July 8, 2025 • 26 mins
In this powerful testimony, a former Muslim revolutionary guard named Mahmoud shares how he entered a church intending to burn it down but instead encountered Jesus in a life-changing way. His remarkable journey from Islamic zealot to follower of Christ demonstrates the transformative power of experiencing God as Father.
• Mahmoud was a respected revolutionary guard and "living martyr" who initially wanted to prove the Bible hadn't changed him
• Inside the church, he experienced an overwhelming desire to call God "Father" and felt God's presence holding him
• After conversion, the Holy Spirit prompted him to apologize to his sister – something culturally unthinkable that demonstrated his new heart
• Imprisoned for his faith for nearly two years, he endured severe torture but experienced Christ's presence throughout his suffering
• Just days before his scheduled execution, international pressure led to his release
• After escaping to England, he founded "Father's Heart" ministry, serving in conflict zones and with refugees
• His life mission is helping Muslims discover they "are not orphans" but have a Father in God
• He now advises European parliaments about Middle Eastern issues despite being "just a mechanic"
Join us in praying for the Persian-speaking world, that many would encounter Jesus through dreams, visions, and the witness of believers.
Helpful Links:
Church in Iran is growing!
https://www.24-7prayer.com/unprecedented-growth-of-the-church-in-iran/
OneWay Love Muslims Testimonies
https://prayercast.com/testimonies-landing.html
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Mahmoud A. (00:00):
This is my city.
Who gives a right to aChristian to have a church in my
city?
I'm going to burn that churchdown.
Aravelle Boone (00:12):
Thanks for coming back to Burning for Jesus
, part 2.
This is Erev Elboon.
With a newfound zeal for Islam,mahmoud goes into a church to
burn it down, but see whathappens next, as his life is
completely transformed rightinside the doors.
Mahmoud A. (00:33):
And you have to realize.
You know it was quite importantwhat I was doing Army and, as I
told you, it was a livingmartyr.
If I burned the church, nobodywould say anything to me.
In fact they would encourage meand say thank you.
But in reality I wanted toprove to Allah I'm still a good
Muslim.
Most important, I want to proveto myself this Bible hasn't
changed me.
(00:54):
I'm a good Muslim.
And he told me 9 o'clock is ameeting.
And when I say church, it's nota church like what you have in
West.
It was somebody's basement,very simple and a few chairs and
a small cross on the wall andnothing special.
And that morning I put mymilitary clothes, revolutionary
(01:17):
Guard clothes, I had a longbeard and I went early to the
church.
I said I go earlier just incase, because if the people are
there they won't let me destroyit, but if I go earlier, then
nobody there.
And I waited.
Then this lady cleaner went toclean the church and I followed
her to burn the church down andI put one foot inside the church
.
(01:37):
I didn't know what it is thattime, but something came over me
.
I wanted to be able to call hima father.
Nothing else was important, notmy family, not my religion, not
(02:06):
heaven, not hell.
I think.
I just wanted to call him afather and I read the Bible
enough.
I knew it.
I'm not allowed to.
I just went down on my knee andasked God for Jesus, for
forgiveness, and for the firsttime in my life I called him a
father.
The first time I could feel himholding me, I could feel his
(02:29):
warmth of his heart and I couldfeel his clear my tears.
For the first time I tested hisfatherhood.
And that's where the journeystarted.
And after a couple of hours,this same guy insulted I didn't
realize he's a pastor.
He knocked on my shoulder.
He said come, I'll tell youabout Jesus.
(02:49):
I said I met him and, as I toldyou, I ran home and I was
smiling.
That's the start of my journey.
Some of the Christians, some ofthe churches, they don't realize
who they're calling a father.
They take it for granted.
They don't appreciate it.
(03:10):
It's very difficult for youguys to understand.
But if you're scared all yourlife and you want to please the
master, and suddenly you realizeyou're free, not just free, you
become a son, please the master, and suddenly you realize
(03:31):
you're free Not just free.
You become a son of the king.
You don't think too much, justcry.
And you know I cannot explainit.
I know it.
I'm not an orphan anymore.
Aravelle Boone (03:39):
So awesome Mahmoud receives Jesus.
But like with many formerMuslim testimonies, the true
test comes after coming to faith.
Mahmoud A. (03:59):
Learn what happens next man, then I don't want to
tell you.
It might feel a bit silly foryou Westerners to understand it,
or difficult, but we are sixbrothers and sisters.
I'm the oldest one and oneafter me is my sister and I used
to beat her up as far as Iremember, for any reason, and
(04:20):
one day we're having this isafter four or five months of my
fate.
We're having a dinner and Iheard the voice apologize to
your sister and I didn't take anotice.
Then again I heard it apologizeto your sister.
I went out in the garden.
This doesn't happen.
In my culture.
We don't apologize to women.
You know, I'm an old man, I'm areligious man, I'm a living
(04:43):
martyr, I'm in the military.
I don't apologize to women.
It's not our culture.
I went in the garden, I startedcrying.
I'm not touching her again, butdon't ask me to go and
apologize, it's bad.
Go and apologize.
I went in the room.
I waited when everybody leftthe room.
I went to my sister, I said I'msorry and I ran away back to
(05:04):
the garden and the room.
I went to my sister, I said I'msorry and I ran away back to
the garden and I had them soclear.
