Watch Karima’s Testimony here:
Karima was born in Morocco and was raised by her grandparents after her parents divorced. She experienced a fairly typical and traditional Muslim childhood, often recalling the celebratory feasts of Ramadan and annual sacrifice of the lamb for Eid. Like many Muslims her age, she attended school, and as part of the curriculum, she learned to read and recite the Quran. Whether or not she understood what she was reciting, this was considered a virtue among the Muslim community. After Karima’s mother met the man who would become her stepdad, Karima’s mother left Morocco for France. Consequently, Karima was left in the care of her grandmother, who became more and more abusive towards her. Her grandmother’s hypocrisy left an imprint on Karima’s mind as she only spoke of and performed the necessary actions of a Muslim. Her grandmother’s behavior and heart showed no real transformation and holiness.
After a difficult early childhood in Morocco, Karima joined her mother in France with her stepdad and lived a fairly secular life without any of her parents enforcing religion. Even though Karima saw and even celebrated Christian holidays such as Easter and Christmas in France, she had no idea what they meant. After living in France for some time, Karima was able to travel to the United States through a hairstylist exchange program. In the U.S, she jumped into a marriage which quickly became abusive and Karima realized that nothing really changed from Morocco to the U.S.
After living a life of spiritual and emotional isolation for a period of time, Karima entered a new marriage with a man she didn’t know was a Christian. When her husband took her to church for the first time, she realized how different Christianity and Islam really were. She observed the inner joy and peace of those at the church, something she never saw in Islam. After that Sunday, Karima couldn’t understand the feeling she had and she felt she had nothing to lose pursuing Christ because her life had no hope otherwise and she was full of sin. As Jesus said in Matthew 7:7, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Karima began to seek the truth, and God, in His grace, revealed Himself to her through Jesus Christ. After giving her life to Christ, Karima experienced something Islam could never offer her, eternal life and a relationship with her Creator Jesus Christ. Karima’s salvation didn’t come from an endless to do list to try and bribe God to get into heaven. Her salvation came only from Jesus Christ, who bore her sin on the cross and put a new spirit and heart inside of her. Karima received the free gift of eternal life. Even though Karima knew she would experience backlash from her family, she knew that on the day of her death, it would be just her and God. She knew that her only hope of salvation would be through Jesus Christ, the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Nothing in this world is more important than knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior because as Romans 8:18 states: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth to be comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
The Bible says in Ezekiel 36:26- “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”
Jesus died on the cross and rose again three days later, thus breaking the curse of sin and death that enslaves us and keeps us separated from God.
As Christians, we have a true relationship with our Creator, something that no other religion offers. Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life, nobody comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus Christ is the First and the Last. Muslims hope in salvation from their own works and do not put their faith in the saving power of Jesus Christ.
We must remember Luke 9: 25-26: “For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”
We must continue to share the gospel in a bold and courageous manner while also praying that more people will come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.