The vast majority of Muslims in the world want peace. They just want to live their lives and take care of their families. They want their children to be educated and have families of their own and live good lives.
Many Muslims are appalled at the atrocities they see committed in the name of Islam. When they read or hear about the latest act of terrorism it can lead to questions.
• Why are so many Muslims willing to kill in the name of Allah?
• Why are so many Muslims willing to kill innocent men, women, and children in the name of Allah?
• Why are so many Muslims willing to kill fellow Muslims in the name of Allah?
Pew Research polls show that the majority of Muslims worldwide dislike ISIS. ISIS' next door neighbors' views are very unfavorable: 99% of Muslims in Lebanon, 94% of Jordanians, 91% of Israeli Arabs, and 84% of Palestinians have an unfavorable view of ISIS. Even those further away are overwhelmingly negative: Indonesia, Turkey, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Malaysia and Senegal range in negativity from 60% to 79%.
Yet, when pressed, any knowledgeable Muslim will agree that ISIS exemplifies the type of jihad that led to the expansion of Islam from a tiny population in 623 AD to controlling 28% of the world's population by 750 AD. The early leaders of Islam saw it as their "manifest destiny" to conquer the world. Again, questions can arise in the minds of modern Muslims.
• How can ISIS be wrong and yet look so much like early Islam?
• Is Islam really a religion of peace when the Prophet they follow fought in so many battles?
• Why are the early
portions of their Holy Book more peaceful when their Prophet expected
Jews and Christians to follow him, and more violent in the later
portions when he realized they would not follow him peacefully?
• Since the ultimate
destiny of Islam is world domination, is there a possibility that ISIS
is what it claims to be: the beginning of that promised worldwide Muslim
caliphate?
• Even within the global Muslim community, many see signs that disturb them.
• ISIS was too brutal for even Al Qaeda and was disowned.
• Forty-three groups in nineteen countries have pledged their support to ISIS.
• ISIS and other
Muslim groups such as the Taliban and Boko Haram view rape, sexual
slavery, torture, murder, and genocide as religious duties.
Gulf States are not accepting refugees and
the heretical West are accepting tens of thousands. This concern is
expressed in the trending Middle Eastern hashtag #ShameOnArabRulers.In contrast to the poll mentioned above, an Al Jazeera online poll in Arabic with 60,000+ respondents showed that eighty-one percent supported ISIS!
One day a courageous Muslim Imam (religious leader in a Mosque) stood up in front a crowd of Muslims. Before him they had heard speeches denouncing their enemies with many urging death to the Jews and the Christians. His voice rang out with a challenge. "This hatred is killing us! It is like a cancer in our soul. We are giving a heritage of hatred and violence to our sons and daughters. Isa al Masih (Jesus the Messiah) shows us a better way! He tells us to love our enemies and forgive those who hurt us. He shows us the True Path to God!" (as part of their daily prayers Muslims ask Allah to show the True Path).
You can imagine the response. He was shouted down and many threatened to kill him. But others came to him later and said their hearts were touched and they wanted to learn more. As a result, a growing movement of New Testament house churches are spreading throughout this region.
What ISIS is doing is evil. But God is not surprised nor is He powerless. He is sovereign. We can see a similar dynamic from the life of Joseph, when he tells his brothers, who had tried to kill him and sold him into slavery, "You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result--the survival of many people" (Gen 50:20).
Pray for millions of Muslims to be disillusioned and find life and peace in Jesus. Here is a guide of "7 Ways to Pray for Muslims besieged by War."
Pray for all Muslims, even ISIS and other persecutors, to find Christ, just as early Jewish leaders and even Saul the persecutor became disciples of Jesus. This site guides you in praying for ISIS members.
What Satan has intended for evil, God is using for eternal good by bringing many Muslims to Christ.
William Allen Crews has lived and served among and appreciated the warm hospitality of Muslim people for 25+ years. He has a great desire for his many Muslim friends and all Muslims to realize that Isa al Masih (Jesus the Messiah) is the Straight Path they seek everyday in their prayers.
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