of the METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE,
LONDON, is a converted Muslim.
During his years of schooling, in which he learned French and later English, the influence of Islam also shaped Ibrahim. Required to commit the Qur'an (or Koran) in Arabic to memory, he was compelled to believe its tenets without question, though he did not fully understand its meaning.
As a young adult, along
with a group of other young men, Ibrahim burned Bibles and any
Christian literature he could find. According to their Muslim beliefs,
these writings were the corrupted Word of God, and therefore should be
destroyed.
One day Ibrahim found a Gideon New
Testament that belonged to a cousin who had become a Christian several
years earlier. Ibrahim could see that his cousin's life had changed in
ways that he admired. Also, his cousin prayed in his own Tamasheq
language, demonstrating it was possible to communicate with God in one's
mother tongue.
While reading the New Testament, two
concepts struck Ibrahim. First, the genealogy in Matthew outlined a
history he was familiar with, including such names as Abraham and King
David. His interest piqued, as chapter after chapter drew him in.
Then he read Jesus' own words: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Mtatthew 11:28, KJV). "This," says Ibrahim, "is my best word in the Bible: 'Come.' It's an invitation. … "
A powerful invitation STORY HERE:
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