Precious

Ahmed* is a Christian from our network. For work reasons, he leaves his rural village and moves to a major city. Through our ministry there, he hears about Jesus Christ and decides to follow him. While Ahmed begins a new life in the city, a dramatic situation unfolds back home. His mother and two brothers force his sister Fatima to marry a cousin who is already married.

This practice is known among some Shiite Muslims as Mutʿa, a form of temporary marriage. According to Islamic tradition, Mutʿa dates back to the time of the Prophet Muhammad and his companions during military campaigns, when men were separated from their wives for long periods. A fixed duration and payment were agreed upon, after which the marriage contract ended and the woman returned to her family. In practice, this arrangement often amounts to the exploitation of women. Today, the majority of Muslims reject Mutʿa, arguing that it was permitted only under exceptional historical circumstances. Nevertheless, it is still practiced in parts of Iran, Iraq, and Pakistan, particularly in rural areas.

Fatima refuses to accept this marriage and reaches out to her brother Ahmed. He encourages her and tells her about Jesus, about his teaching on marriage, and about the dignity with which he treated women. He explains that, in Christianity, being a woman is not a burden but a value. Deeply disappointed by the way she and many other women are treated within her religious and cultural environment, Fatima decides to leave her village and move to the city to live with Ahmed. She says, »I want to follow Jesus.«

Through the support of our partner’s wife, Fatima comes to faith in Christ and is later baptized.

When her family discovers where she is living, they travel to the city to take her back by force. Ahmed and Fatima refuse. The conflict escalates, and their landlord, who initially supported them, terminates their lease. Finding new accommodation proves extremely difficult. Only Ahmed has an income, and their financial resources are very limited.

Names have been changed for security reasons.