Author: Mona Sabah

Author, Speaker & Ambassador of Christ. Saved by Grace Alone, by Faith Alone, in Christ Alone, as revealed by Scripture Alone, to the Glory of God Alone!

Down with Christian Cliches!

On By Mona SabahIn Bible, Testimony1 Comment
A shirt from a popular Christian website

Yes, I am actually Fed UP! Not with control issues like the shirt implies, but with the Christian slogans I see pasted all over T-shirts at stores. I’ve been reading R.C. Sproul’s book “The Holiness of God.” He starts with the prophet Isaiah who has a vision of the throne room of God (Isaiah 6). As soon as he catches a glimpse of His majesty and glory, he falls to his face and says “Woe is me, I am a man of unclean lips!”

That’s NOT what the  average American church-goer seems to experience. I don’t see people falling down to worship the majesty of God nor give Him the honor that He deserves. Instead, I see a casual attitude (casual clothes are one thing, it’s the attitude I’m talking about) that bleeds over into a casual approach of Christianity and a cavalier handling of the Holy Bible. In the book, R.C. Sproul reminds us that “The idea of holiness is so central to biblical teaching that it is said of God, “Holy is his name” (Luke 1:49). His name is holy because He is holy. He is not always treated with holy reverence. His name is tramped through the dirt of this world. It functions as a curse word, a platform for the obscene. That the world has little respect for God is vividly seen by the way the world regards His name. No honor. No reverence. No awe before Him.” 

This is one of the main reasons why I have had a difficult time with T-shirts that say “I love Jesus but I cuss a little” (by the way, I couldn’t even bring myself to add a photo of that one) or another one I saw someone actually wearing “I love Jesus but I drink a little”… or a lot?

What is that message saying about you? What is that message saying to others out there about what it means to be a Christian? I brought this up to a woman I know and she said with a smile on her face that I was “too judgmental and that you need to accept the fact that no one is as perfect as you.” First of all, I don’t think any true follower of Christ would ever say that they were perfect. In fact, most of us understand the need to be forgiven for the heinous sins we’ve committed against our Holy God and thus receive His mercy and grace. Secondly, why shouldn’t we judge those who say they are “Christians” yet treat Jesus’s name in that shameful manner (1 Corinthians 5:1-13). I don’t think  you would EVER find a Muslim person wearing a shirt that says “I follow Muhammad but I cuss a little!” Blasphemous!

Why is it then considered to be self-righteous to condemn “cutesy” versions of false Christian doctrine? These are the very things that get repeated by others and catch on like “I am not a sinner because I have Jesus.” Well, we only need to go to the Bible to see 1 John 1:8 that says “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves.” It’s not just the T-shirts – it’s Christian Pop songs as well. There was one on the radio that made me wonder if the artist was singing about Jesus or her boyfriend (by the way, yes there is a T-shirt that also says something about Jesus being your BFF, Bro, or BAE). Horrid.

Before I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, I had a great respect for Jesus as one of Allah’s prophets. I would have never thought to use his (or any other religious figure’s) name as an exclamation or use it in any way that would bring shame upon Allah, Islam or any of the prophets. When I became a Christian, I did not see this respect by many. There were some who regard Jesus as who He is – the second person of the Trinity, fully equal to God the Father. However, much to my distress, there were the majority who did not seem to have this type of reverence. I was surprised one morning when a woman brought her cup of coffee into the sanctuary… I thought when you were in the sanctuary to worship, you were supposed to be in the presence of God Himself? I would never think to bring in my coffee cup to come into the presence of a CEO for work, much less bring it in to worship the maker of the heavens and the earth.

Where is the reverence gone? Is it because of the secular approach to Jesus? Is it because we focus more at Christmas time on Santa than on Christ? Is it because we think about his humble birth as a baby and less (if not at all) about the price he paid on the cross for the remission of our sins? Should we continue to watch as we and other Christians continue to sin without remorse?

