Barnabas Aid November/December 2009

for the freedom to believe

on apostasy and blasphemy in Islam

feeding brothers and sisters in needNOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009

2 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009

“Tell my brothers that I died well, and am living with Christ. And if we all die, we know that we die for the Lord.” These words were spoken by George Orjih, a pastor from Maiduguri,Nigeria, as he was about to be beheaded by an Islamist group on 27 July 2009 for refusing to convert to Islam. An eye-witness says that Orjih was singing and praying all through the ordeal and encouraging the believers not to give up, even unto death. To die well speaks not just of courage but also of commitment and of the certain knowledge of what awaits us. It also speaks of testimony – testifying by that ultimate act, sending the message that I died well, faithful to my Lord.

For the Christian, entrance into glory is a wonderful thing. We know that we will rest in our Lord’s beloved arms. In the book of Revelation the martyrs, together with all the angelic host, sing praises to God. For some, martyrdom speaks of suffering, anguish and pain. Yet for the early Church and for saints throughout history, martyrdom speaks primarily of glory.

The Christmas season will soon be on us, with all the excitement and bustle of preparation, and the joy of celebrating our Saviour’s wondrous birth. Depicting Jesus in the manger, one painter showed a cross-shaped shadow falling across the new-born baby. Thus he brought together, in one work of art, two significant facts – the incarnation and the crucifixion, the joy of birth and the anguish of death.

These two facts are also brought together in the Church calendar for many Christians around the world. On 25 December we remember the incarnation, the appearing of the Lord Jesus in His world. On 26 December, we remember

the first martyr, Stephen, to whom the Lord Jesus also appeared, moments before his death by stoning. “I see heaven open,” he said, “and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:56). These two remembrances should be with us as we celebrate Christmas, and with them the remembrance of our brothers and sisters in some parts of the world for whom martyrdom will be a reality. May Stephen’s vision inspire us all this Christmas.

George Orjih is but one of many Christians around the world who have been singled out for death this year because they bear the Name of Christ. Let us honour them and thank God for their inspirational example of courage and love for the Lord.

Dr Patrick SookhdeoInternational Director

Turn to page 6 to read more about the anti-Christian violence in Nigeria, where George Orjih was beheaded and at least eleven other Christians killed.

To guard the safety of Christians in hostile environments, names may have been changed or omitted. Thank you for your understanding.

Front cover: Children celebrate Christmas at a school in Bethlehem supported by Barnabas Fund

Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations are taken from Today’s New International Version®.

Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and obtain permission for images used in this publication. Barnabas Fund apologises for any errors or omissions and will be grateful for any further information regarding copyright.

© Barnabas Fund 2009

FROM THE DIRECTOR

Contents

3 Project NewsBooks for believers under pressure

13TestimoniesInspiring stories from Central Asia and Africa

Information Pull-OutOur campaign against Islam’s apostasy law reaches its climax

8 In TouchPowerPoint presentations and Christmas cards

6 NewsroomFlooding in Africa, distress in Pakistan

9 FocusRelieving the hunger of persecuted and suffering Christians

6

Newsroom

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009

At least twelve churches have been burned and a number of Christians killed in anti-Christian violence in northern Nigeria. The coordinated attacks began on 26 July and spread across several states. Islamist militants targeted Christians and the local police, setting fire to churches and homes of local Christians. Five police officers and twelve Christians have been confirmed dead.

Perhaps the most shocking element of the violence was the brutal murders of two Christian pastors. When asked to convert to Islam, they refused and were beheaded. One of them, Sabo Yakubu, a father of seven, was hacked to death with a machete. The other, George Orjih, preached to the leader of the militants about Christ before his martyrdom. A fellow kidnap victim, who was later released, reported, “While we were lying there, tied up, George turned to me and said, ‘If you survive, tell my brothers that I died well, and am living with Christ. And if we all die, we know that we die for the Lord.’” One eye-witness says that Orjih was singing and praying all through the ordeal and encouraging the believers not to give up, even unto death.

George Orjih, beheaded in Nigeria by Islamist militants, told a fellow kidnap victim “tell my brothers that I died well, and am living with Christ”

Nigeria: Christian Pastors Beheaded

Homes and a newly constructed church in Soba Aradi, Khartoum State, Sudan have been demolished by intense rainstorms and flooding. Soba Aradi, about 15km south of Khartoum City, is a camp that currently holds some 23,000 internally displaced people, mainly Christians from South Sudan, displaced by civil war that racked the country for 22 years and completely destroyed the infrastructure of the South. It is estimated that 4.9 million people have been displaced within and outside the country.

Sudan: Floods Hit Displaced Christians

These people have already suffered so much but now, many of their homes, which were built using mud, have collapsed, leaving the inhabitants no choice but to sleep outside in the water-filled compound. There is little possibility of the homes’ being rebuilt in the near future as it is too expensive and the area will probably not recover from the flooding until after the rainy season ends later this year. High unemployment and the increased danger of water-borne diseases only add to the difficulties. Barnabas Fund is sending aid.

Two Christians have been sentenced for their part in helping 61 North Korean Christians flee to South Korea through China. Li Mingshun was found guilty of “human smuggling across the border” and sentenced to ten years in prison, while Zhang Yonghu was sentenced to seven years for organising transport for the refugees.

The refugees, who were trying to escape the severely anti-Christian environment of North Korea, set out to cross the north-eastern provinces of China into Mongolia, where neutral state laws allow residents to apply for asylum in South Korea. Authorities in Inner Mongolia, which is an autonomous republic of China, were alerted to the refugees and subsequently arrested several Christians who had helped to provide food, shelter and transportation for the North Koreans.

This verdict highlights the continued persecution that North Koreans face in China, where they are denied refugee status by the Chinese government. Those who are returned to North Korea face terrible consequences, including charges of treason, which is punishable by life imprisonment in brutal labour camps or even death.

China: Christians Sentenced for Helping North Koreans

Pastor Matthew stands outside his newly built church, destroyed by the flooding in Soba Aradi

7NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009

Newsroom

On Saturday 1 August a mob of more than 800 Muslims raided a Christian settlement in the town of Gojra, Pakistan. Homes were looted and at least 50 houses were burned down, as the attackers threw petrol bombs and fired indiscriminately. Minhas Hameed’s 75-year old father was the first victim when he was shot in the head. Hameed rushed his father to hospital, while the rest of his family stayed in the house, thinking they would be safe there. But as the mob began to torch the homes of local Christians, six members of Hameed’s family were burned to death. “I have lost more than half of my family, my house – everything!” says Hameed, who is still haunted by the images of his house and community in flames.

These attacks were part of a recent spate of violence against Christians in Pakistan. Two

days earlier some 50 Christian homes were destroyed by Muslims in the nearby village of Korian after rumours spread that a Qur’an had been burned during a Christian wedding ceremony. It appears that a flammable chemical, normally available only to the military, was used. Muslims also lay down in front of the fire engines to prevent them reaching the blazing houses. More than a quarter of the Christians of Korian were left homeless.

