Your Prayers Are Making a Difference
Ramadan, Islam’s holiest month, has been filled this year with multiple terror attacks killing over 1,600 people in 31 nations around the world. Fear and anger are normal reactions, but as Christians we must respond to Muslims from God’s perspective, separating the Muslim people from the system of Islam. The prayers that we pray corporately have the ability to speak God’s life, light, truth and love over horrendous situations. As the body of Christ, may we all seek Him so that we may change the atmosphere of terror and threats and advance God’s Kingdom on the earth as we speak His life and send forth His light in the midst of this darkness.
God is moving despite the darkness of Islam. Open Doors reports Muslims in the Middle East are turning to Jesus in unprecedented numbers. David Garrison, author of A Wind in the House of Islam, says, “we are living in the midst of the greatest turning of Muslims to Christ in history.” Some estimates say that there are now more than 1 million Christians in Iran. CBN quotes Heidi Baker of Iris Ministries regarding African Muslims, “Many people are having dreams. They see Jesus appear to them. Probably half our pastors were leaders, imams in Moslem mosques. They were leaders in these mosques, now they’re pastors.”
As we conclude this series, we thank you for all your prayers during the Ramadan 30-days of prayer for the Muslim people. It is important to remember that James 5:16b (NLT) tells us, “When a believing person prays, great things happen!” Please continue throughout the year to pray and declare scriptures over the lives of Muslims. As we co-labor with God in prayer, we believe He will remove spiritual blindness, bring them signs and wonders to reveal His heart, and bring them to salvation in Christ.
Required Ritual of Islam: Zakat
The last three pillars of Islam are zakat, hajj and the fast of Ramadan. We explained Ramadan on day one of our prayer series so today we will examine zakat.
Zakat (almsgiving) is one of the five pillars of Islam and therefore required for all Muslims. Zakat is the systematic giving of 2.5% of one’s wealth each year to benefit the poor.
Zakat is based on the “wealth” of a Muslim, not income. For instance the Zakat calculator for the Zakat Foundation of America helps to calculate the amount a Muslim should give by requesting their cash on hand in bank accounts, money loaned to others, expected tax refunds, the value of gold, silver and other precious items, stocks, bonds, IRA’s, and business assets.
There is a minimum wealth threshold called nisab. Islamic Relief Worldwide states that today there are two measures of nisab either the price of gold (3 ounces) or silver (21 ounces). The nisab threshold varies depending on the current market value. This year the nisab is approximately $3,731 by using the gold measurement and $304 by using the silver measurement. There are arguments between Muslim scholars as to which measurement should be used.
Muslims believe that neglecting to give zakat can result in damnation, and is a sign of hypocrisy. Charity in Islam is different than in the western world. In Christianity charity means to give to someone in need. In Islam, it can go to the poor, but it also can go to fund jihad.
The Qur’an, Sura 9:60, gives eight categories for the distribution of zakat. These categories include the poor, those short of money, zakat workers, those who hearts are to be reconciled, slaves purchasing their freedom, those in debt, those fighting for Allah and travelers needing money. Those fighting for Allah are to be given enough “to suffice them for the operation, even if affluent.” Islamic law scholars also indicate that zakat should also be given to support the families during the time the fighter is away.
The Islamic State announced they would collect zakat from areas they controlled. Financial Times relates an incident of zakat collection by ISIS:
Mansour, a 26-year-old grocery storekeeper in eastern Syria, stalled payment while he tried to cook his books.
A week later, four ISIS officials stormed into his shop, ordered him outside, and tallied the bill themselves — to his dismay they based their calculation on the retail price of his stock. There were no price tags on the tinned beef, so one tax collector rode around town on his motorbike comparing canned beef prices in other stores.
Five hours later, the audit was complete. The bill: 32,500 Syrian lira (about $108).
“They told me, ‘You liar … How will victory be achieved if you’re not paying zakat?’”
Intelligence sources say zakat is a part of the way the Islamic State keeps its economy going. Since zakat can be used for those fighting in jihad, the Islamic State uses it to fund the salaries of its jihadis and finance services such as street cleaning and bread subsidies. The Financial Times estimates ISIS collected over $20 million of zakat on grain and cotton.
Western nations do not realize that one-eighth of the contributions of zakat, according to the Qur’an, is to support the active cause of Islam and used to support jihad.
Prayer Points:
Ask God to expose to Muslims the fact that some of the funding they expect is going to help the poor is actually (according to their leaders) assisting to fund jihad.
