NASHVILLE, TN – A shocking incident unfolded in Nashville, Tennessee, when a Muslim family was apprehended for allegedly assaulting their son, who had converted to Christianity. The news broke out early Tuesday, as per local media outlets.
The son, who is the complainant in this case, informed the police that he had been subjected to repeated physical abuse and humiliation by his father, mother, and brother, according to the arrest warrant that FOX 17 managed to obtain. The mother, Rawaa Khawaji, reportedly used a knife to inflict a scratch on the back of her son’s right hand, as per the arrest documents.
The son further disclosed that his family had been coercing him to renounce Christianity and embrace Islam again. The police were tipped off by the victim’s employer, who was worried about his safety, prompting a welfare check at the victim’s home.
Upon reaching the location, officers from the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) found the son visibly shaken, with signs of physical assault evident on his body. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for medical care.
The father, mother, and brother were all taken into custody on charges of domestic assault, bodily injury, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Online records reveal that the brother, John Kadum, and the father, Nick Kadum, were released on Tuesday afternoon. However, the mother, Rawaa Khawaji, continues to be held in custody on charges of domestic violence.
This comes on the heels of a recent surge in hate towards Christian groups globally. For instance, a preacher and more than 20 Christians were assaulted during an open-air evangelistic event in Busolwe, eastern Uganda. The assault took place on August 11 and was reportedly carried out by hardline Muslims who took offense to the preacher’s teachings on Christ’s divinity.
The preacher, Robert Faisali Miya, a 34-year-old father of four, was attacked with a thorny object and stomped on during the event. Miya used passages from the Quran to highlight the uniqueness of Christ and the Bible’s affirmation of His divinity.
The crowd of Muslims present at the event began chanting “Allah Akbar” (God is greater). Sheikh Hiisa Mubaraka, a local Muslim leader known for his hardline views, rushed to the podium and pulled Miya down.
According to an eyewitness, some of the Muslims declared that they had been granted the authority by Allah to kill all infidels. One of them sprayed a substance that appeared to be acid, while another assaulted Miya with a thorny object and stomped on him.
In the ensuing chaos, Christians who tried to intervene were assaulted with walking sticks, while other Muslims damaged the event’s audio equipment. The attackers retreated to a nearby mosque, and Miya was rushed to a nearby clinic by event organizers.
Despite the attack, Miya, who converted to Christianity in 2010, stated that the suffering was worth the opportunity to share the Gospel. More than 20 Christians sustained injuries, including head wounds and broken hands.
This incident adds to the growing list of persecutions against Christians in Uganda. Despite the country’s Constitution and other laws guaranteeing religious freedom, including the right to propagate one’s faith and convert from one faith to another, incidents of religious intolerance involving Muslims, who make up no more than 12% of Uganda’s population, are not uncommon.