Most of us have little understanding of the steep price Muslims pay when they come to know the Lord.
In the West, if we are vocal and on fire for the Lord we might be laughed at or called “too passionate,” but usually our friends and family will still give us our Christmas gifts and include us in gatherings.
This is not true for Muslim converts, especially those who live in Islamic countries.
Before going through the grave realities a new believer could face after leaving Islam, if you are an ex-Muslim reading this, we have a section below filled with advice and resources for you.
Keep in mind that as you read, the examples we give below are worst-case scenarios. Not every Muslim-background believer has gone through this, but every one of them took this risk when they accepted Christ.
The reality for a believer from a Muslim background
1. The threat of death:
An ex-Muslim’s family or relatives will try to kill them for converting to Christianity. They think they are doing them a favor by giving them a violent death. Muslim families believe that a violent death may purify their infidel family member enough so Allah would reduce their suffering time in hell.
2. Isolation:
Even if they aren’t killed, ex-Muslims become isolated from everyone they know. They are cut off from their inheritance, their family and friends, businesses, and any social structure that is part of their old life. Many are even forcefully divorced from their spouse and their children are taken from them. You can imagine the deep loneliness they face.
3. Doubts:
During the first year, many converts wonder whether they’ve made the right decision, or if Allah will punish them for deserting him. Like many of us, they ask God for a special sign or revelation to reaffirm their faith in Him, and Jesus never fails to answer them!
4. Re-learn religion:
They have to let go of everything they thought was true about religion, so they wrestle with letting go of practices and doctrines that shaped their lives as they begin their new relationship with Christ.
5. New identity:
Not only was Islam their religion, but it influenced every part of their lives, their culture, their relationships, and their worldview. They have to go through an enormous mental, emotional, and spiritual transformation.
6. Searching for a Christian community:
This new convert will look for a new community among Christians to be his/her new family. Sadly, they are often met with hesitancy and doubt. In Islamic countries, Christians, who are the minority, are always aware of the government's attempts to infiltrate them in order to persecute the Church and discover the new converts who attend to bring them forcefully back to Islam. That's why Christians are fearful to accept an ex-Muslim in their community. Even in the West, churches are generally distrustful of Muslim-background believers who want to be part of the body of Christ.
7. Unmet expectations:
New converts have high expectations of Christians. They look forward to being part of the family (just like the first-century Christians they read about in the book of Acts). Most of them are let down when they face the harsh reality that Christians are merely broken people who do not always reflect Christ.
8. Feeling used:
Once accepted in a Christian community, converts are sometimes used to promote ministries by sharing their story of coming to faith. Once their story becomes old, or a new convert with a stronger or more amazing testimony appears, they are put aside. Sadly, most churches continue to ignore seeing them for who they are now, a child of God, and not just an “ex-Muslim.”
9. Lack of discipleship
New believers can easily get stuck in the “baby Christian” phase, where they never are brought under the wing of an older believer to receive sound discipleship. They remain on “milk” instead of moving to “solid food” as Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 3.
How to love a Muslim-background believer well
When Muslim converts meet real, God-fearing, Bible-believing, loving, and genuine Christians, they are deeply touched and their faith grows stronger. This is why it is so vital for us to form deep friendships, do life together, and help these precious new believers in their faith journey.
If you know a brother or sister in Christ who has left Islam to follow Christ, encourage them in their faith. They have gone through immense heartache and loss to take hold of the One who truly matters– Jesus Christ. Encourage them whenever you can, and see them for who they are, not who they were.
"And if one part of the body suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if a part is honored, all the parts rejoice with it." 1 Corinthians 12:26 (NASB)
Support for the new believer who left Islam for Jesus
We rejoice and thank God that you are here! Giving your life to Christ is the best decision you will ever make. He will never leave you or forsake you, and His love never fails.
If you are able to do so safely, find a church near you and get plugged in. When searching for a church, make sure it emphasizes following God’s Word above everything else so you can truly be fed and grow.
Prioritize reading the Bible daily! There are many reading plans available that are built for new believers. We always suggest starting with the book of Luke, and then reading the other gospels so you can really get to know Jesus.
If you have questions, do not keep them to yourself or only seek out answers online. There are great resources online, like GotQuestions.org or Call of Love Blog, but not everything you will find online will be biblically sound. Ask another Christian you know or if you need direction, and feel free to message us with questions.
Prayer for the Christian who left Islam for Christ:
Lord, you are the God who sees everything. I pray that all the believers who come from Islam would be welcomed into your body throughout the nations. Help them always run to your loving arms to find rest. Surround them with believers who love them and walk their faith journey with them. Help me Lord to glorify your name whenever you put a new convert in my life. Amen.
