30-Days of Prayer for the Muslim World | www.30-days.net » About Islam http://www.30-days.net What Christians should know about Islamic background, history and culture. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:11:00 +0000 en hourly 1 About Ramadan http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/ramadan/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/ramadan/#comments Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:06:40 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/reveal/ramadan/ Ramadan 2012 / 1433 – The Muslim Month of Fasting

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. It is during this month that Muslims observe the Fast of Ramadan. Dates for Ramadan 2012 (or 1433) are 20 July – 19 August.

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Coinciding with Ramadan, we produce a booklet for the Christian world called, “30-Days of Prayer for the Muslim world” (which can be ordered here ).

The first evening of Ramadan

In many places around the world Muslims will be looking to the heavens this evening. They will be interested in knowing if they will be able to see the crescent moon. If it is visible this will be the signal for the beginning of the month of Ramadan. (In most countries religious authorities will make a proclamation concerning the beginning of Ramadan). No fasting will take place till tomorrow morning. Muslims will rise early to eat their breakfast before the day begins. Afterwards they will not have anything else to eat or drink till nightfall. This will be their daily experience during the next 30 days.

Fasting – Ramazan

Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of the religion of Islam and one of the highest forms of Islamic worship. Abstinence from earthly pleasures and curbing evil intentions and desires is regarded as an act of obedience and submission to God as well as an atonement for sins, errors, and mistakes. Called Ramadan (or Ramazan), Muslims fast during this holy month from the moment when it first starts to get light until sunset. Muslims fast as an act of faith and worship towards Allah, seeking to suppress their desires and increase their spiritual piety. Fasting together as a worldwide community – Ummah – affirms the brotherhood and equality of man before Allah.

Islamic Calendar

The Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle. The month of Ramadan is the ninth month and begins with a combination of the sighting of the new moon and astronomical calculations. The exact time of Ramadan sometimes varies from place to place as some rely heavily on the moon sightings while others depend on science. An Imam (Muslim holy man) will declare the exact time of Ramadan just prior to its commencement. The fasting period ends upon the sighting of the next new moon, which occurs after 29 or 30 days.

The lunar cycle changes each year. For example, this year Ramadan will be 22 August-20 September, but last year the dates for Ramadan were 01-30 September. (See our Islamic Calendar article for details .)

The Meaning of Ramadan

The name Ramadan is derived from the Arabic word ramida or ar-ramad, denoting intense scorching heat and dryness, especially the ground. From the same word there is ramdaa, meaning ‘sunbaked sand’ and the famous proverb Kal Mustajeer minar ramadaa binnar – to jump out of the frying pan into the fire. Some say it is so called because Ramadan scorches out the sins with good deeds, as the sun burns the ground.

The Special Feeling of Ramadan

Ramadan brings out a special feeling of emotional excitement and religious zeal among Muslims of all ages. Though fasting is mandatory only for adults, children as young as eight willingly observe fasting with their elders. Children look forward to the excitement of sighting the moon and eating special meals with their families. Adults appreciate the opportunity to double their rewards from God and seek forgiveness for past sins. As Ramadan emphasizes Muslim brotherhood and community all feel a particular closeness.

Muslims have to change their whole physical and emotional selves during this 30 long days of fasting. A typical day of fasting begins with getting up early, around 4:30a.m. and sharing a meal called Sahur together before the fast begins at dawn, about 5:10a.m. As dawn breaks, the first of five daily prayers, Fajr, is offered.

As the day proceeds, fasting Muslims are constantly bombarded with messages from their stomachs that it is time for breakfast, snack, lunch, and so on. And each time, Muslims remind themselves that they are fasting for the sole purpose of pleasing Allah and seeking his mercy. They offer the second and third prayers during early and late afternoon, respectively.

Fasting helps one to experience how a hungry person feels and what it is like to have an empty stomach. It teaches one to share the sufferings of the less fortunate. Muslims believe that fasting leads one to appreciate the bounties of Allah, which are usually taken for granted – until they are missed!

Throughout the day Muslims are encouraged to go out of their way to help the needy, both financially and emotionally. Some believe that a reward earned during this month is multiplied 70 times and more. For this reason, Ramadan is also known as the month of charity and generosity.

To a Muslim, fasting not only means abstaining from food, but also refraining from all vice and evils committed consciously or unconsciously. It is believed that if one volunteers to refrain from lawful foods and sex, they will be in a better position to avoid unlawful things and acts during the rest of the year.

Breaking The Daily Fast During Ramadan

The fast is broken at sunset. The Prophet Muhammad recommended breaking the fast with dates. Muslims are urged to invite others to break the fast with them. These gatherings are called Iftar parties.

