This development comes a week after the president of the United States made a similar pledge to remove sanctions on Syria. 

“It sounds like the push is for other Arab nations — like Saudi, like Qatar — to make a huge push of investment into Syria to reestablish, rebuild infrastructure, recreate jobs, create opportunities for Syrians once again,” says Samuel* with Redemptive Stories. 

“Syria, before the war, was very self-sufficient. They have a lot of industrial experience and skills. Even before the war, [they were] quite tied off from the rest of the world and able to exist very comfortably in that kind of environment.”

Boy sitting in a broken car in Syria. (Photo courtesy of Ahmed akacha/Pexels)

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has promised to make Syria a place where all communities are protected. But episodes of sectarian violence have challenged that. Hundreds were killed in the early March attacks on predominantly Alawite villages. Syria’s Druze community has also been impacted by violence. 

“The Christians are asking themselves, ‘When will our turn be?’” says Samuel. “So there’s still deep concern and fear among all the minorities that this new government does not have the right visions of what a pluralistic society could look like for them.”

Find your place in the story

It’s a new economic season for Syria, but there’s a deeper reality facing the global Church. 

“It is a great opportunity for the Church to stand with the Syrian church and say, ‘No, we will walk with you through these waters, and we will help you and invest in you,’” says Samuel. “We’re already seeing that change in some way, shape, or form occur. More organizations have been able to go in after the fall of Assad’s [regime] to help, and [the fact of] these sanctions being removed will even help more.”

Pray for Syrian believers. Years of economic challenges have pushed many Christians to leave their homeland. Today, the threat of persecution adds another layer of impetus. Yet Samuel says many who could leave instead choose to stay for the sake of Christ. 

“They’re saying that more than ever, they’re seeing other minority groups like the Alawites and the Druze respond to the gospel — and the Kurds in the North.” 

*Name changed for security

Header photo: A gathering of the people and residents of Daraa city in Al-Karama and Al-Hurriya Square after the fall of Bashar Al-Assad (Photo, caption courtesy of Mahmoud Sulaiman via Unsplash).

A Religious Mandate

For Christians the idea of mandatory travel for worship is foreign. Jesus’s resurrection and the indwelling Holy Spirit for all believers means that worship can happen anywhere. However, Islam is tied strongly to land in the Middle East.

Photo courtesy of Omar Chatriwala on Flickr https://bit.ly/30ALZy4

Doyle gives some background on the journey. “The Hajj is one of the five key pillars of the faith of Islam. So Hajj is required of all Muslims to do this at least once in their life. [They] journey to the city of Mecca, which for Muslims is the holiest city. Mecca would be number one, because that’s where Muhammad, they consider the Prophet, was born. And then Medina would be number two. So that’s called the Hajj and to go to both of those places, Mecca and Medina, you’re in the area called Hejaz. That’s the special holy place for all Muslims and they’re required to go there.”

Every year Muslims from around the globe travel to the area during a specific time and walk the well-worn route of the Hajj en masse. This year the Hajj will occur from the evening of Tuesday, July 28 through the evening of Sunday, August 2. For many who planned to make the once in a lifetime journey this year with millions of others of their faith, Saudi Arabia just slammed the doors shut. Only those residing within Saudi Arabia are able to make the trek this year. And presumably, there will be other restrictions in place that will change the experience.

Doyle says, “This year for people that do not have a permit that just try to get into Saudi Arabia from other countries, that try to get there without an official government permit (perhaps some workers that live there from another country, expatriates that live in Saudi Arabia), they will be fined. And it’s a steep fine. It’s 10,000 Riyals, which is about $2600-$2700.”

What Does This Mean?

(Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera English on Flickr https://bit.ly/2ZQTKAF)

For many Muslims, in addition to general frustrations and disappointments with COVID-19, now there is sincere religious disappointment. For those who are there, the journey will be different than it has been in the past. For those unable to make the pilgrimage, there is frustration.

