An Indian muslim meets Christ

An Indian Muslim meets Jesus Christ

Bro. CINIRAJ MOHAMED of SALEM VOICE

I was born on 25th May, 1954 as the fourth child of Janab Kassim Pillai Labba, a retired headmaster and Fathima Beevi. My house is known as "Kochera". It is an ancient, prominent and orthodox Muslim family at Kalloor, a rural area in Trivandrum, South India.

More than 4000 muslim families inhabiting in our area and some hindus at suburbs. No Christians at all. There was not even a single christian in the schools where I was studied.

Our mosque is around thousand years old. My ancestors spread the religion of Islam in that place and built the mosque. My ancestoral home is very close to the mosque. The land revenue and the axillary records of the mosque were kept in my father's name well into my boyhood. My ancestors were entitled to muslim priesthood by heredity. They had the designation as "Labba" with their names to indicate the priesthood.

In these circumstances, I was brought up with great regard and love for Islamic teachings and its practices and of my family. I did my religious education before I started regular schooling. No bad habits existed in the way of our family life. I even wrote a book about the Qur'an.

My college education was held at a Christian institution called Mar Ivanios College, which is in Trivandrum city. The vast majority of my college classmates were christians. I was only muslim in the class. I had difficulty to mingle with my classmates in the beginning. But gradually I became close and intimate with them. Actually it led me to evil associations and wretched habits. I started smoking, began to use drugs and alcohol, done streaking, being known as rowdy in the city. Damaging reports and ugly pictures concerning me began to appear in the news papers. As a result my parents, brothers, sisters and dear ones were greatly disturbed. It seemed I may have to discontinue my education. If so I wanted to prove I could succeed on my own by going to the Arabian Gulf even as a stow-away.

By this time I became addicted on drugs and alcohol. My body began to shiver and I became very tense if I did not use drugs at the habitual times. I was on the watch-list of the Police. My parents cut off the money which they were giving me regularly. I had lot of friends, ready for any adventure, when I had money in my pocket. As a matter of fact my earlier friends became my sworn enemies in my period of trial. I lost my peace of mind.

It was at this juncture that some missionary students gathered courage to talk to me. They claimed that Jesus is the Son of God, who was crucified for the mankind. He rose from the dead and He is the king of peace. They further claimed that if one believes in Him and confesses all sins he will become a new person. I could not even imagine that Prophet Isa (Jesus) is the son of God or that he was crucified and rose from the dead. In turn exhorted them to reach heaven by believing in Islam which is the true religion. I had heated arguments with them on many occasions. They could only find fault with my wretched life, but could not prevail over my arguments or prove my ideas wrong.

But without losing heart, one day they brought some leaflets. The leaflets were based on the Bible which I considered forbidden, for it is abrogated. Hence I went into a rage. The thought that the advice that I had given them earlier regarding Islam, had made no impact on them increased my rage. I tored the leaflets into pieces. With despicable words I threw the pieces into their faces and I gave warning that I would destroy them if they continue misleading others.

It was a serious matter that the students of priesthood in cassocks were publicly insulted and persecuted, specially in the compound of a christian institution. It looked almost certain that I would be expelled from the college. I could also expect troubles from any direction. The next day I went to the college armed with weapons, intending to cause violent incidents. When I entered the class the missionary students ran to me and embraced with love and joy. They surprised me by expressing regret for having caused mental distress on me. If the college was run by my religion and I was in the place of a missionary, surely I would not have let one, persecutes me, scot free. In fact, I was touched by their love, kindness and gentle nature. The Holy Spirit, which reminds us about sin, righteousness and judgement, began to work upon me.

That night I found a piece of paper in a text book in my room. On it was written, "The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came to the world to save sinners, for whom I am the foremost" (1Tim 1:15). On the reverse side of the paper was written, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom 6:23). I did not know those were the verses from the Bible. But I was overcome with thoughts.

All the sins, the excessions and violations that I had committed since childhood began to appear before me as if on a screen. I recognized all my inequities, big and small. Each one of them transformed into a blister on my body. The blisters burst open and became sores. The flesh and bones, from where pus began to flow out, became very hot and began to melt. Worms were competing to get at the marrow of the bones. The pain was unbearable. The stench could not be described. I was being pulled into a bottomless pit. There was nobody to save me. I cried out, "God, save me".

