Our Muslim Neighbors All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation 2 Corinthians 5:18 (NRSV) The Gospel of Jesus Christ calls Christians to mutual understanding and friendship with Muslim people in the United States and around the world. By learning about Islam and seeking opportunities to know Muslim people better, we bear witness to God's saving love incarnate in Jesus. Muslims Around the World At least 43 of the world's nations have a Muslim majority. One-fifth of the world's population is Muslim. Indonesia has the largest number of Muslims of any country in the world. There are more than 5 million Muslims in the United States. Muslims and Arabs The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, through ELCA Global Mission, the Division for Outreach, and the Commission for Multicultural Ministries, is committed to building respectful relationships and sharing our faith with Muslims. To fulfill this commitment, ELCA Global Mission is strengthening its ministries in the Middle East, West and East Africa, Madagascar, India, Indonesia, and England. New ministry is beginning in Bangladesh. In the United States, the Division for Outreach and the Commission for Multicultural Ministries are working in Christian and Muslim communities, seeking to establish Arab-speaking congregations. About Islam A Brief History of Islam The word Islam means to submit to the will of God, Allah in Arabic. Muslims believe that Islam is the completion of all religions, and provides guidance in all aspects of life. Islam grew out of the Prophet Muhammad's religious experience and receiving of revelation from God which is enshrined in the Qur'an. The Hadith is Muhammad's sayings, actions and directives inspired by God. Muhammad was born in 570 C.E. in Mecca and received his first revelation in 610. He died in 632; within a hundred years Islam had swept across North Africa and entered Spain. During the 8th, 9th and 10th centuries Islam flourished in science, medicine, mathematics, literature and philosophy. Islamic expansion led to reactions in the form of the Crusades and later the Inquisition. Tensions continued into the modern age as 18th, 19th and 20th century colonialism led to domination of the Muslim world. Today, reconciliation and healing are imperative. Islam and Christianity The Qur'an mentions Jesus many times. Islam teaches belief in the virgin birth, the prophethood, and the return of Jesus who will prepare people for the last judgment. The major differences between Christianity and Islam are: Muslims regard Jesus as a great prophet; the Qur'an also calls him messiah, a word and spirit from God; however, any reference to his divinity is not accepted. Muslims confess that God is One; they do not believe in the Trinity because they consider that it annuls the unity of God. Muslims believe that Jesus did not die on the cross, but was miraculously saved and taken directly to heaven; he will return again before the last day. Many Muslims believe that the revealed Bible has been changed, and that historical and theological mistakes have crept into the text that we now have. The Six Articles of Faith Belief in One God Alone, Allah. Belief in Allah's messengers, the last of whom was the Prophet Muhammad. Belief in the revealed Books such as the Torah, Psalms, Gospel, and Qur'an. Belief in Allah's Angels. Belief in the Life after Death and in the Last Day of Judgment. Belief in Allah's Absolute Sovereignty. All things happen with the permission and will of Allah. The Five Principles (Pillars) of Islam Profession of the Faith: There is no god but One God, Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of God. Ritual Worship: five times a day -- at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset and night. Before praying Muslims perform ablutions, a ritual of washing. In their worship-prayer they face Mecca and prostrate themselves before God. Al Fatihah (The Opening) In the name of Allah, Most Gracious,    Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah the Cherisher    and Sustainer of the Worlds. Most Gracious, Most Merciful; Master of the Day of Judgment. Thee do we worship, And Thine aid we seek. Show us the straight way, The way of those on whom Thous hast bestowed Thy Grace, Those whose portion is not wrath, And who did not go astray. Amen. (Qur'an, Chapter 1) Alms: the obligation to share wealth for charitable purposes, especially widows, orphans, the poor and needy. Fasting: one of the most rigorous disciplines. Required only during the month of Ramadan if a person is able. Nothing enters the mouth from dawn until shortly after sunset. Pilgrimage (Hajj): obligatory journey once in a lifetime to the Ka'bah (House of God built by Abraham and Ishmael) in Mecca for those physically and financially able. Islamic Holy Days Ramadan: According to the Islamic tradition, God commanded the Prophet Muhammad and Muslims to fast during the ninth lunar month when the Qur'an was revealed to him. All devout Muslims fast during this month and celebrate a holiday at its end called Eid al-Fitr; the Feast of Breaking Fast. Eid-al-Adha: The month of the Hajj begins seventy days after Ramadan. During this month Muslims who are able make the pilgrimage to Mecca in memory of the sacrifice God provided Abraham in place of his son. What is Jihad? Muslims in the United States It is estimated that there are 6 to 8 million Muslims in the United States. Many of these are immigrants from various parts of the world. Roughly one quarter are African American Muslims (see box). The Arabic word jihad does not mean "holy war," but rather to strive to live in obedience and service to God Alone. Muslims speak of jihad as both an inner spiritual struggle and an outer striving to bring society into conformity with God's will, to struggle "in the path of God" or to "make God's cause succeed" (Qur'an 9:40). In the Qur'an, jihad is connected with the imperative to command good and forbid evil (3:104, 110), especially with reference to the struggle of believers against persecution and idolatry. When this struggle takes the form of warfare, the Qur'an speaks not simply of jihad, but of qital (killing). Jihad is, therefore, not simply equivalent to "holy war," though the struggle of believers may include war under certain conditions.  