You know it's strange God, whenhe wants something he doesn't
want to pay it, he wants a wholelot.
I know it is from God.
I went back in front ofeverybody, all family.
I said please forgive me, allmy family joy just dropped Above
(05:26):
all.
I was shocked Because nothingcould make me to do that.
No education, no money.
I mean the worst thing.
The problem in Middle East iseducation, sending money.
Modernization is not in ourheart to be changed.
That day I understood themeaning of the new creation.
He made me the new person and Itold all of them because of
(05:49):
Jesus.
That day I understood what themeaning of being a Christian,
what the meaning of new life.
And I told my family and fromthat day I started shouting and
telling everybody.
I stopped doing a prayermeeting.
I went to the army.
I told them, I went to themosque.
Jesus can save, jesus canchange the people.
He changed me.
You know.
You know what I did.
Might be silly for you, butthat was the biggest miracle in
(06:11):
my life.
One first few months they toldI'm crazy, I'm lost, because I
told you I was injured in thewar.
And then PTSD.
They told I lost my mind.
My family basically got crazy,but outside in the mosque and
(06:38):
military, because respect of mygrandfather and respect of my
living martyr.
Again, they said he's crazy andthey tolerated me for a few
months.
And what I was telling thepeople?
It made sense because they knowme, they know that I'm not an
emotional person.
What I'm saying, then, is atrue experience with Jesus, and
that's where I end up beingarrested and end up in a jail,
in prison for over two years.
They called me.
(06:59):
Then I come to the special courtand one day it was one of these
Muslim priests as a judge andhe said to me hey, we heard you
wanted to become a pastor.
I smiled, I said no, then Ineed to study.
I thought he's asking a seriousquestion and he just stood up
and he gave him a big slap andhe said well, if it wasn't
(07:22):
because of your grandfather, Iwould kill you right now, and
well, take him away.
Then they took me downstairsand put me in a jail like a
three-foot by four, five-foot,and I spent the next 19 months
in there.
I was tortured, beaten up Goodtime.
(07:45):
I mean it was a shock for thembecause before me I was the
first Muslim background,christian went to prison in Iran
and then it was for themdifficult to understand because
I was from a very good Muslimfamily.
I studied Islam, I teach Islamand I could have a very good
place in society and then Icould make a lot of money in the
(08:07):
future for myself.
That's why, when I talk to mypeople, I used to teach about
Koran.
When I tell them about Jesus,they would listen.
They know that I don't haveanything to gain personally or
financially to become aChristian.
They would listen and thatwould make them more angry
because they were worried thatthe people, or at least some of
(08:28):
my, state that they would follow.
Aravelle Boone (08:30):
What happens to Mahmoud's faith while he's
imprisoned?
Mahmoud A. (08:34):
If they told me what I would go through before I
come to the Lord, probably Iwouldn't become a Christian.
But God, I would say God,prepare us long before the
suffering.
He will prepare us for that,not before trial, he will
prepare us for that.
I tested Jesus personally.
It was not because somebodyasked me, I saw it and they put
(08:57):
me in prison.
It was a rough time.
More or less they broke everybone in my body.
More or less they brokeeveryone in my body, more or
less.
I didn't spend the time in ajail with no lights, no windows.
(09:18):
As I said, you couldn't laydown because it was too small.
They would not let you sleep.
They would come and pour waterevery two, three hours.
And then one occasion they cameand they took me to the yard
with other two people.
They closed our eyes and theysaid they condemned you dead and
they brought a fire in thesquad and they started shooting.
They killed the other two andthey opened my eyes and laughing
(09:41):
.
They put me back in the jailand then I've been in a coffin.
They put me in a laughing.
They put me back in the jailand then I've been in a coffin.
They put me in a coffin andthey took me through some I
don't know it was a factory orsomewhere, you know with a lot
of noise, and they took me tothis quiet place and left me in
the silence for two days, Ithink it was, or two days I was
there, I don't know how longexactly.
Basically it was bad, but oneday, when they broke my ribs, I
(10:06):
was in so much pain I screamed.
I shouted Father Wario, I wanthim to do something.
I want him to just like destroythe prison and bring down the
whole lot or kill all of theseguards.
Do something.
And I heard them.
I'm here and I take the painaway, then open the door, but
(10:27):
I'm here and anyway, every stepI get, it goes through his face
before he hit me and that wasthe only thing that kept me
going, because he was there, hewas with me.
Regardless of the pain oranything else, he's suffering
the same as I was Now.
I was a very weak man.
I argued with him so many times.
(10:49):
You know I love my mom, I lovemy family.
You know I didn't want to losehim, I didn't want to die, and I
argued with Jesus and he put meto the point.
I actually asked him why do Ihave to know you?
I had the world respect, themoney was in my own Jaguar.
I was a young man.
Then I had my own house, twohouses, everything respecting
(11:10):
the family, army, then a goodplace.
Why do I have to meet you?
Why do you open minds?
I had an argument with him.
And if anybody says he's been infaith for so long and he
doesn't have those arguments, Ijust challenge them.
Comes a point you ask me whereare you?
I think it's natural to askthat question, actually it's
(11:33):
healthy to ask that question.
But I promise you you hear itor not, the answer will be the
same I'm here.
