Many churches with Muslim communities on their doorstep offer English language classes or English Conversation groups and find that these activities open the door to engaging with their neighbours. Find out how to use Halloween topics as a springboard to talking about Jesus.
Muslims show the greatest respect to the Prophet Muhammad especially during the celebration of Mawlid al-Nabi. And that makes Mawlid a great time to talk about how important Jesus is to us, not just as a prophet, but as our Saviour. Starting a conversation can be tricky, but it’s as simple as asking ‘How will you be celebrating Mawlid?’
This month we’re sharing some ideas on how we can engage with, and pray for, our Muslim friends and colleagues.
What do you picture in your mind when you think of Muslims in the UK? Whatever the image in your mind, God tells us to love all Muslims! But what does that look like in practice?
The Islamic month of Ramadan runs from 10 March to 8 April this year (2024). Ramadan is a great time to start conversations with Muslim friends and colleagues and to focus on praying for Muslims in our local community and across the UK. These next few weeks are full of opportunities!
Did you manage to wish your Muslim friends ‘Eid Mubarak’ (blessed Eid) as they celebrated Eid ul-Adha last weekend? You may also know of people who are undertaking the Hajj at this time. These are both great occasions for sharing stories about your faith and the Biblical take on these topics.
Mawlid, or Milad, marks the birth of Muhammed in the year 570 of our calendar. Sunni Muslims observe the Prophet's birthday on the 12th day of the Islamic month of Rabi' al-awwal, while Shi'a Muslims mark it on the 17th of this month. Many Muslims do not participate in celebrations but they may mark the occasion by spending more time reading the Qur'an.
Here are some resources to share the love of Christ with Muslims during Christmas and New Year season.
There are recommended links to articles, tracts and even a Christmas card insert for Muslims in English, Turkish and Tamil.
They can also be used via social media, e-mail, etc.
Share a Christmas card: https://www.mahabbanetwork.com/blog/greet-muslim-friend-christmas
Share about the star at Christmas: https://www.mahabbanetwork.com/blog/following-the-star
Finding common ground with Muslims in the Christmas story: https://christianityexplained.net/to/muslims/christmas-quranic-commonalities/
Can I wish a Muslim Merry Christmas? http://www.answering-islam.org/authors/oskar/merry_christmas.html
Explaining the real Christmas to Muslims: http://www.answering-islam.org/authors/oskar/christmas_crime.html
Talking with Muslims around New Year about life's questions: http://www.answering-islam.org/authors/oskar/good_enough.html
Alice asked us about the merits of distributing Bibles to Muslim refugees:
I have heard that giving bibles to Muslim refugees is a good way to evangelise. Do you think so?
Thanks to the help of some specialists on The City (have you joined yet?), we can relay the following advice.
I would never give a whole Bible to a Muslim I didn’t know. I might give a New Testament in an appropriate language, but I would certainly give a gospel – probably Luke, because it starts with the birth narrative. Everyone loves a story. The gospels are brilliant stories, so different from the Qur’an. If you give a gospel to a Muslim he will probably read it cover to cover in one sitting, then there is so much to discuss.
The Gospel of Luke alone is the most powerful tool to use for a Muslim mind to digest.
Muslims are led to believe that Bible has been corrupted. So, if you give Bibles to Muslim refugees the first time you meet them, they may take it from you but chances are they are not going to read it. I think it’s very important to make friends first, get them thirsty, and then offer the Bible.
It’s all about putting time and effort into developing close friendships. The question is, do believers have the passion to do this, or do they just simply give a Bible and hope for the best?
God can speak through his word! But even better would be someone engaging with them and the bible.
At least give a suggested list of bits to read (Creation to Christ perhaps) and questions to think about when reading.
Best of all, a recommendation of somewhere to go with questions.
Giving out Bibles to all like sweets is probably not a good idea.
It is certainly helpful to have them available and visible so that they can be picked up should someone be curious or interested.
We have a range of Bibles out on a shelf in our community cafe and sometimes one or two disappear. We pray they are being read.
When someone asks for a Bible an offer to read it with them may be seen as awelcome invitation.
