Iraq (Photo courtesy of Jonathan Ramalho via Unsplash)

On February 28, 2026 the United States and Israel attacked Iran. Since then, Iran has fired retaliatory strikes against Israel and against US assets in at least eight other countries: Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

“We forget that people are dying right now and people are being killed and life is disrupted,” says Fadi Sharaiha with the MENA Leadership Center.

Each man, woman, and child killed in strikes since February 28 was made in God’s image. They are not numbers.

“In the Gulf now, it’s a war zone. It’s not only, by the way, the US bases, but also Iran is bombing even civilian entities and facilities,” says Sharaiha. “As a Middle-Eastern evangelical Christian, I really grieve the violence happening in the region. War brings suffering to ordinary people on every side.”

Kuwait (Photo courtesy of Frans Van Heerden via Pexels)

Sharaiha recognizes the polarizing effect of much of today’s media. Yet being polarized isn’t the role Christians are supposed to fill. 

“[One,] we remind ourselves that God is sitting on the throne,” he says. “Two, people are people, and they have faces. And the third thing, please remember that our role as a church is really to pray for the situation and ask God to interfere in a way that is amazing, that He would use whatever is happening to His glory, for the kingdom, and for expanding the gospel.”

Pray — and pray personally

Peace across the region, wisdom for leaders, and the spread of the gospel are places to start. Prayer for Iran’s future is also critical, as it is in a historic moment that could go many different directions. 

“If the regime is collapsing in Iran, my prayer is that if it is happening, that we will have Plan B, because what we don’t want to have is Iraq or Afghanistan,” says Sharaiha.

Iran (Photo courtesy of Zahra Amiri via Unsplash)

Iraq and Afghanistan are both neighbors of Iran. They have experienced decades of instability, with deeply complex combinations of terrorism, power vacuums, US military involvement, and other factors.

As you pray, Sharaiha urges you to have a real person’s face in mind. This will likely require an adventure. If you don’t already know people from Middle Eastern nations, go out into your community and try to find them — perhaps a local franchise or community center will give you this chance. 

“Get to know them, so that you will have a face next to the [country] name, next to that number,” says Sharaiha.

If all else fails, look up stories, prayer videos, or data from ministries such as Open Doors International, Prayercast, and Joshua Project.

Lebanon (Photo courtesy of Nathan McBride via Unsplash)

Finally, please also pray for discernment for the MENA Leadership Center as they navigate the developing conflict. Last week, the ministry offered an online training on Coaching for Success. Sharaiha says fifty people attended “from all countries in the MENA that are being affected right now.” This showed him that the training was meeting a real need, even in a time of open hostilities. 

Learn more here about the MENA Leadership Center and the role it plays for the Church across the MENA region.

Header image in Iran is a stock photo courtesy of Saba Ardani via Unsplash.

But for countless Christians, Ramadan means a special season of praying for Muslims to encounter Christ.

(Photo courtesy Prayercast)

“When God’s people pray, He moves,” says Suzanne Heegaard with Prayercast. “It’s a mysterious work — I don’t understand it. And it’s so exciting because He does not need us to save those who He’s going to save, but He invites us to be a part of the process.” 

If you know Christ, Heegaard invites you to join this year’s 30-day Ramadan prayer campaign. God has already been revealing Himself to Muslims in recent years in incredible ways, and you can be part of that mission. 

“He’s moving by the thousands. He’s showing up through Jesus in dreams and visions to Muslims worldwide, whether they have contact with a believer or not. He is showing up as Issa, their Messiah, telling them that He is the true light,” Heegard says.

Muslims have amazing faith, Heegaard says. “I’m pretty awestruck at their devotion, their discipline, to their faith. And yet, in their faith, there’s a lot of seeking to please Allah. There’s a fear of not being able to please him well. So for us to be praying for them during this time to know the love of Jesus that’s so freeing — [it] is just profound.”

Join this year’s Prayercast Ramadan challenge at www.prayercast.com.

“Sign up. Put your email in. You’ll get a prayer video each day from a Muslim-background believer, and you’ll get to pray along with that Muslim-background believer for Muslims,” says Heegaard.

