Egyptian Christians have requested our prayers following a series of similar incidents in several provinces across the country in which Christians have been threatened or attacked. Egyptian Christians are keen to stress that there are a range of motivations behind these =
incidents, and the primary call is for prayer that effective rule of law will be established and applied equitably to all citizens and institutions throughout the country.

On 5th November a group of Salafists occupied church-owned land in the Shubra district of Cairo. Church leaders informed the Interior Ministry who arranged for the Salafists to leave the site the next day. However this problem is ongoing as Salafists do not want the church to put up a fence or an administrative building, in spite of the fact that all legal documents have been in order for some time and the Church has the support of the Governor. Church leaders have urged members not to engage with Salafists who visit the site.

In early November the General Manager of the Coptic Agricultural Bank in Minya was kidnapped. He was released on 4th November. A ransom was demanded. However, effective police action led to the man being released with no payment made.

In late October a Christian concert was stopped in Minya province due to accusations from Salafists that it was an evangelistic event. Church leaders stated that, whilst the concert was open to anyone who wished to attend, it was made clear to all that it was a Christian event intended for a Christian audience.

Egyptian Christians note that incidents like these often occur as a result of inadequate state security provision, and that Muslims are also suffering as a result of this lack of security. They note that since January 2011, weak security and rising Salafist extremism mean that Christian communities are increasingly vulnerable. Because the authorities seem unable or reluctant to protect Christians from extremist assailants, it has become more common for minor disputes to escalate into sectarian clashes.

Egyptian Christians request our prayers that:
a.    The government of President Mursi will uphold the rule of law, ensuring the equitable treatment of all citizens
b.    This will be enshrined in the new constitution, which is currently being drafted
c.    The situation in Shubra will be resolved and the church’s rights upheld and respected by all
d.    Church leaders will know the Spirit’s enabling wisdom to respond to injustice with fact, firmness, and clarity while maintaining a faithful and clear witness to Jesus
e.    All officials involved will love mercy, act justly, learn about Jesus, and choose to follow Him
(From a Christian leader in the Middle East)

Some stats in relation to Egypt

•    Estimated 85-90 million people in Egypt.
•    Approximately 13 million of them are Coptic Christians
•    With a further 1 million Evangelical Christians
•    Cairo (capital) has an estimated population of 23 million people, of which 5 million commute to Cairo for work from outlying areas
•    Since the revolution, there is a limited police force on the ground, but it’s virtually non-functional in day-to-day affairs.
•    The army has retracted mainly to military operations and oversight of the country; Egypt is ruled by a Muslim Brotherhood-led government whose chief aim seems to be the institution of Islamic Sharia Law to establish Egypt as a pure Islamic state, thereby limiting the role of Christians and if possible rid the country of its 2000-year Christian history and witness.
•    There is an increasing lawlessness with emerging gangs of young Muslims terrorizing parts of city and country.
•    An estimated 120+ thousand Christians from the more affluent and educated levels of Egyptian society have emigrated since 2011 revolution.
•    We heard there is an excess of 1 million Muslims coming to faith over the last five years with some estimates varying up to 5 million. It is happening for sure, but it’s very difficult to get accurate numbers.
•    Across the country, there are massive problems with poverty, failing infrastructure, religious disharmony and persecution between Christians and Muslims, as well as Muslim sectarian fighting.
(Quoted from a visiting prayer leader who was recently there.)

A challenging message from a Muslim convert to Christ:

“People of Stockholm, people of the world, people who are concerned about
Human rights, people who are concerned about freedom. There is about 1.3 billion Muslims  who do not have freedom to change religion. They do not have freedom of thought conscious and religion. They do not have the right to exist as former Muslims.

This issue was brought up by the UN reporter on freedom of religion to the
UN assembly in New York two weeks ago that freedom to change religion is basic for
religious freedom. We are here to remember the victims if Islam apostasy and blasphemy  laws. We are here to see a change in their situation. We are here that they may
have freedom. We are here that they may have equal rights.

Muslim People are killed for rejecting Islam, Muslim people are imprisoned
and tortured for leaving Islam. It is not right that people get to lose their life, get imprisoned and get tortured for their belief. This contradicts with Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which gives freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and this freedom includes the right to change their belief and practice their new faith.

How can we be quiet about this? In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. Martin Luther King Jr.

Mahmoud Mohammad Taha- he was executed at the age of 76 for apostasy in Sudan.

Mahdi Debag the head of the Bible Society in Iran was arrested after the Islamic revolution in 1979 and was tortured and imprisoned for 10 years. He said I am not just willing to suffer for Christ but to also die for him. After much international pressure he was released and 6 months later he was murdered.

Fatima was murdered by her family in Saudi Arabia for converting to Christianity 3 years ago after cutting her tongue out.

Frag  Fouda, journalist and free thinker, was shot and  killed in front of his office in Cairo because he was accused of blasphemy in 1992.

Najeb Mafous, the Literature Nobel prize winner, was stabbed for the same
reason.

Taiser, the governor of Banjab in Pakistan, was murdered by his bodyguard for trying to
free Asia who was in prison for being accused for blasphemy.

Shabaz, the Minister of Minorities, followed the same fate for trying to protect
minorities in Pakistan. 400 Christian families cannot return to their home
since the teenager Rimasha was accused of blasphemy.

A number of pastors in Iran are serving prison sentences for their
conversion from Islam to Christianity.

Metafi in Saudi Arabia has been in prison since he was 18 and now he is 36.
He is an Ismaili accused of blasphemy.

Kashgari a journalist who tweeted that some things Mohammed did I like and some I do not like, was accused of blasphemy, and 30000 tweeted he should be killed. He apologized and this did not help. He tried to escape to New Zeland via Malaysia. He was arrested it there and extradited to Saudie Arabia. He has been in prison since then.

Around 10 countries have death sentences for apostates and blasphemers.

How can we be quiet about this? “For evil men to triumph, it is only necessary for good men to do nothing.”- Edmund Burke. How can be quiet about this injustice? How can we be quiet about this oppression?

Stand for freedom, Stand for Justice, stand for humanity. Stand against apostasy and blasphemy codes in Islam which are choking freedom worldwide.

Stand for freedom for fear; "Freedom from fear" could be said to sum up the whole philosophy of human rights. Dag Hammarskjold

Stand for freedom of speech; if the freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led like sheep to the slaughter. George Washington

Stand for justice; injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Martin Luther King

If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality. Desmond Tutu

Stand for freedom, stand for justice, stand for equality. Stand for Article 18 in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Stand for freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and freedom to change belief. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either
alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity. Nelson Mandela

As we pray for the persecuted believers in Christ around the world this month, let’s pray for those suffering grim persecutions for coming to faith in the Muslim world and that such blasphemy and apostasy laws will be overthrown by the governments that now observe them.