Barnabas Aid January/February 2009

8/7/2019 Barnabas Aid January/February 2009

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Islam’s apostasy law: join our campaign for its abolition

The Church in China: hrd pressed bt growing fst

Burma: rebilding lives nd livelihoods fter the ccloneJanuary/february 2009


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18 In Touch Pray in Lent for thepersecuted Church

13Testimony

An evangelist amongMuslims tells of his ordeal

12PoemConfession of faith by amartyred convert

9 PetitionJoin our campaign againstthe Islamic apostasy law

I 2003-4 Bbs Fd ogised

cmpig bot the Islmic lw of posts, the lw tht pescibes

deth fo dlt mle Mslim

who chooses othe fith. It lsodecees m othe pelties fo

posttes, sch s loss of spose

d childe d loss of popetd iheitce.

A petition with 88,890 signatures from 32

different countries was presented to the

United Nations High Commissioner for

Human Rights on 28 July 2004, calling for

Muslims who choose to convert to another

faith to be “free to do so, without having to

face a lifetime of fear as a result”.

Many Barnabas Fund supporters wrote

letters on the issue to key people,

including HRH Prince Charles. As a resultthe Prince convened a private meeting of

Christian and Muslim leaders at Clarence

House on 2 December 2004. The aim of

the meeting was to seek ways to reform

the shari‘a apostasy law. The Muslim

leaders admitted to the Prince that shari‘a

did indeed lay down a compulsory death

penalty for converts from Islam to other

faiths but that it could never be changed.

However, they said, there is no shari‘a in

the UK, so the apostasy punishments could

never be implemented in the UK.

Four years later, things are different. Shari‘a

is being practised in the UK. In 2008 the

British government awarded five shari‘a

courts in England the official status of

arbitration tribunals, making their decisions

enforceable with the full authority of the

British judicial system. They have been

given power to rule on divorce, domestic

violence and financial disputes. (For more

detailed information turn to p.8.) Secret

talks have been reported about establishing

shari‘a courts in Scotland too. Will theseshari‘a courts one day be allowed to punish

apostates, for example by annulling their

marriage or removing their right to inherit

from Muslim relatives?

Britain’s Foreign Secretary, David

Miliband, is one of very few Western

politicians to have expressed open

opposition to making apostasy a crime

punishable by death.

We at Barnabas Fund believe it is now an

appropriate time for another campaign on

the Islamic apostasy law. Please turn topages 9-12 to read about our campaign

and please get involved . Although the

apostasy law is many centuries old, and

although most Muslims concur with it,

there are many liberal Muslims who

actively oppose it and argue against it

from the Islamic sources. It is my heart’s

desire to see this iniquitous law lose its

hold on Muslim people worldwide, to see it

rejected as a wrong interpretation of the

Islamic sources.

Dr Patrick Sookhdeo

International Director

There are more details about the apostasy law

in the pull-out supplement, pages i-iv.

To guard the safety of Christians in hostileenvironments, names may have been changed oromitted. Thank you for your understanding.

Front cover: Christian converts from Islam martyredfor their faith: (top row, left to right) Shamimu Muteteri,Uganda, †2007, killed by her father/ Necati Aydin,Turkey, †2007, tortured and killed by Muslimextremists/ David Abdulwahab Mohamed Ali, Somalia,†2008, killed by his cousin/ Hussein Soodmand, Iran,†1989, hanged for apostasy/ (bottom row, left to right)Liibaan Ibraahim Hassan, Somalia, †1994, executed byMuslim extremists/ Ghorban Tori, Iran, †2005,abducted and murdered/ Esther John, Pakistan,†1960, presumed murdered by her brothers/ UrgurYuksel, Turkey, †2007, tortured and killed by Muslim

extremists: Pictures 3 and 5: © Somalis for Jesus

Contents

3ProjectsRebuilding lives andlivelihoods in Burma

6 Newsroom

Iraqi Christians flee fromdeadly campaign in Mosul

Information Pull-Out

The meaning and applicationof the apostasy law

14Country Profile The growth and sufferingof the Church in China

Barnabas NewsPresentation of the Save IraqiChristians petition

16Resources

New book from Patrick Sookhdeo on Islamic finance

17

FrOM THE DIrECTOr

Why shold they die?


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Desperation is written on the face of

this Indian Christian woman, who has

lost everything in the ongoing anti-

Christian violence in Orissa State

Violece gist Chistiscoties i Oiss, IdiIn 2008 the Christian community in

Orissa State, India, experienced one of

the most brutal and drawn-out periods

of Hindu extremist violence. The

statistics of the attacks, which started on

24 August 2008 and continued almost

unabated for two months, are staggering:

at least 59 Christians have been murdered,

some cut to pieces and others burnt alive,

and many fear that the death toll might be

even higher. One estimate suggests that

120 Christians have been killed. Complete

villages have been cleansed of all

Christians. Some 18,000 people have

been injured, many of them severely;

numerous Christian women have been

raped; around 4,400 homes have been

destroyed; and several orphanages and

hundreds of churches and church

buildings have been torched and razed.

Over 50,000 Christians are thought to be

homeless, and around 30,000, more than

half of them children, are hiding in the

jungle. Many of them do not have any food

or water, and face starvation. Barnabas

Fund has been helping to provide those

worst affected by the violence with

emergency aid, food parcels, medical help

and shelter.

There have been numerous reports of

forced conversions as Hindu extremists tryto turn Orissa into a Hindu state. Christians

who wanted to return to their homes were

told by the Hindu extremists: “Come back

as Hindu or don’t come back at all.” In

some cases the Hindu extremists poured

petrol over the Christians and then asked

them to convert; if they refused they were

burnt. Ashish Digal, a Christian leader, was

told by the extremists that if he did not

convert to Hinduism, they would burn his

house and kill him. A young Hindu woman

was gang-raped by her grandparents’neighbours because her uncle refused to

renounce his Christian faith. Jaspina, a 32-

year-old Christian woman, was warned by

her neighbours, “If you go on being

Christians, we will burn your houses and

your children in front of you, so make up

your minds quickly.” She was forced to

attend a conversion ceremony together

with her husband and three children,

during which they had to eat cow dung

to “purify” themselves. Jaspina says:“I’m totally broken. I’ve always been a

Christian. Inside I’m still praying for Jesus

to give me peace and to take me out of

this situation.”

The Indian federal government as well as

regional and local authorities showed

themselves reluctant to put an end to the

violence. Although there was talk of banning

the Bajrang Dal, one of the Hindu nationalist

groups responsible for the gruesome acts,

and of imposing presidential rule over

Orissa, no action was taken. Officials

continue to advise journalists and members

of NGOs (non-governmental organisations)

not to go into the affected areas as they

cannot provide protection.


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Irqi Christins flee Mosl s Islmic extremists lnchcmpign to drive ot ll Christins

Mosul is the historic centre

of Christianity in Iraq

Thousands of Iraqi Christians have fled

the city of Mosul in northern Iraq after a

deadly campaign was launched toremove the Christian community from

the city at the beginning of October.

At least fourteen Christians, including one

fifteen-year-old, have been murdered,

many of them killed execution-style bygunmen. Other estimates suggest that as

many as 25 or even 40 Christians might

have been killed. The number of Christian

families fleeing the city and seeking refuge

in churches, towns and villages to the northand east of Mosul reached 1,350 on 15

October. Barnabas Fund is helping to

provide practical aid such as food and

blankets to the families. Five Christianhomes were blown up. Prime Minister Nuri

al-Maliki urged Christians to stay despitethe ongoing violence and “not to give in to

the criminal plan”.

