Understanding Islam

One thing that incites fear is the unknown. I truly believe that one reason Christians fear Muslims is because they don't know about Islam, and they don't know any Muslim people. In an effort to help dissipate the fear, I will be writing a few posts about understanding Islam. If we as Christians can understand at least a few things about what they believe, maybe it will give us a greater compassion. Stayed tuned to the next post about having a healthy attitude towards Muslims. 

Ramadan - Celebration

Eid al-Fitr

Eid al-Fitr literally means "the breaking of the fast" and is the Muslim holiday that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Remember, Ramadan is the name of the month (like October). The celebration occurs on the first day of the 10th month, Shawwal. There are special prayers, charity given to the poor, new clothes, and visits with friends and family. Some places celebrate for several days.

This year, Eid al-Fitr will be celebrated around August 19th (remember it is the Islamic lunar calendar dates, not the Gregorian calendar dates, so the date switches each year).

I would think it's always a celebration to end a fast. But what are they celebrating? Do they get to celebrate the fact their sins (past, present, and future) have been paid for on the cross? No. Do they get to celebrate a risen Savior? No. Do they get to celebrate assurance of salvation? No.

This may be a time of celebration, but it is short-lived. Muslim people do not understand being set free from sin, having a home in Heaven, or a loving Savior. I hope you will pray with me for Muslims to come to Christ, so they can have something to truly celebrate.

Ramadan - part 3

So what are the in's and out's of Ramadan? Can non-Muslims participate?

There are several elements of Ramadan: fasting, prayer, reading the Quran, and  giving alms to the poor are the main ones. It is all about purification and focusing on the spiritual. 

Fasting - Sawm

Fasting is what Ramadan has almost become synonymous with. The actual word "Ramadan" is the name of the 9th month of the Islamic calendar. The word "sawm" is the fasting. During the month of Ramadan, adult Muslims are required to fast from food, drink, smoking, and sexual intercourse from sunrise to sunset. There are exceptions for soldiers, travelers, menstruating women, and those who are ill. Though, they are supposed to make up those days at a later time.

There is a predawn meal called Suhur. At sunset, there is a meal called Iftar. Many times this is a time of celebration where friends and family come together. The fast is traditionally broken by the eating of dates.

Prayer and Reading the Quaran

Ramadan is also a time for increased prayer and a time of devotion. The 5 times a day prays are expected. Other prayers are offered out of devotion, and hopefully will be rewarded by Allah. There are special evening prayers during Ramadan during which long portions of the Quran are recited called taraweeh. They  take place after the last evening prayer in the mosque. Muslims are encouraged to go to the Mosque for corporate prayers, but they can be done privately. These are not required prayers, but are believed to bring extra blessings or rewards in paradise.

The Quran is read much more during Ramadan, though it is not required. Some try to read it every day, others divide it into 30 sections, reading a section everyday and concluding on the last day of Ramadan. I don't know how true this is, but I have heard it said that if a person reads the Quran straight through from start to finish without stopping, they will be guaranteed to go to paradise.

Giving of Alms

Another pillar of Islam is giving of alms to the poor. During Ramadan, the idea is to focus on the spiritual and not the physical. Hunger from fasting helps reminds them to have more compassion on those who are hungry. Self-sacrifice is honored, especially during Ramadan.

Can Non-Muslims Participate?

Yes. Many times non-Muslim families are invited to the Iftar meal (breaking the fast at sundown).  It is actually a great way to meet people and form some relationships with them. 

So What Does This Mean to Me? Here are a couple of things about which I was thinking.

1 - Thankfulness for the Gospel. We do not have to fast, pray, give alms, or anything else to try to get forgiveness of sins or entrance into Heaven. We can rest in Jesus Christ's finished work on the cross.

2 - Compassion for Muslims. They work so hard, only to be cast into the Lake of Fire one day. They are blinded by a religion, and do not understand the Gospel, what a relationship with Jesus Christ is.  I urge you to pray with me for the salvation of the Muslim people.

Ramadan - The History

So when did fasting during Ramadan begin? and why? I'll be happy to tell you.

First of all understand the Ramadan is the name of a month, the 9th month to be exact.  Through the centuries, it has become synonymous  with the fasting. Around the year 610 A.D., a man named Mohammad claimed to receive the words to the Quran from the angel Gabriel. Mohammad decided  to keep the month holy as commemoration of the giving of the Quran. Tradition says that especially the end of the month is the most holy - that is when the first vision of Gabriel came to Mohammad.  In fact, one night is set aside to symbolically be "the" night Mohammad received the revelation. "Laylat al-Qadr" or the "Night of Power" is said to be the holiest night of the year.  Some Muslims stay up all night reciting the Quran that night.

The Quran contains 114 chapters or suras. The word "Quran" literally means "the recitation" and is believed to literally be the words of Allah. The Quran is greatly revered by Muslims. It is never marked in (which is considered desecration) or set on the ground. The Quran is organized from longest passage to shortest. The length is approximately the same as the New Testament.

Can you imagine reading the Bible, or even a book of the Bible from longest passage to shortest?? I am no scholar, but wow. After reading about the Quran, I hope we can be more thankful for the Bible. God used many men as His pens, and yet the message is always the same: Jesus Christ. In every book of the Bible, Jesus Christ is central.   We esteem the knowledge of the Bible and write it on our hearts, but we do not have to be afraid to mark in our Bibles.  When was the last time we simply thanked God for our Bible?