However, this change offers an opening for Christ. Doyle says, “They’re going to be thinking about their religion, they’re going to be thinking about the veracity of Muhammad’s words and all of that, but as we know this is the time where Muslims are questioning their faith. This is the crack. This is the opening. And Christians need to be praying for Muslims during this time to meet Jesus as Savior through the internet, through a Bible that somehow gets into their hands, through a dream or a vision that introduces them to Jesus, and they want to know more.”

The Truth is Spreading

God is working in Saudi Arabia. Although the country severely restricts freedom of religion and frequently violates human rights mandates, the Gospel is spreading. People are coming to know the hope of the true God. Doyle says that he recently spoke with a believer in Saudi Arabia who grew up Muslim and now worships Jesus.

“She was thankful. The underground church there are praying for Muslims to come to the light of Christ. And so she was saying, ‘Hey, this is what’s happening around the world. We are thankful for this. And we’re just praying that Jesus gets a hold of their hearts during this time of void for them in their religion.’”

Click here to listen to and join in this believer’s prayer for her nation.

Join Saudi Believers in Prayer

Saudi Arabia is far away. For many Christians, identifying with Muslims’ sense of loss with the restrictions of this year’s Hajj is difficult. Yet God is near to the broken-hearted and is ready and waiting to bring Muslims into His light.

Doyle encourages Christians to seek out their Muslim neighbors and friends and ask them about how they are handling the changes with this year’s Hajj. He wants them to listen and encourages real relationships. He suggests watching and talking through the videos on ifoundthetruth.com together.

“So that’s what I would do engage in a conversation,” Doyle says. “I would say pointed to some dynamic videos of former Muslims that love Jesus now, let them grapple with that a lot.”

During the Hajj this year, pray for the truth of Jesus Christ to invade Muslim homes and lives.

Learn more about Uncharted Ministries here.

Header photo courtesy of Al Jazeera English on Flickr https://bit.ly/30Ez0vb

The men and women on the Hajj this year were searching for spiritual enlightenment and truth in Islam. But as the Hajj wraps up, many are going to find themselves empty and discouraged.

We have talked about how Muslims are meeting Jesus through miraculous dreams and visions. But they are also coming to know Christ as Savior through interactions with His followers.

The Church needs to pray for Muslim men and women to enter conversations with Christians after the Hajj who can tell them about Jesus.

Perry LaHaie with Frontiers USA shares how one such interaction right after the Hajj changed the life of Hassan*, a Muslim man trapped in deep depression.

“He thought if he went on the Hajj, maybe he would be healed. But on the bus ride home, [Hassan] felt even more depressed, so he talked to the bus driver. He shared his pain. The driver encouraged him to pour out his heart to Jesus.

“When he got off the bus, he sat down at a bench and he prayed to Jesus. The moment he spoke the name of Jesus, his heart was filled with joy. He started jumping for joy! He didn’t care who was watching! A few days later, he watched a film on the life of Jesus and he decided to follow Him.”

The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and considered a duty that all financially and physically capable Muslim adults must complete at least once in a lifetime. Because of the immense pressure on the Hajj in Islam, the disappointed return from the Hajj can sometimes be the first time someone questions the Islamic faith.

LaHaie says, “The prayer here would be that Muslims would be disillusioned with Islam after the Hajj and would realize and would have a hunger to seek more about the prophet that they read about in the Koran and then turn to the New Testament, the Injil. And by the prophet in the Koran, of course, I mean Jesus — ‘Isa’.”

(Photo courtesy of Frontiers USA)

Ask God to create opportunities in your own life to interact with Muslims in your community. Pray for wisdom and grace to build relationships, hear their stories, and share your faith with them. You never know when you may be speaking with a potential brother or sister in Christ.

Join what God is doing in the Muslim world at frontierusa.org!

*Hassan’s story originally shared in Jesus Film Project’s newsletter, February 2010.

It’s an annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia and considered one of Islam’s five pillars. All adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable are expected to participate in the Hajj at least once in their lifetime.

The Hajj takes place over five days in which Muslims circle the black, cube-shaped Kaaba — considered by Muslims as the house of their god. They also perform other various religious rites as they seek Allah and deepen their faith.