Earlier, leaflets were distributed in Mosul,

threatening Christians with death unless

they convert to Islam or pay the Islamic

jizya tax that marks them as second-class

citizens. The leaflets, which are an effectivetactic used before in Baghdad and

elsewhere, were condemned by the

Association of Muslim Scholars in Iraq and

the Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani. One sourcereports that on Thursday 9 Octoberextremists drove around the Mosul

neighbourhood of Sukkar, shouting

through a loudspeaker that Christians

would be attacked unless they left the

city. Others reported that false checkpoints

were set up in the city to stop cars andcheck IDs. Christians were told to leave the

city within 24 hours. One Christian family

were confronted by three young people

who came to their home and told them to

leave or convert to Islam.

Many believe that the extremists behind thecampaign are linked to al-Qaeda, but some

suggest that Kurds might be responsible asmany of the attacks happened in areas

controlled by Kurdish militia. The attacks

follow another blow to the Christian

community: on 24 September the Iraqi

Parliament agreed to remove Article 50

from the Provincial Election Law, which hadguaranteed a specific number of seats for

minorities, including Christians, on the

Regional Councils. The UN recommended

that twelve seats should be set aside for

Christians. But despite this international

pressure and assurances by the IraqiPresident that he would overturn the

decision, the Iraqi Parliament on 3

November conceded only three guaranteed

seats for Christians out of 440. The first

draft of the law had allowed 15 seats in sixdifferent provinces for minorities, including

13 for Christians. A few days later the Iraqi

presidential council ratified the law without

any changes.

Ii Plimet povisioll ppoves deth

pelt fo levig IslmOn 7 October the Iranian Parliament gave

provisional approval, by a majority of 196

to seven, to a bill that mandates the death

penalty for apostasy from Islam. Until now

Iranian judges could impose the death

penalty in such cases only on the basis of

Islamic law and fatwas , not on the basis of

Iranian law.

The bill prescribes a mandatory death

sentence for any male Muslim who converts

from Islam to another religion, and lifelong

imprisonment for female converts from Islam.

It also gives the Iranian secular courtsauthority to convict Iranians living outside the

country of crimes relating to Iranian national

security. It seems likely that this could be

used against the many Iranian Christians

who live outside Iran but are

involved in evangelism within it. Apostasy

from Islam is viewed by most Muslims as

equivalent to treason.

The bill, which was drafted earlier this year, is

now being reviewed in parliament, giving

MPs the opportunity to amend it. Before it

becomes law the bill will also be vetted by

the Council of Guardians, a twelve-member

legislative body with the power to veto any

bill that does not conform to Islamic law and

the constitution.

Article 23 of the Iranian constitution states

that “the investigation of individuals’ beliefs isforbidden, and no one may be molested or

taken to task simply for holding a certain

belief”. Iran is also a signatory of the

International Covenant on Civil and Political

Rights, which guarantees freedom of belief.

Somli Christinconverts from Islm infer of their lives s

two more re killed bMslim extremists

Somali Christian converts from

Islam are facing increasing attacks

by Muslim extremists trying to

instil fear among the Christian

community and those contemplating

conversion from Islam to Christianity.

In September a 22-year-old Somali

Christian convert from Islam, Ahmadey

Osman Nur, was murdered whileattending a Muslim wedding. Nur had

asked for a translation of the wedding

service, which was held in Arabic, a

language that is traditionally used in

Muslim ceremonies because it is

considered to be the “language Allah

hears”. However not many Somalis speak

Arabic and very few guests would have

understood the service. The sheik who

performed the ceremony took offence at

Nur’s request. Knowing of Nur’s

conversion to Christianity, he declared

him to be guilty of apostasy and asked aguard to “silence” him. As Nur left, he was

shot dead by an armed guard. Nur is the

third Christian known to have been

murdered for his conversion since the

beginning of 2008.

In the same month, on 23 September,

a Somali humanitarian aid worker and

Christian convert from Islam, 25-year-

old Mansuur Mohammed, was

beheaded by a group of Muslim

extremists in Manyafulka village, about

six miles from Baydhabo. The militantscalled Mohammed an infidel and a spy

for the occupying Ethiopian soldiers, and

then cut off his head in front of the

terrified villagers.

Numerous Somali Christians have fled to

neighbouring countries such as Ethiopia,

Kenya and Djibouti in fear of attacks such

as these. Yet even there, safety is not

guaranteed: Nur Mohammed Hassan, a

Somali Christian refugee in Kenya, and his

family were attacked and forced out of

their home in Nairobi on 14 October by a

group of Somali Muslims. The family had

fled Somalia after Mohammed Hassan’s

sister was murdered by Muslims in April

2005 for allegedly distributing Bibles in

Mogadishu.


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algerin cort dismisses cse ginst three Christins

ccsed of “blsphem”

The case against three Algerian

Christian leaders accused of

“blasphemy” was dismissed on 29

October by a court in Ain Turk, Algeria.

The three Christians had been informed on

5 February that they had been sentenced

in absentia to three years in prison and

fines for “insulting Islam and its prophet”

and “threatening” Mr Al-Aid, the man who

brought charges against them. Mr Al-Aid

had “converted” from Islam to Christianity

for a period of time during which he also

attended a Bible school. Mr Al-Aid turned

away from Christianity when the material

benefits did not meet his growing

expectations and fell in with a group of

Islamists who used him to bring the three

Christian leaders to court on trumped-up

The Algerian Church is growing despite harassment and pressure from the

government and attempts by Islamic extremists to defame Christians and theirleaders. In this context it is very good news that an Algerian court recently

dismissed the case against three Christian leaders accused of “blasphemy”

by a supposed convert from Islam to Christianity

Shri‘ corts officill recognised s rbitrtion corts in the uK

In September the UK government

declared that rulings of British

shari‘a courts would be enforceable

in the British legal system through

the county courts or the High Court.

Courts in London, Birmingham, Bradford,

Manchester and Nuneaton, Warwickshire,

have been awarded the official status of

arbitration tribunals. Further courts may

be established in Edinburgh and

Glasgow.

Arbitration tribunals enable individuals to

settle their differences privately without

recourse to public legal proceedings. If

the parties agree to submit their case toarbitration, and provided that the

proceedings are fair, the arbitrator’s

decision is then binding in the same way

as a court ruling.

Shari‘a courts have been operating and

passing judgments in Britain for a number

of years. They have limited powers to

pronounce on various civil disputes,

including some family and financial

matters, and on certain criminal offences

such as domestic violence. Previously

enforcement depended on whether theMuslim parties involved were willing to

comply with the courts’ rulings. Now,

however, their decisions on private

disputes between individuals, such as

those concerning commercial contracts

or debt, will be binding.

For now the jurisdiction of the courts istightly circumscribed. They are not

authorised to resolve questions of

personal status: they cannot, for example,

grant a divorce that would be recognised

in civil law. Nor can they make decisions

in inheritance disputes that can be

enforced by the civil courts. They have no

power to determine guilt or innocence in

criminal cases, or to impose any

punishment other than those prescribed

under English law.

