What Muslims Believe About The Word From God
For Saturday 12 September, Ramadan 2009. “Loving Muslims Through Prayer”
The following texts are from the Quran
* The angels said: “Mary! surely Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of of the world. Mary! remain obedient to your Lord and humble yourself, and bow down with those who bow in worship. The angels said: Mary, surely Allah gives you good news of a Word from Him, whose name is the ‘Messiah, Isa son of Mary,’ held in honour in this world and the hereafter and of those who are near to Allah. (Al Imran 3:42-43 and 45)
* The Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, is but the apostle of God and His word, which He cast into Mary and a spirit from Him (The Women, 4:169).
Jesus, the Word of God
In these two passages Jesus Christ is clearly referred to as the Word of God and as a Word from God (in Arabic: Kalilmat Allah). One would think that the Qur’an is actually echoing the text of John 1:1 in these passages: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” However Islamic scholars have mounted extensive arguments to say that the Qur’anic title given to Jesus and the biblical idea that Jesus is divine are not at all in agreement. While some Muslims know that Jesus is referred to as the Word of God in the Qur’an, the vast majority do not know what it means and even fewer realize that the same title is given to Jesus in the Bible. Some believers have used the “Word of God” texts in the Qur’an as a starting point for proclaiming the Good News of the Messiah to Muslims.
Jesus, the Messiah
In addition, the Qur’an speaks of Jesus as the Messiah (see 3:45 and 4:169 above, as well as 4.157 and 4.171). Here again the vast majority of Muslims have no idea what it means for Jesus to be the Messiah, because, in the words of one author, “the meaning of the title is almost completely glossed over in Islam.” The word “Messiah” is the same as the word Christ in Greek. It refers to the one who is anointed as king. The term carries with it not just the concept of a good king but also one who is a saviour, a deliverer, who will correct all wrongs and reign in righteousness.
Prayer Starters:
- Pray that Muslims all over the world would be inclined to ask questions and try to understand Jesus’ titles: “the Word of God and the Messiah.”
- Meditate on the following texts and use them in prayer: John 1:1-4,14 and Matthew 16:13-17.
- Ask the children to gather all the Bibles together, pile them up and then pray that Muslims would get to know the Living Word.
Special Section: Prayer for the Burig Peoples of Pakistan
- Language: Purik, Trade Language: Urdu
- Population: 474,000
The Burig and the Baltistani Bhotia (or Balti) are two ethnic groups of Tibetan origin who live in the Karakoram Mountains of northern Pakistan. The only two known Tibetan groups that have converted to Islam, their Tibetan roots can still be seen in their clothing, food, folklore, and language. The Burig depend on glacial runoff to irrigate their crops, and where water is sufficient, they grow barley, wheat, millet, and a wide variety of fruits. Because many Burig live in the northern section of the disputed Kashmir territories of India and Pakistan, their region was closed to foreign travellers for 14 years. Recently, there has been increasing tension between their pre-Islamic traditions and Islam, leaving many torn between the two major elements of their ethnic identity.
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* Pray that as the Burig reconnect with their Tibetan heritage that God would open their eyes clearly revealing Himself to them. He desires for them to be before his throne (Rev. 7:9-12).
I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your posts this year. I think it is wonderful that you are trying to educate people about Islam and what Muslims believe. You are very carefully explaining some controversial topics and doing a great job! Bless you.
Thanks for giving me the privilege to be part of this 30 days prayer for the Muslim world.
I am now in a better place with so much information to effectively witness to Muslim friends. May God continue to give you insight and strategies, strength and boldness as you inform us christians.
My copy of the Qur’an , verse 4:169 reads ” Except the path of hell, to abide in it for ever, and this is easy to Allah.” I love knowing where Jesus is mentioned for witnessing. Thank you for your help.
You should check out one one Muslim is trying to tell the world via e-mail. Check this out!
On Thu, 6 Aug 2009, e.abrahim sent an email with 6 attachments and many live links to thousands of students, faculty and staff at educational institutions in the West, including me, a student at Central Washington University (CWU). He said in his e-mail, ” My Brother/Sister! Hi, peace and blessings of Almighty Creator of You and me and the universe be upon you and your family, Almighty God is calling you… Watch What Last Book of God Quran Says about Birth of Jesus Son of Mary http://www.muslimchannels.tv/index.php?id=32.” He continued,
“Please know: What God’s Last book; Qur’an Teaches about Jesus and Mary (Peace & blessings be upon both). Please Read Qur’an on-line with translation. UTUBE: Dr Brown : Top American Surgeon embraced Islam. UTUBE: Christianity & Islam: Yusuf Estate (Ex Priest) Now Muslim. Utube : Interview with Dr Ingrid Mattson a Muslim Convert (President , Islamic Society of North America). UTUBE : British and American women are converting to Islam every day,” (Etc., etc., etc).
