Why a Devout Muslim Abandoned Islam and Risked His Life to Follow Jesus

September 25, 2026
00:00 01:04:29
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Danny Burmawi grew up in Jordan, where 98% of the population shares one sect of Islam and you rarely meet anyone outside it. In this conversation he explains what he thinks Westerners consistently get wrong about Islam: that it's a set of beliefs you adopt rather than an identity you're born into, which is why leaving it registers as betrayal rather than disagreement.

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0:00 — Why Islam isn't what Westerners assume 1:23 — Growing up in Jordan 2:56 — His grandmother, and the uncle who was baptized 5:16 — What the Danish cartoons changed for him 7:46 — Why Islam functions as an identity, not a choice 10:54 — A fear-based religion 16:38 — Why most Muslims are "non-Muslim Muslims" 18:26 — The rules that never end 21:06 — "Ask any Muslim where they're going after they die" 22:33 — Becoming devout at eighteen 24:10 — The night nothing had changed 26:59 — The friend who planted doubts 30:41 — The doctrine he still struggles with 35:57 — Telling his family 37:37 — Why he had to leave Jordan 40:34 — His arguments against Islam 47:14 — Responding to Muslim apologists on Jesus 50:37 — The weaponization of Christ 54:38 — How Christians should engage Muslims 58:40 — His book and his organization

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Meet Your Host
Sean McDowell is a professor of Apologetics at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. He has earned two Master's degrees in philosophy and theology and his Ph.D. in Apologetics and Worldview Studies. He is the author, editor, or co-author of more than 20 books, including "More Than A Carpenter," "Chasing Love," "End the Stalemate," and "The Fate of the Apostles." Sean has one of the top apologetics YouTube channels with over 340k subscribers. He is an internationally renowned speaker and he is on the teaching team at his home church in southern California.
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