Earlier still, on Tuesday 30 June, around 600 Muslims used petrol bombs to attack at least 117 Christian homes in Bahmani Walla, another village in Punjab. Many properties were damaged by fire, water

The government of Turkey has agreed to extend permission for Christians to worship at an historic church in Tarsus, the birthplace of the apostle Paul.

The early-medieval St Paul’s church was confiscated in 1943 to be used as a state museum, although fee-paying Christian visitors were allowed to use it for regular services. Permission was previously granted on a year by year basis. But between June 2008 and June 2009, during the “Year of St Paul”, a record 416 Christian

Up to 2,000 Christians have been forced to live in tents on a traffic island in the heart of Islamabad for several months. The scorching summer heat, which can reach up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius), has made the camp virtually unbearable. Up to 20 people are having to share a tent. The only water supply runs close to an open pit latrine and a waste dump.

More than a year ago the Christian families found themselves homeless after the authorities reneged on their promise of some land for them in the Chak Shahzad

Pakistan: Christians Distressed in Roadside Camp

Uzbekistan: Pastor Imprisoned following Illegal Raid

Turkey: Worship to Continue in Historic Church

Uzbekistan Christians watch as police officers carry out an illegal raid during a morning worship service

The pastor of a church in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, was arrested and sentenced to 15 days’ imprisonment following a raid during morning worship. On Sunday 23 August police entered the church demanding that the service be discontinued, even though they had no written permission from the courts.

The church is led by Korean ministers, but they are all citizens of Uzbekistan, and although the church is small it is registered with the authorities and has all the documents it requires in order to gather for worship. It obtains permission from officials for every Sunday service.

Pakistan: Seven Family Members Killed in Anti-Christian Riots

Residents sit in front of their wrecked house after the attacks in Gojra

district of Islamabad. The families were forced to put up tents in the road amidst squalid conditions. It is feared that typhoid will come to the camp, and that many of the Christians, especially some of the younger children, could die from dehydration, illness, or the cumulative effects of poverty. The Pakistan authorities have been slow to act to alleviate the Christians’ suffering. Barnabas partners in Pakistan commented, “Since Christians are discriminated against by the majority population, nothing has been done to help them.”

groups from 30 different countries visited Tarsus, prompting the Turkish government to extend indefinitely its consent for Christian services to be held in the church.

Church leaders in Turkey have now requested the permanent return of the building from the government. A local church leader says, “For the first time, Turkish Muslims have witnessed Christians, not as tourists, but as praying pilgrims, whose devotion has made a lasting impression on the Turkish people.”

pumps sabotaged and electricity supplies cut off. Acid was thrown at some Christians as they fled, leaving nine women and four children scarred. This attack seems to have been prompted by false charges of blasphemy laid against local Christians.

Barnabas has sent aid to the victims of all three incidents.


In Touch

• Christmas for Christians around the World, looking at how Christians living with ill-treatment and deprivation experience the nativity season – and how Barnabas assists some of them to celebrate Christ’s birth

• The Creed, images of distress and hope from around the world, based on an early Christian confession of faith

If you would like to use any of these resources in your church, to raise awareness and encourage prayer and support for persecuted Christians, you can download them free of charge from the Barnabas website: www.barnabasfund.org/supporter-resources. Check there also for Barnabas DVDs and other resources.

We invite your church to set aside a Sunday in November (or another month if you prefer) to remember our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ. This year’s Suffering Church Sunday focuses on the immense challenges faced by converts to Christianity from other faith backgrounds.

The following resources are available either to download or to order free of charge from our online shop www.barnabasfund.org/scs or your national Barnabas Fund office (addresses on back cover).

• A3 poster “Dying to be Saved” to advertise your church service

• Prayer-and-response cards for distribution to everyone in your congregation

• DVD “Church in Chains”: a song for the suffering Church (approx. 4.00 mins), comprising the video with or without singing, the music and chords, and the words

• Sermon outline on 1 Peter 4:1-19 “Persevering under Pressure” and accompanying PowerPoint presentation (in Barnabas Aid Sept/Oct 2009)

• Bible study on 1 Peter 4:1-19 (in Barnabas Aid Sept/Oct 2009)

• Timeline showing a selection of incidents of persecution in 2008-2009 (in Barnabas Aid Sept/Oct 2009)

• Testimonies: stories of persecution from Africa (in Barnabas Aid Sept/Oct 2009)

• Guide for youth group leaders: 90 minutes of fun, thought-provoking material on the persecuted Church (in Barnabas Aid Sept/Oct 2009)

• Prayer, songs and how your church can care for persecuted Christians (in Barnabas Aid Sept/Oct 2009)

Support Barnabas with your Christmas CardsThis year Barnabas is again working in partnership with mycharitycards.co.uk to offer a selection of Christmas cards. The scheme is run at no cost to us, and a percentage of the price of each purchase goes directly to support our work. Please visit www.mycharitycards.co.uk/barnabasfund for details. Cards are also

available in an attractive box

through selected Christian

bookshops.

www.barnabasfund.org

DYINGTO BE SAVED

Would you give your life for Christ?DATE

TIME

VENUE

PowerPoints are a great tool for communicating in a visual and memorable way. Two new Barnabas PowerPoint presentations are now available. Why not show them at your church service, home group, youth group or other meeting?


DYINGTO BE SAVED

Would you give your life for Christ?

We w

ork by:

• directing our aid

only to Christians,

although its benefits m

ay not be

exclusive to them (“A

s we have

opp

ortunity, let us do good

to all peop

le, esp

ecially to tho

se who

belo

ng to

the fam

ily of b

elievers.” Galatians 6:10,

emp

hasis add

ed)

• aim

ing the majority of our aid

at C

hristians living in Muslim

environments

• channelling m

oney from

Christians

throug

h C

hristians to C

hristians

• channelling money through existing

structures in the countries where fund

s are sent (e.g. local churches or C

hristian organisations)

• using the m

oney to fund p

rojects that have b

een develop

ed b

y local C

hristians in their own com

munities,

countries or regions

• considering any req

uest, however sm

all

• acting as equal p

artners with the

persecuted

Church, w

hose leaders often

help shap

e our overall direction

• acting on b

ehalf of the persecuted

C

hurch, to be their voice – m

aking their need

s known to C

hristians around the

world

and the injustice of their

persecution know

n to governments

and international b

odies

We seek to

:

• meet b

oth practical and

spiritual need

s

• encourage, strengthen and enab

le the existing local C

hurch and C

hristian com

munities - so they can m

aintain their p

resence and w

itness rather than setting up

our own structures or send

ing out m

issionaries

• tackle persecution at its root b

y making

known the asp

ects of the Islamic faith

and other id

eologies that result in injustice and

opp

ression of non-believers

• inform

and enab

le Christians in the W

est to resp

ond to the grow

ing challenge of

Islam to C

hurch, society and m

ission in their ow

n countries

• facilitate global intercession for the

persecuted

Church b

y provid

ing com

prehensive p

rayer materials

We b

elieve:

• we are called

to add

ress both religious

and secular id

eologies that deny full

religious liberty to C

hristian minorities –

while continuing to show

God

’s love to all p

eople

• in the clear B

iblical teaching that

Christians should

treat all peop

le of all faiths w

ith love and com

passion,

even those who seek

to persecute them

• in the pow

er of prayer to change

peop

le’s lives and situations, either

through grace to endure or through

deliverance from

suffering

What helps m

ake Barnabas Fund distinctive from

other Christian organisations

that deal with persecution?

“ Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of m

ine, you did for me.” (M

atthew 25:40)

The “B

arn

abas F

und D

istinctive

”

Prayer for the Suffering Church

Our Father in heaven,

We praise Your Name for the grace and courage You grant to our brothers and sisters who suffer for their faith, to those who endure poverty, hunger, discrimination and mockery, to those who are beaten, imprisoned or tortured, to those who have lost family and friends, home and job, because of their decision to follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

Please fill them day by day with peace, joy and hope. Give them a special awareness of Your loving presence at all times. Strengthen them to endure hardship. Give them Your words to say to those who despise and reject them. Fill them with Your love for those who ill-treat them and give them the grace to forgive and pray for their persecutors.

We pray also for ourselves. Help us to remember that we and they are members of one Body. Help us also to value the freedom You have blessed us with and guide us to use that freedom more wisely as we serve those who have none, for their peace and to Your glory.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen

I/We would like to receive regular news and prayer information

about the persecuted Church

Please find enclosed our/my gift of

for the suffering church to be used:

Where it is most needed

To support converts to Christianity

To support Christians suffering through violence

Your Response

UK9 Priory Row, Coventry CV1 5EX

Telephone 024 7623 1923

Fax 024 7683 4718

From outside the UK

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Telephone (07) 3806 1076 or 1300 365799

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From outside UK Telephone +44 1672 564938 Fax +44 1672 565030 Email [email protected]

“ All of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were

baptized into his death.” Romans 6:3

Name:

Address:

Telephone:

Email:

Name of church:

Postcode:

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Campaign:Why should they be secret?

In this pull-out supplement we focus on the issue of conversion from Islam to Christianity. A special article by Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali explains how Christiansshould respond to the issue of apostasy. We preview a new book from Isaac Publishing on the Islamic law of apostasy and provide an extract from it. And three stories from New Zealand, the USA and Iran illustrate some of the difficulties faced by converts today.

On 31 December we are closing our petition for the abolition of the Islamic apostasy law, which prescribes the death penalty for those who leave Islam. At the time of writing, people have signed. Please use the next few weeks to gather further signatures, and return your completed petition sheets to Barnabas before the deadline.

A copy of the petition sheet will be found on page iv. Feel free to make as many photocopies as you wish. Alternatively download the form from www. barnabasfund.org/why shouldtheybesecret where the petition can also be signed online.


The Barnabas stand at the New Wine festival in the UK, July-August 2009, where visitors were invited to sign our petition. Each of the yellow post-it notes on the wall and the stand represents one signature

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Campaign: Why should they be secret?

II

From the Foreword to Freedom to Believe (see page iv)

Michael Nazir-AliThe Qur’an is fierce in its condemnation of apostasy (ridda)and of the apostate (murtadd). Theirs, according to it, will be a dreadful penalty (‘adhbun ‘azmun). This sentiment, which occurs in Sura16:106, is re-expressed in other ways in other suras (chapters of the Qur’an). The interesting point to

note is that the various threats of judgement and of punishment seem to relate to the next world or to life after this earthly one, rather than to this world and to this life.

Against this, we have the unanimous position of the various schools of Islamic law (fiqh) that shari‘a lays down the death penalty for adult male Muslims in possession of their faculties who apostatise. Some schools also prescribe a similar punishment for women, whilst others hold that a woman apostate should be imprisoned until she recants and returns to Islam. In addition to this, should an apostate somehow escape the ultimate penalty, his property becomes fai’, i.e. it becomes the property of the Muslim community, which may hand it over to his heirs; his marriage is automatically dissolved and he is denied Muslim burial.

How then did such a major difference arise between the prima face teaching of the Qur’an and the provisions of shari‘a as codified by the various schools of law? The answer is that the death penalty for apostasy is to be found in the hadith, the various collections of traditions about the Prophet of Islam’s sayings and doings, and it is also found in the sunna of Muhammad and of his closest companions, the reports about their practice.

Commentators on the Qur’an, both ancient and modern, sensing this tension, have attempted to find passages

that could be interpreted as teaching the death penalty for apostates. Thus 2:217, which speaks of the barrenness of an apostate’s life and work, in both this world and the next, is interpreted as meaning that apostates will be punished both in this world and in the next. Similarly, passages such as 4:88-89 are taken as justification for inflicting capital punishment on apostates.

On the other hand, there are those who take as their point of departure the Qur’anic silence on penalties in this world for apostasy. They either minimise the force of the traditions that require it or reject them altogether. It is said, for example, that the traditions that speak of the death penalty for apostates are weakly attested or from an unreliable source. If they contradict the Qur’an they are to be rejected as an accurate account of what Muhammad may have said. They are also to be rejected if they do not cohere with other accounts of his behaviour or speech.

Others point to the supposed practice of the second Caliph ‘Umar, who disliked the extreme penalty for apostasy and was followed in this by some of the early fuqaha or lawyers. More recently, this view has gained currency in some circles close to Al-Azhar As-Sharif, the premier place for Sunni learning, located in Cairo, Egypt. According to these scholars, the traditional time given to an apostate to repent must be extended to the whole of his life.

Many scholars claim that the punishment for apostasy in the time of the Prophet and of his Companions arose because rejection of the Islamic faith was linked to rebellion against the nascent Islamic state. So the punishment was not so much for apostasy as for treason. The well-known scholar, Sheikh Qaradawi, whose opinions are widely studied and followed, relying on the medieval jurist and reformer Ibn Tamiyya, distinguishes between the greater and the lesser apostasy. The lesser apostate, whilst being subject to civil penalties, would not be put to death but those who proclaim their apostasy, thus destabilising Islam and the Muslim umma(or nation), would be. This may be a useful distinction to make but is hardly a manifesto for freedom of expression or of belief.

Although apostasy is punishable by death in only a few countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Sudan (Iran seems to be drawing back from putting it on the statute

Apostasy and Blasphemy in Islam: What Should Christians Do?

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 III

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book, at the time of writing), in fact jurists will sometimes directly invoke the authority of shari‘a to sentence apostates to death. This has happened in both Iran and in Afghanistan. In addition to judicial process, those accused of apostasy can be killed in prison, through torture or poisoning, or by mobs attacking their home or place of work, or even by relatives!

Whilst apostasy, and its penalty, are applicable to Muslims, the offence of Sabb, of insulting the Qur’an or the Prophet of Islam, can also be applied to non-Muslims. Blasphemy against the Prophet is punishable by death, though the method of execution varies from one authority to another. It is this that led the Federal Shari‘a Court in Pakistan to rule out any other penalty but death for blaspheming Muhammad. The so-called “Blasphemy Law” has caused considerable grief for Christians and other non-Muslim minorities since even the expression of their belief can be construed as insulting the Prophet. The Law has also become a way of settling personal scores by accusing one’s adversary of blasphemy. There have been numerous convictions in the lower courts, though fortunately the higher courts have invariably, so far, overturned these verdicts. In the meantime, the family is left destitute and the community from which the accused comes left vulnerable to harassment and intimidation.

