Selma's path to baptism

Selma grew up in Algeria in the 1980s, when her country was under the ideological influence of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The civil war then plunged Algerian society into extreme violence. It was against this chaotic backdrop that Selma's journey of conversion began, when she met two Marist brothers in Algiers. "In Islam, Allah hates Jews and Christians, so your God doesn't love me as a Muslim." But the religious brothers insisted: "God is nothing but love and mercy; he loves all his creatures!" Her catechumenate was interrupted and she was only able to resume in Paris, where she was baptised in 1996 under the name Claire.

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Reasons to believe:

When Selma was a teenager and did not practise her Muslim religion, she was forced to hide it because of the strong social pressure. Despite this unfavourable context for religious freedom, she recognised the truth of the Christian God when it was presented to her. Selma made a firm decision to embark on a journey of conversion, even though she was initially obliged to keep it secret.

Reading the New Testament strengthens Selma in her conviction that she is learning to know the true God: the omnipotence of God, who manifests himself in a loving and fatherly way, not in an oppressive way; a love that culminates in the gift of Jesus, crucified to save mankind... The Bible and Christian doctrine spoke to both her mind and her heart.

In Algeria at that time, being a Christian meant risking your life: the two religious who were preparing her for baptism were murdered by an Islamist commando on 8 May 1994. But, certain that she had found the God she had been seeking for so many years, Selma continued her catechumenate.

Her conversion to Christianity and her Christian marriage involved a great deal of renunciation, particularly with regard to her family, who rejected her after her baptism. "They forbade me to visit them, on the pretext that my presence would defile their home."

Despite these trials and tribulations, Selma's radical conversion was accompanied by a profound joy that strengthened her in her choice. "By becoming a Christian, I went from being a slave to being a beloved daughter of the Father."

Summary:

Born in Algiers into a Kabyle Muslim family of twelve children, Selma was baptised in Paris in 1996 under the name Claire. Growing up in Algeria in the 1980s, Selma was disgusted by the lack of religious freedom, by the massacres committed to "please God and win paradise". She was also shocked by the inferior and submissive status of women in Islam. So Selma didn't practise her religion, but she hid it, so strong was the social pressure. "Although I called myself a deist, I was inhabited by a deep, nagging spiritual quest."

In May 1993, three years into what would become known as "the dark decade", Selma met two Marist religious, Brother Henri Vergès and Brother Michel Voute, who ran a library and a social service in the Casbah. She confides: "I was very touched and marked by the kindness, respect and interest they showed me. Their welcome gave me great confidence. I asked them: 'Who is your God? Whom do you pray to?" A decisive exchange followed. "God is nothing but love and mercy, he loves all creatures, "they told her, prompting Selma to respond: "In Islam, Allah hates Jews and Christians, so your God doesn't love me, a Muslim." The religious's insistence was decisive. Selma replied: "This is the God I have been seeking and searching for, for so many years. So, in all conscience, I want to become a Christian. What do I have to do to become a Christian? " So began Selma's journey towards baptism.

On reading the New Testament that the religious had given her, she made several major doctrinal discoveries: God, in his omnipotence (not oppressive as in Islam), revealed himself to mankind at Christmas in the form of a newborn baby; Jesus was crucified to save mankind (whereas the Koran denies the reality of the crucifixion); and finally, she discovered that God is a Father.

Selma's radical conversion was accompanied by profound joy, which reinforced her choice. "By becoming a Christian, I went from being a slave to being a beloved daughter of the Father." But fearing reprisals from her family and friends, Selma never told them of her conversion. So she began a clandestine catechumenate with Brother Vergès and a Little Sister of the Assumption, Paul-Hélène Saint-Raymond. But their assassination by an Islamist commando on 8 May 1994 tragically interrupted this preparation, without putting an end to it, because Selma was welcomed into a parish in Paris. It was there that she was baptised during the Easter Vigil in 1996.

Once baptized, Claire was rejected by a large part of her family. One of her sisters denounced her during a visit to Algeria. As for the others, they were extremely harsh, hurling invective after invective at Claire: "Christian bitch, human trash, cursed woman, shame of the family, etc." They shared out her clothes and personal belongings and destroyed her childhood photos. "It was extremely painful for me, because I had affection for my sisters." In their eyes, "as I was married to a French Catholic, I had become impure like him, and they forbade me to visit, claiming that my presence would defile their home." Her marriage was never recognised by the Algerian consular authorities, as her husband was not a Muslim.

Since the death of her parents, Claire has had masses said for them: they were sincere believers to whom Christ had not been announced. Finally, she implores God every day to give rise to missionary vocations to help Muslims discover the Gospel. "This Christian apostolate is fundamental and must be developed. I keep in my heart these words from Brother Henri: 'Christ must shine through us. The fifth Gospel that everyone can read is the Gospel of our lives.'"

Based on Selma's testimony and Annie Laurent's article in 1000 raisons de croire magazine.

Based on Selma's testimonial and Annie Laurent's article in the magazine 1000 raisons de croire.

Beyond reasons to believe:

According to a 2015 Pew Research Center survey, there are approximately 10.2 million Muslim converts to Christianity worldwide. Other sources estimate that the real number could be much higher, as many conversions go unrecorded or unreported.

In France, the number of Muslim converts to Christianity is estimated at between 4,000 and 30,000. Estimating this figure is also difficult, as many conversions remain hidden and are therefore not counted.

According to official figures from the French Bishops' Conference, around 300 people of Muslim origin are baptised in the Catholic Church each year.

Going further:

Read the full article on Selma's conversion in issue 1 of 1000 raisons de croire magazine.

More information:

Hiding in the Light: Why I Risked Everything to Leave Islam and Follow Jesus by Rifqa Bary, WaterBrook; Reprint edition (May 3, 2016)
Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity by Nabeel Qureshi, Zondervan; 3rd edition (August 21, 2018)
No God but One: Allah or Jesus?: A Former Muslim Investigates the Evidence for Islam and Christianity by Nabeel Qureshi, Zondervan (August 30, 2016)
Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward by Nabeel Qureshi, Zondervan (March 8, 2016)