Author: Compass Direct News
Publication: Christianpost.com
Date: August 6, 2011
URL: http://www.christianpost.com/news/muslim-extremists-in-india-attack-threaten-christian-women-53500/
Convert from Islam, others threatened with
burning.
Four months after a recent convert to Christianity
from Islam in eastern India's West Bengal state was stripped and beaten, about
50 Muslim extremists yesterday disrupted a prayer meeting held in her home,
threatening to burn it down if she did not return to Islam, area Christians
said.
The extremists warned Selina Bibi of Motijil
village in Murshidabad district that if she did not return to Islam, then
she must either leave the area or see her house burned down. At her baptism
at Believers Church four kilometers from her home on March 29, a large crowd
of Muslim extremists disrupted the service, said a pastor identified only
as Bashir.
"I pleaded with them to let me at least
finish the worship service before they attack us," he told Compass.
When word of her conversion to Christianity
reached her village, another extremist group from Motijil led by Jamal Shaike
disrupted the service. Shaike and the others verbally abused the Christians,
and he ordered his son who was present at the service to leave immediately,
Bashir said.
The pastor said that on April 5, two Muslim
women along with members of the extremist group summoned Selina Bibi to one
of their homes and forcefully stripped her naked.
"The radicals believe that when any person
from the Muslim community becomes Christian, they get Christian marks on their
body," Bashir said. "When the radicals could not find such marks,
they started beating her up."
The Muslim extremists later gathered at the
local mosque and resolved to ostracize her until she returned to Islam. She
lives only with her two teenage sons.
Selina Bibi told Bashir that her body bore
the marks of suffering for the sake of Christ, and that she was being treated
like a criminal.
"She was not allowed to buy goods from
the store, nor was she allowed to sell any vegetables," he said. "They
have also restricted her from procuring water from the village well. In spite
of the persecutions she constantly faces from the radicals, she has started
conducting a Bible study for ladies every Thursday at her home."
After the extremist threats yesterday, study
member Naseema Bibi said she and some of the other women attending the meeting
went to the Murshidabad police station to file a complaint. Police called
both parties, and they agreed in writing to allow each other to practice their
respective faiths, and that police would prosecute any further attacks or
disturbances, she said.
Burn Threat
In Natungram, Murshidabad district, Muslim
extremists held three Christian women for an hour on July 21, threatening
to beat and burn them alive if they continued worshipping Christ, area Christians
said.
Moyazan Bibi and Aimazan Bibi of Believers
Church told Compass that at 5:30 p.m. they had set out to visit a widow, Suryja
Bibi, to share the message of Christ at her invitation. As they reached her
house, a large mob of Muslim extremists led by Fakir Shaike, Sajahan Shaike,
Manuwar Shaike, Samsul Shaike, Ahamed Shaike and Jalal Shaike blocked their
way, pushed them around and verbally abused them for their faith in Christ
as they threatened them.
"The extremists called us infidels and
held us captive, threatening that they will call a public meeting to socially
boycott us," Aimazan Bibi said. "The extremists angrily shouted
that we should not return to our homes, while they continued to mock and push
us around."
The extremists rushed Suryja Bibi, asking
her why she invited "infidels" into her home as they were pushing
her. One of the assailants twisted her hand, the Christian women said.
"She was injured, but by God's grace
it was not broken," said Bashir, founder and pastor of the Believers
Church. "They warned Suryja Bibi never to call the Christians to her
home again or leave the area and they also threatened all the villagers with
the dire consequences they will face if they attend Christian meetings or
talk to any one of them."
Suryja Bibi tried to file a police complaint
the next day, July 22, but the local Muslim head and other extremists stopped
her, threatening to harm her, area Christians said.
Bashir said Suryja Bibi showed interest in
hearing more about Christ, and that he met her and her daughters Mamoota and
Darju at his house church fellowship on July19.
"Since then, the radicals have warned
them not to attend any Christian service or talk to any Christians or else
they will be burned alive," he said.
Naseema Bibi informed Bashir of the incident
by phone, and he called police, he said.
"I also tried to call Aimazan,"
he said. "At that time she could not take my call, as some radicals were
trying to snatch her mobile phone from her."
Moyazan Bibi said she pleaded with the assailants.
"I asked the attackers what crime have
we done for them to torture us in this manner?" she said. "But the
enraged extremists brutally pushed us around, furiously shouting at us to
convert back to Islam or face dire consequences."
After holding and harassing the Christian
women for about an hour, the extremists fled in fear after they learned that
Bashir had contacted the police, the women said.
The area was still tense at press time, with
Suryja Bibi and her family unable to attend any Christian meetings as the
extremists are closely monitoring them and are prepared to pounce on them
at the slightest opportunity, Bashir said.
"We are trying to contact Suryja Bibi,
but the radicals are not allowing any Christian to contact or meet her,"
he said. "But we are praying for her safety."
Aizama Bibi and Moyazan Bibi, who two years
ago began trusting Christ as their Savior, told Compass that last December
the extremists tried to chase them away from the village, threatening to burn
them and their houses. They were not allowed to sell and buy in the area and
were kept from using the public bathroom and the water well.
The extremists also burned the crops field
of Aimazan's husband, Gaffar. The Christians reported the matter to police,
and officers warned the Muslim extremists not to disturb the Christians again.
The Evangelical Fellowship of India last year
reported that Muslim extremists in Natungram on Nov. 28, 2010, ostracized
another member of Believers Church, keeping Chanda Bibi and her family from
selling and buying. They also warned the family to stop attending church services
and threatened to impose a fine on her if her family continued to follow Christ.