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Prayer

Christian Converts From Islam In The Uk

March 11, 2005 3:27 AM

UNITED KINGDOM

10 March 2005

BRITISH CONVERTS FROM ISLAM: CHRISTIAN LEADERS MUST SPEAK OUT

Some 3,000 Christians in the UK are in danger because they have chosen to convert from Islam. Some are being actively harassed and persecuted, but many church leaders seem more interested in defending their attackers than in standing up for the rights of the converts.

Nissar Hussain, a Christian from Bradford, has suffered three years of harassment, amounting effectively to persecution, from the local Muslims in his neighbourhood. His car has been torched and rammed, bricks have been thrown through his window on many occasions, there have been threats to burn the house down, and much else besides. Mr Hussain and his wife were originally Muslims, and this is the reason for the treatment they are getting.

Though this may seem shocking, it should not be a surprise. From its inception, Islam has rigorously sought to prevent its adherents from choosing any other faith. Such apostates are regarded as traitors and – according to shari’a (Islamic law) – should be executed.

There are many thousands of former Muslims, in scores of countries around the world, who are suffering for their decision to follow Christ. In countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and Sudan the law of the land specifies the death sentence for apostates from Islam, though this is only rarely practised. What is more common is for those who have left Islam to be persecuted in a multitude of other ways, including imprisonment and torture. In countries where there is no law against conversion, other laws may be used as a pretext, or “accidents” may be arranged. In addition, zealous individual Muslims may take it on themselves to kill a convert. Those converts who do not lose their lives may lose their spouse (through divorce), children, inheritance, home and job.

As the case of Mr and Mrs Hussain shows, living in Britain does not ensure full protection from persecution. Where a convert is the only non-Muslim in their family, difficulties can be even more severe. Converts from Islam in this country, especially young women, have been rejected by their family and sometimes brutally assaulted; some have been threatened with death [1].

NUMBERS AT RISK IN THE UK

The number of individuals at risk in the UK is substantial. It is conservatively estimated that there are 1,500 to 2,000 Iranians, approaching 1,000 Arabs, and some 150 Pakistanis and others living in this country who have left Islam to become Christians. In round figures there are 3,000 KNOWN converts, but there may also be many more who are isolated from the various networks, and thus omitted from the figures.

These converts face not only the possibility of hostility and aggression from individuals within the Muslim community in Britain, but also some are asylum-seekers who have fled much graver dangers in their countries of origin. If such individuals are refused asylum and sent home, they could face imprisonment, torture or death.

A number of senior British Muslims have recently acknowledged the injustice of the Islamic apostasy law and the serious breach of human rights and religious liberty which it entails, both in theory and in practice in the modern world.

CHRISTIAN LEADERS MUST SPEAK OUT

It is essential that Christian leaders in the UK should affirm the rights of those who have converted to Christianity from Islam. Sadly such converts can often be marginalised by those to whom they turn for help. Having been rejected by their own community, they find that the Christian community fails to take their situation seriously. Three years ago, when Mr Hussain was first attacked, most church leaders who heard of his situation did nothing. As further attacks occurred, they still seemed barely interested. Now that the plight of the Hussain family has hit the national press, church leaders seem to be chiefly concerned to absolve from blame the perpetrators of these crimes. Even some in Bradford itself have sought to deny the link with Islam and have attributed this sustained and vicious campaign to the pranks of youngsters.

For Christian leadership to downplay the sufferings of converts is a betrayal of those who have risked everything for Christ. But if British Christian leaders were to stand up for converts, it could even bring about change within Islam itself.

PRAYER ITEMS

* Please pray for the protection of all Christians in the UK who have come from a Muslim background. Pray that they may also have peace in their hearts and not give way to fear. Pray that their faithfulness to Christ, despite great loss, pain and harassment, may speak powerfully to others.

* Pray that British Church leaders may act with integrity and courage to care for converts from Islam and to defend their rights and freedoms.

* Pray that Muslim leaders will act to change the traditional apostasy law within Islam and to allow Muslims freedom to choose their own faith without fear of punishment.

LINKS

[1] – http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1470584,00.html

BARNABAS FUND E-MAIL NEWS SERVICE

Barnabas Fund’s e-mail news service provides the media and our supporters with urgent news briefs concerning suffering Christians around the world.

If you would like to receive news briefs from the Barnabas Fund please contact us with your name, postal and e-mail addresses.

Further details, quotes and photos on this and other stories may be available for news editors on request.

Barnabas Fund works to support Christian communities mainly, but not exclusively, in the Islamic world where they are facing poverty and persecution.

Web: http://www.barnabasfund.org

Discussion

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  1. Hello my beloved brethren in Christ the servant of most high GOD in his holy ministry,Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ am so blessed and trusting in Jesus Name great to meet your e.mail.

    You may wonder who is writing to you but I am pastor Evans from Kenya,

    with a small group church which is growing now. we read your web site and find it to be so interesting and blessings to us. Please we request you to allow us to work to

    gather with your ministry so that to spread the word of God together with you. We request you to allow us to affiliate with you and you to be our pastor because we do not even get teaching materials in our church,we do not have one purpose: to reach people who are far from the LORD and far from the church and build the church through prayers. one of the greatest blessing that God offers us is the the gift of His its love and sharing i call you brethren because we are the family of our LORD Jesus Christ , we should Show the same as Jesus Christ did to others, There is nothing closer to the heart of the Father
    I am passionate about teaching children and families about God’s love and encouraging them to spread that love throughout the world whether it’s through their words or actions. I pray continue to grow in our passion to do God’s work with our SOUL, spreading his love to our community, and to the church.

    my interest is;.
    1. Preach the word of God,
    and to help the community that are suffering so much and to reach the lost soul as we are waiting his second coming of our LORD Jesus Christ,
    happy to hear from you and share,
    yours in Christ pastor Evans

    Posted by evans mogeni | August 22, 2016, 8:35 pm
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