Freedom of Speech vs Islam – How do we “COEXIST?”

Picture from AP reported in the NY Post 8/13/2022

Buried deep down into the Google pages is the terrible news about author Salman Rushdie being stabbed while on stage during a speaker’s forum in New York. Rushdie is a world renown author who was most famous for publishing “Satanic Verses” which caused an uproar from the Muslim world. So great was this uproar that he went into hiding in Great Britain for 9 years! The publishing of the book caused Muslims to riot all around the world and resulted in 38 deaths, according to author Dr. Konrad Elst (“Afterword: The Rushdie Affairs Legacy”). The stabbing today was violent and brutal. The physicians stated that he lost one eye due to being stabbed and his situation was critical (at the time of this blog).

More details about the attack on Rushdie come from an article from the bbc.com, where the following was reported:

Several people were killed in anti-Rushdie riots in India and in Iran the British embassy in the capital, Tehran, was stoned.

In 1991 a Japanese translator of the book was stabbed to death, while a few months later, an Italian translator was also stabbed and the book’s Norwegian publisher, William Nygaard, was shot – but both survived.

A year after the book’s release, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini called for Mr Rushdie’s execution. He offered a $3m (£2.5m) reward in a fatwa – a legal decree issued by an Islamic religious leader.

The bounty over Mr Rushdie’s head remains active, and although Iran’s government has distanced itself from Khomeini’s decree, a quasi-official Iranian religious foundation added a further $500,000 to the reward in 2012.

There has been no reaction from the Iranian government to Mr Rushdie’s stabbing. Iranian media were describing Mr Rushdie as an apostate – someone who has abandoned or denied his faith – in their coverage.

The British-American citizen – who was born to non-practising Muslims and is an atheist himself – has become a vocal advocate for freedom of expression, defending his work on several occasions.”

Cabral, S. & Murphy, M. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-62528689

There are many examples of how speaking out against Islam can denote a slur against the whole Muslim world. Most notable is the attack on the satire newspaper called “Charlie Hebdo” in Paris, where gunmen attacked and killed cartoonists, along with several other attacks over the next few days. Gunmen (two brothers named Cherif and Said Kouachi) were heard saying “Witnesses said they had heard the gunmen shouting “We have avenged the Prophet Muhammad” and “God is Great” in Arabic while calling out the names of the journalists.” There is a full article titled “Charlie Hebdo attack: Three days of terror” from January 14, 2015 here that has video footage and detailed maps of where terror struck areas of Paris — all to defend the name of Allah.

So is this an abnormality or is this something Islam stands behind?

The answer can be found in the Quran itself:

It is a criminal offense in Islam to speak ill of the faith, its Prophet Muhammad, and its holy Scriptures (Qur’an and Hadith). To do so is considered blasphemy, and blasphemy is punishable by death. If a Muslim is doing the criticizing, their actions would constitute apostasy, therefore they too would be liable for the death penalty. Contrary to what some may suggest, this is not the result of a latter-day innovation of Islam, but something that is deeply rooted within Islamic scripture and the Sunnah of Muhammad. The Qur’anic verse 5:33 calls for the execution, mutilation, or imprisonment, of those who make “Mischief (fasad)” in the land, and Muhammad himself had asked his Muslim followers to kill several individuals who were guilty of blaspheming Islam and its Prophet. Muhammad asked Muslims to kill someone named ‘Abdullah bin Ubai (bin Salul) for making “evil” statements about him.[45] He asked Muslims to kill Abu `Afak for making negative remarks about him and Islam.[46] He asked Muslims to kill both Ka’b bin Ashraf[47] and Asma Bint Marwan[48] for writing inflammatory poetry about him and Muslims.

https://wikiislam.net/wiki/Shari%27ah_(Islamic_Law)#Free_Speech.2FBlasphemy

Here are direct citations to quotes from the Quran:

Qur’an

Although, the Qur’an does not specify in unequivocal terms any punishment for blasphemy, we may find some serious justifications for death penalty to blasphemers:

Surely (as for) those who speak evil things of Allah and His Messenger, Allah has cursed them in this world and the here after, and He has prepared for them a chastisement bringing disgrace.
And those who speak evil things of the believing men and the believing women without their having earned (it), they are guilty indeed of a false accusation and a manifest sin.
O Prophet! say to your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers that they let down upon them their over-garments; this will be more proper, that they may be known, and thus they will not be given trouble; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
If the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease and the agitators in the city do not desist, We shall most certainly set you over them, then they shall not be your neighbors in it but for a little while;
Cursed: wherever they are found they shall be seized and murdered, a (horrible) murdering. Quran 33:57-61

Main Article: If Anyone Slew a Person (Qur’an 5:32)

Also, Qur’an does specify a punishment for “spreading mischief“:-

The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His messenger and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or they should be imprisoned; this shall be as a disgrace for them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement, Quran 5:33

“Who can be more wicked than one who inventeth a lie against Allah?” Quran 6:93

While many on social media expressed outrage, there are some in the media who are not willing to say that this attack was motivated by religion! It defeats logic — there is a price on the head of those who are public figures and are not in hiding. For Salman Rushdie, the original death threats (with millions of dollars in prize money) are still in effect as fatwas.

So what are we to do???

For those of us who are Christians, our response is to speak the TRUTH. Do not let fear rule your life – the world wants to silence those who speak the Truth of Christ Jesus. They will even ask, just as Pontius Pilate did in the Gospels ”What is Truth?” John 18:38. Note that he asked this question right after the Lord Himself stated directly to Pilate that

“Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38Pilate said to him, “What is truth?””

Babylon Bee was censored by Twitter in 2022

In today’s climate, we are going back to the Book of Judges where “everyone did what was right in their own eyes.”  Postmodernism rejects universal moral and spiritual values and accepts the relativity of all values in all areas. Therefore, no specific value preference exists. Everyone should order their own values, value preferences, and approaches (Tajik, 2005; Rahnama, 2009).

We cannot exist in a world that does not have a measuring stick or refuses to see that a standard has to be set by someone. For us as Christians, we know what is the TRUTH and now is the time to be clear about it. If you are a Christian and you do not know what God says is truth, you will be mislead by every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14). Jesus Himself prayed to the Father on our behalf and He asked “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).

I pray that we pray this together that we may recognize the TRUTH that is only in Christ Jesus. That in Him alone is our peace. That we can love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Only by the power of the Holy Spirit is that possible — we cannot do it without God.

43“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers,i what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5: 43-48).

May it be!

Manchester – Islamophobia or Jihad?

 

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Photo: Daily Express – Getty Images

“Muslims are being spit upon and the number of verbal attacks are increasing.”

“The terrorists don’t represent what Islam teaches.”

“We cannot blame this attack on the entire Muslim community.”

These are the types of things that are now being reported all over the internet. The comments are cliche and don’t leave the Manchester or other communities (like New York) that have been threatened over the last week. It brings to mind the bombing of the night club in Orlando. Westerners who don’t understand Islam are asking “Why did this happen and what can we do about this?”

What the Muslim community does not tell the public is simple. Jihad is the only 100% way to get to heaven according to Islam.  Jihad means “to strive or struggle.” Muslims will tell you that it does not mean “Holy War” but refers to an internal struggle, but that is NOT what Islamic teaching says. Let me start at the beginning.

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The Guardian: Muslim Leaders concerned about Islamophobia in Manchester

For Islam, there are two worlds: Dar al Islam (Arabic:House of Islam) and  Dar al Harb (Arabic: House of War). If you don’t belong to the House of Islam… you automatically belong to the House of War. The Quran (Surah Al-An’am 6:127 and Surah Yunus 10:25) goes further to call the House of Islam the House of Peace (versus war). This is where Muslims have publicized that they follow a religion of peace. It is peaceful as long as you follow the laws of Islam within the House of Islam. If you do not follow the rules and law of Islam (Sharia), there is no peace for you because you belong to the world of the infidel or Kafir (literally one who rejects Islam).  Muslims will not tell you that there is most definitely war. Many Friday prayers at the local mosque will remind Muslims weekly that they are all united in war against the infidels.

