Pray for the nation and peoples of Bahrain ...
Bahrain is a small island nation between the Qatar peninsula and Saudi Arabia. Though petroleum production and refining make up the majority of its economy, in recent years Bahrain has become an international banking center in the Persian Gulf. More than 50 percent of the labor force is made up of expatriates.
Bahrain is 82.31% Muslim, 10.36% Christian, 6.25% Hindu. The primary ideology is Islam. The Head of State is President King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa.
Bahrain is more open than some of its Persian Gulf neighbors, but freedoms for Christians are carefully restricted. Shariah, or Islamic law, is the official source of law per the constitution. In its Annual Report on International Religious Freedom, the U.S. government reports it is illegal in Bahrain to hold a religious meeting without formal government permission. The Bahraini government currently blocks Christian Web sites. A large percentage of the Sunni and Shi'a population in Bahrain are fundamentalist Muslims. VOM's indigenous contacts report that Christians who share their faith and Muslims who convert to Christianity are persecuted by friends and family. Because of this, many choose to meet secretly. Those who witness openly pay a price.
Christian persecution exists in more than 40 restricted nations today, where Christians are persecuted for their faith. Please pray for these nations and peoples, including the country of Bahrain.
(Persecuted Church Global Report 2010 by The Voice of the Martyrs)
Persecution.com Restricted Nations
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