The irony is that Muslims claim that their prophet forgave those who insulted him and there are a number of stories to this effect in the sira (life of Muhammad) and in the hadith (there are also other stories that describe how those who insulted him were punished). Which of these attitudes is to prevail in contemporary Muslim societies?

A number of administrative and judicial attempts have been made to ease the lot of those accused of blasphemy and to make it more difficult to file charges of blasphemy against someone. None of these has been wholly successful. The law returns again and again to haunt the political establishment and the judiciary. The only solution is for a government to have the courage to repeal it or to abolish or suspend the death penalty altogether, thus leaving other penalties for dealing with alleged cases of “insulting religion” or blasphemy, as indeed existed before the current law was promulgated. Some of the ‘ulama (Islamic scholars) are bound to object to such steps, if the government takes them, and there may well be “popular” movements to resist the repeal or amendment of the law. Such resistance needs to be faced down and genuine objections, such as the claim that Islamic law prescribes qisas or retaliation for murder and that therefore the relatives of the murdered person have the right to seek life for life, or alternatively compensation, will have to be met. It is already the case that qisas cannot be carried out by an individual or group

but must be left to the state. If the death penalty were to be abolished or suspended for all serious crime, could not the state order and enable compensation to be paid instead of the death penalty as part of its judicial and executive responsibility? These issues need further exploration but it is clear that the present blasphemy law is neither just nor compassionate and needs to be dealt with while there is opportunity.

Most Muslim countries have subscribed to international treaties, such as the UN Declaration of Human Rights, but they subordinate such agreements to the provisions of the shari‘a, which, in many cases, negates the effect of these documents. In this connection, it is interesting to compare the UN Declaration with the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam. In the latter there is no equivalent to Article 18 (on freedom of thought, conscience and religion) of the former and all provisions are, ultimately, subject to shari‘a. This approach has resulted, again and again, in important rights under Article 18 of the UN Declaration being denied to people in Islamic countries on the grounds that they contravene the provisions of shari‘a. This situation has caused much frustration to human rights activists, constitutional lawyers and even progressive regimes as any provision in law can always be trumped by an appeal to shari‘a.

If the impasse created in this way is to be avoided, it is necessary for leading institutions in the Islamic world to undertake a major reform of shari‘a so that the principles of amelioration and of movement, which exist in at least some of the madhahib, or schools of law, are not only recognised but actually acted upon in both religious and other courts, as there is need. There is also, of course, the urgent task of ijtihad, i.e. a fundamental examination as to how the principles of law to be found in the Qur’an and other sources of Islamic law can be brought into a fruitful relationship with present-day conditions and requirements. This is the case, for example, in the areas of finance, family law, penal provisions, jihad and the treatment of non-Muslims in an Islamic state.

Christians, of course, in the context of dialogue with Muslims and with Islamic religious and political authorities, will encourage those who are struggling to maximise fundamental freedoms in Islamic contexts. They will also be active in advocacy for those who have fallen foul, both materially and spiritually, of traditional understandings of laws and customs regarding apostasy and blasphemy. It remains important to raise awareness of what is happening in so many parts of the world so that people can learn from, pray for and give to those who have become victims of these draconian laws and customs.

The Rt Revd Dr Nazir-Ali was until recently Bishop of Rochester.

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IV

The Application of the Apostasy Law in the World Today

Many Muslim states have two totally different legal systems operating in parallel: the Western secular system and the Islamic shari‘a one. The comparative weighting given to each system varies between different states. Most states with a mixed system and a written constitution guarantee freedom of religion and equality of treatment to all citizens, including those belonging to

religious minorities, but in practice the authorities usually give Muslims more rights than non-Muslims.

This practice might seem surprising given that most modern Muslim states have ratified international agreements on human rights, but they limit the application of these by subordinating them to Islamic shari‘a. Human rights and the equality of all people before the law are thus conditioned by shari‘a, which discriminates on the basis of religion. Islamists defend this stance by claiming that the Western understanding of human rights is based on a radically secular worldview

With a foreword by Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali

Islam is a one-way street. Non-Muslims can convert to Islam, but Muslims are not allowed to convert from Islam. Those who become Christians, or leave Islam for other reasons, face very serious penalties.

All schools of Islamic law specify the death sentence for an adult male Muslim who chooses to leave his faith. Most give the same punishment for women. The law also imposes many other penalties on apostates, and provokes powerful hostility towards them amongst Muslims.

But change is possible. Some Muslim scholars have argued that the apostasy law should be abandoned, so that people can leave Islam without fear of reprisals. Their voice will be strengthened by non-Muslims also calling for repeal of the law.

This book has been written to raise awareness about Islam’s apostasy law and its punishments, and so promote the case for its abolition. The first section sets out the Muslim teaching on apostasy from the Islamic sources: the Qur’an, hadith and sharia. The second looks at the debate amongst contemporary Muslim scholars about the law, and on related issues such as blasphemy and the concept of the individual in Islam. The third section reviews the treatment of converts from Islam in the world today, using a number of country profiles and individual case studies.

“Dr Sookhdeo has provided an important handbook for all those who care about and deal with the issue of fundamental freedoms. Many will be grateful to him for this timely volume.”

From the Foreword by Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali

Isaac Publishing, paperback, 176 pp, offer price £6.99 + £2.00 postage (normal price £8.99)

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Freedom to Believe: Challenging Islam’s Apostasy Law Patrick Sookhdeo

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and that human rights must be applied in culture-specific ways, respecting the deep religiosity of the Muslim world.

In Muslim states religion is not usually a private matter, as in the West, but is under state control to a greater or lesser degree. Freedom of religion is understood in the Islamic way, i.e. as freedom of worship for officially recognised religious minorities within their communities. The individual freedom of choosing a religion is restricted to non-Muslims who choose Islam; Muslims are not allowed to choose another religion and, as shown above, for them to do so is regarded as a grave offence.

The incorporation of shari‘a laws into the state legal system enables official charges to be made within the state courts against those accused of apostasy and/or blasphemy. Apostasy is punishable by death in Afghanistan, Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, North Sudan and Yemen, and it is also illegal or punishable in others such as the Comoros, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia and the Maldives. In some countries, such as Morocco, the government regards all citizens as Muslims, so conversion from Islam is simply unrecognised. Official proceedings against those who reject Islam are fairly rare, partly because most keep their conversion a closely guarded secret, and the death penalty is still not often implemented. But increasingly severe punishments for the act of apostasy are being imposed, and it is common for apostates to be deprived of all their civil rights. Their marriages may be dissolved so that they lose their spouses and children, and their right of inheritance may be withdrawn.

