Muslim Lady Challenges Jesus to Prove Himself

According to the Shi’a Muslim theocracy that rules Iran, anyone who abandons Islam is an 

apostate, and apostasy is punishable by death. Unwavering from this declaration, the government

itself severely persecutes Christians. Because of the widespread persecution, Iran has moved up 

to number nine on the 2016 watch list of countries that persecute Christians.

Padina’s Story

It was in this hostile environment that Padina, a young Iranian woman, grew up. From an early 

age, Padina recited prayers, memorized the Quran before school, and learned to hate Christians. 

In fact, she was bolstered by the promise that killing a Christian guarantees a one-way ticket to 

Heaven.

Padina was a model Muslim; she followed all the rules, even cleansing and re-cleansing herself 

during prayers to ensure purity. But these rituals left her feeling hopeless and depressed.

In a recent interview with The Endless Love of Jesus Ministries, Padina revealed that after 

doctors diagnosed her mother with MS, she found herself trapped in a pit of despair. She told her 

mother that she planned to kill herself. Her mother pleaded with Padina to kill her as well. Padina 

hatched a desperate plan to kill both of them, and was bound and determined to complete it.

A Distant god

Though Padina had been completely devoted to Allah, Allah was nowhere to be found in her time 

of need. She felt “so distant from Allah.” Her mother’s sickness exposed the uncrossable abyss 

between herself and her god.

An Intimate God

One day, in the midst of her suicidal and homicidal plans, Padina stumbled across a Christian 

evangelical pastor on T.V. He encouraged desperate Iranians just like her find hope in the promise

that “the Lord has a hope and a future” for them.

Cynical and unbelieving, Padina became furious when she discovered her mother praying the 

prayer of salvation on the phone with this pastor. A heated argument ensued, and Padina’s 

mother begged her to speak to the Christian pastor. Padina responded, “Jesus can do nothing. 

Jesus is nothing. I will not blaspheme Muhammad.”

Eventually, Padina did pick up the phone, only to tell the pastor, “I’m going to kill myself and your

Jesus can do nothing for me.”

The Challenge

Undeterred, the pastor calmly responded with logic; “Allah has done nothing for you. Give Jesus a

chance. You can always kill yourself next week.”

Padina was swayed by this logic; mostly because she wanted to call during live programming the

next week to tell the pastor and the Christian audience that Jesus had done nothing. She even 

planned to kill herself while on the phone on live TV–her final sacrificial act for Allah.

Hope Comes in the Morning

The next morning, Padina was awakened by a sound; her mother was walking perfectly down the

hall, as though she no longer suffered from MS. Padina immediately took her to the hospital only 

to have lab tests and an MRI confirm her suspicion: her mother had been healed less than 24 

hours since her conversion.

For his own well-being, the stunned Muslim doctor questioned Padina: “Which Imam did you pray

to?”

Padina’s reply?

Padina shocked herself as the words spilled out of her mouth: “It wasn’t an Imam; it was 

Jesus.” According to Padina, “When I said those words, my heart changed.”

Her Confession of Faith

Instead of killing herself on live TV the next week, Padina spoke directly to Jesus with this 

powerful confession of faith: “You are the living God. you cleansed me and filled me. I’ll give up 

my life for you.” What strength, what conviction in these awe-inspiring words!

Christian Underground Churches in Iran

Today, despite rampant persecution in Iran, over one million evangelical Christians flock to 

underground in-house churches to worship God. Reminiscent of the early Christian churches, 

these thriving, secret churches are filled with passionate believers who would–and do–risk 

everything for their faith.

According to Catholic Online, Iran’s evangelical population is the fastest-growing in the world. 

Ironically, the cruelty and rigidity of Iran’s Islamic regime spurs Iranians to seek freedom and 

complete surrender in Christianity–despite the risk of being punished as an apostate.

Today Padina and her (healthy!) mother are apostates, ministering to Iran’s underground church.

The Power of a Personal Savior

As you digest this powerful message, reflect on the truth that Padina’s transformation was only 

possible because of Jesus–her personal Savior. Christianity is the only world religion in 

which 

we, as broken sinners, can have an intimate relationship with our God–because a Savior

has atoned for our sins.

Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection restored our relationship with God to what it was before 

Original Sin when Adam and Eve lived in communion with the Lord. We see the intimacy of this 

relationship in Genesis 2:7 when the Creator of the Universe “breathed into [man’s] nostrils the 

breath of life.”

What a blessing that through Jesus’s sacrifice, we can have a personal relationship with God–a 

mighty God who cares for us and can heal the sick. Padina and her mother craved God’s love, 

and through Jesus, they found it!