SISTER RABIYAH OF SINGAPORE

 DAUGHTER OF IMAM TO DAUGHTER OF IMMANUEL

My name is Rabiyah and I come from an Orthodox Muslim family. My father was a very pious man and served as an Imam in the mosque of my city. He is a Sunni member of northern Indian descent. His name is "Pir Muhammad." Any person with the title of Pir is respected by Muslims in our city. More than that, he is also a descendant of the "Shahib" family. The meaning of the name Shabib is " A scholar who wrote about the Quran "

My mother is a Malay. She has a strong and pious devotion to God, because of the influence of the practice of mysticism in her life. Both my parents played a huge influence on the teachings and practices of Islam in my life.

My father's duties as an Imam involved holding Quran teaching classes, religious and moral guidance for young people, and also for Muslim men and women. He also leads other Muslims during prayers in the mosque. My father also took on the task and role of completing the funeral rites for those who had died; he has also performed many Muslim wedding ceremonies.

As an Imam of the Mosque, my father was very influential and respected by the believers in my city. Many people will turn to him for prayer and also find solutions to their religious problems and concerns. Many also come to him for help during their personal problems, such as illness among their family members, resolving fights and quarrels, protection from calamities etc. For example, my father would write the verses of the Quran on small pieces of paper and give them to those who need them to be saved in order to be protected from unwanted accidents such as illness, demonic possession, loss of dependence, and so on!

My father also loved my brother very much and my father had hoped that my brother would take his place as Imam and leader of his people in his place. But this did not happen because my brother died suddenly when I was 18 years old. Since that incident, my father suffered so much grief that he lost his resolve to serve those who visited my house to get help from him. Because of this situation, I increased my involvement in my father's ceremonies to serve the Muslims who visited us for help. In this way, I deepened my knowledge and understanding of Islam and its services.

In the garden space of our house there is a shady tree. This tree is special to my father. But this tree grew too close to the fence of our neighbor's house. So, its branches as well as its roots have slowly crept into the area of our neighbor's house. One day, our neighbor asked that the branches of the tree be cut down, and my father answered that he could cut down the tree himself if he wished! So the next day the neighbor came with his friends to cut down that tree in my garden. However, they could not cut it down. Instead, those people who tried to cut it suffered injuries! Dad quietly told me that the tree could not be cut down if he did not allow it!

One night, I was trying to 'chat' with the tree. I asked the 'spirit' who inhabited the tree in my garden to 'move' into another tree in my garden. I laid some boiled eggs and a plate of turmeric rice at the foot of the newly 'inhabited' tree. The next day, the first tree was successfully cut down by my neighbor! Dad was so surprised by the incident because he had not 'given instructions to move out of the house' to the tree! So, it was through this event that my father realized that I also had this unique spiritual ability. Soon after, my father passed away.

After the bitter event of my father's death, I went out to work as a teacher in a commercial business school to support my family. As the daughter of a former Imam of the mosque, I followed Islamic rules when leaving the house. Apart from covering my face with a veil, I also wear gloves and full socks! At my workplace, I met a Christian woman teacher who never stopped talking about her God! As you can easily imagine, I tried to avoid getting to know her because I am not so interested in the Christian stories of God.

Two years after I left college, I had a serious illness. Its name in English is Rheumatoid Osteo Arthritis. The disease swelled the joints in my bones and slowly invaded my bones. It also attacked my red blood cells by reducing their production, while multiplying white blood cells abnormally. Doctors and physicians said that I have only just three more months to live!

Upon hearing the bad news, my world was shattered! So far I have tried to live as an obedient and faithful servant of God. For example, I do not even miss the obligatory prayers five times a day. All this time, I often fast fifty days before the month of fasting, much more than it is obligatory for a Muslim woman. This time I was challenged to trust for my health! Even so, the voice of my heart moved me to connect with the Christian woman who was my former colleague! I haven't seen her in two years.

How wonderful and strange it was when I received a phone call from this woman!! After two years of not being in touch, let alone I don’t have her phone number! To me, this is none other than a miracle of God's name! This former colleague of mine asked, "How are you?" I kept telling her I had to meet her as soon as possible. Then I was invited to her house at that time as well.

