Evangelism of Muslims for Church Growth

The Muslim population is the greatest unreached people of the world. Their resistance to the Gospel is legendary, documented in history. This course examines their history, their beliefs, their practices, their view of Christians, the methodology to evangelize them, and the Koran. Christians ought to learn how to conduct themselves before their Muslim neighbors in order to better witness about Jesus Christ to them. This course challenges the evangelism coordinator to have a burden for the Muslims and to send evangelists cross-culturally to live among them and to win some through personal evangelism, inviting thus the Church to take in and support the Muslim converts who will be rejected by Islamic society.

	Unit	Lesson	Assignment
1.	Introduction	Program and Assignments	CHOOSE THREE OF THE
2.		Course Introduction	FOLLOWING ASSIGNMENTS
3.	History	Life of Mohammed	FOR COURSE EVALUATION
4.		Crusades
5.		Islam in the World	A report on Islam in your country
6.		Islam in East Africa 1
7.		Islam in East Africa 2	A report on biblical answers
8.		Strategy of Muslim Expansion	to the practices of the five pillars
9.	Beliefs / Practices	Koran 1
10.		Koran 2	A report on the differences
11.		God, Angels, Demons, Prophets	between the Bible and the Coran /
12.		Jesus in the Koran	between Christianity and Islam.
13.		Holy Spirit
14.		Predestination, Death, Judgment, Hell	An apologetic report to show
15.		Five Pillars 1: Salat and Zakat	the validity of the trinity.
16.		Five Pillars 2: Saum, Haji (Jihad)
17.	Evangelism	Muslim Thoughts about Christians	An evangelistic sermon to win
18.		Approaching Muslims	Muslims to Christ.
19.		Understanding the Muslim Culture
20.		Knowing the Koran	A report on a visit to a mosque
21.		Evangelizing Muslims 1: Assurance
22.		Evangelizing Muslims 2: Understanding Sin	A report on the evangelism of a
23.		Evangelizing Muslims 3: Understanding Sin	Muslim.
24.		Witnessing publicly
25.	Discipleship	Welcoming the Muslim Convert	A report on the reactions of
26.		Helping Muslim Converts	Muslim society toward a
27.		Activities for the Muslim Convert	Christian convert and the
28.	Obstacles	Controversies	experience of his discipleship
29.		Doubts concerning the Bible	in the Church.
30.		Idolatry among Christians?
31.		Comparison and Christian Response	Final reports due
32.
33.

I. Their Culture

A. There are hundreds of different types of Muslims.

B. Each group is defined differently by Christians.

C. They are united, lively, mobile, and community-oriented.

1. They share a same language, Arab, which binds them together.

2. They think collectively, not individualistically.

3. They care more about the bigger picture of the community.

D. They are more sensitive if a person does not understand their social context.

II. Their religion

A. All Muslims do not practice their religion in the same way everywhere.

B. Here are come general labels for different types of Muslim.

1. Orthodox: They take the Koran literally and follow its traditions.

2. Conservative: They follow orthodox Islam, but adapt it to their life.

3. Mystical: They emphasize the supernatural in many ways and seek a relationship with God.

4. Liberal: They keep certain Islamic beliefs, but vary their interpretations of the religion’s application.

5. Syncretist: They mix Muslim beliefs and practices with local superstitions like astrology, witchcraft, fetishes, curses, voodoo, etc.

6. Secular: These are nominal Muslims for social and political reasons, but they do not really practice the religion.

7. Socialist/communist: These are often Marxists or Maoists in economic philosophy, but they say they are Muslims to do business.

C. We must know their faith and understand the impact it has on their lives.

D. We must be attentive to the different types of Muslims and to the various forms of expressing their faith in order to put them at ease during communication.

III. Their felt needs

A. A need is something a person is anxious about, to such a point that the person cannot behave normally.

B. The real needs of the Muslim must be seen as he perceives them.

C. Time must be taken to get to know each other and to see if the trust will be reciprocal before asking him to share his needs with you.

IV. Their receptivity to change

A. It is important to note his openness to change.

B. Many Muslims in the West are confused because the Western lifestyle is new to them.

C. They are evaluating the lifestyle of the world around them.

1. Some reject orthodox Islam completely.

2. Most compromise with the values of the world.

3. A minority resist change by remaining strictly orthodox.

D. Much time must be spent with a Muslim friend to determine his degree of receptivity and his openness to changing his religion.

E. The kingdom of God must be communicated as a tangible reality, offered to the whole world.

V. Three Major Groups

A. Shiites reject the first three caliphs and insist that the son-in-law of Mohammed, Ali, is his true successor and not Abu Bakr.

B. Sunnites, the most numerous of the groups, consider the first four caliphs from Abu Bakr on as the authentic successors of Mohammed.

C. Soufis are philosophic mystics who have adapted and reinterpreted Islam for their own interests.

I. His Genealogy

A. Their genealogy began with Abraham and Hagar (Ajira) who gave birth to Ishmael, who gave birth to Kadare, who gave birth to twelve sons, who constituted the twelve Arab tribes.

B. Of those tribes, Wakurahushi, was the ancestor of Abdala.

C. Abdala gave birth to Abdili-Mutulim, who gave birth to Hashim, who gave birth to Abdili Manas, who gave birth to Mohammed (the praised one).

D. Mohammed was the founder of Islam, with more than a billion members.

II. His Life

A. Mohammed was born June 8, 570 AD, at Mecca, en Saudi Arabia, of the great family of Hâshim, from the tribe of Quraysh.

B. An orphan at 6 years of age, he was adopted by his grandfather, Abd al-Muttalib.

C. He was raised by his paternal uncle, Abu Talib, a caravan business.

D. At a young age, he was raised to be a shepherd.

E. Khadija, a rich widow, hired him to manage her caravans.

F. He was known by the name, “Al Amin,” he who is worthy of trust.

G. He became an eminent member of the Business Corporation of Mecca.

H. At the age of 25, he married Khadija, and from that marriage six children were born and all died except the daughter, Fatima.

I. After Khadiya’s death, he adopted the practice of polygamy and had 14 wives.

J. A the age of 40, he was very concerned by the fate of his fellow citizens, and he spent most of his time in religious meditation.

K. He became a hermit and lived in a mountain cave near Mecca, where he received his first revelation in 610.

L. In 610, according to tradition, he saw the archangel Gabriel (Jibrail, in Arab) who communicated God’s words to him, that which became the base of Islam.

M. In 613, the revelations came again, and he told his closest friends of their contents: the religion began with this first core of Muslims.

N. When the first group of members began to grow, they began to criticize the religions commonly accepted, especially polytheism.

O. Mecca reacted to preserve its economic interest in the pilgrimages made by the monotheistic religions, Jewish and Christian.

P. In 615, the first Muslims were persecuted, fled to Ethiopia, and became Christians.

Q. Mohammed had to flee also and sought refuge at Yathrib, an oasis located 350 kms to the northwest of Mecca.

R. The inhabitants of Mecca tried to assassinate him in 622, but he fled to Medina.

S. The preacher became a politician, legislator, and military leader.

T. He guaranteed the Jews freedom to win their favor and introduce Islam.

U. Two years later, he broke with the Jews because they would not recognize his prophetic authority, only his political authority.

V. The date for ramadhân was set on the anniversary date of the first great victory of the Muslim army over the troops from Mecca in 623, as they were leading the caravans which Mohammed coveted.

W. Arab tribes tried to chase him out, but they failed.

X. Mohammed exiled the Jews from Medina and occupied Mecca in 628.

Y. After a short illness, Mohammed died June 8, 632.

I. Reasons for the Crusades (1000 - 1300)

¨ Economic Þ Famine Þ Poverty Þ Overpopulation

¨ Religious Þ Best "good work" Þ Pilgrimage to Holy Land Þ Spiritual warfare

¨ Military Þ Young sons of nobles Þ Protection of pilgrims

¨ Political Þ Unity of Church Þ Conquest of lost territories Þ Increase in the power of Rome

II. A Summary of Each Crusade

157th Pope Urban II - 1096 - 1099 Þ Stimulants ¨ Plenary indulgence offered ¨ Release from time in purgatory ¨ Honor of martyrdom ¨ "The Will of God" Þ Results ¨ Conquests: Edessa, Nicea, Tarsus, Antioch, Jerusalem 1099 ¨ Institution of feudal system ¨ Greater brutality than Muslims ¨ Control for 50 years	(5th) 174thPope Innocent III 1217 - 1221 Þ People ¨ John of Brienne, King of Jerusalem ¨ Andrew II, King of Cyprus and Hungary Þ Stimulants ¨ Crusade of the Children (died in transit)1215 Þ Results ¨ Conquest of Damiet, Egypt 1219 ¨ Loss of Damiet, Egypt 1221 ¨ Emperor Fredrick II (1194-1250) 1229 ¨ Negotiated Conquest ¨ Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth
65^thPope Eugene III 1147 - 1149 Þ People ¨ Bernard de Clairvaux 1146 ¨ King Louis VII of France, Emperor Conrad III Þ Stimulants ¨ Fall of Edessa 1144 ¨ The stronger Muslim forces Þ Results ¨ Defeat at Damascus	(6th) King Louis IX of France 1248 - 1254 Þ Stimulants ¨ Fall of Jerusalem 1244 ¨ Destruction of the French Army Þ Results ¨ Conquest of Damiet, Egypt 1249 ¨ Partial Conquest of Egypt ¨ Defeat and Capture of the King 1250 ¨ Negotiated Loss of Damiet, Egypt ¨ Negotiated Release of the King
171st Pope Gregory VIII 1189 - 1192 Þ People ¨ William, Archbishop of Tyre ¨ Emperor Fredrick Barberousse ¨ King Philip Auguste of France ¨ King Richard the Lion-Hearted of England Þ Stimulants ¨ Fall of Jerusalem 1187 Þ Results ¨ Conquest of Cyprus and Acre ¨ Treaty to be able to visit Jerusalem	(7th) King Louis IX of France 1269 - 1270 Þ Stimulants ¨ King's desire to convert the Sultan of Tunisia Þ Results ¨ King dies at Tunis, Tunisia 1270
174th Pope Innocent III 1202 - 1204 Þ People ¨ Peter Capuano and Foulques de Neuilly ¨ Boniface de Montferrat ¨ Baudouin de Flandres ¨ Dandolo ¨ Geoffroy de Villehardouin Þ Results ¨ Conquest of Constantinople 1204 ¨ Baudouin named Latin emperor ¨ Retreat of Byzantines to Nicea 1204 - 1261	(8th) Prince Edward I of England (1239-1307)1272 - 1307 Þ Results: ¨ Failure to save Acre in Galilee 1291

I. The Growth of Islam

A. It is the fastest growing religion in the world, growing much faster than Christianity.

B. Its rate of growth is 2.94% per year, far superior to that of the world’s population.

C. In 1900, Muslims made up 12% of the population; today, they make up 20% of it.

D. Their most important growth is due to biological growth, but there is also a lot of growth by conversion in Africa and Indonesia.

