Ex-Muslim: How One Daring Prayer to Jesus Changed a Life Forever

by Naeem Fazal, Kitti Murray (Primary Contributor)

Jesus revealed himself to a young, brash, Pakistani Muslim. But he didn’t just reveal himself; he turned Naeem Fazal’s world upside down. Moving from Kuwait to Charleston, South Carolina, had been an adventure. Surrendering his life to Jesus Christ was actual treason. And yet, Jesus brought Fazal the most powerful peace he had ever “It filled the room. It grew roots in my heart and in my soul. It intoxicated me.” In this riveting memoir, Fazal describes how God used extraordinary means to bring a young, underachieving, Muslim immigrant through Desert Storm, across the oceans, into college, and ultimately to pastor a Christian church in North Carolina. He demonstrates that no character flaw, no distance, no cultural chasm is too great for Jesus to reach across. Fazal is candid about his shortcomings, practical about the challenges of cross-cultural engagement, and ultimately inspiring that God is capable of far more than we have grown to expect. He says, “Jesus consistently, stubbornly refuses to limit himself to my expectations. Which makes getting to know him an unfolding adventure of epic proportions.” Whether you are a Muslim, Christian, or neither, Ex-Muslim makes a compelling case that life with Jesus Christ is a true adventure.

Genres: Christian, Memoir, Nonfiction, Biography, Religion, Faith, Islam

256 pages, Paperback

First published June 10, 2014

About the author

Naeem Fazal is the founding and lead pastor of Mosaic Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is a Pakistani, born and raised as a Muslim in Kuwait. He came to the United States shortly after the Gulf War and had a supernatural experience with Christ that changed the course of his life. He was ordained at Seacoast Church in Charleston.

Reviews

[BJ Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the past year or two, I have read many different testimonies of former Muslims who have embraced Christ. If each person who has done so were to write their own, we would have more than ten million such books with millions more written each year and that number growing exponentially. As another book is titled, there certainly is a "Wind in the House of Islam"

But this book is more than just another testimony. Naeem Fazal's conversion and the immediate consequences are pretty much all summed up in the first few chapters. This book goes beyond that to share how someone from a Middle Eastern Muslim background encountered (sometimes for better, sometimes worse) a very Americanized Christian culture. Naeem Fazal gives us fresh eyes on many of the things within Christian theology and culture we know (or think we do). He does this with humility and grace and a good sprinkling of humor. Naeem definitely has a pastor's heart.

I would encourage anyone to pick up this book that is a blend of personal testimony and Christian Inspiration. It is IMHO the best book of the type I have read since I first picked up Seeking Allah Finding Jesus.

[Liz Terek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muslims who convert to Christianity certainly don’t have it easy in certain countries. Often times, they don’t have an easy time in America either. I believe that is one of the things that makes Naeem’s story so empowering.

His memoir, ‘Ex-Muslim’ is an autobiographical story of God’s grace & how He truly goes after that one lost sheep. Naeem was a young Muslim, born in Pakistan & raised in Kuwait. Neither of these countries is known for its pro-Christian stance.

But, God pursued Naeem via special ways. Openly, we follow Naeem’s conversion as he journeys to America as an immigrant, attends college, & becomes a pastor. He is living proof that the impossible is wholly possible through Christ. Be astounded as cultural, religious, & ethnic barriers are eliminated to bring him to his Savior.

Fazal makes no excuses for limitations. He is entirely honest about his struggles & challenges as he emerged from a being Muslim to a Christian minister. Whether you’re a Christian or an atheist, this book will challenge you to take a second look at the world around you. If, as a Christian, you’re interested in ministering to other religious groups, then this book is a must read for you.

It’s brilliantly written & hard to put down. Naeem has done an immaculate job telling his story & being a living sacrifice for Christ. Highly recommended, it’s a 5 star book.

More information can be found via the publisher www.thomasnelson.com. I received a copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

[Ellen Everson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic! Such a powerful testimony! I finished this having enjoyed the story of Naeem’s life & conversion to Christianity but, more importantly, inspired and challenged to expect more and lean deeper into Jesus in my personal relationship with Him. Highly recommend!

[Nathan Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Note: This book was provided free of charge by BookLook/Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for an honest review.]

