Muslim social network users are calling for the arrest and death of a Saudi Arabian Christian convert they say insulted Muhammad via Twitter, Click to watch a short video. Hamoud Bin Saleh, has been imprisoned three times in eight years for attacks against Islam. In 2004 he spent nine months in jail after blogging about his conversion from Islam to Christianity, he was also arrested and jailed for a month after writing about religious matters. During that time he suffered sleep deprivation, solitary confinement and physical and psychological abuse. In 2009 he was released on condition he did not travel outside the country or appear in the media. Please pray that Hamoud's voice for Christ will not be silenced by the authorities or by those who oppose his Christian faith. Please pray that Hamoud will not fear despite his past suffering (1Pe. 3:14).

Pray: God's comfort and provision for persecuted Saudi Arabian Christians who are jailed and tortured for their faith. (Mt.24:9)

More: http://vomcblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/saudi-arabian-christian-attacked-on.html

On Wednesday Window International Network launched an initiative, calling Christians around the world to pray for Saudi Arabia - the birthplace of Islam and in violent opposition to the Gospel. In the wake of the Arab Spring, with political unrest and spiritual dissatisfaction simmering in this region, WIN believes the Lord is preparing to move powerfully in Saudi Arabia and that prayer will initiate and sustain that move. ‘Pray4Saudi - Preparing the Way for the Gospel of the Kingdom’ will continue until the very foundations of Islam have been shaken and Saudi Arabia is open to the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Individual intercessors, prayer networks, small groups, and churches can sign up to receive Pray4Saudi and follow it on Twitter. WIN ask us to pray for the Lord to raise up prayer warriors all over the globe to intercede for this nation and its people. (Mat.18:19)

Pray: for the Lord to guide and direct the staff at WIN giving them strategies and showing them how to proceed. (Pr. 2:9-11)

More: http://pray4saudi.com/

On the 18th March Prayer Alert reported that the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, the highest official of religious law in the region, declared that it is necessary to destroy all churches. This shocked many Christians in the Arabian Peninsula and other parts of the world, but was not widely reported in the Western press. The Grand Mufti quoted Muhammad’s deathbed statement, ‘There are not to be two religions in the Arabian Peninsula.’ Some fear this could incite Muslims beyond the Arabian Peninsula to violence against Christians, since Christianity is already forbidden in the Arabian Peninsula and no churches exist there. The implications of the Grand Mufti's words could result in banning churches in Yemen, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates, say observers. These countries presently allow expatriates to worship in compounds. The Grand Mufti’s statement calls for these nations to follow the Arabian Peninsula’s example and outlaw Christianity. Also in Kuwait there are fears of a ban on new churches and tougher blasphemy penalties. See:

Pray: for fthe Grand Mufti to retract his declaration and that churches in the Arabian Peninsula will not be impacted by his statement. (Ps.103:6)

More: http://win1040.com/blog/2012/04/24/grand-mufti-declaration-and-reaction/

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia called for a dialogue among monotheistic religions on Monday, marking a 'first' for the ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom. ‘I ask representatives of all the monotheistic religions to meet with their brothers in faith. If God wills it, we will then meet with our brothers from other religions, including those of the Torah and the Gospel to come up with ways to safeguard humanity.’ Abdullah said the country’s top clerics have given him approval to pursue his idea and that he plans to get the opinion of Muslim leaders from other countries. The Saudi king also intends to address the United Nations on the subject. He said ‘We have lost sincerity, morals, fidelity and attachment to our religions and to humanity, the disintegration of the family and the rise of atheism in the world – a frightening phenomenon that all religions must confront and vanquish’

Pray: that this initiative will be the first step to reducing tensions as well as opening previously ‘closed’ countries to the gospel. (Mat.24:14)

More: http://www.christianpost.com/news/saudi-arabia-leader-calls-for-interfaith-dialogue-31665/

Two Indian Christians, members of a thriving Pentecostal house church, in Saudi Arabia, have been moved from pre-trial detention to a prison in the Saudi capital Ryadh where they are ‘forbidden to pray or read the Bible’ and ‘suffer of a lack of food and medical attention,’ an elder of the church has told Worthy News and its news partner BosNewsLife. Vasantha Sekhar Vara, 28, and Nese Yohan, 31, who are members of the ‘Rejoice in the Church of the Lord’ congregation, were initially detained in January and received 45-days of ‘pre-trial detention’ on charges of ‘proselytizing’, said the church elder speaking from Riyadh in a telephone interview. ‘They were later moved from the police station to a notorious central jail in Ryadh without a trial,' he added. He said it was not known when and if the trial will start.