Mecca, Saudi Arabia

As Muslim men and women pursue spiritual truth and enlightenment, this time of year is a pivotal opportunity for Christians to pray that Muslims would instead come face-to-face with the God of the Bible.

There are numerous stories of God using the Hajj to reveal to Muslims the truth of the Bible and that Jesus Christ is more than a good prophet, but God’s Son and the way to salvation.

For starters, Perry LaHaie with Frontiers USA shares Adila’s story*:

“Adila keeps having dreams of Jesus and she tells her Imam about it. He tells her that Allah is favoring her and that she should go on the Hajj. Her family pools the money together [and] she goes to Mecca.

“The first time she is walking around the Kaaba stone, she sees Jesus on the rock — the Kaaba stone — and he looks at her. It’s a vision in the middle of the day. He says to her, ‘Read the book [the Bible]. I love you. I died for you. Read the book.’ And Adila did and now she is following Jesus!”

There is also Ali and Zehra’s story** from Turkey. LaHaie recounts, “Ali wasn’t a good Muslim. He was an alcoholic. His terrified kids would watch him beat his wife, Zehra. He hated himself for it so he moved away from his family to Saudi Arabia so he couldn’t hurt them. He still struggled with drinking but he became really determined to change.

(Photo courtesy of Frontiers USA)

“So he went on the Hajj. He went to seek Allah’s help. He hoped he would become a devout Muslim. He didn’t want to hurt his family. His first night in Mecca, Jesus appeared to him in a dream saying, ‘You belong to me.’ When he woke up, he heard [Jesus’] voice again: ‘You belong to me.’

“He went back to his wife and children with tears and just sobbing, he begged their forgiveness. It was a start. But his transformation over time inspired his family to follow Jesus. Now Ali and Zehra are pastoring a church.”

Ali, Zehra, and Adira’s personal stories of meeting Jesus are just a few examples of how Muslim men and women are finding biblical truth — even in an unlikely experience such as the Hajj.

As Muslims journey on the Hajj next week, please take time every day to lift Muslim communities before the Lord in prayer.

Specifically, LaHaie asks, “Pray that as Muslims complete the Hajj this year, that they would have dreams and visions of Jesus.”

You can join what God is doing in the Muslim world at frontierusa.org.

*Adila’s story originally shared in Tom Doyle’s book, “Dreams and Visions: Is Jesus Awakening the Muslim World?”.

**Ali and Zehra’s story originally shared in video series, “More Than Dreams”.

Christian Aid Mission’s David Bogosian shares, “One of the things that the Crown Prince is proposing is freedom of religion in Saudi Arabia. That’s almost unthinkable today in a country that is so locked down, in a country that is the guardian of Mecca, and the host of the Hajj, and so many other things.

“For them to even be whispering about this would be unthinkable. But this is being spoken of publicly, by the Crown Prince.”

Culture Behind Reform

Whether the proposal will bear fruit has yet to be determined. Still, in a sense, these changes, or at least propositions for change, reflect that Saudi Arabia is shifting to enter the modern world.

Muslims in a mosque in Saudi Arabia.

But, what the Crown Prince has on his side are the masses, well, the young people at least. Many people under 30-years-old in Saudi Arabia are tired of fundamentalist Islam.

In fact, a trend of secularization in the country has been spotted within this generation. The trend has mostly been a reaction to Saudi Arabia’s religious restrictions. And the Muslim clerics are aware that they are indeed losing the younger generations.

With this leverage, Bogosian says he thinks the Crown Prince will eventually succeed. Furthermore, a shift to freedom of religion in Saudi Arabia could have deep impacts on its Christian population.

Impact on Saudi Christians

“I think it’s a very encouraging sign. There are Saudi Christians who are practicing their faith in a very humble way, a very quiet way. And what this could mean for them could be very significant,” Bogosian says.

And as doors open for Christians, Bogosian expects to see further social changes in Saudi Arabia as a result. Afterall, freedom of religion is a chance for the Gospel to be more widely shared and lived out. It’s also an opportunity for the Saudi culture to be further impacted by Christ’s love.

