Christian Sudanese Woman Sentenced To Death For Apostasy

27-year-old Meriam Yehya Ibrahim was raised a Christian, but because her father (who abandoned the family when Meriam was a kid) happens to be Muslim, she is considered a Muslim as well. Meriam, who is 8 months pregnant and married to a Christian, has now been convicted of adultery and apostasy, and was sentenced to death by a Sudanese court. She's to get 100 lashes for good measure, for the adultery.

Ibrahim's lawyer Haram Othman told CNN that her legal team will appeal the verdict within 15 days.

According to the rights group Amnesty International, she was convicted of adultery because her marriage to a Christian man was considered void under Sharia law. She was sentenced to 100 lashes for the second crime.

"The verdict is contrary to commitments Sudan has made in its own Constitution and commitments made under regional and international law; Meriam has been convicted solely on account of her religious convictions and personal status," said Katherine Perks with the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies.

"The fact that a woman could be sentenced to death for her religious choice, and to flogging for being married to a man of an allegedly different religion, is abhorrent and should never be even considered," Manar Idriss, Amnesty International's Sudan researcher, said in a statement.

" 'Adultery' and 'apostasy' are acts which should not be considered crimes at all, let alone meet the international standard of 'most serious crimes' in relation to the death penalty. It is a flagrant breach of international human rights law," the researcher said.

Ibrahim is eight months pregnant and is in custody with her 20-month-old son, according to Amnesty International, which considers her a prisoner of conscience.

This is Islam and Sharia for you.

More here.

4 Iranian Christian Converts Back In Jail

Four Iranian former Muslims who converted to Christianity are back in jail.

 So much for there being no compulsion in Islam.

An Iranian high court has upheld the prison sentences of four Christians for converting to the faith from Islam.

The decision means Pastor Farhad Sabokrooh, of the Iranian Assemblies of God, his wife Shahnaz Jayzan, and church workers Naser Zaman-Dezfuli and Davoud Alijani have had to return to jail.

They were arrested in December 2011 after their church in the southern town of Ahwaz was raided by authorities during Christmas celebrations.

The four Christians were sentenced to one year in prison by the Revolutionary Court in Ahwaz for "converting to Christianity and propagating against the Islamic regime through evangelism".

They were temporarily released but were summoned to court on 1 May and re-arrested, Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports.

Mr Alijani was transferred to Ahwaz's Karoon Prison to complete his sentence, while Pastor Sabokrooh, Shahnaz Jayzan and Mr Zaman-Dezfuli were taken to Sepidar Prison.

CSW has warned of a crackdown on Christians since last December. Two other Assemblies of God pastors, Farshid Fathi and Saeed Abedini, are being held in Evin prison along with Church of Iran member Alireza Seyyedian and another Christian, Mostafa Bordbar, who was arrested in Tehran in December.

Abedini is a US citizen.

The rest here.

What they are doing in Iran would be equivalent to jailing all those who convert to Islam from Judaism or Christianity.

Iranian Christian Pastor Nadarkhani Re-Arrested On Christmas Day

And here's another example of just how tolerant, humane and merciful the Iranian government is. The Christian pastor who was initially sentenced to death for apostasy, then had his sentence reduced to three years in prison for proselytizing, then released in September because he had already served most of those three years, is back in prison. Re-arrested on Christmas day, ho ho ho, to serve the remainder of his sentence.

The Iranian Christian pastor who had been imprisoned in Iran for converting from Islam to Christianity was taken into custody again on Christmas Day, according to several Iranian media sources and individuals close to the pastor and his family.

Youcef Nadarkhani, 35, had been summoned to return back to Lakan Prison in Rasht, the facility where he served time and was then released, based on the charge that he must complete the remainder of his sentence, according to several reports and confirmed by those close to Nadarkhani in Iran.

In September, the pastor was acquitted of apostasy, but the court maintained his three-year sentence for evangelizing Muslims. As he had already served close to three years, the pastor was freed after posting bail.

The court had then stated that the remainder which equaled roughly 45 days, would be served in the form of probation.

