The Sermon on The Mount is For Muslims!

- by Dr. Patricia Depew

Did you know that Mohammad, the founder of Islam, is so esteemed by Muslims that a common expression among all of them is to utter the blessing "peace be upon him" after his name is spoken?

Mohammad was born in AD 570 at Mecca in Arabia. At that time, Mecca was a prosperous city whose wealth and influence were based on the caravan trade and on the Kabah, a shrine and a place of pilgrimage housing hundreds of pagan idols that the Arabs worshipped. Muslims believe that in AD 610, Mohammed had a vision of the archangel Gabriel who told him that Allah is the only true God. Disturbed by the vision, he almost took his life until his wife reassured him that God had revealed to her that he would become the "Prophet to the Arabs." This experience not only changed his life, but it changed the history of a large part of the world! Muslims believe that over several years Mohammad received the text of the Koran (Muslim holy book) in a series of revelations, which he later dictated to scribes to be written down because he could not write. Mohammad's message of giving allegiance to one God, Allah, was rejected by the leaders of Mecca. In AD 622, they forced Mohammad and his followers to emigrate north to the oasis town of Yathrib, and Mohammad changed the name of the city to "Medina", meaning "City of the Prophet." This is known as the "Hijra" "or "emigration" which marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar. In AD 630, Mohammad and his followers fought and overtook the ruling Quaraish tribe in Mecca. Upon his return to Mecca, one of Mohammad's first acts was to "cleanse" the Kabah of its idols and dedicate the shrine to Allah.

When Mohammad died in 632, there was no commonly agreed upon system for succession of the leadership of Islam. Abu-Bakr, the father of Mohammad's wife, became the leader of one group, the Sunnis. Ali, Mohammad's son-in-law, was accepted by the other group to be the successor. This group became the Shi'ites. There continued to be serious divisions and killings among the two main sectors of Islam, some of which have continued for the last 1,400 years. As we have recently seen in Iraq, much of this is politically motivated.

But one thing Shi'ites, Sunnis and even members of offshoot religions like the Druze and Alawites agree upon is that there is only one God. Though they have put their faith in the prophesies of Mohammed in the Koran, they also have a degree of reverence for Jesus, the One they call Isa. Muslims believe that Jesus is one of a long line of prophets. He is no greater than Mohammad, who is the "Seal of the Prophets." Jesus ranks as a great prophet who was born of a virgin, without a father. He performed great miracles. To them, these do not justify making Him God, as a human being cannot be God. Furthermore, God would not let His prophet die on a cross. God could not have suffered and died. Despite these strong teachings that contradict the Bible, some have found ways to reach the Muslim's heart for Christ by encouraging them to read the Gospels. These may not bring them to full faith in Christ, but they can help Muslims take steps in that direction.

Taking Steps Towards Reaching Muslims for Jesus
Christians believe that one of the roles Jesus took is that of a prophet, because He gave many prophecies during His ministry. Muslims also believe that Jesus is a prophet. So Christians should encourage them to diligently study and believe the things that He taught and commanded in the Bible. Most Muslims have only known of Jesus through the Koran and Islamic teaching. Unfortunately, they have little or no knowledge of the wonderful teachings of Jesus that could change their lives. It is very important for Christians to tell them of the specific teachings Jesus gave which are not mentioned in their Koran. The more they read the Bible, the more they are likely to embrace the Savior.

Muslims are especially receptive to the Sermon on the Mount given by Jesus in Matt. chapters 5-7. When they hear these commandments, many express their excitement over receiving such "beautiful" directions from Jesus to guide their lives. Muslims reading the Sermon on the Mount also realize that Jesus gave a particular pattern for praying to the Father (God) in Heaven (The Lord's Prayer). They immediately realize that this prayer is considerably different (and perhaps more powerful) than their daily ritual prayers. They understand that the requests in the prayer are for other people, not just themselves. Muslims recognize that "asking for daily bread," indicates that the prayer is to be made each day. They willingly ask the Father to forgive them of their sins as they forgive others who sin against them. They understand that if everyone forgave one another like Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount, that the world would be ruled by forgiveness rather than revenge. Some Muslims are even calling God their "Father," a concept from Christianity that can potentially help them to understand God's true nature.

Imagine being in a mosque and hearing a teacher telling Muslims that they should read the Sermon on the Mount and pray the Lord's Prayer! This is actually happening in some places. It occurred because some Christian workers have faithfully prayed, attended Islamic meetings and personally talked to Muslims as God opened the way using the Sermon on the Mount and the Lord's Prayer. The Holy Spirit is quietly and steadily leading Muslims in this way to Jesus and changing their lives!

Christians need to be aware of the questions that Muslims ask and how to carefully and prayerfully answer them. Often Muslims will reject Christian responses but believers need to be patient and steadfast. Here is an example of a question that Muslims frequently ask and a Christian response. "Jesus never said, 'I am God,' or 'bow down and worship me.' So why should Muslims believe that He is God or Divine?" One answer: The Muslims know that these exact words are not in the Bible. However some Muslims also admit that they will not accept any other evidence about the identity of Jesus, even if God presents it Himself. This reaction has alarmed other Muslims when they heard it, and as a result they are often more open to hearing about Jesus.

Muslims pass questions around in Internet chat rooms and on Islamic web sites. This provides a great opportunity for Christians to study such questions and prepare themselves for answers. It is also an opportunity to respond personally to questions being asked by Muslims. One of the best Christian web sites is: www.answering-islam.org/

Knowing answers to their spiritual questions is very important. However, it is essential to be their friend! There are many ways that this can be done such as hospitality, attending by invitation their social gatherings and helping Muslim immigrants with ESL programs. Muslims may argue that the Bible has been corrupted, but they can't argue with a supernatural love that comes only from the Holy Spirit. Genuine Christian love leads Muslims, or anyone for that matter, closer to understanding the nature of Jesus. You will not gain a hearing or earn their trust unless you first love them as a trustworthy friend!

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