All posts filed under: Islam

Afghan Taliban warn universities about allowing women to take entrance exams

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According to a report by Fox News, the Taliban in Afghanistan are continuing to put down women in that country by warning universities to not allow women to take entrance exams. The news came in the form of a letter, that a Taliban official sent to private colleges in Afghanistan. The Taliban enforce a hard-line interpretation of Islamic law in the country and this was part of the group’s continuing clamp down on women. It had previously instituted a law forbidding women from attending post-secondary schools. The extremist group had earlier banned girls from attending middle and high school in that country. Along with this, the Taliban have introduced legislation limiting a woman’s ability to work outside the home and to leave her home without a chaperone. READ: Taliban warns universities not to allow Afghan women and girls to take entry exams Meanwhile, Taliban bomb a Pakistani mosque Apparently, a Taliban commander, Sarbakaf Mohmand, has taken credit for the bombing at a Mosque in that country that killed 34 people and wounded 150. There were …

A man shouting ‘death to Christian’ kills one and injured four in a machete attack on two churches in Spain

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A man armed with a machete attacked the members of two Catholic churches in Spain on Wednesday, Jan 25, 2023, leaving at least one dead and four injured, The Telegraph reports. One of the injured, a priest, is in serious condition with a neck injury. According to witnesses, the man entered the churches in Algeciras located in Southern Spain, shouting ‘death to Christians’ and ‘Allahu akbar’. Authorities believe it could be a terrorist attack. Police have since arrested a 25-year-old Moroccan, who they believed acted alone. The man had been issued deportation orders a year earlier. READ: ‘Death to Christians’: 2 churches attacked in Spain; 1 dead, 4 injured AND Migrant suspected of deadly machete church attack was served deportation order

Why Westerners are not receiving dreams and visions like those in the Middle East?

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In Joel 2:28, the prophet spoke of a day when God would pour out His Holy Spirit on all flesh, and added that it would be evidenced by people having dreams and visions. I have written several articles on how people in the Middle East have had their lives transformed by God-given dreams and visions. And while this seems to be happening in other parts of the world, it does not seem to be taking place, at least to the same degree, in Western countries. I have a couple of friends who regularly receive dreams and visions. In my case, I have had only one, which I would describe as a warning dream. It resulted in a positive, spiritually life-altering experience as my wife and I moved to another city. Yet, for most Westerners, myself included, these are rare experiences in Christian circles. In an interview with Faithwire, Rev. Lazarus Yeghnazar, the founder of Transform Iran, made an interesting statement that may explain why. If he was in a meeting with Iranian believers and asked …

Uranium, possibly intended for a dirty bomb, was seized at Britain’s Heathrow Airport

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The seizure of a package of Uranium at Heathrow Airport in London, England is raising alarms over fears it was intended for a dirty bomb, the Daily Mail reports. The package containing several kilos of Uranium was shipped from Pakistan to UK-based Iranians and arrived in Britain, on Dec 29, 2022 via Oman Air. Though it was not weapons-grade Uranium and could not be used for a nuclear weapon, it could be combined with a conventional bomb to spread nuclear contamination. According to reports, a major search has been launched for the individuals who were supposed to receive the shipment. If this proves to be the case, this would not be the first time there have been threats of a dirty bomb attack in that country. In 2004, a Muslim convert in Britain by the name of Dhiren Barot was arrested and sentenced to 30 years in prison who was planning to create a dirty bomb for attacks in Britain and the US>, READ: URANIUM’ is found in cargo at Heathrow: Package ‘shipped from Pakistan …

Pastor arrested for witchcraft after healing sick mother

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Sudanese police have arrested Pastor Abdalla Haron Sulieman for praying for his mother who had a severe infection in her leg that prevented her from walking, Morning Star News is reporting. Sulieman was actually inside his Presbyterian Church in the town of El Hasahisa leading a prayer meeting for his mother, Aisha Adam, who is 60 years of age, when the police showed up. When people witnessed Aisha being healed, this resulted in others in the largely Muslim community seeking a similar miracle. This angered Muslim extremists in the area, who complained to the police, that Pastor Sulieman was practicing witchcraft, resulting in his arrest. Sulieman is still in jail waiting trial and Christians across Sudan took to social media demanding the pastor be released. Sudan has a population of 43 million and approximately, 2 million are Christians. READ: Pastor jailed in Sudan, charged with ‘witchcraft’ after prayer gathering for sick mother

