A former Muslim from Somalia, who was attacked in May and July, faced yet another assault on October 5 after his Muslim relatives suspected him of leading Christian prayer meetings.
Mohammad Abdul was conducting worship behind locked doors at his home in an undisclosed town in the Lower Juba Region when four Muslim relatives waited outside for him to finish. Upon stepping outside, Abdul was confronted by the relatives, who questioned him without greeting.
They asked, “Why are you worshiping in a way that differs from Islam? What’s so unique about your worship? Why do you close yourself in a room when you pray?”
Abdul responded, “My prayer is a private matter between me and my Lord Isa [Jesus]. Why should I pray publicly just to please others? Worship is about pleasing God, who is in the heavens.”
When they insisted he join them in Islamic worship, Abdul told them he had embraced Christianity, saying, “Isa, who saved me, knows my heart. I am content in my heart, so leave me in peace.”
One relative jumped on him, another struck him with a blunt object, and a third slapped his face. Abdul sustained a fractured left hand, injured fingers on his right hand, and cuts to his face.
“You’re bringing serious trouble upon yourself and your family,” one relative warned. Abdul replied, “You can beat me more if you wish, but I’ll tell you this: Isa has saved me. Whether I live or die, I serve Him.”
They left him bleeding, but to his surprise, one relative remarked, “Since you love God, may He guide you to the right path.”
Abdul’s wife had previously advised him to hold Bible studies, prayer, and worship in a separate visitor structure after a July incident. By August, Abdul was leading three small groups in Bible study and prayer.
In early September, a relative discovered him leading prayer behind closed doors. The relative questioned Abdul’s wife, expressing confusion over her husband’s new way of worship. After observing the situation, the relative quickly left, prompting Abdul’s wife to inform him of the potential danger.
The couple has three children, aged 9, 5, and 3.
Abdul had survived a knife attack on May 5 by his Muslim relatives on the outskirts of Kismayo. His in-laws had taken his wife and five children while he was being treated for his injuries. Abdul became a Christian in March.
After the attack in May, which left him with a deep head wound and a fractured hand, Abdul was able to reunite with his family and relocate them. However, he suffered further injuries in the July 8 assault, including a temporary loss of speech. His wife’s ankle was also broken, and their children were beaten.
After his home was destroyed in the May attack, Abdul found a rented house for his family.
Somalia’s constitution declares Islam as the state religion and bans the promotion of any other faith, according to the U.S. State Department. The law requires adherence to Sharia principles, with no exceptions for non-Muslims. Under mainstream Islamic jurisprudence, apostasy is punishable by death.
The extremist group Al Shabaab, allied with Al Qaeda, upholds this teaching. Since 2011, Al Shabaab sympathizers have killed numerous non-locals in northern Kenya following Kenyan military involvement against the group in Somalia.
Somalia ranks second on Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List of countries where it is most dangerous to be a Christian.