Many commentators believe, however,that the growing presence and influence of

shari‘a law in Britain is cause for serious

concern. Some have suggested that

Islamic hard-liners may try to make shari’a

the dominant legal system in Muslim

neighbourhoods, so that non-Muslims are

put under pressure to submit disputes with

Muslims to Islamic arbitrators.

Others fear that Muslim women are being

encouraged to withdraw charges against

abusive husbands, who then escape

prosecution. In some recent cases ofdomestic violence the husbands were

ordered to take anger management

classes and receive mentoring from

community elders. In each case the wife

subsequently withdrew her complaint, and

no charges were brought by the Crown

Prosecution Service.

Disquiet has also been expressed over

recommendations by the courts that sons

should receive larger sums than daughters

in inheritance disputes. In a recent case

brought before a shari’a court in

Nuneaton, two sons of a Muslim man were

awarded twice as much as the three

daughters in accordance with shari’a.

Many Muslim women are not in a strong

position to claim their legal rights, because

of culture, language, tradition, and family

ties and pressures that may involve threats

and violence.

The safety of converts from Islam would

also be further endangered if the

judgments of shari‘a courts against them

were ever given the force of civil law. Their

marriages might be annulled or their right

to inherit from Muslim relatives might be

removed.

Finally, a recent survey by the Centre for

Social Cohesion found that 40% of British

Muslim students support the introduction

of shari’a law in the UK, while 33% want aglobal Islamic government based on

shari’a law. These opinions have raised

fears of further powers being granted to

shari‘a courts in future.

and vague charges of insulting Islam and

its prophet. He also claimed that the three

Christian leaders threatened him because

he had returned to Islam.

When offered the option of countersuing

their accuser, the three Christian leaders

declined to bring charges against Mr

Al-Aid, saying that they forgave him.



Wh sholdthe be secet?

9

Islm is oe-w steet. yo ccovet to Islm bt o e ot llowedto covet rom Islm. all schools of

Islmic lw, shi‘, gee o this led specif the deth setece fo

dlt mle Mslim who chooses to levehis Islmic fith. Most lso impose the

deth pelt o wome posttes.

The rule was established many centuries ago by Islamic

scholars, but even today most Islamic religious leaders and

many ordinary Muslim people agree with it. In 2007 a study

found that 36% of British Muslims aged between 16 and 24

believed that those who convert from Islam to another

religion should be punished by death.

Only a handful of countries today have the death penalty for

leaving Islam written into their legal system, and even in

these countries it is rarely put into practice. Nevertheless,the existence of the “apostasy law” is so well known

amongst Muslims that it generates strong hostility towards

apostates, whether from family or community, from religious

or secular sources, from police or judiciary.

So it is normal for converts from Islam to face persecution

and violence. They may be arrested, perhaps for apostasy,

but more likely on a pretext. They may be attacked, beaten

or even murdered by their own relatives. And those who

commit the violence will probably not be punished for it.

There is also another whole range of penalties for apostasy

laid down in shari‘a: losing your spouse and children andlosing your property and inheritance are some of the most

important. These are also put into effect in many Muslim

contexts today.

“Hannah” is a Christian and thedaghter o a British imam (leader o amosqe). She had to be taken nderpolice protection in December2007ater she received a death threatvia text message rom her brother,warning that he cold not beresponsible or his actions i she did not

retrn to Islam. Hannah became aChristian when she was 16, ater she ranaway rom home to escape an arrangedmarriage. Since then she has movedhose 45 times to escape detection byher amily.

“Adel” and “Ishtar”, an Iranian Christiancople, were whipped or their apostasy

rom Islam in September 2007. SixIranian oicials came to their home toadminister the pnishment. Adel isindeed a ormer Mslim who trned toChrist many years ago, bt Ishtar is roma Christian backgrond. The cople werecharged with apostasy becase they weremarried nder Islamic law ater theywere nable to ind a chrch willing to

marry them becase o their dierentbackgronds. The Iranian cort held thati non-Mslims marry nder Islamic lawthey thereby convert to Islam.



Sophia, a 28-year-old Pakistani Christian, wasliving with her amily in London when she

decided to ollow Christ. Ater her amilyond ot that she had let Islam, they triedeverything to make Sophia change her mind.They told her again and again “Thepnishment is death, do yo know thepnishment is death?” Sophia ran away romhome, bt her mother tracked her down,trned p at her baptism and tried to pll herot o the water. Her brother phoned Sophiaon her mobile saying “I’m coming down to

brn that chrch.”

Mohammad Abbad, a 40-year-old Christianrom Jordan, is abot to lose his wie and histwo children. Mohammad converted romIslam to Christianity 15 years ago, and inMarch last year was charged with apostasyater he and his wie sheltered in their home

two converts who were receiving deaththreats rom their relatives . The relativesmanaged to track them down and attackedboth coples. When Mohammad went to thepolice to report the assalt he ond that hisown ather had already reported him to thepolice, seeking cstody or Mohammad’stwo children. Lawyers advised Mohammadthat he wold lose the case i he did notrenonce his Christian aith. Mohammad, his

wie and their children led the contry, btlearned soon aterwards that his ather hadstarted procedres also to have his son’smarriage dissolved.

BARNABAS AID January/FEBruary 2009

Ziya, a Trkish Christian, was disowned byhis parents ater he converted rom Islam.When his parents ond ot that he hadbecome a Christian, they told people that hehad died in an accident rather than have tolive with the “shame” o admitting that theirson had let Islam. They told him “Go away,yo are not or son.”

Imagine being a secret believerIt is not surprising that many converts from Islam to

Christianity keep their new faith secret. Imagine what this

means. You cannot go to church for teaching or the uplifting

joy of worshipping with others. If you know any other

Christians, you cannot meet them for fellowship except very

carefully and discreetly. If you have a Bible you must keep it

safely hidden. Perhaps you watch a Christian TV programme

and you contact the show to ask for help with understanding

your new faith; what happens if they mail you some Christian

literature and someone else opens the envelope? You live

with daily uncertainty about the future, never knowing when

your love for the Lord Jesus might be discovered or what the

terrifying consequences of discovery would be.

Why should Christians from a Muslim background have to be

secret believers? Islam actively encourages non-Muslims

to convert to Islam. But it is the only world faith with a death

sentence for those who leave.

Things can changeIt does not have to be like this.

There is debate amongst Muslim scholars regarding the

harshness of the apostasy law. Some point out that the

Qur’an has no clear statement about the need to punish

apostasy in this life; it says simply that God will punish

apostates in the next life. Others doubt the genuineness of

the traditions recounting Muhammad’s words and actions

against apostates. Still others say that when apostates were

put to death in the early days of Islam, it was not because

they had changed their faith but because they had rebelled

against the Islamic state.

There are brave Muslim voices calling for the apostasy law to

be abandoned.

Yo can help make it happenBarnabas Fund’s campaign for 2009 seeks to bring an

end to the Islamic apostasy law. Although only Muslimleaders can make this happen, we as Christians can help

the process. Sign the petition on page 11, and get your

church and friends to sign it too. It will be presented to

Western governments a year from now.

In future issues of Barnabas Aid we will be suggesting

people of influence to whom you can write about the

apostasy law: political leaders, Church leaders and

Muslim leaders.

Above all, please pray.

For more information about the Islamic apostasy law, itsorigins and its current use, turn to the pull-out supplement,

pages i-iv.

See also the Director’s letter, page 2.

