IRAQ
IRAQ
Christian Convert from Islam Shot
Dead
24 February 2003
Ziwar Muhammad Isma’il, a Christian convert from a Muslim
background, has been
shot and killed for his faith, according to Middle East Concern.
Ziwar, who worked as a taxi driver in Zakho, in the Kurdish
authority area of
North Iraq, was shot by Abd al-Karim Abd al-Salam at a taxi rank
early in the
morning on 17 February. Abd al-Salam approached Ziwar and
challenged him to
return to Islam. When Ziwar refused he opened fire with an
automatic rifle.
Other taxi drivers gave chase, apprehending Abd al-Salam and
handing him over
to the police. Abd al-Salam claims that the Islamic prophet
Muhammad appeared
to him in a dream and told him to kill Ziwar.
Ziwar converted to Christianity seven years ago. Unlike
many converts from
Islam Ziwar had been quite open about his faith and, as a result,
he had been
threatened by his relatives and other Muslims and twice arrested,
though not
charged. Ziwar leaves a widow and five children.
DEATH FOR CONVERTS
All the major schools of Islamic law (Shari’ah)
agree that Muslim men who
convert from Islam should be put to death, their marriages
annulled, and their
children and property taken away. This tradition is upheld
and taught by many
Muslim religious leaders around the world. In countries
like Iran, Sudan and
Saudi Arabia the death sentence for leaving Islam is part of the
law of the
land. In other countries they may be arrested on various
pretexts and often
beaten, tortured or imprisoned.
Even under more moderate Muslim authorities, such as those in the
Kurdish areas
of northern Iraq, converts may still face widespread hostility
and aggression
from their own families and communities. In several
countries converts have
been murdered by Islamic extremist groups, others have been
killed by
individual Muslims who believe they are doing the will of Allah
by taking the
law into their own hands.
PRAY
Pray for comfort, love, protection, support and care for
Ziwar’s wife and
children. Ask that the Lord will be near to them in their
grief, and that they
will also be practically provided for.
Pray for Abd al-Salam, that God will speak to him and guide him
into the way of
truth and love.
Pray for a radical change in traditional Islamic thinking on
conversion and
apostasy, so that Muslims who chose to convert to Christianity
will be free to
follow their convictions without fear of persecution and death.
BARNABAS FUND E-MAIL NEWS SERVICE
The Barnabas Fund’s e-mail news service provides our
supporters
with short urgent news briefs and prayer requests for suffering
Christians around the world.
Please do share these news items with your Christian friends and
churches. All news items are available on our website in a
more
colourful user-friendly presentation format which you can access,
print and pass on.
If you are not already receiving these news briefs directly from
the Barnabas Fund and would like to, please contact us with your
name, postal and e-mail addresses, and details of the church you
attend.
The Barnabas Fund, The Old Rectory, River Street, PEWSEY,
Wiltshire, SN9 5DB, UK, Tel 01672 564938, Fax 01672 565030,
E-mail info@barnabasfund.org
Web www.barnabasfund.org