(Photo courtesy Prayercast)

This year’s prayer challenge also puts you in sync with even more believers around the world. Prayercast has partnered with several other ministries to follow the same daily topic calendar of people groups, nations, and issues in the Muslim world. 

“It’s such a privilege to pray with fellow believers, to be a part of the work God’s already doing but He invites us into,” says Heegaard. 

The Prayercast Ramadan challenge is also available in Arabic on Facebook, Mandarin on YouTube, Portuguese on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, and Spanish on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

(Graphic courtesy of Prayercast)

Header photo courtesy of Prayercast. 

Despite the pilgrimage being a sacred, once-in-a-lifetime obligation for Muslims, unauthorized attempts remain high, highlighting concerns about safety amid rising temperatures and past fatal accidents during the event.

Suzanne Heegaard of Prayercast, MNN’s sister ministry, says, “This is a very holy week for Muslims. They prepare for months, trying to procure a seat or a ticket, with packing [and] preparations.”

Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. More about that here. According to Islamic tradition, performing the Hajj pilgrimage tests patience, temperament, and devotion to Allah.

The first Hajj ritual requires walking seven times around the Kaaba, the large black cubic structure in the middle of Mecca’s Grand Mosque.
(Photo courtesy of Haidan/Unsplash)

Because it depends on lunar sightings, the timing of the Hajj varies annually. This year, it starts tomorrow and ends on Monday, June 9.

“It is a spiritual pilgrimage that they (Muslims) complete once in their lifetime if finances and physical ability allow them to,” Heegaard says.

“They see it as a religious duty. They believe that Hajj will earn them salvation.”

Those who were refused entry by Saudi officials could feel desperation because they could not participate in the Hajj this year. Pray this desperation leads individuals to seek answers outside of Islam.

“For those who didn’t get their ticket, we’re praying that they can realize that Jesus is readily available for all Muslims everywhere to offer full hope and peace right where they are,” Heegaard says.

Now that you know, how will you respond? Join Prayercast’s email campaign to pray for Muslims during Hajj.

“We would love to have you guys join us and pray during Hajj for Muslims because God created Muslims, and He loves them,” Heegaard says.

Header image depicts Muslim pilgrims in traditional white clothing. Photo courtesy of Afif Ramdhasuma/Unsplash.

Leaders from across the world will be in attendance at the funeral on April 26. 

To talk about this event, we connected with Chris Ruge at Prayercast, a ministry that raises prayer in the global Church for the lost.

(Photo courtesy of rawpixel via Unsplash.)

“We always look at the events going on around the world and ask the question, ‘how does this impact people who are lost around the world in one way or another?’” says Ruge.

Whether or not you are among the more than 1.4 billion people in the Catholic Church today, Ruge invites you to pray about this change. 

“No one wants to see the gospel advance around the world more than God does,” he says. “So we pray for whoever is installed as the next Pope, that that person will be a key figure in leading a significant portion of God’s Church and shepherding that flock in a way that expands God’s worship and His praise around the world.” 

Ruge points to 1 Timothy 2, which calls for Christians to pray for kings and all those in authority. He says it’s undeniable that the Pope will hold significant influence to speak to modern-day issues. 

“So we come alongside and ask for God’s wisdom, for His mercy, and that He would continue to purify His Church in all of its forms around the world,” he says, “that His Church would be a pure bride and a reflection of His light, truth, love, justice, righteousness and holiness.”

Join in praying for the College of Cardinals who will be choosing the next Pope in the coming weeks.

Header photo of Vatican Obelisk, St. Peter’s Basilica (Photo courtesy of Castielli via Wikimedia Commons – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0)

Chris Ruge, director of Prayercast explains, “One of the things [Muslims] are required to do — one of the five pillars of Islam — is that they fast and pray from sunup to sundown through the Islamic month of Ramadan.

“Islam, like most other world religions, is a works-based religion. So Muslims around the world are working, striving every day to do enough. Their goal is that they can do enough to please God and to attain his presence for eternity.”