10



The death sentence for apostates from Islam, according to the five main schools of shari‘a

THE ISLAMIC LAW OF APOSTASY

BARNABAS AID January/FEBruary 2009II

School of law Hanafi (Sunni) Shafi‘i (Sunni) Maliki (Sunni) Hanbali (Sunni) Ja‘fari (Shi‘a)

Sane adult male Death Death Death Death Death

Sane adult female Imprisoned until

she repents

Death Death Death Imprisoned and

beaten with rodsuntil she repents

or dies

Period for

repentance

Three days Three days Three days Immediate

repentance required

Born Muslims

must repent

immediately;

converts to Islam are

given time to repent.

Apostasy a

hadd offence?

Yes Yes No No Yes

Must apostasy be

spoken to incur penalty?

Yes No - inward apostasy

is punishable.

No - inward apostasy

is punishable.

No - inward apostasy

is punishable.

Establishing guilt Two witnesses

required

Even words spoken

in jest are counted

as apostasy.

Two witnesses

required

Ascertain whether

the individual

was previously a

true practising

Muslim.

Confession and

two truthful male

witnesses.

Words spoken

in anger, jest,

and unintentionally

do not count.

Other punishments for apostasy

The shari‘a also lays down other types of punishment for an

apostate. These include confiscation of his/her property,

separation from spouse and children, loss of inheritance and

denial of burial in a Muslim graveyard.

In practice the death penalty is rarely implemented by Muslim

states today, but apostates are commonly deprived of all their

civil rights. This practice is termed “civil death” in Egypt.

A broader definition

In Islamic law and tradition, apostasy ( irtidad ) has always been

linked to the concepts of unbelief, blasphemy and heresy (all

combined under the term kufr ), which are sometimes used

interchangeably. In a sense kufr is the main category, while

apostasy, blasphemy and heresy are its sub-categories.

Although apostasy, blasphemy and heresy are distinct terms in

English, in Arabic kafir is often used to describe an apostate, a

blasphemer or a heretic, and all three categories are closelylinked, even interchangeable, in the minds of Muslims.

Although the term “apostate” ( murtadd ) usually refers to a

Muslim who has officially converted to another faith, individuals

who consider themselves to be good Muslims also may be

accused of unbelief, blasphemy and heresy as well as of

apostasy, for reasons such as scepticism, atheism, or not

obeying shari‘a properly. Some authorities list 300 different

acts that could make a person a kafir , thus giving Muslims

plenty of possible reasons for denouncing other Muslims as

infidels liable to the death penalty. This process is known as

takfir .2 In many cases multiple charges of apostasy,

blasphemy, unbelief, heresy and insulting Islam and

Muhammad are brought against the accused, thus giving the

judges greater flexibility in deciding under which category to

define the crime and ensuring that the accused actually is

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.

Shari‘a in modern Muslim states

Although most modern Muslim states have ratified international

agreements on human rights, they limit their validity by adding

that the agreements are subject to the authority of shari‘a.

Human rights and equality of all before the law are thus

interpreted by shari‘a, which discriminates on the basis of both

religion and gender.

Many Muslim states had secular constitutions at independence

but have engaged in a gradual process of Islamisation since

then. Most have declared Islam to be their state religion, and

many have declared shari‘a to be the primary source of their law.

Many Muslim states have two parallel legal systems operating:

the Western secular system and the Islamic shari‘a system.Although most states with a mixed system and a written

constitution guarantee freedom of religion and equality of

treatment to all citizens, in practice a Muslim who rejects his or

her faith is often treated as if 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.

Mslim sttes d postsIn some countries the state legal system has adopted shari‘a

laws that enable official charges to be made within the state

courts against converts from Islam. (These blasphemy and

apostasy laws also enable the state arbitrarily to detain citizens

who for any reason are viewed with disfavour by the authorities

or by militant Muslims.)

2 John L. Esposito, ed., The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World , pp439-443.


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T HE I S L A M

I C L A W OF A P OS

T A S Y

Though official proceedings against those who reject Islam are

rare, apostasy is punishable by death in Afghanistan, Iran,

Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen. It is also treated

as illegal in the Comoros, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia and

the Maldives.

Where legal provisions for punishing apostasy do not atpresent exist, the state or local authorities may harass

converts by arresting them on various pretexts, such as public

order offences, or by framing them for other “crimes”. These

practices also help to avoid any unwelcome attention from

Western media.

Where state legal systems are not interested in such

prosecutions, or where they dare not prosecute for fear of

condemnation by the West, groups or individuals within the

society may act instead to carry out the shari‘a penalties.

Islamic scholars and mullahs may issue fatwas demanding the

killing of the accused, and families may use force and violence

against the convert, which sometimes end in murder as they tryto remove the shame that they feel the conversion brings on the

whole family. In some contexts, mobs can be easily incited to

frenzied attacks against an alleged apostate. Individual Muslims

zealous for their religion and its honour may take it on

themselves to assassinate the accused, believing that they are

doing a holy service to God and to Islam.

The pplictio of the postslw i the wold todThe examples below focus on countries where there are laws

against apostasy, but it is important to remember that everywhere

– even in the West – unofficial persecution of converts by family

and community is likely to occur. Furthermore, those who

perpetrate the unofficial persecution often go unpunished in

Muslim countries, and sometimes even in the West.

Saudi Arabia

The Qur’an is the state constitution and shari‘a the legal system.

Judges have freedom to decide what constitutes apostasy. In a

1992 case brought against a Shi‘a Muslim, who had converted

from Sunni Islam, it was reported that the judge told the

accused: “Abandon your rejectionist beliefs or I will kill you”.

A young Saudi woman called Fatima al-Mutairi learned about

Jesus Christ on the internet and decided to follow Him. But in

2008 her family discovered her faith, and her brother cut out her

tongue and then burned her to death. It is apparently being

considered an “honour crime”, and her brother may therefore

receive a relatively lenient sentence. (Turn to page 12 to read a

poem written by Fatima.)

Afghanistan

The 2004 Afghan constitution states that “no law can be contrary

to the beliefs and provisions of the sacred law of Islam” (Article

3). On this basis an Afghan judge and prosecutor declared in

2006 that the death sentence for apostasy was part of Afghan

law and threatened Abdul Rahman, a 41-year-old convert to

Christianity, with death. In the end, under pressure from Western

governments, the Afghan authorities found a pretext to dismiss

the case.

Egypt

Although there is no direct law against apostasy, Egyptian

Christians who have converted from Islam are often arrested and

imprisoned, typically on charges of endangering social peace.

While in detention they may be beaten or tortured.

Between 1970 and 1982 the courts decreed that apostates had

neither the right to marry nor the right to inherit and that their

existing marriages were invalid as they were civically dead

according to Hanafi shari‘a law.

In 2002 Al-Azhar University recommended a change in the

application of the apostasy law by giving the accused a lifetime

to renounce the apostasy instead of the three-day period laid

down in shari‘a. This recommendation was severely criticised by

many religious leaders.

A serious problem for Egyptian converts is the fact that they are

never given permission to change the religion entered on their ID

card from Muslim to Christian. This makes it very difficult forthem to live as Christians and their children also will be

registered as Muslims. On 29 January 2008 Mohammed Hegazy

lost his court case against the Egyptian Interior Minister on this

issue. The judge ruled that, according to shari‘a, it was lawful to

convert only to Islam, not to any other religion.