Iranian-born MMA fighter tells his people there is freedom in Jesus

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UFC fighter, Beneil Dariush, 33, who was born in Iran but now lives in the US recently testified of Jesus after his eighth consecutive MMA win, CBN reports. After the fight held on Oct 22, 2022, a reporter asked Dariush about his victory. Instead of talking about himself, he directed his comments to the Iranian people fighting for freedom in the tyrannical Islamic regime. Dairush told the Iranians that there is only freedom in Jesus. CBN reports: “I need to dedicate this fight to: My people in Iran. I know you’re struggling,” he said. “I know you’re fighting for freedom. I know it’s a tough struggle. I want you guys to know we’re praying for you, and we love you.” “Let me tell you one more thing. This might be the most important thing you’ll ever hear: there is true freedom, a freedom that no one can take from you in the name of Jesus Christ, the son of God,” he said. “Don’t ever forget that. If you remember one thing I say, remember that.” …

Can dreams be a form of evangelism? The conversion of an ex-Muslim suggests they can

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A Christian man, who had converted to Islam, turned back to Christ after people prayed for God to send a dream of Jesus, CBN reports. Raised in a Christian home, Mike Westerfield considered himself a religious man. He had attended a Bible college and occasionally preached at his local church, but his faith was challenged when he started visiting some Muslims at a local prison in Florida. In particular, this group challenged Westerfield about his belief in the Trinity and began to give him Islamic literature. This eventually led to Westerfield becoming a Muslim. This was not a shallow conversion. Over the next 12 years, Westerfield actually attended an Islamic university with the intention of becoming an Imam. But despite his conversion, Westerfield would eventually start questioning some of the things that he was discovering in Islam, which he described as “deception and lies” in an interview with IfoundtheTruth.com. This led to him reexamining Jesus. He turned to several apologetic groups, such as Lee Strobel, and Abdu Murray, an ex-Muslim, who had become a Christian …

Historic first: Jews enter the Temple Mount through the Gate of Tribes

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From a Jewish perspective, it was a historic event. On August 28, 2022, Jews were allowed to enter the Temple Mount through the Gate of Tribes located on the Northeast corner. It was the first time that Jewish worshipers were allowed to enter through this gate since Israel became a nation in 1948. There are 12 gates surrounding the Temple Mount and as well six sealed gates. Over the years, the Muslims have entered the Temple Mount using the Gate of Tribes, named after the 12 Tribes of Israel. To this point, the Jews have only been allowed to enter via the Mughrabi Gate, (also called the Dung Gate, Hallel Gate or Gate of forgiveness). Technically, it wasn’t the first time that Jews entered through the Gate of Tribes. In 1967, Israeli paratroopers used gate when they liberated the Temple Mount during the seven-day war in 1967. Shortly after the group of approximately 50 people entered, six broke off and prostrated themselves on the ground and were quickly removed by Israeli police. According to Jewish …

Salman Rushdie stabbed multiple times at New York speaking engagement

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Author Salman Rushdie, who came to fame for his book, The Satanic Verses, has been reportedly stabbed as he was preparing to speak at a literary event at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, N.Y. The man walked onto the stage and attacked the author. Rushdie, who was still alive, was rushed to a nearby hospital. One report stated he was stabbed multiple times and others state he was stabbed in the neck. Rushdie wrote The Satanic Verses in 1988, which was in part inspired by the life of the Prophet Muhammad. The title refers to verses that Islamic tradition states Muhammad added to the Koran that talk about three pagan goddesses: Allāt, Al-Uzza, and Manāt. Tradition adds that Muhammad later removed these verses, stating he had been tempted by the devil. Because of its depiction of Muhammad, some Muslims believe the book to be blasphemous and in 1989, Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for Rushdie’s execution. Though the Iranian government has since backed away from this, in 2012, a religious organization in that country offered a …

Man murdered after helping lead 8 Muslims to Christ in Uganda

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When six Muslim men and two women became Christians after a public debate between Christianity and Islam in the village of Sirimula, in Uganda on July 6, 2022, Islamic extremists attacked the Christian participants, killing Robert Bwenje, 28. As Pastor Ambrose Mugisha, 25, and Bwenje, who had participated in the debate, were returning to their home village, Nyamiringa, they were attacked by a group of men shouting, “Allah akbar, Allah akbar [Allah is greater].” The assailants fled when a passerby stumbled upon the assault. Both the Christian men were taken to a local hospital, where Bwenje later died from his injuries. Mugisha, who works as an assistant pastor at Elim Pentecostal Church in Nyamiringa, had initiated the debate as part of a plan to establish a church in Surimula. READ: Christian man killed by Islamic extremists in ambush attack after 8 Muslims put their faith in Christ