Ensure that the Bible is in the appropriate languages. If not, then they need to be - it is a must, if someone is to be able to read the word and understand it.
Phil asked us about our work and approaches to seeing Muslims come to know Jesus:
I believe most Muslims have heritage in places where there is not freedom to consider Christianity, and we have the opportunity to fulfill that need now that they are in a free country
Thanks to the help of some specialists on The City, we an relay the following advice.
We help sow and establish local prayer groups, as we believe that for the Gospel to breakthrough among Muslims, there needs to be a strong foundation of prayer.
We believe that people do not convert Muslims, rather God will cause people to turn to him via Jesus Christ.
As such, persistent prayer is vital, so we invest heavily in fostering this activity in the Network.
As groups get establish, we support them with resources, materials and advice for the plans and visions they have to do practical outreach.
We do this in various forms and according to local needs, such as facilitating Friendship First courses or Meetings for Better Understanding.
We are currently focussed on work in the UK, but there is much interest internationally.
We are looking to set up Mahabba officially on the international stage, at which point we will be able to respond more intentionally to requests.
The majority of funds received is directed locally, as we seek to support and equip local expressions of outreach to Muslims.
We have a group of regional reps that we fund in order to help, advise and counsel local prayer groups as they outwork their heart to see Muslims come to know Jesus.
This resource was shared at the 2016 National Gathering by Heather from Mahabba Oxford.
It is designed to help local coordinators foster prayer in local Mahabba prayer groups, but can be used elsewhere!
Many local Mahabba prayer groups put on a Night of Power prayer meeting each Ramadan, not to mention other church small groups. With this in mind, we have put together some resources to help you structure your time and provide some focal points.
If you have any recommendations or feedback, please leave a comment below!
This is based on a PowerPoint developed by the Mahabba Cheltenham group for its prayer meeting on the Night of Power. It looks at themes of open heaven associated with this holiest night of Ramadan and John 1:51 - Jesus the link between God and humanity. The presenter notes can be found as comment 'bubbles' on each page of the PDF. The group used it to reflect on how Jesus presented Himself as Jacob’s ladder.
A series of videos that you can use to help you and your group focus your prayer time. Elliot in The Hub recommends the film on Ishmael, which can equally be used as the basis for prayer.
Elliot in The Hub also put together these items from websites.
A Mahabba member commented that she really liked the Lovefast prayer for Night of Power, written by Gordon, which is equally good as a primer for prayer.
“Father, tonight I am standing in unity and agreement with millions of fellow believers, and we thank you on this special night for an outpouring of your spirit across the whole Muslim world. As they seek you, will you reveal yourself to them in dreams and visions, and may countless millions have a life changing encounter with you, where they will come to know you as “Father” and Jesus as “Isa Al-Massih” - Jesus the Messiah”
It's dead easy, so don't worry! We've listed six simple steps below that we recommend you take.
For more ideas on how to inspire prayer in your group, see the following blog:
A topic from the World Cafe session of the National Gathering 2017.
Interfaith should be faith-sharing and dialogue rather than mutual monologue!
Unity is important; create an inter-denominational base as a foundation to inter-religious dialogue (stronger together).
How do you get beyond superficiality to higher level of interfaith?
Is there an alternative to debate vs. dialogue?
If you are involved in interfaith dialogue then it will mean going deeper into your own faith and becoming ‘deeply rooted and profoundly open’.
Start small, think big.
Image: Mike Wilson, Unsplash
A topic from the World Cafe session of the National Gathering 2017.
Two basic types:
While we should be careful not to cause offence, e.g. dress code, hugging between genders, treating the Bible with ‘disrespect’, we should also remain authentic, e.g. sing, read Bible, keep mixed gender seating
See also a helpful topic on The City about Muslim-friendly guest services [requires login]
Image: Brooke Cagle, Unsplash
A topic from the World Cafe session of the National Gathering 2017.
Image: metropolislights, Flickr
A topic from the World Cafe session of the National Gathering 2017.
Image: Mathias Jensen, Unsplash
A topic from the World Cafe session of the National Gathering 2017.