Nadarkhani, married and father of two young children, came under the regime’s radar in 2006 when he applied for his church to be registered with the state. According to sources, he was arrested at that time and then soon released.

In 2009, Nadarkhani went to local officials to complain about Islamic indoctrination in his school district, arguing that his children should not be forced to learn about Islam.

He was subsequently arrested.

Since Nadarkhani's release in September, his attorney, Mohammed Ali Dadkhah has been imprisoned and remains in Iran's notoriously brutal Evin Prison where his health is rapidly deteriorating and is being denied proper dental care, according to his family. He has been incarcerated for advocating Nadarkhani's case and other human rights cases.

After his release, Nadarkhani wrote a public letter thanking all those who helped release him. In November, he traveled to London to speak at a national human rights conference thanking those who advocated on his behalf.

Youcef should never have been imprisoned in the first place let alone charged with apostasy. Imagine if we did the same thing with Muslims in the West who are required to proselytize as part of their religious duty.

 And the Iranian government calls the West the Great Satan.

Hate Preacher Anjem Choudary To Issue Fatwa Against Girl Shot By Taliban

What is Anjem Choudary still doing in England?  Yes, I know he was born there, but why is he allowed to freely roam the streets of London preaching hate and promulgating Shariah for England?  His Islam4UK website was eventually banned (although he does have his own website now), and there have been various Shariah4 sites that popped up thereafter, including Shariah4Holland.com, Shariah4Pakistan.com, Shariah4Belgium.com and Shariah4America.com, though it seems the only two still alive and running are the Pakistan and Holland ones.

Now Choudary and Shariah4Pakistan have targeted  Malala Yousafzai, the young Pakistani education activist teen who was shot in the head by the Taliban who then vowed to finish the job if she survived. Which she has.  Choudary is about to issue a fatwa against Malala for apostasy. It's scheduled to be announced at the Red Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, at an event on November 30. As we all know, the sentence for apostasy in Islam is death. Though Choudary claims he is not calling for her death, he might as well have, since the Taliban have already promised as much.

He told The Daily Star: "If someone apostatises like this woman did by allying with the Americans and saying her favourite person is (Barack) Obama and that she does not want the Sharia or hijab and wants to live under a secular state, she has put herself in a very precarious situation.

“It is no surprise what happened to her in Pakistan. Malala is mature Islamically, she is not immature, she has reached that period we say is adulthood.”


Featuring a video address from al-Muhajiroun's co-founder Omar Bakri, it is titled: "Declaration of Fatwa on Malala Yousafzai."

Bakri told the paper: "The only solution is the implementation of the Sharia. She (Malala) should face justice in an Islamic court.

“We are going to renew the Fatwa against the man-made law and systems in Pakistan – this is why women like this young girl are rejecting Islam. The system is not being implemented properly.”

Of course, Choudary is saying that it wasn't simply her fight for education rights for girls that caused her to be a Taliban target, it was the fact that she was a spy for the U.S. Yes, they actually believe that. According to Shariah4Pakistan:

It has also been reported that the Taliban had evidence of espionage by Malala and so targeted her as a tactical military operation,

“For this espionage, infidels gave her awards and rewards. And Islam orders killing of those who are spying for enemies,” the Taliban said in a statement.

“She used to propagate against mujahideen (holy warriors) to defame (the) Taliban. The Quran says that people propagating against Islam and Islamic forces would be killed.

“We targeted her because she would speak against the Taliban while sitting with shameless strangers and idealised the biggest enemy of Islam, Barack Obama.”

They also said,

“We did not attack her for raising voice for education. We targeted her for opposing mujahideen and their war,” said the Taliban.

So, it's totally cool to kill someone because they don't agree with your extremist violent ways. And, of course, she must be a spy since she loves Obama.  Idiots that they are, they fail to realize that Obama is one of the most Muslim-friendly presidents they could ever get.  Oh, and it's not just Malala they're condemning for apostasy, Choudary wants to make it perfectly clear that it's the whole darn Pakistani leadership. That's why they've created Shariah4Pakistan, because they want the glory days of Islamic repression under Shariah to return to the fatherland.