People of the Book
In Islam, the term “People of the Book” refers to Christians and Jews. Because Islam has a dualistic nature there are verses that speak positively about Christians and Jews, but there are also verses written later that call for Muslims to make war on Christians and Jews. In Islam the verses that Muhammad received later in his revelations abrogate the previous verses, which means the later passages take precedent over the early passages, but they are not negated because the Qur’an is considered the verbatim words of Allah.
The early Qur’an (the portion Muhammad received in Mecca) accepts Christians and Jews, “Those who believe and those who are Christians and Jews and Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and Judgment Day shall have their reward with the Lord” (Quran 2:62). But the later Qur’an (the portion received in Medina) states, “Make war on those who have received the Scriptures [Jews and Christians] but do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day. They do not forbid what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden. The Christians and Jews do not follow the religion of truth until they submit and pay the poll tax [jizya] and they are humiliated” (Qur’an 9:29).
When Muhammad began to supposedly receive his “revelations” in Mecca, the revelations came through the angel, Gabriel – an angel from Jewish scriptures. Therefore Muhammad considered himself in the lineage of Jewish prophets.
When Muhammad moved to Medina, the city was half Jewish. Muhammad saw himself as a reformer of Judaism, however Muhammad had most likely picked up bits and pieces of Jewish scriptures on the trade routes in ancient Arabia so the Jews were able to easily point out some of the contradictions in Muhammad’s revelations and their scriptures. The rabbis in Medina, quite correctly, did not accept him as a Jewish prophet. Because the Jews refused to accept Muhammad, he developed a hatred for the Jews and eliminated most of them either by death, enslavement or expulsion.
The Qur’an retells many of the stories of Moses, Noah, Adam and other characters in Jewish scriptures, but they are twisted to show that all people who deny any of the prophets of Islam are ultimately destroyed. Therefore anyone that denied Muhammad, as a prophet of Allah should be destroyed.
Certainly not all Muslims wish to see the Jews and Christians destroyed, but the “People of the Book” can trace the root of the hatred against them to the rejection of Muhammad’s teachings, which were contrary to Jewish and Christian scriptures.
Prayer Point:
Pray that Muslims and non-Muslims will both begin to question a religion whose scriptures encourage hatred and the destruction of people of other religions.
Orlando: It’s Not Hate – It’s Islam
Once again our televisions are filled with news of innocent lives being taken by a terrorist as we learn of the deaths of 50 people in a gay Orlando nightclub. As news continued to break we learned the shooter, Omar Mateen called 911 pledging his support for ISIS during the attack. ISIS in turn has taken credit for the attack.
In his remarks about the incident President Obama said, “we know enough to say that this was an act of terror and an act of hate…. And I’ve directed that we must spare no effort to determine what — if any — inspiration or association this killer may have had with terrorist groups. What is clear is that he was a person filled with hatred. Over the coming days, we’ll uncover why and how this happened, and we will go wherever the facts lead us.”
Perhaps the President did not yet know the identity of the shooter or the shooter’s admission regarding ISIS, however we now know that Mateen was at least inspired by ISIS. Mateen’s father, Seddique Mir Mateen, claimed, “This had nothing to do with religion.” He claimed that seeing a same-sex couple kiss in front of his family in a public setting had made his son angry. How did Mateen’s anger turn into the largest mass shooting in U.S. history?
Because Mateen admitted his support for ISIS, we need to look at what Islam teaches about homosexuality.
The Qur’an references homosexuality in several places: Sura 7:80-84, 26:165-166, 4:16. It is also found in the hadith. “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Whoever you find doing the action of the people of Loot, execute the one who does it and the one to whom it is done.” Abu Dawud 4462
Islamic scholar Muhammad Saalih Al-Munajjid, the founder of the website IslamQA.info provides answers to questions Muslims and others have. Alexa.com, a company that provides web traffic data and analytics says IslamQA is the world’s most popular website on the topic of Islam. When asked about the punishment for homosexuality, Al-Munajjid replied:
The crime of homosexuality is one of the greatest of crimes, the worst of sins and the most abhorrent of deeds, and Allah punished those who did it in a way that He did not punish other nations. It is indicative of violation of the Fitrah [human nature], total misguidance, weak intellect and lack of religious commitment, and it is a sign of doom and deprivation of the mercy of Allah. We ask Allah to keep us safe and sound.
As far as punishment is concerned the question is not if a homosexual should be killed, it is how he should be killed, and the website presents various views of the method of execution including burning, stoning, or finding the highest point in the town and throwing them head first from it.