I'm here.
I love Psalms 18.
I recommend every of you guyslistening to this read Psalms 18
.
And nearly two years, after twoyears, they condemned me to
death.
They passed a death sentenceand they gave me two weeks
(11:57):
before my execution date.
They gave me a date Just aftera couple of days, which they
announced it to my family, myuncle came to prison which, as I
said, he was also a Muslimpriest.
They called me to the judge'soffice.
My uncle came and he openedthis briefcase full of the money
.
I said, yes, he's probablytried to bribe a judge to get me
(12:20):
out.
But my uncle turned back to thejudge and he said, yes, he's
probably trying to bribe a judgeto get me out.
But Michael turned back to thejudge and he said you know, we
give you all of this money.
You allow us to kill himourselves Because he brought a
shame to my family.
That was the attitude of myfamily and at that time my
father came to visit me and myfather was, as I say, was
different.
He was a Sufism.
(12:41):
He came straight to me and myfather was, as I say, was
different.
It was a Sufi.
So he came straight to me.
Look at my face.
He said do you truly believe inhim?
I said yes, I do, ready to diefor him.
I said yeah.
I said okay, don't let anybodybreak you.
(13:02):
Turned back, cried and went.
He.
Then he went straight.
I mean, they know that I'mChristian, but they didn't know
anything where I go.
Then we church.
I go because that's what thegovernment wanted to know during
these two, three, two years.
He went to the first things hesaw as a Christian church.
(13:23):
He goes to him and said why youdon't do anything?
They're going to kill my son.
They sent my father to mychurch and he find that our
pastor.
He told them Because the churchtried to cut any contact
because they were worried.
The government attacked thechurch and anyway my church has
started commuting with Americaand England and I was in the
(13:44):
first page in a lot of importantnewspapers and magazines in the
West.
Then God raised the queen ofEngland, her cousin.
She got involved and they put apressure in Iran and just two
days before my execution I meanmy execution was supposed to be
on Thursday On Tuesday fouro'clock in the morning they came
(14:05):
, which is the time usually forpersecution, and they called my
name and they said well, you'refree, and that's the same word
we use for free for shooting andthen I said no, my time is.
Two days later they said, no,you're free, and they let me out
.
And two, three days later theytried to kill me in my home,
(14:27):
which after that become apractice of Iranian government.
They take you in and they ask aquestion If you don't change
your mind, they let you go andthey kill you in the street and
they say we don't know, thatbecome a practice.
When I came out, they sent thepeople to kill me.
After I came out of prison andbefore I go to prison, I was
engaged to my wife and when Icame out the pastor said to my
(14:48):
wife you still want to getmarried.
You don't know what's happening.
And I asked the same question.
He said yes, in hiding theymarried us, but the government
was looking after them to try tofind me.
They put my father and mybrother in prison to find out
where I am and there was a lotof pressure and the church felt
it would eventually end upgetting the church in trouble
(15:10):
and they said okay, you betterget out.
That's why they helped meillegally through the mountain
and ended up in England.
And the last 37 years I'moutside, I go around and I talk
about my father, especially withmy Muslim brother and sister.
They need to know we are not anorphan, we have a father to
(15:31):
know In the West.
I try to tell them you shouldknow your father, you should
know who you're calling a father.
That's been my mission and Itry to be in places which other
ministries where there's noChristian there or no church in
there.
It's not been reached.
Aravelle Boone (15:50):
Next you'll see Mahmoud's faith in action as he
starts a ministry calledFather's Heart.
Check them out in our shownotes.
Mahmoud A. (15:57):
From that.
I'm a knee in the church.
Even the churches we have, wedon't call it church, we call it
Father's house.
I think we have to go to basic,because Jesus came to show us a
Father.
We know long before Jesus.
We know about God, one God, andafter that, all the religion
they talk about, but Jesus cameto show the Father and I think
(16:21):
that's the biggest thing that'shappening.
We're missing a fatherhood ofGod and that's why we have so
much problem in our country inthe Muslim faith.
You know, as I said, we die, wekill ourselves.
Man, can you imagine?
You know, put a bomb onyourself and go and kill
yourself, and so many peopleMaybe, and you say that you know
(16:42):
what's a treasure we have inJesus.
We don't need to do that.
We call him a father and he dideverything, he paid for
everything.
I work in Syria and Iran andYemen, turkey, somalia, the
places, if you look at it,they're mainly in trouble with
(17:03):
the war and Al-Shabaab, talibanand all of those things, because
I believe the only way thiscountry can get peace, as I said
, it's not education, it's notputting your money in it or
anything like that, it's to knowthe Jesus and the only way to
get the peace in those countriesis to know our God Father and
(17:27):
we have a mission with refugeescoming from those countries to
Europe.
We try to help with therefugees situation.
They're coming from the MiddleEast to Europe.
That's why we start full-timeministry in Italy and in Greece
we have a center.
We're helping refugees with thefood, clothes, everything they
have to do, but the main goal ispreaching the gospel.
(17:50):
Also in Italy now we havechurches working with them.
You know we have so many placesin this crazy area and God
opened so many doors.
I'm a mechanic.
I've never opened so many doors.
I'm a mechanic.
I've never been to seminary.
I've never been to university.
I just went to England andstarted working to provide for
(18:11):
my family.