Just after breaking the fast, and before dinner, Muslims offer the fourth of the five daily prayers, which is called the Maghrib prayer. After dinner, Muslims go to their houses of worship, called Mosques, to offer the Isha prayer, which is the last of the five daily prayers. The day ends with a special voluntary prayer, the Taraweeh, offered by the congregation reciting the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam.

The Last 10 Days of Ramadan

The last ten days of Ramadan are considered highly blessed, especially the 27th night which is also called the ‘Night of Power’, or the ‘Night of Destiny’. It is believed that on this night the prophet Muhammad received the first revelation of the Qur’an. For many Muslims, this period is marked by a heightened spiritual intensity and they may spend these nights praying and reciting the Qur’an.

After 30 days of fasting, the end of the month of Ramadan is observed with a day of celebration, called Eid-ul-Fitr. On this day, Muslims gather in one place to offer a prayer of thanks. It is traditional to wear new clothes, visit friends and relatives, exchange gifts, eat delicious dishes prepared for this occasion, and wait patiently for the next year.

We also have a special version “Just for Kids” and families:

What the Bible Says About Fasting

In the Bible, we do not find any one method of fasting required of us, but the Lord Jesus did say however, “when you fast…” (Matthew 6:16), seeming to assume that His followers would imitate His own example. We fast as an outward symbol of our devotion to God, being willing to deny ourselves food for His sake. Fasting adds intensity to our prayer, and often leads to breakthroughs. We do not fast to convince or persuade Him, but rather to identify with His broken heart and with His desire for all mankind to know Him. “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free and that you break every yoke. Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out.” (Isaiah 58:6 &7)

“Why Pray?” Video

Clock from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

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]]> http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/ramadan/feed/ 99 Mohammed, Initial Revelations and Relationships http://www.30-days.net/islam/history/mohammed-revelations-relationships/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/history/mohammed-revelations-relationships/#comments Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:38:01 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/?p=1024 mohammed-arabic-30-days-netMohammed is revered by all Muslims as the last and greatest prophet. In Islam, Mohammed is considered the “ideal man.” Mohammed is in no way considered divine, nor is he worshipped, but he is the model for all Muslims concerning how they should conduct themselves. No images of Mohammed are permitted (in order to prevent idolatry). His name actually means “The Praised One.”

Born in AD 570 in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Mohammed was a member of the Hashim clan of the powerful Quraysh tribe. During much of Mohammed’s lifetime pagan idol worship abounded in Arabia. An estimated 360 gods and goddesses were adored by the Arabs in Mecca, which was a major centre of idolatry in the region. Muslim historians think that even as a boy Mohammed detested idol worship and lived a morally pure life.

Initial Revelations:

According to Muslims, at the age of 40, in AD 610 that Mohammed supposedly began to receive revelations and instruction that he believed were from the archangel Gabriel (Gibrail in Arabic). These “revelations” form the basis of the Qur’an. Mohammed proclaimed that his revelations were the final and superior message from the One Supreme God, although at the beginning Mohammed even doubted that he was a prophet. He banned the worship of idols and established civil and religious order in Medina and eventually Mecca. Mohammed died of natural causes in AD 632 in Medina, Saudi Arabia.

Relations with Jews and Christians:

During his life, Mohammed met many people who were at least nominal Christians. He also learned many religious ideas and customs from Jewish clans that were living in the region of Mecca and Medina. Mohammed’s role as prophet was not accepted by the Jews, leading to serious conflict. Jewish and Christian ideas, practices and history are very present in the Qur’an, although they are often distorted.

Mohammed’s non-Qur’anic declarations, his personal habits and actions serve as a guide for all Muslims. The eyewitness accounts and other stories about his life are called the “hadiths.” The hadiths help Muslims discern what is good and right. Jesus is the ideal human being for Christians.

Prayer Starters:

  • There are millions of Muslims named Mohammed around the world. The name Mohammed is spelled in different ways in various places and cultures: Mohammad, Mohamed, Muhammed, Muhammad, Mahommed, Mehmed, Mehmet, Mahomet, Magomed and even Maxamed. In prayer, cite these names before God.
  • Pray that the Mohammeds of this world would come to know that there is another one who is honoured in heaven and earth and who has a name above all names. May millions of Mohammeds come to faith in the Messiah (See Acts 4:12, Philippians 2:10).
  • Ask the boys in your family to pray today but hold hands together to show you are unified and agree in prayer.
Listen to the Podcast – Basic Islam

Special Section. Pray for the Karanga people of Chad

The Karanga are a people group related to the larger Bantu people. In Chad, they number around 117,000. They speak their own language and live in a small area outside the city of Abeche in South Central Chad. A major source of income for the Karanga is the farming of crops, ranging from groundnuts and sesame to grains and wheat. Much of their planting is based on the amount of rainfall, so drought is always a serious threat to their livelihood. In recent years, the people here have also seen some damage to their crops from grain-eating birds who steal much of their harvest. Little is known about the Karanga. Prayer is needed to see them come to a knowledge of the One True God made manifest in Christ.