Let’s start holding one another ACCOUNTABLE as Christians. Let’s stop conforming to the standards of the world and be transformed by the renewing of our mind (Romans 12:2). We are all sinful, that’s true BUT we should still be working out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12) and not have a casual attitude about things that might cause others to stumble. I want to end with another thought by R.C. Sproul:

“The simplistic way of not conforming is to see what is in style in our culture and then do the opposite. If short hair is in vogue, the nonconformist wears long hair. If going to the movies is popular, then Christians avoid movies as “worldly.” The extreme case of this may be seen in groups that refuse to wear buttons or use electricity because such things, too, are worldly. A superficial style of nonconformity is the classical Pharisaical trap. The kingdom of God is not about buttons, movies, or dancing. The concern of God is not focused on what we eat or what we drink. The call of nonconformity is a call to a deeper level of righteousness, that goes beyond externals. When piety is defined exclusively in terms of externals, the whole point of the apostle’s teaching has been lost. Somehow we have failed to hear Jesus’ words that it is not what goes into a person’s mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of that mouth. We still want to make the kingdom a matter of eating and drinking.” 
― R.C. Sproul, The Holiness of God

This Christmas, the best gift you could give yourself, your friends and your family is to ask them to hold you accountable and to ask the Lord for forgiveness for treating things that are His without the respect that He deserves. That is also my own challenge and daily prayer. Amen.

7 Essential HR Skills – Do You Have Them All?

On By Mona SabahIn Business, Communication, cultural diversity, Diversity, Human Resources

Lately, I’ve been asked by my Undergraduate Business students about what I consider to be the most important skills to get into the Human Resources field.  There are a variety of things to consider when looking for a career change or entry into HR. It is a wide and complex part of an organization. However, I do believe that in my 20+ years of HR practice and teaching, there are 7 essentials for any HR professional.

In most organizations, there are job descriptions that state what’s necessary for a position. Candidates come for the interview process and list off their attributes. For those who have been practicing in the field, some of these skills may be out of date or worse – nonexistent! Let’s see how many of these you have or might need to brush up on:

  1. Agility – The idea of Change Management has been around for some time, but with increasing technology, politics, HR law, and trend, the landscape can change quickly. The HR professional needs to not just keep on the cutting edge, but ahead of the learning curve. There are trends and fads that may or may not be good for the organization. Human Resources is the change agent and also the gatekeeper for what would work and what may not be something to follow.
  2. Globalization – I had the chance to do consulting work for a large corporation a couple of years ago. When I was discussing their overall business vision, I said the word “globalization” and the executives said that they were a national company, without any offices overseas. One does not need to have a physical structure in another country in order to see the effects of globalization. There are many things happening in the world that affect us right here in the United States. Human Resources not only needs to bring these effects to light, but also should have an understanding of the impact it can have on local business.
  3. Diversity – The first two points naturally lend themselves to this third skill of Diversity. With the changes globalization bring to the United States, managing diversity of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age and disability is key. The HR professional needs to be able to manage not only across departments, but across culture!
  4. Advocacy – In my experience, HR does not tend to do a good job in this arena. I do not find many who can be an employee advocate and also be an advocate for management. Many times, I find HR choosing one side or another, leaving hard feelings on both sides. I believe that Human Resources should truly act as a third party liaison for both sides, being able to bring peace in negotiations and handling difficult situations for employees and leadership.
  5. Conflict Resolution – Again, this skill works in tandem with the ones mentioned above. Allowing Human Resources to act as a true “resource” for the organization will go a long way towards problem solving and increasing employee engagement. Conflict resolution skills should not only be taught to others by HR, but also practiced daily through diplomacy.
  6. Strategic Planning – One of the most important things I learned during my time with the Campbell Soup Company was how HR should work with the corporate offices as a Strategic Partner. Human Resources was directly involved in the creation of the 5 year business plan, succession plan, and ensuring the vision, mission, and management objectives were clear. Key Performance Indicators help the entire organization to be aligned and held accountable for productivity through Performance Management systems.
  7. Business Acumen – Early in my Human Resources career, I had an opportunity to take a course in my Master’s program on ROI – Return On Investment. I learned quickly that HR is not there just to throw birthday and retirement parties, but we must have quantifiable knowledge of how human capital impacts the bottom line. Being able to grasp and relate the cost of a vacant position; the cost of attrition, recruiting, training, productivity values, and overtime can make or break a company.

I hope this list was helpful. It is something I have personally gleaned from decades of experience and hope to pass it on to those who might be considering a career in Human Resources or simply want to know what are the industry trends. Human Resources is a rich, vibrant area of expertise. It is extremely gratifying to know that you can impact the lives of employees and leave a legacy for those to follow.