Homosexual activity carries the death penalty in the Muslim majority nations of Afghanistan, Brunei, Iran, Mauritania, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
Although the Bible clearly teaches that homosexuality is sin, because God extended His love and mercy to Christians even while they were still sinners, Christians believe in extending the same love and mercy to others. God’s grace does not excuse or endorse the behavior, but it enables Christians to love despite the behavior.
Prayer Points:
Pray for the families of those killed and wounded in the Orlando nightclub terror attack.
Pray that other attacks planned during this Ramadan season will be uncovered and lives will be saved.
Most Muslims are just as horrified at the attack as Christians, pray that these types of attacks will cause them to take a close look at the teachings of Islam.
Why Pray for Muslims During Ramadan?
Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting begins today, June 6. Ramadan, translated as “scorching heat” or “dryness”, is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which began in 622 AD. Muslims believe that it was during the month of Ramadan when Muhammad first began to receive his revelations so it is considered the holiest month in Islam.
During the month of Ramadan, most Muslims will observe a fast from sunup to sundown for each of the 29 to 30 days of the month. Muslims are to abstain from smoking, drinking, eating and sexual pleasure during the daylight hours. All Muslims are required to fast when they reach puberty as long as they are sane and have no illnesses such as diabetes. It is to be a time of spiritual reflection and increased devotion to Allah, and Muslims believe the rewards for fasting during this time are multiplied.
In addiction to fasting, “according to Islamic practice, sacrifice during Ramadan can be considered more valuable than that made at other times, so a call to martyrdom during the month may hold a special allure to some,” said a report by the US State Department led Overseas Security Advisory Council. Affirming the report, in an audio message released by the Islamic State, ISIS followers are urged to commit lone wolf terror attacks during the month of Ramadan.
“Ramadan, the month of conquest and jihad. Get prepared, be ready … to make it a month of calamity everywhere for the non-believers … especially for the fighters and supporters of the Caliphate in Europe and America.”
Last year during Ramadan, terror attacks occurred on three continents on the same day following a similar message by an Islamic State spokesman. On June 26, 2015, attacks occurred in France, Kuwait, Syria, Somalia and Tunisia killing 403 people and injuring 336.
It is currently estimated that there are 80,000 ISIS members worldwide with 36,000 foreign fighters recruited from 80 countries. Of the 36,000 foreign recruits, approximately 6,000 are Westerners. This past fall U.S. FBI Director James Comey warned that the FBI was investigating more than 900 ISIS suspects in all 50 states. CNN reports that in the past two years since the formation of the Islamic State, they have either conducted or inspired over 70 terrorist attacks in 20 nations killing at least 1,200 and injuring over 1,700. That number does not include attacks in Syria and Iraq.
When statistics and quotes such as these dominate Western news, it can be difficult to separate the Muslim people from the radical Islamist teachings that groups such as the Islamic State follow. In the natural the facts seem grim for the future of our world, 
however TRUTH ALWAYS SUPERSEDES FACTS. What truth supersedes the grim facts? Jesus said, “I am the Truth.” HE supersedes the facts.
The natural, inferior reaction to facts is to be suspicious and fearful, but as Kingdom minded Christians we live in a superior realization. Christ attained the victory over sin and death…and terrorism, so as His children we walk in triumph because the victory is already won.
“Your ancestors have also been taught ‘Love your neighbors and hate the one who hates you.’ However, I say to you, love your enemy, bless the one who curses you, do something wonderful for the ones who hate you, and respond to the very ones who persecute you by praying for them. For that will reveal your identity as children of your heavenly Father. He is kind to all by bringing the sunrise to warm and rainfall to refresh whether a person does what is good or evil. What reward do you deserve if you only love the loveable? Don’t even the tax collectors do that? How are you any different from others if you limit your kindness only to your friends? Don’t even the ungodly do that? Since you are children of a perfect Father in heaven, you are to be perfect like him” (Matthew 5:43-48 The Passion Translation).
During the next 30 days ask God to give you His heart for the Muslim people. Today ask Him to reveal and cleanse anything in your heart toward Muslims that is not from Him. Then join us as we pray and declare what Heaven is saying each day during this time of heightened spiritual awareness for Muslims.
Ramadan 2013 – Day 30 – We Are Blessed!
Islam is primarily a political system with an agenda of conquest and subjugation that has skillfully managed to hide its true nature behind a veil of religion. Because Westerners believe the freedom of religion is a basic human right, it has made it more difficult, yet not impossible for us to discover the true nature of Islam.
