What I Have Learned About My Muslim Friends
Posted in: Connect
I was born in a predominantly Muslim country and have lived among Muslims in Africa and Asia as well as those I have known in the USA. In my personal experience, I have learned a few lessons.
Of course my observations are generalizations …
1. All Muslims are individuals and we can’t pretend to label over one billion people as if they all act and think alike.
2. Despite what I just said, there are some tendencies and clues that we can use as long as we don’t force them into these categories.
3. Most Muslims I know are very hospitable and friendly to outsiders.
4. Most Muslims I know are more than happy to be my friend if I show friendliness to them.
5. Many of them think that all Westerners are Christians and that they are morally bankrupt. When followers of Jesus from the West show them a good moral lifestyle it is often surprising to them. When there are believers from non-Western areas who don’t act like Westerners it is also surprising to them.
6. Many Muslims have been taught that Christians hate them and want to control or destroy them. They look at the Crusades and Afghanistan and Iraq as further proof. The fact that 80% of those helping Muslims after the Tsunami were from “Christian countries” was very surprising to many of them.
7. Most of the ones I know are part of families that are very strong in loyalty. The families may have internal struggles and problems, but they don’t want the rest of the world to know it.
8. Most seem to live in a culture of shame, not guilt. Shame focuses on not allowing others to see your mistakes or problems. Guilt focuses on your internal reaction to your mistakes and sins. Islam focuses on shame and thus focuses on external actions and appearances.
9. Most Muslims I know don’t know much about their holy book and rely on their leaders to tell them what they should believe (sounds like some other people I know). The vast majority of them are people trying to survive and do the best they can. They may not be happy with all aspects of their religion, but it is better than their alternatives.
10. While many of them would hate to hear this, Muslims seem to be much like the Jews of Jesus’ day. Most are doing the best they can while all too many of their leaders think only of how they can use their power over the people for their own desires.
11. Their main role model, Mohammed, led in 27 battles, and Islam conquered much of the Middle East and parts of Africa and Asia by the sword. There seems to be an argument that this was their divine right just as the Jews were given the divine right to conquer their promised lands. If Muslim conquest was ok, then why was the European counterattack many years later called the Crusades such an outrage? This feels like a double standard to me.
12. One difference to me personally is that Muslims were being consistent with their revelation in what they did, while Christians were violating the Spirit of Christ in what they did and how they did it.
13. Most Muslims believe that one day Islam will and should dominate the whole world. Christians also believe in a global mandate although the methodology is usually different. Many Christians and Muslims want to convert each other while others just want to leave each other alone and live in peace.
14. Some Muslims argue that just as the Old Testament had wars, but now Christians preach peace, that Islam has evolved in a similar way.
15. However, the earlier passages in the Qur’an were more conciliatory while the later passages were more confrontational. Unlike followers of Christ, Islam does not have a later revelation that changed this theology.
16. Many Muslims do seem sincere in their desire for peace. Unfortunately, many of these peaceful people seem intimidated to speak out consistently and forcefully against those Muslims preaching violence and hate. Some do, but many remain quiet perhaps for fear of being called a bad Muslim, perhaps for fear of reprisals and perhaps sometimes out of a sense of loyalty to the broader Muslim community against non-Muslims.
17. Most Muslims think Christians believe in 3 gods and that Christians believe God had sex with Mary to produce a son. How abhorrent! They need to know we believe only in One GOD.
18. The best way for a follower of Jesus to relate to Muslims is to forget religion (Jesus hated religion and would hate many of the aspects of what is sometimes called Christianity) and focus on relationship. Not argument but friendship. We just need to point them to a relationship with God as revealed in God-become-man Jesus.
19. Many Muslims live exemplary lives and are gracious and wonderful people. I believe they need to realize, as we all do, that nothing we do is enough – only the gift of grace through Jesus will allow us to come into God’s presence.
20. Most Muslims would very much disagree with what I just wrote but that is ok – I respect them for their strong beliefs as many of them would respect me for mine. I believe with all my heart that they are wrong and so must act and speak accordingly. I respect that they will do the same.
21. Whoever I know, whether they are Muslim or Buddhist or Hindu or Atheist or Christian – I believe eternity with God comes only through accepting the sacrifice of Jesus and accepting him as Lord. I pray that they will do so.
Audience: Churches
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