Befriending Your Muslim Neighbor

Jesus commissioned His people to reach the whole world with the good news that God is love. What a beautiful message to share worldwide. However, many of us cannot go to the mission field, so what a blessing it is that God is sending the mission field to us.

There are 2.35 million Muslims spread across the U.S., 58% of which are immigrants. Chances are, if you live in a larger city, one of your neighbors is Muslim, your children go to school with Muslims, one of your co-workers is Muslim or perhaps your doctor is a Muslim.

My interest in Islam was sparked by my family’s connection with the Balkans, namely Serbia and Montenegro, ruled by the Ottoman Empire from roughly the 1300s to World War I.

Today there remains a legacy of bitter religious animosity as well as, in a lighter vein, a national addiction to Turkish coffee, and the language is heavily sprinkled with Turkish words. Though at odds with each other, our cultures and history are intertwined.

The years after World War I saw the total demise of the Ottoman Empire. The Western world by and large ignored Islam as a force in international politics except for Middle Eastern oil until Islamic terrorism affected it — then Islam caught the West’s attention politically.

Spiritually, as Christians, we cannot ignore the salvation of the 2 billion people who follow Islam worldwide. This article focuses on being able to intelligently dialogue with the Muslims we meet.

Islam is not a monolithic whole; there is a wide range of Muslim beliefs stretching from the very secular to the highly religious. But in common with all people, Muslims desire to understand who God is and what He is like. Islam pictures God as vengeful and severe — hateful to His enemies. We know our God as kind and self-sacrificing, doing whatever He can to restore and draw all people to Himself. 

History of Islam

According to Islamic tradition, Muhammad — an Arabic pagan trader from Mecca born 570 A.D. and died 632 A.D. —  began receiving visions from God through the angel Gabriel around 610.

Gabriel told Muhammad to recite the messages given to him because Muhammad could not read or write. The first people to believe that Muhammad was a prophet were his first wife, Khadija, and Abu Bakr, a close associate. Muhammad continued to gain followers in Mecca, many of whom followed him in 622 to Medina.

By 629, Muhammad gained control of his birthplace, Mecca, through armed conflict and political maneuver. Muhammad died soon after in 632 which precipitated a crisis of succession. Abu Bakr became the first caliph — meaning successor — of Muhammad as the chief Muslim civil and religious ruler.

Islam spread throughout the Middle East by conversion and largely by military power. By 750, Islam had spread to present-day Spain and northwest Africa along the Mediterranean basin into Egypt, Syria, Persia and Afghanistan. By 1250, Islam had spread to large parts of Africa, India and into Greece, the Balkans and significant parts of today’s Russia.

This, of course, put Islam into direct confrontation with the Eastern Christian Roman Empire with its capital in Constantinople. The Ottoman Turks rose as a conquering power in the 1300s. They overran the Balkans and Greece and captured Constantinople in 1453.

In the west, the Spanish monarchy slowly expelled the Muslims from 1492 to 1610. During the Ottoman conquests, its head of state held the title of caliph until the title was abolished by Ataturk in 1924. Isis was a modern-day attempt to re-establish an Islamic caliphate. 

Quran, Koran or Qur'an 

Quran, Koran or Qur’an are all variant English spellings for the same Muslim holy book. Traditionally, it is believed that the revelations given to Muhammad were written down by his followers beginning in the year after his death. 

The Quran is divided into 114 chapters, called surahs, with each surah comprised of numbered verses. Muslims believe the Quran is the literal word of God, dictated by God, given in Arabic — the language of heaven — and therefore translations can never be adequate. 

Some scholars dispute that the surahs were collected shortly after Muhammad’s death. Some scholars even dispute the existence of Muhammad as a historic figure. See the work of Jay Smith, Christian apologist, available on YouTube and in his course books called Radical Evangelism to Muslims if you would like to learn more.

Arabic is the only language in which Muslims are allowed to recite the Quran in their mosques, even though many followers of Islam are not Arabic speakers. There are, however, translations of the Quran into other languages. In fact, one can even get a free English Quran at this website.

In addition to the Quran, there are the hadiths — writings about the life of Muhammad that Muslims believe are authoritative. Some of the hadith are considered reliable and some less so, but all of them describe Muhammad as the model man, even though he did some pretty outlandish things according to understanding.