(Photo courtesy of Patrick Boucher via Unsplash)

Today, Prayercast launches their Ramadan Prayer Challenge. This challenge is aimed to help Christians pray strategically for Muslims throughout Ramadan to know Jesus as their Savior.

You can still sign up to join the Ramadan Prayer Challenge!

Ruge says, “While [Muslims] are fasting and praying, doing this work that they believe they need to do to earn their way to God, we’re coming alongside and praying the same thing for them — that they would in fact be exposed to the one true God, that He would reveal Himself to them as they’re fasting and praying.”

Every day, participants in the Ramadan Prayer Challenge get an email from Prayercast and an accompanying video to inform prayers for Muslims during Ramadan.

Ramadan is a critical time to pray for Muslims because it’s a time when their hearts are especially open and seeking spiritual truth.

(Photo courtesy of Levi Meir Clancy via Unsplash)

Many believers from a Muslim background have shared stories of how Jesus Christ appeared to them in dreams and visions during Ramadan. In these encounters, they come to know Jesus as more than just a prophet. They embrace Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Prayercast often hears encouraging stories like these. Ruge says, “We have Muslims in different parts of the world every year who will reach out to us and share. We had one who wrote in the past who said, ‘I have seen all of your videos and read the things that you send out. I see that God’s peace is on you and people like you. I want to know that peace in my life. How can I know that peace?’”

One thing is certain: God is moving in Muslim hearts. Now is the time to pray.

“The greatest needs across the Muslim world are the same as the greatest needs across the rest of the world and that is, we all need a Savior,” Ruge says. “We all need Someone outside of ourselves who can come and make sense of our broken lives. That’s true everywhere around the world, including in the Muslim-majority world.”

Click here to sign up for Prayercast’s Ramadan Prayer Challenge.

Header photo courtesy of Ahd93y via Unsplash.

Prayercast is hosting a Ramadan Prayer Challenge to help Christians pray strategically for Muslims during this time to know Jesus as their Savior. You can sign up now to join the Ramadan Prayer Challenge!

Each day, Prayercast will send an email to inform your prayers for the Muslim world.

(Photo courtesy of Rumman Amin via Unsplash)

Prayercast director Chris Ruge says the focus of this year’s Ramadan Prayer Challenge is a prayerful geographic tour.

“We’re going to be taking people on a journey through different regions of the majority Muslim parts of the world, and then drilling into each of those,” says Ruge. “So we’ll start at a very high level in each region. Then over a few days, dig a little bit deeper looking at some cities and some different ethnic groups and people groups that are unreached in that region. In some cases, [we are] even looking at specific individuals and leaders in that region.”

The daily email is also accompanied by a different Prayercast video.

“Each one of those videos has a prayer in it that’s prayed by a former Muslim somewhere in the world who now follows Jesus. He or she will lead all of us each day in prayer for a group of people who’s very near and dear to their heart.”

As you pray, the Lord can also use your prayers to grow your love for Muslims in your sphere of influence and around the world.

“We have seen very practically in past years in our Ramadan challenge that over 85% of people who engage in the Ramadan challenge say that God has changed the way I feel toward Muslims.”

Additionally, Ruge says, “Over 98% of people who have engaged in this prayer challenge, it totally changes the way that they pray, not only for Muslims but prayer in general.

“We want people to be a part of this and to just commit to 30 days of praying each day for Muslims through this month of Ramadan, and see what God will do not only in the Muslim world as you pray but even in your own life.”

Click here to sign up for Prayercast’s Ramadan Prayer Challenge before it starts on March 22nd.

Header photo courtesy of Andri Helmansyah via Unsplash.

“We like to use special occasions like Christmas to reach out to our neighbors. There are 100 [people living] around our church; they’re all Muslim and some Hindus,” Pastor Mushi says.

Pastor Mushi and his church will celebrate Christmas together on Sunday. Then, they have a special event planned for Monday, December 26.

“[This is a] very good opportunity for us to reach out [to the] business people, shopkeepers, laborers all around us. We’ll sing Christmas songs and share the Word of God, cake, foodstuffs, and other things,” Pastor Mushi says.

“I believe that [the event] will really touch many people, and they will know the (Gospel) truth.”

