Few people have so completely lost the world but gained their soul as Ali Husnain has (name changed for security reasons). The son of prominent Shia Muslim parents in Pakistan, Husnain decided at age 17 to convert to Christianity. His family thought he was kidding and worked hard to change his mind, but Husnain was fully committed to Christ.
For that, he became a target for terrorist groups in his city. God helped Husnain to survive an assassination attempt, but ultimately he was forced to abandon his home and his family for the sake of Christ. Husnain escaped to London, where he now lives, but he says he wants to go back and share the message of Christ with his family and nation.
“When I came to England, I had a dream from God,” Husnain says. “I saw myself back in Pakistan preaching the gospel. … I lost my family. We don’t talk much, and they hate me. But I want to go back and turn their hate to love. I want to show them I’m still their son and show them the peace and love of God. I strongly feel that from God.”
In the meantime, Husnain has been sharing his testimony with others. He believes that his life is a testament to God’s incredible power of salvation.
“I want people to take hope and have a strong faith,” he says. “I loved everything in my life. When I was 17, I had to leave everything. It was a really hard time, but I’ve grown from it. Now I can pass my experience to other people. Our God is a strong God. If He protected me, then He will protect you.”
Husnain tells his full story in The Cost: My Life on a Terrorist Hit List, which he co-authored with J. Chester. The Cost is now available wherever Christian books are sold. —Taylor Berglund
I read the book about Ali’s conversion from Islam to Christianity when he was 17 and was taken back the events that followed afterwards. God did watch over him and kept his promise. We in an America have no idea what can happen to you when you give your life to Christ. We take our faith in Christ so lightly not realizing what it could mean in a country like Pakistan. Ali is such an inspiration to all of us and what it means to give up everything to follow Christ. I was wondering if there is a sequel to the first book. I’ll be praying for him