Afghanistan is no stranger to struggles. The Soviet invasion in 1978 brought disaster, and the subsequent pull-out a decade later did not bring peace. After the Communists lost power, Islamic factions engaged in jihad – holy war – which degenerated into a cruel contest for religious and political supremacy. The Taliban, which follows an extreme form of militant Islam, gained control, while the Afghani people were left to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives. Taliban rule enforced very stringent rules. Women were no longer allowed to attend schools or hold jobs, and men were forced to have beards.  The persecution of non-Muslims and the death penalty as punishment for converting from Islam was legally and strictly enforced under the Taliban’s Sharia law.

The Taliban government was overthrown in the U.S. invasion in 2001. A new interim government sparked both hope and concern for religious freedom in Afghanistan. A new constitution was adopted in 2004. This constitution, however, declares that “The religion of the state of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is the sacred religion of Islam.”  According to the constitution, followers of other religions are free to exercise their faith and perform their religious rites “within the limits of the provisions of law” and article 7 emphasizes that all legislation must be defined in accordance with international human rights laws. However, the constitution also stipulates that “no law can be contrary to the beliefs and provisions of the sacred religion of Islam.”  This contradiction has been the source of a number of practical problems especially for those who defend women’s rights and freedom of expression.

In 2004, Hamid Karzai became the first democratically elected president. In 2005, however, elections saw a number of leaders or supporters of militant groups elected and much of the south and east of the country remain in the grip of Islamic militants.

Muslims make up the vast majority of the population in Afghanistan.  Christians make up only 1/100 of one percent of the population.  Although some human rights watchdogs have noticed improvements in the country, the situation for Christians remains largely the same as in the past. While constitutionally authorities may not discriminate against religious minorities, they often turn a blind eye to the persecution that does occur. Citizens are free to practice their own religion, but individuals and organizations suspected of evangelizing Muslims have been threatened or attacked by militants. In October 2008, a dual South African-British citizen working with SERVE Afghanistan (Serving Emergency Relief and Vocational Enterprise), a Christian organization that works with the disabled, was killed by the Taliban for allegedly spreading Christianity to the Afghani people.

• Pray that Christians in Afghanistan will stand strong in their faith and reach out to their neighbours, despite their small numbers
• Pray for increased religious freedom for Christians and other religious minorities in Afghanistan