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- Afghanistan
World Watch List Rank: 3
World Watch List Rank: 3
// World Watch List
Keep Hope Alive
As persecution increases, your family needs your support to keep faith and hope alive
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Afghanistan
- Leader: President Ashraf Ghani
- Population: 34.2 million (Thousands of Christians)
- Main Religion: Islam
- Government: Islamic republic
- World Watch List Rank: 3
- Source of Persecution: Islamic extremism/Ethnic antagonism
Afghanistan is a tribal society, and leaving Islam is seen as a betrayal of the tribe. Discovered believers will sometimes be sent to a mental hospital, as families believe no sane person would leave Islam. Baptism is a crime punishable by death; several believers were killed in 2016 when their faith was discovered. The Taliban, a radical Islamist group, remains active in Afghanistan and targets those who leave Islam.
Read more about persecution in Afghanistan
Persecution in Afghanistan
Saif heard the gospel on a Christian radio programme. There are no churches and few indigenous believers in Afghanistan, so the fact that he was able to hear about Jesus was a miracle.
But the greatest miracle came when he brought an Injil, New Testament, to his home. "I have seven children. One of them was disabled and could not walk. When I brought the New Testament into my house, my daughter started to move. I began to read from the Bible and she started to walk!"
However, Saif didn't know how to explain this to his neighbours. "I am so afraid," said Saif. "I believe in Jesus now, and my wife also, but I still go to the mosque to pray five times a day."
Afghanistan is a tribal society, and loyalty to your family, clan and tribe are incredibly important. Leaving Islam is seen as treason, and Christianity is viewed as a Western religion which is hostile to Afghan culture and society. If a Christian is discovered, they may be compelled to return to Islam by their families and tribal leaders through occult practices, torture or even by being sent to a mental hospital - their families believe no sane person would leave Islam. Baptism is punishable by death - several believers were killed in 2016 when their faith was discovered by their wider families.
These believers also face the added threat of attack by extremists. Some militants have pledged allegiance to the self-proclaimed Islamic State and announced the 'caliphate of Khorsan' - ancient Khorsan included the north-western part of Afghanistan as well as parts of Iran and Pakistan. The Taliban, another extremist militant group, also remains active in Afghanistan.
Converts will keep their faith completely secret - simply meeting in small groups can be dangerous, and even the internet is closely monitored. Just the suspicion that you may have converted can lead to your arrest or the destruction of your home or business.
Saif was abducted by extremists who had somehow discovered his faith. "They wanted to kill me and my wife also. The men forced me into a car and we started driving. All of a sudden we ran into a soldier's patrol... Then my kidnappers ran off. The soldiers wanted to know why I was taken by these men and I had to lie. I told them it was because I supported the government."
Despite these dangers, Saif and his wife continue to follow Jesus in secret. Only God knows how many secret believers like them are in Afghanistan.
Please Pray
- For courage and protection for secret Afghan believers
- For change to take place within the country, and for openness to religions outside of Islam
- For stability and peace in Afghanistan.
How we help
In cooperation with local churches and other partnering ministries, Open Doors supports the church in Afghanistan through:
- Literacy training
- Vocational projects
- Emergency aid to victims of violent persecution
- Women's ministry
- Bible literacy
- Pastor's training
- Counselling and trauma therapy.
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