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]]> http://www.30-days.net/islam/history/mohammed-revelations-relationships/feed/ 15 When witnessing to Muslims… What to Avoid http://www.30-days.net/islam/howto/to-avoid/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/howto/to-avoid/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:29:48 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/reveal/to-avoid/ witnessing-30-days-net

God created us in His image. We can reflect the Trinity by our manner of communicating, by our friendship and our shared love. We are not called to fight Islam but to make every effort to make Jesus known!

What should we avoid?

1. Do not attack the person of Mohammed, but do not accept him as a prophet either.

2. Do not criticise the Qur’an (Koran).

3. Avoid politically-sensitive subjects and praising Israel.

4. Do not insist on Jesus as being the Son of God. A Muslim will not understand or accept this affirmation. Later, when he has read the Bible or the gospels, you can give him the necessary explanations.

5. Do not enter into discussions about pork and wine. We, as Christians, are sent to proclaim Jesus.

Specific guidelines

1. Initially focus on areas of agreement.

In your first contacts with Muslims and even later it is useful to be in agreement as much as possible with Muslims about our common beliefs. They believe that there is one God, the God of Abraham. In Arabic the word used for God is “Allah” (Christian Arabs also use this word for God). Muslims believe that God made the world, that He knows all things, that He is all wise and very powerful. Muslims do not believe in the Trinity. They believe in angels and in prophets such as Abraham, Moses, David, Noah and Jesus. They believe in the last judgment. In a general sense we can agree on these points, without forgetting the differences. Muslims often feel rejected by Westerners. Affirming our common beliefs enables them listen to us with greater understanding and openness.

2. Have a simple and clear way of presenting Christ.

For instance, take a passage of the Bible. John 5:24 and Romans 6:23 have been used with good results.

3. Use stories.

It is important to tell the stories about the life of Jesus and other men and women mentioned in the Bible. Muslims often use stories in speaking about their own faith. Most Muslims have never had an opportunity to read the Scriptures (many have never fully read their own book, the Qur’an). Learn to use parables, stories and examples from daily life to share your message. In this way your Muslim friends will also retain your words better. It is important to understand their culture, their way of thinking and their historic and religious background. Learning some of their language could be very useful as well.

4. Literature.

Keep an assortment of Gospels, the “Jesus” film, cassettes, CDs and DVDs available in various languages.

5. Seek them out.

Do not be afraid to visit them in their homes and invite them to your own home. If you invite them for a meal buy your meat in a Muslim butcher shop or serve fish. Do not serve alcoholic beverages to Muslims.

6. Argument.

You have little chance of convincing Muslims by reasoned argument. Western logic does not carry the same weight with Muslims and may not even be understood by them. Love your Muslims friends and avoid getting into discussions which push them to defend Islam.

7. The Qur’an (Koran).

You may read it, but do not necessarily use this as the unique basis of witness. Muslims need to meet the Jesus who is revealed in the Bible. If you reads the Qur’an or visit a mosque it is advisable to pray for God’s protection and understanding (Ephesians 6:10-18).

8. Men witness to men and women to women.

Extended witness across gender lines is discouraged, even by correspondence.

9. Prepare them for their first visit to church.

It is advisable to prepare Muslims for their first visit to a Christian church or gathering. You need to explain to them briefly what will happen and what they should and should not do.

10. Opposition to Christianity

When speaking to Muslims they will probably raise objections that our faith in the Messiah is unacceptable for them. Believers need to know about these objections and be prepared to deal with them correctly. Web sites exist for this purpose.

Listen to the Podcast – Helping Muslims Discover the Messiah – What To Avoid

Video: Out of Control

Out of Control from DanStevers.com on Vimeo.

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]]> http://www.30-days.net/islam/howto/to-avoid/feed/ 18 Jesus, the Son of God http://www.30-days.net/islam/howmuslims/jesus-son-of-god/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/howmuslims/jesus-son-of-god/#comments Sun, 18 Dec 2011 01:08:19 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/?p=1004 son-of-god-30-days-net

Muslims almost always object to using the title “Son of God” concerning Jesus. The main reason is that many Muslims believe the phrase “Son of God” implies that God the Father had sexual relations with Mary and that Jesus (the Son) was born of this union. Some understand the Christian Trinity as consisting of the Father, Mary and Jesus. Christians actually do not believe this and like Muslims we find the idea repulsive and blasphemous. Unfortunately this is often the Muslim understanding of the phrase “Son of God.”

