Ismailis in Najran, Saudi Arabia Honor Their History

Najran is a booming city in Saudi Arabia.  From a population of only 47,500 in 1974, it has erupted to an official population of 246,880 in the 2004 census (some believe the actual count may be 500,000).  Most of the inhabitants are of the Banu Yam tribe and are Ismaili Shiites.  This means that they accept Ismail ibn Jafar ( the Ismailis) as the successor to Imam Jafar as-Sadiq, rather than Ismail's brother, Musa al-Kazim (the Twelvers).  The Ismailis are more metaphysical and mystical than the Twelvers.

About 524 AD/CE, the Jewish king of Himyar (South Arabia), Yusuf As'ar Dhu Nuwas (aka Yusuf As'ar Yathar) invaded the area and demanded that the Christian inhabitants become Jews.  When they refused, as many as 20,000 were martyred by being thrown into fiery ditches and burned to death.  Charred bones have been found during excavations of what locals call "al ukhdood," "the trenches."

The modern Ismailis of Najran are outsiders, considered to be heretics by Sunni Muslims.  They consider the Christian martyrs to have been heroes and one modern Najrani clearly stated how they feel. "This story means so much to us.  Our life and our struggle today comes from those martyrs who gave their lives for their beliefs."

Christmas in Iraq

If your church received bomb threats that it would be destroyed if church services were held on Christmas, would you attend? If your church had to be protected by armed policemen in order for services to be held, would you attend? Would you feel safer if the men of your church surrounded the area with large dirt berms (hills) to impede the approach of suicide car bombers? Would you announce your identity if Christian men were being shot while walking down the street? Would you put up your Christmas tree and house lights?

All of these things are happening right now in Iraq. Although they may be becoming less public about it, the majority of Iraq's approximately 750,000 Christians continue to meet and worship. One Iraqi woman, Ann Benjamin (??), is quoted in The New York Times of 23 December, 2009 as saying,"I am not afraid of going to church - even if I die there. I will be happy to die in God's home."