Christian apologist Nabeel Qureshi dies at age 34 after year-long battle with cancer

Christian apologist and author Nabeel Qureshi, who was diagnosed with advanced stomach cancer in August 2016, has passed away on Saturday at the age of 34.

Qureshi, a convert from Islam, had been given a low chance of survival by his doctors, but his faith remained steadfast throughout his ordeal. The Christian apologist had prayed for healing as he spent months in aggressive treatment, including the removal of his stomach.

In a Sept. 8 video, Qureshi said that his doctors have "pretty much given up" on treating his cancer, adding that they believe that his body is in its "final stages of life." In a previous blog post, he explained that the cancer had also spread to his liver.

On Saturday, David Wood, the man who led Qureshi to Christ, announced his passing on Twitter saying, "My beloved brother Nabeel, rest in peace and joy with the Risen Lord Jesus Christ."

Qureshi, who was raised in a Pakistani–American Ahmadiu Muslim family, came to faith in Christ after he started reading the Bible to debate his Christian friend, according to Christianity Today. He recounted his journey to faith in the New York Times best-seller, "Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus," which became the only book to ever win Christian Book Awards for both Best New Author and Best Nonfiction.

The author said that it was not just physical evidence that convinced him, noting that he had three prophetic dreams about Christ.

Qureshi stated that the God of the Bible "reached me through investigations, dreams, and visions, and called me to prayer in my suffering."

"It was there that I found Jesus. To follow him is worth giving up everything," he went on to say.

Qureshi went on to study Christian apologetics at Biola University, while also studying medicine at the Eastern Virginia Medical School. He later acquired a masters degree in religion from Duke University and entered a Ph.D. program in New Testament studies at Oxford University.

The apologist served with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) until he was diagnosed with cancer last year. After the diagnosis, Qureshi announced that he was concluding his traveling ministry and affiliation with RZIM.

In May, Ravi Zacharias and his team met with Qureshi for a preliminary goodbye. RZIM issued a statement on Saturday, saying, "Our dear brother in Christ Nabeel Qureshi went to be with the Lord following a year-long battle with cancer."

"We received this news with deep sadness and yet profound hope, confident that he is finally and fully healed in the presence of his Savior," it added.

During his battle with cancer, Qureshi continued to share the gospel and updates on his treatments through videos on his social media page.

In one of his last video blogs, Qureshi said that he hopes that his ministry would leave a "legacy of love, of peace, of truth, of caring for one another."

"If at any point I have said anything that seems to contravene that, I do apologize and I hope that is not the legacy that I leave behind," he said.