Christian citizen Rasoul Abdullahi dies in an accident

Rasoul Abdullahi, a Christian citizen and former prisoner of conscience, died following an incident at his home.

Rasoul Abdullahi, a Christian citizen and former prisoner of conscience, died following an incident at his home.

Rasoul Abdullahi, a 55-year-old Christian citizen, died in an accident at his home on Tuesday, July 1, and was buried on Friday, July 3. No information is available about the incident.

This Christian citizen was arrested by security forces on Christmas 2010 and sentenced to two years in prison. He was held in solitary confinement in Ward 209 of Evin Prison for four months and was tortured during interrogations.

One of Rasoul's cellmates, Farshid Fathi, who is also a Christian citizen and former prisoner of conscience, expressed deep sorrow after hearing the news of his death and prayed for and blessed Rasoul's daughter, son, and wife.

He writes about his acquaintance with the apostle, who was then in search of the Christian faith: "I met the apostle 20 years ago. He first contacted me via email and sent a message that he was interested in learning more about Christ. After that, I met him.

I was a little cautious at first, because I didn't know who I was going to meet. We first met in a shopping mall in western Tehran. We had a long conversation, and I was honored to pray with him and guide him to God.

That day, 20 years ago, he became a follower of Christ, and from then on I began a discipleship course with him. He was an educated man, familiar with great poets like Saadi and Hafez, and the author of many beautiful poems. He was a man of study and thought.

For eight months, we discussed the content of the discipleship course on the streets, in coffee shops, and in the same shopping mall.

Finally, after eight months, I told him, “We meet in a secret place like an underground church, and I want to invite you there.” He also joined our underground church.

"After that, he completed a three-month leadership training course and became one of our leaders and church workers. He founded a church in Qazvin, he was a very kind and respectful person."

Farshid shared a memory of his time in prison with him and continued: “Rasool, like many of us, was arrested on December 26, 2010, and his wife was also arrested. He had two children, a son who was about seven or eight years old at the time (the same age as my daughter) and a daughter who was about 13 or 14 years old. He was held in solitary confinement in Ward 209 of Evin Prison for four months and then released on bail in April 2011.

About a year later, I met him again in Ward 350 of Evin Prison. I brought him to my room and he became our roommate and friend in prison. When Rasoul entered prison, as a Christian, he was very sad and withered. He himself said, “After I was released from prison, no one even greeted me; no one came to pray with me, and I was completely isolated.” But during that same time in prison, God began to restore him in an amazing way.

Everyone in prison loved Rasoul. He was a calm, composed, and educated man. After a while, he moved to room number 9 and shared a room with a number of political prisoners, social activists, and other prisoners. Everyone was interested in him. A few days ago, when I announced Rasoul's passing, I received beautiful messages. One friend wrote: "We saw only kindness from Rasoul in prison; he never complained." This was how Rasoul spent his time in prison.

We had precious moments together, especially in prayer. On Sundays, like other Christians, we gathered by my bed and worshipped and celebrated the Lord’s Supper. Later, he was transferred to Rajai Shahr prison, where I was also. Rasoul was finally released from Rajai Shahr. He had been sentenced to three years in prison, but after two years, he was released on parole. I was honored to pray with him and say goodbye before he was released.

His only concern in prison was his family. He worked in a government industry and after his arrest, his house was taken away from him and his family was forced to rent a house with the help of friends. One of the most bitter parts of his story was how he was treated during interrogations in Ward 209. He had been severely tortured, especially in his legs. When I saw him later, he could not walk properly. Only when I realized and asked him did he tell the story. One of the interrogators had even suggested that he file a complaint against the interrogator who had beaten him. Of course, I don’t know if this suggestion was serious or just a pretense, but he had been told: “They had no right to beat you.”

Yes! He was tortured, but there was no bitterness or complaint in him. He was a man who bore his cross with peace and quiet. However, I believe that his time in prison was an opportunity for him to be rebuilt. He himself said, “I was like a parched land, and God brought me back to prison.” This was what the apostle was saying: “God brought me back to prison to rebuild me.”

Farshid Fathi, a 20-year-old friend of Rasoul, says of the image of him left in the minds of his fellow prisoners: "What I remember most about Rasoul is his steadfastness and inner strength. He remained silent during interrogations for 22 or 23 days, even longer than I did, and despite the torture, he did not say anything. He was a very strong man who loved God with all his heart. This is the image I have of him in my mind.

He was not one for show or controversy, he just carried his cross. He loved poetry, he loved Hafez and Saadi very much, and he loved the Word of God. Among those who sent me messages yesterday, two things stood out about him; both were his students in Qazvin before his imprisonment. One of them wrote: “He was a man of God.” Another said: “He was like a solid pillar to me that I could lean on.” Rasool was exactly that kind of person; a kind man with a humble heart, familiar with the Word of God and faithful to the path of God.”

At the end of his speech about Rasoul, he added: "The last thing I want to say is my deep sorrow that we could not bury Rasoul as a Christian. He was not just a Christian, he was a man who suffered and was tortured for God. But now in Iran it is no longer possible to hold Christian funerals for converts and he was buried in an Islamic manner, an issue that has deeply hurt my heart. Nevertheless, we should celebrate his life, because he is now with God and lived for Him. I believe with all my heart that he remained faithful to God, who is the beginning and the end, until the end."