E. Growth is America, Europe, and on the Pacific Islands is almost entirely due to immigration.

F. Here are some statistics on the growth of Islam (David Barrett, World Evangelization, No. 70, March/April 1995):

Year	Christians	Muslims	Non-religious
1. 1900	558,056,300	200,102,200	2,923,300
2. 1970	1,246,173,000	564,320,000	556,275,000
3. 1995	1,939,419,000	1,057,599,000	937,185,000
4. 2000	2,119,342,000	1,153,871,000	984,962,000

II. The Extent of Islam

A. Most Muslims live in territorial zones which extend from West Africa to Central Asia.

B. Muslims are the majority in 43 states and territories, making up more than 10% of the population in 31 other countries, and more than 1% of the population in 49 other countries.

III. The Intolerance of Islam

A. In those areas where Islam is the state religion, the other religions are persecuted.

1. Islam teaches that Jews and Christians are second-class citizens. (“Dhimmi” - protected, but without the freedom of a Muslim)

2. Those who abandon Islam must be punished by death (Shari’ah)

3. The world is divided into two types of territories, “Dar-al-Islam” and “Dar-al-Harb,” (the house of Islam and the house of war)

B. Those who are zealous and oppose the unfaithful are good Muslims; those who are tolerant and compassionate are bad Muslims.

C. Missionaries neglect the Muslim world in their evangelism.

1. World A	Unevangelized	Muslim for the most part	01% - 004,000
2. World B	Non-Christian Evangelized	Those who have heard, but rejected the Word	08% - 027,000
3. World C	Christian	Any category of Christian	91% - 301,000

IV. The Language of Islam

A. Arab unites all Muslims; it is the language of the Koran, and it is sacred.

B. It is rarely the heart language of the member.

V. Tension between Muslims and the Rest of the World

A. The quest of Islamization against the challenge from modernization

B. The quest of Islamization against the challenge of pluralism

C. The quest of Islamization against respect for minorities

D. The quest of Islamization against freedom of religion.

I. From the 10th to the 18th Century

A. The mosque, Kilwa, which is found in South Tanzania, dates from 957 AD; it is the oldest one on the East Africa coast.

B. East Africa was exposed to trade from the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf from the very beginning of Islam’s expansion.

1. Monsoon winds coming out of the Persian Gulf blew for four months on boats going to East Africa; then the winds blew in the other direction when the boats were to return home.

2. The Arabs discovered gold, slaves, ivory, and shells.

3. Toward the middle of the 14th century, there were already 37 cities along the East Africa coast, from Somalia to Tanzania. These cities had Bantu and Arab inhabitants who spoke the same language, Swahili.

4. Many Arabs were lords: jurists, poets, theologians ....

5. In the 15th century, Duarte Barbosa told how Mafia and Zamzibar were Muslim chiefs lived in luxury.

6. In the surrounding area, plantations sent their harvest to the Persian Gulf.

7. Some Bantus, servants of these Muslim lords, were part of the Swahili community and converted to Islam.

C. The Portuguese arrived on the East Coast of Africa in the 16th century, thus controlling the route to India and the East Coast of Africa.

1. Mombasa was burned five times; the mosques at Pate and Camu were destroyed.

2. When Arabs chased out the Portuguese from the Persian Gulf, then from the East coast of Africa, Muslim influence was revived in Africa.

3. The epic poems of the end of the 18th century give glory to Mohammed for the defeat of the European Christians.

II. The 19th Century

A. The Sultan of Zanzibar needed slaves, ivory, and game, which renewed Muslim zeal.

1. The sultan sent caravans to the interior, via Tabora Te, Lake Victoria, and the kingdom of Uganda.

2. There were Muslim posts all along the caravan routes.

3. The Yao from South of Tanganyika to Lake Malawi adopted Muslim customs.

4. Muslims took the initiative to steal slaves from other tribes.

B. Chief Luyia of Uganda became Muslim as well as his subjects.

1. Kabaka Mutesa from Uganda hoisted the Muslim flag, and he forced his subjects to become Muslim, but he never personally became Muslim.

2. When Mutesa saw the power of the Europeans, he allowed Christianity to co-exist in his kingdom, alongside Islam.

3. It was the beginning of religious rivalry in Uganda politics.

4. Mutesa’s successor became Muslim and chased the Christians out.

C. It was thanks to the Europeans that Islam penetrated into the East Africa interior: the porters and the soldiers who collaborated with the Europeans were Muslims; they set up Islamic centers everywhere.

1. Before the Europeans came, Islam could not penetrate into the interior of Kenya because of the wild lions of the Nyika and the Masai.

2. When the railroad came through, Muslim penetration accelerated; the tracks were often laid by Muslims from Pakistan and India, and many of these workers became businessmen.

D. Swahili speakers were often associated with Islam.

1. At Tanganika, the German administration chose Swahili as the trade language, and the administration hired local leaders from the surrounding tribes; many were Muslims.

2. Soldiers from Sudan introduced Islam into the East African cities.

3. Traders from Somalia introduced Islam into the East Africa cities.

4. We should note that chiefs Ndigos, Galla, Biryamu, Yoas, Hehe, and Nyamewezi welcomed Islam into East Africa.

I. The 20th Century

A. There was a large Islamic expansion in the 1930’s with the establishment of schools, hospitals, clinics ....

1. Many Indian groups came into East Africa, such as the Ishnasharis and the Bohras.

2. The first Muslim missionary, Ahanaddiya, came; these groups weren’t accustomed in the same manner as the Sunni Muslims.

B. In 1945, they founded the East African Society for the well-being of Muslims.

C. From 1956 to 1959, they tried to develop a policy of Muslim education, but they did not succeed until independence.

D. From 1960 to 1995, they formed Muslim Councils in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.

E. Now they speak with one voice on questions which refer to official recognition of Muslim holidays, more time on the radio and television, etc.

II. African Countries with a Muslim Population of more than 10%

1. Algeria	25.8 m	17. Mozambique	2 m
2. Benin	.8 m	18. Niger	6.9 m
3. Cameroon	2.6 m	19. Nigeria	44.4 m
4. Burkina Faso	4.2 m	20. West Sahara	.13 m
5. Cote d’Ivoire	3.2 m	21. Senegal	7 m
6. Egypt	47.3 m	22. Sierra Leone	1.7 m
7. Ethiopia	18.7 m	23. Somalia	7.8 m
8. Ghana	2.6 m	24. Sudan	19.3 m
9. Guinea	5.3 m	25. Tanzania	8.7 m
10. Guinea Bissau	.4 m	26. Chad	1.8 m
11. Liberia	.55 m	27. Togo	7.2 m
12. Libya	4.4 m	28. Tunisia	8.9 m
13. Mali	6.7 m
14. Mauritius	.19 m
15. Mauritania	2 m
16. Morocco	26.4 m	Total	266.97 m

I. Introduction

A. Islam claims to be the religion which will win the world.

1. The Koran says that God’s people, the Jews, will be rejected by God and that the Muslims are now the true people of God, the proof being that the Jews are still dispersed.

2. The Muslim does not support the United Nations which granted land to Israel and continues its war against them.

B. Islam uses arms and petroleum dollars in its conquest of the world.

C. In Zaire, Islam is firmly planted now.

1. They give out food in the poor sections of the city.

2. They give work to those who join the neighborhood mosque.

3. They give money for causes which they can benefit from .

4. They want to have Muslim chaplains in the military service.

5. They already have a political party which is steadily growing (A.I.S. = F.I.S.).

D. At Madagascar, they have a slogan, “A Koran for every Malagasy.”

II. Seven Powers behind the Islamic Invasion

A. Spiritual power

1. They want a department of Islamic studies in every university.

2. They already have a training center in Eastern Zaire.

B. Economic power

1. They have a lot of petroleum money.

2. They give money to investors who become Muslim.

3. They are multiplying the number of humanitarian organizations.

4. They give school scholarships to anyone interested in studying the Koran for a year in Saudi Arabia.

C. Political power

1. They use pressure to win power.

2. They want to have numerous political parties to have a majority in Parliament.

D. Media power

1. They strive to have a radio station in very country of the world.

2. They stage scenes showing pastors on television, accusing them of being drug addicts, adulterers, and drunks to discourage others from following Christianity.

E. Terrorist power

1. A non-violent Muslim is not fervent.

2. Muslim Nigerians burn churches, and when members run out, they are shot.

3. Palestinians, Libyans, and Iranians house terrorists.

F. War power

· Muslims use war to win countries to Islam, notably as they did during the Crusades.