I'm not qualified to do any ofthe things that God done, but
God opened the door to all ofthese countries and amazing work
happened and God put people incontact with me.
You know important people,prime ministers and I go to
European Union Parliament and Ispeak twice a year.
(18:31):
You know, tell them aboutwhat's happening in Syria and my
advisor to Parliament inEngland.
I'm a mechanic man.
I don't even know I'm a mostdisqualified person to do what
I'm doing, but God does notshare his glory with anybody and
I think that's one of thereasons he chose me, because he
said, yeah, he cannot be.
(18:52):
He is a mechanic man, hedoesn't know much.
Must be God behind it.
You know, when in Revelation 5we talk about Jesus and he will
confess in front of the Father,confess us.
And at that wonderful feast,from every nation and every
tribe, when all the trumpet goesup and all the nations,
(19:14):
africans doing worship, iraniansdance, all the beautiful music
is going on to worship theFather, the Father comes in with
Jesus on his right-hand side.
Jesus comes and says this isMahmoud.
That's the most important thing.
That's more important than anyrecitalization in this world.
One thing I learned the man whowill take you up so high
(19:38):
suddenly just drop you.
When God take you up, he's afaithful God.
He never, ever let you go and Iput all my hope and all my
trust and everything on him.
I want him to lift me up.
In fact, when I wanted to cometo full-time ministry, god
talked to me very, very clear toleave everything, because that
(20:00):
time I was in Spain.
I was serving in a church.
I started church in Spain,going on a weekend to Morocco
preaching the gospel in Morocco.
I had a restaurant, I had a fewhouses, I had a quite
comfortable life.
I was doing everything as aChristian is supposed to do.
I went out on my anniversary ofthe faith and I just asked God,
(20:22):
god, is that what you plannedfor me?
And I said God, tell me whatyou want me to do.
And that's a very dangerousquestion to ask.
God, tell me what you want meto do.
And God told me get out of theboat.
I told him what to do.
I went and told my wife I knowGod told me six months ago, but
(20:42):
I'm waiting for him to tell me.
Aravelle Boone (20:45):
Mahmoud looks back and reflects on his skewed
view of Christianity anddescribes how he sees God now.
Mahmoud A. (20:53):
Well, the thing is, I truly wanted to prove that
Christianity is not right toconvert these people to Islam.
But one thing was important forme, as I said, and I wanted to
serve God.
God was more important than theChristianity and the religion.
You know what I'm saying andthat's the difficulty for a lot
(21:13):
of people, Regardless, you know,you're Catholic, you're
Orthodox, you're a Muslim,you're a Buddhism, it's the same
thing, you know.
Or even so-called Christian byname, it comes to the point that
religion will become moreimportant than God.
For me, it wasn't that I wantedto serve a God, I wanted to
know the God and it was morespiritual not a logic more
(21:38):
spiritual than the quest to knowthe gospel.
That's why I don't think Iwould ever be finding what I was
looking for to convince myselfJesus is wrong.
Thank you for the time you giveme and, as I said, I hope this
interview caused some of youguys, listeners and readers, to
(21:58):
realize what they have in Jesus.
Then it makes us more or lessChristian.
Then we kind of stand up withthe joy and going forward and
tell everybody you know, don'tthink because you're not coming
from Muslim background, you'renot a slave.
I was a slave of the Islam.
You might be a slave of themoney gambling life it was just
(22:18):
a normal life.
Jesus can free you.
Life it was just a normal life.
Aravelle Boone (22:21):
Jesus can free you.
Thanks for listening today.
Share today's 180 with yourpeople.
We want everyone praying and toend the show, we will feature
One Way and I am from Iran.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
I used to be a Muslim and I am a follower of Jesus
Christ.
Please pray with me for thePersian speaking world.
We pray, father God, for thecountries of Azerbaijan,
tajikistan, iran, afghanistan tohave a true knowledge of who
Jesus Christ was and is stilltoday.
(23:11):
Father God, we pray that youwould bring dreams and visions
to these people.
We pray for salvation to sweepthrough these countries.
We pray for the veil ofdeception to be removed from
their eyes and hearts and earsso they can truly see you, jesus
.
We pray, father God, that asthey're praying during namaz, as
(23:33):
they're praying to Allah, thatyou, jesus Christ, would come,
reveal yourself to them throughyour word, through dreams,
through visions.
Reveal yourself to them throughyour word, through dreams,
through visions, as they areseeking and not finding the
(23:53):
peace, would you, prince ofPeace, go to them and bring
peace to their hearts and savetheir souls.
Father God, we pray that theright people that are ready to
hear the gospel would comeacross the paths of the
believers and that many would,in turn, come to Jesus Christ.
We pray that the tools andresources that are already in
these languages, that you wouldbless and multiply the efforts
of the people of themissionaries and the ministries
(24:15):
who are already there.
God, like satellite TV.
We pray that at the right time,people would turn on the TV
during Christian programming andthey would hear exactly what
they need to hear to come toknow the truth that will set
them free.
We pray that you would break thestrongholds of addiction in
these countries that are gone upso much and that you, father
(24:37):
God, would set them free withthe truth and knowledge that
comes through Jesus Christ.
That you would break every bondof addiction.