The Deity of Christ

The Qur’an does say that Jesus was born of a virgin. Various Muslim traditions ascribe miracles to Jesus such as healing the sick and raising the dead. However, the Qur’an states that He was no more than a human being, a prophet like all other prophets. Islam thinks that Chrisians are trying to elevate Jesus to be God. Yet, the reality is that Jesus is not a man whom we are trying to elevate to be God; rather He is God who humbled Himself to become man.

Islam refuses to ascribe deity to Christ and rejects the doctrine that Jesus is the Son of God.

In Christianity, the title, “Son of God” indicates the majesty, honour and glory of Jesus (2 Peter 1:16-18). The title is tied not only to His divinity but also to His kingship. Nathan’s prophecy in 2 Samuel 7:12-14, one of the early prophecies of the Messianic King, speaks of David’s descendant as God’s Son. “When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me.” It is certain that the early believers understood Jesus’ role as “Son of God” as being related to kingship: “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel” (John 1:49, 11:27, 20:31 and Romans 1:1-5). The messianic king’s appointment was described as begetting a son (Psalm 2:7, Acts 13:33, Hebrews 1:5). You can find a longer article on this subject on our site here “Explaining-Son-Of-God”.

Prayer Starters:

  • May God bring real breakthroughs in this area of Muslim misunderstanding. This subject is one of the most significant hindrances for Muslims coming to Christ. Believers need wisdom in addressing this issue.
  • Pray for Muslims to have a biblical understanding of the phrase “Son of God.” Meditate on and proclaim in prayer the texts cited above.

Special Section: Prayer for the Peoples of Sudan — The Guhayna people

The 1.3 million Guhayna are a largely nomadic people living in Central Sudan. Not much is known about this people group other than that they are Sudanese Arabs who trace their heritage to the Bedouin who wandered the deserts of Saudi Arabia centuries ago.

The Guhayna embrace rigid codes of honour, loyalty and hospitality, the strong role of men in society, the value of children, subservience of women and the five pillars of Islam. To confess Jesus as Lord is not well accepted and has serious consequences. Pray that fear of persecution from Islamic relatives will not hinder the Guhayna as they consider the Gospel. No one is actively reaching this people group.

Pray for missionaries and funds so the Guhayna can hear about Jesus.

Video: Hope Lights

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]]> http://www.30-days.net/islam/howmuslims/jesus-son-of-god/feed/ 415 I married a Muslim – do I throw my Christianity away? http://www.30-days.net/islam/issues/i-married-a-muslim/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/issues/i-married-a-muslim/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:28:09 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/reveal/?p=380 Everyday I wake up next to the man that I married.  He is a Muslim and I am a follower of Jesus.  When we decided to get married, neither of us was practicing our faiths, so it was an easy decision.  In fact, our faiths looked quite similar in many ways and he had convinced me that they were indeed very similar.

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Married 1 Peter 3:1-2

Even though I knew I had married a Muslim, his decision to start practicing (just one year after getting married) came as a huge surprise to me.  It totally upset the balance that we had as two people, each living out our faiths in a very nominal way.  Along with anger at him for changing (as we all do!!), I also felt a growing resentment towards this religion that was stealing my loving, caring husband and replacing him with someone who was so focused on rules, regulations and merciless rituals.  Our romantic relationship took a serious turn for the worse.

The fact that he keeps the rules affects my life a lot.  For example, if we have to be somewhere at a certain time (especially it is something for me, it seems), he’ll want to wait just a little longer before leaving so that he can get the next prayer in.  During Ramadan it is especially challenging because he will basically not touch me all day – and definitely will not kiss me.  This is hard for me, not because I want to kiss him all day (or maybe I do!  :) ), but because I see marriage as an open, living, breathing expression of love and commitment to each other.  Sometimes, physical expression is needed to say what words cannot.  I do think that he errs on the side of caution, especially during Ramadan, in hopes that he will make up for all the other days of the year that he is not following everything to the letter.  I have to rely on God’s grace and wisdom to know how to respond to some of these things that my husband throws at me.

