Peanut Gallery: Christian Persecution – Saudi Arabia – #2 (worldwatchlist.us)
There is no provision for religious freedom in the constitution of this Islamic kingdom. All citizens must adhere to Islam and conversion to another religion is punishable by death. Public Christian worship is forbidden; worshippers risk imprisonment, lashing, deportation and torture. Evangelising Muslims and distributing non-Muslim materials is illegal. Muslims who convert to Christianity risk honour killings, and foreign Christian workers have been exposed to abuse from employers. Despite this, converts are responding to Christian TV programmes and to dreams and visions from God.
Anecdotal Report: Rashid (not his real name) is a Saudi Arabian student who attended a Western university and surrendered his life to Christ after his roommate shared the gospel with him.
Excited about his newfound faith, Rashid returned home and shared the good news of Jesus with his loved ones. But he chose a public venue to tell one relative about his decision. A bystander reported Rashid to Saudi religious police, who threw him into jail.
Rashid’s cell mate, Tareq (not his real name), kept staring at him. At last Tareq spoke: “You’re the man I’m supposed to talk to.”
But Rashid shook his head. “I don’t think so. I’ve been just thrown in jail for my belief in Jesus.”
Tareq, however, pleaded with Rashid: “In my dreams a man was shown to me. It was your face. You have something to tell me.”
So Rashid shared the gospel with Tareq, who eagerly received Jesus into his heart.
Peanut Gallery: God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform.
Pray:
- Ask God to protect Christians who boldly share their faith despite the risks
- For isolated believers who face rejection and persecution from their families
- That God will continue to draw people to Himself through satellite TV, radio and supernatural dreams.
Please click on this link to Open Doors US to learn more about Christians in Saudi Arabia.
Related Article: Religion in Saudi Arabia (Wikipedia) –
The official and dominant form of Sunni Islam in Saudi Arabia is commonly known as Wahhabism (a name which some of its proponents consider derogatory, preferring the term Salafism[198]), founded in the Arabian Peninsula by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab in the eighteenth century, is often described as ‘puritanical’, ‘intolerant’ or ‘ultra-conservative’. However, proponents consider that its teachings seek to purify the practise of Islam of any innovations or practices that deviate from the seventh-century teachings of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad and his companions[199]
In 2010, the U.S. State Department stated that in Saudi Arabia “freedom of religion is neither recognized nor protected under the law and is severely restricted in practice” and that “government policies continued to place severe restrictions on religious freedom”.[200] No faith other than Islam is permitted to be practiced, although there are nearly a million Christians – nearly all foreign workers – in Saudi Arabia.[201] There are no churches or other non-Muslim houses of worship permitted in the country.[200] Even private prayer services are forbidden in practice and the Saudi religious police reportedly regularly search the homes of Christians.[201] Foreign workers have to observe Ramadan but are not allowed to celebrate Christmas or Easter.[201]
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