Christian Convert Assaulted by Relatives in Somalia

10/25/2024 Somalia  — As Mohammad Abdul led a Christian worship gathering on the evening of Oct. 5 in his home in Somalia’s Lower Juba Region, four Muslim relatives waited outside for the event to end.  

As the worship ended, his relatives confronted Abdul, asking him why he was worshiping God differently.  

“My prayer is a secret between me and my Lord Isa [Jesus],” Abdul told his relatives.  

“Why should I pray in public? That’s just a way to please men. In my time of worship, I should please only God, who is in the heavenly places. Isa, who saved me, knows my heart, and I am happy in my heart, so leave me alone.” 

His relatives then assaulted Abdul, hitting him with a blunt object and slapping him in the face. He suffered a fracture in his left hand, injuries to the fingers of his right hand, and cuts to his face. 

Abdul, who converted to Christianity in March, has been assaulted two other times for his faith, once on May 5 and again on July 8. 

Conditions for Christians in Somalia are grim due to elevated levels of civilian conflict, Islamic extremism, and insecurity from terrorist groups like al-Shabab. Christians like Abdul must use extreme caution when gathering in groups. It is illegal for Somalians to convert to Christianity or for Christians to evangelize. Christians are more likely to be killed by al-Shabab or family members than to be imprisoned by the government.