G. Maternal power

1. They have a lot of children, especially in the West, where arms and money do not work as well.

2. A Muslim can have four wives, so the family produces about twenty children.

3. They expect that the West will turn toward the developing world for labor.

Conclusion

· We should be more aware of the danger of Islam because many are lost.

· We have the truth and do not have to worry because the truth will triumph.

I. Islamic books

A. Muslims believe that there are 124,000 sacred books.

B. Four sacred books have survived, given to the prophets by Gabriel.

C. A Muslim believes that Jews and Christians twisted the meaning of the biblical books.

II. Four Books of Authority

A. The Torah - The Pentateuque given to Moses.

B. The Zabur - The Psalms given to David

C. The Injil - The four Gospels given to Jesus

D. The Koran - The complete and final revelation, given to Mohammed

III. Description of the Koran

A. “Qur’an” means “oral recitation.” (“Qura = recite)

· Arab experts have adopted the spelling, “Oor’an,” to distinguish the guttural “gaf” from the “kif” which is pronounced from the tongue and the palate.

B. The Koran is sacred, an Arab book above any other, an eternal message composed from 610 to 632.

1. The texts which it is composed of are the words of God, transmitted by the Archangel Gabriel (Jibrail), containing the final message of God since Mohammed is the last and greatest prophet.

2. While Mohammed was alive, the Koran was partially written on omoplates of camel skins, in an archaic alphabet which allowed for a variety of different readings.

C. The Koran has 114 surahs (suras) or chapters, classified by decreasing length.

1. Each surah is composed of verses (ãya - sign of God).

2. The entire work is divided into 30 parts (juz’i).

3. The first texts are from Mecca, written in rhymed prose, addressed to the noble families of Mecca which were opposed to Mohammed’s religious stance; the prophet was reminded them of the apocalyptic judgment which awaited them.

4. The ones from Medina, written in long sentences, have a universal tone and present Islamic doctrine.

D. The history according to the Muslims says that the Koran was carefully conserved by memorization and the writings left by Mohammed.

IV. Arrangement of the Koran

A. After the death of Mohammed, Abu Bakr, the first “caliph” (successor to the prophet), tried to assemble the personal collections written by one of the prophet’s companion (Sahib), Zaid ibn Thãbit.

B. Under Uthman (644-656), the third caliph, a new systematic arrangement was put together, but the problem of textual unity remained.

C. The problem of arranging stems from the fact that the surahs are arranged according to their length, not their chronology.

D. The governor of Iraq, Al-Hajãj, took the initiative to standardize the spelling during the reign of caliph umayyade, Abd al-Mãlik (685-705).

V. Message of the Koran

A. The Koran played an important role in Arab literature.

1. It imposed the Arab dialect which was associated with Muslim doctrine.

2. It served as a model for developing Arab prose, based on the effects of verbal prose.

B. The Koran calls on Jews and Christians to embrace Mohammed’s doctrines since he is the last of God’s messengers.

C. The Koran contains their confession of faith, and those who believe and practice according to their articles of faith are true Muslims.

D. The texts from Mecca, addressing Mohammed’s enemies, contain the following themes:

1. The high and mighty will be punished.

2. There is only one God, judge of all the Earth.

3. The poor are not cared for.

4. Widows and orphans are neglected.

5. The killing of children is being practiced.

E. The texts from Medina were written during a time of peace when Mohammed thought more about the organization of the religion.

1. They speak of what should guide the social life and the life of believers.

2. There is practical advice about the political and military organization.

3. There are surahs on the establishment of social institutions.

F. Muslims believe in the mystical power of its words to ward off evil.

1. The Koran is thus used as a medicine to protect against evil spirits, sickness, and danger.

2. Passages were written on pieces of paper, inserted into jewels so the words could be worn on arms and around the neck.

3. Its words are written in chalk on blackboards, then washed, keeping the dirty chalk water for medical purposes.

VI. Inspiration of the Koran

A. The concept of Islamic inspiration is different from that of Christianity.

B. For the Muslim, the words of the Koran are literally God’s words, dictated to man.

C. The words were had been recorded in heaven since the beginning, repeated by Gabriel to Mohammed at the right moment.

D. The personality of Mohammed is not discussed nor the possibility that he influenced the text or intervened in any of the messages.

VII. Outline of the Koran

A. History of the Old Testament 10-14

B. History of Jesus 3, 19

C. History of Mohammed Mohammed, Al Ahzab 33:50

D. History of demons Al’Jin 72:6-18; 19:83; 46:29

E. Doctrine of the Koran 22-38

VIII.Bibliography

· Camara, Kassoum. D'après le Coran Jesus Christ est Dieu, incroyable mais vrai. Abidjan, R.C.I.: Centre de Documentation Missionnaire, 1994.

· Cooper, Anne (coord). Le peuple du Coran. Méry-sur-Oise, Fr.: Éditions Sator, 1989.

· Djahi, Francis Assié. Musulmans et Chrétiens devant Jesus. Abidjan, R.C.I.: C.D.M.,1994.

· Heiner, Wolfgang. Pourquoi suivre Jesus seul? Allemagne: Éditions Brunnen Verlag

· Bâle, 1978. (Translation by Renée Monjardet)

· Khan, Sultan Mahomet. A la recherche des Saintes Ecritures. Abidjan, R.C.I.: Centre de Publication Baptistes, 1989.

· Marsh, Charles. Le Musulman mon prochain. Fontenay-sous-Bois, Fr: Ed. Farel, 1981.

· Michel, M. Jacques (translator). Apporter la Bonne Nouvelle aux Musulmans. Bobo Dioulasa, Burkina Faso: Institut Maranatha, 1992.

· Un regard sur l'Islam. Édition Sénévé, (no author, no date).

· Traoré, Oumar. Bismililahi rahamane rahim: Témoignage d'un Musulman: Plus de doute plus de "peut-être." Abidjan, R.C.I.: C.D.M., 1994.

· Comment partager l'évangile avec les musulmans? Abidjan, R.C.I.: C.D.M.,1993.

· Le Salut: "Jesus ou Mahomet" ou tous les deux? Abidjan, R.C.I.: C.D.M.,1994.

I. Allah

A. Allah is the proper name of God.

B. In their credo, Muslims recite: “There is no other God, and Mohammed is his messenger.”

C. This recitation is called the “shahada.”

1. There is no God but Allah, “Laill All Ilallah,” the supreme being.

2. It is before him alone that we should bow as a sign of worship and submission.

3. He alone possesses all powers which man needs.

4. He has no equal. There is no other like him. He is the creator who maintains creation.

D. Mohammed declared that Allah was the only God.

1. Allah was a god among many, according to Arab tradition.

2. The others were not gods, according to Mohammed.

3. The inhabitants of Mecca considered Mohammed an apostate because of this belief.

E. Allah is unique, and consequently, man cannot know him.

F. God is sovereign, and he is responsible for all that happens.

1. He is responsible for all good and bad on earth (except for the Mu’tazilites).

2. He is therefore the author of evil (“Sufi”- “God is closer than your jugular vein.”)

G. There are contradictions between Allah and the God of the Koran: AN NISSA 4:17, SURAT SAD 38:5, AL-JINN 13-15.

H. There are terms to designate those who do not follow Islam.

1. Kôfu - unbeliever

2. Muchrik - the one who associates other divinities with God

3. Dahriya - atheist

II. Angels

A. They are Allah’s messengers and the gardians of mankind.

B. Gabriel is the head of the angels, the right hand of Allah, and his spokesman.

C. Christians also believe that angels exist, as the Bible states, but they do not always have a part in our statement of faith.

III. Satan and Demons

A. The “jinn” are made from fire, capricious, and evil-doers.

B. Iblis is the head of the demons, and he leads people into error, away from the Muslim road.

C. Demons are spiritual beings, but they can take on a human form, and they are immortal. They are bad angels.

IV. Prophets

A. Islam declares that all humanity since the beginning of time had prophets who announced to people that they must submit to God.

B. Prophets of Allah must call on people to return to God.

C. Adam, Noah, Abram, Isaac, Ismael, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Job, David, and other people from the Old Testament were prophets.

