Persecuted Muslim Convert to Christianity Urges Love and Forgiveness

Mike Maslanik/Teresa Neumann Reporting : Jan 14, 2006
Finger Lakes Times

REPORTER'S NOTE: I must confess, I've always been squeamish when it comes to stories of Christian persecution. I'd just as soon hear a one sentence synopsis from a third party -- something like: "Pastor X was stoned to death for his faith in Jesus in Timbuktu, isn't that awful?" -- than read, or worse yet see, the gory details written in journals or splashed across a huge movie screen. It's a bit too close for comfort.

But then, I guess we're not called to comfort; sometimes we're called to sacrificial confrontation, and in that vein, there seems to be a change in the air. I can smell it when I see trailers for the soon-to-be-released film, The End of the Spear" and I smelled it again when I read this story of a Muslim Egyptian, who after he was saved, was willing to lay his life down for Christ. May we all remember that the Body of Christ (or the "dreamers" as this saint calls us) is composed of "Red, black, yellow, brown and white -- they are precious in His sight!" - Teresa Neumann, BCN.

A report in the Finger Lake Times out of Geneva, N.Y., showcases the astounding life of Muslim-turned Christian Majed El Shafie, whose "seven hellish days of torture in an Egyptian prison" ignited a passion for helping other persecuted Christians worldwide. Urging "love and forgiveness in the face of terrible hardship," El Shafie - founder of Toronto-based One Free World Ministries -- is sharing his testimony to lawmakers in the U.S., Canada and Israel in the hopes of relieving the plight of persecuted Christians in Asia and the Middle East.

"I decided to forgive those who tortured me, but with forgiveness comes action," he said. "We have to help the people that are suffering for their beliefs.

Reporter Mike Maslanik trails El Shafie's life, noting that he was born into a prominent Muslim family in Cairo. His father and brother are successful attorneys and an uncle serves as a judge on a high court. "When you're born into a family like this, you have lots of books on law, justice and freedom," he said.

While studying law in Alexandria, El Shafie was reportedly shocked to see the harsh treatment of Christians. Building churches is illegal in Egypt, he said, and Christians are treated worse than second-class citizens.

It was about this time that El Shafie began studying the Bible and in 1998, at about 20 years of age, he gave his life to Christ and organized an underground congregation -- worshipping in caves -- that attracted 24,000 worshippers within two years. But trouble began in earnest when El Shafie appealed for equal rights for Christians. He was arrested and confined in Abu Jaabel prison in Cairo, a place locals call "Hell on Earth,"-- charged with inciting a revolution, trying to change Egypt's religion to Christianity and "worshipping and loving Jesus Christ."

According to the report, while in custody, El Shafie refused to name names so his captors took him to "an underground portion of the prison and tortured him for seven days straight," shaving his head and holding him under scalding hot then freezing cold water. When that didn't work, they hung him upside down, beating him with belts, burning him with cigarettes and tearing his toenails out. Finally, the prison guards tied him to a cross and left him there for two days.

After losing consciousness, he found himself later waking up in a hospital bed. When a guard tipped him off that he was about to be executed, he escaped out of a back window, rode across the Red Sea on a jet ski, crossed the Sinai Desert and turned himself in to the Israeli government where he remained in custody for 16 months while the United Nations and Amnesty International investigated his story. Ultimately, he was given political-refugee status and immigrated to Canada.

Becoming a Christian, notes Maslanik, cost El Shafie his home and his family, who have since disowned him, but he gained a new purpose in life as an advocate for persecuted Christians. "This whole thing changed my life," he said. "I'm not giving up because I know people are going through that."

To all governments that persecute Christians, El Shafie offers this message: "The persecuted Christians are dying, but they're still smiling. They're in a deep mine, but they're holding the light of the Lord. You can kill the dreamer, but you can't kill the dream."