I Dared to Call Him Father - Bilquis Sheikh

How do I give myself to God completely? What happens when I do? I Dared to Call Him Father is a book for everyone who has ever asked these questions.

It is the fascinating true story of Bilquis Sheikh, a prominent Muslim woman in South Asia who faced these questions at the crossroads of her life—and found the astonishing answers. Her entire life turned upside down as a series of strange dreams launched her on a quest that would forever consume her heart, mind and soul.

This was a short book - it only took me an evening to read - but it was very inspiring. I already knew that Muslims who converted to Christianity were persecuted but I wasn't aware that it was actually stated in the Quaran that honour killings should be made on family members who left Islam for another religion. Bilquis was an extremely strong and faithful woman to continue living in Pakistan despite the threats that were made in her life. It made me really grateful that I live in Britain where, although the government still tries to restrict the behaviour of Christians, it is nowhere near as dangerous to be a Christian as it is in the middle east. It was also interesting to read about the contrast between Bilquis, who told everyone in her family that she had changed her religion, and her servant who was a "secret Christian." It made me wonder how many other "secret Christians" there are in Pakistan. 

It did take me a while to get into this book because of the simplistic style in which it was written, but once I'd read a few chapters I was hooked. I'm glad that I read it as it has enlightened me to the risks that Christians in the middle east have to take. The only parts I didn't like about the book were the extra chapters added to the book in the new edition, which were written by one of Bilquis's Christian friends. They really didn't seem to add anything to her story, especially not the one about the differences between Eastern and Western cultures. However, this is just a minor annoyance.

Overall, this is a short and simple book about a Musim woman who takes the risk of converting to Christianity and how it changed her life. 8/10