Loving your Muslim neighbor during Ramadan!
“The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." James 5:16b
As the Muslim world entered Ramadan on Sunday night, doors of opportunity opened for Christians to connect and bless our Muslim neighbors, co-workers, and friends. With so much contentiousness and animosity filling news cycles and social media, as ambassadors of Christ we need to always be ready to step through the open doors of opportunities to connect and bless those unlike ourselves—and in this case, Muslims. As Christ followers, we are not observing or celebrating Ramadan. We are simply seeing this time and the openness of Muslims as a chance to begin or deepen connections with Muslims—understanding that sharing the hope of Jesus is a matter of relationship and trust.
Ramadan is a time of heightened spiritual sensitivity for Muslims. One might make the argument that it has become a time of just fasting and feasting, losing much of its original meaning, and that may be true. However, it is also a time when many Muslims consider questions they have about their own faith and, for some, indulge their curiosity about Christianity. Many Muslim families have secretly rejected Islam and have either accepted Christ secretly or are on a journey to discover who Jesus really "is".
How can you engage this season to have an impact on Muslims in your sphere of influence?
Here is a powerful story of how some of our equipped Christ-followers have responded with sensitivity:
(Names used are pseudonyms for security purposes.)
A Christian couple met their new Muslim neighbors last fall, Aharon, an engineer, Nadira, a homemaker, and their two twin children, Jamal and Jamila (12 yrs. old). The Christian couple had invited them to their home for coffee several times, striking up a good friendship. When the Covid lockdown happened, Aharon’s job and paycheck halted. Suspecting difficult times and knowing Ramadan had just begun, this couple left a gift on their Muslim neighbor’s steps—all items they could eat to break their fast.
The very next day, Nadira emailed her neighbors asking if they could help her with her English. So, using FaceTime, Nadira and her Christian neighbors began meeting regularly to build Nadira’s confidence.
This is a priceless example of how doors open with sensitivity and simple acts of kindness! Because this Christian couple understood the power of starting a simple conversation—one-to-one—it led to them being in a position to learn of and meet real needs, which opened the door to form a relationship! We are praying for thousands of Christians to open their lives in this same way—especially during this month of Ramadan!
If you would like some tools on blessing Muslims you know during this time of Ramadan, follow this LINK. Perhaps this would be a great time for you and some friends to go through our FREE four-part series, "Let Me Be Your Neighbor"—just to get to know those around you. Many are surprised to learn they have Muslim neighbors!
Pray — For Christ-followers to understand the power ONE HOUR a week can make, which may look like regular walks through their neighborhood.
Pray — For our “digital missionaries”, who invest hundreds of hours a week in conversations with curious Muslims all over the world.
Pray — For millions of curious Muslims, especially during this Ramadan, that Jesus would appear to them in their dreams, and that they would experience the one true, living God!
Pray — For SAHARA CHALLENGE “ONLINE” (April 16-18) – that we would see hundreds join us to “go deep” into sharing the hope of Christ with Muslims!