“I think we need to see that also when God sovereignly moves, what we thought was impossible…all of a sudden is a done deal,” Bogosian shares.

“And so the kinds of changes we’re seeing in Saudi Arabia, I believe they actually are answers to prayers. The prayers of God’s people who’ve been praying for the Muslim world.”

Be Prayerful

So please, pray for our Saudi brothers and sisters in Christ. Pray for their faith, their encouragement, grace, and for their lives to reflect Jesus.

Also, pray for the leadership in Saudi Arabia, ask God to move in their hearts. And pray for all leaders in the Muslim world, too. Finally, give thanks to God that these changes are beginning to happen in Saudi Arabia, and pray for them to trickle through the rest of the Middle East.

Learn more about Christian Aid Mission’s work here!

A New Generation

“A big part of the population is under 30. And, they’re looking at the past 30 years of what’s happened in Saudi Arabia in a very negative way,” Christian Aid Mission’s David Bogosian shares.

“And he’s one of those people. He’s part of that demographic and he has the pulse of where the country is headed demographically.”

Saudi Arabia’s been plagued by extremist groups. And now, the Crown Prince has a proposition.

“And so they’re looking at doing something that, on the surface looks pretty radical. Actually reforming this body of literature called the Hadith,” Bogosian says.

The Hadith is a collection of sayings from Islam’s prophet Muhammad. It’s also a significant source of Islamic religious laws and moral guidance. Bogosian says it’s the size of an Encyclopedia Britannica.

However, the Hadith isn’t just where Muslims draw their way of life, it’s also where extremist branches of Islam, like the Wahabi, draw its support. Simply put, the Hadith has good parts, and then it has bad parts.

Potential Changes in Saudi Arabia

Mecca, Saudi Arabia (Photo Courtesy of babybluebbw via Flickr) https://flic.kr/p/gSCgt9

“The Crown Prince is basically saying, we’re going to put together a committee, a group of people, who are going to review this and decide what we’re going to keep and what we’re going to discard,” Bogosian explains.

“That is pretty epic. In the history of Islam, that has never really been attempted, at least not for a while. That body of literature has been in existence for over [a millennium]. And to have somebody as significant, as influential as the royal family of Saudi Arabia proposing a change to that, that will have repercussions for centuries.”

Still, the Crown Prince’s biggest challenge to shaking things up? Getting Islamic clerics and imams to agree to reform. So far, the changes which have been proposed have garnered support.

“For example, a major change has been a reduction in the activity of the religious police in Saudi Arabia, which was welcomed by most of the population in Saudi Arabia. Especially by the younger people,” Bogosian says.

“That was a significant move that didn’t see any major resistance from the religious establishment in Saudi Arabia. And I think that’s a sign, that there’s a willingness to flex, to adapt with the times.”

Worldwide Effects

Bogosian explains that Saudi Arabia has a major influence, particularly with Sunni Muslims, around the world. And if Saudi Arabia is willing to begin implementing changes, it could have an effect on the entire Muslim world—both in the Middle East and elsewhere.

“I think of it in one sense like the impact that the Protestant Reformation had in Europe, 500 years ago,” Bogosian shares. “You might say that in one sense, the Islamic world is maybe 400-500 years behind Christianity.”

So please, as people in Saudi Arabia continue to search for truth and love, pray they’d be led to Christ. Pray for Christians around the world to cross divides and to reach out to their Muslim neighbor in love. And pray for Christians to continue being the light of Christ in dark areas.

Find out more details about what this reform to Islam could mean tomorrow during part two of this story.

Get more details about Christian Aid Missions work here!

A Government Opposed

The Saudi Christian Association was developed and run solely by Saudi believers with the goal of introducing Saudis to Christ. They stand strong in their conviction that all Saudi people should have the opportunity to choose Christ if they want, despite strong opposition from the government.