Mona Sabah Earnest is a Human Resources Professional who has over 20 years of experience working with corporate, state, and non-profit organizations. Mona holds her Master’s degree in Human Resources Organization Development from the University of San Francisco and she teaches Undergraduate Business for several universities. She is the author or two books and is an accomplished speaker on Diversity & Inclusion.

Muslims & Mormons

On By Mona SabahIn Muslim, Teaching, Uncategorized

Over the years, many have asked for a comparison between Muslims & Mormons. In a wonderful book on apologetics called “Fast Facts on False Teachings.” One of the authors, Ed Decker leads a Christian Ministry and he has published numerous articles on Mormonism. I have included some of the information here in a comparison of Christianity & Mormonism.
Before I start, however, I would like to add a caveat. While there are similarities, there are also GREAT differences!

The Mormons claim a belief in Christianity that is similar to the Judeo-Christian views. However, the differences start right at the book of Genesis.

Mormons believe that the archangel Michael was born on earth as Adam, the first mortal man.  In the Mormon version of the creation story, Jesus Christ, who before his birth was called Jehovah of the Hebrew Bible, who created the earth and all things on it at the direction of God the Father.  This is a notion very similar to the beliefs of the Jehovah’s Witnesses.[4]  Mormons believe that God is immortal and that He was once a man albeit a perfect and exalted man. This is considered to be blasphemy by BOTH Christians and Muslims!

An article from Beliefnet.com states that the fact that would make Christians, Jews and Muslims shudder is the Mormon belief that  Jesus is the Son of God in a literal and physical sense.  He is the eldest brother of all mortals and the firstborn spirit child of God.  They believe that from Mary, a mortal woman, Jesus inherited the capacity to die, and from God, an exalted being, he inherited the capacity to live forever.[5]
Given all these differences, I actually believe that talking about Islam is a great spring-board for discussion and engaging your Mormon friend! What a wonderful way to start a dialogue.

Here are some of the things I would like to point out in what I know of the two religions:
*Muslims: Prophet Mohammad had a revelation by an “Angel of light” – later called “Gabriel”
Mormons: Joseph Smith had a revelation by an “Angel of light” – later called Moroni

NOTE: Paul warned, “For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).

*Muslims: Must make a pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime to Mecca, where they must wear white (to equalize out rank/social status, etc) and to show purity
Mormons: Must make a pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime to Utah Mormon Temple, where they must wear white (to equalize out rank/social status, etc) and to show purity

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Temple dress looks much like a Muslim dress for Hajj (Pilgrimage)! 

*Muslims: Polygamy acceptable per Islam (up to 4 wives)
Mormons: Polygamy acceptable (per book of Mormon & Joseph Smith’s practices)

NOTE: Some claim that the Bible promotes polygamy in the Old Testament. Where we find polygamy (Abraham, Jacob, Hannah & Peninnah in 1 Samuel, Solomon’s 700 wives, etc), we find trouble, confusion, sin and punishment. God’s original design was one man, one woman in Genesis 2:24 and again reiterated by Jesus in Matthew 19:4-6. Anything apart from that is sin.

polygamy-380-women

*Muslims: Jesus was a man & prophet – nothing more
Mormons:  Claim: “Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ the Son are two distinct PHYSICAL beings. (Contributions of Joseph Smith)”

*Muslims: No original sin. Adam was a prophet who sinned… no big deal. All children are a blank slate and are held accountable later at puberty for their sins                              Mormons: No doctrine of original sin from Adam & Eve. Children are not held accountable for sins until age 8
*Muslims: Muhammad was illiterate (but wrote the Koran due to divine inspiration through the angel Gabriel)
Mormons: Joseph Smith was illiterate (education through grade three but wrote the Book of Mormon from divine inspiration through the angel Moroni)

*Muslims: Koran is “mother book” that resides in heaven with God.
Mormons: it is the golden Nephi plates that the angel Moroni took back to heaven.

*Muslims: Complete information for religion comes through Quran, Hadith and Sira of Muhammad                                                                                                                                            Mormons: Complete information for religion comes through Book of Mormon, Doctrines & Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price

*Both say that they are the ultimate prophet of God

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. (Matthew 7:15)

Interesting… isn’t it? 

