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

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 experienced: “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.

Naeem Fazal was born and raised as a Muslim in Kuwait. He came to the United States shortly after the Gulf War of 1990. In 1992, he had a supernatural experience with Christ that changed the course of his life. He was ordained in 2001 at Seacoast Church. In 2006, with the help of Seacoast Church, the ARC, and Mosaic LA, he planted Mosaic Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Naeem has been featured inRelevant magazine, Leadership Journal, and Charlottemagazine.

Kitti Murray and her husband, Bill, are part of an urban church plant network in Downtown Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward neighborhood, where they also live. Kitti is a mother of four grown sons, three daughters-in-law, and two beautiful grandkids. When not writing, planning events for Apartment Life, or watching her grandbabies, Kitti can be found biking to her favorite coffee shop.