Then a man, holy and bright, descended from heaven and touched me. I understood it was Jesus. For a moment I closed my eyes with a heavenly joy, for His touch cooled my body and mind. When I opened my eyes all the blisters and sores had disappeared from my body. I am purified as if washed with a perfumed ointment. But Jesus who came in bright and spotless was now infected with blisters and sores. Pus and discharges were flowing out of them. Worms and maggots were roaming freely on his body. It was like an abominable, foul smelling creature. Yes! "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our inequities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed" (Is 53:4-5).

Christ had taken on himself all my afflictions. I should have been condemned to death for all my sins. But I saw Christ taking on all my sins and being cruicified in my place for my sake.

Earlier I never believed that Christ was crucified. I used to ask how our sins would be washed away by his death, even if he was crucified. But now I was convinced how and for what Christ died.

"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Cor 5:21).

I saw Jesus breaking the tomb and rising up from the dead. He was more glorious and resplendent in resurrection than he descended from the clouds. I fell at his feet crying, "My Lord and my God".

I do not know whether this experience which occurred me in my own house in an area where there are no christians, is a dream, or a revelation or a vision. I was not at all believing such kind of matters. But this experience transformed me into a Christian. It enabled me to throw away the old man and made me to become a new man. I received joy and peace the like of which I never knew before.

I shared my conversion of mind and joy at the same night to my parents. Although they listened me, but tried to dissuade saying this was only a trick played by Iblis (Satan). But I was convinced that the loving God has saved me through His only Son and that I would inherit eternal life. As a result I had to face torture and threats in my life. I was baptized in the water as soon as I accepted Him as my personal Saviour. God baptized me with the Holy Spirit too.

One day I was narrating my christian experiences to some of my friends near the mosque. Suddenly one of my cousin brothers named Salim stabbed me with a knife. My lower jaw was split. Everybody thought that I may die. But God saved me and made me a witness again at that place. Salim was making arrangements to murder me in another way and had a plan to convert it into a suicide. For the same he was buisily making a noose at the top of a tree. But a whirl wind blew and Salim fell with the branch of the tree. He was near to death. Instinctively I wished for his death. But Jesus ordered me to love and nurse Salim as He had loved me when I was His enemy. At my initiative Salim was taken to the hospital and was in plaster for more than six months. When Salim recovered he accepted Jesus as his Savior.

The Jama'ath authorities chained me, shaved my head, locked me in an underground cellar when yet another person became a Christian. When I tried to escape acid was sprayed on me. I was beaten up several times and even lost a few teeth. I considered these experiences as lucky de in the name of Jesus and as symbal of my spiritual fervour. The Lord visited a few more people who caused trouble on me. Most of them led to believe in Jesus. My parents and siblings who banned me from the entire area is now visiting me, and are willing to pray with me, though in private. My family and I can now visit with confidence our ancesteral home and the adjoining muslim neighbourhood as witnesses to the Gospel. The Living God is helping us in that.

I have a deep burden about those who go astray. Also He empowered me to preach Gospel. By Gods grace I have already preached before thousands of crowds. Preaching the Word of God, using the gift of healing, counseling, sharing the testimony are the part of my preaching ministry.

While many who take pride in calling themselves christians look upon gospel work with contempt, I consider it only God's grace that I look upon proclaiming the Gospel as a great honour. My goal is to win the muslim world as well as the third world unto the Salvation.

Click here to see photos of my family

Tha Salem Voice reaching Gospel to the Muslims

WHAT IS SALEM VOICE?

"He (Jesus, the High Priest) is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of Peace" (Heb 7:2)

"SALEM VOICE" (Spiritual And Literary Evangelical Mission) is a registered Society No.K.993/99, praying for others as well as working for the world peace. We pray to God the Father through Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit for every nations that He may protect everybody from peaceless, uneasiness, natural calamities and wars.

Salem Voice do charitable works by giving education to the poor children; building houses for homeless; supplying medicines,clothes and food for the needy; establishing mobile dispensaries for the slums, interior villages and hill places.

And also we share the experience of Salvation by proclaiming the Gospel. We establish the institution of Good News libraries, print and distribute tracts and other literature and Bible classes. We organize the worldwide intercessory prayer circle, conduct Gospel campaigns, retreats. We are sending out missionaries and mentoring successors.