September 11, Islam, Christ, & Me

On By Mona SabahIn Islamophobia, Jesus Christ, Muslim, Testimony, Uncategorized

peace-in-christ-600x348

Some of you may know a part of my testimony. Others may have never heard.

September 11 was the day that moved me to find out what my faith in Islam was all about. The movement towards Islam meant that I started to read the Quran and tried to be a more faithful Muslim by praying five times a day and keeping my fasts.

I failed miserably on all counts.

I did not know grace or even what the word meant, even though I lived in the United States and spoke English. In the Quran, I came across Surah 19 – a chapter about Isa Masih (Jesus the Messiah). I could not reconcile the fact that this man was unlike any other men in the Quran. After praying to God with an open heart to tell me how to see the truth, God led me to a church. At this church, I heard the Gospel for the first time in 25 years of living in the United States.

In the Gospel, I heard about grace, forgiveness for my sins, mercy of God and a peace that passes all understanding through Christ Jesus’s work on the cross.

You see… it was never about me and my own works. It was all about God and His glory.

That’s why I write and that’s why I speak. All for God’s glory, revealed in Christ.

The Cost of Unconscious Bias

On By Mona SabahIn Communication, cultural diversity, Diversity, Human Resources, Training, Uncategorized

unconscious bias

In May 2018, Starbucks closed up all their coffee shops in order to have “Unconscious Bias” training after the arrest of two Black gentlemen, Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson  at a coffee shop in Philadelphia. Reports stated that the men showed up 10 minutes early to the coffee shop for a business meeting, asked for the restrooms and were told by the white employee that the facilities were for paying customers only. According to the Washington Post article, “After Nelson returned to the table where Robinson was sitting, the white manager approached them to ask whether she could help get them drinks or water.Two minutes later, she called the police to report “two gentlemen in my cafe that are refusing to make a purchase or leave.”

coffee lifestyle starbucks coffee shop
Photo by Adrianna Calvo on Pexels.com

The men were so gracious that they settled with Starbucks for the token sum of ONE DOLLAR each – merely to show that their intention was to get the company to fix what was broken. As a part of the agreement, Starbucks announced it would close 8,000 stores for anti-racial-bias training on May 29. Johnson (CEO) and Schultz (chairman) met with Nelson and Robinson personally to apologize.

All this because of ONE employee… this did not need to happen.

Unconscious Bias is something we all have. It resides in the background of our brains and comes out at unexpected times and places. It may look like an extreme emotional reaction to someone or it could look like a “gut feel” to not hire someone. Either way, it’s there, lurking and unless we realize that this is something we can all fall victim to, it will not get addressed or go away.

So, how does one deal with this?

Harvard has an amazing tool that I assign to my undergraduate business students called the “Implicit Association Test (IAT).” It is free for personal use and it exists to help people realize that we all have blind spots. I get at least one student per semester who writes me a terse e-mail, telling me that they do not appreciate me pointing out that they are prejudiced. I normally reply back simply by writing back “We ALL have prejudice!” It’s good to become aware of the things that might trigger a reaction, much like the one the Starbucks employee had upon watching two African American men sit down at an empty table. I’m not excusing her behavior, I’m merely pointing out that something went terribly wrong in this exchange and it happened to revolve around the people’s race and ethnicity.

We all have physical blind spots in our optic nerve (blocks peripheral vision — that’s why we need side view mirrors on cars!), so why don’t we believe that we have mental blind spots as well? The more we encourage one another to think about matters of DIVERSITY & INCLUSION, the better off we will be as an organization and as a society.

If you’d like to know more about this topic, contact me! 🙂

A Trip to Prison

On By Mona SabahIn Family, LOVE, Public Speaking, Testimony, Uncategorized, women2 Comments

L to R – Me, Joan, Ruth, Cay & Jim (taking the picture)

I really need to learn how to say “no!” But one day, a sweet woman named Joan asked if I would consider sharing my testimony with a group of hers. I did what I normally do — jump in head first, without asking questions or details. I replied enthusiastically “Yes! I’d be honored to speak about what Jesus has done for me!” Then she told me that it would be two Tuesdays in a row (because the Bible study group was so big) and… it was in a prison.