Islamic law makes it a crime to teach the Bible to Muslims, but in the name of religious freedom, they are spreading their lies and propaganda to the naive people in the West. Islam is on a mission to convert the world to Islam through the establishment of Islamic law. Christians, we need to do more than pray! We need to expose their deceptive lies to the naive people of the West and stop the spread of Islamic Law, before it is too late!
Dear Intercessors,
I just found out about this from a friend who works in Washington DC and we can hardly believe that THIS is happening “here” in the United States in our Nation’s capital on September 25th. Please stand in prayer regarding this event — and if in any way you can go to Washington DC and pray on-site, we strongly encourage you to do so. THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE…AND TRAGIC!
Please look at this website and pray!!!
http://www.islamoncapitolhill.com
Here are some ways to pray:
1.) Pray for the protection of the spiritual atmosphere over Washington DC and America as this event is being undertaken.
2.) Pray for the salvation of those Muslims participating in organizing and attending this event! That they would have encounters with Jesus Himself through dreams and visions…and the witness of His believers.
3.) This event is not about Islam being accepted (tolerated) in America — it is about Islam taking over America and Sharia law ruling (search internet about Sharia law and this will shock you…think of the Taliban in Afghanistan). Pray for this event and its purposes to fail!
Remember September 11th 2001 was Islam’s attempt to defeat America through terrorism…now it is coming into our capitol by invitation. Please pray for God’s mighty intervention in this situation. (Joel 2:13-17)
At our Wednesday night prayer meeting, we prayed that God would open President Obama’s eyes to Truth and save him! We had already prayed against this event scheduled for Sept. 25—that the Lord would deliver our Nation from Evil—in all its forms! Thank you, Teresa, for calling attention to this on “30 Days”…Pray also for “the peace of Jerusalem” (Ps. 122:6)
Though I understand the feelings expressed regarding the gathering on Capitol Hill, I can’t help but feel uncomfortable with the “us” versus “them” attitude they reflect.
This is a free country and we know our Lord prevails in the Heavens. It’s not about politics, or whether our country is Christian, is it?
If we’re about loving and reaching our Cousins so they will know the Messiah who is called “a Word from God” in their Qur’an, regardless of our feelings about having our country taken over, should not our first citizenship, and our highest concern be but that they know Jesus and enter the Kingdom?
They are NOT the enemy, are they? Satan is. I write this to remind all of us to reconsider the rhetoric about Sharia law taking over the USA and focus on how we can help our Christian churches build bridges with Islam.
Possibly, churches could set up service areas in DC to provide free drinks and shaded seats for the Muslims during their campaign? That would really be a novel idea and characterize the true spirit of Jesus who asks us to LOVE our “enemies”, (though again, Muslims are NOT our enemies).
Mary
Mary, I hear your heart of love, but loving your enemies is not the same as helping your enemies to kill, steal and destroy you and your loved ones. Like the Mormans, Muslims use the language of the Bible but they are like wolves in sheep’s clothing. They do not believe in Jesus as the Word of God, Spirit of God, and Messiah like Christians do! They are more like the Jehovah’s Witnesses in theology. Islam is one of Satan’s greatest strongholds and it is seeking to dominate the world. The USA is one of the only friends of Israel, because of our Christian heritage, but as soon as Islam is accepted and becomes strong enough in our country, the USA will no longer be able to help Israel and all hell is going to break loose. Jews are blood cousins to the Christians, Muslims are not. Yes, we need to love the Muslims of the world but we also need to speak the truth in love to the Muslims and try to help open the eyes of our blind politicians. Islam is a lot more than a religion. It is a total way of life that makes no separation between religion and government. The problem is, they think they have the final religion from God and they think it is their duty to bring it to the whole world through the establishment of Islamic law.
Dear Joe,
It is sad to hear you speak so harshly about such a great number of people of one religion (For whom we are praying this month)while you speak so uncritically of the Jews.
You are correct, We need to speak truth in love to both groups, and Christians are not doing this to Israeli Zionists who openly do not love God and are taking land from Palestinians by force.
Are we not also cousins to the Muslims through Abraham?
Do not the Muslims believe that Jesus is the same one whom we ourselves worship while the Jews rejected him?
The Muslims wait for Jesus’ return, while the Jews wait for a Messiah to come for the first time. Yes, Muslims believe differently about Jesus , but we share the belief that he is of Virgin Birth, that he is sinless. How much better to build bridges and study our Holy Books together than to build walls and fortresses to protect ourselves from “evil” as others call our Muslim friends.
God chose the Jews and loves them, of course, but I do not see in the NT where He has given us a mandate to make political war against any people group.
Jesus did say that we are to love our enemies and pray for those that persecute us. I don’t see where our nation is called to protect Israel, but rather where we as individuals are called to be living witnesses to God’s Kingdom here on earth.
Where do you get the idea that the U SA has to defend Israel? Isn’t that God’s job?
Isn’t he MORE than capable?
Thank you.
