8/26/2025 Somalia (International Christian Concern) — A recent article we posted on our website about Christian persecution in Somalia and our support for the underground church there went viral, sparking both positive and negative reactions.

The article, Serving the Hidden Church in Somalia, was originally published in May. It received the usual responses on our Facebook, Instagram, and X accounts — expressions of sadness for what our brothers and sisters in Christ endure in Somalia, promises to keep them in prayer, and a desire to help them.  

However, shortly after we recently reposted the article, a Muslim Somali influencer named Ahmed Showqi shared it on his TikTok account. It garnered about 1.4 million views, more than 62,000 likes, and more than 24,000 shares. He also shared it on other social media channels. Here’s a translation of what he said in his video:  

“There’s a Christian organization called International Christian Concern and many others who are reaching out to the underground Christian community in Mogadishu, and this organization said that the number of Christians in Mogadishu alone is 1,500!  

“Although these Somali Christian are hidden in the community and they fear persecution, and this organization said that they are helping their needs and already have visited their underground Christian community, and they have set up safe house and paying for the rent and food for some the leader in Mogadishu so if you don’t know what’s going on the country you can see more Christian reports about Somalia if you googled this page International Christian concern website and you will see how much Christian in our country and how they’re hiding inside Mogadishu!  

“We must be aware and protect our vulnerable people like women and children and the poor people who are being targeted by these Christian organizations, and, like this woman in her photo on the page, there are many women like her who are living in Mogadishu!”  

The negative comments quickly poured in, mostly in the Somali language. Here are a few of the more incendiary ones we translated:  

“May Allah destroy the people who are underground … May Allah’s curse be upon them.”  

“Allah is Perfect. Allah, protect the faith of the Somalis. Let’s destroy the church where it is found. Let’s fight against it.”  

“They should be burned. If a person leaves the religion of Islam, they have no place to be sent to the hereafter. They don’t have the right to live, and repentance is closed.”  

“Know that the infidels should be caught and hanged.”  

As the influencer mentioned, the original article included a photo of a veiled woman. The woman, however, is from another country, and the photo was used as a representative image. Due to threats made against the woman in the photo on social media, we decided to remove the picture. We don’t want to incite violence against women in Somalia who may resemble her.  

We share this information to help readers understand the severe challenges Somalis face when they leave Islam to follow Jesus. International Christian Concern’s (ICC) 2025 Global Persecution Index listed Somalia as one of the most dangerous places to be a Christian. The radical Islamic group al-Shabab, which is working to create a caliphate in Somalia, has stated that it will kill any Christians it might find. 

In Somali society, faith and national identity are deeply intertwined. Those who leave Islam are often seen as abandoning both their religion and their nationality.  

As a result, it is illegal to become a Christian or share the gospel. It is also illegal and dangerous to own a Bible. When someone’s Christian faith is discovered, they are often immediately killed — even by family members.

It also highlights the risks and challenges our workers and those of other nonprofits responding to persecution can encounter. 

Of course, our prayer is that Somali Muslims — including those who are most critical of our work and the presence of Christianity in their country — will listen to the gospel themselves, rather than judge prematurely. More importantly, we hope they will take the opportunity to learn about the common and understandable misconceptions that Muslims often have about Christianity. 

We also pray that our followers will demonstrate the love of Jesus when they choose to engage with Somalis or anyone else online. After all, one of Christ’s most challenging commands is that we love everyone. Jesus sums this up best in Matthew 5:43-45: 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” 

To read more news stories, visit the ICC Newsroom. For interviews, please email press@persecution.org. To support ICC’s work around the world, please give to our Where Most Needed Fund.