There are 52 missionaries working for the Lord, and 27 cell groups gathering every week to pray and worship under the label of Salem Voice in different parts of India. We want to train missionaries for the church planting. We are having six cell groups in Gujarath, where the earthquake was affected. Two prayer halls, shelters of 42 families of Salem Voice and hundreds of seekers have been destroyed over there. Our teams are involving their for the rehabilitation works.

'The IMAM Ministries and Charities' is a major project of the Salem Voice to spread Gospel among Muslims and other needy people. At any cost to win muslim world is one of our mottos. We do personal evangelism as Emmaus style of our Lord, postal evangelism, correspondance courses, conducting seekers conferences and short term cross cultural trainings, establishing cell groups for the church planting.

'The Worldwide Intercessory Prayer Circle' is another major project to pray and encourage all the children of God to pray together as a chain for those who are in need of prayers and growing into the spiritual life. A monthly prayer bulletin called "Salem Voice" published in the language of Malayalam since last four years. It doesn't have subscription, but sending freely. We wish and publish it in different Indian languages as well as in English. We seek sponsers for every issue. The names of the sponsers will be published in a special column of the first page itself, so that all the children of God will pray for them throughout that month.

We plan to run village schools for the children and adult educational centres. Also computer schools for the youth. The director board of Salem Voice consists 7 members to govern the society. We have a plan to spread out this work in an International level. So the Board needs members of many countries for this work, specially to reach muslims all over the world.

We need your prayers, spiritual advices and all kind of financial, and material supports for this great task. So that God may enable us to reach the unreached.

There is a huge expenditure for the works of Salem Voice. We relay on God for all our needs.We desire and pray to have buses and clinical materials for establishing mobile dispensaries for slums, hilly places, interior villages or the places where natural calamities or contagious diseases affects. We need to have a retreat House where people come and stay with the Lord for minimum one weeks retreats. We need vans (for bringing literature), mini buses (for going outreach with musical team), motorbikes (for evangelists), a multi unit offset press to publish literature, musical instruments, Computers for the computer school, Prayer Halls, Rehabilitation Centres for those who are neglected from their families and communities because of the Christian faith etc. We expect prayers and support from the children of God.

Visit the website of Salem Voice and its pages:

http://www.geocities.com/salemvoice

Mission among children, sick and hungry

Projects of "Salem Voice":

*Education for the poor children *House for the homeless *Mobile dispensaries for slums, interior villages and hill places *Medicines, clothes and food for the poor and needy *Win muslim world unto the Salvation *Bible schools and correspondance courses *Cross cultural training *Mentoring successors *Increasing cell groups *Publishing leaflets, literature, journals *Intercessor Prayers

Send donations in the A/c of "SALEM VOICE" to the following address:
Bro. Ciniraj Mohamed,
Director, Salem Voice,
Baseelia, Devalokam (P.O),
Kottayam, Kerala-686038, INDIA
Telephone & Fax: 0091 481 573532;
Mobile: 00 98470 51532
E-Mail: [email protected]

Encouraging Thoughts

Confirmed miracles Paraplegic healed!

Ministry Testimonies:
China revival
Healing in Romania

Sample Testimonies: FORMER:

Crack addict - Deena
Lesbian - Adelaide
Satanist - Candace
Occultist - Vincent
Witch - Katina
Street Kid - Mario
Catholic Priest - Richard

Testimony Categories

A Personal Challenge For You

The people of the world can be divided into two groups. The first group are those who can clearly point to the intervention of Jesus Christ in their lives. The second are those who cannot. If you are in this latter group PLEASE don't let another hour go past before you get right with God. He loves you and has a great plan for your life! But there must be change. If you are religious but can't point to a definite work of God in your life YOU NEED to get born again in the Bible way. To find out how to get right with God, click here now.

If however, you are in the first group and you have a testimony of Christ's working in your life, God wants you to share it. Read HERE about the power of your testimony. You can overcome Satan by the Word of your testimony, and help others to find faith in Christ.

Would you like to do this? If so, start writing your testimony as soon as you can, and THEN, e-mail your testimony to me here so we can publish it for you online. Post it on the testimonies bulletin board here. In this way you are helping to fulfil the Great Commission. Some testimonies on this site are reaching 10 or even 20 people per day. Our team wishes to help people share their testimonies through the internet. Let us together bring hope to those who don't know the reality of our wonderful Savior Jesus Christ.

Michael