A Muslim who leaves his or her faith is often viewed as guilty of treason and liable to the death penalty even if there is no official punishment for apostasy laid down in the constitution or legal system. Various methods can be used to punish or even kill apostates even if there is no applicable law on the statute books, for example, by framing them for other offences, or arresting them for causing public disorder because of the outcry about their conversion. Arrest can be followed by beatings, torture and imprisonment.

Where suitable legal provisions do not yet exist, or where state legal systems are not interested in pursuing

apostates, the religious authorities may act on their own initiative to carry out what they see as obligatory shari‘a penalties against those accused of apostasy. Fatwas may be issued either by state shari‘a courts or by individual ‘ulama, demanding the death of the apostate, using the statement “His blood is permissible”. Individual fatwas are not legally binding on the state but can be acted upon by any Muslim, and many would argue that an assassin is obeying shari‘a and must not be prosecuted. The Civil Codes of several states, including Egypt, Algeria, Syria and Kuwait, allow the use of religious fatwas based on shari‘a.

If neither the state authorities nor the religious authorities act, converts may still suffer enormous social pressure and severe harassment, as their conversion is seen as a betrayal of Islam that brings great shame on family and community. Among the Muslim masses, apostasy is an emotive subject that easily provokes negative responses; it can also be manipulated by those who see themselves as defenders of traditional Islam or by those who could benefit from the downfall of accused people.

Many employers will dismiss converts from their jobs. Some relatives will try to have an apostate officially declared insane, as the insane are not held accountable for their actions. Families exert pressure by coercive measures such as threats and violence, or by tearful pleading, urging converts to return to Islam. Some try to “wash away” the shame of apostasy by casting offenders out of the family, driving them out of the country or even killing them: a number of converts in several countries, including Egypt and Pakistan, have been murdered by enraged family members and friends. Mobs can be easily incited to launch frenzied attacks against offenders, their families and their communities, or individual Muslims zealous for their religion and its honour may take it on themselves to assassinate

Muslims are not allowed to choose another religion and for them to do so is regarded as a grave offence.

A Muslim who leaves his or her faith is often viewed as guilty of treason and liable to the death penalty even if there is no official punishment for apostasy laid down in the constitution or legal system.

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alleged apostates, believing that they are doing a holy service to God and to Islam. The perpetrators are rarely prosecuted by the authorities and frequently go unpunished. Some Muslim states worry about the unwelcome attention given by the Western media to cases of apostasy, so they prefer to let such cases be handled unofficially by the community.

As we have seen, the term “apostate” (murtadd) usually refers to a Muslim who has officially converted to another faith, thus becoming a kafir. But others, who claim to be good Muslims, can also be accused of unbelief, blasphemy and heresy as well as of apostasy, for various other reasons including scepticism, atheism, ascribing partners or associates to God and not fully implementing shari‘a. In some contemporary Muslim states traditional definitions of apostasy, blasphemy and heresy have been broadened to include anyone who disagrees with what the authorities, religious and/or governmental, consider to be orthodox Islam. The shari‘a laws on apostasy and blasphemy are increasingly being used by some states arbitrarily to detain citizens who are viewed with disfavour by the authorities (or by militant Muslims), and to suppress any idea, person or group that contradicts the established regime. In many cases multiple charges of apostasy, blasphemy, unbelief, heresy and insulting Islam and Muhammad are brought against those accused, thus giving the judges greater flexibility in deciding under which category to define the crime and ensuring that the defendants are convicted of something. A feature of accusations of apostasy and blasphemy is the way they are often uncritically accepted as true by members of the police and of the criminal justice system, who require little or no evidence. The result is that Muslims themselves are increasingly in danger of suffering what is, in effect, murder by other Muslims. Even if members of Muslim minorities are not executed for holding views that the government considers heretical, they may suffer discrimination, harassment and imprisonment.

Converts may suffer enormous social pressure and severe harassment, as their conversion is seen as a betrayal of Islam that brings great shame on family and community

Amending the Apostasy Law?

For most contemporary Muslims across the spectrum of beliefs and ideologies, apostasy still carries shocking and dreadful associations as a most abhorrent sin.Even for modernists and secularists it can carry negative connotations of betrayal of one’s community and rejection of one’s heritage. This attitude explains why so few Muslim voices are ever raised in defence of those accused of apostasy. But there have been Muslim calls for a reform of the harsh apostasy law and for Islamic leaders to proclaim that it is permissible for Muslims to choose other faiths, just as non-Muslims are allowed to choose Islam.

Some modernist Islamic scholars argue from the Qur’an and from the historical context of the hadith that an apostate should not be put to death unless he (or she) is also a danger to the Islamic state. Thus they differ from the traditionalists in asserting the possibility of apostasy without rebellion. The definition of “danger to the Islamic state” is important, however. Sheikh Tantawi, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, says that an apostate “should be left alone as long as he does not pose a threat or belittle Islam”. It is hard to imagine how those who have left Islam could say anything about their conversion without in some sense being critical of Islam. Muslims would then, by Tantawi’s logic, be “forced to take action”.

In July 2007, the Egyptian Grand Mufti, Ali Gomaa, stated in an interview on a Forum operated by The Washington Post and Newsweek that Muslims should not be punished for converting from Islam as long as they did not undermine the foundations of society. Muslims were free to change their religion, which was a matter between an individual and God; those who commit the sin of apostasy should not receive a punishment in this world, but will be punished by God on Judgement Day. Following a furore in the Egyptian media, Ali Gomaa denied he had made any such statement. Dar al-Iftaa, Egypt’s highest body for delivering shari‘a verdicts on Islam, alleged that he had in fact said that “Islam forbids Muslims from renouncing their faith … if a Muslim did they would be committing a mortal sin … apostasy is a kind of subversion and a sort of crime that requires punishment.” The deputy head of the Egyptian Supreme Court did admit, however, that the punishment for apostasy was “controversial”, and asserted that there was nothing in any Qur’anic text about it. This case highlights the use of double talk by some Muslim leaders when speaking to western audiences and indicates that majority Muslim public opinion in most countries still supports the apostasy law and is not ready for its reform.

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New Zealand: Claim of Conversion to Christianity Distrusted by Secular Authorities

Ali Panah, 42, a convert from Islam to Christianity, asked for asylum in New Zealand. He claimed that he could not safely return to his native Iran because he would be treated as an apostate which, in Iran, includes the possibility of a death sentence.

Ali had a baptism certificate, and the Archbishop of New Zealand, David Moxon, after meeting him, wholeheartedly confirmed that he was indeed a Christian, but the immigration authorities were reluctant to accept that his conversion was genuine. Only after three appeals and a 53-day fast was Ali granted asylum in New Zealand, but not even then because the authorities were satisfied that he really was a Christian. Instead they said that the case had created so much publicity that the Iranian authorities would inevitably know about it and about “his claims to renounce Islam”, so that in itself might put him in danger if he were to return.

So the case sets no useful precedent and gives no assurance to Christians who have converted from Islam that in New Zealand they can escape the persecution they suffer at home, even if senior New Zealand Christians affirm the genuineness of their conversion. As for Ali Panah himself, it may be that once the authorities believe his case has been forgotten in Iran, they will send him back.

