The Qur'anic Bridge complements of the "Camel"

BEFORE YOU BEGIN, spend time praying for Muslims, and realize that God is at already at work in this commu­nity. There are already `persons of peace' among them who are open to the good news of his gospel.

It's better that you not walk into a conversation with a copy of the Qur'an; you are only likely to offend Muslims. Instead, ask them to open their Qur'an and read the passages in question. This will draw them into the conversation while preventing you from offending them.

In your encounter with Muslims, it is better to ask questions and draw the truth out of them than to preach the truth at them. There is not enough light in the Qur'an to bring them to salva­tion, but there are enough flickers of truth to draw out God's `man of peace' from among them.

Remember, as long as you stay within the Qur'an and ask questions, they can't blame or attack you for teaching Christi­anity. However, once you have drawn out the man of peace, you will be able to leave the Qur'an behind and teach him the Bible.

There is a Qur'anic passage in Sura 5, called "The Dinner Table Sura" that bridges Muslims with Christians. "You will certainly find the nearest in friendship to those who believe (to be) those who say: We are Christians; this is because there are priests and monks among them and because they do not behave proudly."

                                 (5 All Qur'anic citations are from The Holy Qur'an, translated by M.H. Shakir and published by Tahrike Tarsile Qur'an, Inc., 1983. Available in electronic searchable format at www.hti.umich.edu/k/koran November, 2003.

It's good to know that Mohammed did not begin with a bias against Christians. With work, perhaps we can build on this foundation.

Make a Vocabulary Translation

If you want to communicate with Muslims, you'll need to adopt language that they will understand. Here are some of the basic terms that are common to Muslims and their equivalent in English.

"I want to give special thanks to King Fahd of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Foundation for directing the Qur'an to be translated into local languages all over the world for clear understanding." Then offer the following story: The American owner of a garment factory wrote a letter in English to the factory workers telling them that they should stop making red shirts and start making yellow shirts. In addition, for their hard work, they will be receiving a bonus at the end of the month. The office manager read the letter in English to the workers (who spoke no English) and then placed the letter on the table in front of the employees. The employees were happy to receive the letter, but did not change from making red shirts to yellow ones. When the factory owner found out that his factory was still making red shirts, he was very upset with the manager and the factor workers. He decided to hire a new factory manager and new workers.

"How fortunate we are that King Fahd has paid to have the Qur'an translated into all the languages of the world." (They will certainly agree.)

Now the way is prepared for you to reference the Qur'an in a local or English language translation.

Step One: Some Opening Statements

After a friendly introduction, there are several ways to begin a fruitful discussion. You can say: "I have been reading the Qur'an and I discovered an amazing truth that has given me hope of eternal life in heaven. Will you read to me Sura Al-Imran 3:42-557 Or you can say: "I speak to Christians and Muslims about peace and salvation. May I show you what I have found about peace and salvation in Imran 3:42-55?" During the Muslim holiday of Qurbani Eid (Feast of the Sacrifice), which occurs 40 days after Ramadan, you can say: "Do you know the correct prayer that you are to pray before the sacrifice?" If they don't know, you can answer: "Lay your hands on the animal and say to Allah, `I know that I am a sinner and that I deserve full punishment for my sins. It is my blood that is required for the sacrifice. Yet, instead of taking my blood for my punishment, substitute the blood of this animal."'

This opens the door to the importance of blood sacrifice in the atonement of Jesus.

Step Two: What the Camel Knows

Christians are accustomed to leading a prospective new believer down the Roman Road of verses from the Book of Romans leading one to salvation (Romans 3:23; 6:23; 10:9-10). When you talk to a Muslim, you'll want to take them down the Camel Trail.

Arab Muslims have a saying that Allah has 100 names; man knows 99 of these names, but only the camel knows the 100^th name of Allah.       For our purposes, CAMEL is an acronym:

Chosen

3:44 The Qur'an says the angels cast lots to see who would be given the privilege to guard over Marium during the time of this assignment that Allah had given to her.

Announcement

3:45 Then Allah sent angels to tell Marium his words.  Allah said that he would put his Word inside Marium. "Allah's Word" (Ruhollah, in the Arabic) would become flesh in the form of a baby. Allah told Marium to name the baby 'Isa Masih.' Isa is Jesus, and Masih means `The Anointed or Promised One.' Isa would be honored by all people in this world and forever in heaven. Finally, Allah said  'Isa would be one of those nearest to himself.