‘Vile, satanic attack’ in Nigeria leaves over 50 worshipers dead, including children

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This past Sunday, June 5, 2022, gunmen attacked a church in Southwestern Nigeria, killing at least 50, many of them children. The governor of Ondo State, where the attack took place, described it as a ‘vile and satanic attack,’ and he may have a point. According to reports, the people were just gathering for morning mass, when the gunman opened fire on members of St. Francis Catholic Church. One group of terrorists entered the church firing their weapons, while others remained outside, gunning down members of the congregation fleeing the carnage. The group also set off explosives inside the church, and there are reports that they kidnapped the church’s priest. It is suspected that the attackers were connected to Islamic terrorists in Nigeria that have been attacking Christians in the northern regions of Nigeria for the past several years. Nigeria has a population of 216 million and 54% of them are Muslim, who are concentrated in northern Nigeria, and 46% are Christians with nearly three-quarters protestants. Since the beginning of January, CBN reports that Islamic …

Has Israel started the construction of the Third Temple?

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Many Christians believe that a third temple will be built in Jerusalem as part of the end times prophecy leading to the second coming of Christ. And because of this, there was recent excitement on several end-times websites, when Israel365, an Orthodox Jewish website in Israel, reported that Orthodox Jews have started building the third temple. For the most part, a group of Orthodox Jews has manufactured all the utensils and furniture necessary for a functioning temple, including the sacrificial altar. They have also set up a school to train the priests on how to perform sacrificial offerings. All that is missing is the temple itself. Though at the moment there is no political will in Israel to build a temple, that would undoubtedly face violent resistance from the Muslims, there is sufficient room on the Temple Mount for a Jewish Temple. The Jordanian Waqf currently administers the site. Israel365 reports that several Orthodox Jews have started preparing the stones that would eventually be used for the construction of the temple. According to the Jewish …

Christian couple face flogging after a Sharia court nullifies marriage and charges them with adultery

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A bizarre situation took place in Sudan when an Islamic court ordered a married couple with two small children to receive 100 lashes for committing adultery. The problem started when the Sharia court nullified the couple’s marriage because the Muslim husband had become a Christian. Since the court no longer considered the couple married, they were then charged with adultery, which has a penalty of 100 lashes under Sharia law. Christian Post reports that the couple, Hamouda Tia Kafi, 34, and his wife, Nada Hamad Shukralah, 25, were both Muslims when they married in 2016. The problem started after Hamouda converted to Christianity in 2021, followed by his wife. They both now attend a Baptist church. This resulted in his wife’s brother bringing charges against the couple because of their illegal conversion. Sudan, which is located in North-East Africa, has a population of 48 million people. Sharia law governed the country’s justice system between 2005 and 2019. That was abandoned after the country transitioned to a democracy after the ouster of President Omar al-Bashir. Under …

A depressed Muslim woman becomes a believer after audibly hearing the word ‘Jesus’

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CBN recently reported on the remarkable conversion of a Muslim woman, Aisha, who was born in Amman, Jordan to a very strict Muslim family. After her family moved to the US, Alisha became pregnant when she was 17 years old. Fearing that her father would kill her, Alisha secretly had an abortion. But in the years that followed, Aisha experienced condemnation because of her illegitimate child and abortion. She had been taught that Allah hated her and though she repeatedly begged Allah for mercy, she didn’t believe it would ever come. As she struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts, Aisha stated that her remarkable conversion started when she audibly heard the name Jesus as she was pleading to Allah for mercy. Hearing Christ’s name, who is considered a healing prophet in the Islamic faith, Aisha decided to pray to Jesus and immediately felt a great peace come over her. It is also important to note, that though Muslims do not believe Jesus died on the cross, the Koran says that Christ was taken to heaven …

A Muslim man converts to Christianity, after being visited by Christ

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There was an interesting story on CBN about how a young Muslim man and his wife became Christians. It is illegal in many Middle Eastern countries for a person of the Muslim faith to convert to Christianity. It can result in fines or even imprisonment. And it is not uncommon for people, particularly family members, to take revenge on those who become Christians due to the shame it brings on the family and Islamic faith. The fact, that people are willing to face death for their decision to become Christians adds tremendous weight to their testimony, which often includes dramatic encounters with the risen Lord. It’s similar to the early disciples who saw the resurrected Christ and were willing to die for their faith. They wouldn’t die for something they made up. In an interview with Gospel Coalition, an unnamed missionary, who was called Yazid to protect his identity, shared the powerful testimony of how a Muslim man and his wife became Christians. In the Muslim country where the missionary works, it is not only …