USA: Ill-Informed Debate on Apostasy Endangers 17-Year-Old

Rifqa Bary, the 17-year-old daughter of Muslim parents in Columbus, Ohio, became a Christian and subsequently fled the family home, fearing for her life. She took refuge with a Christian family in Orlando, Florida. At the time of writing Rifqa is being looked after by a Florida foster family whilst the authorities decide whether to force her to return to her parents. She has stated under oath that she left home after her father threatened to kill her because she had converted to Christianity from Islam.

Rifqa’s statement is no surprise to anyone familiar with the Islamic law of apostasy and the way in which it often causes Muslim relatives of apostates to feel an obligation to kill them, even their own children. Yet in the USA many in the media have ridiculed her fears and condemned her supporters as anti-Muslim. It is alarming that opinion-formers could be so ignorant of the precepts of Islam and the practices of Muslims. For Rifqa and others who have chosen to leave Islam, it is positively dangerous. This case shows the urgent need for the general public in the West to become aware of the Islamic apostasy law and its implications.

Ali Panah could not safely return home to Iran after he became a Christian

Rifqa Bary, a convert from Islam to Christianity, left her parents’ home for fear of her life

Iran: Converts from Islam Declare, “We Love Jesus”In the last edition of Barnabas Aid we reported on the arrest in March 2009 of Maryam Rustampoor (27) and Marzieh Amirizadeh (30) for converting to Christianity from Islam. The women appeared in court in Tehran on Sunday 9 August. In Iran conviction for apostasy potentially carries a death sentence for men and life imprisonment for women, in accordance with the Shi‘a version of sharia. The women were repeatedly told by the deputy prosecutor that they had to renounce their Christian faith verbally and in writing. Maryam and Marzieh refused, saying, “We love Jesus. Yes, we are Christians.”

They explained that God had convicted them through the Holy Spirit, to which the deputy prosecutor responded, “You are not worthy for God to speak to you.” Marzieh answered, “It is God, and not you, who determines if I am worthy.” They were told to return to prison and think about their options and to come back when they were ready to comply, but Maryam and Marzieh replied “We have already done our thinking.” They are determined to stand firm no matter what happens, saying, “If we come out of prison we want to do so with honour.” At the time of writing they remain in Evin prison, Tehran.

Petition for the Abolition of the Islamic Apostasy Law

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Shari‘a (Islamic) law prescribes the death penalty for adult male Muslims who choose to leaveIslam. Most of the Islamic schools of law also have the death sentence for women. Other

penalties are also imposed.

This is more than a campaign. It is a matter of life and death. Please sign this petition by writingyour name and address clearly below. We will then send you future editions of our free magazine, Barnabas Aid,

containing updates on the campaign and information to encourage your prayers and involvement.

Please return completed petition forms to Barnabas Fund at your national office by the end of 2009.


Signature Name and address Postcode Email Country


9 Priory Row, Coventry CV1 5EXTelephone 024 7623 1923 Fax 024 7683 4718Email [email protected]

Registered charity number 1092935 Company registered in England number 4029536

International HeadquartersThe Old Rectory, River Street, Pewsey, Wiltshire SN9 5DB, UK Telephone 01672 564938 Fax 01672 565030 From outside the UK Telephone +44 1672 564938 Fax +44 1672 565030 Email [email protected]

AustraliaPostal Suite 107, 236 HyperdomeLoganholme QLD 4129Telephone (07) 3806 1076 or 1300 365 799Fax (07) 3806 4076Email [email protected]

JerseyLe Jardin, La Rue A Don, Grouville, Jersey, Channel Islands JE3 9GBTelephone 700600 Fax 700601 Email [email protected]

New ZealandPO Box 27 6018, Manukau City,Manukau, 2241 Telephone (09) 280 4385or 0800 008 805Email [email protected]

USA6731 Curran Street, McLean VA 22101Telephone (703) 288-1681 or toll-free 1-866-936-2525Fax (703) 288-1682Email [email protected]


Focus

In Western society, we often take the availability of food for granted. However, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations predicted that in 2009 world hunger would have reached a historic high of 1.02 billion people going hungry every day. Particularly affected are countries in Africa and Asia, where, for many, including Christians, it is not a question of “What food will I choose?”, but more a question of “What can I afford?” or even “Will I eat today?”

The Bible’s Callto Feed the HungryAs we read with our eyes open to God’s priorities (Psalm 146:7), we see that there are many places throughout the Bible where He tells us to care for others

out of our wealth, in gratitude for what He has done for us. In Isaiah, we are told:

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: Is it not to share your food with the hungry... and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. (Isaiah 58:6-10)

Ezekiel acknowledges that a righteous person

...does not oppress anyone, but returns what he took in pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked... He follows my decrees and faithfully keeps my laws. That man is righteous; he will surely live, declares the Sovereign LORD. (Ezekiel 18:5-7)

This theme of helping to feed those who are hungry is carried from the Old Testament through to the New Testament,

where it is applied specifically to feeding other Christians. The parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31-46) says the following:

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat...” (Matthew 25:31-35)

When those on His right ask “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you?” (Matthew 25:37), the King replies “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).

Feeding Hungry Christians

Zimbabwean Christians working together to unload the food parcels received from Barnabas

Focus


Jesus identifies so closely with His people in their suffering that how we respond to them is directly related to how we respond to Him.

And so we should recognise that God has chosen us to meet the needs of our brothers and sisters who are hungry. James 2 also sets out this responsibility clearly:

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if people claim to have faith but have no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:14-17)

So as God’s people, we are called by the Lord to minister to His suffering people, Christians who are scattered across the world in situations of great need and persecution, despised, weak, vulnerable and oppressed. Paul tells us that “As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10, emphasis added).

Why Are Christians so Vulnerable?Christians are particularly vulnerable for a number of different reasons.

First and foremost, hunger is caused by famine due to natural occurrences. In these contexts, Christians suffer along with everyone else. These include common events such as crop failure, pestilence or drought but also more unusual phenomena. For example in Burma (Myanmar), once every 50 years, the native bamboo plants flower and produce fruit. This fruit greatly increases rat fertility and birth-rate leading to a huge rat population which then devours everything that is edible, leaving the local Chin people, who are mainly Christian and suffer persecution, little to eat except the rats themselves.

But where Christians are discriminated against in everyday life, they may suffer hunger more intensely than other sections of the population. For example, in the wake of some natural disasters, whether earthquakes, hurricanes, floods or drought, Christians may be overlooked when it comes to aid distribution. Following the cyclone in Burma in 2008, the ruling military junta was initially reluctant to accept international aid. Even though they eventually relented, some areas that were predominantly Christian were still denied assistance. After the 2004 tsunami, Christians in one Indian village were left without food, while the Hindu residents were given aid. In Aceh, Indonesia, Christians were offered aid only on the condition that they converted to Islam.

The world is currently experiencing a global food crisis. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation reports that the most recent increase in hunger is not the consequence of poor harvests worldwide but is in fact caused by the international economic downturn, which has resulted in lower incomes and increased unemployment, thereby reducing access to food for the poor.

