Mirpuris of Britain

On September 27th, the 15th day of the celebration of Ramadan for Muslims, we, along with other Christian groups who were participating in the 30 Days Muslim Prayer Focus, prayed for the Mirpuris in Britain.

These are people who migrated to Britain decades ago from the Mirpur region of Pakistan, due to a dam being built in Pakistan which would destroy their homes and need for textile workers in Britain. The 30 Days booklet and a Dawn news article about the July 7 bombings in Britain give a good background on the conditions and hurdles in overcoming the move toward extremism among this sect in Britain.

Chuck Colsen discusses Islamic migration in his September 11 BreakPoint article:
"[Dr. Patrick Sookhdeo] notes that the process of migrating and establishing Muslim communities in non-Muslim areas is an important part of Islamic theology. In A.D. 614, Muslim refugees migrated to the Christian kingdom of Abyssinia, where they were allowed to worship freely. In A.D. 622, Mohammed and his followers migrated from Mecca, where they were persecuted, to Medina, where they established the first Islamic state.

"As Sookhdeo writes, Muslims view the establishment of Muslim communities in Britain as a contemporary migration, called a hijra. But, he adds, "an important question concerns which seventh-century hijra they compare it to: the hijra to Abyssinia in which the Muslims became contented and loyal subjects of a Christian king, or the hijra to Medina where they seized
political and military power.

"To Sookhdeo, the signs are not good. He notes that a book "published in 1980 by the Islamic Council of Europe gives instructions for how Muslim minorities are to work towards achieving domination of European countries through a policy of concentration in geographical areas.

"In England and France, this has already begun. Muslims have created large enclaves in urban centers in which sharia law is in effect, in "areas of finance and mortgages; halal food in schools, hospitals, and prisons, faith schools funded by the state; prayer rooms in every police station in
London." Instead of assimilating into the larger culture, Muslims have, he says, created a "parallel society in the UK."

"And with this parallel society has come increasing violence against non-Muslims, Sookhdeo warns. There has been a rapid growth of so-called "honor killings," and now, suicide bombings."

Pray for

• Christians to see the opportunity and have the courage to reach out and find ways to meet needs and open hearts to Jesus Christ and the love and mercy of God for all people.
• cross-cultural workers in these communities who are trying to overcome the generations of poverty and sense of disconnection, both in Pakistan before and in Britain now, due to inability to integrate into the communities. As the Dawn article describes, "Some in the Muslim community have been struggling with these problems for years, trying to challenge recalcitrant mosque committees, trying to set up youth projects; they have been well aware of the threat of extremism."
• wisdom for those working in these communities, as well as Christians who come into contact with the Mirpuris each day, in finding ways to build trust and soften hearts that have been hardened.
• Mirpuris Christians, that they will find ways to connect with each other to build strength and wisdom, to share the Gospel with sensitivity and the insight they have into the background of their people, and that they will be able to avoid persecution.
• the British people - those harmed directly and indirectly by the bombings on July 7 and other incidences of conflict.