That you, father God, would setthem free with the truth and
knowledge that comes throughJesus Christ.
That you would break every bondof addiction.
That you would help theteenagers and the young women
who are finding it so hard tosupport themselves and who are
turning to prostitution.
God, would you provide forthese teenagers and these women
(24:58):
who are finding themselves sodesperate, god, and who are
turning to these things, andwould you save them?
In Jesus' name, we thank you,god, for what you're going to do
in this entire region.
Lord, we pray that these peoplewould sense your love, your
peace and freedom that comesonly through Jesus Christ.
We know you have a plan and wetrust you, god, and we ask you,
(25:19):
holy Spirit, to continue to pourout your spirit on those people
in these last days, and we prayall these things in Jesus' name
, amen, thank you.
This is my city.
Who gives a right to aChristian to have a church in my
city?
I'm going to burn that churchdown.
Aravelle Boone (00:12):
Thanks for coming back to Burning for Jesus
, part 2.
This is Erev Elboon.
With a newfound zeal for Islam,mahmoud goes into a church to
burn it down, but see whathappens next, as his life is
completely transformed rightinside the doors.
Mahmoud A. (00:33):
And you have to realize.
You know it was quite importantwhat I was doing Army and, as I
told you, it was a livingmartyr.
If I burned the church, nobodywould say anything to me.
In fact they would encourage meand say thank you.
But in reality I wanted toprove to Allah I'm still a good
Muslim.
Most important, I want to proveto myself this Bible hasn't
changed me.
(00:54):
I'm a good Muslim.
And he told me 9 o'clock is ameeting.
And when I say church, it's nota church like what you have in
West.
It was somebody's basement,very simple and a few chairs and
a small cross on the wall andnothing special.
And that morning I put mymilitary clothes, revolutionary
(01:17):
Guard clothes, I had a longbeard and I went early to the
church.
I said I go earlier just incase, because if the people are
there they won't let me destroyit, but if I go earlier, then
nobody there.
And I waited.
Then this lady cleaner went toclean the church and I followed
her to burn the church down andI put one foot inside the church
.
(01:37):
I didn't know what it is thattime, but something came over me
.
I wanted to be able to call hima father.
Nothing else was important, notmy family, not my religion, not
(02:06):
heaven, not hell.
I think.
I just wanted to call him afather and I read the Bible
enough.
I knew it.
I'm not allowed to.
I just went down on my knee andasked God for Jesus, for
forgiveness, and for the firsttime in my life I called him a
father.
The first time I could feel himholding me, I could feel his
(02:29):
warmth of his heart and I couldfeel his clear my tears.
For the first time I tested hisfatherhood.
And that's where the journeystarted.
And after a couple of hours,this same guy insulted I didn't
realize he's a pastor.
He knocked on my shoulder.
He said come, I'll tell youabout Jesus.
(02:49):
I said I met him and, as I toldyou, I ran home and I was
smiling.
That's the start of my journey.
Some of the Christians, some ofthe churches, they don't realize
who they're calling a father.
They take it for granted.
They don't appreciate it.
(03:10):
It's very difficult for youguys to understand.
But if you're scared all yourlife and you want to please the
master, and suddenly you realizeyou're free, not just free, you
become a son, please the master, and suddenly you realize
(03:31):
you're free Not just free.
You become a son of the king.
You don't think too much, justcry.
And you know I cannot explainit.
I know it.
I'm not an orphan anymore.
Aravelle Boone (03:39):
So awesome Mahmoud receives Jesus.
But like with many formerMuslim testimonies, the true
test comes after coming to faith.
Mahmoud A. (03:59):
Learn what happens next man, then I don't want to
tell you.
It might feel a bit silly foryou Westerners to understand it,
or difficult, but we are sixbrothers and sisters.
I'm the oldest one and oneafter me is my sister and I used
to beat her up as far as Iremember, for any reason, and
(04:20):
one day we're having this isafter four or five months of my
fate.
We're having a dinner and Iheard the voice apologize to
your sister and I didn't take anotice.
Then again I heard it apologizeto your sister.
I went out in the garden.
This doesn't happen.
In my culture.
We don't apologize to women.
You know, I'm an old man, I'm areligious man, I'm a living
(04:43):
martyr, I'm in the military.
I don't apologize to women.
It's not our culture.
I went in the garden, I startedcrying.
I'm not touching her again, butdon't ask me to go and
apologize, it's bad.
Go and apologize.
I went in the room.
I waited when everybody leftthe room.
I went to my sister, I said I'msorry and I ran away back to
(05:04):
the garden and the room.
I went to my sister, I said I'msorry and I ran away back to
the garden and I had them soclear.
You know it's strange God, whenhe wants something he doesn't
want to pay it, he wants a wholelot.
I know it is from God.
I went back in front ofeverybody, all family.
I said please forgive me, allmy family joy just dropped Above
(05:26):
all.
I was shocked Because nothingcould make me to do that.
No education, no money.
I mean the worst thing.
The problem in Middle East iseducation, sending money.
Modernization is not in ourheart to be changed.
That day I understood themeaning of the new creation.
He made me the new person and Itold all of them because of
(05:49):
Jesus.
That day I understood what themeaning of being a Christian,
what the meaning of new life.
And I told my family and fromthat day I started shouting and
telling everybody.