In reading this book, it is very clear that the author, a Kuwait-born and raised person of Pakistani ancestry who converted to Christianity upon moving to the United States, is a passionate and open sort of fellow. Here is an example of an author who is pretty bluntspoken about his own background and shortcomings and also very much interested in provoking others to thought and reflection about Jesus Christ, particularly people from a Muslim background. Given the distinct lack of willingness among Muslims to accept the loss of their children to a belief in Christianity, this is definitely a high-risk sort of strategy, and the author comments about threats he has faced for his outreach efforts among the Muslim community.

For those who are readers with an interest in personal narratives that deal with growth as well as leaving their ancestral religion, this is an example of that type of narrative. It is also a narrative that emphasizes a dramatic life of somewhat radical faith, and includes some frightening encounters with the demonic world, and that discusses the attempts of a young man who starts out as way too much of a novice to plant his own church. It is a book whose contents are impossibly broad, dealing with a wide variety of subjects ranging from life in Kuwait during the Iraqi invasion as well as the difficulties of being someone from Middle Eastern descent trying to be taken seriously as a Christian in the Southern United States (and I thought it was hard being a non-Trinitarian Yankee!). The author clearly strives for obedience while being open and honest about his faults, including a susceptibility to the prosperity Gospel he found as an early believer, thrust into leadership long before he had been properly seasoned and grounded.

Given that this is an account full of observant details (I have to appreciate anyone who is that observant to others and what they are going through) as well as vivid stories, Naeed sounds like someone who would be an enjoyable dinner companion in a conversation about what faith means. It is clear that part of the attraction of Protestant Christianity to the author was a desire to avoid the strict legalism of the faith of his own family, a rigid merit-based system that was based on rote memorization and not any kind of genuine or personal faith. It is clear that the imminence of Jesus Christ in particular was a key element in his decision to join faith, and his church hopping was inspired not a little by his own background and difficulty in finding acceptance. Among the most moving parts of this book are the author’s recounting of the growing faith of himself and his siblings in mainstream Christianity even as his parents remained Muslim. For those believers who have dramatic life histories, have made pretty radical commitments to belief, are observant about others and filled with passionate zeal, and also have a longing to build bridges between people of different faiths in order to provide the means by which effective evangelism can take place, this is the sort of book that can be easily appreciated, told in a very warm and personal style. There is much to admire in this work, and much to reflect on as well, and much to celebrate, even if one hopes that the rough edges and understanding of God’s ways on the part of the author will only increase in time.

[Sarah Gerbers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating this book is a bit difficult. Of course, any story of someone finding Christ is to be celebrated. I loved reading about how Jesus made himself known to the author. This is, as always, miraculous and beautiful!

I did deduct stars because this book is incredibly choppy. His story is shared in bursts…moving forward only to backpedal…then bits shared pages ago move onto completion. Just a lot of jagged edges with a multitude of grammatical errors.

The story is fantastic. The educational bits are important. The writing? Subpar.

[Donn Urban · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty interesting book. The author is a Pakistani by birth, raised in Kuwait as a Muslim, becoming a Christian due to his older brother’s influence after he came to the US in his late teens.

He says he has had encounters with Jesus on a number of occasions, always brief, always profound (duh). He encourages the reader to pray for the same. He is the pastor of a church called Mosaic, which reaches out to a multi-cultural populace in Charlotte, NC. There are 5 siblings in his family which have all become Christ followers. Neither of his parents have followed suit, but it seems they are still a close family. He married an American girl who is a very active Christian and they have two children

[Austen Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant! Fazal writes this like a conversation where the first part of the book is how he, a Pakistani-born Muslim, came to Christ (thru encountering Jesus in his room... u gotta read it!) to the 2nd part of book explaining theology. He’s looks at the claims of Jesus and how to address common misconceptions Muslims have about Christianity in a very loving conversational way. Now he’s a pastor and his family converted to Christ! Such a great reminder of how God will pursue the lost & uses them for His glory!

[FeFe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started this book 3 years ago but had to return it to the library and never finished! I just picked it up again and read it in 3 days ❤️ This man has an amazing story and I hope he continues to share it with the world.
I will say a lot of his theology seemed a little flimsy… and ofc you have to “test the spirits” when it comes to his stories of seeing and hearing Jesus! I don’t doubt Jesus being able to do anything to bring people to Him ❤️

[Kaye Arnold · Rating 3 out of 5]

I polished this off in two days. It was a very enlightening book and I learned a lot about different cultures and the basics behind Muslim beliefs. It raises a lot of very interesting questions and is a good read for anyone interested in people's journeys of faith. I am now following Naeem on Facebook.