Al Abdy explains that in Saudi Arabia, the nation is built on Wahhabism, a purist and strict interpretation of Islam. The common understanding is that “…you do not deserve to be Saudi if you are not Muslim”. Open Doors notes that the government imposes strict Islamic law on all people in the country, which often poses problems for converts to Christianity. Apostasy is punishable by death for those who refuse to recant.

In 2004 Al Abdy himself was thrown in jail and tortured for becoming a Christian.

Growing the Saudi Church

Despite the intense pressure against Christians, Al Abdy believes there is no better time than now for growth in the growing Body of Christ among Saudis.

“Because, believe me, there is a hunger – a spiritual hunger – in Saudis now. They’re really seeking for peace, and they’re really in big need to be served, and to give hand, and to help them. And I think the message of Jesus and our work is not only about their eternity, but it’s more about their humanity message that Christ gives. Our message is a love message toward our people.”

However, not everyone feels this love. With Islam so deeply rooted in the country, the choice to come to Jesus is not an easy one. It means almost certain shunning and persecution by family, friends, and the government.

Preparing for Persecution

But how do you prepare people to face the realities of life as a follower of Christ in a Muslim state? Al Abdy’s response is that he can’t.

“Look – I didn’t prepare them actually – but Jesus did. We know very well the [consequences] for being believers. Not only Saudis, but we [as Christians] know it. Look, Jesus was very open and he told us very clear, ‘If you want to follow me, carry your cross and follow me.’

“So we know He never promised us to be rich when we accepted him. He never promised us to live in peace. But He said, ‘look if you want to follow me, carry your cross and follow me. You have to know in this life you will have persecution and you will be under pressures for my name.’

“So, He prepared us and He was open and clear. We accept Him and we accept everything from Him. And everything we lost is nothing compared with having Him. Nothing.”

Helping at Home

Many Saudis have never heard the Gospel. (Courtesy of Pexels)

The good news is this: the Church among Saudis is growing despite opposition. People are standing strong in their faith and even coming to Christ as new believers. Yet they need the support and prayers of their brothers and sisters around the world.

Pray that the Saudi Christian Association is able to provide meaningful support to the Church in Saudi Arabia. But even more, Al Abdy asks that the Church pray for the millions of Saudis who have yet to come to know Christ as King. For other ways to pray for Saudi Arabia, visit Prayercast here.

But then, in a tit-for-tat move, both Lebanon and Saudi Arabia delayed accreditation for the other’s diplomat. This was despite the fact that both diplomats were named months prior.

Finally, Riyadh approved Lebanese Ambassador Fawzi Kabbara for his diplomatic position. Kabbara is a member of Hariri’s political party. On Wednesday, Ambassador Walid al-Yaacoubi from Saudi Arabia presented his credentials to Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun. This seemingly signals an end to the dispute between the two nations for now.

Issam Naser with AFA (Arab For All) says, “Right now, the situation is fine…. The President of Lebanon, he was very wise on how to deal with this problem and now the Prime Minister has also come back to Lebanon and they are trying to deal with this problem.”

(Photo courtesy of New Vision, a project ministry of AFA)

Although things were tense for a while, with the world worried that violence could erupt between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, Naser says Christians in Lebanon were taking action — on their knees. “This problem I think [prompted] believers more and more in their ability to pray for the country.”

Christians in Lebanon are working to be agents of God’s peace and truth, especially in a country as religiously and culturally diverse as theirs. AFA ministers to refugees in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley providing food, clothing, shelters, and spiritual encouragement. They currently have three Bible studies meeting in Bekaa and Naser reports they are going very well.

AFA is also improving the lives of refugee children. “We started a new school this year; 150 kids in this small school from refugee backgrounds. We are really going to teach them good principles about the Bible, but also they will learn how to read, how to write, and different subjects. So you can pray also for our school this year among the Syrian kids.

(Photo courtesy of New Vision, a project ministry of AFA)

Naser also asks, “You can pray for our ministry in Bekaa Valley…. Our funds are going a little bit down because of the whole situation over the last year. So you can pray also for our financial situation.”

If you’d like to support AFA, you can give to their project ministry New Vision here!

