“I started a fire,” said religious persecution survivor Mariam Ibraheem. Her eyes were stern but kind as she recalled being imprisoned and sentenced to death for her Christian faith. 

Born on Nov. 3, 1987, in a refugee camp in eastern Sudan to a Muslim father and a Christian mother, Ibraheem said “danger lurked in every dark corner.” Disease, abuse and poverty plagued her life. Throughout these hardships, her mother, who had fled the war in neighboring Ethiopia, raised her children to trust and love God.

In 2013, a Shariah court sentenced Ibraheem to 100 lashes and death by hanging for marrying a Christian man. She was condemned for rebelling against her father’s faith and pressured to renounce Christ. Ibraheem was pregnant with her second child at the time and gave birth to Maya while shackled in prison. Her story sparked international outcry from Pope Francis, the United States and other embassies of various governments, eventually leading to her liberation. 

Today, Ibraheem advocates for victims of religious persecution and domestic violence as the co-founder and director of global mobilization of the Tahrir Alnisa, “setting women free.” In an interview with ReligionUnplugged.com during the 2022 International Religious Freedom Summit, Ibraheem shared her story of boldly upholding her faith and her thoughts on the ongoing genocide in Ethiopia.

This conversation has been edited for clarity.

Deborah Laker: What was it like growing up as a Christian in a predominantly Muslim region? 

Mariam Ibraheem: I mostly grew up with my mother. My mother, originally from Ethiopia, had fled war and settled in a refugee camp when she was 10 years old. And then my father is originally from Darfur in West Sudan. He had to leave the area because he was involved in honor killings of his sister and another man from a different tribe. This could have started a tribal war, so he fled the area. He met my mother when he was a bus driver at the refugee camp where my mom was settled. 

I grew up in a staunch Muslim community. So there were so many restrictions. I faced a lot of challenges at school with religious education. As a religious minority — as Christians — me and my siblings were forced to study Islamic teaching and then memorize the Scripture. We were forced to repeat passages from the Quran Scripture that were offensive to us. Some describe the unbeliever and said that they deserved to die. But I am glad I had my mom, who was always sharing with us what she learned from Jesus and praying.

Laker: Your mother was in an interfaith marriage. How did this impact your upbringing? 

Ibraheem: After my father passed away when I was six years old, my mother moved us to a city. My mom had to change our names so my father’s family wouldn’t track us down because my father was involved in an honor killing, as I mentioned. I had no communication with my father’s family. 

I grew up with my mother, who was a Christian. But according to Islamic law, children who are born from an interfaith marriage to a non-Muslim mother must follow their father’s faith. So by the law, I was considered a Muslim. So for me, growing up as a Christian, even if my mom was alive, she could face trouble with the government. She feared losing custody of her children. 

Laker: What events led to your imprisonment? 

Ibraheem: I married Daniel. He was a Christian man from South Sudan and a U.S. citizen. But this was never my plan to come to the states. I started my business in Sudan. I continued serving my church community, building my life and family in Sudan. I love the United States. I love freedom. But at that time, it wasn’t like an option for me. I didn’t want to build my life in a new country. And then all of a sudden, with one police phone call, my life was turned upside down and I had to face trials and prison.

Laker: Tell me about your trial.

Ibraheem: My father’s family came after me. They handed me over to the police. It was big trouble because according to Shariah law I’m not supposed to marry a non-Muslim man. So I was charged with adultery and apostasy because I had a child with that man. No matter what I said to the judge, my marriage was considered invalid.

I was sentenced to receive 100 lashes and death by hanging. So when I say that, a lot of people say, “Oh, my gosh, did this really happen?” And yes this happened to me. The police and the judge told me that’s normal in a Muslim country. The apostasy law is no longer in place in Sudan, but there are many other laws, like the family law and the public law, that are still in place. Sudan still has an issue ensuring religious freedom. 

Laker: How did you maintain your faith in the midst of persecution and adversity?

Ibraheem: When I looked at the situation, I wasn’t a criminal. I did not deserve to go to jail. I witnessed so many injustices, so much suffering and so much brokenness. Even before I went to prison, as a believer, and as a religious minority, we faced persecution on many different levels. But when it happened to me, I knew that God had something for me. I knew his plan is to give me hope and a future, not to destroy me and not to harm me. I didn’t ask God, “Why me?” I asked God, “What do you want to teach me? What is my purpose here?” Because everything happens for a reason.

I had no communication when I was in prison. I wasn’t even allowed to keep a piece of paper. But I prayed, and people got to know about me and my children. They came to pray for me and advocate for us. 

Laker: How did religious freedom advocacy groups aid in getting you out of prison?

Ibraheem: Many people became exposed to the reality of persecution through my story. I started a fire. Many groups came together and called for my release. They prayed at the White House and called for the government officials to step in and advocate for me as well. I am really grateful for the advocacy that was done on my behalf. I was released and relocated to the United States on July 31, 2014. It meant a lot to me. As an immigrant, I’m still learning a lot of things. But I have been able to build a very good community support system. I feel like I belong everywhere I go.  

Laker: There’s an ongoing genocide in Ethiopia. Could you share your thoughts on international involvement in that conflict?

Ibraheem: This is a conflict over land, government seats and power. War is the enemy of humanity. War brings starvation, displaces people and stops development. The Christians in Ethiopia have actually always been targeted during wars. Women also suffer a lot during the conflict. Like my mom lost everything. She lost all her family and then left her own home country.  So it's really sad for me to witness the conflict in Ethiopia because I can see my mom’s face and eyes in every woman and child that are fleeing war.

The international community has a huge responsibility to step in and help. We need to see someone being held accountable for what they've done murdering civilians. We should also be engaging to providing policy recommendations and speaking up about what's happening to these people. We need to share their stories. Stories are so powerful.

Laker: How have you used your story to empower other women? 

Ibraheem: In 2019, I cofounded Tahrir Alnisa with religious freedom advocate Naghmeh Abedini Panahi and Anne Basham, who is a government relations professional. We work to help women escape and recover from domestic abuse and religious persecution. I’m proud to support women by providing housing, food, medical care, legal assistance, and trauma recovery. I also serve on the board of directors for Anti-Trafficking International.

Since leaving Sudan, helping persecuted women has been my life goal and passion. I know my life was spared for a reason and want to spend every moment giving glory to God, both in words and in deeds. 

To learn more about Mariam Ibraheem, read her book “Shackled”.

Deborah Laker is an editorial fellow for ReligionUnplugged.com. She graduated with degrees in journalism and political science from Oral Roberts University.