I stopped doing a prayermeeting.
I went to the army.
I told them, I went to themosque.
Jesus can save, jesus canchange the people.
He changed me.
You know.
You know what I did.
Might be silly for you, butthat was the biggest miracle in
(06:11):
my life.
One first few months they toldI'm crazy, I'm lost, because I
told you I was injured in thewar.
And then PTSD.
They told I lost my mind.
My family basically got crazy,but outside in the mosque and
(06:38):
military, because respect of mygrandfather and respect of my
living martyr.
Again, they said he's crazy andthey tolerated me for a few
months.
And what I was telling thepeople?
It made sense because they knowme, they know that I'm not an
emotional person.
What I'm saying, then, is atrue experience with Jesus, and
that's where I end up beingarrested and end up in a jail,
in prison for over two years.
They called me.
(06:59):
Then I come to the special courtand one day it was one of these
Muslim priests as a judge andhe said to me hey, we heard you
wanted to become a pastor.
I smiled, I said no, then Ineed to study.
I thought he's asking a seriousquestion and he just stood up
and he gave him a big slap andhe said well, if it wasn't
(07:22):
because of your grandfather, Iwould kill you right now, and
well, take him away.
Then they took me downstairsand put me in a jail like a
three-foot by four, five-foot,and I spent the next 19 months
in there.
I was tortured, beaten up Goodtime.
(07:45):
I mean it was a shock for thembecause before me I was the
first Muslim background,christian went to prison in Iran
and then it was for themdifficult to understand because
I was from a very good Muslimfamily.
I studied Islam, I teach Islamand I could have a very good
place in society and then Icould make a lot of money in the
(08:07):
future for myself.
That's why, when I talk to mypeople, I used to teach about
Koran.
When I tell them about Jesus,they would listen.
They know that I don't haveanything to gain personally or
financially to become aChristian.
They would listen and thatwould make them more angry
because they were worried thatthe people, or at least some of
(08:28):
my, state that they would follow.
Aravelle Boone (08:30):
What happens to Mahmoud's faith while he's
imprisoned?
Mahmoud A. (08:34):
If they told me what I would go through before I
come to the Lord, probably Iwouldn't become a Christian.
But God, I would say God,prepare us long before the
suffering.
He will prepare us for that,not before trial, he will
prepare us for that.
I tested Jesus personally.
It was not because somebodyasked me, I saw it and they put
(08:57):
me in prison.
It was a rough time.
More or less they broke everybone in my body.
More or less they brokeeveryone in my body, more or
less.
I didn't spend the time in ajail with no lights, no windows.
(09:18):
As I said, you couldn't laydown because it was too small.
They would not let you sleep.
They would come and pour waterevery two, three hours.
And then one occasion they cameand they took me to the yard
with other two people.
They closed our eyes and theysaid they condemned you dead and
they brought a fire in thesquad and they started shooting.
They killed the other two andthey opened my eyes and laughing
(09:41):
.
They put me back in the jailand then I've been in a coffin.
They put me in a laughing.
They put me back in the jailand then I've been in a coffin.
They put me in a coffin andthey took me through some I
don't know it was a factory orsomewhere, you know with a lot
of noise, and they took me tothis quiet place and left me in
the silence for two days, Ithink it was, or two days I was
there, I don't know how longexactly.
Basically it was bad, but oneday, when they broke my ribs, I
(10:06):
was in so much pain I screamed.
I shouted Father Wario, I wanthim to do something.
I want him to just like destroythe prison and bring down the
whole lot or kill all of theseguards.
Do something.
And I heard them.
I'm here and I take the painaway, then open the door, but
(10:27):
I'm here and anyway, every stepI get, it goes through his face
before he hit me and that wasthe only thing that kept me
going, because he was there, hewas with me.
Regardless of the pain oranything else, he's suffering
the same as I was Now.
I was a very weak man.
I argued with him so many times.
(10:49):
You know I love my mom, I lovemy family.
You know I didn't want to losehim, I didn't want to die, and I
argued with Jesus and he put meto the point.
I actually asked him why do Ihave to know you?
I had the world respect, themoney was in my own Jaguar.
I was a young man.
Then I had my own house, twohouses, everything respecting
(11:10):
the family, army, then a goodplace.
Why do I have to meet you?
Why do you open minds?
I had an argument with him.
And if anybody says he's been infaith for so long and he
doesn't have those arguments, Ijust challenge them.
Comes a point you ask me whereare you?
I think it's natural to askthat question, actually it's
(11:33):
healthy to ask that question.
But I promise you you hear itor not, the answer will be the
same I'm here.
I'm here.
I love Psalms 18.
I recommend every of you guyslistening to this read Psalms 18
.
And nearly two years, after twoyears, they condemned me to
death.
They passed a death sentenceand they gave me two weeks
(11:57):
before my execution date.
They gave me a date Just aftera couple of days, which they
announced it to my family, myuncle came to prison which, as I
said, he was also a Muslimpriest.
They called me to the judge'soffice.
My uncle came and he openedthis briefcase full of the money
.
I said, yes, he's probablytried to bribe a judge to get me
(12:20):
out.
But my uncle turned back to thejudge and he said, yes, he's
probably trying to bribe a judgeto get me out.
But Michael turned back to thejudge and he said you know, we
give you all of this money.