3:46 Furthermore, Allah said that `Isa's birth will be a message to the entire world and that `Isa will be one of the good or righteous ones. 3:47 Marium was shocked at the news that Allah had given her. She said to Allah, "How can I have a baby when no man has ever touched me?" Allah was very patient with Marium. He answered her, "I am God, it is easy for me to do whatever I wish." Why would Allah have 'Isa born without a father? Has there ever been another prophet born without a father? What does this mean to all Muslims?

Imran 3:59 says that 'Isa is like Adam, and this is true, because both of these prophets were born without a father. What is the significance of being born without an earthly father?"

The answer is apparent when you realize that Adam, before he committed his sin in the garden and became evil, walked with God in the garden. Adam could walk and live with God because he did not have any sin. Adam, at first, was righteous and holy because he inherited his father's righteous nature. Once Adam committed disobedience to Allah, he and all of his descendants became unholy and could no longer live together with the holy God. 

  In the Qur'an, Sura 20:121 we read "Then they both ate of it, so their evil inclinations became manifest to them, and they both began to cover themselves with leaves of the garden,^- and^-Adam  disobeyed his Lord so his life became evil (to him1._" Now if Adam was expelled from the garden because of only one sin, how are we ever going to get to heaven with our whole book of sins?  And here's the point: Most certainly all of us are children of Adam, except one, his name is 'Isa Masih. Not all Muslims will agree with the concept of sinfulness from birth, but most will admit that all have sinned. The Qur'an gives us a word of hope! Allah gave a Word to Marium in the form of 'Isa. He is a Word of Hope for the entire world.

  In the Qur'an Sura 21:91 we read: "And she (Marium) who guarded her chastity, so we breathed into her of Our inspiration and made her and her son a sign for the nations." Certainly all of us are children of Adam, except one, his name is 'Isa Masih. Not all Muslims will agree with the concept of sinfulness from birth, but most will admit that all have sinned. Do you understand why I love to read the Qur'an? This dis­covery has enlightened me. But wait, there's more...  3:48 Allah taught 'Isa all the holy books (what Muslims call Kitabs). I have read more about 'Isa in the Torah, and the Injil. These books (Kitabs) have been translated directly from the original languages and are trustworthy. A friend of mine said that reading all of the holy books makes him feel like a complete Muslim. How about you? Have you read all the holy books?

Miracles

3:49 Allah demonstrated his power through 'Isa. The Qur'an says that lepers were healed, the blind received sight, the crippled walked again and the dead came back to life.  Once again, the Qur'an fills us with hope. 'Isa had the power to bring the dead back to life. POWER OVER DEATH, this is amazing! Before, I had thought that death was the strongest enemy in the world. But now I realize from the Qur'an that 'Isa has been given power over death. The world has been waiting for a prophet that could conquer our greatest and final enemy, death.  3:50 'Isa said that his life verified or confirmed what the prophets had spoken about him in the `Before Kitabs (books).' The old prophets spoke much about 'Isa Masih. When I read the `Before Kitabs,' I found over three hundred prophecies about `Isa spoken by the prophets.  For example this one was written 758 years before the birth of `Isa; it says: "God himself shall give you a sign, `Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name, Emanuel.'

In the original language, the name 'Emanuel' means, `God is with us."' shall call his name, Emanuel.' In the original language, the `Emanuel' means, `God is with us."'

3:51 'Isa said that the Straight Path  is him alone.

3:52-53 In order to get all of the people of the world to worship Allah alone, 'Isa asked for some helpers. A small group of men came forward and said that they are Muslims and that they will help `Isa. They said that they believe in Allah's message and the Messenger that he sent down. Down from where? Obviously, down from heaven.

Eternal Life

3:55 It is exciting to read that the Muslims who follow 'Isa and do his work will be lifted above all the unbelievers in the world. Now that you're drawing near the end of your Camel Trail, you will find this story/application of the truth helpful. "If I wanted to get from here to the capital city, who should I choose to help me, someone who has never been there or someone who knows the way and lives there now?" According to the Qur'an 'Isa came down from heaven and is in heaven today.