Recovering at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, England, Malala has many trying to get her nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

Source: HuffpoUK

Iranian Christian Pastor Released and Acquitted of Apostasy

This is very good news. Extremely surprising, but good. Iranian Christian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani who was on death row for apostasy has been released!

Let's see how long it takes before the mullahs drag him back to jail. Hopefully he will leave the country.

Nadarkhani’s lawyer told RFE/RL’s Radio Farda that his client had been acquitted of apostasy and freed on September 8.

The lawyer said Nadarkhani who had been held since 2009 had been sentenced to three years imprisonment for proselytizing Muslims but he was released because he had already served the term.

The State Department said in a statement that, despite this "welcome news," the status of religious freedom in Iran remains "grave."

The statement added that many more Iranians remain in prison and face persecution simply because of their faith.

The U.S. said it will continue to stand with the people of Iran who struggle to have their fundamental human rights respected.

Here's a little background on Youcef.

Pastor Nadarkhani was arrested in his home city of Rasht after he questioned the Muslim monopoly of religious instruction for children, which he felt was unconstitutional.

He was sentenced to death for apostasy the following year. Then in 2011, the Supreme Court said the charges would be dropped if he converted to Islam, something Pastor Nadarkhani refused to do.

Gay, Black Ex-Muslim New Yorker To Become Rabbi

This has to be one of the most interesting yet bizarre religious conversion stories I have ever come across.

New Yorker Dario Hunter, an openly gay lawyer who also happens to be half black (his mum) and half Iranian Muslim (his dad) is graduating as a rabbi on August 25.

Apparently, Hunter gave up everything- including his career in New York city- to move to Israel to study to be a rabbi. Granted, it was through a progressive online study program, the Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute (JSLI), which is run by Rabbi Steven Blane. Graduating with Hunter are a Catholic-born Brazilian and a British songwriter. In fact, half of his class are converts. Blane himself has an interesting story. Since so many Jews are either "unaffiliated or in interfaith marriages", Blane believes there's a need for Rabbis to minister to this segment of the Jewish diaspora.

Blane was a traditional rabbi until he resigned after being "threatened with expulsion for officiating at interfaith weddings."

Along with his online rabbinical training programme, he also runs Sim Shalom, a global online synagogue.

Blane has a unique perspective on Judaism:

Blane knows that a former Muslim becoming a rabbi will be uncomfortable for some, but the plurality of backgrounds of his graduating class fits perfectly with his belief in Jewish Universalism.

"I don't believe that Jewish people were uniquely chosen for a relationship with God – God doesn't choose a favorite child," Blane said.

"Nearly 50% of the Jewish population finds deep significance in observing Holiday and life-cycle rituals, but doesn't feel like any traditional denomination reflects their views. There's a huge need for rabbis who can provide spiritual leadership that serves this large and important group."

I'm not sure what Hunter's father might think of his apostate son, but if he is indeed gay, he certainly has a better chance of surviving in the Jewish religion than he would as a Muslim. Let's hope he can hang on to his head.

Shalom, Rabbi Hunter, you've embraced a far more tolerant religion.

What Happens To Christian Converts In Tunisia-

I don't recommend watching this video. It is horrifying at best.  I'm not actually sure why I am posting it, other than in hopes that someone stumbling upon my blog who is still in denial about the true nature of radical Islam might finally be convinced that it's an abomination.

This is what happens to  ex-Muslim, Christian converts in Tunisia.  This aired on Egyptian TV.

[NOTE: a reader below has informed me that the man was not a Christian convert, but a Shia Muslim and that this did not take place in Tunisia but in Syria. However no-one seems to know definitively who the victim was, where it took place, and who the animals who beheaded him were. Bottom line, Shias, Ahmadis and Ishmailis are also considered infidels and, regardless of what religion the person was, the fact that anyone could do this to another human being in the name of religion, is sickening.]