Image: Mr Cup / Fabien Barral, Unsplash
Jay asked us about recommended Bible translations in Arabic the other day:
“Can you recommend a good Arabic translation of the Bible for a refugee?”
Dear Mahabba,
I know the YouVersion Holy Bible app is very good in terms of its range of other languages available. Could you give me some pointers on which of the Arabic translations would be best to use with which Arabic speakers when sharing with Muslims I meet? E.g., for Iraqis and especially Syrians. P.S. it was good to see that there is now a Dari audio version!
Thanks to the help of some specialists on The City, we an relay the following advice.
For Arabic speakers of Muslim background the Sharif Arabic Bible comes recommended.
The Sharif is written using Muslim vocabulary, e.g. isa, not yasua, and so is good as it is more accessible to Muslim seekers.
Conversely, it is not popular with Middle Eastern Christians because of its use of majority Arabic not Christian Arabic.
Incidentally, it also has a good (but maybe not widely known) reputation, being a set textbook for the Christianity subject in one or two Islamic universities.
The van Dyke translation is written in 19th century vocabulary, but is considered to be the best by the long-established Christian Arab community in the Middle East (similar to the love of white British church-goers for the 1662 prayer book and KJV).
The al Hayah translation is written in clear, modern Arabic, similar to the Good News Bible. You can buy a hard copy on Amazon etc. with parallel English/Arabic text (the English is the NIV). This is advantageous if you want to do a one-on-one Bible study, reading along with your Arabic-literate friend.
Look out for audio materials in local Arabic dialects such as from Global Recordings - with over 100 in Arabic alone.
Some of the recordings were made decades ago for the old 78 rpm records, so quality may be poor! As such, have a little listen before you pass it on to your friends.
http://globalrecordings.net/en/search/language?search=arabic&filter=contains#fndtn-panel2
If you’re looking for languages other than Arabic, or audio-visual etc, start here: http://globalrecordings.net/en/resources
Chapter Two Books https://www.chaptertwobooks.org.uk/foreign.html (use the pull-down menu on the right-hand side to select the language)
No Frontiers https://nofrontiers.org (N.B. the website is currently unavailable 25/04/17 because of a rebuild, but check back).
Don't forget to try Word of Life http://www.word-of-life.org, which has lots of foreign language resources, including Arabic.
You might find the following helpful in relation to asylum seekers and refugees:
John asked about a good English translation of the Qur'an and a helpful introduction or commentary:
Can you recommend a good translation of the Qur'an and introduction?
Dear Mahabba,
“What English language translation of the Qur’an would Muslims considered the most reliable? Would that be the best version for a novice like me to read? What English language introduction to Islam and the Qur’an would you recommend? I would like to understand how to bridge from the Qur’an to the Bible. And an introduction that is not too simple.”
The easiest to come by is most probably Yusuf Ali which also contains the Arabic script but the translation is archaic.
AJ Arberry tries to give a sense of the rhyme and rhythm in English and is a sensitive translation (available on subscription to Oxford Islamic Studies online).
There is a Qur’an website on the Internet that contains several translations with which to compare whenever available quran.com.
Neal Robinson’s Discovering the Qur`an (2004) is a sympathetic introduction to the Qur’an by a non-Muslim while Muhammad Abdel Haleem’s Understanding the Qur`an: Themes and Style (2001) is a Muslim’s introduction to the Qur’an.
It will be difficult to find one source that both introduces Islam as well as bridging Qur’an to Bible.
I’ve always found P.K. Hitti’s History of the Arabs (10th repr. 1991) a comprehensive overview of Islamic history that has a scholarly take on Islam before relations were so extremely polarised as now.
Kenneth Cragg’s The Weight in the Word – Prophethood: Biblical and Quranic (1999) compares and contrasts Muhammad with biblical prophets and, broadly stated, shows how the Qur’an applies biblical ideas for its own purposes.
See how you get on with these for the moment – there is so much out there to choose from!
Do let me know how you get on and whether you can get hold of resources.
... we have recently reached a total of 40 local Mahabba prayer groups in the UK - awesome news!
With your help, though, we would like to continue to sow, plant and support Mahabba groups.