Once again I ask that you join me in prayer for the people of Islam. Pray for their hearts to be softened to hear the Gospel. Pray for them to understand. Pray for boldness of believers. Pray for more laborers. Pray for our hearts to be softened toward the Muslims and have a greater compassion for these lost souls.

Ramadan - An Overview

This Friday evening, July 20th, begins Ramadan.  It is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar and is considered to be the most holy month (stay tuned to see why next week). Each year, the dates of Ramadan change. The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar and does not match the Gregorian calendar.  Each year the dates of Ramadan move back approximately 11 days.  

Observing Ramadan includes abstaining from food, drink, smoking, and sexual relations from sunrise to sunset.  The "goal" of Ramadan per se is a time of spiritual renewal. By setting aside material things, they can focus more on the spiritual. It is to be cleansing and purifying. There are always rewards for fasting in Islam, but they are considered to be multiplied when observed during Ramadan. I did mention it's fasting from sunrise to sunset, right? Well, after the sundown, feasting begins with a meal called Iftar.  Traditionally, the first thing eaten is dates - just like the Prophet Mohammed did.

The Muslim people, especially the very religious, work hard to emulate the Prophet Mohammed. They try to dress like him,  eat like him, act like him. The Prophet Mohammed was just a man. We, I am speaking to Christians, know the Truth - His name is Jesus. I must admit I am ashamed to say many Muslims work harder to emulate a man than I work to emulate Christ.  I know I am a sinner and am very faulty, but I can try. The very name "Christian" mean "little Christ." Am I even deserving of this title? Probably not. I long to be able to say as Paul did in 1 Corinthians  11:1,  "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."

During the Islamic month of Ramadan, I ask you to pray for the true spiritual renewal of the Muslim people - that they may know Christ. Rather than just a "bless them" type prayer, I looked for some ways to more specifically pray for Muslims. I found an article on a website that had some good suggestions on how to pray for the Muslim people.  http://christiananswers.net/q-eden/muslim-prayer.html. 

Where Would Anyone Want to Go in North Africa?? Fes, Morocco

No, I'm not talking about this red hat, not exactly. This is a Fez, and the hat's origins can be traced to Morocco. What I want to write about is the city.

Boasting approximately 1 million people, the city of Fes is the 2nd largest city in Morocco and is known as the cultural capital of Morocco. The city boasts both of the old city (called Fes el-Bali) and a new section built by the French, called ville nouvelle. So if you are looking for centuries old buildings with shops and traditional Moroccan houses called riads, or wide boulevards with modern shopping and hotels, Fes has it all. 

Fes has two large medinas, or old cities. Made up of hundreds (some say thousands) of alley ways, it has been said that the Fes el-Bali is the world's largest car free urban area. That's right - no cars are allowed into the old city, though donkeys are.

Kairauine Mosque 

Tucked deep inside the Fes el-Bali is the Kairauine Mosque. Since it is surrounded by hundreds of shops and homes, it's hard to get a grasp of just how big this mosque is. Up to 20,000 people can be in this mosque at once, though technically you are only allowed inside if you are a Muslim. When the doors are opened, you can peak inside to see the beautiful tile work. I have not been to Fes yet, but I have been in several Medinas. It can get very confusing inside and it is easy to get turned around and lost. Well, if wandering around the medina (not lost, of course) and hit your head on a low hanging wooden beam, you're very close. Apparently, the wooden beams were installed so people would have to lower their head when approaching the mosque (and also to keep mules from getting too close).

One thing you cannot fault the Muslim people for is their respect for their holy places. I do believe their respect is put in the wrong places, but they do get an A for effort. Even in such things as wooden beams to force people to lower their heads, they work so hard to please a false god. If only they knew the freedom Christ gives! Rather than look down upon the Muslim people, why can we not have a greater compassion? They are working their way to paradise the way they have been taught all their lives and their parents' lives and their grandparents' lives. Rather than rant and rave, why don't we pray for them? They are lost first and foremost. Their eyes have been blinded. Join me in prayer that their hearts will know Islam is not the answer. Pray for them to question their beliefs and seek out the Truth. Pray for laborers to go into this needy field to tell them the Glorious Gospel. 

Where Would Anyone Want to Go in North Africa?? Luxor, Egypt

Ever heard of King Tut? Want to visit his tomb? Luxor, Egypt is the place to go.

Luxor is located in Southern Egypt, but known as Upper Egypt - I know, kinda crazy. But, Egypt is based on the direction the Nile River flows: south to north. Therefore Lower Egypt is the northern part and Upper Egypt is the southern part.

Sixty-two tombs and 20 unfinished pits make up this burial ground called Valley of the Kings. One of the largest tombs here belonged to Ramses II, the leading candidate for being the Pharaoh at the time of Exodus.  Can you imagine seeing firsthand something that could have been around when Moses walked this Earth? So many times we think of history as being fictional stories. Seeing things like these tombs help us to remember the true stories.

The tombs are full of things to attempt to aid the Pharaoh in the afterlife. So much work and thought was put into these buildings. Despite all this effort, it was for nothing.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We cannot do anything for those who have already died, but we can try to make a difference in the lives of the living. I pray God will give me a greater passion for reaching the lost wherever I am: in the States or overseas.