Lately, I’ve been grappling with how I will respond when he wants our daughter to start praying.  This probably won’t happen for a while, but I fear the day that it does.  I try to put things into perspective by weighing what is actually right and wrong.  There is nothing wrong with washing, definitely nothing wrong with praying, or even praying at a certain time (this tradition, I believe, actually came from the Christian church a long, long time ago).  The problem I will have is with our daughter having to state that Mohammed is a prophet and denying the divinity of Jesus.  I keep praying that my husband will come to know Christ before this becomes an issue.

At the same time, there are many things that I can take from Islam and transfer to my own faith.  Their view of God, His omnipotence, His omnipresence, and His sovereignty, is very core to how they see God.  (If we could just throw in the knowledge of God’s love for us all, that would be great!!).  I’ve learned to treat our Scriptures with more reverence.  The goal I strive for is to find a balance between knowing God as a holy, pure and powerful God as well as knowing Him personally, as my Saviour, my friend and the One who loves me more than I could ever imagine!

Ironically, it was this sudden fervour of his that drove me back to my roots – my relationship with Jesus.  Surprisingly, I am actually from a Christian family, grew up attending Sunday School , DVBS, Bible Camp, and even Bible College.  I was a leader in my church and looked up to by many people, as a role model in the faith.   What was the problem?  In one short word … Pride.   I never thought it could happen to me… I was firmly against marrying a non-believer but put in the right circumstances we are capable of anything.

Within a couple months of his awakened faith, I was invited to my friend’s church at Christmas.   I went only because I thought it was the least I could do, being a nominal Christian and all.  God had plans for me though.  I don’t remember what the message was that day, but it made me want to return.  So I did.  The next Sunday, the message was about God’s all-encompassing love and His forgiveness, no matter how deep the sin.  I sat in the front row with my dear friend.  I wept.  God had taken my heart of stone and softened it – miraculously; instantly.  Words really cannot explain what happened in this short moment.

Here I am today, a follower of Jesus.  There are many verses that encourage me, one that I think of almost every day is this one: “Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behaviour of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.” (1 Peter 3:1-2, NIV).  I am challenged to look at my marriage, not as a mistake, but as a sign of God’s forgiveness, grace and love.

Prayer Requests for (Christian) women married to Muslim men:

  • -    That our love for Jesus would grow daily, through time in  the Word and on our knees.
  • -    That we would be led by Spirit in how we live and share Christ – choosing words carefully.
  • -    That we would be well connected to a church body – and sought to be understood and supported.
  • -    Unity, wisdom and discernment in child-rearing.
  • -    A deep steadfastness in the knowledge of God’s love, knowing that God loves our husbands even more than we do.
  • -    The courage to stand in prayer for our beloved husbands.  God has allowed us to become married (whether by disobedience or subsequent conversion) and will give us what we need to live as an example of Jesus in our homes, so that our beloveds would meet Jesus.
  • -    Pray against fear – the future is unknown and that can be very scary for a woman married to a Muslim – pray for increased faith and trust that He who holds our lives has good plans for them.

Editors Note: we have the offer of a Christian women wanting to help other women married to Muslim men. Feel free to leave comments and questions below in the comment section for now. We can always start a Marriage forum if we get enough replies.

Recommended Viewing:

Magdalena - the movie

DVD: MAGDALENA: Released From Shame (Dec 2008)
One woman caught in adultery; another, rejected and ignored because of her promiscuous lifestyle … (by the ‘Jesus Film’ producers) DVD Length: 80 minutes.

Description: Watching with amazement, Mary learned from Jesus a new way to look at people. He also radically transformed her life by healing her from demon possession–releasing her from shame. Mary Magdalene acts as both narrator and participant in “Magdalena: Released From Shame,” as she traces through the story of lives that have come into contact with this man, Jesus, and have been powerfully released from shame. Order today. A must for all women!

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]]> http://www.30-days.net/islam/issues/i-married-a-muslim/feed/ 220 Spiritual Identity http://www.30-days.net/islam/glossaries/spiritual-identity/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/glossaries/spiritual-identity/#comments Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:03:29 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/muslims/?p=2170 Continue praying along the same lines as yesterday. It is important to lay a good foundation for the remaining 28 days.

Remember your spiritual identity. We are the children of God by the blood of the Messiah. We serve the one who has all authority in heaven and on earth. Proclaim these truths in worship. Pray for the following subjects for yourself and Muslim who may be in your town, region or country.

Prayer Ideas:

Where there is bitterness—meekness:

Pray: “Lord, remove all bitterness from my attitudes concerning Muslims. Help Muslims deal with any bitterness in their own hearts.” (Eph 4:31; Hebrews 12:15)

Where there is fear/intimidation—love:

Pray: “Lord, help us overcome fear. Your love casts out fear. Help me to live that way.” Muslims often live in fear of others, fear of evil spirits and fear of death. (1 John 4:18; 2 Timothy 1:7)

Where there is lust—purity:

We and all Muslims need to escape the corruption which is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:4; 1 john 2:16) Muslims are not free from pornography and covetousness. Knowing that we are also tempted, pray for yourself and for them.

