Clearly he is a very intelligent young man, memorizing the Qur'an at a very young age and filled with a desire to please his parents. He is naturally curious, has strong logical understanding, and is artistically gifted, though this is discouraged roughly by his father. He tells how he went from a young man, through his teenage and young adult years and becoming exposed to Western culture. Some of which, was not the best influences. He becomes involved with a young lady, and at the same time falls for the allure of Western pop music, drinking, smoking and other vices.
Things change when he meets a friend who has changed from a smoking, drinking partier to a religious and disciplined man. This piques his curiosity and he attends a congregation at this new Christian religion that his friend has embraced. This turns out to be a small branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Cairo. They are not allowed to proselytize but he is asking all the questions, reads both the Bible and the Book of Mormon and gains a testimony of Christ. He ends up being baptized a member and then things take a turn for the worse.
Faced with the bitter anger of family and those of the Muslim faith, he attempts to flee Egypt but is thwarted and returned to be imprisoned for converting to Christianity. He spends 15 years in prison but is blessed and protected by the Lord on many occasions. While much of the story is difficult to imagine (prison, the cruelty and unfairness of the culture to Christianity) the topics are handled in a gentle manner and it is clear he is writing with no malice. The story is a beautiful arc of faith and devotion to ones' beliefs, the ties of family and the blessings of Christ in our lives.
All of those who were able to read it were very impressed and many of us described the story as 'eye opening'. The blessings of the freedoms we enjoy in the United States, particularly as it relates to religious freedom is often taken for granted. It was a book most of us were kind of nervous to begin, but unanimously was declared to be a page turner. Definitely an uplifting story and a privilege to have read.
