Remember?

"Muslim kids 3 or 4 years old in Toronto are being taught about *beheading* on Youtube", stated a friend. We googled the subject and found it. In today's climate, the video clip is ripe for misunderstanding. It took place at a Muslim school where kids re-enacted part of Shia Muslims' history(Ashura) similar to how Christians re-enact the crucifixion of Christ. Ashura falls on Aug. 8th this year.

We had only been in Pakistan for a week. My wife and I with our 2 year old daughter went for a stroll in the bazaar of the town we made our first home. All was going well until we approached a mosque. The doors flung open, people poured out and men were wailing and beating themselves with chains and ropes until their chests and backs bled. Our instinct was to get out of what appeared to be a dangerous situation. What we didn't know was that on this very day, the 10th of the Islamic month of Muharram(Ashura) Shia Muslims commemorate the brutal martyrdom of Hussain, their first leader.

In the West, during Muharram Shias gather at their mosques for potlucks and remember the death of Hussain. We asked one of our friends what they do. "We cry". It all happens within the four walls of the mosque. In the West, people on the outside don't know about this event.

A few years ago I heard a Sunni Muslim give a sermon during Friday prayers at the mosque. According to tradition Muhammed came to Medina and saw Jews fasting on the 10th of Muharram(Ashura). They were doing so in memory of the Children of Israel rescued from Pharoah. So Muhammed fasted that day and told Muslims to fast.

The Sunni-Shia split happened after Muhammed died and there was a dispute over who should be the new leader. Sunnis appointed the new leader(Caliph) but Shias insisted on Hussain, the grandson of Muhammed to be the new leader. There were several battles fought over this issue which ended with Hussain being killed. To this day these two Muslim groups remain distant from each other and sometimes clash. Shias who represent 15% of Muslims focus on their saints. They erect shrines where they go for pilgrimages, believing that the dead saints will intercede to God on their behalf.

Is there something redemptive we can use for witness to Muslims during Muharram? Don McCurry, in the following quote from 'Healing the Broken Family of Abraham: New Life for Muslims' points to a connection between Christians, Jews, and Shia Muslims:

"Shias believe Hussain(martyred at Karbala in A.D. 680) died for his people. In other words, there is in Shia Islam an idea of vicarious atonement. The Shias celebrate this martyrdom during the first ten days of the first month of the Muslim calendar(Muharram) with passion plays re-enacting the suffering and martyrdom of Hussain, which reach a climax on the tenth day of Muharram. As pointed out earlier, the tenth of Muharram corresponds to Ashura, the Jewish Day of Atonement(Yum Kippur)."

Shia Muslims are responsive to the suffering Messiah. Isaiah 53 is a good starting point for discussions.

Lord Jesus, we pray that we would be instruments of comfort and hope especially for the Shias around the world who remember their first leader but also suffer from persecution from within their religion. Amen.

The Hajj

"...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith... Hebrews 12:2

Eid al Adha(The Sacrifice) is one of the rituals during the annual Hajj season. Every Muslim needs to complete this pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia at least once in their lifetime. The focus is on seeking Allah's forgiveness. The Hajj involves 5 days of prescribed activities. See Hajj (click).

Going on the Hajj is a huge expense for poor Muslims. Rahmat was the foreman of the crew I supervised at a church-run hospital in Pakistan. He saved up all his working years to go on the Hajj. When his application for the pilgrimage was finally accepted based on a quota system, Rahmat prepared diligently with special lessons. Since he never travelled far beyond his village, Rahmat was in for a BIG shock to see busy airports and extravagance. He was left speechless to see masses of people from different nations going through the various stages of the Hajj.

'Daoud', a troubled Christian young man employed by the hospital, spent hours with a Muslim auditor who came periodically. After one of these visits, the local Imam announced over the mosque's loudspeakers that Daoud had converted to Islam. I asked Daoud what brought him to this decision. He said, "Christianity has no centre like Mecca." I said something like "Christianity's centre is Jesus". Our qibla(direction of prayer) has no earthly co-ordinates.