Our work involves a small team of regional reps and central hub personnel investing in local coordinators and groups, as well as spreading the word.
To continue this vital mission to Muslims, we need to increase our regular monthly income.
Our initial target is to raise up 100 individual regular donors, giving an average of £10 to £15 per month.
Could you be one of the 100?
Image: Jad Limcaco, Unsplash
Emma asked a tricky question about supporting Muslim families in her community:
“How can I help someone facing divorce in Islam? ”
Dear Mahabba,
I know of a lady who has recently experienced what I'm told is an Islamic divorce. It is quite a difficult and complicated situation, but do you know anything about her human rights, in terms of her divorce, and whether she is entitled to anything, or if anyone knows of anyone that might be able to give her some advice.
Thank you!
This is another question to which it is hard to give a definitive answer, but again individuals from our online community, The City, have had some helpful suggestions.
You can find some information from this solicitor, but my advice is to contact the Muslim Women’s Network. It has challenged traditional Islamic practices with regard to women and also has a helpline that deals with these issues constantly. It has a helpful factsheet on Islamic marriage.
There is an active parliamentary enquiry into Shariah councils and their effect on women. It is collecting evidence and cases such as the one you mentioned are crucial to its investigation. Naz Shah, the MP for Bradford West, is very active on this committee and in her constituency.
I know this charity, Hope Projects, that supports asylum seekers and refugees has good solicitors - maybe they know about Islamic divorce.
It may be the case that the Islamic divorce (talaq) is invalid under British law, depending on where the marriage occurred. She should certainly get legal advice as a first step before accepting or signing anything.
She should also seek advice from Citizens Advice to check her rights to social housing or Job Seekers Allowance, again, depending on her circumstances.
Citizens Advice is probably the best place for her to talk to someone in the first instance, as there are many variables here. She should take her documentation (passport, Home Office papers, divorce document etc). One visit will not usually be enough to sort things through.
Many offices will have Urdu/Punjabi/Mirpuri-speakers, if her level of English is an issue.
An alternative to referring her to Islamic agency would be to provide her with accommodation from fellow believers and show her the love of Jesus.
This lady needs love and safety, so this is an opportunity to to show Jesus to her. There are many Asian Christians to ask regarding how to relate to her, and love in practice speaks volumes.
This lady needs love from fellow believers, as Emma has already shown through her concern. At the same time, this issue needs specialist help from people who are dealing with this problem daily, such as MWN (see above). The organisation is in contact with government agencies (they brought this problem to the government’s attention initially).
As we’ve seen with other cases where women and Islamic values are concerned, the government and its agencies are not always confident to deal with what they call ‘cultural issues.’ Working through a Muslim organisation that is against injustice towards women because they can help overcome PC sensitivities.
This does not mean that Christians should absolve themselves. It means that they continue to walk this road with her while they try to get the best help they can. MWN can look after the technical and legal aspects while Christians provide material and spiritual support, together with immense prayer.
The triple talaq is mainstream, and many people suffer a lot of anguish as a result of it.
The thing that’s not mainstream is the halala (marrying another man, sleeping with him, being divorced by that man, and then re-marrying your first husband). Think of the shame (if it gets out, which it probably will) of allowing/encouraging your wife to have sex with another man in order to be reconciled – after your own rash words in a fit of temper. However, according to Shariah, it’s the only way that a man and his ex-wife can get back together.
A mufti (scholar who gives rulings on specific issues) has shared with me that he often has enquiries from husbands and wives who want to be reconciled after a triple talaq. They often ask that he declare that the talaq is invalid. He usually has to rule that it is valid and halala is the only solution. He does so with a heavy heart…
I understand that this law was actually designed for the protection of wives. Apparently, in Arabia at that time, wives were being divorced with just saying the word “talaq” once. Later on the husbands would take their wives back at their whim. This could happen many times. So Shariah ordains that:
There is disagreement among scholars as to whether all three talaqs can be spoken or written at exactly the same time, or whether three separate occasions are required.
Image: Daniel Burka, Unsplash
Carl asked the following question off the back of a meeting for better understanding (MBU) with local Muslims:
“Is it right to allow Muslim prayers or Qur’an readings in church?”
