Barnabas Aid works to provide hope and aid for suffering Christians.

The parliament of Iraq has passed an amendment that gives Islamic courts more power to decide on family matters such as marriage and the care of children. Among other concerns, legal experts have said that the amendment could give courts the authority to permit child marriages. Iraq’s law sets the minimum age for marriage at 18 in most cases, but the Jaafari school of Islam that is widely followed in Iraq permits marriage for children as young as nine. The elevation of Islamic courts could also further marginalise religious minorities, including Iraq’s beleaguered Christian community. Pray that our God, who loves justice (Psalm 11:7), will ensure that justice is done for the poor and vulnerable in Iraq.