Inside Islam: A Guide for Catholics

(Jacob Rumans) #1

other ‘‘infidels’’ are not allowed to speak freely or openly
about their own faith, let alone attempt to evangelize
Muslims. The restrictions placed on Christians in Saudi
Arabia are particularly harsh: Christians are not allowed to
bring Bibles into the country, nor to wear crosses, build
churches, or practice their religion in any way while on
Saudi soil. This is because ‘‘the Prophet on his deathbed,
gave three orders [including], ‘Expel the Al Mushrikun
[polytheists, pagans, idolaters, and disbelievers in the
Oneness of Allah, and His Messenger Muhammad] from the
Arabian Peninsula.’ ’’[42] In Saudi Arabia, Christians may
carry a Bible or a prayer book only at risk of a long prison
sentence, expulsion from the country, or even death.


Saudi Arabia is not the only Muslim country where
such overt discrimination against non-Muslims occurs.
Because the Koran says they are under Allah’s curse,
Christians are treated with contempt — and much worse —
throughout the Islamic world. They have suffered largescale
persecution in Indonesia, Algeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and
elsewhere. In Sudan, some Muslims kidnap Christians and
sell them into slavery. In Egypt, the government pays for
mosques to be built, but it does not finance the construction
of churches — it even refuses Christians the necessary
construction permits to build churches. Muslims everywhere
who convert to Christianity live in peril of their lives.
Nowhere in the Islamic world do Christians live entirely free
from fear of Muslim radicals.


Missionaries in Islamic states must be very cautious and
secretive about their activities. But they have met with some

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