For the Muslim, there is a checklist to follow in order to be a good Muslim and fulfill their faith requirements. These are called the Five Pillars of Faith. I have written about these in a previous blog. For the average, cultural Muslim. These are very difficult to achieve on a daily basis. I know – I tried and failed miserably when I was a Muslim, both as a teenager and as an adult. I simply could not get it right. There are many Muslims who feel this way. Their works cannot justify them, so they count on Allah’s mercy to get them to Heaven. There is no assurance for ANY MUSLIM that they will get to Heaven. Allah (through angels on your shoulder) is keeping an account daily of their good and bad deeds. Furthermore, Muslims believe that Allah can change his mind. Even if you’ve been a “good Muslim,” Allah can change his mind at the last minute and deny you entrance into Paradise.

Here enters JIHAD… the shining knight that can save a Muslim from all his or her troubles. Jihad is the only 100% guaranteed way to get into Paradise for a Muslim.

Here’s excellent information (supported with research) from the website Answering Islam:

9:33 It is He Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad) with guidance and the religion of truth, to make it superior over all religions, though the Mushrikûn (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) hate (it). (Hilali and Khan, The Noble Qur’an, Riyadh: Darussalam, 1996, 2002; parenthetical notes are theirs).

This verse is repeated two more times, word for word, in Suras 61:9 and 48:28. Muhammad means business.

The Arabic word for “to make it superior” comes from the root z-h-r, which means “to become distinct, obvious, conspicuous, or manifest; to ascend or to mount; to have the upper hand.” It can also mean “triumph” or “victorious” or “prevail.”

Seekers and the curious about Islam must understand this brute fact as they read the Quran: in the ten years that Muhammad lived in Medina (AD 622-632), he either sent out or went out on seventy-four small assassination hit squads, raids, expeditions, small battles, or full-scale wars like the Tabuk Crusade in AD 630, in which Muhammad led 30,000 soldiers north to invade the Byzantine empire. Sometimes the conflicts did not end in violence, but too many times they did. All verses (and there are not many) in the Medinan suras that seem to speak of peace and tolerance must be read in light of this violent historical context. Not far from the few tolerant verses the reader will find intolerant and violent verses.

Sura 9:33, simply put, predicts the conquest of Islam over all religions. Islam must dominate the world through jihad.

9:29 Fight [q-t-l] against those who believe not in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued. (Hilali and Khan)

What happens to martyrs in jihad?

Martyrs are guaranteed a fast track to Islamic paradise. Their deaths are depicted in economic terms. If they expend their lives as a living currency, Allah will exchange them for heavenly Islamic gardens.

61:10 You who believe, shall I show you a bargain that will save you from painful punishment? 11 Have faith in God and His Messenger and struggle [j-h-d] for His cause with your possessions and your persons—that is better for you, if only you knew—12 and He will forgive your sins, admit you into Gardens graced with flowing streams, into pleasant dwellings in the Gardens of Eternity. That is the supreme triumph. (Haleem)

Muslims who struggle (j-h-d) in Allah’s cause will either win the battle and live to see another day, so that they can collect some spoils of war, or they will die and have their sins forgiven and be admitted into Islamic heaven.

Sura 9:111 carries on the economic bargain.

9:111 God has purchased the persons and possessions of the believers for the Garden—they fight [q-t-l] in God’s way: they kill [q-t-l] and are killed [q-t-l]—this is a true promise given by Him in the Torah, the Gospel, and the Qur’an. Who could be more faithful to his promise than God? So be happy with the bargain you have made: that is the supreme triumph. (Haleem)

Two things should be noticed here. First, the root q-t-l is used three times in this short verse. Qital or qatala, as noted in the section “What are some rules of jihad?” means killing, warring, and slaughtering and is therefore less ambiguous or has a more restricted meaning than jihad, though this latter word can mean those same bloody acts.

