Zia Nodrat - Afghanistan

Years ago, on the 30th of Hoot, 1355 in the solar calendar, children and adolescents preparing for the new academic year were getting ready to start their studies. The children who were newly joining school had numerous questions in their minds as they awaited their entrance to school.

Among them was a tall yet slender teenager named Zia, who wore simple but clean and tidy clothes, indicating his inclusion in the school for the blind in Kabul. From a distance, the absence of the great blessing of sight was evident on his face. Although he was around thirteen or fourteen years old, which was past the usual age for starting school, he was admitted to the first grade of an elementary school because the school for the blind was not a regular school.

When Zia sat next to the other students in class, both the students and teachers initially thought he was an ordinary student. However, when they discovered that he had memorised the entire Quran by that age, they were astonished and realised that Zia was not an ordinary student. Indeed, for a young person of thirteen or fourteen years, memorising the Quran with all its diacritics is no easy task.

Zia quickly learned the special alphabet for the blind, known as Braille, exceptionally well. With its help, he was able to prepare for and take exams for two grades in one year, thus successfully completing the six-year elementary course in just three years.

After finishing his studies at Habibiah Lyceum in 1351, Zia aspired to join the Faculty of Law at Kabul University but faced numerous obstacles at that time. It was prevalent to believe that blind individuals could not attend university. One of the university staff even remarked to Zia that blind people do not have brains.

However, Zia did not succumb to these stereotypes. Eventually, he was granted permission to take the entrance exam. Even after successfully passing the exam, he had to convince the faculty officials to allow him admission.

Zia graduated from the Faculty of Law after four successful years. God had also bestowed extraordinary talent upon Zia in learning languages. Despite studying two grades in one year, he also listened to foreign radio stations on his small transistor radio, which enabled him to learn English and achieve complete proficiency in it.

Zia not only used foreign radio stations to learn English but also listened attentively to Christian programmes broadcasted from abroad. When he heard certain words like "atonement," "salvation," and "new birth," he would ask his foreign teachers questions about them to satisfy his curiosity.

One day in 1366, Zia entered the classroom with a completely transformed and cheerful face. When his classmates noticed this change, they were astonished and inquired about the reason. Zia replied that he had come to believe in Jesus Christ and accepted Him as his personal saviour.

Hearing this was unbelievable for them. However, when Zia insisted on his decision with seriousness and confidence, they were astonished and compassionately warned him about the consequences and dangers of his decision.

I thought about this matter and realised that I will not turn back from the path I have chosen. I am ready to sacrifice my life for Christ, just as He sacrificed His life on the cross for me.

Two years after his faith in Christ in 1348, Zia was baptised. He gradually grew in his faith and understanding of God's Word, eventually becoming the leader of a small group of Afghan Christians in Kabul. Additionally, as Zia was quite popular among his peers, the students elected him as their representative.

After some time, the authorities learned about Zia's faith in Jesus Christ and dismissed him from his position as the students' representative. This was the first injustice Zia faced for his faith. However, Zia did not show the slightest negative reaction; rather, in response to one of his teachers' questions, he quoted John the Baptist, saying,

"He must increase, but I must decrease." Before knowing Jesus and believing in Him, Zia had been like many other disabled individuals: quiet, reserved, defeated, and hopeless. But believing in Christ ignited a spark within him that illuminated and transformed his life.

Zia's conversion was remarkable. He did not come to faith through emotional experiences or due to the adverse circumstances he faced. Instead, he carefully considered each word of God's Word before accepting it. One day, he borrowed a Braille copy of the Gospel of John from the school library for study.

After studying it thoroughly, when he returned it to the librarian, he exclaimed, "Thank God, I have found the answer to my question." The librarian, surprised, asked him what the question was. With a bright face, Zia confidently replied, "In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, 'A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.'"

As I read this part of God's Word, I wondered why Jesus introduces this command as new and fresh, especially since God had commanded through Moses long ago that we should love our neighbour as ourselves. But now I have found the answer to my question.

Zia explained to the librarian in this way: Before the birth of Jesus Christ, the world had never understood love in its absolute and true sense. Yet, we read in the Scriptures that God is love, and Jesus Christ manifested the Word of God, love, in His life.

Christ expresses His command to us in this way: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you." He continued, "Jesus left us a perfect example of love in His unique life, so that we too may follow His example."

By coming to faith in Christ, God revealed all the hidden talents within Zia. Not only did he grow remarkably in understanding and sharing God's Word, but he also showcased remarkable God-given abilities in worldly knowledge. Contrary to expectations, he became the first blind student to join a regular school.

He sat alongside the other students and engaged in learning. To facilitate his studies, he used a small tape recorder to record his teachers' lessons, which he would later listen to and review at home.

Just as he completed the elementary course for the blind in three years, he also finished the six-year secondary education in three years and excelled in it. Zia was never arrogant; rather, he considered everything a gift from God and was grateful for it.