For example, according to the hadith Sahih Bukhari 5:58:236, Muhammad married Abu Bakr’s daughter, Aisha, when she was 6 or 7 and consummated the marriage when she was 9 years old. Muhammad was also given divine permission to marry his adopted son’s wife (Surah 33:36–38). Though Muslim men may only have four wives (Surah 4:3), Muhammad was given divine permission to have more than four (Surah 33:50).

Muhammad is revered as a prophet and believed by his followers to be the final prophet given to the world whose revelations supersede the revelations in the Old and New Testaments. Muslims believe the Old and New Testaments are authoritative but were corrupted.

For those challenged by a Muslim regarding the reliability of scripture, the study of how the Jewish Masoretic text compares to the second-century Dead Sea Scrolls is a fruitful study as well as the works of Dan Wallace, Dallas School of Theology textural critic. 

Western readers will most likely find the Quran a strange amalgam of sometimes rather disjointed and sometimes absurd sayings such as God causing those who broke the Sabbath to become apes as referenced in Surah 2:65; 4:47; 5:60; 7:163–166.

In addition to some far-fetched sayings, there are many surahs from borrowed sources that show up in the Quran — some of them very absurd sounding, such as the story of Jesus speaking from the cradle and then later molding a bird out of clay and bringing it to life. This story can be found in apocryphal Christian writing: The First Gospel of the Infancy of Jesus Christ (fifth century A.D.) and the Infancy Gospel of Thomas (second century A.D.). 

Sunni, Shia, Sufi or Ahmadi

During the life of Muhammad, great strides were made in taking over territory by conversion or more likely by conquest. After Muhammad’s death, there was a crisis of succession. Sunni Muslims, the present-day majority, believe that legitimate succession should be by Muslim choice, while Shia Muslims believe that rightful succession belongs to the line of Mohammed.

Two large sects you may encounter are the Sufi and Ahmadi. Sufis try to reach oneness with God through physically active meditation such as swirling and repetition.

Ahmadi Muslims believe their founder, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, was a prophet, thus a direct contradiction of one of the major tenets of Islam that Muhammad is the final prophet. Ahmadis are also proponents of the peaceful spreading of Islam and are often persecuted in the Islamic world.  

Jesus, Abraham and Ishmael

There is significant overlap between Muslim and Christian beliefs but some distinct differences. Muslims accept Jesus — Isa in Arabic — as a venerated prophet. They believe in His virgin birth, performance of miracles, that He was brought to Heaven and that He will return to the earth before Judgment Day. However, Muslims do not believe Jesus actually died on the cross and do not accept Jesus as God.          

Muslims accept Abraham as a prophet and a progenitor of the Arabs. Muslims agree that Abraham and Sarah were husband and wife. They also acknowledge that Ishmael was the son of Abraham through Hagar, Sarah’s Egyptian handmaid but believe that Abraham was directed by God to sacrifice Ishmael, not Isaac.

Muslims agree that Hagar and Ishmael were sent away. A distinctive Muslim belief is that, after Hagar and Ishmael arrived in Mecca, at some point Abraham and Ishmael rebuilt the Kaaba — Islam’s holy place in Mecca — together. Muslims believe the Kaaba is the house of God, and they direct their prayers to the Kaaba five times a day. 

Pillars of Islamic Belief

Islam means submission. A Muslim is one who submits his will to God. There are 5 pillars of Islam:

1. Reciting the Shahadah with conviction. “I bear witness that there is no god, but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God.” Reciting the Shahadah makes one a Muslim.
2. Salat or prayer. Five times a day, a devout Muslim prays toward Mecca. The prayers begin with the Exordium in the first Sura of the Quran: "Praise be to God, Lord of the Creation, the Compassionate, the Merciful, King of the Last Judgment! You alone we worship, and to You alone we pray for help. Guide us to the straight path, the path of those whom You have favored, not of those who have incurred Your wrath, nor of those who have gone astray.”  Unfortunately to many Muslims, Jews have incurred the wrath of God and Christians have gone astray. They are reminded of this wrath of God against Jews five times a day. A quick search of the internet will convince readers that many Muslims believe Jews have incurred the wrath of God and that Christians have gone astray. 
3. Alms. A prescribed portion of income is donated to needy community members or designated for worthy projects such as hospitals, schools and mosques.
4. Fasting. Fasting is obligatory for all healthy adults during the daylight hours during the month of Ramadan. After sundown, food is allowed. 
5. Pilgrimage known as the hajj. Every healthy Muslim who can afford the trip must make at least one visit to Mecca lasting five days. Most walk around the Kaaba seven times and participate in other traditions while in Mecca.