Mary, I love Muslims and want them to come to the knowledge of the truth. But Muslims are slaves to a system that is intent on preventing them from hearing the truth of God’s Word. If we care about Muslims, we cannot allow the powerful Muslim minority to enslave people in America through Islamic law. Their goal is to silence Christians and make it a crime in America for Christians to witness to Muslims in America, just like they are doing all over the Muslim world.
Joe, I have followed what you and Mary have been writing in this posting and I agree with what she says. The Muslims are cousins to us and the Jews through Ishmael. By God’s design, my family name is Ismael – 5 or 6 generations ago, my Javanese forefathers met a Dutch missionary and converted to Christianity.
Please don’t adopt a confrontative attitude towards the Muslims. As Mary says, they are not our enemies, however misleaded they may be. We should pray that the Lord give them light, so the lies of Satan be revealed and that they will realize the Truth. If we are confrontative towards them, this is similar to some extremist Muslim’s attitude towards us, and if this is so, what’s the difference between them and us?
Mary…you really need to read up and learn about Islam and their TRUE agenda. It is very scary when you learn what Islams greater, long-term goals are. Its is Islamic doctrine…that they can lie as long as it gets them vloser tp their goal of Islamic take-over. It’s okay to sign peace treaties (no longer than 10 years in any agreement,though), and breach the agreement–if it gets them closer to a take-over. They certainly do NOT believe in the same Jesus that everyone else,m Jew and Christian, believe in. There are obviously many, many Muslims that are as peaceful as anyone else, Christian, Jew or any other. There are many, many Muslims who do not take the agenda I speak of as serious as the fanaticals…but they’re not the ones we need to worry about. The fanatics RUN countries, they organize and brainwash hundreds of thousands, they have their foot in the door to the nuke room, and they have plenty of power to cause immense, astronomic destruction; not only physical, but damage to relations, political, damage to freedom and that list can go on and on and on. Its a very difficult position for ALL of us, but ALL of our eyes need to be open to the true intentions of Islam.
Mary,
this is a great way of showing the Muslim’s that Jesus is alive and that He does love them. I am in agreement with setting up booths as you stated. We need to love them in prayer and I think that loving them in action will be very powerful. We already know that Jesus is the true Lord of the world and all authority has been given to Him. This could turn out to be the greatest revival ever. Just think of the Power of the Holy Spirit falling on all those at this gathering. Just picture Jesus showing up there. Wow I will keep that vision in front of me. And I declare not one Muslim will leave that hill without experiencing Jesus. We know there has been many Christian prayer warriors that have also prayed in the very same place this gathering will be. And have already taken back the land for God and His kingdom. The Lord has already prepared the way.
What Muslims Believe About The Word From God
Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word… YESHUA… be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Lord God Jehovah, you promised and we believe, Your Word, Yeshua, will accomplish what pleases you in all their lives. You will save those souls, in Yeshua thank you, amen.
God and His Word are one and the same!
Just a small but important correction. My husband says that in Arabic, the Qur’an does say that Isa al Masih is “Kalimat” Allah, which means he is not “a” word from God, but instead “God’s Word”. This is not the translated Qur’an, but the Arabic.
Let us pray that our friends in Islam will know the Word of God!
Dear Ida,
Thanks for your posts. As far as not being confrontational with Muslims, let is not forget, Muslims are the ones who are being confrontational. They are confronting everything that is un-Islamic and they claim they are offended by virtually everything that goes on in non-Muslim countries. Thank God, America is not a Muslim country but if the Muslims have their way, we will all need to submit to Islamic Law, just like much of Europe is already having to. We live in a democratic republic and Muslims are already taking advantage of our freedoms and political system. Soon we are going to have cities in America where Muslims are in the majority, including in the government. Then they will start demanding Islamic Law in their cities. Please read “Introduction: Tenets of Shariah Law” at http://www.stopshariahnow.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=328&Itemid=149. Then click the “Must-Reads” tab. If we don’t resist them, they will continue on like they have for the last 14 centuries, and America’s freedom of religion will become more like it is in Saudi Arabia. I agree that the gospel is the only real answer, but in the mean time, we also need to resist Shariah Law, or there will not be any sharing the gospel with Muslims in America in the future.
Whilst praying in accordance with your guidelines in “30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World” I find that when appealing that Muslims call upon God (e.g. “Lord, remember those who are genuinely seeking Your help this night. May You give them the help they need in such a way that they will understand that it comes to them through the Messiah, Jesus”) I am left with the impression that Muslims are calling upon the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – the Father of our Lord and Saviour the only Jesus Christ who sacrificed His life as a ransom to set us free from sin and the unrighteousness thereof. Are Muslims not appealing to Allah? Allah does not have a Son whom he sacrificed as an atonement for sin? (Sura 2:116, 4:171 etc.) He leads some astray – other on the right path? (Sura 7:155, 10:25 etc) Etc., etc. It makes me wonder?