Fearless Christian woman refuses to back down to armed Islamic terrorists

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There is a verse in the book of Revelation, the Apostle John’s vision of the end times, that talks about the emergence of a new breed of Christian who will not fear death: “And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” (Revelation 12:11 ESV) And we may have seen an example of this unwavering courage in Kenya. According to a report by International Christian Concern, a solitary Christian woman, boldly stood up to five Islamic militants armed with guns and explosives. Wanduta was outside her village in Eastern Kenya minding her goats, when the five men connected with the terrorist group, Al-Shabaab, showed up. They were there to kill the Christian men in the village, and told Wanduta they wanted to spark a ‘fierce war’ between Islam and Christians. “They said they will wage war with Christians,” Wanduta reported, “and whoever loses the battle shall surrender to the other.” The five armed militants bravely forced the …

How Jesus appeared to a Muslim woman in a coma and healed her

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There is a powerful testimony on Premier Christianity of how Jesus uniquely healed a Muslim woman, resulting in her whole family turning to Christ. After a blood vessel ruptured in her brain, Jamila Darwish, a devout Muslim woman from Deir ez-Zor, Syria, was in a hospital, paralyzed on her right side and in a coma. The doctor told the family to make preparations for a funeral because there was little hope of recovery. But as she lay on her hospital bed, trapped in a body that refused to move, Jamila could still hear the conversations going around her. She heard her mother and sister crying after the doctor gave the news. But as she lay in her comatose state, a strange thing happened. Jesus suddenly appeared to her bathed in bright light. At first, she thought it was a hallucination from the drugs she was on, but then Jesus touched her hand. At that same moment, she heard her mother yell out that Jamila’s hand had moved. The doctor, who had missed the movement, checked …

Toronto school official banned students from attending a book fair featuring a woman who survived ISIS sex slavery

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The Toronto District School Board (TDSB), which is the largest school district in Canada, recently banned students from attending a book fair scheduled for 2022, because they might come in contact with Nadia Murad, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, who recently wrote a book how ISIS had kidnapped her when she was 14 and turned her into a sex slave.

Jase and Missy Robertson of Duck Dynasty fame share their experience with Muslim refugees in Greece

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Miss Missy, the wife of Jase Robertson of Duck Dynasty fame, recently shared a remarkable story about their recent trip to Greece, where they spent time with refugees from Iran and Afghanistan, who were fleeing radical Islam. The couple were visiting a ministry that was working specifically to meet the spiritual and physical needs of the people who have risked their lives to get to Greece. In an interview with Faithwire, Miss Missy said they me they met a family who had made the treacherous journey across the Mediterranean. The husband had bought passage for his family, including his wife, eight-year old daughter, and 40-day old son from a human smuggler, and they were joined by 40 other people on a raft. There was chaos during the journey, when the raft started breaking apart and people were falling off. The husband was holding their baby when he saw his wife was having trouble. He handed the baby to their eight-year-old daughter and, after rescuing his wife, turned and found that their baby had fallen into …

Is America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan a fulfillment of Islamic end-times prophecy?

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Similar to Christianity, Islam also has an end times theology that involves the arrival of a Muslim Messiah, who will set up Islam on world-wide scale. This person is referred to as the ‘Mahdi’ According to CBN, the take over of Afghanistan by the Taliban, after America’s withdrawal, is now being heralded as a fulfilment of prophecy paving the way for the arrival of the ‘Mahdi.’ It reports that the radical Islamic group’s twitter page is specifically referencing ‘black flags’, that are tied to the Islamic end times. The radical Islamic group states, “Black flags will arise from Khorasan and nothing will be able to return them.” According to author Joel Richardson, the reference to black flags from Khorasan, which is located in Afghanistan, is connected to the arrival of the Islamic Messiah. In a webinar sponsored by CBN, Richardson explained: “It says an army will come from Khorasan carrying black flags and then it says this: ‘If you see them give them your allegiance.  Even if you have to crawl over ice.  Because this …