Theology of Islam

Islam does not have a central religious authority such as the pope for the Catholic Church. Teaching power is centered in the local mosque, and an imam is generally the person in the local leadership position. Islam theology looks to the Quran and the hadiths for its teachings.

In the Quran, God is described as an all-knowing, all-powerful, creator of all. However, God seems to delight in war and fighting. Sura 2:216 for example says, “Fighting is obligatory for you, much as you dislike it. But you may hate a thing although it is good for you, and love a thing although it is bad for you. God knows, but you know not.”

While an understanding of the Great Controversy between God and Satan is central to Seventh-day Adventist theology, the Quran has a widely different explanation of the subject.

Surah 15:23-41: “We created man from dry clay, from black moulded loam, and before him Satan from smokeless fire. Your Lord said to the angels: ‘I am creating man from dry clay, from black moulded loam. When I have fashioned him and breathed of My spirit into him, kneel down and prostrate yourself before him.’ 

The angels, one and all, prostrated themselves, except Satan. He refused to prostrate himself with the others.

‘Satan,’ said God, ‘why do you not prostrate yourself?

He replied: ‘I will not bow to a mortal whom You created of dry clay, of black moulded loam.’

‘Begone,’ said God, ‘you are accursed. My curse shall be on you till Judgment day.’

‘Lord,’ said Satan, ‘since You have thus seduced me, I will tempt mankind on earth: I will seduce them all, except those of them who are your faithful servants.’"

Other profoundly different practices are that Muslims gather at their mosque on Friday afternoon for prayers but do not appear to have a 24-hour day of weekly rest (Sura 62:9).

All quotes from the Quran are from the translation by N.J. Dawood and published by Penguin Books in 1995.

Traditions You Should Know About 

Islam stretches from its birthplace in present-day Saudi Arabia through Africa, to India, Pakistan, the Far East, Indonesia and the Philippines to name just a few countries.

Islam does not generally treat women as equal partners although considering its vast geographic and cultural spread, there are differences among the various groups. Horror stories about women being murdered by family members to maintain the honor of the family abound. Marriages are generally arranged, sometimes without female consent.

Domestic violence is condoned by the Quran as seen in Sura 4:34-35: “Men have authority over women because God has made the one superior to the other, and because they spend their wealth to maintain them. Good women are obedient. They guard their unseen parts because God has guarded them. As for those from whom you fear disobedience, admonish them and send them to beds apart and beat them. Then if they obey you, take no further action against them. Surely God is high, supreme.”

One of the most horrific treatment of women deals with female genital mutilation, a practice found in some communities in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Somalia, Sudan and Egypt. Though outlawed in some countries, female genital mutilation is still practiced. See hrw.org and fgmcri.org for full information on female genital mutilation.  

Reaching Out

Perhaps because they believe they have God’s final word on religion and perhaps because they have never been challenged, devout Muslims are generally open to talking about their faith. This is certainly one of the best avenues to religious discourse. The primary thing is not to be reticent in presenting the gospel to a Muslim.

On a very practical level, newly immigrated Muslims in the U.S. may need physical help and honest advice about how to navigate this new culture. Some may need help learning English via ESL classes, some children may need tutoring and some may need help accessing the legal system to escape an abusive relationship.

A dear faithful Christian man once gave me some sterling advice: If your friend lives in a dilapidated house, there is no need to point it out; start building a beautiful house next to her dilapidated one and soon your friend will leave the dilapidated house and move into your beautiful house.

(However, should it be absolutely necessary to point out the cracks in her house there is abundant help available — See advice below for “How to be respectful to a Muslim.”) 

Ayaan Hirsi Ali, born into a Muslim family in Somali Muslim and subjected to female genital mutilation at a young age, fled to Holland in 1992 to avoid an arranged marriage.

In Holland, the 23-year-old Ali had a new world opened up to her, a world where women were of equal value to men and women could have the advantage of an education.