Where there is violence—peace:

Many Muslims really do not like the violence that they see in some aspects of Islam. Many reject it and refuse to live in that manner. Pray for them to know the way of peace. May God help us as believers to not be sources of violence and hateful attitudes toward Muslims. (Mt 5:9; Luke 1:78 and 10:5-6; Romans 3:17)

Testimony

Nacima, whose family comes from an Algerian Kabyle background, was born and grew up in France. Her mother had some conservative and folk Islamic beliefs but her father was more open. Nacima learned from her mother that God exists but even so she lived with the fear of death.

Despite the very positive aspects of her family life, school and sports, Nacima found emptiness in her soul. At the age of 18 while in university she and her friends explored questions like “Why am I on this earth? Does my life have meaning? What happens after death? However she did not hear anyone speaking about Jesus as being more than a historical figure. Even after two years of university studies it was clear to Nacima that God exists but she still did not have real faith. Then during the summer of Nacima heard of Jesus in a new way. While visiting her family in Algeria for two weeks her older sister told her how Jesus had transformed her life. Nacima saw that God’s love was manifested through the Messiah, Jesus. In late July Nacima realized the depth of her personal sinfulness. With the help of her sister and the Holy Spirit she discovered the true light. Nacima believed that Jesus died and rose for her and faith took root in her heart. Death had been defeated by Jesus’ resurrection and Nacima’s fear of death was overcome. She found her reason for living; it was to serve the one who gave his life for her.

Listen to the Podcast – DAY 02 – Spiritual Indentity
Video: Pray 4 one

Pray 4 one from Terry Pedigo on Vimeo.

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]]> http://www.30-days.net/islam/glossaries/spiritual-identity/feed/ 21 When witnessing to Muslims… http://www.30-days.net/islam/howto/general/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/howto/general/#comments Tue, 23 Aug 2011 10:33:31 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/reveal/general/ Contrary to what is often thought, it is possible to lead Muslims to Christ. Christian witness to Muslims needs to take into account the context of Muslim culture and religion. In that sense our witness to Muslims will be different from that to other people. The message is the same, the means of proclaiming it is different.

General Principles

1. Prayer.

Pray for Muslim friends and acquaintances. We cannot emphasise enough our total dependence on the intervention of the Holy Spirit.

2. Have a specific goal.

God wants to use us to make Jesus Christ known to Muslims through the gospel. Our goal should be to make the message understandable and accessible to our Muslim friends.

3. Be open to personal and human contact.

We must love Muslims sincerely, manifesting our love through kindness and respect in our relationship with them. Our goal should be to establish a genuine friendship and share our faith in that context. As with all true friendships we need to take time to understand, appreciate and help our Muslim friends.

4. Be patient.

While we can speak freely of our faith from the beginning of our relationship with a Muslim, we should keep in mind that most Muslims will need to hear us many times before they even begin to consider believing in Christ. Do not be discouraged by objections.

5. Explain the gospel in a very simple manner.

Use words and terms which will be understandable to Muslims. Explain the Christian meaning of terms such as sin, prayer, God, Son of God and faith. These often convey another meaning for Muslims.

6. Give your friend a New Testament or a Bible.

Reading these books give Muslims new perspectives on Christianity. Encourage a regular reading of the Gospels in particular.

7. Emphasise God’s perfect holiness.

God calls for righteousness. Man is generally unrighteous and in slavery to sinful attitudes. Neither education nor moral teaching can change this situation. Man needs to have a new birth.

8. Speak of God’s interventions in our own lives.

Tell of His faithfulness, His love, His justice. Muslims do not understand God as one who gives and keeps promises. Your testimony of a real and active faith is very important.

9. Answer objections with kindness.

Do not let yourself be carried away into passionate discussions.

10. Do not be naïve if our Muslim friends express a belief in Jesus Christ and the Bible.

In one sense Muslims do believe in Jesus and the Bible; however, their faith is very different from what the Bible teaches us. They do not believe that it is possible to be in a real relationship with God as we believe. Jesus said that eternal life is to know God (John 17:3). It is not just knowing certain things about God, but to know Him personally.

11. Introduce Muslims seeking the Messiah to a community of believers

Muslims will sometimes be more interested in seeing our believing communities than hearing our best words about the Saviour. As they see our communities may God help us to be the weak and helpless ones who are strong in Him. We all need others. Loving others is right. (1 John 3:14-15) Muslims who coming to faith in the Messiah need others.