In closing, I have two questions for you... "Can this prophet, 'Isa, help you and me get to Allah?" "Can this prophet show you and me the way to eternal life with Allah in heaven?"

Let's Review What the Qur'an Says About “Isa”

1) 'Isa was born without a father and therefore did not inherit Adam's sinful nature.

 

2) Allah gave Marium's baby the name 'Isa Masih.'

 

3) From his childhood, 'Isa lived a righteous and holy life.

 

     4) Allah gave 'Isa tremendous power to heal the sick and raise the dead to life.

 

5) 'Isa has power over our greatest enemy, death.

 

6) Allah himself taught 'Isa the Holy Kitabs (Books).

 

     7) If anyone wants to know more about 'Isa, they should read the Holy Kitabs.

 

     8) The men who helped 'Isa in his ministry of telling the unbelievers to worship the one true God were called `Muslims.'

 

9) Allah lifted 'Isa to himself. He came from Allah and was raised back to Allah. So, 'Isa knows the way to Allah.

 

10) Muslims who join in 'Isa's work will receive blessings from Allah and will be more blessed than the unbelievers in this world.

The Last Question You Should Expect

If you reach this point, you're Muslim friend is bound to ask you, "What do you say about Mohammed?"

This is a deeply emotional question for Muslims, and the best way to answer it is with their own holy book, the Qur'an. Answer with a question: "What does the Qur'an say? What does Allah have to say about the Prophet Mohammed? Sura 46:9 reads "Say: I am not the first of the apostles (or prophets), and I do not know what will be done with me or with you: I do not follow anything but that which is revealed to me, and I am nothing but a plain warner."

Allah says that Mohammed is nothing new among the prophets. He says that Mohammed doesn't know what will be done with him or his followers. He says that Mohammed is a plain warner.

Though you might not want to use it, you should know that the Qur'an also attests to Mohammed being a sinner. In the Victory Sura 48:1-2 we read: "Surely We have given to you a clear victory. That Allah may forgive your community their past faults and those to follow and complete His favor to you and keep you on a right way."

Finally, tell them where they can find you if they want to discuss this further. Give those you're talking to an opportunity to follow up with you alone or in a smaller group for further talk about 'Isa. Many of them will not want to see you again, but God's `man of peace' (or `woman of peace') will seek you out later and want to know more about 'Isa Masih.

Using the Bible with Muslims

If all goes well, a `person of peace' will seek you out. When this happens, you may want to show him the Jesus Film or make a simple gospel presentation to him. We don't use the Qur'an for presenting the gospel or discipleship, But here are a couple of verses from the Qur'an to help your Muslim friend to understand that Allah's Truth is perfectly revealed in the "Book that came before (the Qur'an)." In Sura 10:94 we read "But if you are in doubt as to what We have revealed to you, ask those who read the Book before you; certainly the truth has come to you from your Lord, therefore you should not be of the disputers." Allah tells Mohammed, if you have doubts, you should question "those who read the Book that was before you," because the Truth is found in those Scriptures. He urges Moham­med not to be among the waverers. Be sure to point out that the Torah and Injil that you are sharing with your friend has been translated from their original languages and from the oldest manuscripts in existence. Finally, ask your friend to read what it says in the Qur'an, Sura 4:136: O you who believe! Believe in Allah and His messenger and the Scripture which He has revealed unto His messenger, and the Scripture which He revealed aforetime. Whosoever disbelieves in Allah and His angels and His Scriptures and His messengers and the Last day he verily has wandered far astray. It is common for Muslims to allege that the Book "that came before," or the Old and New Testaments have been changed and corrupted and are therefore unreliable. If this issue arises, refer them to their Qur'an, the Cattle Sura 6:114-115 which reads: Who has revealed to you the Book (which is) made plain; and those whom We have given the Book know that it is revealed by your Lord with truth, therefore you should not be of the disputers. And the word of your Lord has been accomplished truly and justly; there is none who can change His words, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing. So, Allah has assured Mohammed that the Book (the Bible) was given by him; it is perfect and no one can change it. Now that you have drawn out God's "man (or woman) of peace" you should shift completely from the Qur'an to the Bible. As you have seen, the Qur'an makes an effective bridge for Muslims to the gospel, but you don't want to camp on the bridge!