Though at one time a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Ali disavowed Islam and embraced atheism. In 2004, to represent the experience of Muslim women, Ali wrote the script for a short movie directed by Theo Van Gogh called Submission.

Angered by the film, Mohamed Bouyeri, a Dutch-Moroccan, murdered Van Gogh. One can see why Ali turned from Islam to atheism. However, in a recent interview on Unherd, Ali explained she now identified as a Christian.

Amid a personal crisis, she saw a number of therapists but with no final resolution to her crisis. A new therapist challenged Ali to consider whether she was having a spiritual crisis and whether she would be willing to explore her issue spiritually. Ali agreed. Knowing that Ali had a terrible view of God, the therapist asked her to describe what God would be like if she, Ali, were to design God’s character in the way that she would like Him to be. Ali went through the exercise and then realized that she had described Jesus. Watch as Ayaan Hirsi Ali explains during an interview how she accepted Christianity.

Many Muslims have a picture of God that is extremely unlike the God that we know and love. Let’s challenge ourselves to respectfully convey a picture of our loving God to the people around us — including our Muslim neighbors.

How to Be Respectful to a Muslim

Islam is a way of life that is very rule-oriented. If we are to reach Muslims, we don’t want to break any of the rules that are so dear to their culture.

NEVER

• NEVER shake hands with your left hand.
• NEVER sit with crossed legs while talking to a Muslim.
• NEVER inscribe a name that should be respected or reverenced on the floor where it can be stepped on. (Some churches used floor mats with the church name inscribed on them.)
• NEVER use Muhammad’s name without using “prophet” in front of it. Using “your” prophet would probably be non-offensive to either a Christian or Muslim.
• NEVER put the Quran or the Bible on the floor or under other books.
• NEVER allow your Muslim visitors to stand at your door without being immediately welcomed into the home.

ALWAYS

• ALWAYS greet a Muslim friend with these words: As-salamu alaykum (the peace be upon you).
• ALWAYS use a respectful title when speaking with an elderly person.
• ALWAYS take off your shoes when visiting a mosque.
• ALWAYS attempt to invite a Muslim person to your home in order to show friendship.
• ALWAYS smile and welcome your Muslim visitors when they come to visit you — make them feel especially welcome.
• ALWAYS offer your Muslim guests something to drink as soon as they arrive.
• ALWAYS introduce yourself as a part of the People of the Book, a non-drinker, non-smoker, non-eater of unclean meat.

Continued Learning

Learning About Muslims:

• Global Center for Adventist-Muslim Relations
• Crescent Project — founded by Fouad Masri, Lebanese-born pastor, to help Christians understand Islam
• Al Fadi’s Story — the story of Al Fadi, Saudi Arabian, becoming a Christian
• Nabell Qureshi Apologetics — Nabeel Qureshi converted to Christianity from Islam and speaks on the crucifixion.
• Apologetics 315 — David Wood, friend of Nabeel Qureshi ,takes a different, sometimes abrasive approach to evangelizing Muslims. He believes Muslims respond better when they know you are wholeheartedly serious. It seemed to work with Nabeel.

Outreach to Muslims:

• Jesus Film Project — Many former Muslims attribute their conversion to watching the Jesus movie in their own language — 2095 languages are listed.
• Refugee Assimilation Project — Paradise Valley Adventist Church has ESL programs, community gardens and a thrift store in San Diego, California.
• World Bibles — Help your new friend find a Bible in his or her own language.

Arabic Resources Online:

• Adventist World Radio in Arabic
• Loma Linda broadcasting in Arabic 
• Hope Channel MENA — programming in harmony with Adventist teachings
• Amazing Facts Storacles
• Bible Universe / Amazing Facts Study Tools
• Adult Sabbath School Study Guides in Arabic
• Sharing Literature — Steps to Christ, Desire of Ages and other titles available in Arabic
• Appealing to Muslims — Website designed by Rudy Harnisch, Adventist, to appeal to Muslims through validation of practices and Islamic understandings that are in alignment with Christianity.

Islam and Prophecy:

• Daniel 11 Seminar — Dan. 11 yearly seminars held in Berrien Springs, Michigan
• Islam and Christianity Seminar — Tim Roosenberg, Adventist evangelist, has a series of videos on Dan. 11 explaining his understanding of the role of Islam in prophecy.