A Christian man who converted from Islam in Somalia who suffered two previous physical attacks this year, one in May and the other in July, was once again brutally assaulted on Oct. 5 by Muslim members of his own family who suspected him of leading Christian prayer meetings, he revealed. This is why we must remember to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are living in countries where Christians are being persecuted. Pray they remain strong in their faith and are willing to bear their crosses and count all of their losses to be gain as they bring them closer to the Lord.
A report from The Christian Post revealed that Mohammad Abdul was indeed leading a worship service in his home, behind locked doors, in a town located in the Lower Juba Region, when four Muslim relatives showed up and waited outside for him to finish the service. Afterwards, when he went outside, he was shocked to see his family members waiting for him. They immediately started to question him.
Abdul said the relatives asked, “Why are you worshiping differently from the Muslim way? What is so unique about your worship? Why do you close yourself in the room when you are praying?”
The Christian convert replied, “My praying is a secret between me and my Lord Isa [Jesus], and more so, why should I pray in public? This is just a way to please men, but in my time of worship I should please only God who is in the heavenly places.”
When they told him that he must join Muslims for Islamic worship, he said he replied that he had embraced the Christian faith and Christ was his Lord and Savior, adding, “Isa who saved me knows my heart, and I am happy in my heart, so leave me alone.” One of the relatives jumped on him as another hit him with a blunt object, and a third relative slapped his face, he said. He suffered a fracture on his left hand, injured fingers of his right hand and cuts to his face.
“You are inviting terrible trouble to yourself and your family,” one of the relatives said him during the attack. Abdul said he responded by saying, “You can beat me up more if you want, but I can tell you that Isa has saved me. Whether I die or not, I live to serve Him.”
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They left him bleeding as one uttered, to his surprise, “Since you love God, may He then lead you to the right path,” Abdul said. His wife had cautioned him in July to lead any Bible studies, prayer or worship in one of the small structures set aside for visitors, and by August he was leading three cell groups in Bible study and prayers. In early September one of the relatives had found him leading prayer and worship inside the room. The relative asked his wife, “I am perplexed, what has gone wrong with your husband who is conducting prayers while closing the door? This is a different way of praying, contrary to the way the Muslims pray.”
The relative scurried away, according to Abdul. However, when she realized their lives were in danger, she told Abdul about the encounter as he wrapped up a prayer meeting. The couple also has three children, ages 9, 5, and 3.
And Abdul’s relatives have not only beaten him severely, but also assaulted him with weapons. On May 5, Abdul was the victim of a knife attack carried out by his relatives. As if that wasn’t harrowing enough, while he was recuperating in the hospital, his in-laws took his wife and children away. Abdul converted to Christianity in March.
“Having recovered his family and relocated them to another area after the attack in May that left him with a deep cut on his head and a fractured hand, Abdul in the July 8 assault also suffered injuries that took away his ability to speak, his wife said. The relatives also broke his wife’s ankle and beat his children,” the report revealed.
The constitution in Somalia has officially established Islam as the state religion and has forbidden the propagation of any other set of religious beliefs. Laws must also be in compliance with Sharia principles, with zero exceptions in the application of these laws for those who are non-Islamic.
“Somalia is ranked second on Christian support group Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List of the 50 countries where it’s most difficult to be a Christian,” the article concluded.