When Zia completed his secondary education, he decided to study Islamic jurisprudence to help defend persecuted Christians in sharia courts. To implement this decision, he enrolled in the Faculty of Law at Kabul University and graduated with excellent grades.

While Zia was busy studying at the university, a German charitable organisation that works among the blind in Germany donated a complete library of Braille books in German to the school for the blind in Kabul. As Zia did not want to miss any opportunity for growth and maturity in his faith and understanding of God's Word, he decided to learn German so he could utilise this library.

To this end, he enrolled at the Goethe Institute in Kabul and began learning the German language. God blessed Zia abundantly in this educational endeavour as well. He graduated with top marks from the Goethe Institute and successfully received a scholarship to study in Germany.

Zia went to Germany for his studies. Upon completing his education, he achieved the highest distinction among students from around the world and returned to his homeland. Zia translated the New Testament from Persian into Dari and, with the help of the Pakistan Bible Society in Lahore, published it.

Now, many believers who are passionate about God's Word use this translation to nourish their souls with its teachings. Zia began working at the Institute for the Blind in Kabul. Just as Jesus Christ said, "You are the light of the world."

At the Institute, Zia modelled his work after this saying of Jesus Christ. Soon, many students at the Institute came to faith in Jesus Christ. Upon learning of this, the then-government immediately issued orders to shut down the Institute and demolish the church that they had previously allowed to be built.

On the memorial plaque of the church building in Kabul that was demolished, the following words were inscribed: "For the glory of God, who loved us and redeemed us from the bondage of sin at the price of His blood. This building is dedicated to be a house of prayer and worship for countless nations."

In the month of Sur, 1349 in the solar calendar, during the reign of King Zahir Shah, the cornerstone of this church was laid. After the demolition of the church was completed, the royal government of Afghanistan soon collapsed in a military coup.

Following that, problems continued to plague our beloved country. On the 7th of Sawr, 1357, the government of Afghanistan changed once again, and the Institute for the Blind was reopened, with Zia appointed as one of the directors.

Zia worked hard on the reconstruction and revitalisation of the Institute, but he was soon pressured to serve the regime of that time. However, as Zia was a servant of God and not a politician, he declined their offer.

The regime agents tried to persuade him, saying that if he did not serve them, he would be killed. Zia replied, "I am ready to sacrifice my life for my faith. Are you so steadfast in your political beliefs that you would sacrifice your life for them?"

They were left speechless. Ultimately, the devil had his way. The regime arrested Zia on false charges and imprisoned him in Policharkhi prison. As is well known to our dear countrymen, the conditions for prisoners in Policharkhi were extremely poor, and there was no means of heating during the cold winters of Kabul.

Zia, like hundreds of other political prisoners, slept on the ground without a mattress, using his jacket and shirt as a makeshift blanket. One night, he noticed that one of his fellow prisoners had neither a jacket nor a shirt to use as a covering and was shivering from the cold.

Zia remembered the words of John the Baptist, who had said that whoever has two garments should give one to someone who has none. Immediately, Zia took off his shirt and gave it to the fellow prisoner.

From that day forward, God miraculously protected him from the cold. In prison, the regime agents subjected Zia to severe psychological and physical torture to try to dissuade him from his beliefs and faith.

In the midst of electric shocks, he sustained severe burns on several parts of his head. Yet, Zia remained steadfast in his beliefs, adhering to his decision to sacrifice his life but never to turn away from his faith.

Even in prison, he endeavoured to learn and not leave empty-handed. He began learning the Russian language and quickly achieved proficiency in it. Eventually, Zia was released from prison, standing firm in his faith.

After his release, Zia contacted a blind friend of his who was a beggar. With his help and dressed in tattered clothes, he left Kabul. Throughout the journey, his friend spoke on his behalf, and thus they managed to pass through all the government security checkpoints and enter Pakistan.

As soon as he arrived in Pakistan, he was invited to go to the United States to learn Hebrew in order to translate the Old Testament of the Bible into Dari. However, Zia declined this invitation, saying, "My countrymen here need me more."

He quickly learned Urdu and became so proficient that he could teach and preach in it. He worked on establishing projects for refugees in refugee camps, focusing on the education and training of the blind. During this time, he completed a children’s storybook from the Gospel written in Dari, which was published a few years later.

As the devil is cunning and an enemy of God, he did not remain idle while Zia was devoted to serving Christ. In 1367, Zia was captured by one of the Afghan factions. According to reports, he was tortured for being a believer in Christ and was whipped repeatedly.

Zia endured the torture but never denied his faith until he received the crown of martyrdom. We believe that when he surrendered his spirit to God, it was as Stephen the martyr said: "Lord, do not hold this sin against them."

Thus, Zia departed from among us, triumphantly leaving behind the sufferings and troubles of this world, where there is no love or suffering. Zia's name, in addition to being recorded in the book of martyrs, is also engraved in the hearts of every Afghan believer in Christ.

We ask our Heavenly Father to grant us the same steadfastness in faith in Christ that Zia exhibited.