The month of Ramadan is especially difficult for Christians in Muslim countries because they are particularly exposed to persecution during this time. However, more and more Muslims convert to Christianity in this period of the year. In its article, Portes Ouverts writes about three Christians who converted during Ramadan.

The article uses pseudonyms so as not to reveal the identity of these now persecuted Christians.

Kazakhstan: “For the first time in my life, I heard about a God who loves me.”

Roman was a devoted Muslim who despised the Muslims who converted to Christianity and called them betrayers. During Ramadan, along with his Muslim fellows, he liked insulting Christians and putting them in awkward situations with his questions.

Two years ago, he went so far that he decided to interrupt a Christian ceremony. He went to the church, sat down, waiting for the appropriate moment to disturb the ritual. However, at the moment when the pastor started to talk, he changed his mind completely.

“For the first time in my life, I heard about a God, who loves me”, he testified. “I did not know that God could love me despite my imperfections. I always felt guilty and tried to be perfect to gain his attention”.

The words of the pastor who talked about the love and mercy of God made Roman convert to Christianity and thus became one of the persecuted Christians.

Chechenya: freed from the worries and nightmares

Fatima was a devoted Muslim woman who suffered from a chronic disease. Due to the pains caused by her illness, she was usually worried and suffered from horrible nightmares. For more than five years, she was praying to Allah, but her condition did not improve.

In this desperate situation, she was visited by a Christian friend of hers. The friend convinced Fatima to accompany her to a house church. After a great spiritual experience, Fatima was afraid of converting to Christianity because she did not want to leave her Muslim faith.  Two weeks later, she realised that her Muslim faith could not help her conditions, so she decided to return to the house church. The night after joining the Christian community, she slept better, and her health conditions started to improve.

Turkmenistan: “A God, who is talking to me”

Hadidja is a nurse with a devoted Muslim husband. She also converted during Ramadan, after a Christian friend talked to her about his relationship with God. After her conversion, Hadidja said:

“It was a real eye-opener for me to learn that my God and Creator can speak to me!”

However, she did not dare to talk about her conversion to her husband, who forced her to follow the Islamic laws. Once, when she was reciting the Koran, she had a strange feeling that she was not able to pronounce the Islamic prayers. She put the Koran away and started to read the New Testament. When her husband entered the room, she hid the book under her clothes.

“Now I pray to Jesus every day. I can pray at any time at any place. Praying makes me happy and makes me love the other people”, she said.