A Christian approach to Islam
CATHEDRAL NEWSLETTER - 14 March 2024
Photo by matin firouzabadi on Unsplash
Friends in Christ, the Islamic lunar month of Ramadan began this week.
During the time, Muslims worldwide are praying, fasting, and reading the Qur’an in hopes of drawing near to God and earning their way to heaven. Islam requires adherents to pray five times a day, and during Ramadan there are six daily prayers. These are preceded by a ritual washing.
What are we Christians to make of Islam in general?
I am not talking here about violent Islamic jihadism. Although proponents of such Islamism find support for their view in the Qur’an, clearly many Muslims, are peaceable and friendly. I have enjoyed their company when we've met, for example, when they've attended the free English classes in many of our Anglican churches.
But do we worship the same God? Not according to the Muslim evangelists, competing for attention with other evangelists and protestors for various causes that I see and hear on George Street. At least, they say, we don't worship the same God correctly.
For Muslims, it is blasphemy to claim that God has a Son - though they appear not to grasp that we Christians believe this is an eternal relationship, and certainly not one conceived in time, let alone sexually.
Likewise, many Muslim conversation partner strongly assert that God would not have let a Prophet (as they call him) like Jesus suffer and die on the cross. They make this claim based on the Qu’ran 4:157, which includes these words (translated into English):
And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them.
I have myself sometimes raised raised the death of Jesus as a test example, when people make the lazy and ignorant case that really all religions are basically the same in the end.
In this case, I am simply applying the law of non-contradiction. That is, Jesus was either crucified, as the Bible says, or he was not, as the Qu’ran says. You can explore the historical evidence for the death of Jesus in an article I wrote some years ago. (There is also a third possibility, that Jesus did not exist at all, but for reasons I explain here, this is one that receives scant attention in reputable academic study.)
Sam Green has worked with AFES and as an Anglican Chaplain on campus at the University of Tasmania. He is the AFES Islamic Engagement Director. He has participated in many lectures, dialogues and debates with Islam.
So if you care about your Muslim neighbour, friend, colleague or Uber driver, you could do well to educate yourself through a couple of articles Sam has written:
Learning About Islam - As well as provided some basic information, Sam suggests asking your Muslim friend: "What does Islam teach about Christianity?" Then do not rush or correct them. Listen and find out who they are. Then you might come to ask: "Have you checked this for yourself?"
Introducing the Gospel to a Muslim - After listening, what do you do next? Sam suggests saying, “Can I show you one thing about Christianity?” If they say yes, then say, “I would like to show you what books are in the Bible.” You'll have to read on to find out why, and how it could just possibly lead to an invitation to read one of the Gospels.
One of my classmates from Moore College over 30 years ago has spent over 15 years in ministry to Muslim women in south-west Sydney. She says to all her Muslim friends, "Ramadan Mubarak!" ...Which means: "[Have a] blessed Ramadan!" And she adds, "May Allah visit you and show you his mercy and forgiveness."
This is what Muslims are hoping for, but they cannot find such assurance through the five pillars of Islam (confession, fasting, pilgrimage, daily prayers, and charity).
That is why Sam, and my friend Margaret, and I would encourage you to be praying for your Muslim contacts, and then to seek opportunities to share about the love, joy, and assurance of peace and forgiveness that you find - simply through trusting the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
Salvation through Christ alone, by grace alone, received through faith alone, and not by our works!
Warmly in Christ,
Sandy Grant
Dean of Sydney
P.S. There are a couple of excellent free E-Books being given away by Christian publishers at present, although to receive them, sometimes you need to sign up to receive their publisher updates (though you can also then unsubscribe):
Is Easter Unbelievable? ...The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is an extraordinary thing to believe. In this concise book, respected apologist Rebecca McLaughlin outlines the evidence that Jesus really did rise from the dead and why it's the best news ever.
Can We Trust the Gospels? by Peter J. Williams... In an age of faith deconstruction and skepticism about the Bible’s authority, it’s common to hear claims that the Gospels—which narrate the events and teachings of Jesus’s life—are unreliable propaganda... But the Gospels are historically reliable. And the evidence for this is vast.