One of the biggest months of the Islamic calendar is coming up – Ramadan. It is a month of fasting (and feasting) so Muslims can draw closer to their Allah, but even more importantly, gain his favor and have their sins erased.
Ramadan has begun for your Muslim friends! From March 11 to April 9, the Islamic world is fasting between sunrise and sunset in order to complete one of the mandated Five Pillars of Islam!
Today we are focusing on the different approaches to fasting, the what, how, and why in both the Quran and the Bible. This way you can learn what your Muslim friend believes, compare it to what the Bible says, and figure out how to talk about fasting with them!
Over the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset to gain favor from Allah and to prove their devoutness to him. It is not uncommon for Christians to think, “I should give them space during this month. It’s not a good time to talk to them about Jesus.” This couldn’t be further from the truth!
After the month of Ramadan comes to an end, there are a myriad of emotions that a Muslim can go through. It is the most important month of their entire year, and their spiritual fate rests on their performance in fasting and praying. As Christians, understanding what our Muslim friends are going through or possibly feeling can help us love them better.