- Jul 27, 2009
- 19,185
- 12,896
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Female
- Faith
- Messianic
- Marital Status
- Private
31Oman
Most Omanis practise a moderately conservative form of Islam, which tends to be more tolerant towards other beliefs – although there is almost no tolerance for family members who convert to Christianity, in part because of Oman’s strong clan mentality.
As part of the government’s tight control of public life, all religious organisations must be registered with the authorities. Expatriate Christians can enjoy considerable freedom in Oman, as long as they avoid sharing their faith with Muslims.
Converts from Islam to Christianity face pressure from family and society to recant their new faith. This can include physical, mental and emotional abuse, job loss, family expulsion, disinheritance and losing custody of their children. Most Omani converts therefore keep their new faith hidden.
Despite the freedom given to expatriates those who come from Muslim backgrounds can experience pressure from within their own national or ethnic communities. Meanwhile, church services are strictly monitored to record any political statements and if any Omani nationals are attending.
Meet Yacoub
“I woke up and thought that my children had switched on the light, but the light didn’t come from the lamp. I got confused. I looked and I saw light, no ceiling. I saw stars, I smelled incense. Then I saw a cloud growing and coming to our room, the cloud filled the room. And then I saw His face.”Yacoub (name changed), a man from the Arabian Peninsula who met Jesus through a series of dreams.
What does Open Doors do to help?
Open Doors supports the Body of Christ on the Arabian Peninsula by organising prayer, distributing Scripture resources, and training believers and pastors.Please pray
- Pray that converts will be strengthened to withstand the pressure they experience for their faith.
- Pray that the relative freedom that foreign Christians’ experience will expand to native Omanis.
- Pray for a community of faith for migrant workers who experience abuse for becoming Christians.