Gulp! That meant, she explained, I would need special clearance, a background check, my driver’s license, wear certain clothes, etc. Honestly, I tuned out after she said “Prison.” A few weeks later, I thought maybe she forgot about it, but nope– she contacted me and happily said “all clear!” We could schedule out the dates. Tuesday 8/14 was the first half of the group and today 8/21 would be the second group.

I woke up and prayed, Lord, why did I agree to do this? I’m not an anxious person but my anxiety level was high. I had to think about what I could wear or not wear (can’t wear orange, gray, open toed shoes, certain jewelry, etc). A well meaning friend had told me NOT to hold hands with any inmate because some guy got his hand cut by a prisoner & had to be rushed to ER. All this was swirling around in my head.

Barbed wire all around, orange jumpsuits and the Chapel on the Right

As we reached the facility, I saw the fences & barbed wire and prayed”LORD, I have nothing in common with these people! Help me to say what you want me to say!”

The entrance was like what you see in the movies- double gates that clang shut behind you, guarded entry, X-ray of stuff you brought in. It freaked me out that the women who lead the Bible study brought pens… didn’t anyone watch mob movies where guys were stabbed in the neck with pens? Were they crazy?!

After passing through the entry, we were led into the prison yard. The sight was just as I’d imagined- rough looking women with orange jumpsuits and threatening guards on the perimeter.

As soon as we walked in, the women began to run towards Ruth (the beautiful older woman in the picture above), like sheep to a shepherd. She drew the women in close, covered their hands in a warm embrace and even gave hugs! Several women were already gathered in front of the chapel (can see it in the picture) and as Ruth and the women approached, they also broke out in smiles and surrounded us.

Incredibly, Ruth has led a Bible study there every single week for the last 27 years. No wonder she’s a beacon of light, love and comfort for the hurt and broken. Ruth and the other ladies introduced me to several of their friends and told me how the study was structured.

I can’t tell you how my talk went- I was interrupted so many times but the questions were all good and relevant. The women were warm and attentive. They listened to the Gospel being presented and were an encouragement to me (including an inmate named Sherrie who told me she loved me). That was totally unexpected. I shared about being disowned, about love, forgiveness and about being adopted into the family of Christ as a believer.

Turns out that I had more in common with them than I thought. You see, when you belong to Christ, you have family even in prison! They have been hurt, disowned, failed by others, and they tried to do things on their own. YET the Lord reaches out and adopts them into His family – just like He did for me.

Before I left, I gave out many hugs, several asked (today for the second group) if I could pray for them and one sweet woman named Candace re-dedicated her life to Christ. She told me through tears that she was raised in the church and even went on a mission trip. Then she decided to live for herself and ended up in prison. She said she realized today that she needed to repent and share the light of Christ with others who are in prison with her.

This is what Jesus does for us. His Holy Spirit breathes in new life and gives us eyes to see a world that is lost and hurting.

🙏🏽Thank you LORD for the gift of eternal life, love for others and a huge family- even behind bars. Thank you LORD for faithful women who teach your Word to outcasts of society, for taking me out of my comfort zone and for helping me to share your light with women. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.

My New Book ~ Reaching Muslims!

On By Mona SabahIn Islamophobia, Jesus Christ, my BOOK, Testimony, Uncategorized

Book Launch Reaching (1)

Dear Friends,

I am SO excited to share the publishing of my new book “Reaching Muslims – A Christian’s Guide to Islam!” It was published this week by Gethsemane Press and is now available on Amazon.com, Kindle, B&N.com, and other major venues.

I’d love to invite you all to the Book Launch Party on FRIDAY, July 20 in Oklahoma City. I will be giving a short summary of the book and have discussion about the Frequently Asked Questions. Hope you will consider joining me to PRAY, Celebrate, and Fellowship.

Here’s a list of Chapters in the Book. In the next few weeks, I will also post a few excerpts!

  Testimony 11
1 History of Islam 13
2 Muslim Beliefs & Practices

         – 5 Pillars of Faith

         – 5 Beliefs of Islam

 27
3 Traditions & Convictions 59
4 Women’s Role in Islam 87
5 Understanding Assumptions 97
6 Reaching Muslims through Evangelism 111
7 Common Objections to Christianity 129
  About the Author 147
  Appendix of Terms 149
  Appendix of Answers 153

May the LORD bless this book for His Kingdom & Glory!