D. Jesus was a prophet, but not greater than Mohammed.

E. Mohammed is the last and the greatest of the prophets.

F. Their message has been conserved in the written books according to Gabriel’s revelations.

V. Questions

A. How are Muslim beliefs similar to those of the Bible?

B. How are Muslim beliefs different than those in the Bible?

C. Can we use these doctrines do speak about Christian faith? If we can, then how?

I. Jesus is mentioned 93 times in the Koran.

II. Many names are attributed to Jesus.

A. Jesus, son of Mary Aali Imran 3:45

B. The messiah Aali Imran 3:45

C. The Word of God Aali Imran 3:39; An Nisaa 4:171

D. The Spirit of God An Nisaa 4:171

E. The right way Aali Imran 3:50-51; Az Zuhruf 43:63-64

F. The closest to God Aali Imran 3:55

G. The second Adam Aali Imran 3:59-60

H. The truth Aali Imran 3:60

I. The righteous Maryam 19:19

J. The light An Nisa 4:174; Al Maidah 5:46

K. A prophet Aali-Imran 3:39

L. A sign Az Zukhruf 43:61

M. A witness An Nisaa 4:159

N. An example Maryam 19:21

III. Miracles of Jesus Aali Imran 3:45; Al Maidah 5:109-114

A. He created

B. He healed lepers

C. He healed the blind

D. He raised the dead

E. He gave food to the crowd

F. He made inanimate things alive

IV. Teachings of Jesus

A. Jesus Christ reveals the truth so that men can go to heaven.

B. Jesus Christ revealed the kingdom of God. 3:50; 4:170; 5:46

V. Birth, Death, Resurrection, judgment

A. His virgin birth Al’Imran 3:37-47; Maryam 19:16-21

B. His death 19:33-34; 3:48,55

1. Where did He die?

2. How did He die?

3. Why did He die?

C. His resurrection 3:48,55; 4:156-157; 19:33

D. His judgment

1. It is Jesus Christ who reigns.

2. It is Jesus Christ who will judge.

3. It is Jesus Christ who will reward.

VI. Controversy over the Son of God

A. God did not engender His Son.

B. Jesus was not added to God as a Son. 4:169

VII. Questions

A. What teachings in the Koran support what the Bible teaches with regard to Jesus Christ?

B. What teachings in the Koran contradict what the Bible teaches with regard to Jesus Christ? 61:6

C. What doctrines on the subject of Jesus are difficult for Muslims?

I. Belief that it is the Angel Gabriel

A. The Angel Gabriel announced to Mary the news of Jesus’ birth. 3:45

B. Muslims attribute the force to announce that news to the Holy Spirit. 2:253

C. It is said elsewhere that the announcement was made thanks to the Holy Spirit. 19:17

II. Belief that God is at work.

A. The Koran shows the work of the Holy Spirit, but does not show who it is.

B. They speak of the works of the Holy Spirit, but not about his person.

C. The Holy Spirit gives the force to do the work of God. Albaquaram 2:253

III. Belief that Jesus is at work.

· The Koran calls Jesus the “Spirit of God.” 4:171

IV. Belief that it is Mohammed.

A. The Holy Spirit speaks and is different that the angel Al Maidah 5:110

B. Christians and Muslims teach that Jesus said that someone would come after Him.

C. The Koran says that Jesus was speaking about Mohammed.

D. The Bible says that Jesus was speaking about the Holy Spirit.

E. Muslims says that Mohammed is the Counselor about whom Jesus was speaking in John 14.

V. Biblical Belief John 14-16

A. We agree that Jesus said that someone would come after Him.

B. We can read together what Jesus Himself said because we share the same Gospels.

1. Jesus said that a counselor would remain with his disciples forever.

2. The world cannot see the counselor; Jesus was not speaking of an earthly counselor.

3. In Jesus’ time, the counselor was with the disciples.

4. A human being could not do the things Jesus spoke about.

C. Muslims do not understand the expression, “Holy Spirit”

D. We should show them verses written by John in the Injil which explain that the Holy Spirit is neither Gabriel, nor Mohammed, nor Jesus.

E. Christians should tell Muslims how the one God revealed Himself in three ways.

F. There are some Biblical truths to note:

1. The Holy Spirit is God Himself.

2. The Holy Spirit teaches the truth to men.

3. The Holy Spirit shows people their sin.

4. The Holy Spirit leads us in truth.

VI. Biblical Testimony Acts 2-5

A. Speak about how the Holy Spirit has taught you the truth.

B. Say that the Spirit has given you the power to talk about God. Acts 1:8

C. Tell how he gave you the words of truth to answer those who do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Acts 4:19-20

D. Speak of the Spirit’s power to heal people possessed with evil spirits. Acts 5:16

I. Predestination

A. It is the idea that God decides our fate in advance.

B. You practice the rites and you submit to the pillars as a slave to the law, but your destiny depends on his will.

C. No Muslim is sure of eternal life with God after he dies for this reason.

II. Life after death

A. Any good Muslim believes in the last day of the resurrection.

B. Any good Muslim leaves his fate in God’s hands.

C. Muslims believe that a gardian angel for each individual holds a register of his good and bad works, which will be weighed on resurrection day to decide his or her final destiny.

III. Burial

A. In preparation for judgment day, the Muslim is buried immediately after his death positioned in the direction of Mecca.

B. He has a conversation with his angel who takes notes.

C. The soul remains in the tomb near the body until the last day.

IV. Judgment

A. Allah decides the fate of men and angels.

B. All humanity will be raised for the judgment which will lead to the final destiny in heaven or hell.

C. Works are examined to determine the destiny of each one.

D. God will weigh it all out on the scale.

V. Heaven and Hell

A. Hell is characterized by an intense and eternal fire.

B. Heaven has eternal comforts like beautiful gardens, beautiful women, wine, food, etc.

C. Heaven and hell for Christians are very different.

1. The Christian heaven is the place where God resides.

2. Fire in Muslim hell is seven times more intense that that of the Christian hell.

VI. Judgment according to Jesus and the Bible John 3:14-21

A. How will God judge? John 3:19

B. Whey does God judge people? John 3:19

C. A what moment does God judge? John 3:18

D. What do these verses teach us about God’s judgment? John 3:20, 21, James 4:12, John 8:15-16, 1 Peter 4:5; 2 Timothy 4:1, 8; Hebrews 10:30; 12:23; 13:4; Romans 14:10, 12; 2 Corinthians 5:10

I. Five Pillars

A. Muslims call their main obligations the five pillars.

B. A Muslim must practice these five rites to be strong.

C. If he stops doing them, he becomes weak as far as spirituality is concerned.

D. Although faith is necessary, it is the picture of the scale which determines a Muslim’s actions.

E. This explains why a Muslim puts such an accent on good works: he must do exactly what is necessary without committing a mistake and without losing God’s favor.

II. Shahada

A. The first Muslim responsibility is to recite his faith.

B. Muslim faith is an affirmation of what he believes about God.

C. Muslims express their faith in Arab.

1. “Lai La Ha Illah Llah, Muhummad Ur-Rusul Allah.”

2. There is only one God, and Mohammed is God’s prophet.

III. Salat - Prayer

A. There are two aspects to their prayer

1. Words of praise to God

2. Requests for personal blessing

B. Muslims bow down in different ways.

C. The Koran clearly says that they must pray three times a day.

D. But very early in Muslim history, they prayed five times a day: morning, noon, afternoon, sunset, and bedtime.

E. A Muslim likes to have his small prayer rug turned toward Mecca so he can bow down after having knelt on it, touching his forehead to the ground to show submission to God.

F. The place must be clean, and the Muslim must wash (ablution) and take off his shoes.

G. Some Muslims cover their head during the prayer.

H. It has been calculated that on the average, the Muslim’s forehead touches the ground 87 times a day to show his submission to Allah.

IV. Zakat - Charity

A. Muslims must pay one a year an offering which goes to poor people and the expansion of Islam in the world.

B. The sum to give depends on each one’s situation.

C. Each one must give the tithe of his harvest 2.5%, of his money, and of his possessions.

D. They receive special rewards if they give to God’s work (Koran 2:264)

E. Another offering, the “Sadagat,” is an offering given whenever, to whomever, and in any amount of money. (Koran 2:71-272).

V. Questions

A. What does the Bible say about a declaration of faith? Rm 10:9-10; Phil 2:11; Mt 10:32; 1 Cor 15:3-9; 1 Tim 3:16

B. What does Jesus say about repeated prayer? Matt 6:5-15

C. What does Jesus say about charity? Matt 6:2-4

D. What does Jesus say about the tithe? Matt 23:23

I. Saum - Fasting 2:183-185, 187 (Saoum, Siyaum)

A. Muslims believe that God gave the Koran during the period of Ramadan (Ramzan).

1. It is a lunar month, not a solar one; it comes 11 days earlier each year.

2. It is very difficult when it falls on a hot season.

B. They fast all day during the month to deprive the body of what it desires and to think more about God and the teachings in the Koran.

1. From sunrise to sunset, nothing must enter into the mouth.

2. Muslims visit each other and celebrate in the evening.

C. They spend the month reciting the Koran to keep themselves from evil.

D. They recite special prayers: if the Koran is recited during the “night of power,” when God gave the Koran, then God will forgive their sins.

E. Fasting is accompanied by acts of charity.

F. There are exceptions to fasting, but exempted people must fast later, as in the case of very small children, sick people, women who have just had a child, men who do hard work, and travelers.

II. Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca 2:196-197

A. Long before Mohammed came, Arabs made pilgrimages to a holy place, the Kaaba, which was found in Mecca.

1. Muslims believe that Adam and Eve built Kaaba.

2. When Mohammed entered into Mecca and purified the Kaaba, he associated the former pagan practice with Islam.

3. On one side of the Kaaba, the black stone can be found; Muslims believe that it was the messenger of God and that those who touch it receive a special blessing from God.

B. Mecca is important because Mohammed began to preach there.

C. Islam teaches that a Muslim must make this pilgrimage once in his lifetime.

1. It is not mandatory for those who do not have the means.

2. The government of Saudi Arabia will give pilgrims an allowance for their return ticket if possible.

3. Sometimes the government pays for the entire trip. (Al Hajj)

D. Muslims offer up an animal in sacrifice during the pilgrimage to remind themselves that God gave Abraham a ram to kill instead of his son, Isaac.

III. Jihad - Holy War 2:190-193; 2:216-217

A. The word means: “make an effort, fighting to the very limits of our strength”

B. They struggle to preach, write, give money, use arms ....

C. Some Muslims are embarrassed by the fourth form of struggle.

D. Some scholars speak of two meanings of the word.

1. The inner struggle against sin and flesh

2. The outer struggle against Islam’s enemies, non-Muslims.

E. In the language of the “shari’ah,” this word means the war declared in the name of Allah.

1. The great scholar, S. Abdul A’la Mawdudi, spoke openly about the use of force.

2. King Khalid from Saudi Arabia appealed to all Muslims t wage a jihad to take back Jerusalem.

3. If a group volunteers for holy war, then the rest of the community does not have to do so.

IV. Questions

A. What does Jesus and the Bible say about fasting? (Mt 4:2, 6:16-18; Mk 2:18-20; Lk 2:37; Ac 13:2, 14:23) What is the value of fasting?