Pray that the upcoming community outreach plans find favor with the Lord. “Festival days are a very good opportunity, so please pray. Pray that we can do it (the outreach event) without any problem [or] hindrances,” Pastor Mushi requests.

Most people in Bangladesh are Muslim, so following Christ here is not easy. Pastor Mushi works with MNN’s sister ministry, Prayercast, to make special prayer resources like this.

“When one is converted from a Muslim background, he loses everything,” Pastor Mushi says.

“[His] family throws him away and he also runs away from the family to save his life.”

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Ariful Haque/Pexels.

The Court’s newest decision in Dobbs v. Jackson leaves abortion legislation up to the states rather than the federal government. Abortion access and restrictions vary widely by state, meaning the issue is likely to be a key element in midterm elections.

A decision like this will affect millions of people in the United States, making it an immediate call to prayer. “We should be praying for women who have had abortions; for men, parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles who have encouraged or forced abortion,” Prayercast Director Chris Ruge suggests.

“We should be praying for abortion providers, doctors, and nurses who have been involved in this, pleading that God would transform lives because we ultimately don’t want a court decision; we want to see hearts transformed.”

Abortion advocates decried the ruling on Friday, while opponents called it “an answer to prayer.” There are devout followers of Jesus on both sides of the abortion issue, and it has deep emotional ramifications.

“In these days, where people will be experiencing so many different emotions – from rage to hurt, confusion to hopelessness – it’s critical that we as believers love our neighbors and come alongside one another,” Ruge says.

No matter where you stand on abortion, will you stand with us in prayer for the people affected? Use this Prayercast video to guide your intercession.

Header image depicts protestors outside of the United States Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. (Photo courtesy of Sarah Penney/Unsplash)

In recent months, Pakistan has stepped up military actions along the border between the two countries. The border was originally drawn by British colonial rulers and is disputed by Kabul.

Widows and orphans

The unrest in Afghanistan has led to many husbands dying or being drawn into extremist groups. The women and children left behind struggle to survive.

Prayercast recently spoke to Deborah, an Afghan woman. She says, “Life is hard for each one of these women. One woman’s husband is actually still alive, but he has become an extremist. And she has to hide from him because he wants to take the kids away and threatens to harm her. A nineteen-year-old orphan called me recently to mourn the anniversary of her father’s death.”

Economic devastation

The price of food in Afghanistan has almost doubled since last June. Half of the population, including 14 million children, expect to face hunger this year. Some mothers have sent their children to work on the streets, unable to feed them.

Human rights experts from the UN have urged the U.S. to lift a freeze on 7 billion in assets that could provide humanitarian relief.

Hope

Deborah shares the story and love of Jesus with as many of these women and children as she can. “Just this week, I was able to share with another woman, whom I’ll call Farah, who was so hungry to accept Jesus. She wept as she prayed with me to become a follower of Christ. Please pray with me for Farah. Pray for protection for her physically, mentally, and spiritually.”

Ask God to provide for orphans and widows across Afghanistan. And pray they would learn of Jesus’ love for all people.

Header photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Defense Current Photos, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. 

The Taliban is back to its old ways, including persecution. “The situation here in Afghanistan for the Christians is not good,” says an Afghan Christian named Javid*.

“Believers are in grave danger. They are hunting the preachers and ministers door to door.”

MNN’s sister ministry Prayercast features Afghan believers like Javid on its new podcast called OneVoice. Each week, Afghans share firsthand stories of what’s happening around them.

Listen to Javid’s full episode here.

If increased repression and targeting weren’t enough, hunger is getting worse in Afghanistan. Every day, 95 percent of the population goes without enough food to eat, according to the United Nations.

Death surrounds believers in Afghanistan. “We are counting our days to be with the Lord, anytime. Pray for us,” Javid requests.

Subscribe to OneVoice here, and commit to praying for the Body of Christ in Afghanistan.

“Pray for us to stay strong in our faith, to share our testimony with others; to protect our churches so we can gather; to come forward and encourage each other; to use the blood of martyrs like Steven to spread the Gospel more.”

*Pseudonym

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Sohaib Ghyasi/Unsplash.