Diversity, HR & Ramadan

On By Mona SabahIn cultural diversity, Diversity, Muslim, Testimony, Uncategorized

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As a Human Resources Professional and a former Muslim, I get many questions about how to handle the limitations of Ramadan for Muslim employees. When I was working full time and tried to fast during Ramadan, it was next to impossible for me. There were doughnuts at the morning meetings, lunch meetings catered by my favorite restaurants, more lunch meetings with clients and dinner mixers. You could also forget trying to pray five times a day in the middle of these and other obligations as a senior level manager! Today with the increased awareness of the Diversity that exists, Muslims are not as ready as I was to quietly go through the day to fast or pray. Ramadan can present a challenge especially for Human Resources and employees that is confusing. Those outside the Muslim faith don’t quite understand the issues or the flexibility in a religion that looks quite inflexible on the outside. Some try to compare this to the Lenten season, but not all Christians practice fasting for Lent and even then, many Catholics give up meat on one day. Christian fasting is also different as there is no set day. Christians can fast anytime, however they like. It is a discipline to draw them closer to God – not to fulfill any religious obligations. Furthermore, Christian fasts do not make up any meals. If you give up a meal, it is gone.

I describe Ramadan fasting as a flipping of day with night. Meals are not eaten during the day (no water or liquids either). However, at night, you can eat or drink to your heart’s content. We would get up before sunrise and eat a breakfast. You can then eat again after sunset. It’s the daylight hours that present the challenge. I have written other blog posts on this topic: Ramadan Demystified and the Christian’s Guide to Ramadan.

So… what is an employer to do?

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from discriminating against individuals because of their religion (or lack of religious belief) in hiring, firing, or any other terms and conditions of employment. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) says:

“In addition, the Act  requires employers to reasonably accommodate the religious beliefs and practices of applicants and  employees,  unless  doing so would  cause more than a minimal burden on the operation of the employer’s business. A reasonable religious accommodation is any adjustment to the work environment that will allow the employee to practice his religion. Flexible scheduling, voluntary shift substitutions or swaps, job reassignments  lateral transfers, and exceptions to dress or grooming rules are examples of accommodating an employee’s religious beliefs.”

*”Undue Hardship” on Employer = costly, compromises safety, decreases efficiency, infringes on other employees’ rights or requires others to pick up their task of burdensome work.

*Undue hardship also may be shown if the request for an accommodation violates others’ job rights established through a collective bargaining agreement or seniority system.

*Prohibits religious harassment of employees, such as offensive remarks about a person’s religious beliefs or practices (hostile or offensive work environment) or when it results in an adverse employment decision (such as the victim being fired or demoted).

Of course, the EEOC guidelines are to be followed, but a good rule of thumb is to practice Diversity awareness and allow employees to openly have a conversation about what is Ramadan and why it is practiced – if they are willing. This way, it will not become a taboo topic where people are walking on eggshells or ignoring it. In addition, allowing a little flexibility in hours is not only kind but appreciated by all employees (granted in retail sales, call centers and manufacturing, that is more difficult to do).

The same kindness should also be shown to others who have differing religious beliefs- including Christians. I find now as a Christian, it is the flip side of the coin, where people are not willing to share their Christian faith for fear or repercussion – a man I know did not even feel he could put a cross in his office without being ridiculed.  Religious accommodations can be made, but decisions should be made with respect to overall productivity and efficiency of the organization. If all employees on the team are willing to pitch in, then it will become a win-win for everyone – especially if others want to take a religious day off for their practice in the future.

Open dialogue, questions to reach an understanding and a willingness to help — these are all hallmarks of organizations that are open to diversity and create a culture of learning.

 

Ramadan 2018: Demystified for Christians

On By Mona SabahIn Muslim, Prayer, Testimony, Uncategorized3 Comments

ramadan-feast
image by: crossroads on a mission

Well… it’s that time of the year again. No, not Mother’s Day, not graduation, not Father’s Day but RAMADAN! Millions of Muslims all over the world celebrate this time within their communities, leaving the rest of the world wondering what the fuss is all about.

