Because of Islam's infamous death penalty for apostasy, the number of Muslim converts to Christianity may be much higher than reports indicate, as many may keep secret their new Christian faith to protect their families and their own lives. Let us keep in our prayers these new brothers and sisters in Christ, some known only to God, and all Christians being persecuted for their faith throughout the world.
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| Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Islam's most prominent cleric, on why Islam is still with us. |
Regarding the lethal punishment for those who leave Islam, it is rooted in the Koran, the hadiths, and in all schools of Islamic jurisprudence, both Sunni and Shi'ite:
“They wish you would disbelieve as they disbelieved so you would be alike. So do not take from among them allies until they emigrate for the cause of Allah. But if they turn away, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them and take not from among them any ally or helper.” (Koran 4:89)
Muhammad said: “Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him” (Hadith from Bukhari 9.84.57).
The death penalty for apostasy is part of Islamic law according to all the schools of Islamic jurisprudence. Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the most prominent Muslim cleric in the world, openly boasted on Egyptian television: “If they had gotten rid of the apostasy punishment, Islam wouldn’t exist today.”
Islam's death penalty for apostasy is yet another proof that the false and bloodthirsty Allah of Islam cannot be the same as the True God worshiped by Christians. The True God sends His only Son, who lays down His life for His sheep:
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." (John 3:16-17)
When a village of Samaritans refused to welcome Jesus because "his face was set towards Jerusalem", James and John asked if they could "call down fire from heaven to consume them, even as Elijah did". But Jesus sharply rebuked them, saying:
“You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village. (Luke 9:51-56)
Islam does destroy men's lives. Whenever it becomes strong enough, Islam always chooses to destroy. The Koran commands it. Muhammad set the example for all Muslims for all time. That is the spirit at the heart of Islam, the spirit of "Apollyon, the Destroyer" (cf. Rev 9:11).
Islam condemns and kills because it has no truth, no light, no life in itself, and therefore it must threaten and kill to survive. Whereas Christ promised us that if we follow Him, we will be persecuted, but to not fear those who can only kill the body, but cannot harm the soul. And Christ further promises us that even the gates of hell (of which Islam is a major force) can not prevail against His Church. So let us persevere in our struggles, so that we may be found within His Church — His Bride! — when He returns in glory! Amen!
"Muslim Migrants Converting To Christianity Fear Murderous Islamic Retaliation In Europe,"
by Chris Tomlinson, Breitbart News, April 15, 2016 (thanks to Jihad Watch):
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| A Muslim family converting to Christianity in Berlin. |
Many migrants who are recent converts to Christianity fear retaliation from Muslims and that converting may become a “death sentence.”
One of the more surprising aspects of the migrant crisis has been the number of Muslims from places like Syria and Afghanistan, that have been converting to Christianity in Austrian churches. The Archdioceses of the Austrian capital in Vienna can hardly keep up with the requests as they get five to ten per week.
So far this year 83 percent of the recorded adult baptisms into the Catholic faith have been Muslims compared to 2015 when they were only 33 percent reports Kurier.
The numbers could grow even more in 2017 since the process for adult conversion to Catholicism called the Right of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) can typically take up to a year to complete. The RCIA teaches new converts about the faith and it’s various rituals before candidates are often baptized over the following Easter.
Muslims who convert and leave Islam face a very real potential for violence and even death. A migrant to Austria who now calls himself Christopher told the Kurier,”this could be my death sentence.” Christopher came to Austria in 2012 and requested that his new Christian name be used because he fears not only reprisal against himself but his family as well.
The Catholic Church in Austria is well aware of what radical Muslims will do to new converts if they find out they were previously Muslims. Muslims consider leaving the Islamic faith as apostasy and the penalty according to the Sharia is death. The church is told of threats to parishioners on a regular basis and many new to the faith are justifiably reluctant to talk to outsiders.
Christopher is one of the few who wished to tell his story and his fears over his new found faith. The native Afghani said that he had been interested in becoming a Christian long before he fled to Austria. “A friend brought me a bible from Pakistan. I read it in secret and only at home. But I read it every day,” he admitted.
On paper Afghanistan has freedom of religion and religious expression, though in practice this is very much not the case in most areas of the country, where strict Islamic law still governs regardless of the hold on power by the Taliban.
An incident was recorded last year showing a woman named Farkhunda being savagely beaten to death for allegedly burning a Koran which emphasized the rule of Islamic religious law. Christians have it even worse as Christopher says simply, “whoever converts, is killed.”
Christopher now fears the same attitudes are emerging in Austria, especially among new migrants. He says he stays away from the Afghan community out of fear.
“In Austria it was once very safe for converts, but that has changed due to the strong migration movement. In refugee quarters it can also be dangerous,” said Friederike Dostal, who heads adult baptisms at the St. Stephan’s cathedral in Vienna.
Breitbart London has reported on Christians being abused by Muslims in migrant homes all over Europe. Many municipalities are considering separate accommodation for Christians and other minorities to prevent them being abused.
The danger, however, does not deter Christopher from his faith, “Christianity is the true religion,”he declared and said, “there is no turning back for me.”