Pray for Qatar

Qatar occupies a small desert peninsula extending into the Arabian Gulf, sharing its only land border with Saudi Arabia. Its sweeping sand dunes meet an extensive coastline. The falcon is deeply respected in Qatari culture and historically acted as an essential companion in the harsh desert. For Qataris, this bird embodies patience, honor, skill, and self-reliance — mirroring the attributes that Qatari people aspire to. Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, the nation grew from quiet fishing and pearling towns into one of the world’s highest-earning nations, driven by massive oil and natural gas reserves. This rapid growth attracted millions of international workers from South Asia, Southeast Asia, and neighboring Middle Eastern countries, who now make up over 90 percent of the labor force.

Political parties are prohibited, and freedom of expression, assembly, and association are limited. Journalists, activists, and critics may face legal consequences for certain forms of speech. Migrant workers, who make up the vast majority of the population, struggle to easily change jobs or escape abusive employers. Most are not citizens and do not have any political rights or means to create change. Although reforms have been put in place, they are rarely well enforced, and employers can easily work around them. Women are also severely limited under the male guardianship system. They must have male permission to marry, travel abroad, work in many government jobs, and even access health services.

More than 80 percent of the population is Muslim, and it is forbidden to criticize the ruling family or Islam. Even so, Christians are generally allowed to worship in government-designated compounds, and evangelicals make up approximately 1–2 percent of the total population. With remarkable unity across denominations and nationalities, the Church is highly international and is largely made up of expatriate communities. The percentage of believers among Qatari citizens is far smaller. It is illegal to share the Gospel with the Qatari people, and those who convert from Islam often face legal challenges, social pressure, and family rejection. Pray that the Gospel would take root in the hearts of all people in Qatar.