1. Can you give me important clues so that my relationship with my new Muslim friend won't be derailed?
A.“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and
mind, and your neighbour as yourself.” is the starting point for an effective ministry. The subject of Islam can be overwhelming but remember what your core message is.
B. Prayer
Prayer for yourself, the messenger--that you would be an effective communicator of God's love.
Prayer for him--that he would have a desire to know Christ as you flesh it out what a Christian looks like.
Prayer with him is also important when you see he has a need like an exam, a job, or a problem with a relative(raise your hands like Muslims do in prayer, in Jesus name). Prayer teaches a lot about your relationship to God.
Prayer for yourself, the messenger--that you would be an effective communicator of God's love.
Prayer for him--that he would have a desire to know Christ as you flesh it out what a Christian looks like.
Prayer with him is also important when you see he has a need like an exam, a job, or a problem with a relative(raise your hands like Muslims do in prayer, in Jesus name). Prayer teaches a lot about your relationship to God.
C. Friendliness
Friendliness and taking initiative are of utmost importance in sustaining a relationship with a Muslim man.
Enjoy getting to know your new friend. Quite likely family is very important to him.
Feel free to share of your journey in life--be transparent
Friendliness and taking initiative are of utmost importance in sustaining a relationship with a Muslim man.
Enjoy getting to know your new friend. Quite likely family is very important to him.
Feel free to share of your journey in life--be transparent
D. Cultural sensitivity
Take cues from your friend.
Normally men connect with men, women with women.
Take off your shoes when entering his home.
Take cues from your friend.
Normally men connect with men, women with women.
Take off your shoes when entering his home.
E. Religious sensitivity
If serving food, ask your friend if he has any 'allergies'(he'll probably mention forbidden foods).
Handle your Bible(or NT) respectfully(don't place on the floor).
Don't criticize Islam or Mohamed.
If your friend is interested in visiting church, tell him what to expect. The Friday prayer service at the mosque has no frills(no jokes or music).
If serving food, ask your friend if he has any 'allergies'(he'll probably mention forbidden foods).
Handle your Bible(or NT) respectfully(don't place on the floor).
Don't criticize Islam or Mohamed.
If your friend is interested in visiting church, tell him what to expect. The Friday prayer service at the mosque has no frills(no jokes or music).
F. Use your Bible
Help your friend to see that your final authority for life and faith is the Bible.
Carry a nice looking New Testament in your pocket or read from your Smart Phone.
When he is ready, give him a New Testament in his heart language and direct him to Matt. 5 for a start.
Help your friend to see that your final authority for life and faith is the Bible.
Carry a nice looking New Testament in your pocket or read from your Smart Phone.
When he is ready, give him a New Testament in his heart language and direct him to Matt. 5 for a start.
2. How much of his language do I need to know to talk about spiritual topics?
If in North America most likely you are dealing in English with your friend. The following religious Arabic words and phrases are quite universal among Muslims. If you learn to pronounce and understand even a few of these, your friend will be pleased as punch. Note: ("pronounced...")
Alhamdulillah("al-hum-du-lil-lah") - praise be to God
Allah("al-la") - Arabic for 'God', used by Muslims and Arab Christians
Hadith("ha-deeth") - collection of what Mohamed said and did
halal("ha-lAl") - permitted food(similar to 'kosher')
haram("ha-rAm") - food not permissible according to Islamic law
Injil("in-jeel") - the Gospels
Inshallah("in-shal-la") - if God wills
Islam("iss-lAm") - religion preached by Mohamed
Jahannam("ja-han-nam") - Hell
Jannah("jan-nah") - Heaven
jinn("jin") - good or bad supernatural beings
Koran("kor-An") or Qur'an - Muslims' holy book
Mezan("may-zan") - scale on which good and bad deeds are weighed by God
Muslim("muss-lim") - follower of Islam
Nabi("na-bee") - prophet
Salamalekum("Sa-lam-a-le-kum") peace be on to you
salib("sa-leeb") - the cross
Sheitan("shay-tAn") - satan
Tauret("tau-rate") - Books of Moses, Torah
Walekumassalam("wa-le-kum-as-sa-lam") - and peace be on to you
Zabour("za-boor")/ Mazameer("ma-za-meer") - book of Psalms
3. What are some important Arabic names in the Qur'an?
Adem("A-dem") - Adam
Dawud("daw-ood") - David
Ibrahim("ee-bra-heem") - Abraham
Isa al Masih("ee-sa-el-ma-see") - Jesus the Messiah
Maryam("mar-yam") - Mary, mother of Jesus. Only woman mentioned by name in the Qur'an
Mohamed("moo-ham-med") - prophet of Islam
Musa("Mu-saw") - Moses
Nuh("nu") - Noah
Yusef("you-sef") - Joseph
4. What are the standard beliefs and religious practices of Muslims?
Although there are many variations of Muslims, they all believe in God(Allah), the Qur'an although many haven't read it, and that Mohamed was the last messenger from God.
The 5 pillars of Islam/practices of Muslims:
1. Recite "There is no god but Allah and Mohamed is his messenger." in Arabic.
2. Pray memorized Arabic prayers five times a day, facing Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
3. Give money to the mosque to be distributed to the poor and needy.
4. Fast during the fasting month of Ramadan, from dawn until dusk.
5. Go to Mecca once in a lifetime.
5. What spiritual topics can be bridges to a Muslim's heart?
Muslim men talk about religion like we talk about the weather. When the time is ripe an easy opener is to ask him what he knows about one of the following. Then you can share what the Bible teaches without critiquing what he has talked about. Pray that it will lead to a desire to read the Word of God.
