.
“When I pointed out to them the unreliability of the Bible, told how questionable the divinity of Christ or the crucifixion, or the dogma of the Trinity, they did not know what to answer, and immediately turned to the “faith”: “I just believe, that’s faith!” And I thought: “what you call faith, I call ignorance,” shares Nabeel Qureshi.
Then, as a first-year student, Nabil saw another side of his faith: “I had to answer the question: “What is Islam actually? Is he the one taught me, or that declare these people?” And of course I was sure that he taught me, he the peace. But how then to explain what I see on the TV screen?”, — says Nabil.
Within a few months Nabil struggled with those images and thoughts. Then, in the same year, he became acquainted with Christian David. He, like Nabil, he knew how to defend their faith through logic and arguments.
“David was able to give me reasons to believe in the Bible reasons to believe that the Bible has not been changed, that it is the inspired Word of God, that the biblical Canon — the 66 books of the Bible — in fact that should be blocked, and no other books should not be in the Bible. He talked about such things,” says Nabeel Qureshi.
Despite all the differences, Nabeel and David became friends and over the next three years is often argued about religion. Nabeel held on to his creed, but the arguments he was getting smaller: “Whenever I started to bring arguments, David pointed out the weaknesses in my reasoning,” he recalls.
This became more evident when Nabil compare the Bible with the Koran and carefully considered the teachings of Muhammad: “it became clear to Me, why can be so cruel people, practicing Islam. The thing in the original teachings of Muhammad, says Nabeel Qureshi. — In the tradition of Islam there is a very, very violent teachings. So, I’m trying to defend Islam in the face of each Christian. I’m trying to explain to him that Islam is peace, that women have equal rights. All what I so believe, I must now prove. And I suffer miserable defeat, simply because they do not find evidence,” he recalls.
Nabil realized that the only logical conclusion to draw would be the recognition of Jesus as the Son of God. But admit it — means to go against everything he once believed.
“The most terrible blasphemy in Islam — the worship of anyone except Allah. If there is the slightest possibility that Islam is false religion, it is a crisis. It would turn my whole world. And so it happened. I knelt down and began to inquire of God: “Who are You?” — says Nabil.
Following Muslim tradition, Nabeel asked God to show him the truth in a dream. God gave him three dreams. One of them had a particular impact on him: “I was standing on the threshold of a narrow door. Width and height of the door was exactly the same, so I was able to squeeze through. This symbol I saw in my dream, made me a special impression. A very narrow door, I could barely get in. And lead the door to the room where the festive table is laid. I realized that this place is Paradise. And I realized that I must enter this room if you want to go to heaven,” says Nabil.
Later Nabil read the Bible passage that confirmed his dream. Convinced in truth, he felt like a crumbled his whole world. In search of solace, he turned to the Koran: “I took the Quran and started to flip through. To my horror I realized that I do not find in the Quran any verse is meant to comfort the afflicted person. No!, says Nabeel Qureshi. — So I put it aside and picked up the Bible. Opening the gospel of Matthew, I very soon got to the fifth Chapter. And that’s what I read: “blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”. And then I said to God: “God, I know You want me to do, but I just need time to cry. I need to cry”. I literally fell in love with the Bible at the time. I decided that God wrote these words especially for me. He knew two thousand years ago, what would I need consolation at the moment, and He knew that I will open the gospel of Matthew, and so He put this verse in this book for me. And I said, “Well, that’s the truth. This Is The Word Of God. This belief is true.” In the end, reading the Bible, I accepted Christ”.
Nabil started to tell people about his new faith, including his parents. According to him, they are disappointed, but still continue to love his son. He prays that one day they accepted Christ: “I want them to know Him and was with Him in eternity, and that we all were together in eternity. But honestly, I can’t even imagine that one day I will go to Church with my family. I would like to someday, my dad, my mom worshiped the God beside me. But I can’t even think about it, because I burst into tears,” says Nabil.
Today Nabil is working at the world-famous apologist, Ravi Zacharias, and also wrote a book called “Looking for Allah found Jesus.” He is very thankful to God for the understanding of truth and the gift of eternal life, “Jesus managed to rise from the dead. He “killed” death. And this life is the only life — it will not end with death. And there’s nothing that could give the same freedom,” says Nabeel Qureshi.