How are Christians persecuted in Qatar?
- Both native-born and foreign believers face great pressures and restrictions in expressing their faith.
- Conversion from Islam is not officially recognised by the authorities. This can jeopardise the legal status of converts, as well as their ownership of property.
- Hostility to believers can come from their own family and neighbours, making it hard for Christians to keep following Jesus in every part of their lives.
- Foreign believers face discrimination in the allocation of space for worship at the official Religious Complex outside the capital, Doha.
- Christian women who leave Islam can become victims of physical and spiritual abuse, and even so-called ‘honour’ killings carried out by their families.
- If their faith is discovered, Christian men can face divorce or separation from their children. Their employment can also be threatened which risks their financial security.
Why are Christians persecuted in Qatar?
- Qatar’s state religion is Islam, meaning that those who convert from the religion face serious pressures to return. Its culture is bound up with strict adherence to Sharia (Islamic law), exposing and creating great hostility to any deviation from Islamic religious practise.
- Evangelism to Muslims is strictly forbidden, so Christians found sharing their faith in this way can be severely prosecuted.
Who is particularly vulnerable in Qatar?
- Converts from Islam face the greatest pressures from family and community. For migrant workers from a Muslim background, rejection and ostracism often arise from their own national communities.
What has changed in Qatar in the past year?
- Qatar has fallen three places on the World Watch List, but this is because of persecution worsening elsewhere. The level of persecution in the country has not changed.
- The church remains very small, but it is growing – at the start of 2025, the Evangelical Churches Alliances Qatar (ECAQ) started building a new church to serve its congregations. People continue to encounter Jesus through dreams and visions, regardless of restrictions on gospel witness.
How can I help Christians in the region?
Please continue to pray for believers in Qatar. Your prayers are making an enormous difference for those following Jesus amidst persecution.
Open Doors supports the body of Christ on the Arabian Peninsula through raising prayer, distributing Scripture resources, discipleship and training believers and pastors.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the many converts in Qatar who’ve encountered You over recent years. Strengthen, encourage and protect them, provide spaces for them to gather safely, and give them opportunities to share their faith with those who are seeking You. Give church leaders wisdom, discernment and courage amidst scrutiny. Work in the hearts of the authorities and monarchy, drawing them to You through dreams, visions and the faithful witness of Your children. Amen.