[Gayle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much better than I even anticipated. The story of the author's conversion from Islam to Christianity is very interesting and somewhat unusual. But I almost enjoyed more, the last half of the book that spoke to Christian life. Definitely recommend.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read about the faith of my future Pastor

Written by an everyday guy not in flamboyant style. The journey he took to find his faith and very honest about his desires vs. What God had in store for him.

[Bekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Naeem came and spoke at our church and was one of the best speakers we’ve had in a long time. He’s very charismatic and an excellent story-teller. I really enjoyed his book and love his heart for Jesus.

[Talal · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little heavy on the Jesus, which is fine, but I preferred his story of moving from Pakistan, to Kuwait, and finally, South Carolina. The commentary on cultural differences was good to read. It did remind me of The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James, one of my favorite books.

[Lisa Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very inspiring book. Encouraged me in my faith. The author spoke at my church and then I visited his church and read his book.

[Laura Matthews · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent story of how God's love reaches out to all of us and how it can be such a difficult choice for some people who have to forsake everything to follow Him.

[Cleo Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific story! I loved this book.

[Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 really.

[Kevin Hughlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very inspirational read. Naeem’s walk with Jesus has been very personal, and he does a great job sharing it. I would highly recommend this book.

[Ryan McCarthy]

i have to say this book is my favorite book all time. the pastor at the church i used to go to wrote about his journey from being Muslim and converting to Christianity.

[Olivia Schmitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Naeem is the pastor of the church I sometimes attend. I always heard he had an amazing story, and I really enjoyed reading about it from his own perspective.

[Teresa Breeding · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful!

[laurabender · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found it difficult to make myself read it to the end.

Just seemed to drag and didnt hold my attention. Was eager to read it b/c I heard him speak at our church.

[Jeffrey Bush · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written story of someone who challenged his foundational beliefs and followed God

[Violet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ex-Muslim: How One Daring Prayer to Jesus Changed a Life Forever is the memoir of Naeem Fazal (with co-writer Kitti Murray). In it Fazal tells the story of how he, an ethnic Pakistani from Kuwait, came to America as a devout Muslim intent on meeting beautiful blondes. Then one day, during a frightening encounter with evil, he met Jesus. Ex-Muslim also tells how his siblings converted to Christianity, how he met and wooed his wife Ashley, and how they planted Mosaic Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Fazal tells his story in first person. The writing style is casual. It’s almost as if he’s sitting across the table talking to you using everyday lingo and putting in asides. The sense of ego that comes across in places did irritate me a bit, though he does his share of admitting to and apologizing for episodes of immaturity and a tendency toward cockiness, especially in evidence during his younger days.

Besides telling his story he also explores, in some of the more lecture-type parts of the book, principles of how God works in general. Fazal finds lessons in the incidents of his own life and uses them as springboards to instruct others. His experience of coming to the States from the Middle East also gives us a refreshing look at western culture through an outsider’s eyes. These things work together to make for interesting and relatable teaching.

I found much to like and take away from this book. Describing his encounter with Jesus, Fazal writes:

“Jesus’ first words to me were not, ‘Whew! You’re safe now with me.’ No, he said, ‘I am Jesus Christ, your Lord. Your life is not your own’ ” Kindle Location 859.

When speaking of ministry to people of other cultures and faiths, especially Muslims, He says:

“Incarnational living, living among people and relating to them intimately, is of far more value than anything an evangelism or apologetics course can teach us. I’m not suggesting we don’t learn to understand our Muslim neighbors and friends and coworkers, but I am saying that it is our relationships that matter most. If people don’t see the teachings of Jesus lived out in us, they won’t want to listen to a word we have to say about him” K. L. 1814.

After seeing his coffee shop barista at Target and not recognizing her because she was out of context, he sensed Jesus asking him:

“Naeem, do you know what I look like out of context? You recognize me in the places you create for me, like worship services and Christian conferences but do you see me anywhere else?” KL 2503.

I would recommend Ex-Muslim to anyone who enjoys memoirs, especially stories of God at work in people’s lives. As well, it would be a valuable resource to those reaching out to Muslims with the gospel, to church planters, and to young people in or considering going into ministry.