(Header photo courtesy of New Vision, a project ministry of AFA)

Here’s why: The Middle East has long been defined by conflicts between Sunni and Shia Muslims. On the Sunni side, you have Saudi Arabia ‘calling the shots’. On the Shiite side, there’s powerhouse Iran motivating Hezbollah – an Islamist political party entrenched in Lebanon.  The rivalry between the Sunni-Shia set the stage for generational conflict which dragged multiple players of the Middle East into the fight.

Lebanon is one of those key players that often gets caught in the middle of the Sunni-Shia struggle. Lebanon had a delicate balance of power going with a Maronite Christian president, a Shia Muslim speaker of the parliament, and a Sunni Muslim prime minister — until recent events tipped that balance.

Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia intercepted a ballistic missile from Yemen headed to the Saudi capital. The Saudis pinned it on Iran-backed Hezbollah, declaring it an “act of war”. Saudi Arabia demanded that Lebanon “deal” with Hezbollah’s influence in the country, which upset the Shiites in Iran.

Saad-al Hariri, the prime minister of Lebanon (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of State via Wikimedia Commons)

Lebanon was caught in the middle and rumblings of war rippled through both sides. The international community braced for war to break out in Lebanon. On November 4, from Saudi Arabia, Harari announced his resignation as Lebanon’s prime minister.

If Harari finalizes his resignation, his cabinet would dissolve. The redistribution of power in Lebanon could put pressure on Hezbollah to back down and satisfy all parties for now — effectively avoiding a possible war.

But Heart for Lebanon’s Tom Atema points out there’s a catch to Harari’s resignation. “Harari can’t really resign [outside of Lebanon]. He has to do it in-country and to the president verbally first. So there’s a technicality that his resignation that he did in Saudi doesn’t count.”

So the big question now is, will Harari officially resign when he returns to Lebanon? Either way, the stop-action has injected some clarity into the situation. “People have come to their senses and realized the track they were on would have been war, and big-time war.”

To boil it all down, Atema explains, “The bottom-line issue for Saudi  — and still is to a degree — is they would like Lebanon to fight and get rid of Hezbollah, and that involves Iran. The problem with that is, if I can draw the analogy between the US and North Korea, the can has been kicked, the issue has been kicked so hard and so long down the road that it’s very complicated to deal with. You can’t just kick Hezbollah out. It’s too entrenched. And for Saudi to ask Lebanon to do it, Lebanon said, ‘Why don’t you do it if you don’t like it? Why don’t you try to put pressure on and get rid of them?’ And somehow in the middle of all of this, Harari resigned.”

He adds, “All that to say is that this new arrangement that came out over the weekend that’s going to be implemented this week, if nothing else changes, is a good thing for the country of Lebanon. It keeps them the most democratic.”

Meanwhile, the biggest thing that is going to advance peace in the Middle East is changed hearts, which can only happen through the power of the Gospel.

“This whole thing is a reminder for those of us who believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord that the Middle East is a powder keg…. But this should not get us discouraged, this should not make us withdraw, we should not wring our hands. While we still have the light of day and still can operate freely and openly, it’s time to put the pedal to the metal and let’s get working for the Kingdom when more Muslims than ever before are open to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This isn’t a time to retreat.”

(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon via Facebook)

Atema says they are seeing evidence of God working in Lebanon. “Sunday, we had 182 adults — converted Muslims — sitting in a worship gathering praising Jesus leading the service. This is amazing for this part of the world and for this time of history.”

Click here to learn more about Heart for Lebanon and their ministry’s efforts to advance the hope of Christ in the Muslim world!

Finally, Atema says you can pray for the Lord’s peace to reign over the Muslim conflict in the Middle East — and for Gospel workers in the midst of it.

“Our prayer request is for wisdom. Obviously, tensions are there…and as we work in the country of Lebanon, our team needs wisdom. We’re in and out of Muslim areas, we are working with all people groups from Bedouin to gypsies all the way through, but we need wisdom on how to continue to build trust, continue to worship, [and] continue to do Bible studies.”