From the mosque to a movement of faith in Yemen

Ali once stood at the front of a mosque, leading prayers as the son of a respected sheikh. Years later, he would face a decision no one expected—whether to seek revenge for his father’s murder, or forgive the man who killed him.

This is the story of how Ali encountered Jesus, chose forgiveness over revenge, and helped spark a quiet movement of faith in Yemen.

A Pivotal Shift

Ali was raised in deep religious devotion. As the son of a respected sheikh, he led prayers and followed the faith of his family and community.

His father, though devout, resisted extremist ideologies and quietly challenged cultural expectations—allowing Ali's sister to attend university in another city at a time when many girls were denied that opportunity.

Faith was inherited. Structured. Certain. Until questions began to surface.

Questioning, Searching, Discovering

Social media opened a window into a wider world, where Ali discovered others wrestling with faith and truth. Through WhatsApp, he reconnected with a Christian friend from Lebanon he had met years earlier in Jordan.

“How do you pray?” he asked.

Instead of answering with explanations, she prayed for him. Something about her prayer unsettled him—in the best way. She encouraged him to read the Bible. Ali began with the Gospel of Matthew.

He couldn’t stop reading. The characters. The values. The love. Everything contradicted what he had been taught about Christianity.

Is this really the distorted Bible they warned us about? he wondered.

Encountering Christ

What struck Ali most was the person of Jesus. The people in the Gospels suffered, yet they carried peace. At the center of it all was Christ—His compassion, His authority, His love.

“If this is God,” Jalil said, “then I want to be with this God.”

His understanding of God began to change—not distant or angry, but just, loving, and near. Ali came to believe that God’s Word was alive and that the Holy Spirit was gently drawing him closer.

Tragedy and Transformation

On October 14, 2017, everything stopped.

Ali's father was assassinated by the Houthi group. The man who had taught him restraint, faith, and courage was suddenly gone.

At the same time, Ali faced growing pressure for his political activity following the revolution. Government records labeled him a Christian, and he was imprisoned multiple times.

In the midst of loss and fear, Ali encountered something unexpected—the fatherhood of God. If God’s nature were love, then following Christ would mean doing the unthinkable.

That very night, Ali chose to forgive the man who killed his father. He shared that decision publicly—not as weakness, but as obedience.

Love Over Revenge

Ali had the influence, connections, and opportunity to seek revenge. In his world, no one would have questioned it.

Instead, he broke. He wept. He cried out. And he felt the embrace of God Himself.

“Forgiveness wasn’t optional,” Ali later shared. “It was obedience.” That night marked a turning point.

A Quiet Movement Begins

In 2020, Ali began serving and sharing online, especially through Facebook. Some already knew he followed Christ. Others were discovering it for the first time.

Messages came. Conversations multiplied. What began quietly did not stay small.

Today, there are eight churches across Yemen, led by more than 400 young believers. Local leaders, pastors, and servants are emerging—shaping a church rooted in the Gospel and their own culture. The vision God placed on Ali's heart in 2019 is becoming reality.

Seeing God’s Hand

Meeting Christ gave Ali new eyes.

He believes God had been at work all along—but now he could see it, even in moments that once felt unbearable. One of the reasons Ali says he loves this God so deeply is simple: he was allowed to read the Bible.

Opening Scripture at that moment changed everything.

A Story Still Being Written

Ali's story is not only about courage.

It is about love proving stronger than hatred. Forgiveness overcomes violence. Faith takes root where it seems impossible.

Maybe your story is still unfolding. Maybe it carries questions, loss, or quiet searching.

But this is true: your life is not in vain. You are deeply loved by God.

And like Ali, your story—marked by pain and transformation—may be the beginning of something far greater than you ever imagined.

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