A Legendary Somali Christian Goes to Heaven

SFJ, 14 October 2018
Updated 15 October 2018, 07:00 AM, GMT
Kismayo, Somalia

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26

Ali Sharif Ibrahim, 65, has peacefully passed away in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in the early hours of 13 October 2018. He leaves behind in Addis Ababa a widow, two sons and a daughter. He is also survived by seven grown-up kids who live in three different continents.

Ali Sharif, as he is popularly known, was an author, hymnologist, evangelist, apologist and above all, a born-again disciple of Christ.

Ali Sharif was born and grew up in southern Somalia under the tutorage of his famous Muslim cleric, Sharif Ibrahim. Ali Sharif was a madrassa teacher in Mogadishu, and one of the most well-known Somali Sufi Muslim clerics in Addis Ababa before the Lord found him a decade ago.

Ali Sharif, a scholar of classical – Quranic Arabic and a fluent speaker of modern Arabic was larger than life figure in the Somali church in Ethiopia; his sermons are available online (mainly YouTube and Facebook) and was a respected expert on Christian – Muslim relations. Ali Sharif’s apologetics have led several Muslim fanatics to the Lord in Addis Ababa and beyond.

A house church pastor in Baidawa, southern Somalia, described Ali Sharif as her spiritual father who encouraged her in her walk with the Lord. A Mogadishu based church leader said that "the Somali church is like an orphan without Ali Sharif's earthly presence, but we will survive this huge loss because of the Lord." A Somali Christian with Somaliland’s Secret Service chronicled how Ali Sharif encouraged him in his faith when they both lived in Addis Ababa 7 years ago.

Somalis for Jesus received within 24 hours of Ali Sharif's passing 81 condolence messages mainly from Somali Christians in Somalia. Ali Sharif will be remembered for his in-depth knowledge of Islam, eloquence, courage, and a great sense of humour.

We belong to Lord Jesus Christ and to Him we return.     

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14