[2nd NOTE: Canadian Michael Coren of Sun News, also discusses this video. And there are references to the Muslim prayers that are chanted as being anti-Christian. So it is more than likely he was Christian.]

It is one of the most horrific things I have ever seen in my life.  It aired on  liberal talk show host Tawfiq Okasha's "Egypt Today".  He too seems disgusted by the whole thing. 

If  you do decide to watch, you are forewarned!! 

Saudi Who Faces Execution For Tweets About Mohammed Arrested In Malaysia

23-year-old Saudi writer/journalist/columnist Hamza Kashgari (aka Mohammad Najeeb A Kashgari) who fled the Kingdom after his tweets about Prophet Mohammed caused a furor, including calls for a death sentence, was arrested in Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur Airport. I'm not sure what possessed him to fly to Malaysia, a Muslim-majority country that isn't as moderate as it claims to be, because even though the Saudis and Malaysians have no 'formal' extradition treaty, it looks like he will probably be extradited under other security agreements.

Malaysia's Home Minister, Hishammuddin Tun Hussain, said:

“The police have been in contact with authorities in Saudi Arabia to determine further action.”

It all started after Kashgari tweeted:

"I have loved things about you and I have hated things about you and there is a lot I don't understand about you." [then added] "I will not pray for you."

Oops. Not something you want to say in country where apostasy is met with calls for death. Demands for his trial as an "apostate" have come from top clerics and others who want his head for having insulted their beloved prophet. Of course, that's exactly what Shariah law calls for, so no surprise there.  And even though the lad apologized, people were having none of his contrition, even though Shariah law clearly states that someone gets 3 days to repent before his/her head gets chopped off.

The usual suspects have already created a Facebook page: "The Saudi people demand Hamza Kashgari's execution". It apparently has almost 10,000 fans, and the administrators were calling for efforts to increase the number.

"Our page has almost 10,000 members... but we need you to work harder. The prophet deserves more respect," said one post.

Top Saudi clerics, calling him an "infidel" and "apostate" want him tried in a Shariah court (that's so they can execute him).  Their statement said,

"Muslim scholars everywhere have agreed that those who insult Allah and his prophet or the (Muslim holy book) Koran or anything in religion are infidels and apostates."

After a meeting of The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Religious Edicts (Ifta), the Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh also called for action, stating that mocking Mohammad was apostasy, sacrilegious and kufr (infidelity).

"Whoever dares make a mockery of Allah, the Prophet or the Holy Book undermines the religion and displays enmity toward it. It is the duty of the rulers to try such a criminal," the committee said, warning Muslims to stay away from such practices so as to avoid exasperating God.

Then the website, The Prophet's Sunnah and Sciences, piped in:

"This is a sacrilegious action necessitating harsh punitive measures to deter others who might think of doing the same thing," supervisor of the website Faleh Al-Saqeer said. He expressed confidence that the rulers of this Islamic country would not allow the culprit to get off scot-free.

Of 30,000 plus tweets in response to Kashgari's so-called transgression, only a lone voice here and there asked for forgiveness:

"Brothers, the man has repented. If the prophet himself was here he would have forgiven him and ended this," said tweeter Saleh al-Ghamdi.

It's rather telling that most Muslims are calling for his execution or, barring his head, at least some serious form of punishment.  So much for mercy in Islam.

Sources: GulfNews, Breitbart,  ArabNews,

Iran: Christians Not Allowed

Imagine this happening in any Western country:

On Monday and Tuesday of this week, intelligent agents raided the houses of two Christians in Shahriar, Karaj, and arrested one and summoned the other individual.



According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), on October 17, 2011, intelligent agents raided a citizen’s house in Shahriar but were unable to detain him since he was not home. This individual has been identified as “Mohammad N.” Security agents searched the house and confiscated a computer, books and CDs containing religious teachings and summoned Mohammad N. to the Intelligent Agency.


Similarly, on October 18, 2011, intelligent agents raided Fariborz A.’s house in Shahriar and arrested him. Fariborz A. is a newly converted Christian. During this raid, security agents searched the house and seized his personal property.

Source:  HRANA