Witnessing to Muslims
First, be a friend. Muslim cultures place a high value
on friendships and time spent visiting with friends. Many Muslims
have not had the opportunity to develop a close friendship with
a Christian.
Pray for your Muslim friends. Only as God works in their
lives will they be open to following Christ.
Invite them to your home.Muslims place a high value on hospitality.
You would not leave a Muslim home without being offered something to drink,
no matter how short the visit. Do the same with your Muslim friends. Ask
beforehand about any dietary restrictions. Assume that your Muslim visitors
will neither eat pork nor use alcoholic beverages.
Be sensitive to Muslim moral values. In Muslim cultures,
friendship between a man and woman who are not related is rare.
Your witness will be more effective with Muslim friends of your
gender. Also, modest dress and behavior will go a long way in helping
your new friend see that the behaviors they see in American media,
which they often consider shocking and immoral, are not typical
of all Christians.
Learn the basics of their beliefs. We’ll recommend
several resources that can help with that.
Listen and seek to understand. Ask about their homeland,
their customs and their religion—and listen with the same openness
that you want from them. Remember that Muslims, as Christians, may
vary in their individual beliefs and faithfulness to Muslim practices.
Ask your new friend what his or her religion means personally.
Welcome open and honest discussion of your different religions.
Many Muslims enjoy discussing their beliefs and how they differ
from other religions. But remember that tearing down Islam is not
your goal. Instead, share the basic doctrines of your Christian
faith, especially Jesus’ role in assuring your salvation and
enabling you to establish a personal relationship with God.
These resources will help you learn more about Islam and how
to witness to Muslims:
Islam: Its Prophet, Peoples, Politics and Power by George
W. Braswell Jr., 1996, Broadman & Holman Publishers, Nashville,
Tenn. Available from www.broadmanholman.com
or by calling 1-800-458-2772.
What You Need to Know About Islam and Muslims by George
W. Braswell Jr., 2001, Broadman & Holman Publishers, Nashville,
Tenn. Available from www.broadmanholman.com
or by calling 1-800-458-2772.
North American Mission Board’s “Belief
Bulletin” on Islam.
Web site “Answering
Islam.”
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