Dear Christian Brethren:
Praise the Lord! Abdul Rahman has been released from the Kabul jail that has held him as he awaited trial for converting from Islam to Christianity. The reason given for his release was "substantial evidentiary problems" with the prosecution’s case. It should have been because the Afghani government allows for free expression of religious beliefs.
While it is good news that Mr. Rahman has been released, we must remember the following quotes of four Islamic leaders:
- Islamic theologian Sheik Yusuf al-Qaradawi says that all leading Islamic tradition is “the apostate is to be punished… The majority [of traditions] go for killing.”
- A so-called moderate cleric, Abdul Raoulf states, “Rejecting Islam is insulting allah. We will not allow allah to be humiliated. This man must die.”
- Hamidullah, the chief cleric at Haji Yacob Mosque, says “The people will kill him if he is freed… Cut off his head… We will call on the people to pull him into pieces so there’s nothing left.”
- The top cleric at Hossainia Mosque, Said Mirhossain Nasri, declared that Mr. Rahman must not be allowed to leave the country. “If he is allowed to live in the West then others will claim to be Christian so they can too… We must set an example… He must be hanged.”
Chuck Colson’s Breakpoint brings up an interesting point: “If we [Americans] can’t guarantee fundamental religious freedoms in the countries where we establish democratic reforms, then the whole credibility of our foreign policy is thrown into serious question… You need to let them [Congress and the White House] know that ‘democracy’ worth the name must include protection of the most basic human right: freedom of conscience and belief. Otherwise, places like Afghanistan, whoever is in charge, are nothing more than brutal theocracies and will always remain so.”
While we ponder the above statements, let us pray:
- Heavenly Father, thank You for the release of Abdul Rahman. We pray for the PROTECTION of all our Christian brothers and sisters in Afghanistan, Iraq and the other Muslim countries (Ps 91:all).
- ENCOURAGE Arab Christians. May the Gospel of Christ be spread throughout all the Muslim nations causing a GREAT REVIVAL (Ps 29:11; Mt 24:14; 28:18-20; Phil 4:6-7; Col 1:9-12). In Jesus' Name, AMEN!
Your prayerful Watchman in Washington, D.C.,
Harry Valentine, CHPA Founder/President