B. What does the Bible say of pilgrimages to Jerusalem? (Lk 2:42: Jn 2:13, 2:23, 5:1, 7:10)

C. What does Jesus and the N.T. say about war and force? Mt 26:51-52; Jn 18:36; Rom 12:17-21, 13:4; 2 Cor 10:4; Eph 6:11-13; 1 Pet 3:9-11)

I. Their Thoughts about Christians

· In order to be sheltered from any emotional shocks which you could run into while talking with Muslims, it would be nice if you knew what they thought of Christians. We group here five positions which could be very useful to you.

A. Muslims think that Christians are lost. (Surah 61:6).

B. They think that Christians lie because we say that Christ died whereas the Koran denies the death of Christ. (Surah 4:157).

C. They believe that we are deceitful because we are accused of having changed the Bible, which is justified by the Koran. (Surah 2:79).

D. They believe that we commit blasphemy when we say that Jesus is the Son of God. (Surah 19:88-89).

E. They consider us as idolaters in their sayings because we worship the Father, Son, and mother (Mary). (Surah 5:116-117)

II. Attitude of Western Missionaries toward Muslims

A. Charles Foster (1787-1871), from the British Church: Islam can prepare the soul for Christianity and has a place in God’s plan.

B. William Muir (1819-1905), British Church: Islam is opposed to the Gospel and must be defeated.

C. Four points of view today:

1. The Gospel of Jesus is unique (Acts 4:12). Therefore, we must emphasize the difference between the two religions. (Hendrik Kraemer)

2. The Gospel is the fulfillment of other religions. Therefore, Islam, like Judaism, is a preparation for the Gospel (J. N. Farquhar).

3. Islam is a monotheistic partner against other naturalistic and secular religions. (W. Montgomery Watt, Edward Jurji).

4. Dialogue and Christian presence among Muslims is essential because we have common themes to explore together. (Bishop Kenneth Cragg).

III. Our Attitude toward them: Love

· We must not have the same attitude toward them as they have toward us.

A. Love and prayer for your enemies according to Jesus. On the contrary, we must love them, as Jesus said in Matthew 5:43-48:

"You have heard it said: Love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I tell you: Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you in order to be true sons of your Father who is in heaven, for he makes the sun rise on the bad and the good, he sends rain on the just and the unjust. If you love those who love you, what reward do you deserve? Don’t the tax collectors do likewise? And if you only greet your brothers, what exceptional thing have you done? Don’t pagans do the same?

“Be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect."

B. Love according to the Koran The Koran recognizes Christians as men who love them. (Surah 5:82):

"Those who have the closest thing to the active friendship of those who have seen (Muslims) are those who say, “We are Christians ....”

C. Love, prayer, and tears according to Raymond Lull. After the Crusades, this missionary to the Muslims spoke about the need to evangelize them:

"We cannot conquer them by any other way than by yours, Lord, as the apostles fulfilled it, that is, by love, prayer, and the shedding of tears."

I. Prayer

· To show that you need God and His Word, pray for Muslims because Islam is more than a religion.

A. Behind this religion, there can be an evil spirit.

· Example: Sometimes, you can be speaking about the Gospel to a Muslim for many hours without him understanding any of it; suddenly he flies into a fit of rage when he discovers the truth.

B. Prayer is a testimony, and its divine effectiveness can mark the Muslim.

· Example: One day a brother came to see me about going with him to share the Gospel with a Muslim. I told him to pray, and he did it. Afterwards, he went to talk to the Muslim, and it only took five minutes for the Muslim to understand and be converted to Jesus because he was moved by the power of prayer.” (Amisi Mwanuke)

II. Obedience to the Word.

· To show that you need God, you must obey His Word.

"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask what you will, and it will be granted unto you." John 15:7

A. Muslims are religious. They have the Islamic law which they obey strictly.

B. They see our behavior, and based on that, they may or may not listen to you.

C. Your behavior can draw Muslims to God, to Jesus as their Savior.

"Let your light shine before men, so that they see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matt 5:16

III. Patience and Perseverance to find an appropriate time

A. To show that you need God, you must be patient to wait for the right time.

"When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him: there is no more wine. Jesus answered: Woman, what is there between us? My time has not yet come.” John 2:3-4

B. The conversion of Muslims is also in God’s hands.

IV. Humility to better approach Muslims

A. We must recognize that we need God and His Word. John 15:5, 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

B. We must learn about Muslim culture.

· Since Islam is a mixture of religion and culture, we must understand Muslim behavior and lifestyle, which varies according to the differences in culture and religion.

C. We must study the Koran.

· We cannot understand the Muslim without knowing what he believes and what he is learning. Consequently, we must know about the contents of the book.

D. We must admit that we have neglected the Muslims.

1. Some believe that Muslims are hard.

2. Others think they are possessed.

3. We must confess these are excuses to not do what God has asked us to do.

4. We must therefore encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ to take this work upon themselves.

E. We must follow Paul’s example

1. Paul said to us ... 1 Cor 9:20-23

"to a Jew, I became a Jew to win other Jews

“to those who are under the law. . .

“to those who are without the law ...

“Everything I do is for the cause of the Gospel, to take part in it."

2. Paul accepted to be everything for the cause of the Gospel of Christ, to save some. The truth of the Gospel is simple: God, to save humanity, became flesh in Jesus Christ.

F. We must be inspired by Paul’s example to share the Gospel with Muslims in their context.

I. The Role of the Woman in the Muslim Culture

A. She is inferior to man, a citizen who has lost her inheritance in society (See the Koran - 4:11-12, etc.)

B. Example: Some Muslims do not like to greet their wife with the hand.

C. To the contrary, others think that this is wrong on the part of the Muslim culture.

D. Three elements characterize the Muslim woman:

1. Fear "of bad tongues, poisoning or drugs, whippings, blows, and all kinds of bad treatment." (Marsh, 82)

2. Domination exerted by one or many men: "The woman only accounts for half a person in inheritance matters, and her husband has full authority over her."(Marsh, 82)

3. "A superstitious fear of the invisible world, a respect for religious leaders, and a fear of God which is deeply rooted." (Marsh, 83)

II. The extended Family

A. The family lives together, perhaps in a big house or in adjoining houses.

B. Revenue and expenses are shared by all the members, but controlled by the head of the family.

C. Property and possessions belong to all who give a good bit of security and solidarity to the family.

D. In case of an economic crisis, of sickness, or of death, the other members take on added responsibilities.

E. It guides and helps young married couples in the training of their children, in the kitchen, and in other household responsibilities.

F. Those who abandon the Islamic faith automatically lose their family relationships, their social security, their house, their property, their business, and their job. They also lose their spouses and children as well as the extended family and friends.

III. Ummah = Collective membership in a holy culture based on the Koran

A. The result of this doctrine is that the community is more tenacious than others.

B. Millah = a community outside of Islam. Anyone born into that culture can leave it to become a Muslim.

C. There is no freedom to leave Muslim society.

1. Irtiddad = Conversion of a Muslim to another religion.

2. The meaning of the word is apostasy, betrayal, and loss of identity.

3. The punishment for apostasy is beheading, but it is no longer applied to the penal codes of Muslim countries today.

IV. Written and Oral Language

A. You must understand the written as well as the spoken language of your listener. Knowledge of his language is very important.

B. The Arab language is sacred. The Koran was written in Arab. The Koran cannot be printed without Arab being part of it. Any translation must also include the original Arab.

I. Knowledge of the Koran can help in presenting the Gospel.

II. Christians must first of all rid themselves of all claims that sharing the Gospel by use of the Koran is bad.

III. Knowledge of the Koran can contribute to the Muslim trusting you.

· To gain the trust of a Muslim, the use of certain Koranic surahs, such as 2:136 and 4:136, is necessary.

IV. The Koran emphasizes the importance of belief in one God. (4:136)

"Oh believers! Be firm in your faith in Allah, and his messenger, in the book which he sent down to his messenger, and in the book which he sent down beforehand. Whoever does not believe in Allah, in his angels, in his books, in his messengers, and in the last day, is lost and far from him.."

V. The Koran encourages Muslims to study the book. The book which “he sent down beforehand” is the bible. This is important. Did you know that?

VI. Knowledge of the Koran can help in understanding the differences and similarities between the Bible and the Koran. Here are some surahs:

A. On the subject of women

1. Polygamy is permitted.

"...It is permitted to marry two, three, or four, among the women who please you, but if you fear not being as righteous as they, then one, or the slaves which you own. That, so that you do not commit any injustice (or so as not to undermine your family responsibility)." (Surah 4:3)

2. The inheritance of a son is double that of the daughter.

"Behold what Allah has said about your children: to the son, the equal part given to two daughters. If there are only daughters, even more than two, then they receive two thirds of what the deceased leaves behind. If there is only one, then she receives half ...." (Surah 4:11)

3. Men have authority over women and the right to strike them.

"Men have authority over women, because of the favors Allah has granted to them over women, and also because the men will have to make. Virtuous women are obedient (to their husbands), and protect what must be protected during the absence of their husbands, with Allah’s protection. As for those from whom you fear disobedience, warn them, cast them out from their beds, and strike them. If they succeed in obeying you, then no longer seek a way to oppose them because Allah is certainly mighty and great." (Surah 4:34)

B. On the subject of God and Abraham

"Who is better in religion that he who submits to Allah his being, in conformity to the revealed law and following the religion of Abraham, a righteous man? Allah considered Abraham a privileged friend." (Surah 4:125)

I. Personal Faith in Christ

A. Before approaching a Muslim, the Christian must first of all have assurance of his own salvation, sure he is saved, and convinced that the Muslim is not.

