An Egyptian lawyer who was born and raised in a Muslim household described his journey to Christ and described the issues confronted by Christian converts in Egypt.
Mussa (actual identify for safety causes) mentioned his life experiences in a current interview with World Christian Reduction, a persecution watchdog group that helps the persecuted church world wide.
Though he was raised in a Muslim household, a lot of his closest mates rising up had been Christians, which made him interested by what they believed.
Get our newest information for FREE
Join each day/weekly emails with prime tales (and particular presents!) from The Christian Put up. Be the primary to know.
He mentioned he began studying the Bible, asking God to disclose His reality to him, and have become a Christian. Mussa shared the gospel together with his spouse, who additionally grew to become a believer. However nobody outdoors his instant household is aware of they’re Christians, and by all accounts Mussa is Muslim.
Under is an edited transcript of World Christian Reduction's interview with Mussa:
World Christian Assist: May you inform us extra concerning the difficulties and challenges confronted by ex-Muslims in Egypt?
Moses: The issues confronted by converts from Islam in Egypt come from each the state and society. If somebody chooses a religion that’s opposite to Islam, then that individual is taken into account an unbeliever and an apostate from society and is essentially dishonored and rejected. That is true for many who turn into Christians.
They expertise nice rejection from society and their lives might be threatened. Though Articles 40-46 of the Egyptian Structure assure freedom of faith, sadly this isn’t utilized in observe.
We’re purported to dwell in a civil state the place we needs to be topic to authorities legislation and never Islamic legislation. Whereas the state doesn’t formally punish those that go away Islam, ex-Muslims are persecuted by safety forces and accused of defaming the faith.
When a Muslim modifications his faith, he’s accused of blasphemy, though anybody who desires to vary his faith ought to give you the chance to take action, as written within the Egyptian structure.
As quickly because the safety forces come to know {that a} Muslim has modified his faith, a safety power is prepared for him and he’s hunted down as if he had been a legal.
We should always have the proper to a private perception, however I can’t categorical my perception. Ought to my religion make me a legal? Sadly, this occurs to nearly all converts and takes years.
Along with being rejected by society, converts usually lose their jobs. They will lose every little thing and face loss of life. The individual's household and mates usually deal with him very badly. Changing from Christianity to Islam in Egypt could be very simple for anybody, and the process for documenting the conversion is a straightforward go to to authorities workplaces. Nonetheless, one can’t formally convert from Islam to Christianity.
GCR: Do individuals who convert to Christianity face difficulties and issues after they determine to get married?
M: Marriage is among the essential difficulties for many who convert. A brand new Christian desires to marry one other Christian, however many Coptic Christian households hesitate or refuse to let their kids marry into Muslim households. These social issues are the principle issues for many who comply with Jesus.
There was even a case of a priest who was despatched to a labor jail for marrying a Christian convert registered as a Muslim. It is extremely tough for believers of Muslim origin to satisfy and marry, as many dwell in secret.
GCR: Do kids of Christian converts additionally face issues and challenges?
M: Kids of converts undergo nice difficulties. They’re handled as Muslims in school however raised as Christians at dwelling. This results in psychological crises in these kids.
I’ve taken my kids to a counselor for these issues. They might really feel stress as a result of if a baby says in school that his household is Christian, his household might face issues. Kids can’t perceive that they’ve to cover their Christian religion in school and that they should comply with one other religion and examine Islam, which is a primary topic taught in faculties. So he research Islamic doctrine in school however is a Christian at dwelling. These are heavy pressures to be exerted on a baby.
GCR: Is it doable for newly transformed Christians to evangelise in Egypt?
M: Egypt has signed worldwide human rights conventions that enable freedom of faith and the proper to proselytize, however it’s nonetheless not really allowed.
I bear in mind a younger Christian, Mina Abdel Sayed. He was a supply man and had a Bible in his private purse. Nationwide Safety arrested him and charged him with proselytizing. He was imprisoned and tortured to loss of life. Alternatively, everyone seems to be free to evangelise Islam and there are numerous organizations that achieve this, even on the authorities degree.
GCR: When do you assume converts to Christianity will get their rights?
M: I imagine converts will obtain their rights when the structure is in place and younger kids are taught about adoption. Then we’ll see equal rights for all with out discrimination. Then faith shall be thought of a non-public freedom and we can have the proper to decide on our beliefs.
Girgis is a author for World Christian Assist (GCR), America's main watchdog group targeted on the plight of persecuted Christians world wide. Along with equipping the Western Church to advocate and pray for the persecuted, GCR works in probably the most austere international locations to guard and help Christians susceptible to faith-based discrimination and violence.