Okay… so, Martyrs who fight in Jihad get the equivalent of the Disney Fast Pass to Paradise. What’s waiting for them? Men get it all! They get a place of extreme physical pleasure with 72 eternal virgins (Houris), wine, food, etc. Women simply get a couch by rivers of milk and honey… oh wait, they also get the same husband they had on earth (whether they want him or not).

Getting back to the Manchester situation. It is an ATROCITY. Is this what England gets for agreeing to have Sharia-enforced areas in their country? They have been bending over backwards to allow Muslim demands to filter into their schools, politics and courts. When a terrorist strikes in the name of Allah, please understand that this truly is what Islam teaches.

Quran Surah 8:12 Then your Lord spoke to His angels and said, “I will be with you. Give strength to the believers. I will send terror into the Kafirs’ hearts, cut off their heads and even the tips of their finger

What Islam teaches and what many Muslims believe may be two different things ONLY because over 80% of the Muslim world cannot read Arabic and the Quranic teachings are in Arabic. They are ignorant of what the teachings are, so you will find Muslims who say “Oh, this is not what I believe.” In order to be a true Muslim, you HAVE TO BELIEVE 100% of your book. If this is not what you believe as a Muslim, then according to your own religion, you are not a Muslim (Quran Surah Al-Baqarah 2:208 & Quran Surah Ali ‘Imran 3:7). In Quran Surah As-Sajda (32:22) it goes further to say –

“And who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the verses of his Lord; then he turns away from them? Indeed We, from the criminals, will take retribution.”

So, if you are a Muslim who questions Quranic verses or worse turns away (like I did = apostate), there will be retribution, for I am a criminal in Islam’s eyes.

This is your religion of peace. This is why people fear Islam for what it is and what it tells Muslims to do in order to behave. This is not a “phobia” (which is defined as “an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something.”). This is not IRRATIONAL, but is a RATIONAL, logical fear people have. As long as we make excuses as a nation and remain politically correct about what Islam is and what it teaches, we will remain in the dark.

Let LIGHT and TRUTH shine in!

The Bible in Ephesians 6:12-14 says “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth fastened around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed…”

As Christians, we do not fight the Muslim people. We fight against the spiritual forces that do not tell the truth and take evil actions against innocents. We need to join together in prayer and share the Gospel of Christ in love. We do not need to take it upon ourselves to retaliate in anger, but to wrap ourselves in the truth of Christ’s teachings. To pray for your enemy and  to answer evil with love.

If you have any questions about what I wrote – contact me. I am happy to answer or find the answer for you. The Lord gave you an incredible mind. Don’t take statements like “Islam is peace” or “Terrorists don’t represent Islam’s teachings” at face value. Question it. Research it. May the Lord shine His beautiful light into your life.

Muslims in Your Backyard

OCU_muslimday

Today, I was invited by my friend to attend a talk given by the Religion Department at Oklahoma City University. I welcomed the opportunity to be in the audience, given that I think we should have an open mind to see what the current Muslim conversation and views are in our community. The speakers were all from the University and were intended to present what it’s like to be a Muslim in America today.

Even though I was not speaking or on the panel (= not a Muslim), I had to pray that the Lord keep my mouth shut unless 3 conditions were met. I prayed “Lord, open my mouth only if 1) it glorifies you, 2) it glorifies your Son, and 3) it is wrapped in your love.” So, being equipped with prayer, I set off with my daughter (who had a fever yesterday and is fine today, but could not attend school due to 24 hr rule for fevers). Right when we got there, I realized I did not bring my notepad to take notes. So, digging into my purse, I found my Sephora coupon for a free mascara. After a moment of hesitation (free makeup!), I went ahead and wrote down notes from the speakers.

