How to reach Muslims effectively?

Thanks for your obedience to the Spirit's lead. As He opens doors for you, just go in and see what's there, keeping yourself ready to speak the truth in love.

Some would say be ready to debate, but I would say to just share the love of Christ and be ready to share when the time is right. When they see that your faith is genuine and your love for the Lord is real, perhaps they'll want to know what makes you different from what they've been told!

Nih'na kulu murasala la Yasuah!

 

After visiting Africa and being able to talk some of the converts, I was able to realize the importance one's testimony as a part of witnessing. Many muslims are extremely passionate about their faith. They are adamant about their beliefs and rituals. If they cannot witness equal passion in us who claim to have the truth, then quite understandably, the see no reason to follow our faith.

The muslims are a very sad group. I am glad that you have gained a burden for these people. Did you know that they have one of the highest suicide and drug abuse rates? Their religion puts on a very stong facade, however, within the shadows of their mosques, their people are dying for the truth.

I might suggest looking into some of the literature VOM (Voice of the Martyrs) has to offer. Chick publications also has books on working with Muslims. I can vouch for VOM's books as I have read several. I have not personally read any of Chick's.

 

Remember the power of the Gospel (Rom. 1:16) and the Bible (Heb. 4:12) and the Holy Spirit (John 16:7-11). It doesn't matter if the listener is a Muslim, a Buddhist, a Shintoist or something else. If you present the Gospel using the Word of God and depending on the Holy Spirit to do His work, you will see great things happen.

Several years ago I preached in a Muslim country and saw the wonderful things God was doing there. God can and does work wonders in Muslim lands, and there are revivals occurring in Muslim countries as I write this.

 

Ask a Muslim Who the Koran calls jesus as being, and then ask "How can you say those things about Him, as he claimed to be the Son of God, and a false prophet by your Koran!"

heard many Muslims say that point was what caused them to rethink who jesus really was!

 

Here are some things to be aware of. I have been involved with Islam before.

• Be aware that they believe that the Bible has been corrupted and the Qur'an is the final, perfected revolution to mankind. However, Surahs 6:34, 6:115 and 10:64 in the Qur'an state that none can change the words of Allah. Muslims believe that the Taurat(Torah or Pentateuch), Zabur (Psalms) and Injil (Gospel) are the words of Allah (although many Muslims will tell you that the Injil is not the four Gospels in the New Testament).
• Muslims believe that Jesus is a prophet of God and that He was born of the Virgin Mary without a human father. However, they do not believe Him to be God and consider that such a belief is shirk - associating partners with Allah. There is a verse in the Qur'an (5:116) where Allah will ask Jesus if He told people to take Him and His mother as two gods besides Allah, and Jesus responds in the negative. Interestingly the Qur'an has a whole surah named after Mary.
• According to Islam, Jesus was not crucified on the Cross but Allah made someone else (often said to be Judas) look like Jesus and he was crucified instead while Jesus was raised alive up to heaven. (Surah 4:157)
• Another attack that Muslims level at Christianity was that Paul the Apostle "invented" the doctrine that Jesus was God and is thus the "real" founder of Christianity. They will also say that the doctrine of the Trinity was invented at the Council of Nicea.
• Muslims argue that the prophet mentioned in Deuteronomy 18 is actually Muhammad, not Jesus. They will argue on the basis that 1) the brethren of the Jews must be the Ishmaelites/Arabs and 2) Muhammad was more like Moses than Jesus was because he was born normally, was married, was a statesman as well as a prophet, etc.

To be effective in preaching the Gospel to Muslims, you will need to demonstrate the reliability of the Bible. Josh McDowell's The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict is an excellent resource for this. If they believe that the Bible is corrupted then they will have no reason to believe that Our Lord Jesus Christ died for their sins and rose from the dead. A hypothetical question I've thought of asking Muslims (but have never done so as of yet) is "How do you know that the Bible is corrupted unless you have the original version?" Emphasise the amount of manuscripts and that they are 99% in agreement with one another, and that the 1% in question does not change any essential doctrines of Christianity. Explain that the original manuscripts were copied many times as they were being distributed over the Christian world and that if anyone wanted to change something in the New Testament they would have to have corrupted ALL the manuscripts.

Hope I was able to be of help. For more information see CARM's section on Islam.

 

Recently, an evangelistic group I'm a part of discussed witnessing to Muslims. We learned about a man by the name of Thabiti Anyabwile, who was a Muslim that converted to Christianity and is now a pastor (Baptist too :thumbsup and reaches out to Muslims.

Check out his book for excellent advice:http://www.bloggingtheologically.co...-the-gospel-for-muslims-by-thabiti-anyabwile/

Also, he was a part of a Muslim/Christian Dialogue that has some useful info: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cijIqGXwWKo&playnext=1&list=PLDDC8708DD9FCDA70&feature=results_main (That one is from 2009)

Here is the 2011 M/C Dialogue (This is the one that I've seen part of)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrABWEUmpM8&playnext=1&list=PL8C73D1E98A46828E&feature=results_main

 

I would also recommend Prophet of Doom by Craig Winn. You can read the book online or download it for free at prophetofdoom.net

Craig Winn really put the Qur'an into perspective by arranging it chronologically and quoting from the Hadith and Ibn Ishaq's biography of Muhammad.

 

Well i am half armenian, and seem to find people of the muslim faith in every aspect of my life. I am drawn to them. and they are drawn to ME. I have had a burden on my heart for muslims too, it has been since last January. I surrendered to the Lord my burden and promised Him I would reach out to muslims . I know SO many muslims, it isnt funny. From what I know, muslims are required to read THREE books . The quran, the Torah, and then any other " injeel", bible, from any other faith. The best way to reach them is through the book of John. So I am like ok, how do I get them to understand the book of john in arabic. I found a place in Massachusettes that has the book of John in arabic, found them through a google search. I emailed them and they sent me a FREE COPY. Enclosed was a note, they " thought" I could use a few gospel tracts in arabic too, so they sent a few. What a blessing. So what have I done? Sat on my tuff and did NOTHING/
Witnessing to muslims is DIFFICULT, but not impossible. I have a muslim friend who is palestinian and he said to me " if I want to know more about christian, I will watch you, how you live, how you act, like this" Boy did that say alot. THEY ARE WATCHING US.......
Please email me if you need any support at all. I am very accustomed to the muslim belief system and culture and being a former social worker, a christian, and middle eastern, I am confident I may be able to give you some insight . As far as witnessing goes, I am learning/ one day at a time. Muslims need Christ.