1. God* - Deuteronomy 4:35(one), 1 John 4:8(love), 1 John 1:5(light, no darkness)
2. Satan
3. Angels* and demons(jinn)
4. Many prophets*, including Jesus
5. Virgin birth, miracles, teaching, second coming, and names of Jesus
6. Bible books* of Moses(Tauret), the Psalms(Zabour or Mazameer), and the Gospels(Injil)
7. Sin and day of judgement*
8. Heaven and Hell
*5 Muslim beliefs based on the Qur'an.
6. What are the main Muslim celebrations?
Eid al Adha("eed-el-ad-da") - commemorating Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son
Eid al Fitr("eed-el-fit-ter") - celebration ending the month of fasting
The Night of Power
Maharam
The Birth of the Prophet
under construction
7. What objections do Muslims often give for not accepting the Gospel Message?
1. The Trinity--Many Muslims believe that Christians worship three gods: father, son and Mary.
2. Son of God--Muslims understand this term to mean that God has a partner or a physical son.
3. Reliability of the Bible--Muslims are told that the Bible has been changed and replaced by the Qur'an.
4. Need of a Saviour--Qur'an states that Jesus didn't die on the cross. Muslims see no need for a Saviour.
If objections are raised, answer them as briefly as possible. Many times they are mere smoke screens. They simply don't want to go there. Encourage a Muslim to read the Injil(NT) since it will help him to understand.
8. Are there 'denominations' in Islam?
Yes, the main divisions(like denominations) in Islam are:
Sunni - about 85%. Saudi Arabia is predominately Sunni
Shia - about 15%, Iran is predominately Shia
Besides these there are subdivisions:
Ahmediyya - believe Mirza Ahmed followed Mohamed as a more recent prophet, they are very missionary minded yet peaceful.
Ismaili - Shia Muslims with unique beliefs, allegiance to their leader(Agha Khan), many business people, most humanitarian of Muslims.
Fundamentalist/Islamiscist, Practising and Secular Muslims
Sufi - a Shia or Sunni Muslim whose focus is on inward experience, charismatic.
Folk/Popular Islam - because most Muslims emphasize God's transcendence, many turn to pagan or Hindu practices to supplement their Islamic faith.
Sunnis often emphasize pure Islam based on the Qur'an and the Hadith. Shias emphasize traditions, veneration of Muslim saints, and suffering during Maharam(when they beat themselves).
9. My problem is I can't remember where certain verses or stories are in the Bible. How can it work to take my Bible with me on visits when I can't remember where the verses are? (Source)
You could write down on an index card or in the front blank page of your Bible where key stories or verses are found. These are just a few samples:
Protection/Safety: Psalm 91 (seems to be the #1 favourite passage)
Warning Against Occult Activities: Deuteronomy 18:10-14
God's Love for Us: 1 John 4:7-19
Power of Jesus: Romans 8:38-39
Jesus is the Good Shepherd: John 10:1-14
What Sin Can Look Like: Galatians 5:19-21
Beginning of Sin and its Effects and Consequences: Genesis 3
Hagar and Ishmael: Genesis 21:8-21
Revenge and Forgiveness: Matthew 5:38-48
Jesus Can Forgive and Heal: Luke 5:17-26
Jesus Can Expel Evil Spirits: Mark 1:21-28 (power over evil eye, too)
Jesus Calms the Storm(and our storms): Mark 4:35-41
Jesus Can Give You Rest From Burdens: Matthew 11:28-28
Jesus Reveals His Deity and Gift to a Woman: John 4
Miraculous Conceptions: Luke 1:5-23(Elizabeth), 26-45(Mary)
Stories of Salvation: Luke 15
Book of Life: Revelation 20:11-15
Heaven: Revelation 21:3-4
Jesus' Death, Burial, Resurrection and Authority: 1 Peter 3:18(concise)
Jesus Broke the Power of Death and Satan: Hebrews 2:14-15(fear of dying)
10. Where do I start with simple Bible studies with a seeker or believer? Below are my friend Dan's suggestions.
Here are some of the basic points we try to touch on when sharing, building on the OT characters and stories that are already familiar to most Muslims. Of course questions, illustrations and personal stories/testimony are sprinkled in as well.
*Creation - God is perfect and created everything perfect and pure.
*The Fall - Adam and Eve obeyed Satan and their hearts were contaminated with the disease of sin and they had to shamefully leave the garden (Muslims don't believe in the fall of man).
*Cain kills Abel - the heart disease of sin was inherited by their children...and every generation since.
*Abraham's sacrifice - God loved Abraham and his son and provided a sheep as a substitute so the son could live (Muslims still practice this 'Qurban' sacrifice annually).
*Sacrificial system - from then on the prophets performed the sacrifices (without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin).
*Prophecy - prophets said one day God would provide a Messiah, the perfect sacrifice as a substitute for all who believed in Him (even the title of 'Messiah' is used for Jesus nine times in the Qur'an but it is never defined).
*John - was the first prophet to recognize Jesus as the Messiah ("Look, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!")
*Jesus - was qualified to be the perfect/pure one to wash away our sin/shame, because he had no human father from whom to inherit the heart disease of sin, and he never sinned (even the Quran says he was born of a virgin, sinless, healed people and raised them from the dead, went alive to heaven and is coming back one day)
*Clean hearts - even though we can wash the outside of our bodies but we cannot wash our hearts, not even by keeping all the religious regulations. Our only hope to be pure is in God's plan to wash our hearts of sin.
*Believe - it's not about what we can do for ourselves, it's about believing in God's Messiah and what He has done for us.