OCU_coupon
Giving my ALL for Jesus!
The first speaker was the Imam from the Greater OKC Mosque. He is the Assistant Professor and Chair in Islamic Studies Religion and hails from Palestine. Just a side note, he is also the Imam for the guy Alton Nolan who beheaded an innocent woman, Colleen Hufford in Moore, Oklahoma. The Imam started off talking about Islamophobia in the US

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Alton Nolen in front of the Greater OKC Mosque
and asked why we couldn’t “coexist.” He cited examples of being harassed at the Muslim Day at the Capitol but nothing specific, other than saying that a Christian man from Kansas (how he knew he was Christian, I’m not sure) told him that he was “the devil.”

The other two speakers were less emphatic. The professor spoke about being victimized and using Muslims as doormats. He made political comments about the current presidency and also how he has been reading MLK Jr’s books about the Civil Rights Movement. He actually went as far as to say “the Civil Rights Movement is applicable now to the Muslim Community.” How? I find that to be a far reach. The African Americans at that time were facing serious oppression – separate bathrooms and eating areas, not being allowed seats on public transportation, etc. That is most definitely NOT what my family has faced as Muslims. He also said something that caught my attention. He said that Muslims needed to call for tolerance… really? Show me at least ONE Muslim nation that is “tolerant.” This is the reason why so many Muslims flock to the West – tolerance is here in the United States. You cannot find tolerance in the Sharia law that governs Muslim nations.

The young student they had on the panel was just darling and sweet in her replies. I told my husband afterwards that she reminded of me as a Muslim, telling everyone how wonderful Islam was. Her opening remarks were that she had not read the Quran and was not familiar with the writings, but she would share her experiences. She said that she had not felt any hate remarks aimed at her, even though she wears a hijab. She made it a big point to stress that she CHOSE to wear a hijab to cover and that no one was forcing her to do so. Her closing comment on Islam however, was naive and mistaken. She said that she wanted everyone to know that “Islam has the root word for peace and whenever we greet one another, we say ‘Salam’ which means peace be on you.” Unequivocally… not true.  If you want to know, here’s an excerpt from the website Answering Islam:

“In order to find the meaning of a certain word in the Arabic dictionary, it is essential to search for the three letter infinitive verb which is called the root. Many words can be derived from the same root, but they don’t necessarily have to have any similarity in their meaning. The word Islam, which means ‘submission’, is derived from the infinitive Salama. So is the word Salam which means ‘peace’ and so is the verb Salima which means ‘to be saved or to escape from danger’. One of the derivations of the infinitive Salama means ‘the stinging of a snake’ or ‘The tanning of the leather’. Hence, if the word Islam has something to do with the word Salam i.e. ‘Peace’, does that also mean that it must be related to the ‘stinging of the snake’ or ‘tanning the leather’?

Muhammad used to send letters to the kings and leaders of the surrounding countries and tribes, inviting them to surrender to his authority and to believe in him as the messenger of Allah. He always ended his letters with the following two words: “Aslim, Taslam!”. Although these two words are derived from the same infinitive Salama which is the root of Salam, i.e. ‘Peace’, neither one of them implies the meaning of ‘peace’. The sentence means ‘surrender and you will be safe’, or in other words, ‘surrender or face death’. So where is the meaning of ‘Peace”In order to find the meaning of a certain word in the Arabic dictionary, it is essential to search for the three letter infinitive verb which is called the root. Many words can be derived from the same root, but they don’t necessarily have to have any similarity in their meaning. The word Islam, which means ‘submission’, is derived from the infinitive Salama. So is the word Salam which means ‘peace’ and so is the verb Salima which means ‘to be saved or to escape from danger’. One of the derivations of the infinitive Salama means ‘the stinging of a snake’ or ‘The tanning of the leather’. Hence, if the word Islam has something to do with the word Salam i.e. ‘Peace’, does that also mean that it must be related t’ in such a religion that threatens to kill other people if they don’t submit to it?”

Pastor Mateen Elass also wrote a great blog on the very topic of Islam not meaning Peace. You can find it here & I encourage you to check it out.

