Who is my real father?
An Open Doors worker tells the true story of two brave women who find Christ but are disowned by their polygamous Muslim husband and separated from their children because of their new faith
18/01/2007 | Twelve-year old Salwa ran as fast as her legs could carry her. "Hurry, we must go faster," burst out her mother seemingly in a state of panic. S
alwa had a tight grip on her mother's left hand. On the other side, her half sister, Fatima, was hanging on to Mother's right hand. The three ran as though an angry crowd was chasing them through the streets of the city.
That was not the case, yet the three knew they could be in grave danger.
Salwa's legs felt like they would fall off and her breathing was now coming only in gasps. Looking back over her shoulder Mother shouted, "Just a little further girls."
"But Mother, I can't breathe anymore," Salwa wheezed. She broke into a severe coughing fit.
Sensing that danger may not be so imminent, the mother pulled the girls around the next corner and the three hid in a small alleyway. When they could easily talk again, Mother said, "We must hurry. I don't want to ever be separated from you again."
Lack of proper nutrition and exercise had weakened the two girls so much their mother realised it would be months before their little bodies would be normal – not to speak of their emotions.
"I don't ever want to be separated from you again either, Mother," said Salwa softly. "Why is father so cruel? Why does he hate us?"
"Your father doesn't hate you," her mother gently replied. "He just thinks that women have no value."
"But why Mother?"
Salwa's mother, Shaza, ignored the direct question but internally began to relive her personal experiences as they hurried along together. She had married the girls' Muslim father, Muhammad, as his only wife – at least that's what he promised.
But soon he had added Serena as wife number two and then later a very young lady as wife number three.
Serena was the first to produce a child but Muhammad was very disappointed because it was a girl. They named her Fatima.
Two years later Shaza delivered her first born – again a girl they named Salwa.
Meeting 'Isa'
The big change came when Shaza was invited to the home of friends she had met at the market when shopping. She loved their buoyant, joyful outlook on life and their optimistic spirit. So she did not hesitate to accept their hospitable invitation.
What surprised her was the fact they openly admitted to being followers of the prophet Isa (Jesus). They gave her an Injil (New Testament) to read which she did very secretly at home.
She knew Muhammad would be extremely angry if he knew what she was doing. But she was drawn to Isa, and her love for him grew stronger and stronger as she read the Injil and resonated with his teachings.
The big issue though was that he repeatedly claimed in the Injil to be the Son of God and the only way to God. How could this be?
As her friends gently explained the Gospel to her, it found fertile soil. She responded wholeheartedly and very soon asked to be baptised.
The difference in her life at home prompted Serena to begin questioning what had changed her
Shaza also took Serena with her to the house fellowship meetings and Serena too gave her life to Jesus and was baptised.
Wife number three was neither interested nor cooperative. She suspected that the other two wives were involved in something of which Muhammad would not approve.
Shaza shuddered as she remembered the day of confrontation. Muhammad had discovered an Injil in the house – tipped off by envious wife number three who was still barren.
By this time Salwa was four years old and Fatima was six.
Discovered
Shaza tried to block from her memory the screaming of Muhammad when he discovered two of his wives were secret Christians.
"I divorce you, I divorce you, I divorce you!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.
In the heat of his anger he threw their personal belongings out on the street in front of the house.
Tears flowed down her cheeks as she remembered the disgrace this brought on them – not to mention the difficult challenge for the two women to find adequate housing that night.
Muhammad was going to make sure that Fatima and Salwa would have no more contact with their mothers, so he locked them in their bedroom.
Days turned into months. Months turned into years.
Their food was very inadequate and poor. They were never allowed to leave the room to play with other children or to go to school. They were just girls whose mothers had become apostate.
Many nights the sisters cried themselves to sleep.
Eight long years passed before Shaza saw her opportunity for a daring rescue. And now she was whisking the two girls through the city to the small, humble home she shared with Serena.
That night after a healthy, nutritious dinner, Shaza took a deep breath and began to answer the girls' penetrating questions: Why is father so cruel? Why does he hate us?
"We must be very careful, girls, when we go outside. Fortunately we can cover ourselves with our chadors. I suggest you always cover your faces as much as possible too.
"Your father does not really hate you. He is angry with your mothers because we are now followers of Isa. From now on God will be your father. He loves you very much. He will never mistreat you.
"He loves us so much He sent his Son, Isa, to earth to die for our sins. God is your real father!
After months of good food and friends, Salwa and Fatima began to blossom. Both of them became committed followers of Jesus. Their earthly father never did try to find them.
Though they did not begin school until they were 14 and 12, seven years later they were both university students.
Salwa and Fatima know their heavenly Father sincerely loves them and they are flourishing in His love.
They worship Him with their mothers in a secret house church fellowship in their home.
Please pray for:
- Muslim-background believers in the Muslim world – that they are able to meet with fellow believers to receive encouragement and are also able to share the Good News with non-believers
- Shaza, Serena, Salwa and Fatima – that they will continue to grow in faith and passion for Jesus.
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