A Refugee’s Bold Mission for Imam Mahdi in Greece

ATHENS — On the bustling streets of Athens, where ancient ruins meet the hum of modern life, a Jordanian refugee named Ahmed Sokour is quietly making his mark. Armed with stacks of flyers and posters, Sokour is spreading a message he believes can reshape humanity: that the awaited Imam Mahdi has appeared.

Sokour, 35, is a missionary of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light (AROPL), a minority faith that claims to embody justice, equality, and humanity-first principles. His path to Athens was paved with persecution, heartbreak, and unshakable devotion to his beliefs.

Ahmed's Journey

Sokour’s journey began in 2015 in his hometown in Jordan, where he first encountered AROPL through social media. Attracted by the religion’s progressive stance—permitting alcohol, eschewing obligatory headscarves, and challenging traditional dogmas—he secretly converted along with his family.

But secrecy did not last long. In 2016, Sokour and his family publicly declared their faith, sparking a cascade of social ostracism. Friends turned to mockery, relatives severed ties, and neighbors saw Sokour and his kin as apostates. In a country steeped in Sunni Islamic traditions, such dissent was unforgivable.

The persecution escalated beyond social rejection. The Jordanian General Intelligence Directorate summoned Sokour and his brother Amer for questioning. What followed was a harrowing ordeal of beatings, humiliation, and threats. "They accused us of being agents of foreign governments and tried to coerce us into renouncing our beliefs on video," Sokour recounted.

Even their home became a target. In 2017, armed relatives stormed their residence, leaving the family to flee Jordan in search of safety. Sokour’s odyssey took him through Turkey, Malaysia and Azerbaijan before he ultimately landed in Athens last year.

A Mission in Exile

Athens has become Sokour’s haven and his pulpit. Each day, he walks the vibrant streets of Exarchia and Syntagma Square, distributing flyers that proclaim the arrival of Imam Mahdi, a central figure in AROPL’s theology. Sokour views his missionary work as a continuation of the "call to truth," which nearly cost him his life in Jordan.

“I’ve lost everything for this faith—my country, my job, my home. But I’ve gained something greater: purpose,” Sokour said.

A History of Persecution

Sokour’s plight underscores the growing risks faced by members of AROPL, who have become targets of persecution across Muslim-majority countries. The release of the group’s official scripture, The Goal of the Wise, in 2021, intensified crackdowns. The text criticizes Islamic tenants of faith and challenges orthodox interpretations of Islam, making its followers easy prey for state-sanctioned violence and imprisonment.

In Jordan, blasphemy laws criminalize any perceived insult to religion, the monarchy, or public morals. Sokour’s social media posts sharing The Goal of the Wise drew the ire of authorities, leading to further interrogations and beatings.

For Sokour, Athens is more than a waypoint—it is a new beginning. While he awaits the resolution of his asylum application, he channels his energy into AROPL’s missionary activities. Despite his precarious legal status and the challenges of starting over in a foreign land, Sokour exudes a quiet optimism.

“The Mahdi has come to guide us toward a better world,” he said. “If I can bring even one person to this truth, then all the suffering has been worth it.”

In the heart of a city steeped in its own history of philosophical and religious transformation, Sokour’s flyers flutter as symbols of resilience and faith, carrying his message of the Imam Mahdi to anyone willing to listen.