The question and answer session began with the question “All of you have been talking about how peaceful Islam is, but what about the violent passages in the Quran?” The Imam took that question right away and said there were NO passages in the Quran about violence at all! He continued to say that in fact, the Quran does not have words like “kill” or  “kill the Infidels,” “convert or die, ” or even the word “sword.”  The professor on his right picked up this theme from the Imam and said how Jihad was only to indicate a personal struggle and that all the students in his class were Jihadists because they struggled to get good grades. The Imam said that the media had bastardized and perverted what was written in the Quran… after all, it is interpretation that is the issue.

NO, NOT SO. We cannot continue to play the “it’s written only in Arabic, so we cannot truly understand the Quran unless you read it in Arabic.” “Kill” in Arabic pretty much means “kill” in English. This was a hard thing for someone who has been a Muslim as an adult and has read the Quran to swallow. I had to break down and whisper to my friend who invited me and tell her that was a blatant lie. There are over 164 passages in the Quran that are violent and deal with war, jihad (even though the word is not used, the intent to fight infidels is clear), or killing. It is not a story about peace and love… not even close. On average, one out of every six lines is about hell fire and damnation.

There is NO good news for Muslims.

Here is a list of over 109 passages in the Quran from a website called The Religion of Peace. Below is only ONE of these verses where you will find… drum roll please… “Kill, Killing, and Kill again” from Surah Al-Baqara (2:191-2):

وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ وَأَخْرِجُوهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ أَخْرَجُوكُمْ ۚ وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ ۚ وَلَا تُقَاتِلُوهُمْ عِندَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ حَتَّىٰ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِيهِ ۖ فَإِن قَاتَلُوكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوهُمْ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ جَزَاءُ الْكَافِرِينَ

And kill them wherever you overtake them and expel them from wherever they have expelled you, and fitnah is worse than killing. And do not fight them at al-Masjid al- Haram until they fight you there. But if they fight you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.

It’s difficult to sit there and see what is being said in front of you without anyone in the audience to challenge it. Yet I knew that this was not a place for debate and I was so thankful for coming to the place prepared through prayer ahead of time. The woman who asked the question about violence in the Quran left early, so I could not catch up to her to talk – maybe it was not meant to be. The rest of the questions were very politically correct and were in the line of “why can’t we all just get along?”

The message from the Muslim community (including those in my family) is mixed. There are many who do not know what is in the Quran and those who DO know (like the Imam) are choosing to not tell the truth or even a part of the truth.

It is important to know and look things up for yourself. The Quran is available online and all you have to do is to Google “violent passages in the Quran” or something along those lines to see BOTH the Arabic and the English. Please don’t accept things at face value. God gave us a brain and he intends for us to use it. Let’s use our brains to His glory and know what is being said in the media and on this type of a panel.

The end was more of the same. The Imam made an ostentatious claim that we are all under one God. He said “Allah, Eloh, Ilah” are all the same (look up the name Ilah & you will find something totally different!). Again, not true. Allah is only one dimension. Our God as revealed by the Scriptures is YHWH. He exists in three dimensions. Unless you know the relationship of love that exists between God the Father, the redeeming love of Christ Jesus and the breath of the Holy Spirit, you miss the whole picture. Allah is not the God of the Trinity.

There is great confusion and darkness for those who do not know God as revealed in the Scriptures. I pray that the Church will wake up and heed the Great Commission to GO! As one who lived in the US as a Muslim, I was accustomed to the darkness. I blindly believed what the Imams said in the mosque and what my parents told me. When the scales fell from my eyes and I saw the truth of God as revealed in Christ, it was indescribable. There is great freedom and love in Christ Jesus. I just pray that we, as Christians will share the Gospel in love. We need to always be prepared to give a reason for the HOPE we have ~ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect… 1 Peter 3:15.

I beg you… Be ready! Be prepared! Give that reason for the hope you have in Christ. DO IT with gentleness and respect. This is what we need to share with Muslims today. Find a Muslim in your own backyard and share the Good News of the Gospel!