I received Ex-Muslim from the publisher, Thomas Nelson, as a gift for the purpose of writing a review.

[Danielle Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

In today’s world, the word Muslim tends to bring fear to many people, especially Christians. What many people do not understand, is that there are Muslims out there that are not against Christians.

Naeem Fazal was a Muslim, raised in Kuwait. His story that he honestly unfolds through the pages of his book, is one that can help us as Christians to understand the Muslims and maybe even at times, help to bring them to Jesus.

I don’t want to give away Naeem’s story. You definitely will want to read it yourself. However, I do have to touch on some important points.

I have read many times that Jesus often presents himself to Muslims in dreams. I find that so interesting. Naeem explains in his book what that meant as Muslim.

One particular instance in the book that I will remember because it may one day prove to be useful to me, is sharing Jesus with a Muslim.

Naeem explains that using Jesus to lure a Muslim into Christianity creates a problem. Telling them that Jesus is the son of God can immediately turn them off in your conversation. This is because saying that God has a son, is akin to saying that God had a wife.

Instead, Naeem turned to using sin as an example. Muslims understand sin. They pray five times a day and fast at Ramadan because of sin. Muslims also believe in the tie of sacrifice, the shedding of blood and sin. Read a few words out of Ex-Muslim to understand this better.

…The bigger the sacrifice, the more sine and for more people it could atone. So I asked him, ‘What kind of sacrifice would be big enough for the entire human race?’

‘Only a God-sized sacrifice,’ I said in answer to my own question.

I knew I had his attention then. ‘Forget about Jesus being the Son of God for a minute. Think about him as the Lamb of God. That’s who Jesus is, man.’

It’s my belief that stories like Naeem’s can be used to help us bring Muslims to Jesus. He wants them to be brought to Him. He loves them as He loves us. It’s our witnessing that brings others to Him.

Naeem’s book tells how it ‘s important to live the life of a Christian, and not just act it out. Doing church things is good, but having God alive in your life, every day is what is important.

I definitely recommend that others read this book. What a wonderful story that Naeem and his family have shared.

**I have received this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.

[Nikole Hahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diversity usually has a negative tone. One relates it to tolerance to everything except Christianity. It’s what liberals use, but indexEx-Muslim: How One Daring Prayer to Jesus Changed a Life Forever by Naeem Fazal gives a great definition of it through his actions without compromising the Gospel.

Ex-Muslim: How One Daring Prayer to Jesus Changed a Life Forever is written in a friendly, warm, and conversational tone. The book begins with Naeem’s story in Kuwait before the war. As he tells his story, and how he came to know Christ, Naeem also goes into the beliefs of a Muslim. Naeem goes on to explain how he started Mosiac Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. People who attend are not necessarily believers, but from varying cultural backgrounds. As Naeem tells his story, he also teaches how to reach the lost, how the church confused him, and the bumps he experienced when he launched Mosiac.

I read this book during an electronic fast. Even as I prepare for my own ministry next year, I am encouraged by his words. A person always assumes people who attend church are saved, but that is not the case. Jesus doesn’t expect people to come to Him after first expunging their own sinful behavior; Jesus just says come, and if you come, you will change out of love for a Savior who first loved you. What Naeem writes about reminds me of a quote by C.S. Lewis:

No amount of falls will really undo us if we keep on picking ourselves up each time. We shall of course be very muddy and tattered children by the time we reach home. But the bathrooms are all ready, the towels put out, and the clean clothes are in the airing cupboard. The only fatal thing is to lose one’s temper and give it up. It is when we notice the dirt that God is most present to us: it is the very sign of His presence.

—Letter to Mary Neylan (January 20, 1942)

What Naeem wrote helped me to clarify the vision of Cataclysm, and therefore, Ex-Muslim will remain in my library for re-reading as I grow to understand how to open the eyes of the closed-minded. I gave this book five stars.

