Kathryn Price reviews ‘Defying Jihad: The Dramatic True Story of a Woman Who Volunteered to Kill Infidels—And Then Faced Death for Becoming One’, by Esther Ahmad & Craig Borlase (2019)

A friend at church loaned me this book, and within 24 hours I had finished reading it.

It is the story of Esther Ahmad, who was brought up as a Muslim in Pakistan. She was very devout, and prayed over and above the requirements, and also reached out to the poor in her neighbourhood. She loved to learn – about both her religion and her school-work.

But as the years went by, her family became more involved with Muslims whose aim included jihad. Esther was very devout, and, aged just 18, volunteered for that cause. Her mission, essentially, was to blow herself up as a terrorist, in order to secure a place in heaven for her and her family.

But things didn’t go according to plan. Jesus appeared to her in a dream while she waited to go off for training, setting her on a path to search for truth. Her life completely turned around, Esther found herself facing death as a martyr for Christ, at the hands of her father and former friends.

This is a dramatic story, one in which Esther’s incredibly deep faith shines through; her bravery proving immense as she faced her accusers with grace and wisdom.

I found ‘Defying Jihad’ to be unputdownable and deeply inspiring, but also helpful in understanding the Islamic faith and the deceptions within it.

‘Defying Jihad’ (320 pp) is published by Tyndale Momentum and is available from Amazon for £11.63 (inc p&p)

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Paul Luckraft reviews ‘Lifting up the Downcast’ by Patrick Sookhdeo (2021)

This new book from Patrick Sookhdeo, the International Director of the Barnabas Fund, is intended to help anyone who, for whatever reason, is going through a time of distress, depression or anxiety. It is written in seven short chapters that are easy to read and full of helpful Scriptures. There are also several pages within the main text which contain the words of hymns or other verse forms which are uplifting or comforting.

The premise of the book is Ps 42:11, ‘Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?’ Sookhdeo opens with a reference to 13 sermons preached on this verse by the Rev William Bridge in London in 1648, a time when England was in agony and divided by civil war. The King was about to be executed, the winter weather was extreme and outbreaks of plague were becoming frequent. Overall, it was a time of crisis with great uncertainty about the future.

Sookhdeo comments, “Now, and at many times in the past, God’s people are experiencing great hardship and hazard, surrounded by calamitous events beyond their control, and facing a daunting future.” (p.3). His introductory first chapter focuses on the God of peace, hope and love, with the aim of encouraging us to be overcomers and to remain steadfast.

The next chapter contains a section on how to banish fear, including a page of “some ideas to help us train ourselves to trust and not to fear.” (p.31)

Chapter three (Coping with Anxiety) has a similar passage of “Seven points to help us quell our anxiety” (pp.45-6) which draws on the words of Jesus. The next chapter is on trusting God in uncertain times, and is followed by one on that ‘unmentionable subject’, death. This might be helpful to those who still fear death or even rage against it, and, as would be expected, focuses on the death and resurrection of Jesus.

The final two chapters are on ‘True Comfort’ and ‘The Joy of the Lord’. Comfort is explained in proper biblical terms, as a strengthening and imparting of courage. For Sookhdeo, comfort is a robust and powerful term, not the ‘soft and fluffy’ mundane version we find today, often summed up as ‘tea and sympathy’. When reminding us that ‘The joy of the Lord is our strength’, the author does not ignore the fact that such joy is both needed and offered in times of suffering and persecution.

The book ends with some notes and two good indexes, one of biblical references, the other a general index. Overall this is an inexpensive book by someone who not only knows the topic well but also the biblical answers. It would be a useful resource to offer to anyone who is experiencing life’s challenges or is overwhelmed with despair and turmoil.

‘Lifting up the Downcast’ (130 pp) is published by Isaac Publishing and is available from Barnabas Fund for £5 (+ p&p)