Christian Child Forced to Marry Muslim Man in Pakistan

Muhammad Asad abducted 12-year-old Fairy Shaukat, daughter of an impoverished Christian widow, on August 9, from a shop near her home in Kasur District, Punjab province. The Muslim man then forced the child to convert to Islam and married her.

Marriage to a minor is illegal in Pakistan, and a proposed bill called the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2024, would raise the legal age for marriage even higher, from 16 to 18. But when Fairy’s mother, Parveen, reported the abduction and Islamic marriage certificate sent from an unknown number on WhatsApp, police delayed so long the child still has not been found. (August 28, Christian Daily International-Morning Star News)

Every year in the 98% Islamic country of Pakistan, hundreds of Christian and Hindu girls face abduction, abuse and forced marriages to Muslim men. Most of the victims fall between the ages of 14 and 18, but the second highest number are below the age of 14.

Pakistan ranks seventh on Open Doors’ World Watchlist of most dangerous countries for Christians. About 75% of its 2.5 million Christians live in Punjab state, where they are heavily persecuted for their faith. With 828 unreached people groups comprising 99% of the population, most Pakistanis have never heard the Good News about Christ.

Lord, be a mighty Shield around Fairy. Wherever she is, fill that room with Your presence and angels. Fight for her heart, mind, body and life. When Muhammad and anyone else seeks to do evil acts against her, block them by Your mighty hand. Open their eyes to see Your angels guarding her, and strike them with fear of the Lord. Visit them constantly in dreams as they sleep and in visions in broad daylight. Be so real and so loud they cannot ignore You. Do not relent until these evildoers are apprehended and she is free. Even then, do not relent until they repent and choose salvation. Make them an example to other Muslims. Show Yourself strong on behalf of Your people. Prove to every Muslim that You are not a God of abuse, violence and hatred. Give them a longing and hunger for something more. For Truth, not lies. For Hope, not fear. For Good, not evil. For Love, not hatred and violence. For Life, not murder.

Father God, please have mercy on every girl who has been abducted in Pakistan. Comfort families whose loved ones are missing. Build networks of caring and courageous law-enforcement officers, special ops units and others who will do what it takes to stop abductions, bring down trafficking rings, dry up their funding, and rescue those in danger all throughout the Muslim world.

Strike abductors with fear of the Lord. When they reach out to take someone, intervene, O God. Stand in the way. Fumble their hands. Block their every move. Press in with laws, people who intervene, law enforcement officers, angel armies and more to frustrate their efforts and force them to abandon their evil plans. Meet them in their dreams. Let them see with their own eyes Your angels guarding the innocent. Give them such powerful encounters with You that they tremble in fear and fall to their knees in repentance and surrender. Put Bibles in their hands. Connect them with the Gospel in miraculous ways, so that they know beyond any doubt You are calling them to Yourself. And save them, O God, by Your mighty hand. Forgive their sins and transform their minds and hearts, conforming them to Yours. Use former traffickers who now follow Christ to expose trafficking networks and shut them down, rescuing abducted women and returning them to safety.

With Your felt presence, comfort each woman or girl who has been abducted and overwhelm her with Your peace. Meet her powerfully, especially in times of terror, shielding her from harm and showing her where You are and what You’re doing. Let her see Your angels protecting her and guiding her to safety. Heal her heart, mind and body, and set her free in all ways. As You rescue her, provide Christian counselors, ministers and others to help her to healing in Your arms.

We ask You, Lord, for an awakening in the hearts of Muslims bent on evil. Break them from the chains that bind them to the evil one, and open the way for their salvation. Give them a hunger for You so deep they will turn from their evil ways, seek You with all their hearts and find You.

Mikaela Vincent and her husband are missionaries who live by faith, trusting in God to provide for their needs as they pray for and share Christ with the nations. If you would like to help their ministry through giving a donation, shopping at Mikaela’s online bookstore, praying for them or inviting them to speak at your church, retreat or other event, click the buttons below:

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