Do the maths...just over 2 million people(1/3 from Saudi Arabia) are allowed to go on the Hajj every year. With 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide, the vast majority of Muslims will never have a chance to go on the Hajj. Yet this is a key requirement(in Muslim understanding) that increases one's chances of getting into heaven. But they also have a system of sending someone as a proxy to perform the Hajj for another Muslim unable to travel or if ceremonially unclean. There are many desperate Muslims who go on the Hajj. Every year many elderly are injured or even crushed to death by the throngs of people. Numerous Muslims go on an Umra, also called the 'lesser Hajj'. Btw, did you know that Mecca is closed to all non-Muslims?

Muslims talk about being awestruck when they enter the 'Sacred Mosque' in Mecca built around the Kaaba--the focus of their ritualistic prayers. No doubt there is a ton of synergy. Wouldn't it be wonderful if Muslims on the Hajj would have a vision of Jesus?

Sadly, most Muslims are unaware or cannot accept the fact that all the Hajj rituals predated Islam--they were adopted from paganism! Most Muslims haven't heard or understood that only through Jesus' sacrifice can our sins be forgiven and through him we have hope of entering heaven. Jesus' followers are called 'children of God'--far better than being called 'hajji' after completion of the Hajj.

We too are on a pilgrimage. "This world is not my home, I'm justa' passin' through..." we used to sing. The focus of our pilgrimage is Jesus. In heaven we'll worship and celebrate forever in the presence of God. This is the very best news mankind can ever receive. And the invitation to join in this pilgrimage is open to everyone!

Oh Lord Jesus, have mercy on Muslims who perform the hajj this year. Please meet them, even at the Kaaba and show them the way to God. Amen.

Eid al Fitr

See Praying for the Muslim world (click) for a daily prayer guide.

"...imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one...'Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!' Count on it--that's the kind of party God's angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God." Luke 15:10 The Message

Ahmed said "The last ones to see the new moon are sometimes the first to see the crescent moon." In other words, there is a reluctance to fast so you avoid it or finish ASAP.

For Muslims who fast Ramadan it's been an arduous month of discipline and sheer determination to follow the rules. Some read through the entire Qur'an and abstain from anything that they would consider to contaminate the soul. They are relieved that it's over again although some are saddened by it coming to a close. Once the moon appears again 29 or 30 days later, Muslims prepare for a party, their Eid celebration.

On Eid day Muslims get up in the morning, take a shower/bath and get dressed in new clothes or their best clothes. The first step is to go to the mosque for Eid prayers. If there isn't enough space then a bigger venue is rented to accommodate the crowd. There is no prayer call for the Eid prayers even in Muslim countries. Over there it's common for the mosque crowd to spill over onto the street, blocking the traffic. You just got to wait until they are done.

Following the Eid prayers, they go around congratulating each other and hugging. Now they are free to eat or drink all day. All grudges are to be forgiven. Its a new start of broken relationships or a renewal of friendships. I remember some of the invitations we used to get for Eid celebrations. We knew our hosts wanted to go and visit their Muslim friends so we had just a limited amount of time to chat with them and eat the special foods they had prepared. In Muslim majority countries this is normally a 3 or 4 day holiday.

Parents or other relatives often give their kids gifts during Eid to buy candy or toys. It is common for the religious to make extra donations during the month of Ramadan to assist the poor or underprivileged. Some years ago Saudi Arabian billionaire Prince Al Waleed donated a jaw dropping $32 billion "to foster cultural understanding, empower women, and provide vital disaster relief, among other things."

What response should we make when Eid arrives? When practicing Muslims go around to congratulate one another with 'Eid Mubarak' they really do view this as an accomplishment and during Eid prayers pray that God would accept these religious deeds and reward them. It's very much a 'Muslim event'. So Muslim friends don't normally invite us to Eid celebrations. We prefer waiting for a few days and then be in touch with them and ask "How was your Eid?" or "How did you celebrate?" rather than congratulating them. Muslims assimilated into western society don't celebrate like their older relatives. Some don't want to take extra time off and just keep the celebrations simple.

Dear God, now that Ramadan is coming to a close help me to re-engage with my Muslim friends and continue sharing the Good News that can make the whole year blessed. Amen.