Spiritually Asleep to Awake: Former Muslim Beaten and Jailed

In Matthew 10, Jesus tells his followers not to worry when they are called before authorities to explain their faith. Bassam, a believer living in the Arabian Peninsula, has heeded this admonition many times when confronted by bosses, judges and angry family members.

The year 2013 was a turning point in Bassam’s faith. Though he had come to know Jesus Christ eight years earlier, he had kept quiet about it, meeting privately with the man who had led him to Christ and worshiping at the only Christian fellowship in the area when he was able. “He was like most Muslim background believers in our area,” said Surur, a front-line worker. “[They] keep to themselves and do not share their faith.”

Then, one day, Bassam came to Surur with an announcement. “I’ve been spiritually sleeping all these years,” he told his mentor, “and I can no longer keep my faith in Christ to myself. I feel strongly compelled to tell everyone about the only true God, Jesus.”

That is when Bassam’s walk of suffering began.

First, his wife rejected him, telling everyone in her family that she was married to an unclean man. And since Bassam worked for the police, she also made sure his fellow police officers knew they were working with an infidel.

After being summoned to headquarters while at work, Bassam waited nervously for a meeting with the police commander, unsure of what he would say. While most people in his country are more concerned about keeping up appearances than making a deep commitment to Islam, having an openly Christian man on the police force would be problematic.

Bassam’s commander took a conciliatory approach. “We hear you have been deceived about a false religion,” he said. “You should come back to Islam.”

But Bassam, though respectful and deferential, did not back down. “No, Jesus is the true God,” he said, “and I will follow Him.” Frustrated, the commander ended the conversation with a warning for Bassam to “keep his mouth shut,” agreeing that he could believe as he wished as long as he didn’t share his faith at work.

Bassam’s wife, however, would not be appeased. She and her family pressured his supervisors at work to discipline him for continuing to openly profess his faith. And Bassam’s bosses were happy to oblige, scheduling him for multiple shifts in a row and summoning him to meetings in order to threaten him. “At work, it became totally clear that Bassam had rejected Islam and embraced the Christian faith,” Surur said.

Bassam continued to share his faith with his family, too, and they grew angrier each time he did. His wife kicked him out of their apartment and limited his access to their daughters. Although she has completely rejected him, she will not divorce him because she wants access to his salary and government benefits. She even made arrangements with his employer to have most of Bassam’s salary given to her.

Bassam’s brothers-in-law beat him regularly. He has been admitted to the hospital multiple times with broken ribs, a permanently damaged knee, bruises and bleeding. “The beatings have become an everyday thing,” Surur said.

While his brothers-in-law prefer using their fists, Bassam’s wife uses the courts. She has filed complaints several times, accusing him of blasphemy against Islam, Muhammad and the Quran. When called before judges, Bassam simply tells them the truth, that he believes in Jesus. “That is OK,” they say. “Muslims believe Jesus is a prophet, too.” Then Bassam tells them, “No, I believe in the Jesus who is God who became human.”

As punishment, the judges have thrown him in jail for a few nights for his “apostasy” before releasing him. Most of them are Muslim in name only and aren’t concerned about strict enforcement of Islamic law, or Sharia. “There are many atheists here,” Surur explained.

Still, in the culture of Bassam’s country, his relatives could kill him as an apostate and receive a maximum penalty of only two years in prison, if they went to prison at all. Things would become more complicated, though, if Bassam’s conversion to Christianity were made public; Islamists from throughout the region would pressure both his family and the government to take action against him.

Over time, Bassam has learned to be truthful but wise when testifying in court, trusting in the Holy Spirit’s inspiration. He avoids responding to questions about whether he is still a Muslim, instead talking about his faith in Jesus as his Savior. The judges often tell him to keep it to himself.

Like the disciples in the Book of Acts, however, Bassam cannot keep quiet.

Like the disciples in the Book of Acts, however, Bassam cannot keep quiet. He continued to share Christ with his father even after his father had disowned him for becoming a Christian. And when his father was hospitalized in October 2019, Bassam explained the gospel to his male relatives who came to visit in the hospital room. Though he received another beating for his boldness, one of his sisters later sent him a message asking for a Bible. Since then, she and one of their brothers have secretly come to faith. One of his daughters has placed her faith in Christ, even though Bassam is rarely allowed to speak with his two daughters.

“I love you. My Lord tells me to forgive.”

In 2020, Bassam was collecting tin cans along a roadside for extra income when a car swerved to a stop beside him. One of his wife’s brothers jumped out and began to beat him, breaking a tooth and bloodying his head before bystanders could intervene. His brother-in-law was arrested, but Bassam refused to press charges. Instead, Bassam told him, “I love you. My Lord tells me to forgive.”

His response prompted another sister to inquire about Christianity. “Bassam’s boldness is bearing fruit,” Surur said. “He has become an inspiration and encouragement to the old and the new believers in our area.”

Despite ongoing persecution, Bassam continues to distribute Bibles and copies of the JESUS film to people on the street. “Bassam shares his faith all the time,” Surur said, “knowing that every day could be his last on earth.”