30-Days of Prayer for the Muslim World | www.30-days.net » beliefs 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 Why pray for Muslims? http://www.30-days.net/ramadan/why-pray-for-muslims/ http://www.30-days.net/ramadan/why-pray-for-muslims/#comments Fri, 20 May 2011 07:14:12 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/?p=987 Common and yet different values and beliefs

Believers in the Messiah, Jesus, have many beliefs and values in common with Muslims, not only concerning faith-related issues but also moral values. People from both faith communities agree that our world has become a dangerous place. Believers in Jesus and Muslims can both be in agreement concerning the following text in 2 Timothy 3:2-5:

“… Men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.”

Common Values

Believers in the Messiah and Muslims share similar common values for daily living: faithfulness (to God and in relationships), honesty, compassion, honour, humility, chastity, self-sacrifice, mercy and love.

Same God?

Muslims and Christians believe that there is one God, but are we worshiping the same God in word and deed? One might also ask: In a time when many people think that all roads and all religions lead to the one true God, why should one pray for Muslims to come to salvation? Does it make any difference? Are they not already accepted by God?

Certainly Muslims are loved by God. Without doing anything they are loved by Him. God counts Muslim children and adults as precious. He loves every aspect of their languages, food, attitudes and daily life which are truly good and right. However, this does not mean that Muslims have entered into eternal life or have had their sins forgiven.

Let us pray for Muslims so they
can enter into the Messiah’s
eternal kingdom.

Muslims are not inspired by the hope of a new world in which Jesus, the crucified and risen Messiah, reigns as King. Most Muslims have actually been trained not to believe that Jesus died and rose again. In general they know little of His forgiveness. They believe that Jesus was a prophet sent from God but they generally never think of Him as God’s appointed King who reigns over the nations (Mt 28:18-20). It is precisely “believing the Gospel of the Kingdom” which is a problem. Like all people everywhere and in all cultures, Muslims are called to turn from evil and believe the Gospel of the Kingdom. Most Muslims around the world have not even had an opportunity to hear the Good News of Jesus’ death for sins and His resurrection, which liberates us from the power of sin, death and demonic bondage.

For various reasons which will be discussed later in this prayer guide, Muslims do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Believers in the Messiah are always rejoicing that “God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10).

Jesus has come so that we can have life and have it in abundance (John 10:10). Therefore let us pray for Muslims so they can enter into that life in the Messiah’s eternal kingdom.

Video: The Broken

Change the World from DanStevers.com on Vimeo.

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]]> http://www.30-days.net/ramadan/why-pray-for-muslims/feed/ 7 What Muslims Believe About The Word From God http://www.30-days.net/islam/howmuslims/beliefs-word-of-god/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/howmuslims/beliefs-word-of-god/#comments Sat, 11 Dec 2010 00:14:31 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/?p=1073

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).

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.

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.

* 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 Mt 16:13-17.

Prayer for the Peoples

Pakistan – The Burig people

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.

* 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).

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]]> http://www.30-days.net/islam/howmuslims/beliefs-word-of-god/feed/ 4 Muslims and the Spirit World http://www.30-days.net/islam/culture/muslims-spirit-world/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/culture/muslims-spirit-world/#comments Tue, 07 Dec 2010 00:33:56 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/?p=1059 Deliver them from evil

Muslims worldwide are often afraid of evil coming from the spirit world. This fear is a source of profound unspoken anxiety for many. Islam has a complex and multifaceted set of beliefs about the invisible forces at work around us. Theses beliefs also vary greatly from one region and one people to another. Muslims not only believe in the existence of angels but also in Jinn (Djinn), who also populate this world.

Jinn, Muslims believe, are very similar to humans: they have their own social organisation and activities, yet they can also change their appearance and become visible or invisible at will. Most Muslim theologians believe that Shaitan (Satan, also called Iblis) belongs to the Jinn. These beings were supposedly created just before the creation of mankind. They do both good and evil. The term “Jinn” is related to the English word “genie” known through Arabian folk stories.

Prayer Starters:

  • Jesus is the true Lord of the world. All authority has been given to Him. Pray that Muslims would experience Jesus’ saving ability to deliver them from the powers of darkness. May believers be more able to help Muslims in this realm.
  • Pray for Muslims you know and others using the following texts: Matthew 8:16, 10:1 and Acts 5:16, 8:17.