Jordan

The Jordanian authorities can be harsh in their treatment of

converts from Islam. On 24 March 2008 Mohammad Abbad, a

Christian who had converted from Islam 15 years earlier, was

charged with apostasy before the North Amman Shari‘a Court.

Earlier that month he and his wife had sheltered in their home

two converts who were receiving death threats from relatives.

But the relatives tracked them down and attacked both couples.

When Mohammad went to the police to report the assault, he

found that his own father had already reported him to the police,

seeking custody of Mohammad’s two children. Lawyers advised

Mohammad that he would lose the case if he did not renounce

his Christian faith. Mohammad and his family fled the country on

28 March. His father then started procedures to have his son’s

marriage dissolved.

Sudan

President Nimeiri introduced shari‘a law to North Sudan in 1983

and tried also to impose it on the South. Two years later, anIslamic scholar, Mahmoud Muhammad Taha, was executed for

apostasy because of his efforts to liberalise and reform Islam. In

1989 the National Islamic Front came to power, and in the 1991

constitution the Islamic Code was again enforced. The use of

shari‘a as the basis of law and government in North Sudan has

since become ever more explicit.

Section 126 of the Sudan Criminal Law 1991 makes apostasy

from Islam a criminal offence punishable by death. Although this

extreme penalty is seldom implemented, apostates face arrest,

imprisonment and torture.

IranSince the 1979 Iranian revolution Shi‘a Islam has been the state

religion. Article 4 of the constitution states: “All civil, penal

financial, economic, administrative, cultural, military, political, and

other laws and regulations must be based on Islamic criteria.”


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/barnabas-aid-januaryfebruary-2009 12/19BARNABAS AID January/FEBruary 2009 11BARNABAS AID January/FEBruary 2009

9 Priory Row, Coventry CV1 5EX

Telephone 024 7623 1923 Fax 024 7683 4718

Email [email protected]

Registered charity number 1092935 Company registered in England number 4029536

www.barnabasfund.org

Signature Name and address Postcode Email Country

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

We, the undersigned, have put our names to this document to drawattention to the serious danger faced by Muslims who choose to

leave their faith.

New Zealand14A View Road, Mt Eden,

Auckland 1024

Telephone 09 630 6267 or

0800 008 8805


AustraliaPostal Suite 107, 236 Hyperdome

Loganholme QLD 4129

Telephone (07) 3806 1076 or 1300 365799

Fax: (07) 3806 4076


Jersey Le Jardin, La Rue A Don, Grouville,

Jersey, Channel Islands JE3 9GB

Telephone 700600

Fax 700601


USA 6731 Curran St, McLean, VA 22101

Telephone (703) 288-1681

or toll-free 1-866-936-2525

Fax (703) 288-1682


International HeadquartersThe Old Rectory, River Street, Pewsey,Wiltshire SN9 5DB, UK Telephone 01672 564938 Fax 01672 565030

From outside UK: Telephone +44 1672 564938

Fax +44 1672 565030 Email [email protected]

Shari‘a (Islamic) law prescribes the death penalty for adult male Muslims who choose to leave

Islam. Most of the Islamic schools of law also have the death sentence for women. Other

penalties are also imposed.

We call on our national government to support all efforts by Muslims to have theapostasy law abolished, so that Muslims who choose to leave their faith are no

longer liable to any penalty but are free to follow their new convictions without fear,in accordance with the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

What you can do to bring changeThis is more than a campaign. It is a matter of life and death. Please sign this petition by writing

your 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.

If you do not want to receive this material or to participatefurther in this campaign, then please do not sign the petition.



And we for the sake of Christ all things bear

M the Lord Jess gide o, O Mslims

and enlighten or herts tht o might love others

The form does not revile the Mster of the prophets*

It is for the displ of trth, nd for o it ws reveled

This is the trth tht o do not know

Wht we profess re the words of the Mster of the prophets*

We do not worship the cross, nd we re not possessedWe worship the Lord Jess, the Light of the worlds

We left Mhmmd, nd we do not follow in his pth

We followed Jess Christ, the Cler Trth*

Trl, we love or homelnd, nd we re not tritors

We tke pride tht we re Sdi citizens

How cold we betr or homelnd, or der people?

How cold we, when for deth – for Sdi arbi – we stnd red?

The homelnd of m grndfthers, their glories, nd odes – for it I m writing

and we s, “We re prod, prod, prod to be Sdis”

We chose or w, the w of the rightl gided

and ever mn is free to choose n religion

Be content to leve s to orselves to be believers in JessLet s live in grce before or time comes

There re ters on m cheek, nd oh! the hert is sd

To those who become Christins, o re so crel!

and the Messih ss, “Blessed re the Persected”

and we for the ske of Christ ll things ber.

Wht is it to o tht we re infidels?

yo do not enter or grves, s if with s bried

Enogh – or swords do not concern me, not evil nor disgrce

yor threts do not troble me, nd we re not frid*

and b God, I m nto deth Christin – Veril

I cr for wht pssed b, of sd life

I ws fr from the Lord Jess for mn ersO Histor record! nd ber witness, O witnesses!

We re Christins – in the pth of Christ we tred

Tke from me this word, nd note it well

yo see, Jess is m Lord, nd he is the Best of protectors

I dvise o to pit orself, to clp or hnds in morning

See or look of gl htred

Mn is brother to mn, Oh lerned ones

Where is the hmnit, the love, nd where re o?

as to m lst words, I pr to the Lord of the worlds*

Jess the Messih, the Light of Cler Gidnce

Tht He chnge notions, nd set the scles of jstice right

and tht He spred Love mong o, O Mslims

“And we or the sake o Christ

all things bear...” Ftim al-Mtii’s stoFatima Al-Mutairi, a 26-year-

old Saudi Christian, had

her tongue cut out and was

burnt to death, apparently

by her brother, when her

family found out that she

had converted from Islam

to Christianity. Shortly

before her death she wrotethe poem printed on the

right, which she posted on

the internet (translation

from Arabic).

*Notes:

� The “forum” refers to a website

where Arab believers gather in

online fellowship and witness.

� “Master of the prophets” is

normally a title for Muhammad

but is used in this poem as

a title for Christ. Muslims

commonly believe that

Christians insult Christ by

speaking untruths about him.

� “The Clear Truth” is often used

as a name for God in Islam.

� In the last blog that Fatima

wrote before her death, she

found comfort and strength in

the opening verse of Psalm 27,

“The Lord is my light and my

salvation – whom shall I fear?”

� “The Lord of the worlds” is an

Islamic name for God, used in

the first chapter of the Qur’an.

Fatima attributes this name to

Jesus Christ, her Saviour.

BARNABAS AID January/FEBruary 2009

Fatima Al-Mutairi



Pesected d Disfiged fo

Poclimig Chist to Mslims

Elias was born in 1956 into a Christian

family and has lived most of his life in

Jerusalem. After studying at an Arab school

he left without completing his education,

and joined the Communist Party in 1972.

He worked with the Palestine Liberation

Organisation (PLO) and led various youth

groups opposed to Israel.

Elias attended many debates, especially on

communism and Islam, and in 1976-7 he

became a Muslim. But then he read the

New Testament and was deeply influenced

and stirred by it. He found an echo of his

former communist convictions in the

sharing of possessions by the early Church.

Confronted with the claims of Christ, he

was baptised in 1982 in the River Jordan.

Elias began to witness to Muslims and

communists, both verbally and through the

distribution of Christian literature. He was

attacked several times and beaten up, but

eleven Muslims were converted andbaptised through his ministry. This success

greatly angered the Muslim youth, who

threatened him with severe punishment.