This too can be a particular issue for Christians who face discrimination because of their faith. In many parts of Africa and Asia, Christianity is the minority faith and God’s people suffer from a cruel cycle of illiteracy and poverty. Their inability to read and write makes them eligible for only the worst and lowest-paid

jobs, and some may find it hard to get a job at all because of anti-Christian discrimination. In India, some 60% of Christians are Dalits, who occupy the lowest level of Indian society. The literacy rate among Dalits is less than 40% and they often have the worst jobs, such as toilet cleaning or refuse collection. Insufficient wages means that they can barely afford the necessities, and whatever food they do manage to buy is unlikely to be nutritious. Their limited economic resources mean that their children are unable to go to school, and so the spiral continues.

In addition, Christians often find themselves in situations of hunger following anti-Christian violence. Such persecution forces them to flee their

homes, taking only what they can carry and leaving most of their possessions behind. For example in Bahmani Walla and Gojra, Pakistan, anti-Christian riots and arson attacks in July and August 2009 drove away hundreds of Christians. As a result Christians are displaced from their communities, away from their jobs, friends and church. Leaving their jobs means they can no longer work and earn money, at least not in the short term. No money means no food. In South Sudan, following recent attacks on villages and churches by the Lord’s Resistance Army, families were afraid to return to their homes and tend their fields; their crops will be spoiled and their source of food ruined for the year.

Christians in Burma (Myanmar) whose food supply was cut off by Cyclone Nargis in 2008 are rejoicing after receiving food parcels provided by Barnabas

Focus


Others may also take advantage of Christians’ need and vulnerability. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, eye witnesses tell of food being handed out at mosques or given door-to-door by Muslims. The message played over loudspeakers was “What are the Christians doing to help? See how Muslims are meeting the needs of the community.” The Muslims were clearly exploiting the desperation of the neediest Christians in order to gain converts to Islam.

Barnabas Fund RelievingHungerBarnabas Fund has a dedicated Feeding Fund (project reference 00-636), from which money is used to support projects where it is most needed. We also work in a number of specific countries through local churches or Christian organisations on the ground to provide food for some of the neediest Christian families.

In Egypt, Christians face hostility and discrimination because of their faith. Christian children can be discriminated against in education; for example students can be failed in an exam simply because they are Christian, leading to their obtaining poor qualifications. Because of this and because of general anti-Christian discrimination, it is difficult for Christians to find employment. If they do, they are likely to be paid less than a Muslim doing the same job; as a result, many Egyptian Christians are extremely poor. In some parts of rural Egypt there are Christian children who do not even know what an egg is. Barnabas is assisting through the churches. Just £11 per month can help to provide food and other basic needs for one family (projectreference 11-220).

In the Holy Land, Christians are caught in the cross-fire of a conflict that is not of their making. Traditionally most Christians had worked in the tourist business, and therefore many have been unemployed since 2000, when the current uprising began and tourist numbers dramatically dropped. £15 per month helps Barnabas to support Christian families by providing

food and other basic needs, such as financial assistance for electricity bills (project reference 65-377). Here, we also support a Christian school in Bethlehem which provides meals for its pupils from time to time; this is an important extra nutritional boost for the children, who mostly come from very poor families and do not eat well at home (project reference 65-420).

In Iraq, huge numbers of Christian families have been forced to flee their homes in recent years because of the intimidation and violence directed towards them by Islamic militants. Hostility towards Christians began during the Gulf War of 1990-91 and has grown increasingly severe, especially since the 2003 invasion. Some of the families who fled from the violence have taken refuge in relatively stable parts of northern Iraq and others in nearby countries, including Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. But many have struggled to find employment as there are not enough jobs (for example in northern Iraq) or they are forbidden to work (for example in Syria). When the families have used up their savings, they become very needy. Since 1999 Barnabas has been supplying food aid and other basic needs to our brothers and sisters both inside Iraq (projectreference 20-246) and in neighbouring countries (project reference 20-383).These food parcels, costing £19 per month, are distributed through local churches, helping the poorest families to survive. Typically they contain eggs, cooking oil, powdered milk, tea, tomato paste, pasta, tuna, corned beef, processed cheese, luncheon meat, pulses, rice, flour and sugar.

In Zimbabwe, President Mugabe’s policies have led to massive inflation and the destruction of the country’s agricultural sector, creating a situation of desperate starvation in what was once the “bread-basket of Africa”. His regime has also targeted Christian leaders and church congregations amongst the many victims of its brutal oppression. Barnabas is helping to feed some of the neediest Christian families and orphans through feeding programmes organised by local churches. The project provides parcels of rice, beans, salt, sugar, flour and other necessities to thousands of people per month. Despite rising prices, the cost of a

monthly food parcel is only £15 per family. Because extended families in Zimbabwe can number 9 or 10 people, the cost per person is just 5p per day (project reference 91-721).

In Pakistan, Barnabas is providing monthly food parcels to 617 very needy Christian families. Like the Dalits in India, the majority of Pakistani Christians have to take the lowliest and worst paid job. Many are so needy that they have to send their children out to work, to make ends meet. These 617 families are so happy that they never have to go to bed hungry any more. When asked what difference the food parcels made to her, one elderly woman simply replied “Look at me, I’m alive and healthy!” The provision of food parcels means that the families can afford to send their children to school. With an education, children will grow up to be able to get better jobs than their parents had and thus break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy. A food parcel in Pakistan for one family costs £17 per month.

Preparing for the monthly food distribution for poor Christian families in a village in Pakistan. One parcel typically contains flour, rice, sugar, tea, lentils, oil and bars of soap

This Pakistani Christian woman testified to the difference made to her life by Barnabas food parcels, saying, “Look at me, I’m alive!”


“I am mother of six daughters. Before the food programme I was worried about their weddings. But because of food aid I was able to save money that really helped us to be able to arrange weddings of two of my daughters. Thank you.”

In Pakistani culture, the parents of the bride must provide a dowry. This can be an impossibility for very poor families, meaning that their daughters cannot marry, a cause of immense distress and shame

12

Focus

Farooq Masih’s parents work in the brick kilns in Pakistan to support their family of 10 children. Thanks to food parcels from Barnabas Fund, Farooq now goes to school. Because of his education, he can now keep a record of how many bricks his parents have made, as well as their earnings and expenses, meaning that his parents are less likely to be cheated by their employer.

As well as these long-running feeding programmes, Barnabas also provides food for vulnerable Christians in short-term or emergency situations: for example, during famines caused by abnormal weather conditions in countries

such as Burundi, Niger and Ethiopia, or in places where Christians have suffered anti-Christian mob violence, e.g. Indonesia and India, or have been caught up in refugee crises caused by war and conflict e.g. Lebanon and Pakistan.

We also help to feed 1,600 Sudanese Christian children, refugees of the civil war in their country, who attend schools supported by Barnabas Fund. As well as lessons, they are given a cooked meal. For many this may be their only meal of

Two women helping to prepare the daily meal, fed to children at a school for Sudanese Christian refugees

Farooq counting the bricks his family have made

“Before the food programme we were in debt of 20,000PRK (£170) and now we are debt free and able to send our children to school and planning to build our house next year.”

