I Dared to Call Him Father: The Miraculous Story of a Muslim Woman's Encounter with God Kindle Edition

I enjoy reading autobiographies about conversions so that I can understand other religions (In this case Islam.); and I enjoy reading about the moments and decisions that lead to conversion. Bilquis experienced some spiritual oppression. This negative experience led her to the Koran and eventually the Bible. She began to read the Koran and Bible side-by-side. She had a dream about John the Baptist and perfume. She had never read about John the Baptist, yet the name was vivid and clear in her mind. I have read several books sharing the testimonies of converted Muslims. Many of the stories are the same, they experience dreams and visions. This is the earliest account that I have read; Bilquis had her dreams in 1966. Over time she became more persuaded by the Bible. Eventually she spoke with a Western missionary who shared the Gospel and prayed with her. She left without becoming a Christian. Soon later, while reading the Bible, the Holy Spirit led her to conversion. He used Revelation 3:20.Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20Bilquis shares the struggles she faced as a young Christian. She shares the abandonment she felt when her family rejected her. But, she also shares about the friendships and relationships she gained when she became a Christian. I felt convicted as I read about her sensitivity to sin, the Holy Spirit, and His leading. Her friend Synnove Mitchell writes about Bilquis, “She was concerned not only to give her visitors truths about God, but to bring them into the presence of Jesus, the Truth.” P. 185 It is clear to me, Bilquis only wanted to be in continual fellowship with God, and constantly in His presence. I cannot find the words to describe how impressed I am with her testimony. She was so sorry and repentent about her sin: selfishness, pride, arrogance, and unwillingness to forgive. Such sorrow over sin has become rare. Rare in my life.I am inspired. I nearly made it through the book without crying. I was fine till Synnove shared facts about the funeral, specifically how they sang Bilquis’ favorite hymns. As I read I was particularly moved by the lyrics of one,"I know not how the Spirit moves, convincing men of sin, revealing Jesus through the Word, creating faith in Him. But I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I’ve committed uno Him against that day."“I Know Whom I have Believed”I have sung this song many times without crying, but not today.I Dared to Call Him Father includes an Epilogue and two appendixes written by Bilquis’ friend Synnove Mitchell. In the first appendix Synnove explains how she first met Bilquis. In the second, she compares and contrasts the culture and attitude of the East with the West. It was interesting to read Synnove’s testimony. She felt spiritually desperate, out of touch with God, and was ready to leave India. She prayed and asked God to revive her passion. Bilquis, unannounced and unexpectedly arrived at Synnove’s door. Both ladies were an answer to the other’s prayer.You may wonder about the title. When faced with the challenge of knowing which book to follow, the Quran or the Bible, Bilquis asked God “Which one is your book?” She writes, “Then a remarkable thing happened. Nothing like it had ever occurred in my life in quite this way. For I heard a voice inside my being, a voice that spoke to me as clearly as if I was repeating words in my inner mind. they were fresh, full of kindness, yet at the same time full of authority.”"In which book do you meet me as your Father?" P. 49

Definitely a keeper. I am a preteen who had to read this book for school. I am not going to lie, it seemed pretty boring to me and I didn't want to read it very much. But once I did my first half hour of reading for the day (our assignment) I actully started reading it in my free time.. I loved it.It is a great well-written true story of a Muslim woman coming to know God. I really enjoyed this and think my parents would too.No foul language of any kind or inappropriate things. Clean.

I Dared to Call Him Father is the true, personal testimony of Bilquis Sheikh, the former wife of General Khalid Sheikh, Pakistan’s Minister of the Interior. Fifty-four years a Muslim, Bilquis begins to search for the spiritual aspect to her life. She really doesn’t know where to look. After all, she had a religion from the time she was born. Through a series of impressions and dreams and through servants’ help, she obtained a Bible. But, she began reading the Quran first. The concept of the Trinity intrigued her, and the Quran especially condemned it. Though she was amused by missionaries’ actions, since they tried to help the poor castes, Bilquis was curious about them.When Bilquis received the Bible, she played a game with it, opening it randomly, laughing, to see what it said. This is what she read: As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God (Romans 9:25-26). The verses shook her to the core. She couldn’t read the verses out loud.The next day, she read more. Romans 10:8-9 “directly contradicted the Quran. . . . But this Bible said Christ was raised from the dead. It was either blasphemy or . . . . My mind whirled. I knew that whoever called upon the name of Allah would be saved. But to believe that Jesus Christ is Allah? Even Muhammad, the final and greatest of the messengers of God, the Seal of the Prophets, was only a mortal. . . . If the Bible and the Quran represent the same God, why is there so much confusion and contradiction? How could it be the same God if the God of the Quran is one of vengeance and punishment and the God of the Christian Bible is one of mercy and forgiveness?”Bilquis then has two very strange dreams, and she feels that she needs answers. She goes to visit the Christian missionaries, “the last people with whom I’d want to be seen.” When Bilquis reaches the Mitchells’ house, though, a group of women streamed out of the door, all of them seeing her and knowing who she was!Mrs. Mitchell welcomed Bilquis inside, offered her tea, and then Bilquis said, “Do you know anything about God?” Mrs. Mitchell answered quietly, “I’m afraid I don’t know as much as my husband knows about God, but I do know Him.” To Bilquis, this was extraordinary. How could someone presume to know God?So, Bilquis shares her dreams with Synnove Mitchell and accepts a New Testament, going away with a palpable sense that God was pleased. She begins reading in the Gospel of John.When Bilquis finds Christ as Savior and begins to walk with God, her family turns its back on her. It is a very sad and hard time. We follow Bilquis in her first steps of faith, in learning to follow the Holy Spirit’s leadership, and in a summary of her life.At the end of I Dared to Call Him Father, Synnove Mitchell tells many more details about Bilquis. I enjoyed hearing the story from her vantage point as much as reading Bilquis’ personal testimony.This is a wonderful book, and I believe it will challenge you to be a consistent witness for Christ, wherever you are. I enjoyed the glimpse into the lifestyle of wealthy and important people in Pakistan, the missionaries there, and above all, how God plays His part in bringing souls to Him.I believe that you will enjoy reading this personal testimony from back in the 1960s. It’s beautiful. I definitely recommend it.

A story of how a wealthy Muslim from a good family came to believe in Jesus as Saviour, and how it changed her life and her attitude to other people, including the family servants. Interesting part at the end where her friends continue the story from where she finishes and tell of where God led her to go and what she did later. Can highly recommend this book.

I decided to read this book again after remembering the title. I knew that the first time I had read it I had enjoyed it. Today with greater maturity and a deeper understanding of East and West I truly found the story searching, helpful and containing some personal answers. How Great is Our God!...I should not be so surprised at this but I'm truly amazed at the way He works in all of our lives.

Wow what a fantastic book I loved it, unlike many books and testimonies that tell of so much of the road to salvation, this starts with salvation and tells the incredible story of a lady born in to royalty but found the King of Kings and risk everything to gain it all. I also loved the epilogue added by her friend Mrs Miller with a powerful truth that we all need to read, your family is it blood or is it the power that moves and enriches the blood. Needless to say I highly recommend this book and the truth of a life trusting in GOD.

I am yet to come across a book with such expository evidence of God walking with man from the time they are called into salvation till the time they are called home to be with God.This testimony of God's faithfulness and sheikh begum's steadfastness encourages and Inspires readers to long for a deeper walk with God without any persuasion.Excellently written with easy to understand grammatical structure. Love it all

What a moving, rivetting and honest, as well as beautiful testimony of the Lord's goodness and a life well lived. I loved every minute of it and couldn't put it down once I started reading it. Thank you Lord!