For
Ayman Ibrahim (PhD candidate,
2016) being a Christian means bridging two divides; the first between man and
God, the second between east and west. Raised in Cairo, Egypt, Ayman, like many
Egyptian Christians, was born into a Coptic Orthodox family. His faith was
transformed as a young man when he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord
and Savior. Soon a young Ayman was leading praise and worship meetings and
finding that he had the gift of evangelism.
While Ayman went on to study
engineering in college, he also began preaching. He continued to practice and
develop this gift into the early years of a budding engineering career. But
each time he preached, he experienced an unmistakable confirmation that the
Lord was calling him to evangelize among Arabs. Ayman left engineering and took
up full time ministry, preaching in Morocco, Egypt, Sudan, Lebanon, Syria,
Jordan and Iraq.
During this time, Ayman
sensed a call to delve deeper into scripture and theology through a Christian
education. While pursuing his Master of Divinity in the US, Ayman discovered
that the Lord had more in mind for him than solely academic pursuits.
“It’s been the generosity of donors, wanting to empower people like me in
our ministries, who make this possible. I am grateful beyond words.”
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In addition to his studies,
Ayman was keen on helping western audiences better understand various aspects
of the Middle East, so he began teaching a variety of courses springing from
his background. As a result of his teaching, seminaries invited Ayman to apply
to their PhD programs.
Explaining why he chose
Fuller over other seminaries, Ayman says, “Fuller offers one of the best
programs in Muslim studies.” He cites the strength of Fuller’s School of Intercultural
Studies (SIS), which is critical to his research on interactions between the seemingly
disparate Arab and western worlds.
The level of scholarship Ayman
discovered among SIS faculty exceeded even
his high expectations. Ticking off the names of one professor after another,
Ayman credits their instruction and
mentorship for helping him to develop in every area critical for scholarly
success.
Asked about his experience
as a Fuller student so far, Ayman says, “I am seriously impressed. Happy. Blessed. You see, professors are not just keen on academic
life; they also encourage me to grow spiritually. I am closer to God and his
calling as a result.”
When it came to the prospect
of self-financing seminary studies at Fuller, Ayman admits the thought was not
a dream, but a nightmare, “I am deeply thankful for the generosity of Fuller
donors who helped me to get this far.”
Like Ayman, many Fuller
students depend on the Fuller Fund for scholarship aid, which they need in
order to take the next step in their ministry training. When he reflects on the
importance of donors in advancing his ministry and scholarship, Ayman simply
says, “It’s been the generosity of donors, wanting to empower people like me in
our ministries, who make this possible. I am grateful beyond words.”
Looking to the future, Ayman
sees a role for himself in the Middle East. “I love the Middle East. It’s my
place. My home. There is a lot of mess and chaos, but I am fond of this chaos.”