[Today’s Prayer] Iraqi court rules on ‘forced conversion’ of a Christian mother and her three children

An Iraqi court is causing controversy by ruling that a Christian mother and her three children were forced to convert to Islam.

The American Christian Post (CP) reported related news, saying, “This ruling was based on the interpretation of Iraq’s personal status law that a child must accept Islam if one of the parents converts to Islam.”

According to this, Elvin Joseph, a resident of Duhok in the Kurdistan region, was in trouble when it became known that her mother remarried a Muslim man after her divorce and converted to Islam.

“I am a Christian married to a Christian man,” Joseph told Ludo Media Network. I have three Christian children. I was educated in my own language. All official documents state that I am a Christian. “Our marriage is also registered in the church.”

“Despite this declaration, the 1959 law requires her and her children to convert because of family ties to Muslims,” said the International Christian Coalition (ICC), a U.S.-based persecution watchdog.

The law goes beyond simple religious identity and affects marriage, inheritance and custody. As a result, Joseph faced legal difficulties in maintaining her marriage to her Christian husband.

Joseph's husband, Semi Patros, detailed the situation to the National Identity Card Office. He said, “The office told me that since my mother-in-law had converted to Islam, my wife should also become a Muslim. This also applies to my children. “Their religion should change from Christianity to Islam.”

“(This law) forces someone to convert to Islam by force,” said Akram Mikhail, who defended a Christian family in a similar plight. “I am not an expert on Islam, but in Islam you cannot force your religion on others,” he said.

(Omitted)

Source: News

Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your law is true. Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight. Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live. With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord! I will keep your statutes. I call to you; save me, that I may observe your testimonies. (Psalm 119:142-146)

Heavenly Father, who is the way, the truth, and the life, we hear the news that an Iraqi court has ruled that a Christian mother and her three children must be forced to convert to Islam.

Please protect the Joseph family and the Christians who are in trouble due to the evil law that requires the child to convert to Islam against his or her will if one of the parents converts to Islam.

Please help the Joseph family and the Iraqi Christians to follow the Lord, who is the truth, and to not compromise with the situation or environment even when tribulations and troubles come, but cry out to the Lord with all their hearts and follow only the commandments of the Lord.

Through our prayers, may the Iraqi church be firmly established on the truth and become the people preparing the way of our Lord’s return!