A devout Muslim whose family has direct ties to the prophet Muhammad saw a vision of Jesus Christ on three occasions, leading him to turn his back on Islam and follow the one true God, even if this means being labelled an "infidel" and marked for death by Muslim radicals.

Ali Sayed Husnain Shah narrated his astounding spiritual journey in his new book, "The Cost: My Life On a Terrorist Hit List," according to God Reports.

Ali said his conversion began when at 15 years old, he traveled from his home in Pakistan to Oxford, England to visit his ailing aunt Gulshan.

After his arrival in England, he was shocked to find out that his aunt was no longer a Muslim, having embraced Christianity several years before he was born.

Ali could not understand why his aunt would dishonour their prominent Shia family by following Jesus. He became curious. After reading a book written by his aunt about her embrace of Christ, Ali decided to attend church service with her to learn more.

During the church service, the pastor asked the congregants, "Who wants to see Jesus?"

Ali said something inside him compelled him to rise up and walk towards the pastor, saying, "I wanted to see Jesus."

The pastor then began praying for Ali. While this was going on, Ali said he felt heat coming from the pastor's hand. At the same time a light behind his eyelids shone brighter and brighter. Ali said he suddenly felt weak as he crumbled on the floor.

Then Jesus appeared to him for the first time in a vision.

"My son, You wanted to see me. I'm here. Obey me. I will forgive your sins and give you eternal life." Ali said Jesus spoke these words in his heart.

That night, while sleeping at his aunt's house, Jesus appeared to him a second time in a dream.

"Don't be afraid," Jesus told Ali. "I will protect you."

When Ali returned to Pakistan, he stopped worshipping in the mosque and secretly prayed to Jesus instead on the rooftop of their house so that no one could see him. He said whenever he prayed to Jesus, he felt totally at peace.

Although he was trying his best to keep his faith hidden, he got into a discussion with his classmates about religion and he inadvertently blurted out the name of Jesus. "If you want to know how to deal with sin, you have to pray to Jesus," he told his stunned Muslim classmates.

He knew that he had placed himself in great danger by revealing his faith. Soon enough, his classmates attacked him and pinned him to the ground. An old man with a beard and turban then appeared with an angry face.

"You tried to make kafir out of our children," the man shouted. "Islam gives me the right to kill any infidel who does that or speaks against our beloved prophet."

The man then drew a knife and stabbed Ali in the chest, just narrowly missing his heart but puncturing his lung.

Ali felt an unbearable pain and then lost consciousness. Then—for the third time—Jesus appeared to him.

"You were injured because you were defending me. I will not let you die ... I will protect you," Jesus told him.

Ali survived the attack and is now a devoted disciple of Christ.