Court Permits Believer's Christian Identity

On November 16th, a district judge in Kasur, Punjab, overturned a ruling that had previously barred Sufyan Masih from reverting back to Christianity after allegedly converting to the Islamic faith. Sufyan's lawyer believes that the judge who presided over the initial court hearing had previously ruled against the Christian man due to a fear of receiving backlash from Muslim militants.

Sufyan worked as a labourer at a brick kiln owned by Asif Ali. According to the 24-year-old believer, Asif registered Sufyan as a Muslim under the name "Muhammad Sufyan" without his knowledge in an effort to enslave him. Being illiterate, Sufyan did not understand what had been written on his behalf, and thus placed his thumbprint on the form, which turned out to be a declaration of conversion to Islam.

Sufyan's lawyer, Sumera Shafique, believes the district judge's recent ruling will be helpful in other cases of forced religious conversions. She shares that many other Christians have faced similar issues, which are often perpetuated by illiteracy.

In the most recent episode of VOMC's Closer to the Fire podcast, host Greg Musselman and his ministry colleague, Stephen Wesley, discuss their recent trip to Pakistan. While there, the team members visited a brickyard where they met enslaved Christians who are dealing with situations similar to what has recently been experienced by Sufyan. To view this informative video, visit this page.

Praise God for this positive court ruling! Pray that Sufyan and other believers throughout Pakistan will be encouraged in their faith, and that more court officials will likewise rule with courage and justice – leading to equality for all Pakistani citizens. May the country's governing leaders also ensure that believers throughout this nation (who are often treated as second-class citizens) will receive greater access to improved educational and career opportunities, as well as safety in their homes and workplaces. As a result, may all enslaved Christians be able to break free from indentured slavery so they can contribute to their communities in ways that will be beneficial to all.