The African American Muslim Community in the United States Many sources agree that African American Muslims number around 2 million and belong to two groups: Those who recognize Warith al -Din Muhammad as their Imam. They are Sunni (orthodox) Muslims who follow the teachings of Islam and are recognized by all Muslims. Those who follow Minister Louis Farrakhan. They adhere to the teachings of Elijah Muhammad whom they consider to be the true prophet. This group is not recognized by all Muslims as members of the faith of Islam.   What Can You Do? Read (see Resources) and reflect. Explore local study opportunities. Sponsor missionaries who work with Muslims. Invite them to share in letters and visits. Listen and share respectfully with Muslims. Challenge derogatory comments about Muslims. Offer hospitality to Muslims new to your community. Visit local mosques, contacting leaders beforehand. Foster friendships with Muslim neighbors. Support relief work in Muslim countries. Resources ELCA Global Mission Country Packets regarding many countries around the world. Moving Beyond Muslim Media Images is an electronic Help sheet for discussion from the ELCA Youth Ministries, 1997. Armstrong, Karen. The Battle for God. New York: Ballantine Publishing Group, 2001. Armstrong, Karen. Islam: A Short History. New York: Modern Library (Random House), 2000. Brown, Stuart. The Nearest in Affection: Towards a Christian Understanding of Islam. Risk Book Series, WCC Publications, Geneva, Switzerland, 1994. Cragg, Kenneth. The Call of the Minaret. Second edition, revised and enlarged, Orbis Books, Maryknoll, NY, 1985 / 2nd printing September 1989. Cragg, Kenneth. Common Prayer: A Muslim-Christian Spiritual Anthology. Oxford: One World, 1999 Denny, Frederick Mathewson. An Introduction to Islam. Second edition, Macmillan Publishing Company, New York, NY, 1994. Esposito, John. Islam: The Straight Path. Third edition, London: Oxford University Press, 1998. Honoring Our Neighbor's Faith. Augsburg Fortress, Minneapolis, 1999. Hooker, Roger and Christopher Lamb. Love the Stranger: Ministry in Multifaith Areas. SPCK, London, 1986. Islam: the Faith and the People. 22-minute video produced by Brown-ROA. Contact Brown-ROA at 1-800-922-7696, EcuFilm at 1-800-251-4091, or an ELCA Resource Center. Lippman, Thomas W. Understanding Islam: An Introduction to the Muslim World. Second edition, New York: Dutton Plume, 1995  Machatschke, Roland. Islam. SCM Press/Trinity Press International, Valley Forge, Penn., 1996. Martinson, Paul Varo, ed. Islam: An Introduction for Christians. Augsburg Fortress, Minneapolis, 1994. (Study guide also available from Augsburg Fortress). Miller, Roland E. Muslim Friends. St. Louis, Concordia Publishing House, 1996. Parshall, Philip. The Cross and the Crescent: Understanding the Muslim Mind and Heart. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Ill., 1989. Rahman, Fazlur. Major Themes of the Qur'an. Bibliotheca Islamica, Minneapolis, 1989. Renard, John. In the Footsteps of Muhammd: Understanding the Islamic Experience. New York Paulist Press, 1992. Speight, R. Marston. God is One: The Way of Islam. NCC Friendship Press, 2002 (new edition);  and accompanying study guide, "One God: Two Faiths - When Christians and Muslims Meet." To order, call 1-800-889-5733 or by e-mail. Understanding Islam. Summer 2003 MOSAIC, video magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Understanding Islam and the Muslims. Islamic Affairs Department, The Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington DC. Call the embassy at 202-342-3700 for free copies. These and other resources may be available from your ELCA Resource Center, your local library or bookstore. A Call to Prayer Leader: Let us pray. For new opportunities for respectful relationships and friendships between Christians and Muslims. All: O Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. L: For the power of the Spirit to share the depths of our faith with humility and sensitivity. A: Help us, O Lord, our God. L: For all those who suffer ... A: Praise God, our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. L: For the sick in body, mind and spirit ... A: Have mercy on us, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy. L: For all who sin ... A: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget God's benefits -- the Lord forgives our sins. L: For global peace and justice, and the healing of all creation. A: Praise the Lord, all you nations. Extol God, all you peoples! For great is God's steadfast love and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Amen. This information on this page is also available in brochure form. Contact Augsburg Fortress at 1-800-328-4648. Order code 6-0000-2621-8.