Despite increasing persecution, Christianity growing in Indonesia

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It defies logic, but according to a report by the Indonesian government, the Christian population in that Muslim-dominated country has grown by 1% over the past decade. With just over 86% of Indonesia’s population (272.2 million) identifying as Muslim, the country has the largest muslim population (236 million) of any country in the world. But the growth of Christianity is interesting considering the emergence of several Muslim extremist groups in recent years, that have been ramping up their persecution of Christians. This past spring, the government was forced to increase security for churches during Easter services after two militants, a husband and wife, who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic extremist group, ISIS, blew themselves up outside a church the previous Palm Sunday, injuring 20. Yet, despite this growing persecution, International Concern reports that as of June 2021, the government reported that 10.58% of its population is Christian (comprised of 20.4 million protests and 8.4 million Catholics). This is up from 9.87% of its population reporting as Christian in 2010. In real numbers, the Christian …

Has the Taliban seized billions of dollars in US military equipment?

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According to an article in the New York Post, President Joe Biden’s botched handling of America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan has resulted in the Taliban seizing billions of dollars of American weapons that had been previously given to the Afghanistan army. According to the report, the American government has giving the Afghan army over $28 billion in weapons since 2002, including several helicopters gifted over the past couple of months. Provided they have not been damaged or destroyed, the Taliban now potentially has access to upwards of 600,000 assault rifles, nearly 20,000 night-vision goggles, 200 aircraft including Black Hawk helicopters, 2,000 armoured vehicles and as well several military drones. Some have suggested the night vision goggles are the biggest concern as it allows the Taliban to operate at night. According to the report, over the past four years, the American army gave the Afghan army, “7,035 machine guns, 4,702 Humvees, 20,040 hand grenades, 2,520 bombs and 1,394 grenade launchers.” Of course, the Taliban is expected to use this treasure trove of American weaponry to suppress the …

Already listed as the second most dangerous country for Christians, Afghanistan just became more dangerous

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With the Taliban now firmly in control of Afghanistan after US President, Joe Biden, announced America’s withdrawal of soldiers on April 13, 2021, the country will become an increasingly dangerous place for Christians. International Christian Concern (ICC), an organization dedicated to helping persecuted Christians around the world, estimates that they are upwards of 12,000 believers in Afghanistan (population 37 million), with most of them being converts from Islam. The church operates largely underground, as there is only one church in the country, and it is a Roman Catholic Church located inside the Italian Embassy. It has been closed since the start of the COVID pandemic started, and it’s doubtful that it will reopen. Prior to the take-over by the Taliban, Open Doors listed Afghanistan as the second most dangerous country for Christians, behind North Korea. CBN recently reported on an interview that ICC had with an Afghani Christian pastor, who said he now fears for the safety of Christians now that the Taliban are in control. Conversion to Christianity is considered an act of apostasy …

Islamophobia: What is the lesson for us?

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What do you think when you hear the word “Islamophobia?” This is a new word, and it refers to prejudice and dislike of Muslims. Recently, in Canada, the government held a summit on the topic of Islamophobia. I should give a disclaimer here. The conference was about the religion of Islam, and I am a Christian. I remember a song when I was younger, with these words: “Jesus is the answer, for the world today. Above him there’s no other, Jesus is the way.” That is a good description of what I believe. I will give a link to that song, below. The old saying is ‘If you don’t play the game, you can’t make the rules.’ That applies to me. Imagine if I gave advice about what Jewish people should have done to resist their persecutors. That would be offensive. I am an outsider looking on from a distance. So, what can we say about Islamophobia? The conference came and went quickly, and most people missed the information. There was also a conference just …

Iranian believers sentenced under country’s amended anti-conversion law

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Morning Star News, an organization sharing stories about persecuted Christians around the world, is reporting the first sentencing of Iranian Christians under Iran’s newly amended law targeting the conversion of Muslims to the Christian faith. Under Article 500, the Iranian government can now sentence individuals up to five years, if they are found guilty of sharing “any deviant education or propaganda that contradicts or interferes with the sacred Sharia [Islamic law].” Those found guilty under the new law, that came into effect on March 5, 2021, can also be prevented from voting for 15 years and fined upwards of 40 million tomans (US$1,600). Prior to this amendment, Iranians were charged with actions against the Iranian state (Articles 498 and 499) and typically received jail terms of six months. The recent amendment provides Iranian prosecutors an additional tool that they can use to stop the spread of Christianity in the Islamic regime, as it allows them to tack on additional charges against Christian converts. Morning Star noted that three men, Amin Khaki, Milad Goudarzi and Alireza …