Pray: for Yohan and Vara that God would strengthen them in their ordeal and pray for an early release. (2Ch.19:9a)

More: http://www.worthynews.com/10176-saudi-arabia-jails-house-church-christians-exclusive

Approximately 35 Christians in Saudi Arabia face deportation on the charge of ‘illicit mingling’ according to a report by the global rights body Human Rights Watch (HRW). Police arrested the group of 29 women and 6 men after raiding a prayer meeting in the city of Jeddah. The group was arrested in a private home where they had gathered to pray during the run-up to Christmas, which is celebrated by Ethiopian Orthodox Christians on January 7. The men were beaten and called ‘unbelievers’ and the women were strip-searched, apparently on the spot. HRW spoke to a man and two women by telephone from the prisons where they are being held. They say they have been charged with mixing with unmarried persons of the opposite sex – even though HRW says Saudi Arabia has no law defining ‘illicit mingling.’

Pray: for these believers in Saudi Arabia as they meet together that the authorities would be held back and recognise the rights of believers to gather in worship. (Ps.11:7)

More: http://www.worthynews.com/11229-ethiopian-christians-to-be-deported-from-saudi-arabia

Earlier this month news reports surfaced out of Saudi Arabia that raised the red flag for Christians. Todd Nettleton, a spokesman for the Voice of the Martyrs USA, says, ‘The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia has declared that it is ‘necessary to destroy all the churches of the region.’ Saudi Arabia is ranked second on the Open Doors World Watch List of 50 countries where persecution of Christians is the most severe. There is no provision for religious freedom in the constitution of this Islamic kingdom. The Grand Mufti said this in a meeting with Kuwaiti officials wanting to confirm Sharia’s position on churches and he said, ‘If you have churches in Kuwait they should be destroyed.’ The interesting thing about this is that there are no churches in Saudi Arabia. There are no church buildings that are allowed to exist there. So he was trying to export this ideology to the surrounding countries.

Pray: for God’s protection to be over churches in Kuwait, Oman, Yemen, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. May the UN Human Rights Council take a stand for freedom of religion in the area. (Ps.3:7-8)

More: http://www.mnnonline.org/article/18380

Saudi Arabia, a strict Islamic nation, has a long history of cracking down on Christians. On March 22nd two Indian Christian men working in Saudi Arabia were sentenced to 45 days imprisonment for allegedly trying to convert Muslims to Christianity. Vasantha Sekhar and Nese Yohan were detained ten days earlier in Riyadh on charges of proselytizing. Advocacy group International Christian Concern (ICC) said the workers were arrested to keep them from practicing Christianity privately in their home. ‘These two Christians have faced false charges and with false evidence, the Saudi government continues to engage in an array of severe violations of human rights as part of its repression of freedom of religion.’ ICC director told BosNewsLife in a statement. While in prison awaiting trial, their apartment was ransacked by Saudi security forces, and the men face uncertainty regarding their future.

Pray: that in spite of discrimination the truth of the Gospel will spread and be understood; and Saudi negative references to Christians will end. (Is.56:7,8)

More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/16173-saudi-arabia-detains-indian-christians-for-proselytizing

Next week millions of Muslims from all over the world will be on pilgrimage to Mecca performing a sacred act called the Hajj. For many the Hajj is the pinnacle event of their lives because they are commanded to make a Hajj at least once if they are able. This year Hajj starts Oct. 24th, lasting 3-4 days. See the Hajj 2012 prayer video on the link below. The Hajj is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to God. On the second day of Hajj pilgrims pray a prayer at noon called Muna - Arabic meaning ‘to wish or aspire’ - as they seek a closer relationship with God. We can pray that they discover and receive the free gift of communion through the Holy Spirit. On day three pilgrims stand on the ‘mountain of mercy’ and cry from noon to sunset, ’Allah I am here.’ Many then spend the night in prayer. Please pray for those seeking God to be found by the One who paid the price for the remission of sins.

Pray: for seekers to know God’s grace, and for Jesus to reveal himself through dreams and visions. (Eph.2:8,9)

More: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZwGT2K8JH8