Those who convert from Islam face severe persecution from family and community.
bottom“Pray for me that the Lord keeps blessing me. Pray for this country, which has a lot of problems. May the people who live [here] be away from darkness.”
– Nadia*
*Name changed for security purposes
In the Comoros islands in Southeast Africa, religious minorities, especially Christians, are subjected to extreme constraints when it comes to discussing their faith—openly or otherwise. For Christian families, particularly converts from Islam, the challenges are even more acute. They must send their children to Islamic schools or face alienation. Public worship or even conversing about Christianity in public spaces can be interpreted as proselytising, a punishable offence.
Anyone suspected of converting to Christianity can be ostracised by the larger community, creating an environment where religious freedom doesn’t exist. Because of this, many Christians—especially those who have converted from Islam—are forced to live out their faith in secret.
Little has changed in Comoros. Sunni Islam continues to be the dominant religion in this country, where more than 98% of the population is Muslim. Christians are a pressured minority; converts experience this even more acutely. In 2025 alone, there were multiple instances of believers being persecuted, psychologically and physically, for their faith in Jesus.
As Comoros is a very small country, persecution is the same throughout the nation. Converts from Islam are most at risk and evangelicals face legal penalties for any type of evangelism. Female converts endure social ostracism, close family surveillance, and disinheritance. Christian women are also vulnerable to domestic violence, community rejection, and trafficking. Christian men face intense family and community pressure. Some have been forced to flee.
– Ask God to protect and sustain Christians who convert from Islam.
– Pray for Christians forced to follow Jesus in secret, as being revealed as a believer means brutal persecution.
– Comoros is a tiny nation, making Christians an easy target. Pray that God will provide community for church leaders and churches.
Through local partners, Open Doors supports Christians throughout East Africa with discipleship programs and economic empowerment initiatives.