12. Depend on God, who is truth, to anchor people in reality

Sometimes we all have been or are deceived. We need clarification and liberation. Only God can give us and Muslims real eyes to see and ears to hear.

Respect, Kindness, Gentleness

These qualities are essential to reach Muslims with the message of the Messiah.

Caring, genuine hospitality may have more to do with helping a Muslim discover the Messiah than many logical proofs and arguments.

Listen to the Podcast – Helping Muslims Discover the Messiah

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]]> http://www.30-days.net/islam/howto/general/feed/ 11 Spiritual Realities http://www.30-days.net/islam/glossaries/spiritual-realities/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/glossaries/spiritual-realities/#comments Sun, 31 Jul 2011 00:20:48 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/muslims/?p=2166

Jesus has called his followers to be lights in a world of darkness. Like all other peoples around the world Muslims have to deal with certain evil, invisible spiritual realities which are manifested in various ways religiously and culturally. These negative spiritual realities are influencing and dominating Islamic civilization as well as Western and Eastern civilizations in general (1 John 5:19). These forces can often be overcome by people who do things the opposite way (or if you prefer, “in the opposite spirit”). Jesus has shown us his way to do this through the cross. In his weakness he actually manifested strength. At the cross the pride of Empire and religion tried to do evil to him, yet the end effect was that Jesus actually manifested his ultimate goodness toward all men. God has given us a commandment: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

In praying for Muslims and in living with them we need to exhibit the life of God. The enemy pushes us as believers to fear and suspicion of Muslims. If we allow ourselves to be motivated by fear, self preservation, and suspicion instead of faith, hope and love we will not be able to bring the Gospel to Muslims.

Prayer ideas:

Today and tomorrow we ask you to worship the Lord. Draw near to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from us. Then pray for the following subjects for yourself and Muslims in your town, region or country:

Where there is pride—humility:

Pray: “Lord, root out any pride within me concerning my attitudes concerning Muslims. Liberate Muslims in my area from religious pride. Bring us all to humility before you.” (Proverbs 8:13, 16:18, 29:23)

Where there is religiousness—relationship:

Pray: “Lord, help me not to be religious but to actually live and walk with you. Help any Muslims in my area to come to know you and not simply accomplish certain religious activities.” (John 17:3)

Where there is legalism—freedom:

Pray: “Lord, help me to walk in the freedom of your Spirit. Help me to be someone who brings real liberty of the Spirit to Muslims.” (Mt 7:3-5)

Where there is suspicion—trust:

Pray: “May we as believers be people who create trust so that Muslims may believe and turn to the Messiah.” (Acts 16:14)

“I will bring to My holy mountain And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.” (Isaiah 56:7)

Listen to the Podcast – DAY 01 – Spiritual Realities
Video: Faith, Hope Love – Hillsong (1:41)

[Internet Explorer 8 needs Adobe Flash 10 to play this.]

For Your Name — HILLSONG LIVE – FAITH HOPE LOVE from Hillsong Church on Vimeo.

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]]> http://www.30-days.net/islam/glossaries/spiritual-realities/feed/ 11 Prayer in Islam http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/prayer/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/prayer/#comments Thu, 19 May 2011 12:32:12 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/reveal/prayer/ Muslims are supposed to pray five times a day at specific times while facing the direction of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Muslim prayer is formal and ritualistic yet many Muslims do make every effort to be sincere and upright in performing their prayers. Muslim prayer is characterised by rules of respect and attitudes of politeness toward Allah. (Please note that all Arab speakers use this word for God – whether Christian or Muslim, though their ideas of God are significantly different.)

“Praying correctly and at the appropriate time is one of the greatest indications of (Muslim) faith and a great sign of true religion”. Prayer is to be done with heart and body cleanliness, with cleanness of clothing and in a ceremonially clean place. The washing of the hands, nose, face, forearms, ears, and feet in preparation for Muslim prayer is important.

The words

Muslims place very strong emphasis on the exact postures and the words of their prayers (which are always in Arabic). Almost all Muslim prayer is concerned with reciting specific phrases from memory. In the course of the five regular prayer times a Muslim will prostrate himself before Allah a total of 34 times and he will repeat the following phrases:

“Allah is greater”
“Praised be my mighty Lord”
“Allah hears the one who praises him”

He will also recite the “Al-Fatiha” or another text from the Qur’an 17 times, the “Shadada” (Islamic creed), and the greeting of peace to all Muslims.