B. Example: One day a Christian went to share the Gospel with an old Muslim. The elderly man turned the situation around and sought to convert the Christian to Islam. Since the Christian did not have assurance of his salvation, he began to be afraid; he would have become a Muslim had it not been for the intervention of his Christian brothers.

II. Removal of certain prejudices from our mind

A. The notion of equality of religion: Some believe the Muslim and Christian religions are two ways to God.

B. The idea that God will not accept to send all Muslims to hell because they do not know Jesus personally.

III. Bible Verses which teach that Jesus is the only way to God.

A. John 17:3, John 14:6, Acts 14:12 1 Peter 3:20

B. These verses clearly say that the one who does not have Jesus Christ will go to hell.

C. Example of Noah: At the time when the earth was corrupted by sin, God, to save humanity, said to Noah that he should construct an ark as a way to avoid the destruction. Only those who listened to Noah’s word and accepted to enter into the ark were saved; they were eight people in all. Likewise, the only ones to be saved are those who accept to follow Jesus.

IV. No Assurance of salvation for Muslims in the Koran

A. The fact gives us an opening to testify as to the peace we have in Christ.

B. Sur. 3:131-132 "Fear the fire which has been prepared for those who deny the faith. Obey God and his messengers; maybe you will be spared by grace."

C. Sur. 6:165 "Behold a book which we have sent down; it is blessed. Follow its teachings and be pious. Maybe you will be touched by my grace."

D. We see that in these two verses the Koran uses the expression, “maybe” which interjects doubt as to whether the Muslim will be saved, even if he follows Mohammed’s precepts, God, and the Koran. (See also Sur. 2:183)

V. Examples of a Testimony given to two Muslims

A. A Muslim who has some knowledge of the Koran and the Hadith (tradition) will tell you that he does not know if he will be saved.

1. He will tell you that only God knows.

2. You will then ask him: "Does God want us to know if we are saved?"

3. If he says: "Yes," then ask him why he does not know what God wants him to know.

4. You can also ask him, “Why did God give you the Koran and send his messenger?”

B. A Muslim who has assurance of salvation may use verses like the following:

1. Sur. 103:2-3 "Man will surely be condemned, except those who believed, who did good works, who turned to truth and righteousness, and who exercised patience.” (See also Sur. 23:1-11.) This verse shows us that only those who have done nothing but good will be saved., But is it possible for man to only do good?

2. Even the Koran says (Sur. 100:6-7): "Man is surely full of ingratitude toward the Lord. He certainly is a witness to this." The Bible says the same thing (Rom 3:23).

VI. Salvation by the standard of the scale

A. Their good deeds must outweigh the bad.

B. (Sur. 7:8-9) "The scale will measure out justice on that day. He whose good works tip the scale, he will reap success. He whose work do not come up to weight will have caused their own condemnation." (See also Sur. 101:6-7.)

C. These verses do not talk of assurance of salvation because the Muslim does not know how much good or bad he has done nor if his works have pleased God. So he says that his life must be weighed before he can know if he will be saved or not.

I. Use the Story of Adam and Iblis (Satan) in the Koran.

1. Surah 2:34-36 'And when we asked the angels to bow down before Adam, they bowed down, except for Iblis who refused; he was full of pride and dwelled among the unfaithful. And we said, “Oh Adam, live in paradise with your spouse, and wife, feed yourselves from anywhere you like, but do not go near the tree you see before you; if you do, you will be counted among the unjust.” A short while later, Satan led them to fall from the place where they were. And we said, “Leave paradise, enemies of each other. As for you, you will have a shelter and food on the earth for a time.”

A. Satan’s disobedience

1. In the Koran, God asked the angels to bow down before Adam, and all obeyed except Iblis (Satan). God cursed him and called him thief and liar from that day forth.

2. The Hadith and the traditional Islamic books teach that Satan was so disobedient that there was not a single place where he would bow down before God. But God exiled him for one case of disobedience, that of refusing to bow before Adam.

B. God’s total intolerance of sin

1. God rejects all sin, in light of Satan’s refusal.

2. We are all condemned as sinners. If God want to measure our deeds as he did with Satan, which of us can be saved by our good works? No one because no human being succeeds in obeying all the commandments of God.

C. Adam and Eve’s trial and their sin

1. God placed Adam and Eve in his paradise. The All-powerful told them they could eat of all the trees in the garden except the forbidden one. According to the Muslims, Eve lived 300 years (Badhai i Zouhour, p. 39-40) eating all that God permitted her to eat.

2. This story shows us all the good that Adam did and tells of his sin at having eaten what was not permitted.

3. If we measure all that he should eat (obedience) and all that he ate (disobedience), we see that he obeyed many times over, and for a long time, but he disobeyed one time, as Iblis had done.

D. God, being the same, judges us as Adam and Iblis were judged.

1. "...Those who do evil and who surround themselves with sins, they will dwell eternally in the fire. (S. 2:81)

2. "There is no one among you who will not pass through (Hell): We are talking about an irrevocable sentenced pronounced by the Lord. We will deliver those who were pious and we will leave the unjust on their knees." (S. 19:71-72)

3. These two verses speak of the pious and sinners. Even the pious will go to heaven. Why? Because all have sinned, even the pious because no one is totally righteousness.

II. Use a Story which is well known by Muslims.

A. A man built a two-story house. He decided to worship God his whole life. He did so for 70 years by sacrificing and giving charity, avoiding all sins carefully. After the age of 70, he decided to go out, and as he was going the road, he saw a woman at her door. He committed sin with her. Afterwards, he went back in to purify himself. As he was purifying himself, someone asked him for charity. At the request, his servant gave the beggar two dates. Then the man went upstairs and died. Angels from hell and paradise came to find him. The angel from paradise wanted him to enter paradise for his 70 years of worship, and the angel from hell wanted him to go with him for the sin he committed. During their discussion, the angel Gabriel came and told them to bring in the scales of righteousness. In weighing his good works and his sin, they estimated that his 70 years of worship did not compensate for the grave sin he committed. It was thus decided that he should go to hell, but at that moment, the angels spoke about the two dates given to the beggar just before his death. Because of that, the man was allowed to enter paradise.

B. The lesson: give charity. For us, sins and good works will not be weighed together. A Muslim must understand that 70 years of worship will not allow him to enter paradise, even if two dates are included on the scales!

III. Say that only one sin can prevent entrance into paradise.

A. Would you accept to drink a glass of water if there was but a drop of poison in it?

B. Can you swallow ten peanuts when one of the is rotten? If not, why not?

C. A good marriage can be destroyed by one act of adultery by one of the partners.

D. The color of clear water will change if you just add a small drop of ink.

IV. Show that no one can be saved without the grace of God.

A. Show S. 24:14 "If it were not for the generosity you owe to God as well as His mercy to us in this world and the next, you would be struck by huge torments for the idle conversation which you so readily accept."

B. If the Muslim recognizes that is by grace that we are saved, ask him now what the grace of God has prepared for us so that we would be saved.

C. Be vigilant: so as not to be distracted by answers which the Muslim might offer to avoid the point of your question.

D. Declare that God’s grace is unmerited salvation, life eternal in Jesus Christ.

E. If he does not understand God’s grace, show it to him through Christ Jesus. (See Oumar Traoré. How to share the Gospel with Muslims. pp. 11-13)

V. Proceed in a way that he can easily understand. (Traoré. How..., 13-15)

A. Bible verses to use: 1 Peter 3:18, John 5:24.

B. Avoid John 3:16 because it says, “Son of God." He may change the meaning of the expression during dialogue.

C. Use the Koran: S. 19:21 "He said, “Your Lord has spoken in this manner: that is not easy, but so that we can give a sign to humans and a result of our mercy. And it was done.” This verse explains that Christ is a sign for humans.

D. Explain that Jesus came into the world to die for us and draw us to God. That was freely done through the grace and mercy of God.

E. Use S. 3:55-57 "When God said: Jesus! I am going to put an end to your earthly life, in order to lift you us to me and to purify you from those who denied. I am going to exalt your followers above those who denied me up to resurrection day. Afterwards, you will return to me, and I will arbitrate between you and your diverging points. Those who will have denied, I will submit them to harsh torture in this world and in the next, and they will have no one to support them. Those who will have believed and done good works, they will also receive their wages. God does not like the unjust.

F. S. 3:59 distorts Jesus’ role as Savior. “For God, the image of Jesus is like that of Adam. He created him from the earth, and said, “So be it,” and it came to be."

G. S. 37:102-107 speaks of sacrifice of Abraham’s son: "When he was old enough to accompany his father, (Abraham) said: "Oh my son, I saw in a dream that I was sacrificing you as a burnt offering. What do you think? (Ismael) said: "Oh my dear father, do what has been commanded. You will find me, if it pleases Allah, among the faithful." After the two had submitted to Allah’s command, and Ismael was thrown before him, behold, we called to him, “Abraham! You have obeyed the vision, and we reward those who do well.”

H. The idea of sacrifice produces in the Muslim a sense of value for the sacrifice of sheep at the Tabaski Feast. Here are various answers that they can give.

1. "As for the commemoration of Abraham, one sacrifice allowed him to enter paradise.” Teach him the reasons for which God asked Abraham to make that sacrifice.

2. "To try his faith, that is, to see if Abraham would accept to offer God his son."

3. "To show his love, because in sending him a ram, God showed Abraham that he love his son more than himself.

4. "To prepare for the coming of the final sacrifice.”

I. Make an analogy with the death of Christ. "God also sent Jesus who represents the lamb who takes away the sins of the world(John 1:29). Likewise, God allowed, through the lamb, that Abraham’s child would recover his life. God allows us to have eternal life through Jesus Christ. Through Christ’s crucifixion, God allows us to also have eternal life if we accept his sacrifice, as he also placed a ram as a substitute for Abraham’s son. Let us accept Jesus as Abraham accepted the Lamb of God. If Abraham had refused God’s provision, who would have died? Likewise, if we refuse Jesus who is the Lamb of God, who will die?”