Book given by publisher to review.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Naeem Fazal was a muslim serving Allah, but now he is now a christian serving the Lord Jesus Christ, and this book is his story how his life has been changed.
Naeem Fazal certainly lived a unique life, though he was born a Pakistani, he lived in Kuwait. And through many divine interventions came to know the Lord Jesus Christ in the US. This book is well written, recounting the author’s life chronologically (as you would expect from any biography), with in-depth details on the historical and culture context of his own life.
What is good about the book is that it’s very east to read and follow. Not only so, you can get to have a tiny “feel” of what it’s like to be a muslim, though it was not too many to overwhelm you, you do get to see bits and pieces of it scattered around the book. Furthermore, by reading this book, you do get a quick introduction to the basic belief of Islam and Hinduism.
Additionally, Fazal is able to show us how community is an extremely important area for a muslim, and if we intend to reach out to them, this is certainly one area that must never be overlooked. Also, he is able to show how there are some “point of contact” between muslims and christians that we can use to identify ourselves with them, and why the Lord Jesus is the only solution to the problem of sin.
Although much has been said about the Islamization of Europe, this book gives us hope that the muslims are searching for the same thing everyone else is — salvation from our sins, and only jesus can give that.
Although I may not agree with everything said, I do recommend it if you’re interested to read up about how to evangelise to an muslim, and/or if you generally like biographies. I have yet to read ���Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus”, so it’ll be hard for me to conclude which is better.
Rating: 3.5/5

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely read biographies, memoirs, or anything close to it, but thought this book sounded worth my time, so I requested it. I found it was definitely worth my time.

Its easy to fall into the thinking that God doesn't do miraculous things nowadays. Its easy to put Him in a box and think He has to work in certain ways, but He is not bound by our expectations and thoughts, just as this book shows.

As a young Muslim, Naeem Fazal came to America to find his brother had become a Christian. After going to some meetings with his brother, Naeem asked Jesus to reveal himself to him. What happened sounds unbelievable to we modern day Christians, but entirely possible with the God we serve.

Naeem gives some incredible insights to growing up Muslim, to what it was like being in Kuwait during the Gulf War, and of having to tell Muslim parents that he had converted to Christianity.

Something that really stuck out to me in this book, is the wonder and newness he experienced as a new Christian. Most of us have grown up in or around the church and are familiar with how it all is supposed to work. We have our ideas of what being a Christian is all about, and are influenced by years of family and church tradition. But to a Muslim just converting to Christianity, it is all new and he had to depend more on the Bible and God to get grounded in his beliefs. I kind of envy him that.

The book is an interesting and pretty fast read, humorous, inspiring, and insightful. I truly enjoyed reading it and it gave me hope that God can change and reach anyone. Definitely worth reading.

[English · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ex-Muslim was, for the most part, and inspiring and compelling account of Naaem Fazal’s conversion, spiritual journey and ministry. There is plenty here of what he has learned, to inspire readers to a deeper relationship with God, or to challenge us in our current situation. I recall making a number of highlightings on my Kindle of passages which spoke to me in some way, and I would certainly keep this book to read again.

The only reason for the lower rating was really personal. I just found parts of the book, dare I say, a little tedious in places. Much of the book is really related more to the growth of the author’s church and ministry, especially the last parts. I suppose I personally was expecting a Muslim testimony, which was more related to the author’s life as a Muslim and his conversion. So in this degree, I was a little disappointed and did not find the book as good as I expected, but I can understand why Mr Fazal wrote as he did.

If you are seeking a book which gives insights into Islamic beliefs, teachings, practice and Middle Eastern Culture, and a more detailed account of the author’s ultimate journey to Christ, I would recommend ‘Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus’ by Nabeel Qureshi, also published by Thomas Nelson. However, if you are looking for a book which details spiritual growth and lessons after coming to Christ, this would be a good book to choose.

I received a free Kindle EdItion of this book from BookLook Bloggers for review. I was not required to write a positive one, and all opinions expressed are my own.

[JoJo Sutis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was totally enthralled in Naeem’s testimony from beginning to end, his story held me spell-bound! With parts that are both chilling and inspiring, this is one book more people need to read.
Not only will it help Christians better understand the ways of the Muslim, but I think it will open our eyes, hearts and minds- giving us a passion to love them in a way we never could before….helping us relate better, pray harder and understand them in a whole different way.
One particular moment that stands out in my mind and gave me chills the moment I read it was when Naeem’s sister, Obea gave her life to Christ. She was crying and kept saying over and over…”I’m free, I’m free!” Wow! What a powerful moment:)
The Bible says that we overcome the devil by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony. Naeem’s testimony is a powerful one- one that I pray will impact souls, cross borders and bring people together in the name of Jesus!
Don’t miss this exciting, edge of your seat read!!!