Dear Mahabba,
MBUs have built good relationships and sown the Gospel among Muslims. It has also resulted in requests for the use of our places of worship for Muslim events. One of them was for an Eid el Adha event. This would include the reading of the Qur'an and Muslim prayers. What would your response be to this request?
This is a tricky one, and has caused quite a bit of debate and controversy recently, as we explored in a blog, 'Islam in church: some questions'. Rather than lay out a definitive answer, here are some responses from individuals on our online community area, The City.
"I’d be quite happy with the idea, although I know that some Christians strongly feel that such acts are totally unacceptable. Maybe believers from a Muslim background might be more strongly of the latter persuasion."
"We have churches that meet in schools and pubs. We also have church traditions that consecrate space. I think to invite Muslims to confess that Muhammad is God’s messenger in consecrated space violates that consecration.
"Whether we like it or not, we tend to be secular Christians, and so we don’t take the consecration of space very seriously. We don’t do symbolism. But Muslims do, much more so than us anyway.
"I think the question is much more about how we regard our church space. Would you invite a Jehovah’s witness to preach there? How about a militant atheist? Would you allow Hindu gods to be praised in it?
"The question of whether to allow or invite Muslims to pray and confess their creed needs to be set alongside this sort of question to give it context. If space is just space, then you have no problem. If consecration means something, that is another matter."
"If the space is consecrated: I would not make provision for another deity to be worshipped. I would tend not to give a platform for another religion to be preached and lifted up without a counterpoint or moderation by a Christian.
"But someone who wants to personally pray, I would have no problem with, especially if they are meaning to seek the God of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob, even if their idea of Him is corrupted.
"If their prayers are together in community and include a led confession or declaration about Muhammad, in a Christian consecrated space… that's another question."
"My response would be: 'what is God asking me to do?' Bearing in mind Scripture such as Peter’s vision that all food was now clean or that circumcision or non-circumcision was not the deeper spiritual issue. Is God trying to lead us to think and react differently to the changing society we now live in?
"Having come from a Muslim background and being able to see both sides, I would drench that church in prayer and plead protection over it through the blood of Christ and then invite another faith to hold their event. If just one heart is changed through that event, if seeds are sown, would it not be worth it? I think the answer to this dilemma lies in prayer and isn’t that what we as the Mahabba Network do? And do so well, might I add!"
"I agree that we need to pray without ceasing, for discernment and for God to use the relationship to His glory. Here is an example of a church that opened its door to its Muslim neighbours on a more permanent basis."
"According to traditions, the Prophet invited Christians to worship in his mosque.
"As to whether this is a practice that Muslims emulate, Muslims have been known to say this too.
"Some Christians have often prayed quiet individual prayers in a mosque, explaining that they are making their own dua, and had no problems.
"I have known this to happen in a more public or congregational way.
"In a dialogue meeting, Christians had an impromptu prayer meeting in the mosque, while the Muslims perform their prayers (salaat). The Muslims did not have a problem with that."
"I think there are two quite different themes at play here. One is gracious hospitality and the other other is faithfulness to truth.
"If we come across people who are marginalised and excluded, trying to find space to honestly meet their religious obligations, how could we not offer them space? That is an application of loving our neighbour and we do so in the name of Christ.
"However, if we so order things that our actions seem to communicate that obedience to Muhammad is the same thing as faith in Christ, if we seek to join the two, blurring the differences then we are being unfaithful and no longer witnesses to the truth. Nor do we witness to the Muslim guest.
"Our love for the other and our security in Christ should enable us to be hospitable, but it should not lead us to bend over backwards so that we affirm the denial of Christ."
... we have recently reached a total of 40 local Mahabba prayer groups in the UK - awesome news!
With your help, though, we would like to continue to sow, plant and support Mahabba groups.
Our work involves a small team of regional reps and central hub personnel investing in local coordinators and groups, as well as spreading the word.
To continue this vital mission to Muslims, we need to increase our regular monthly income.
Our initial target is to raise up 100 individual regular donors, giving an average of £10 to £15 per month.
Could you be one of the 100?
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