The new Christians began to witness to

their families, and in 1984-5 Elias suffered

further heavy beatings. On one occasion he

was stabbed, and on another he had to

escape from his burning car when Molotov

cocktails were thrown at it.

Then in 1985 Elias was invited by the

brother of one of the converts to meet him

at a Bible exhibition at Bethlehem

University. When Elias arrived in the square

six youths from the militant Islamic

organisation Hamas approached him armed

with chains, baseball bats and glass bottles.

They beat him until he was

bleeding profusely, and then

cracked his skull with a bat.

“I had no strength left in me,”

says Elias, “I was praying

silently. I could hardly

pronounce a word as I was

so badly beaten.”

The men smashed a bottle on a wall and

removed Elias’s left eye with it. As his

eyeball fell to the ground Elias collapsed.

He says, “While on the ground on my face

I saw a man looking exactly like Jesus. I

knew it was the Lord. He knelt down. He

was wearing dark brown trousers but not

like our trousers: they were sewn at the

side with threads. He was wearing sandals

that had laces going round to his ankles.

His shirt was one piece of cloth with no

seams. I could not see His face, and I was

afraid to look at Him too. He asked me to

give Him my hand and He pulled me up.

Suddenly I had so much energy, and I was

flooding with joy.”

Elias walked in the scorching sun to an

Arab hospital carrying his eye. The staff

gave him painkillers but took no action

to save the eye. By the time they had

transferred him to an Israeli hospital it

was too late. Elias remained in hospital for

two months and was blind in his remaining

eye for nearly six as a result of the blow to

his head

Elias was wondering whether his ministry

could continue, and prayed that he might

serve the Lord fully, to the end. With his

other eye he began to see first shadows,

then colours, and he was eventually able

to read again, though with great pain. He

engaged in a lengthy and deep study

of Islam, which greatly enhanced his

evangelistic work when he resumed it

in 1987.

In 1989 a terrorist cell was arrested in

Ramallah, and Elias’s name was found to

be fourth on their list of assassination

targets. The next year he was repeatedly

interrogated by both the PLO and Hamas,

and on one occasion he was seconds

away from being hanged by a Hamas

gang. They had tied his hands behind his

back and put a bag over his head when an

Israeli jeep appeared unexpectedly andthey fled.

Elias was strongly advised to leave his

homeland, and later in 1990 he moved to

the West. He has a wife and 16-year-old

stepson, and also cares for his disabled

brother. With help from friends he has

bought a small grocery shop, which is run

by his wife. He has also continued with his

ministry, and he has written twelve books

on Islam in Arabic.

Sadly Elias now has cancer, and to secure

the most effective treatment he will have to

pay for it. Barnabas Fund has supported

him with a gift, and he was touched and

moved to tears by this demonstration of

Christian love. (Project reference 00-345

Victims of Violence Fund)

If covets fom Islm to Chistiit elible to sevee pesectio, so lso ethose who poclim the Gospel to them.We big o hee the sto of Elis Mlof, Plestii ab who fist coveted toIslm, the rom it to Chistiit, d whoegged i evgelism mog Mslims i theHol Ld.

Elias Maalouf, a Christian evangelist who lost his left

eye in an attack by a Hamas gang and had to flee to

the West



Sixt tobled esChina is a great and ancient nation. After

nearly two centuries of decline and

humiliation at the hands of the Western

powers and Japan, in the last 60 years it

has regained its place of importance in the

world, and has become a major playerboth politically and economically. Yet this

progress has been won at the price of

immense human suffering and the

frequent and severe repression of

unauthorised religious groups.

In 1949 the Communist revolutionaries

under Mao Zedong completed the

conquest of mainland China, and they then

began to reshape the nation on Marxist

lines. This policy reached its nadir in the

Cultural Revolution of 1966 to 1976, which

caused huge distress and economic

chaos. Some estimates put the death toll

at 20 million. Since Mao’s death the

government has adopted a more

pragmatic approach, including the

initiation of economic reforms and

international relationships, but it has not

relaxed its political grip. A student protest

in Tiananmen Square in Beijing in 1989

was ruthlessly crushed, and ethnic and

religious dissent has been suppressed

wherever possible. China has become

an unusual combination of an open

capitalist economy and a controlled

communist state.

Chistiit i ChiChristianity was introduced into China no

later than the 6th century, probably by

Assyrian Christians from the Middle East.

Missionaries from Western Europe arrived

in the 13th century, and the first

Protestant mission was established by

Robert Morrison in 1807. In the later 19th

century the number of Christians began to

increase rapidly, but the perceived

association of the Church with Western

colonialism led to Christianity’s being

regarded by many Chinese people as

Yang Jiao, a foreign religion that had

invaded their country.

The early 20th century saw renewal and

further substantial growth, so that by 1949

there were about 5.5 million Christians in

China. But following the Communist

takeover all foreign missionaries were

expelled, and the government sought to

bring organised Christianity under state

control. As a result a number of “housechurches” broke away from their

denominations, refusing to register with

the authorities and choosing to operate

independently. During the Cultural

Revolution all Christian activity was forced

underground, but after restrictions were

relaxed somewhat in the late 1970s the

churches began to grow again.

The registered churches are organised in

the Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM)

and the Patriotic Catholic Association. The

communist state designates itself as the

head of these bodies, and Christians are

forbidden to give allegiance to foreign or

international leadership. Among the

Protestant churches the TSPM decides on

which buildings may be used for worship,

who may be a pastor and which activities

may be undertaken. Members are not

allowed to read Christian literature from

abroad, or to listen to recorded addresses

from foreign preachers. An attempt has

been made to reconstruct the churches’

theology to make it compatible with

socialism, and proclamation of the

Christian distinctives is discouraged. The

government has sought to make the

organisation as uniform as possible, even

preventing some churches that have

wanted to register from doing so for fear

of increasing diversity.

The unregistered house churches have

enjoyed massive growth, but owing to

their marginal social status many lack

resources and trained leadership. Also the

authorities target them for persecution of

various kinds (see below).

Reliable data on the number of Christians

in China today are not available. A modest

government estimate put the figure at 54

million, but a senior official has admitted

in private that it may be as high as 130

14

million. Wherever it falls between these

extremes, the rapid growth of the Chinese

church since 1976 is historicallyunparalleled.

PesectioThe persecution of Chinese Christians did

not originate with the Communist

revolution. In the Boxer rebellion of 1900

against Western influence 189 Christians

were martyred, including many children,

and a nationwide anti-Christian movement

was launched in 1922. But conditions for

the churches certainly deteriorated after

1949, and eventually became desperate.In the early years of the new regime many

church leaders were arrested, imprisoned

and even tortured. Then during the

Cultural Revolution church buildings were

closed or destroyed, and numerous clergy

were sent to labour camps for “re-

education”, or executed. Improvements

since 1976 have proved inconsistent: the

1980s saw a further crackdown on

Christian activity among the house

churches, and in the 1990s greater efforts

were made to force them to register.