J. After the salvation presentation to a Muslim, be careful of subjects which can create an obstacle and prevent the Muslim from accepting Jesus.

I. Compose a Gospel team

· Choose 12 people who will form four committees of three members each.

A. Committee of evangelism: Mature evangelists who have a good knowledge of the Bible and the Koran.

B. Planning Committee: precise goals and strategy to reach them.

C. Prayer Committee

1. Intercession for the evangelists

2. Intercession for the Word of God

3. Intercession for Muslims and others

D. Discipleship Committee

1. When?

2. How?

3. With whom?

II. Preach Publicly.

A. Follow Paul’s example Acts 20:21

1. Become their friend. If Muslims do not listen to teachings given publicly, then maybe it’s because those who preached are strangers and not their friends.

2. Continue to teach them the Good News.

B. Prepare your message.

1. In public places, you must be careful.

2. Examine your theme so it will not be scandalous for the Muslim.

3. Use a lot of verses from the Koran, but also an application from the Bible.

4. Mix your message with verses from the Bible and the Koran.

III. Witness during Christian Celebrations.

A. Festivals are special days during which we can rejoice and have a good meal together.

B. Explain why we celebrate this festival.

C. Invite Muslims to attend with you.

IV. Witness by Cassette Tapes.

A. One method to reach illiterate Muslims is the cassette player.

B. You can give Muslims cassettes which teach the Gospel.

C. They are easy to use.

D. Careful consideration should be give to arrangement and contents.

1. Short messages with songs

2. Testimonies with teaching.

3. Bible readings

4. Composition of the message by cassette

5. Division of the message by cassette

V. Witness by Christian Broadcasts on Radio and Television

A. Radio and television can be used to communicate the Good News where Christians cannot go.

B. Christians who prepare radio and television broadcasts for Muslims must be careful. They should use language which Muslims understand. Prepare things that they will want to listen to over and over.

C. Muslims do not like people who clap their hands or use certain musical instruments when they are praising God. Make sure your broadcasts are adapted to Muslim culture.

Conclusion

· There are many different ways to communicate the Good News. It will take many different Christians working together to use all the means available. Some will write books, others will prepare cassettes, and other radio broadcasts.

I. Welcoming the new Muslim convert

A. Most Muslim converts will be rejected by their family, community, and friends. They can even be hunted down and threatened with death.

B. Hadith Bokhâri spoke of burning and killing them. I. Ikrima said: Apostates were taken to Ali and he had them burned. When he heard that, Ibn Abbas said: If it had been me, I would not have burned them, because God’s messenger forbade it. I would have had them put to death because of God’s messenger’s words: Whoever changes religion, kill him.”

C. The new Muslim convert is disturbed because he feels confused when faced with threats on his life. He has many questions on his mind.

1. "I will be chased out by my family; will I have to fend for myself?”

2. "Did fate decide that my parents would not reach me?”

3. "Where will I find food and lodging for the night if I am cast out by my family?"

4. "If I leave this world one day for the hereafter, who will bury me?”

II. Encouraging the Muslim convert with God’s Word

A. Prov 12:15 "...But he who listens to these counsels is wise.”

B. Matt 16:21, 24-25: Jesus’ teachings on the cross help the Muslim to be convinced of the truth of Christianity.

C. Mark 10:28-30 Share the passage and let him know by your actions and your words that you are truly his brother or sister, as Jesus spoke. Then, help him to the best of your ability.

D. Psalm 27:10 Emphasize your assurance and trust in God, reminding him that God will never forsake him.

III. Words of the Koran and Hadith Bokhâri

A. Surah 80:33-37 "When upheaval comes, the day when man will flee from his brother, mother, father, wife of his children, each will worry about his or her own fate." The verse continues in another version saying: “... that he must not lean on his family and forsake the Lord.”

B. Hadith Bokhâri says: "...you can serve him with your possessions, but I cannot save you from God’s judgment. Watch yourself.”

C. Parents are not enemies, but they are still parents. He must love them with a true and godly love. Nevertheless, this exhortation is only useful if the convert to Christianity can remain in his family and live out his new faith in freedom.

IV. Love in Action and Truth.

A. Do not love in word or with the tongue, but in action and truth. Muslims will be greatly encouraged by your conduct if you show them respect and love accompanied by action and truth. 1 John 3:18

B. When a Muslim is your host, respect his sensitive areas, and avoid criticizing him because that will tear at the fabric of your relationship.

C. Mutual visits are advisable. When you invite Muslims to your house, or when you go to his house unexpectedly, be very polite and even share meals together. You should be aware that an unexpected guest is never turned away at mealtime.

D. The white missionary, who led Oumar Traoré to Jesus Christ, removed racial barriers when he visited. His behavior touched the heart of the new convert. The missionary told him: “If you are banished from your family because of your new faith, do not hesitate to call and come to my house.”

E. Surah 4:29: We must go beyond the good works of Muslims. (See Oumar Traoré. Comment partager l'Évangile avec les Musulmans, pp. 36-38)

I. Be sensitive to the needs of new converts from Islam.

· There is a great need for sensitive servants, aware of what touches Muslims, men who know how to put themselves in the place of Muslims who have become Christians, people who understand their problems and share their sufferings, communicating that the new convert is accepted into the Christian family.

II. Explain the difference between the Koran and the Bible

A. The convert has perhaps learned portions of the Koran by heart.

B. The difference between the Koran and the Bible must be explained in Bible study.

C. The goal is not to recite long passages but to consider the Bible as the chosen means by which God gives the new convert instructions for leading his Christian life.

D. Muslims believe that the Koran came from heaven and that it was put into Mohammed’s hands by the angel Gabriel.

E. For the Christian, the Bible was given over a long period of many centuries and contains messages adapted to the various needs of numerous individuals. It is the inspired Word of God.

III. Explain how to use the Bible.

A. It is dangerous for a Muslim convert to have a Bible.

1. He can be thrown into prison.

2. He could be persecuted in other ways.

B. Encourage him to memorize long passages so that he can remember them if there is severe persecution.

C. Encourage him to listen to radio broadcasts which will help him to realize that he is a member of the family of God.

D. Encourage him to adopt a method of daily Bible reading.

1. Scripture Union has a good program.

2. Bible courses by correspondence are very helpful.

E. Show him Acts 2:41-42 immediately after his conversion.

1. The new convert is to be baptized.

2. He is to persevere in the teaching of the apostles, in fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayer.

IV. Baptize him.

A. For the new convert from Islam, Baptism is the definitive break because it is a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ.

1. The first step is to confess Christ as Lord by announcing to his family and others that a wonderful change has taken place in his life.

2. The second step is baptism.

B. Baptism is normally followed by the admission of the convert into the membership of the church and into Holy Communion.

C. The convert from Islam is ready to fact death to prove his sincerity.

D. If he truly desires to be baptized and if he realizes all the implications of this act of obedience and identification with his Lord, he should not be made to wait.

E. There can be a problem with a young woman: "A young woman who becomes Christian cannot be baptized easily without the authorization of her husband and probably of here parents. Care must be taken to protect her by any means of security possible." (Marsh, p. 110) (See Marsh, Charles. Le Musulman mon prochain, pp. 107-110)

I. Teaching of the Apostles: Regular Lessons on Biblical Truths

A. The letter to the Galatians is ideal for the new convert from Islam.

B. If it is not possible to organize group studies, individual teaching becomes necessary.

C. "The convert must be capable of explaining his faith to others, to answer their objections by using the New Testament."

D. Example:

1. If his Muslim friend asserts continually that Jesus predicted the coming of Mohammed, the Christian must be capable of referring him to John 14:16. That will reassure the Muslim friend.

2. "The Christian must show his Muslim friend the biblical context 'so that he dwell eternally with you.’ That is the Spirit of Truth.”

3. "The Christian must learn how to use the Sword of the Spirit, first of all for himself, to defend his newfound faith."

II. Fellowship

A. Fellowship is the greatest need of a new convert in a Muslim country.

1. As a Muslim, he is part of a vast community within which he is accepted.

2. Now he is a Christian, and he is set apart every moment of every day because Islam penetrated every aspect of his daily life.

B. It is very important that Christians in the area surround him with love and care.

C. He must feel that he belongs to the Christian family. This is even more important than his knowledge of doctrine and Christian beliefs because he feels cut off from his former community.

D. He must indeed feel part of the new community.

E. An atmosphere must reign in the church.

F. A spirit of respect and awe exists in the mosque, but that is not always the case in the evangelical context. In the beginning, the convert will find the church meetings very strange, and he will notice the lack of respect and fear for God.

III. Breaking of Bread

A. The new convert from Islam can truly understand in Holy Communion because it is very close to a certain Islamic ritual.

1. It is a way of showing his love for the Lord Jesus.

2. He draws near the table in remembrance of him and to meet him.

B. The new Christian must be taught to take the Lord’s supper and break with Islam, particularly with its practice of fasting during the Ramadan.

IV. Prayer

A. In Islam, prayer is a ritual which is done at a certain time and always in Arab. The new convert will miss this.

B. When the Christians prays, he speaks directly to his heavenly Father in his own language. It will take a little time for the convert from Islam to understand this.

C. Teach the new convert the model prayer in Mt. 6:9-13, which should be at the base of his daily prayers.

D. His greatest difficulty will be to find a place where he can be alone with his Father to pray, read, and meditate on the Word. (See Marsh. Le Musulman mon prochain, pp. 110-113)

I. Attitude when there are objections and controversies

A. Controversies are to be avoided as much as possible.

B. Don’t ever give the impression that Muslim arguments against the Christian faith are refutable whereas yours are irrefutable.