You allow us to kill himourselves Because he brought a
shame to my family.
That was the attitude of myfamily and at that time my
father came to visit me and myfather was, as I say, was
different.
He was a Sufism.
(12:41):
He came straight to me and myfather was, as I say, was
different.
It was a Sufi.
So he came straight to me.
Look at my face.
He said do you truly believe inhim?
I said yes, I do, ready to diefor him.
I said yeah.
I said okay, don't let anybodybreak you.
(13:02):
Turned back, cried and went.
He.
Then he went straight.
I mean, they know that I'mChristian, but they didn't know
anything where I go.
Then we church.
I go because that's what thegovernment wanted to know during
these two, three, two years.
He went to the first things hesaw as a Christian church.
(13:23):
He goes to him and said why youdon't do anything?
They're going to kill my son.
They sent my father to mychurch and he find that our
pastor.
He told them Because the churchtried to cut any contact
because they were worried.
The government attacked thechurch and anyway my church has
started commuting with Americaand England and I was in the
(13:44):
first page in a lot of importantnewspapers and magazines in the
West.
Then God raised the queen ofEngland, her cousin.
She got involved and they put apressure in Iran and just two
days before my execution I meanmy execution was supposed to be
on Thursday On Tuesday fouro'clock in the morning they came
(14:05):
, which is the time usually forpersecution, and they called my
name and they said well, you'refree, and that's the same word
we use for free for shooting andthen I said no, my time is.
Two days later they said, no,you're free, and they let me out
.
And two, three days later theytried to kill me in my home,
(14:27):
which after that become apractice of Iranian government.
They take you in and they ask aquestion If you don't change
your mind, they let you go andthey kill you in the street and
they say we don't know, thatbecome a practice.
When I came out, they sent thepeople to kill me.
After I came out of prison andbefore I go to prison, I was
engaged to my wife and when Icame out the pastor said to my
(14:48):
wife you still want to getmarried.
You don't know what's happening.
And I asked the same question.
He said yes, in hiding theymarried us, but the government
was looking after them to try tofind me.
They put my father and mybrother in prison to find out
where I am and there was a lotof pressure and the church felt
it would eventually end upgetting the church in trouble
(15:10):
and they said okay, you betterget out.
That's why they helped meillegally through the mountain
and ended up in England.
And the last 37 years I'moutside, I go around and I talk
about my father, especially withmy Muslim brother and sister.
They need to know we are not anorphan, we have a father to
(15:31):
know In the West.
I try to tell them you shouldknow your father, you should
know who you're calling a father.
That's been my mission and Itry to be in places which other
ministries where there's noChristian there or no church in
there.
It's not been reached.
Aravelle Boone (15:50):
Next you'll see Mahmoud's faith in action as he
starts a ministry calledFather's Heart.
Check them out in our shownotes.
Mahmoud A. (15:57):
From that.
I'm a knee in the church.
Even the churches we have, wedon't call it church, we call it
Father's house.
I think we have to go to basic,because Jesus came to show us a
Father.
We know long before Jesus.
We know about God, one God, andafter that, all the religion
they talk about, but Jesus cameto show the Father and I think
(16:21):
that's the biggest thing that'shappening.
We're missing a fatherhood ofGod and that's why we have so
much problem in our country inthe Muslim faith.
You know, as I said, we die, wekill ourselves.
Man, can you imagine?
You know, put a bomb onyourself and go and kill
yourself, and so many peopleMaybe, and you say that you know
(16:42):
what's a treasure we have inJesus.
We don't need to do that.
We call him a father and he dideverything, he paid for
everything.
I work in Syria and Iran andYemen, turkey, somalia, the
places, if you look at it,they're mainly in trouble with
(17:03):
the war and Al-Shabaab, talibanand all of those things, because
I believe the only way thiscountry can get peace, as I said
, it's not education, it's notputting your money in it or
anything like that, it's to knowthe Jesus and the only way to
get the peace in those countriesis to know our God Father and
(17:27):
we have a mission with refugeescoming from those countries to
Europe.
We try to help with therefugees situation.
They're coming from the MiddleEast to Europe.
That's why we start full-timeministry in Italy and in Greece
we have a center.
We're helping refugees with thefood, clothes, everything they
have to do, but the main goal ispreaching the gospel.
(17:50):
Also in Italy now we havechurches working with them.
You know we have so many placesin this crazy area and God
opened so many doors.
I'm a mechanic.
I've never opened so many doors.
I'm a mechanic.
I've never been to seminary.
I've never been to university.
I just went to England andstarted working to provide for
(18:11):
my family.
I'm not qualified to do any ofthe things that God done, but
God opened the door to all ofthese countries and amazing work
happened and God put people incontact with me.
You know important people,prime ministers and I go to
European Union Parliament and Ispeak twice a year.
(18:31):
You know, tell them aboutwhat's happening in Syria and my
advisor to Parliament inEngland.
I'm a mechanic man.
I don't even know I'm a mostdisqualified person to do what
I'm doing, but God does notshare his glory with anybody and
I think that's one of thereasons he chose me, because he
said, yeah, he cannot be.
(18:52):
He is a mechanic man, hedoesn't know much.
Must be God behind it.
You know, when in Revelation 5we talk about Jesus and he will
confess in front of the Father,confess us.
