அருமை சகோதரர் பிலிப் அன்சாரி அவர்கள் இஸ்லாம் மார்கத்தில் இருந்து இயேசுவை எற்றுக்கொண்டு இப்பொழுது ஒரு போதகராக இருக்கிறார்கள்.அவருடைய அனுபவ சாட்சி இங்கே ஆங்கிலத்தில் கொடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.தமிழில் படிக்க. http://unmaiadiyann.blogspot.com/2007/12/blog-post_28.html
Introduction
The symbol of the Crescent is considered by the Muslims as a sacred one. Though it might have its origin and roots in the Arabian paganism (Robert Morrey in His book, "The Islamic Invasion" in the chapter, "The cult of the Moon god"), it holds a special place in the heart of a Muslim. The Crescent has been used by the Muslims over the centuries for various purposes. It is still used in the national flags of many countries.
An orthodox Background
Likewise, the crescent also had a special meaning for my life too. On the 6th September 1973 was born a little boy baby in India. My parents named me as Syed Ansari. I was born and brought up in a very strong, orthodox Muslim family. My parents were very good and pious Muslims. I was taught all the tenets of Islam right from my childhood. I was taught to read the Qur'an and also to strictly follow all the duties of a true Muslim.
Preliminary Education
Though my father was a good Muslim and wanted to bring me up as a good Muslim, he wanted me to get good education too. He enrolled me in an excellent Christian school in that city. (He still regrets that "mistake" of his). This is where I got lot of chance to hear about Jesus. Though I heard about Jesus from this school, it did not in any way influence me because my father had made the necessary preparations. Every single day, I had Qur'anic classes at home where a special teacher was invited to teach me everything about Islam. They taught me not to believe Christians because they preached and practiced something which the Qur'an said was a lie! So eventually my heart was filled with many misconceptions regarding Christians and Christianity.
The First Encounter
My childhood and my teenage was very sober. The regular Islamic prayers and the recitation of the Qur'an hardly helped me improve my inner man's unquenchable thirst. I was dissatisfied, yet was a very strong Muslim.
When I was in my 10th Standard in school (that is the 10th grade), I had quite an experience. There was a teacher for whom I was a pet. She was my biology teacher. She was (emphasis, mine) a Hindu. And one day she comes and tells that she is no more a Hindu but was a Christian. Only two sentences struck me among all that she spoke – " I saw Jesus in a vision and He lifted me out of the miry clay". I argued with her about leaving her religion and forsaking her gods. I asked her too many questions which she was unable to answer. I compared the Qur'an with the Bible and asked her which one was true. She couldn't give me satisfactory answers since she herself was a new Christian. Finally, she said, "Ansari, you might not understand now all that I have said, but a day will come in your life when you will understand and I will be praying for you until such a time"
True enough I did not understand what she said but I believe that she prayed for me (and it is true that she prayed continually as she said it later to me).
"I was cornered so that I could SEE"
The days passed after this very first personal encounter. After this I had so many people come and share the gospel to me. I always either ridiculed them or scared them away. It will be either a group of Christians or some individual with a few tracts in his hand.
Two years later after the first encounter, a great crisis arose in my family. My father and mother were on the verge of divorce and I was left with the choice of picking sides and whom to live with. I chose to be with my mother and my younger sister since they would need my help more than my father. I was worried about my future and the future of my leftover family. I had a great desire to become a Medical doctor right from my Childhood. Now that very desire seemed to be at stake.
"Ansari, Try Jesus"
It was on the 24th December 1990, that there was a great fight that ensued between my mother and father. It first started as a verbal duel and later on more fiercely. I just entered the scene coming back from my library and I saw what was going on. I also joined the verbal duel. I was so depressed, that at left the house at about 8.30 pm and went to park just to sit there and relieve off my tension.
As I was sitting there, many things passed my mind. The fear of an uncertain future and the family problems bore heavily on me. I was on the verge of suicide.
At that precise moment, I heard a voice behind me saying, "Ansari, Try Jesus". The voice was masculine, strong, persuasive yet, very soft and soothing. I turned back to see the person who belonged to that voice. To my surprise, I saw no one. Then I started to get engrossed in my own thoughts. Again that voice spoke the same words. I thought that my mind was playing tricks on me. Again I heard that voice. It was then I realized that the voice had a divine note. All the confusion in my mind just vanished into thin air and I started pondering about the voice. Tens of questions started arising in my mind about that mysterious voice that I had just heard. What kind of a voice is this? Who is speaking to me? Why should I, a Muslim try Jesus who is a Christian god? My religious piety was holding me back while a voice in my heart said, there is nothing wrong in giving Jesus a "Try". I was totally confused and I didn't know whom to turn to.
At that juncture, I was reminded of my teacher who had shared her testimony to me about two years ago. I thought that she was the best person to answer all my questions. So I reached her house at about 9.30 pm. She welcomed me very warmly. I sat in her house not knowing how to start the conversation. The she broke the ice. She asked me what the problem was. I then told her the whole story. She smiled and then said that the Lord has chosen me to reveal His Love. She started explaining the gospel to me and as she spoke Divine Peace filled my heart.
