On September 17, a court ordered a Christian widow in Jordan, Siham Qandah, to hand over her children to her Muslim brother in three days or face 30 days imprisonment. According to a September 19 press release from Middle East Concern, the Civil Court of First Instance in Irbid on Wednesday denied a petition to postpone the order for her imprisonment, first issued on January 16, 2003, while a court case in Amman to remove guardianship from the brother is pending. Instead the judge gave Mrs. Qandah three days to comply with the order to hand over her children or face imprisonment.
In November 1994, Mrs. Qandah's husband, an army officer, died leaving her with two children, Rawan (7) and Fadi (5). When she applied for the army widow's pension, she was informed that her husband had converted to Islam in 1991, something he had never mentioned to her or anyone else in his family. The conversion document was signed on July 29, 1991 with two Muslim witnesses but there was no signature from her husband; only an "X." Even the civil court ruled that, "no one was aware of his conversion to Islam."
Despite these uncertainties surrounding his "conversion," under Jordanian law Mrs. Qandah could not inherit from a Muslim. The benefits could be paid to her children, since they were legally considered Muslims because of their father. Because they were minors, however, the money could be paid only to a Muslim guardian. Mrs. Qandah appointed her estranged brother as guardian, but he rarely gave her any of the pension money, leaving her without an income for her and her family.
In 1998 the brother sought custody of the children, since the children, legally considered Muslims, were being raised as Christians. The Civil Court in Irbid ruled in favor of the brother in June 2001. He won two subsequent appeals and went to court asking that she be imprisoned until she hands over the children. That order was granted on January 16, 2003. Two members of the royal family, Prince Hassan and Prince Merad, have worked on her behalf to assist in resolving the situation.
It has been discovered that Mrs. Qandah's brother had removed $20,000 USD from the children's trust account inappropriately. A court case was started in Amman to remove custody from the brother and a petition was filed to postpone the order for her imprisonment while this case is pending. It was this petition that was denied on Wednesday.
Middle East Concern reports that a meeting is planned on Sunday, September 21 between a representative of Qandah, a member of the royal family, and a supreme court judge in Amman to attempt to overturn the verdict. According to Compass Direct, Qandal's lawyer plans to file a new appeal as soon as the courts open in Sunday.
"Without the hearts and prayers of Christians around the world for us, I would have already lost the children," Qandah told Compass Direct a few hours after she learned of the new arrest order. "But God always opens the way in front of us, delaying these court decisions against us."
Pray for Mrs. Qandah and her children during these uncertain times. Pray for her lawyer as he works on their behalf in the next few days. Pray that a new appeal be successful.
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