And at that wonderful feast,from every nation and every
tribe, when all the trumpet goesup and all the nations,
(19:14):
africans doing worship, iraniansdance, all the beautiful music
is going on to worship theFather, the Father comes in with
Jesus on his right-hand side.
Jesus comes and says this isMahmoud.
That's the most important thing.
That's more important than anyrecitalization in this world.
One thing I learned the man whowill take you up so high
(19:38):
suddenly just drop you.
When God take you up, he's afaithful God.
He never, ever let you go and Iput all my hope and all my
trust and everything on him.
I want him to lift me up.
In fact, when I wanted to cometo full-time ministry, god
talked to me very, very clear toleave everything, because that
(20:00):
time I was in Spain.
I was serving in a church.
I started church in Spain,going on a weekend to Morocco
preaching the gospel in Morocco.
I had a restaurant, I had a fewhouses, I had a quite
comfortable life.
I was doing everything as aChristian is supposed to do.
I went out on my anniversary ofthe faith and I just asked God,
(20:22):
god, is that what you plannedfor me?
And I said God, tell me whatyou want me to do.
And that's a very dangerousquestion to ask.
God, tell me what you want meto do.
And God told me get out of theboat.
I told him what to do.
I went and told my wife I knowGod told me six months ago, but
(20:42):
I'm waiting for him to tell me.
Aravelle Boone (20:45):
Mahmoud looks back and reflects on his skewed
view of Christianity anddescribes how he sees God now.
Mahmoud A. (20:53):
Well, the thing is, I truly wanted to prove that
Christianity is not right toconvert these people to Islam.
But one thing was important forme, as I said, and I wanted to
serve God.
God was more important than theChristianity and the religion.
You know what I'm saying andthat's the difficulty for a lot
(21:13):
of people, Regardless, you know,you're Catholic, you're
Orthodox, you're a Muslim,you're a Buddhism, it's the same
thing, you know.
Or even so-called Christian byname, it comes to the point that
religion will become moreimportant than God.
For me, it wasn't that I wantedto serve a God, I wanted to
know the God and it was morespiritual not a logic more
(21:38):
spiritual than the quest to knowthe gospel.
That's why I don't think Iwould ever be finding what I was
looking for to convince myselfJesus is wrong.
Thank you for the time you giveme and, as I said, I hope this
interview caused some of youguys, listeners and readers, to
(21:58):
realize what they have in Jesus.
Then it makes us more or lessChristian.
Then we kind of stand up withthe joy and going forward and
tell everybody you know, don'tthink because you're not coming
from Muslim background, you'renot a slave.
I was a slave of the Islam.
You might be a slave of themoney gambling life it was just
(22:18):
a normal life.
Jesus can free you.
Life it was just a normal life.
Aravelle Boone (22:21):
Jesus can free you.
Thanks for listening today.
Share today's 180 with yourpeople.
We want everyone praying and toend the show, we will feature
One Way and I am from Iran.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
I used to be a Muslim and I am a follower of Jesus
Christ.
Please pray with me for thePersian speaking world.
We pray, father God, for thecountries of Azerbaijan,
tajikistan, iran, afghanistan tohave a true knowledge of who
Jesus Christ was and is stilltoday.
(23:11):
Father God, we pray that youwould bring dreams and visions
to these people.
We pray for salvation to sweepthrough these countries.
We pray for the veil ofdeception to be removed from
their eyes and hearts and earsso they can truly see you, jesus
.
We pray, father God, that asthey're praying during namaz, as
(23:33):
they're praying to Allah, thatyou, jesus Christ, would come,
reveal yourself to them throughyour word, through dreams,
through visions.
Reveal yourself to them throughyour word, through dreams,
through visions, as they areseeking and not finding the
(23:53):
peace, would you, prince ofPeace, go to them and bring
peace to their hearts and savetheir souls.
Father God, we pray that theright people that are ready to
hear the gospel would comeacross the paths of the
believers and that many would,in turn, come to Jesus Christ.
We pray that the tools andresources that are already in
these languages, that you wouldbless and multiply the efforts
of the people of themissionaries and the ministries
(24:15):
who are already there.
God, like satellite TV.
We pray that at the right time,people would turn on the TV
during Christian programming andthey would hear exactly what
they need to hear to come toknow the truth that will set
them free.
We pray that you would break thestrongholds of addiction in
these countries that are gone upso much and that you, father
(24:37):
God, would set them free withthe truth and knowledge that
comes through Jesus Christ.
That you would break every bondof addiction.
That you, father God, would setthem free with the truth and
knowledge that comes throughJesus Christ.
That you would break every bondof addiction.
That you would help theteenagers and the young women
who are finding it so hard tosupport themselves and who are
turning to prostitution.
God, would you provide forthese teenagers and these women
(24:58):
who are finding themselves sodesperate, god, and who are
turning to these things, andwould you save them?
In Jesus' name, we thank you,god, for what you're going to do
in this entire region.
Lord, we pray that these peoplewould sense your love, your
peace and freedom that comesonly through Jesus Christ.
We know you have a plan and wetrust you, god, and we ask you,
(25:19):
holy Spirit, to continue to pourout your spirit on those people
in these last days, and we prayall these things in Jesus' name
, amen, thank you.
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