At the home of this pious Christian woman, I told her about the serious condition I was suffering from. Tears welled up in my eyes as I expressed my frustration and despair at having only three months to live on this earth, even though I had been so pious and loyal to the path of Allah and his sunnah. My friend listened to everything patiently while making a cup of tea for me.

After I finished telling my friend this I asked her to pray for me. She agreed and prayed for me as follows:

"O Lord Jesus, Your daughter has returned to Your bosom, open her eyes and show her who You really are."

After that prayer, I was disappointed because her prayer was so short! I went back to my house without drinking the drink prepared for me. 

The next day I went to the General Hospital to keep my appointment with my doctors. At the hospital, I was thoroughly examined from head to toe! I was x-rayed several times and also underwent various blood tests many times. By afternoon I was not allowed to go home, even undergoing x-rays and a few more tests! After that, I was interviewed by specialists who were treating me.

They asked if I was treated by other doctors or specialists. I answered 'No' to their question.

These doctors took out 2 different x-ray pieces and showed them to me. An x-ray was taken a few weeks ago. The skeleton image inside it all looked cloudy. But, the images in the x-ray pieces taken that day showed all my bones are back to NORMAL! This means that I have been HEALED! Praise God Alhamdulillah!

After being confirmed by the doctor and the General Hospital experts, I called my Christian friend to tell her this very good news. The response was, "I already know the decision! God has revealed it to me.”

How relieved and light my heart felt the week after! My heart and soul are so thirsty to know the God of the Christians who became my Healer! I guess that week I had read the Bible over fifty times! Especially the story of the narration of Al-Masih 'Isa ibn Maryam (Jesus Son of Mary) contained in it.

That weekend, I entered the kitchen at home to pray and reflect on the word of God that I had read. Suddenly a very bright yellow light enveloped the kitchen space. In that bright light, I could clearly see the white face of 'Isa al-Masih (Jesus Christ) appear before my eyes. Then I heard His words addressed to me, "I am with you, do not be afraid or worried."

At the same time, God has allowed me to have an amazing flashback experience. God reminded me of two events in my life where I had almost taken my own life! How can I plunge so deep into the valley of such disappointment? As long as I was a Muslim with faith and piety, I was confident that God would save me from the problems and complications in my family, especially the financial problems that have often arisen. I fasted for fifty days during the Ramadan season, more than required. I also never left my prayers five times a day. But all this did not seem to have any effect on my family's situation.

The first flashback that God allowed me to see was when I was twelve years old. It was a rainy season and I had gone to stand on the banks of a river in my village. The water in the river was very heavy because of the rain that had fallen. I also had a very strong feeling to dive into the current of the fast-flowing river. But as I almost jumped, I felt my shoulder being held, and suddenly I heard a voice from behind me saying, "I am with you, do not be afraid or worried." When I turned around, no one was there.

The second flashback happened when I was twenty-one years old. I tried to take my life again. This time I climbed to the highest level of a skyscraper in my city to jump from it. I was about to jump from the top floor of the building when, again, I heard a voice from behind me saying, "I am with you, do not be afraid or worried." This time I felt a pair of hands on both my shoulders, preventing me from jumping down. When I turned around, no one was there.

After I experienced these two flashbacks, I asked 'Isa al-Masih who was in white radiance, "Is the voice that said those words Your voice?" He answered clearly, "Yes!"

At that moment I embraced the salvation and redemption bestowed in Jesus Christ. I left all my life plans and my future in His hands. As I read and studied the Holy Scriptures, I felt peace and relief that I had never experienced before. The experience was like living water pouring down on my barren soul and quenching all the thirst and spiritual deprivation that until then was so disappointing.

After that, I moved out of the house to avoid a tense and unsafe situation after my mother found out about my new faith. However, two weeks later, my family members invited me back home for dinner. I accepted their invitation with an open heart without any doubt or suspicion. In fact, my family members prepared poisoned food for me. However, Almighty God allowed me to touch the food but it did not have any bad effect on me, praise be to Almighty God! Subsequently, my family tried several times to kill me, but every time the Almighty God would reveal it to me and I managed to escape.

Today, I am very happy to be serving God full-time. He has paved the way for me to serve Him in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, New Zealand, Australia and even in Singapore. His ministry that I am involved in is in the field of healing and preaching His good news to those who need it. Now I know the power of the living and true God Almighty that I did not know before. All praise and glory be to my Lord and Great Savior!

[Source: febrina.wordpress.com]