For many Muslims Western society is Christian. Many of them do not make any differentiate between Western culture and Christianity. For Muslims, alcohol consumption, pornography, popular films, music, a liberal lifestyle and a lack of public religious practise are sure signs of the failure of Western countries.
What image springs to the mind of most Christians when they think about Muslims? The Twin towers? Osama bin Laden? Are we called to defend “Christian civilisation” or are we willing to lay down our lives in love for Muslims and share with them the Good News of Jesus? Are we interested in self preservation or self-giving for the Gospel? Joseph believes that the Christian faith is primarily costly discipleship to Jesus Christ the Crucified. What do we believe?
Muslim scholars believe that while the Koran was revealed over a period of 23 years the Night of Power is considered the night in which the first revelations of Islam and the prophethood of Muhammed began. This night is in celebration of the arrival of the Koran. The whole Night of Power, from sunset to dawn, is the holiest night of the year. It is believed that there are groups of special angels who are only seen on the Night of Power. These angels perform special purposes.
Refugee women face particular hardship with poor living conditions, poverty and the lack of access to relief projects. Many Muslim women lose their husbands and fathers as a result of war and conflicts. Muslim women fact additional problems as they are not leaders in their society.
For Muslims, man is the high point of God's creation. Religious activity such as ritual prayer, pilgrimages, alms giving, fasting and reciting the Muslim confession of faith are at the heart of Islamic religious experience. But for Christians, sin is not simply a matter of making mistakes, but rather of living in opposition to Godly character.
Muslims need to know that there are treasures within the Bible, our personal sharing with Muslims are dynamic events involving interaction. Psalm 19 is a good choice. I point out that this is the "Zabur" (Psalms) mentioned in the Qur'an.
It is certain that these last five years has seen the Muslim world groaning in great pain. Wars, earthquakes, tsunamis, daily struggles with poverty, lose of family members plus an emptiness of spirit and soul are things we need to think and pray about for Muslim peoples.
Shame-Based Culture by Roland Muller is about Danish newspapers publishing cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad igniting riots around Muslim countries against it
Whether you are meeting at an Arab Muslim's home or doing business in a Muslim country, there are certain social graces, customs and behavior which must be understood. Here is a short summary of the key points to keep in mind.
Even before Islam, sulha came about as a means for settling disputes in the absence of a legal system. Musalaha (reconciliation) is reached in the step-by-step process of sulha, practised by both Muslim and Christian Arabs.
