“In the last days,” says God, “I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.” (Joel 2:28)
For decades, a documented phenomenon has been reported in parts of the Muslim world: men and women who, without knowledge of the gospel or contact with Christians in their community, say they have experienced dreams and visions of Jesus Christ. Reports have often come from countries where public Christian witness is restricted and conversion can carry severe consequences.
These accounts are described as more than ordinary dreams because of the intense reality of the experience and the surrender of heart and mind to Christ that followed. A recurring element in the testimonies is that the dreams came to people seeking, as best they could, to know and please God.
Archive context: This article was published in January 2007. Its descriptions of media formats, distribution plans, audience estimates, websites, and broadcasts reflect that period and should not be read as current reporting.
A project built around five stories
Beginning in 2002, a group interested in this phenomenon took steps to bring it to a wider audience through a series of video programs. On-site interviews were conducted with former Muslims who attributed their conversion to a dream or vision of Jesus. The producers sought stories from Arabic-speaking countries, Muslim communities in Africa and Asia, and Turkey.
The project aimed to prepare the stories in multiple languages and work with ministry partners to share them internationally. The intention was both to introduce the Christian message to viewers and to encourage people who had undergone similar experiences. Five accounts formed the series:
- Khalil. Production began in September 2004 with the account of an Egyptian extremist whose attitude toward Christians and Jews changed after he tried to discredit the Bible and then reported a life-altering dream of Jesus.
- Khosrow. As a teenager in Iran, Khosrow despaired of life until, according to his testimony, he saw Jesus extend a hand and promise that his life would change. He described profound joy and release after accepting the invitation.
- Dini. A teenager in Indonesia, Dini felt disappointed by family, friends, and society but continued to seek God. She reported a vision in which Jesus told her to follow him. Despite her fear of the consequences, she committed her life to Christ.
- Mohammed. Mohammed, from northern Nigeria, said he experienced seven dreams of Jesus. He had studied the Qur’an and planned further study abroad, but the dreams convinced him of the love and lordship of Christ. His conversion brought serious conflict within his family.
- Ali. Ali grew up in Turkey, married young, and struggled with alcohol. He travelled to Saudi Arabia hoping religious discipline would free him from addiction. While near the Ka’aba, he reported a dream of Jesus that changed the direction of his life.
Translation and distribution
The distribution strategy used several formats. Each story was to be dubbed into different languages to reach audiences in varied regions. The initial language plan included Arabic, Farsi, Bahasa Indonesia, Hausa, and Turkish, followed by other languages widely spoken in Muslim communities.
At the time of publication, the series was being distributed through satellite broadcasts and physical home-video formats common in the mid-2000s. The producers also developed an Arabic-language website to receive inquiries and serve as a template for follow-up resources in other languages.
Through satellite broadcasts and physical video distribution, the project sought to make these testimonies available to Muslim audiences in multiple languages.
The article reported that the series had aired in Arabic across the Middle East and North Africa and in Farsi for audiences in Iran and the Iranian diaspora. Physical distribution was emphasized because discs could be passed from person to person and viewed privately.
One significant distribution effort took place in Europe in mid-2006. An Arabic edition included three of the stories, a ministry segment, and an electronic Arabic Bible. Copies were shared with Arabic-speaking visitors and residents, while a two-disc edition was later prepared for distribution in North Africa.
Responses to the series
The producers reported receiving messages from people who had watched or heard the programs. Some Arabic speakers said that they too had experienced dreams or visions of Christ and were encouraged to encounter comparable stories. Christians in the Middle East also wrote that the programs strengthened their faith and offered a way to begin conversations with friends.
The article closes by placing these accounts within a call to Christian witness. It cites Romans 10:14: “How are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?”
Read today, the article remains a historical record of how testimony, translation, satellite broadcasting, and physical media were brought together in an early twenty-first-century mission project.