Many impoverished Christians in Pakistan inherit debts incurred by earlier generations who needed to borrow money to buy food at a time of particular hardship

The Appeal letter will be sent to supporters in late November. Please look out for this in your mail and prayerfully consider how you and your church can help us to support needy and vulnerable members of our Christian family in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, who do not have enough to eat.

We are often spoilt for choice when deciding which shop to visit when we need to buy food or which restaurant to eat in when we want to go out, and once we have made these decisions, we are then faced with thousands of food items on the shelves or scores of options in the restaurant. This is especially true at Christmas time – for many, a time of over-indulgence when it comes to food. In Western society, we eat food for enjoyment not for hunger, but there are many Christians today who cannot take for granted even their daily bread.

This year, Barnabas Fund’s Christmas Appeal will focus on helping to feed our Christian brothers and sisters who, every day, face the worry of wondering where their next meal will come from. Through the provision of much-needed nutrition, Christians are given strength for their daily lives to continue their stand for Christ in the face of poverty and discrimination.

Alongside are testimonies from two Pakistani recipients of a Barnabas feeding programme.

the day. If there was nothing to eat at school they would have to skip classes to go scavenging to find food.

Conclusion Many of Barnabas’s projects aim to satisfy physical hunger. The provision of food parcels is transforming the lives of Christians who are living in poverty and need ... but we also aim to minister to the “spiritual hunger” of thousands of Christians around the world, to satisfy them with the “real food” that is found in Jesus Christ and that brings eternal life. “Then Jesus declared, ’I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.’” (John 6:35)

Christians are among the despised minorities in many countries, suffering from poverty and starvation. Please remember in your prayers all those who do not have enough to eat, and especially our Christian brothers and sisters.

Barnabas Fund’s Christmas Appeal to Feed the Hungry

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 13

Testimonies

Beaten and Imprisoned for Teaching the FaithAimurat lives in Karakalpakstan in north-west Uzbekistan. It is a hard place to be a Christian, but Aimurat, who was brought up as a Muslim, gave his life to the Lord and now serves as Assistant Pastor at a local church. One day in June 2008 Aimurat, then aged 24, was visiting his senior pastor when police officers arrived and began questioning everyone about their church services and other Christian activities. The police kept them all confined to the house for the whole day, and would not let them eat, or even feed the baby. They searched the house and took away books, video cassettes of weddings, a computer and the senior pastor’s passport.

Hearing the commotion at the house, some of the neighbours turned out, shouting at the police, “What are you doing? Leave them alone!” Their protests made no difference. The police simply ordered the neighbours to stay away or

they would be arrested as anti-government criminals and sent to jail.

Finally the police left, but took with them Aimurat, his senior pastor and some other family members. While the rest were soon freed again, Aimurat was detained on charges of teaching religion without official approval and establishing or participating in a religious extremist organisation. During his time in prison, Aimurat was systematically beaten and told to deny Jesus. At the beginning of his ordeal he was hoping to stay strong but, weakened by the continual beatings, one day he found himself renouncing his faith. The beatings stopped. But Aimurat was immediately filled with remorse and began to pray, telling the prison guards, “You can kill me, but I do believe in Jesus and will never renounce Him!” This enraged the guards, and they began to beat him even more harshly than before until Aimurat eventually lost consciousness. When he came round, he knew that the only way he was going to survive during interrogations was by trusting the Lord Jesus.

After a month Aimurat was set free, covered in bruises and with several broken ribs, but still declaring his faith in Christ.

Telling the Untold StoriesThousands of Christians around the world know that their lives would be in danger if non-Christian family or friends were to find out that they were following Jesus. For many, when this day does come, they boldly declare that they love Jesus, and they refuse to renounce their faith, even in the face of physical beatings or death (see Acts 4 and 7). These are the hidden heroes of our faith.

Below we tell the stories of three Christians who turned to Christ from a Muslim background.

A main street in Uzbekistan, where Christians like Aimurat and Huram face daily persecution. (Photo, Rolf Gross, rolfgross.dreamhosters.com)


Testimonies

Persecution PostscriptThe Uzbek authorities have now found another way to make life difficult for Aimurat. This year, he got married and wanted to change his internal passport to show his new status. Internal passports are very important in countries such as Uzbekistan as they are used for all important transactions from banking and exchanging currency to buying or selling property. The officials took his passport but did not give him a replacement. This leaves him without any official documents, an extremely vulnerable position in Central Asian society; the saying goes, “Without one’s passport, one does not exist.”

Youth Groups Born out of Persecution“Huram” heard the truth about Jesus from a Christian friend in his home town near Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Filled with enthusiasm for his new-found faith, Huram left his family home to follow Jesus.

Huram’s parents, who were Muslims, disapproved of his conversion, and in an attempt to make him forget his new faith, they sent him to stay with relatives in another town. But Huram joined a church there and set up a youth group. Angered by this, his parents sent him to relatives in yet another town; again he formed a church youth group. At a loss as to what to do with their son, Huram’s parents brought him back home and got a job for him to try to stop him going to church, but he continued to worship in secret with local Christians.

One day Huram was arrested by police because of his Christian activities. He received a heavy fine from the courts and was warned that if he was arrested again during that year he would face imprisonment. His fellow Christians have told him that if he does go to jail he should use the time to study his Bible and deepen his relationship with God.

Through his steadfastness and courage, Huram is fulfilling the Lord’s purpose of preaching the Word despite being “scattered” by persecution to new places (Acts 8: 1-4).

Buried in the Sand and Left to Die”Mustafa” was a radio repairman in Abeche, Chad. His father died when he was a young boy, but through the influence of his mother he grew up to be passionate in his Islamic faith, and was seen as an authority on Islam by his friends and neighbours.

One day, Mustafa listened in secret to a radio station that preached the Gospel in Arabic. The message of Jesus intrigued him, and eventually he became a Christian. In 1997 he was baptised, but when the Islamic Council of Abeche heard about this, they summoned him and his fellow Christians. In front of the local Sultan, the Christians were floggedand asked to change their names, since

Mustafa was kidnapped by military officials, buried in the sand and left to die, but by God’s grace he survived

they had now become “infidels”.

Life became very difficult for Mustafa. He could not walk openly in the street; nor could he go to the market to buy food. Mustafa’s shop in the market was seized by his uncle. The local church leaders tried to help him by talking to the Islamic leaders in Abeche, but their intervention just made the situation worse.

Since becoming a Christian, Mustafa’s life has also been threatened a number of times. In 2000 a Muslim preacher from Sudan who was visiting Abeche declared over loudspeakers that Mustafa should be killed because the Islamic committee there believed that he was influencing people in the town.

On another occasion, during a visit to the town of Faya, Mustafa was kidnapped by military officers, taken out of town and left buried up to his waist in sand. The officers drove back to the town, but miraculously God enabled Mustafa to free himself from the sand and walk back to town later that night.

Mustafa is grateful for God’s grace in his life and continues to serve the Lord as a pastor to other converts.

Documents

Barnabas Aid November/December 2009