Answered Prayer

Muslims can make requests to God privately after they finish their ritual prayers. However, this is not done as often as Christians typically make requests. Muslims do not believe that God binds himself to his people through covenants. This is a key concept for understanding their attitudes toward answers to prayer and their lack assurance of God’s steadfast love towards them. In addition, because of the fatalism of Islam, Muslims generally have little faith that their requests will alter their circumstances. They generally believe that Allah’s desires (for good or ill) will always be done despite their activities or requests. Trusting in God for specific responses to prayer in the Christian sense is not practised among Muslims. This is a huge difference between Muslim and Christian religious experience.

When Christians speak of prayer they mean direct two-way communication with God. Muslims never expect God to speak back to them directly at any moment and certainly not during prayer. The vast majority of Muslims will say that God only speaks through the Qur’an. Even Mohammed is said only to have heard from God indirectly through an angel. Christian prayer, on the other hand, is a combination of requests, thanksgiving and praise. The Bible says that we should “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and bless (praise) his name” (Psalm 100:4).

Let us Pray…

* Muslims need to come to know the Christ of Christian prayer. Pray that Muslims would come to believe that God Himself wants to communicate directly with them. Pray this specifically for any Muslims that you may know personally. Pray for the Muslims in your city, region and nation.

* Pray for newly-converted Muslims, that they may develop real confidence in God as one who keeps His covenants, makes promises and who hears and answers prayer.

* Christians need to share their prayer experience with Muslims in humility. Pray that God will give us wisdom when describing our Christian prayer experience so that God would be glorified and Muslims could understand Him better.

Video: Ever Wonder How

Prayer Intro from DanStevers.com on Vimeo.

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]]> http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/prayer/feed/ 20 The Islamic Calendar http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/calendar/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/calendar/#comments Wed, 18 May 2011 12:40:11 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/reveal/calendar/ In recent editions of our “30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World” booklet we included the moon in various phases near the titles in all the prayer articles. This is because our month of prayer takes place at the same time as the Muslim month of fasting called Ramadan. This month of Ramadan is determined by the Muslim lunar calendar (corresponding to the lunar cycle from one crescent moon to the next). The Muslim calendar is 354 days long and “retreats” each year by 11 days compared to the Western “Gregorian” Calendar. Therefore the Muslim lunar months do actually “shift” annually over a complete 33-year cycle. Ramadan is often, but not always, 30 days long.

Do you use the moon?

Western urban dwellers hardly dream of using the moon for the calendar, yet for many peoples around the world the lunar cycle is still a major way of understanding time.

In the Bible it is written that God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years” (Gen 1:16). The Jewish calendar was specifically based on the lunar cycle. The names of the days of the week in the Arab or Muslim calendar have obvious origins from Jewish and Christian influence in Arabia.

The following is the list of the days of the week used especially by Arabs and in Islamic nations in general

1. youm al-ahad (first day) – Sunday
2. youm al-ithnayna (second day) – Monday
3. youm ath-thalatha’ (third day) – Tuesday
4. youm al-arba`a’ (fourth day) – Wednesday
5. youm al-khamis (fifth day) – Thursday
6. youm al-jum`a (gathering day) – Friday
7. youm as-sabt (Sabbath day) – Saturday

The first day of the week is Sunday, which is called “youm” (day) “al-ahad” (the first). There is also a Sabbath day (the seventh day), which certainly has Jewish roots, although its original significance as a day of rest has been lost. The present Muslim day of rest is “youm al-jum`a”, meaning the “day of assembly”, which corresponds to the Muslim day of mosque-centred worship (Friday). A Muslim “day” starts at sunset on the evening before the next day: this follows the biblical idea found in Genesis: “And there was evening and there was morning, one day.”

Pagan Origins

It is particularly noteworthy that the Muslim names for the days of the week are remarkably less pagan than their Western counterparts. For example, the word Thursday was originally “Thor’s day” (Thor being the chief god of the Vikings) or – in Latin contexts – Jove’s day (Zeus’ day), which gave rise to words like “jeudi”, the French for Thursday. All the other names for days of the week used in most European and Western countries have similar origins.

How the numbering works

The Muslim numbering for years starts with Mohammed’s leaving Mecca to live in Medina in AD622 – an event called the Hegira. So for example, the year 2007 equates to the 1,428th lunar year since the beginning of the Muslim calendar.

It was not until the rise of the Ottoman Empire that the crescent moon and sometimes a pointed star became symbols that were strongly associated with the Muslim world. (These were not originally Islamic symbols: some Muslims want to remove them from Islam completely.)

Please note: The moon has never been an object of worship for Muslims, though it was an object of worship among Arabs before the rise of Islam.

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