Special Prayer for the Gayo Peoples of Indonesia

The Gayo people (pop. 300,000) live in the remote central highlands of the Aceh Province on the island of Sumatra. Their homeland reaches heights of over 2,000 metres, extending over hundreds of kilometres. The Gayo speak in two dialects but do not have a written language. They pass down folk tales and oral stories in the form of poetry. Their main source of income is farming, coffee, fishing and forest products. Their embroidery has colourful gold designs. They need medical workers to improve health conditions. Predominantly Muslim, most Gayo also worship and make offerings to spirits, saints, and ancestors. There are no known Gayo believers ands no one is specifically taking the Gospel to them. See Acts 26:18.

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]]> http://www.30-days.net/islam/culture/muslims-spirit-world/feed/ 7 What Muslims Believe About the Cross http://www.30-days.net/islam/howmuslims/muslims-and-the-cross/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/howmuslims/muslims-and-the-cross/#comments Fri, 26 Nov 2010 00:09:10 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/?p=1045 Most Muslims do not believe that Jesus died on the cross

They said boasting, “We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah”; but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them …. for surely they killed him not. No, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise. (Qur’an, Chapter “The Women” 4.157-158)

There are a variety of Muslim opinions concerning the last days of Jesus and His crucifixion and resurrection. Early Islamic scholarship appears to be largely silent about the subject. Indeed the vast Hadith collections (traditions about Mohammed) of the Islamic scholars Burkhari and Muslim say nothing about the crucifixion.

Most Muslims believe that death by crucifixion was not a worthy death for a good prophet like Jesus. Based on the Qur’anic passage cited above, the majority of Muslims in our day say that Jesus never went to the cross. It is commonly thought that He was taken up into heaven without dying and that someone else died on the cross in His place. There are several variations on this theory, but many Muslims say that Judas, the disciple, was actually crucified instead of Jesus. Supposedly he was made to look like Jesus and was crucified as a punishment from God because of his betrayal. Other Muslims believe that Jesus was crucified but He survived and died later or that He survived, then was elevated to heaven and did not die at all.

Prayer Starters:

  • Believers in Jesus need to explain Christ’s death and resurrection simply and with much care. Muslims need to understand why the Messiah needed to die and how His resurrection brings us new life.
  • Pray especially that Jesus would be increasingly revealed to Muslims as the victorious one who has overcome our sin and guilt, bondage to evil spirits and the horrors of death to bring us salvation. Pray for Muslims in your region, country and elsewhere according to Luke 24:19-26 and Acts 3:13-16.
Download the Crucifixion PDF, an in-depth look at the subject, history and consequences of the cross, death and resurrection of Christ. A must for those who wish to discuss the subject with Muslims. Crucifixion.PDF

Special Prayer Emphasis – Pakistan’s Western Baluch people

The 1.2 million Western Baluch of Pakistan are part of a larger Baluch community of more than 8 million people whose homeland straddles the borders of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan.

The Baluch have overcome the obstacles of living in an extremely harsh, arid climate. They make their living as farmers (their chief crop is wheat) and as semi-nomadic sheperds (raising sheep, cattle and goats). Basically self sufficient, they rely on their own skills to build homes and develop the tools necessary for daily life.

Prior to the coming of Islam, the Baluch were probably followers of Zoroaster, but today they are Sunni Muslims. Their societies are organized into clans and tribes ruled by male elders and ultimately chiefs.

  • Pray for the heads of clans and families to come to Jesus.
  • Ask for teams / workers doing relief and development.
  • Pray for other Baluch believers to share their faith with these Western Baluch.
  • Pray for the Scriptures to soon be available in Western Baluchi.
  • We have a number of articles about Pakistan beginning here …>>

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]]> http://www.30-days.net/islam/howmuslims/muslims-and-the-cross/feed/ 5 The Gospel and Culture http://www.30-days.net/islam/culture/religious_cultural/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/culture/religious_cultural/#comments Wed, 10 Nov 2010 09:17:58 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/?p=1031 Community and Communication Needs

While the religious differences between Christians and Muslims are significant, sometimes cultural differences can be even greater sources of misunderstanding and mistrust. Different perspectives can also be opportunities to learn from each other. Cultural differences may inhibit or enhance our ability to proclaim Christ, as well as a Muslim’s ability to receive our message. Below is a list some basic differences between Western culture and many African and Oriental Islamic cultures. (These characteristics are generalisations. There may be many exceptions in various nations and regions):

Western societies:

  • Individualism, independence and initiative are encouraged
  • Time oriented (exact times, for example: one arrives on time)
  • Future oriented (seeing opportunities and foreseeing problems)
  • Performance oriented (ability and accomplishments are important)
  • Freedom to show weakness
  • Egalitarian relationships / Direct communication
  • Analytical thinking / concept oriented

African and Oriental Islamic societies:

  • Community / group oriented
  • Event oriented (general times, example: arrival when an event happens)
  • Present oriented (enjoy the present, take action when crises develop)
  • Status oriented (class, age, family and reputation are important)
  • Fear of showing weakness or admitting failures (shame cultures)
  • Indirect communication (seeking to not offend or to dishonour)
  • Holistic thinking / experience / circumstance oriented

Simple questions

One very real difference between accepted Western and Islamic cultural norms can be found in simple conversation. In many Islamic societies a man is not permitted to inquire about the another man’s wife in direct conversation. One can ask about how things are “at home” instead of asking the question directly: “How is your wife?” In some contexts it can sometimes be deemed incorrect, impolite and even possibly a bit suspicious for a man to ask directly about another man’s wife even if the two men are friends.

The Barnabas Gospel

In Islam Jesus is considered to be a messenger of God, a prophet, who was sent to guide the Israelites. His message was given with a new scripture, the Injil (Gospel). The Qur’an affirms that Jesus was born to the virgin Mary (Maryam) by the decree of God. Jesus had the ability to perform miracles by God’s command. Like other prophets in Islam, Jesus is considered to have been a good Muslim (that is, someone who was submitted to God). Jesus preached to His people to live in submission to God’s will. For Muslims Jesus was actually preaching an earlier form of Islam.

In recent years many Muslims have cited the book “The Gospel of Barnabas” (available on the web) in order to show that Jesus was a good Muslim. Jesus is portrayed in the book as a prophet who prays, speaks and acts exactly like traditional Muslims.

The book seems to have been written in Europe sometime during the 14th–16th centuries. It includes geographical and historical inaccuracies as well as errors about Christian and Islamic beliefs. In the Gospel of Barnabas Mohammed is called the Messiah which means “anointed one” (Christ) while in normal Islamic belief Jesus is understood as being the Messiah. In several places the Qur’an itself proclaims that Jesus is the Messiah (see our article for day 22). In the Gospel of Barnabas Jesus is called the Christ (chapter 6). The author did not realize that The word Christ is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word Messiah. This is a significant error.

Here are quotes from chapters 96 and 97: Jesus answered: “As God lives, in whose presence my soul stands, I am not the Messiah whom all the tribes of the earth expect, even as God promised to our father Abraham, saying: ‘In your seed will I bless all the tribes of the earth.’ But when God shall take me away from the world, Satan will raise again … making the impious believe that I am God and son of God, whence my words and my doctrine shall be contaminated … God will send his messenger …. who shall come from the south with power, and shall destroy the idols with the idolaters … The name of the Messiah is admirable … Mohammed is his blessed name.”

It is an interesting distortion that Satan is portrayed as the one to claim Jesus as God. The author of the “Gospel of Barnabas” has rewritten the Biblical Gospel to make it agree with the Qur’an. The aim of the book is to try to convince people that Jesus was a Muslim and predict the coming of Muhammad. It is a direct distortion of the Bible. See “Gospel of Barnabas” at www.answering-islam.org

Prayer Starters:

  • Pray for those witnessing to Muslims to understand the cultural differences as well as the religious differences.
  • The Gospel is cross-cultural – pray that this truth be believed and acted upon by Christian workers.
  • Pray that believers will accurately be able to show that Jesus was always submitted to the Father but He was more than simply a good prophet.
  • May God give Muslims insights into the errors of the Gospel of Barnabas.
  • Meditate on these texts in prayer: Matthew 5:43-48, Hebrews 1:5-8.

_______________

Remember Libya

Today is the 40th anniversary of the Libyan Revolution which brought Colonel Muammar Qadhafi to power in Libya. Forty years ago very few people in Libya knew the Lord and this is very true today. Native Libyans who believe in Jesus probably number less than fifty people out of a population of 6.2 million. Pray for labourers who will sow, water and harvest. For more information write: pray4ly [Email address: pray4ly #AT# gmail.com - replace #AT# with @ ]

Video: Wait A Minute

Arab / American Encounters from Wait A Minute on Vimeo.

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