Most Muslims will tell you that Ramadan is “Fasting” and is one of the five pillars of Islamic beliefs. The truth of the matter is that Ramadan includes FEASTING! Many don’t realize that the fasting Muslims do during Ramadan is only during the daylight hours. The feasting lasts all night long with parties and food galore. There is a sense of jubilant celebration that you made it through yet another day of not eating or drinking.

When Christians think of fasting, they believe in not eating or drinking for the day and night. There is no “make-up” of the meals missed. In Islam, only the day and the night are switched! The fasting looks to be severe to the rest of the world because they are working and abstain from drinking water. Some Muslims cautioned me that I should not be brushing my teeth during Ramadan because technically, I would be introducing toothpaste and water into my mouth (not allowed). I was told to “dry brush” – of course, being a teenager at that time, I was appalled at that suggestion and chose to ignore it.

Shariah law dictates what a Muslim can and cannot do during Ramadan. There is great detail of who can fast (that means anyone seven years or older – including that a child of ten is beaten if not fasting), and who cannot – a woman on her period cannot fast, an insane person cannot fast, etc. The rules state that fasting during Ramadan involves abstinence from drink and food, sexual intercourse, smoking, anything that punctures the body like an injection, swallowing mucus and a long list of items (see link) that is permissible or not to a Muslim (including something called “cupping” where heated glass or a heated horn of an animal used to be put to the skin to draw blood like a suction in order to restore energy) from the dawn to the moment when a black thread is indistinguishable from a white one outside. That is the signal that the feasting time can begin and the fast is broken (called “Iftar” or “Iftari”).

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My own copy of the Sharia Law Book = last summer’s reading 🙁

When I was a Muslim,  I didn’t keep many fasts. The most I kept were when we lived in Muslim countries. When we moved to the United States, our Muslim community used to fast together, so I wanted to join them. There was a great number of gatherings in people’s homes for the break of the fast – especially the first day. There is an intense suspenseful time of waiting right before the evening meal can be eaten – everyone’s eyes are on the clock, watching seconds tick by. We, the children were in a frenzy of anticipation and many Muslims drive like maniacs on the streets as they go racing home to their meals. Our kitchen counter would be piled high with food, tea and a sweetened drink called Rooh Afza. Dates and water would be set aside as that is the traditional way to break the fast.  When the time came or the muezzin’s call was heard from the mosque, there was chaos as the meal began with everyone grabbing dishes with their hands. When appetites were finally sated, our friends and family used to head for the couch to take a nap or to play cards or board games together. Again, fasting during Ramadan is simply a checklist. There was not much spiritual introspection for it, other than some who read the Quran during this month.

Christian fasting is different. The fast is not required or mandatory. It is a self-discipline that is revealed through prayer. Its intended to change the person who is fasting — not to change anyone else or (God forbid!) to change God’s mind. It is simply to quell an internal struggle one may be having with a number of things (anger, grief, lack of forgiveness, etc). Passions are not an issue for Islam. Fasting does not get rid of any of them, it only forbids them in the daylight hours. You can indulge in smoking, sex, and gorging on food or whatever you want at night. It is not a basis of righteousness nor is it about getting right with God. Again, it is simply a checklist to fulfill one of the pillars.

 

Christians might be surprised to learn that the Bible talks about fasting at least 77 times! Here is a wonderful article from Ligonier Ministry’s Donald Whitney called “The Discipline of Fasting.” He states that “But Christians are free to experience the blessings of fasting as often as they desire. Fasting expresses in a God-ordained way our belief that we have tasted and seen that the Lord is good (Ps. 34:8) — so good that there are times we’re satisfied to feast on Him instead of the food that the Lord made for us to live on. Fasting is a temporary physical demonstration that we believe the truth declared by the gospel, namely that, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). Do you believe that? Do you fast?”

We need to share the Gospel with others who are bound by checklists and obligations. We have such a beautiful freedom in Christ that we are able to fast if we wish to or not fast if we don’t. There are many ways to fast and to become closer to the Lord. Let’s start by prayer during Ramadan for our Muslim friends and neighbors. Maybe this period of time will allow you to consider fasting in order to share the Gospel with others who have not heard about the Way, the Truth, and the Life that comes only through Christ (John 14:6). Amen.