My First Christian Church Experience
The next day was Christmas. She invited me to the Church. I stood in one corner and took the very last seat. It was all a very new experience to me and I just sat there. Finally the pastor arose and shared the message of Christmas that Jesus came into this world to die for our sins. The word of God touched my soul. I felt the Lord softening my heart. I felt the peace of the Lord even as the message was preached. When the altar call was given, I was the first person to give my life to the Lord.
I don't know whether for others Christmas is special or not. Some even say that December 25th is not the exact date that Jesus was born. But to me it will always hold a special meaning because Christmas was the day that Jesus was "Born" in my heart.
Persecuted
As I gave my life to the Lord, it was a joyous experience. But I was advised by my teacher to keep it as secret as possible. She said that my parents might not like it. After Jesus came in my heart, it was not that the situations around me changed in any way. In fact they just grew worse. But my confusion changed and I knew in the bottom of my heart that He will take care of everything.
Meanwhile, my family separated. My dad divorced my mom and I had to live with her. Since I sided my mom, my father totally forsook me. As the days went by, my mother came to know of my conversion. The Lord had led me to take baptism. I obeyed it. When my mom knew about it, she tried all that she can to get me back to Islam. All my relatives and friends were informed, the mosque people were informed about this and every one visited me everyday. The mosque people followed every single activity of mine. I was constantly under their observation but I was not worried. I sensed the protection of the Lord on me.
My mother tried witchcraft against me. She went to a lady who does the witchcraft. But after a while, the lady shooed her away saying that a greater force was protecting me and none of her powers could come near me. (My mother told this to me a few years later when she attended the church for the first time when I was preaching. I showed her verses which say that the Lord protects His people. She then believed in the Lord and I had the privilege of baptizing my own mother!!!)
One of my relatives and his group of friends cornered me once and he put a knife to my throat saying, "You either come back to Islam or I slit your throat". It was the Lord who saved me by sending a person who chased them away. I could keep on going on and on and on about all that I faced. But in short, life is not easy for people who come to Christ from Islam.
During this time I was studying bachelors in zoology and I was also working in the evenings to support my mom and my sister. It was a very difficult time as I did not sleep for more than three hours every day. I struggled to make both ends meet for my family. But the Lord was with me and gave me the necessary strength to do all that. The Muslim friends in the college where I was studying made my life very difficult and every single day the persecution mounted. At last I had to discontinue my studies due to the mounting persecution.
The Call
During this time, I felt that the Lord was calling me for full time ministry. To get prepared for the ministry of the Lord, I enrolled myself in a Bible college in Bangalore. The Lord was with me all through that. Even though I did not have any financial backing, even though there was no one to pay my fees, it was the Lord who miraculously met all the needs of mine.
The Lord helped me to stand first in the college and come out with excellence in academics. I was awarded a gold medal for that. The Lord also helped me to excel in other activities in the college as well.
"Consider it Loss"
While I was still in the Bible College, my father who had left us many years ago returned and started to search me and finally found me too. I went to my native place during the vacation. He took me to his house, a newly built one. Wow! it was a mansion, very big, spacious and fabulous. I only had thought of it in my dreams.
I was so excited and my father wanted to talk to me. He had come to know that I had "become" a Christian. He then said that he was ready to give me all the inheritance, was ready to give me the mansion, was ready to enroll me in a Medical College only if I will leave Christianity and come back to Islam.
He said "I will give you everything if you leave Christianity and come back to Islam" I was in a dilemma, did not know what to do. It was a very good offer that was in front of me. When I struggled with no food and when I worked some meager jobs with meager pay, I had realized what luxury was like.
As I was praying, the Lord spoke to me from Philippians 3:7, "Will you leave everything and come to me? Will you consider everything a loss for my sake?" When the prayer time ended, I had made my decision. I told my dad that I will follow only Jesus and no body could separate me from Him.
Even till this day, he does not understand that decision that I made. He was very angry with me. He called for a meeting of the mosque people and wrote down a bond of agreement denying all the inheritance for me. He said that since I had forsaken Islam, I was not his son anymore. It really pained my heart.
But today, the Lord has renewed my relationship with my father once again. He sees a change in my life. He is not peaceful with his present wife (the second one) but sees me being blessed by the Lord. I call him often and speak to him. Every time I call him, he says that there is something in me that is so different. I've had many chances to tell him that the difference is "Jesus" and I haven't missed one single one. My younger sister is also a believer now as my mother. Remember my dad in your prayers.
"Blessed to be with Him"
The Lord has led me in many beautiful ways after this. The path was not that easy but He was with me. My wedding is another great testimony. The Lord gave me a wonderful wife and has blessed me with two girl children. There were challenges, persecutions, oppositions, difficult times, but the Lord never forsook me at all.
It is through the paths of disaster, hunger, affliction, poverty, rejection that the Lord chose to take me through. Many a time being rejected by my parents for "becoming a Christian", I was sent out of the house and have slept many times on the road side or in the church. But today God has exalted me and I could see and feel his blessings in my life.
Keep praying that the Lord would use me in the future for His glory and that He would use me as an instrument in extending His kingdom.
Hope this has been a blessing!!! God bless you!!!
Yours in His vineyard
Philip Ansari
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