The present Chinese government is

committed to the promotion of a

“harmonious society” organised on

communist principles. For this reason

diversity is inherently suspect, and so are

connections to organisations located in

the West. Religious groups are expected

to conform their activities to the

constraints of the socialist order, and to

achieve this conformity the authorities

attempt to organise them in national,

state-controlled organisations such as

the TSPM.Churches that refuse to register with these

bodies are therefore seen as unpatriotic

and subversive, and their leaders as

“unstable social elements”. Their activities

Cot Pofile:

ChiBibles can be printed and distributed

in China, but other kinds of Christian

literature are subject to restrictions



are illegal; their members are subject to

harassment and violence; their buildings

may be closed; and many of their

pastors are arrested and imprisoned.

Instances of torture and even murder

have been reported.

So, for example, on 16 October 2008 the

sons of one of China’s best-known house

church leaders, “Bike” Zhang Mingxuan,

were beaten up by 15 officials of the

Public Security Bureau (PSB) armed with

iron bars. The eldest son, Zhang Jian, was

attacked for 25 minutes and suffered

serious injury, and the ambulance service

refused to come for him. Later he spent

time in intensive care, in a critical

condition, but left hospital early because

PSB officials were watching him and he

feared for his safety. Zhang Jian’s motherwas thrown out of her house, and all the

family’s furniture was left in the street.

Hotels were ordered not to rent to them.

Bike Zhang, who is President of the

Chinese House Church Alliance, was

detained by PSB officials in June while on

the way to meet the European Union

rapporteur between the EU and China. In

2007 he had written three open letters to

the international community detailing the

persecution and harassment faced by

house church leaders and members.

Since becoming a Christian in 1986 he

has been arrested, beaten and

imprisoned numerous times.

Some restrictions apply to all Christians,whether outside the official groups or

within. Religious belief is supposed to

be incompatible with Communist party

membership, which is required for those

in almost all high-level positions. Foreign

nationals are not allowed to engage in

evangelism among the Chinese (and

they may not take part in any other

kind of Christian ministry except by

invitation of a registered organisation).

Bibles are allowed to be printed in

China, but religious material from abroad

may not be distributed without its beingofficially approved.

It was hoped that the holding of the

Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008 might

encourage the Chinese leadership to

concede greater religious freedom to its

people. In fact, however, the event was

preceded by increased harassment and

repression of house churches and their

leaders, especially in urban areas, and

by additional restrictions on Christian

religios pctice i ChiOnly five religions are officially permitted to function in China:

Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism and Protestantism.

Each has its own state-controlled, national organisation, and

the government claims that all religious believers are

represented by these. In fact millions of Christians practise

their faith in unregistered house churches.

The authorities’ attempt to integrate each of the official

organisations has also enjoyed only limited success. Despite

the prohibition, some believers have even continued in

relationship with religious bodies outside China. Diversitywithin the TSPM has persisted and arguably has increased

recently, partly because of the churches’ maintaining of

denominational ties.

The government has begun to endorse elements of

Confucianism, but it is unlikely that this policy reflects a greater

commitment to religious freedom. Confucianism is a complex

system of moral, social, political and religious teaching built up

by Confucius (551-478 BC) on a foundation of ancient Chinese

traditions. It is arguably a philosophy rather than a religion, in

which the notion of duty is extended into almost every detail of

daily life. It includes no revelation and very little doctrine, and

its worship is centred in offerings to the dead. In the hands of

the Chinese authorities it may be merely a political instrumentto uphold the state and ensure conformity. They may see it as

an effective rival to non-Chinese religions, and as a means of

promoting Chinese nationalism in the face of increasing

cultural influence from the West.

publications, foreign Christians and

missionaries. The head of the Political

and Legal Committee of the Communist

Party later called for “extraordinary

measures” to be taken against those

who create social instability, and house

church leaders were explicitly mentioned

in a new legal directive to that effect.

The Chinese government’s opening up

to the West, stimulated by the country’s

remarkable economic growth, has led it

significantly to improve its policies on

both human rights and religious liberty.

But paradoxically, in its desire to

maintain internal stability and “harmony”

it is also bringing pressure to bear on

Christians in the unofficial churches,

whom it perceives to be upsetting the

social balance.

Bbs Fd twok i ChiBarnabas Fund works in various ways

in China to support and strengthen the

Church and individuals who suffer for

their faith. (China General Fund, project

reference 09-780)

These charts show the relative extent of the variousreligious and Christian affiliations among the

Chinese population. Precise estimates vary,

sometimes quite widely



Sve Iqi Chistis petitiopeseted i Lodo d CbeA total of 42,627 people put their names to the petition created by Barnabas

Fund for our Save Iraqi Christians campaign. On 5 November 2008 the British

and European signatures were presented to the Human Rights, Democracy and

Governance Group and the Iraqi Group of the British Foreign and Commonwealth

Office by Barnabas Fund’s International Director, Dr Patrick Sookhdeo. He wasaccompanied by a senior leader of the Iraqi community in the UK. The Australian

signatures were presented to Russell Broadbent MP at the Federal Parliament on

Monday 10 November.

Give thanks to God that so many

people worldwide have signed the

petition. Please pray that Western

governments will recognise the

severity of anti-Christian violence

in Iraq and will welcome Iraqi

Christians into their countries to

live and worship in peace and

security. Pray too thatimmigration officials reviewing

asylum applications will recognise

the particular dangers faced by

Iraqi Christians.

16

Bbs Fd uK meetigswith Ptick SookhdeoIslam is spreading throughout the UK and transforming

British society. The Muslim community is growing rapidly,and the influence of Islam on law, politics and economics

is getting stronger. In the face of this challenge, what role

should the Church play in shaping the future of Britain?

In 2009 Dr Patrick Sookhdeo will be holding a series of

speaker meetings under the title “Islam, the Church and the

Future of Britain”. He will address the urgent need for the

Church to understand Islam and engage constructively with

the Muslim community without compromising its own Christian beliefs, the truth of

the Gospel, and our society’s Judeo-Christian heritage.

Confirmed dates and venues are listed below, and updates will be included in future

editions of Barnabas Aid . Please do come and reflect with us on this important issue,

and bring your Christian friends too!

Saturday 10 January Woodford, 7.00 pm All Saints Church, Inmans Row

London

Sunday 11 January Southend 3 - 5 pm St Michael & All Angels Church,

Leigh Road, Westcliff-on-Sea

Saturday 31 January Glasgow 7.00 pm Victoria Evangelical Church,

Langside Road

Saturday 28 February N Ireland Details to be confirmed

Friday 6 March Wirral 7.30 pm Grange URC, Kings Road, Higher

Bebbington

Saturday 16 March Ipswich 10.00 am To be confirmed

(If you are unable to attend any of these meetings you may like instead to readPatrick Sookhdeo’s book The Challenge of Islam to the Church and Its Mission,

available from Barnabas Fund. Details are on the opposite page.)

“Pteship of Pteships”cofeece,

Jl 2008At St Petersburg Christian University in

Russia last summer, Barnabas Fund

brought together 75 delegates from

around 14 republics and territories in

Central Asia and the Caucasus. They

represented a wide range of contexts,

from places of relative religious freedom

to those with draconian regimes and

many militant Islamists. Several delegates

had recently suffered imprisonment or

violent persecution, or had relatives in jailfor outreach to Muslims.

The conference included worship and

prayer, talks and lectures, seminars and

meetings. Delegates shared news from

their homelands: official regulations and

restrictive laws, persecution, poverty and

anti-Christian violence. But they also

testified to God’s goodness and provision

for His people, and to strong fellowship

between believers.

One common theme was the significant

growth of the Church despitepersecution. One delegate was the first

male convert to Christianity from his

people-group, and now, 15 years later,

he pastors a convert church among his

own people.

