Khadija Baraka had done this more times than she could count, but every time she stood at the entrance of al bayat al haram the thrill nearly overwhelmed her.
Once again, she relished being among more than 2 million faithful Muslims in Mecca—her hometown! —for the annual Hajj. The mass of humanity had begun the counterclockwise walk she was so familiar with.
Named for one of Muhammad’s wives, Khadija—“Kady” as her friends knew her—took a deep breath. Only the “faithful” are here, she mused. Infidels discovered here will die.
Kady exhaled slowly and entered the line to begin her journey. Satisfaction and joy flooded her soul. She could hardly fathom the path that had brought her to this old, familiar place in such an exciting, new way. She shivered in anticipation of the long, slow walk around the Kaaba Stone and hoped it would not be her last.
But this was the first time Kady came to pray for others at Islam’s holiest site…as a new follower of Jesus.
Ten Months Earlier
Two 20-something women in black hijabs huddled at a corner table, their favorite meeting spot in the Mama Jamilla coffee shop. It was a place where the only secrets were the ones the two besties kept from the rest of the world.
Friends from their days as children, they knew everything about each other. And here in their safe place, no conversation was out of bounds. How many boys had they scrutinized together? What were their most recent family foibles? Their latest hopes for the future? They talked of their latest heartbreaks, of dreams that so many times seemed impossible, and, of course, religion. Kady and Amina were sisters from different mothers. Still, no past conversation or deep, personal revelation had prepared Amina for the story her friend shared this time.
Kady raised a caramel macchiato to her lips, sipped the drink, then leaned into the table toward her friend.
“Jesus came to Mecca.”
At first, the words didn’t register with Amina, and she stared blankly at her friend, who had just returned from the annual Hajj.
Kady returned the stare, her eyes serious but calm. “And I wasn’t the only one who saw Him.”
Amina sat slowly back into her chair and raised her coffee cup in front of her face, an unconscious motion to protect herself from her friend’s scandalous words. But Kady continued.
“I saw Him, Amina. Jesus was there in a white robe.” Kady shook her head almost imperceptibly. “I will never forget the light that flowed from Him.”
She breathed the words, then paused, eying her friend. After several seconds, a bare smile tugged the corners of her mouth.
“Let’s go to the Kaaba, and I’ll show you where I saw Him. It’s only a 15-minute cab ride.”
“Kady!” Amina’s eyes flared. “Calm down! Has my habiti lost her mind? Have you forgotten where we live?” The woman’s lip curled. “We’re in Mecca. You can’t talk openly like this. Not if you know what’s good for you.”
Kady’s story will thrill your heart and elevate your faith in Christ. While living in Mecca, she received visitations from Jesus, gave her life to Christ, and passionately worshipped Him in the epicenter of Islam. One false move and she would’ve been killed for embracing Jesus and leaving Islam. But she was more than willing to risk it all.
You can catch the rest of her story in “Women Who Risk-Secret Agents for Jesus in the Muslim World.” By Tom and JoAnn Doyle www.womenwhoriskbook.com