C. Show the example of the perfect servant whose traits are described in Isaiah 42:1-4.

II. Advice of Paul to Timothy (2 Tim 2:23-26)

Paul, thinking about the passage in Isaiah, exhorted Timothy: "Now, God’s servant must not get caught up in quarrels; he must, rather, humble himself before all, be apt to teach, endowed with patience; he must correct his enemies gently, in the hope that God will grant them repentance to come to the truth, ...” (2 Tim. 2:24-25)

III. Things to avoid

A. Avoid any attitude which might provoke quarreling.

B. Avoid subjects which might provoke quarreling.

C. Avoid places which might provoke quarreling or scandals.

IV. Approach to avoid arguments

A. Speak frankly: "I did not come to discuss religion, argue bout Christianity, or prove that I am right. I simply want to tell you something that perhaps you do not know.:

B. He will most certainly ask you what you are referring to.

C. You should then answer in this manner: “Do you know how to have peace with God? Do you know how to defeat Satan and the evil in your heart? I have found the answer to these questions and, if you will allow me, I would like to share with you what changed what I previously believed.”

V. The Real Choice

A. The inevitable decision for any Muslim is to choose between Mohammed and Christ.

B. Which book is telling the truth? The Bible or the Koran?

C. Nevertheless, it is useless to discuss the person of Mohammed and the value of the Koran. That will reinforce the Muslim position against you.

D. Our task is to communicate the Good News, and not to criticize the life of their prophet, the way they pray, or the questionable morality of many Muslims. That will only turn them away from the Lord.

VI. Our Strength

A. Do not forget that the Muslim may seek to provoke you or irritate you. He knows that if you get angry, other people present will not listen to you.

B. Remember that a Muslim is always strong when he is on the offensive in a discussion.

C. But the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, will guide you through the answers you need to give. Count on Him. He is the one who will use your words as the sword of the Spirit.(See Marsh. Le musluman mon prochain. pp. 102-106)

Introduction

· An obstacle for the Muslims is their lack of confidence in the Bible as the Word of God.

· It is difficult for a Muslim to believe Bible verses which say that Jesus is their Savior and Lord: the way, the truth, and the life.

I. Jesus Christ is not the Savior Surah 3:84

A. Show the Muslim that in principle, he believes all that the Koran says.

B. The Koran shows us three truths very clearly.

1. We must believe that Jesus Christ exists.

2. We must trust in Jesus Christ.

3. We must obey Christ’s Word.

C. A person cannot say that he believes in the Koran without believing it totally.

D. Here is a possible answer to the objection.

1. Can a man say with his mouth that he follows the Koran and not do prayers and fasting?

2. No.

3. Are you saying that you follow the Koran and that you do not follow its teachings on Jesus and the Bible?

II. The Bible is not worthy of confidence. Surah 2:72

A. The Muslim believes that the Bible has been falsified and corrupted.

B. The Muslim believes that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are the authors of the books bearing their names, not God.

C. Some think that Jesus went up to heaven with the true Bible.

D. Here is a possible answer to the objection.

1. Who changed the Bible? How? Why did they change it?

2. I don’t have an answer to those questions.

3. The Koran does not say anywhere that the Bible was falsified. Surah 2:72 is often used t say that the Bible was falsified, but that is not what it says. This surah is addressed to the Jews who lived during Mohammed’s time and who were asking him for explanations.

4. In Surah 15:9, God promised to preserve His Word. Is it possible that God did not keep His promise? Is it possible that man could upset His plan?

5. This Surah is not talking about the Bible. It is only the Koran that Allah promised to keep.

6. But Surahs 7:21, 21:48, and 21:105 tell us that the books of Moses, David and Jesus’ disciples were inspired by God and used to call back the faithful. We can conclude that the Pentatuque (Moses), the Zabur (David), and the Injil (Gospels) are inspired by God.

7. Numbers 23:19 says that God will carry out what he has declared; he is not a man to lie.

8. Surah 6:34, 6:115 and 48:23 tell us that nothing can change the words of God; the Pentateuque, the Zabur, and the Injil are therefore God’s word, and they are valid and trustworthy.

III. It is the Koran which guides us, not the Bible.

A. In Surah 5:44-47, the Koran describes the Bible, the Torah and the Gospel, as a “light and a guide which has come from God.”

B. How can a book which has been falsified be “a guide and a light?”

C. The Torah and the Gospel cannot contain any darkness; they can therefore be used to guide us. (See Oumar Traoré. Comment partager l'Évangile avec les Musulmans?, pp. 19-21)

Introduction (Traoré. Comment partager l'évangile avec les Musulmans, 33-35)

· The Koran declares that Christians are idolaters. Surah 5:17, 116, 117

· Muslims consider Christians as people who associate Mary, Jesus, and God altogether as the divinity. Surah 5:116

I. Christians and Marinates should not be confused.

A. Care must be taken to explain to Muslims that the Koran is not addressing true Christians, but the Marinates.

B. The Marinates were considered a cult worshipping a flower as their queen.

C. They converted to Christianity in the fifth century, replacing the flower with Mary.

D. That is how they got the name Marinates.

E. In the 7th century the cult disappeared because the Christian Church rejected its teachings.

F. Islam came along at the same time period, and Mohammed fought the ideas of the Marinates. Surah 5:17

G. Mohammed sought to refute those who said that God was the Messiah, Son of Mary.

II. The Koran does not refute the Christian Doctrine of a unique God.

A. True Christianity says that God is one, that he speaks through His Word, that He lives by His Spirit, and all this is supported by the Koran. Surah 4:171

B. Jesus, son of Mary, is God’s messenger, His Word.

C. God left His Spirit in the heart of any true believer after the departure of Jesus.

D. True Islam does not combat the beliefs of true Christians; it combats heretics and nominal Christians who are not true believers.

III. The Koran considers true Christians as Believers who have only one God. Surah 3:113-117

A. True Christians only adore one God. Surah 5:82

B. True Christians submit to only one true God. Surah 29:46

IV. Christian Belief in the Trinity does not refute belief in a unique God.

· To lead Muslims to the idea of the trinity, we must ask them some questions which need answering concerning God, His Word, and His Spirit.

· Did God precede His Word?

· Did God precede His Spirit?

· Who came first, God, His Word, or His Spirit?

Conclusion: Pray about Islam in Zaire: COMIZA

A. History

1. Date of Islamic entry into Zaire: 1840 (Kasongo-Maniema)

2. Official recognition by presidential ordinance #. 72/194 on 28/3/1972

B. Statistics in 1995

1. Number of mosques: 1,800

2. Muslim population: 585,400 (est.)

3. Preachers 1,027

4. Koranic schools - 506.

5. Islamic universities: 2 (Kin, Maniema) classes

6. Health centers: 53

7. Teachers 8.

8. Centers of social work: 36

9. Public schools - 320 primary schools

10. Administrative seats: 12

11. Classes: Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Kisangani, Kananga,

12. Teachers: Mbuji-Mai, Kasongo-Maniema, Goma, Bukavu, Mbandaka, Kikwit, Matadi, Tshikapa

I. Comparison of religious concepts

(Source: Phil Parshall, New Paths in Muslim Evangelism, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1980, p. 74)

Vocabulary	Islam	Christian (Western, Evangelical)
1. God	Distant Vindictive Judge Capricious Critical	Personal Merciful Loving Caring Holy
2. Christ	Prophet	God
3. Bible	God’s revelation Modified, corrupted	God’s revelation Has authority
4. Trinity	God, Mary, Jesus	Father, Son, Holy Spirit
5. Faith	Object : God and Mohammed	Object: Jesus as God
6. Sin	Shame, embarrassment, guilt	Rebellion against God and against man
7. Salvation	Condition: faith and works God is author No assurance	Condition: faith only God through Christ Assurance
8. Sanctification	Emphasis on obedience and rituals	Emphasis on the Spirit’s role
9. Love	Emphasis on the family	Emphasis on the community
10. Supernatural Powers	Belief in the spiritual world	Belief in biblical teachings on spiritual world.

II. Christian Response to Deep Fears among Muslims

(Source: Anne Cooper, Le peuple du Coran, Eastbourne, G.B.:Editions Monarch, 1989, p. 174. Tableau extrait de The Gospel and Islam, MARC).

Deep Fears	Muslim Practices	Christian Responses
1. Fear of the Unknown	Witchcraft, fetishes, charms Magic, talisman, divination Sacred places, Superstition	Security in Christ Guide and protector
2. Fear of the Devil	Amulets, Knots Exorcism Curses	Protection from evil Exorcism Blessings
3. Fear of the Future	Worship of angels Aggressiveness Life has no meaning Fatalism	Trust in Jesus as Lord of the future Life has a meaning and goal if you are a child of God.
4. Shame for not being part of the Group	Arrangement of hair and nails	Welcome into the family of God
5. Powerlessness of the individual	Worship of saints Requests made to saints and angels	Holy Spirit’s power Authority and power over evil
6. Sickness	Healing by magic	Divine Healing

1. Cooper, Anne. Ishmael my Brother, Europe: MARC, 1985.

2. Goble, Phil and Salim Munayer. New Creation Book for Muslims, Pasadena, CA: Mandate Press, 1989.

3. McDowell, Josh and Don Steward. Understanding Non-Christian Religions, San Bernardino, CA: Here's Life Publishers, Inc., 1982.

4. McDowell, Josh and John Gilchrist. The Islam Debate, San Bernardino, CA: Here's Life

5. Publishers, Inc., 1983.

6. Parshall, Phil. New Paths in Muslim Evangelism, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1989.