Another major theme was the need for

national Christians to develop patterns of

church organisation that are appropriate

to their context and not merely to copy

models from elsewhere. Many delegates

gave examples of house churches and

underground fellowships that are basedon diffuse and multiple leadership rather

than a single pastor. These are much

more resilient against state action.

Delegates were also able to discuss their

needs with the Barnabas Fund team, and

over 60 potential projects were examined.

The conference provided an excellent

opportunity to exchange views on how

best to strengthen the Church in a variety

of situations. For everyone involved it was

a rich experience.

Barnabas Fund has an office for the

former Soviet Union, which has recently

moved to Moldova. Please pray for the

staff as they seek to support our partners

in a variety of challenging circumstances.

Ian Wright, CEO of Barnabas Fund in Australia,

presents the Australian signatures of the Save

Iraqi Christians petition to Russell Broadbent MP



In this edition we proile a new book rom Dr Patrick Sookhdeo,International Director o Barnabas fnd, and look at relatedresorces rom Isaac Pblishing.

Understanding Shari‘a Finance: The Muslim Challenge to Western Economics

Patrick Sookhdeo

The last twenty years have seen a distinctively Islamic financial systembecome a major player on the world economic stage. Many Muslims have

rejected Western financial products and institutions, which they believe to be incompatible

with shari‘a law. They have also generated a wide range of alternative economic tools, first in

Muslim countries and now in the West, and an increasingly lucrative international market.

Patrick Sookhdeo sees this fast-developing “shari‘a finance” as part of the Islamist agenda to

subvert and subjugate Western systems under the rule of Islam. In this study he discusses

the history and ideas of the movement, the character and spread of the Islamic economy,and the problems and dangers that it may present. In particular he reveals the connections

between Islamic finance and radical Islamist groups.

This stimulating and accessible study will interest anyone concerned about the worldwide

Islamic resurgence and its possible implications for global finance and politics.

“This book is vital to educating businessmen and citizens about the threats posed to our

economic and political system by Shari‘a Compliant Finance (SCF). Read it and understand

that if you accept SCF, you could face terrible unintended consequences.”

US Representative Sue Myrick, Founder and Co-Chair, Congressional Anti-Terrorism Caucus

Isaac Publishing, paperback, 114 pp, offer price £4.99 + £1.50 postage (normal price £6.99)

Faith, Power and Territory: A Handbook of

British Islam Patrick Sookhdeo

Islam is a religion and also

recognises itself as a political

and territorial power. This book

has been written as an easy-

to-use resource to help non-Muslims understand Islam in

Britain today and how it is

seeking to transform the

country. The author considers

the beliefs and actions of

British Muslims, including theirunity and diversity, and

examines their key

movements, figures and organizations. He also asks

penetrating questions about the future development of

Muslim communities in the UK and the yielding of British

authorities and institutions to the process of Islamisation.His insights are applicable to other countries with

significant Muslim minorities.

Isaac Publishing, paperback, 370 pp, offer price £8.00

+ £2.50 postage (normal price £12.99)

The Challenge of Islam to the Church and Its

Mission (revised and expanded edition; first

edition published as Islam: the Challenge to the

Church) Patrick Sookhdeo

The growing impact of Islam on

Western societies raises many

issues and poses many challenges

for the Church and its mission. Thisbook is written for Christians as

they seek to think through those

issues and respond to those

challenges in a wise, loving,

Biblical, effective and Christ-likeway. The author explains the natureof Islam and how it differs from

Christianity, and then looks at a

number of questions raised by its presence in the West.

He also discusses the various aspects of Christian-Muslim

relations, including worship, “dialogue” and evangelism,

encouraging Christians to extend compassionate concernto Muslims while remaining faithful to Christ.

Isaac Publishing, hardback, 193 pp, offer price £8.99

+ £2.00 postage (normal price £14.99)

To order any of these books, please visit www.barnabasfund.org/shop. Alternatively please

contact your nearest Barnabas Fund office (addresses on back cover). Cheques for the UK

should be made payable to “Barnabas Books”.

N E W T I T LE



Pray in Lent or the persected Chrch

For Lent 2009 we would like to encourage

you to join us in prayer for the many

persecuted Christians around the world

who, like Paul when he was in Asia, find

themselves under great pressure and

often beyond their ability to endure. They

need our prayers.

We have put together an informative and

attractive prayer booklet that can be used

as a guide to lift up in prayer our brothers

and sisters around the world where they

suffer persecution. The booklet features a

mini-profile of the Christian communities in

each featured country, describing the

history and current context of the Church

and offering suggestions for prayer. The

booklet can be used for individual prayer or

prayer groups during Lent as we remember

our Lord’s passion and prepare to celebrate

His sacrifice on the cross and the glorious

hope we have through His resurrection.

You will receive your prayer booklet

with the March/April issue of Barnabas

Aid . Extra or advance copies can be

ordered from your national Barnabas Fund

office or the UK office using the form

opposite or online from

www.barnabasfund.org/resources.

Many people underestimate the

importance of drawing up a will. A

will is a vital means of providing

security for family and friends, of

preventing unnecessary heartache

and disputes and of giving oneself

the peace of mind that comes with

knowing that one’s affairs have beenput in order. It is also a great

opportunity to leave a legacy that will

help the growth of God’s Kingdom.

This is a marvellous way of thanking

our Lord for the goodness of all His

gifts that you have enjoyed during

your lifetime.

Sadly a large number of people still die

without having written a will: sometimes

because they do not want to consider

their mortality, sometimes because theprocess seems too complicated. To

help you with this important task we

have put together a booklet, “A

Christian guide to making and changing

your will”, explaining in five easy steps

how to draw up a will. It also includes a

section on the Biblical basis for making

a will, thereby offering a Christian

perspective on this vital issue. Order

your free copy using the form opposite or

go to www.barnabasfund.org/resources.

Why make a will?

We would like to ask for your prayers at

this time when the credit crunch and talkof recession are raising fears of material

hardship with many people. The difficult

economic climate obviously could also

affect the amount of giving we receive

from supporters to help our brothers and

sisters who suffer persecution because of

their faith. Pray that we all will put our trust

in God, who is our provider, and that He

will continue to stir the hearts of people to

support the work of Barnabas Fund

financially as well as prayerfully. Together

we can continue to bring aid and hope topersecuted Christians around the world

whose needs are so much greater than

ours, no matter how much the credit

crunch and recession may be affecting us.

a pe eqest fom

Bbs FdI his secod lette to the Coithis Pl wites bot hisexpeieces i the povice of asi, “We wee de get

pesse, f beod o bilit to ede, so tht we despiedeve of life. Ideed, i o hets we felt the setece of deth.Bt this hppeed tht we might ot el o oselves bt o God,who ises the ded. He hs deliveed s fom sch dedl peil,d he will delive s. O him we hve set o hope tht he willcotie to delive s, as yo help s by yor prayers.”(2 Coithis 1:8-11, emphsis dded)

advce otice:Bbs Fd uKSppotes’ DThis will be held on Saturday 6 June

2009 at Freshbrook Evangelical Church,Worsley Road, Swindon, Wiltshire.

Further details will be provided in a future

edition of Barnabas Aid , but please book

the date in your diary now!

Barnabas Aid January/February 2009

Documents

Transcript of Barnabas Aid January/February 2009