Throughout the course of its 1400-year history, Islam conquered the Middle East, North Africa and large areas of Asia. Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus and other native peoples were forced to convert, forced into dhimmitude or killed.
Islam’s strategy since the fall of the Ottoman Empire has (with exceptions) been less warlike, but nevertheless quite successful. In the West, Islam successfully uses western freedoms to advance its agenda – yet these are the very freedoms that if successful, Islam will deny to those who have unwittingly helped its advancement.
The Bible tells us, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge,” (Hosea 4:6a) and “Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge”(Isaiah 5:13a).
Islam has hidden itself behind a veil of religion, but God desires to equip His people with knowledge to expose the political and militaristic system of Islam. Once the true nature of Islam is exposed, its advancement can be halted, and God will set the captives of Islam free.
As Islam has been exposed to Muslims in the Middle East, multitudes are realizing its true nature. More Muslims have come to Christ since 9-11-2001, than in the first 1400 years of Islam.
We are incredibly blessed to live in exciting times! Until the 21st century Islam was considered too complicated to be understood by anyone other than Islamic religious leaders. But today with copies of the Qur’an, the Hadith and the Sira of Muhammad easily accessible, we can understand the doctrine of Islam. Armed with this knowledge coupled with the 1400-year history of Islam, we can speak out against the system of Islam yet love the people trapped within it.
Finally, “do not fear their threats; do not be frightened. But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander” (1 Peter 3:14b-16). Christians must be ambassadors for Christ, clearly demonstrating not only to Muslims, but also to everyone around them the difference that being a child of God, and co-heir with Jesus Christ makes in our lives.
Prayer Points:
Studying the Islamic system and the atrocities committed on its behalf can oftentimes make us angry or fearful. Ask God to remove any reactions to the Muslim people that are not godly and to give you His heart for the Muslim people.
Pray that Christians around the world will become knowledgeable about Islam’s political and militaristic nature so they can share this knowledge with others in their churches and communities. Pray that He will help you be “ready to give an answer for the hope that you have.”
Praise God for every Muslim that has come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Ask Him to continue to pour out His Spirit upon the Muslim people throughout the world.
Thank You
Thank you for your prayers each day throughout Ramadan. Please continue to pray daily for the 1.2 billion Muslims in the world.
Would you take a couple of minutes to let us know if you have found this series helpful? If you have any questions about the material or an idea for a future article, we would love to hear from you. You may contact us by commenting on the website or through e-mail at BestCurrentNews@gmail.com.
May God richly bless each of you.
– Best Current News
Ramadan 2013 – Day 1 – An Overview
Many western Christians once considered Islam a distant religion having little influence on our culture and society. Following the discovery of oil in the Islamic world and massive immigration from Islamic nations after World War II the fabric of Judeo-Christian society began to unravel.
Ramadan, translated as scorching heat or dryness, is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which began in 622 AD, the year Muhammad and a small group of followers migrated from Mecca to Medina. This migration, known as the Hijra, marked an important shift in the teachings of Muhammad. Because the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar the dates of Ramadan change each year by approximately 11 days. This year Ramadan should begin on Tuesday, July 9 with the sighting of the new moon.
Muslims believe that it was during the month of Ramadan when Muhammad first began to receive his revelations so it is considered the holiest month in Islam. The Ramadan fast (sawm) is the fourth pillar of the Islamic faith. The other pillars are reciting the Islamic creed (shahada), required daily prayers (salah), almsgiving (zakat) and the pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj). These five basic acts in Islam are the foundation of Muslim life.
During the month of Ramadan, most Muslims will observe a fast from sunup to sundown for each of the 29 to 30 days of the month. They are to abstain from smoking, drinking, eating and sexual pleasure during the daylight hours. It is to be a time of spiritual reflection and increased devotion to Allah, and Muslims believe the rewards for fasting during this time are multiplied. All Muslims are required to fast when they reach puberty as long as they are sane and have no illnesses such as diabetes. Exceptions to the fast are travel, menstruation, severe illness, pregnancy and breast-feeding. Those who are unable to fast because of illness or travel are required to make up the days they missed later.
In addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Qur’an. Juz’, which is 1/30 of the Qur’an is recited sometimes through voluntary prayers that are held in mosques every night of the month. Charity is important during Ramadan, and because Muslims believe all good deeds are more handsomely rewarded in Ramadan many Muslims may give a larger portion or even all of their required zakat (alms of 2.5%) during the month.
As the Muslim population has increased in traditionally western nations so has Islam’s influence. In an act described by a British broadcaster as “‘deliberate provocation’ aimed at viewers who might associate Islam with extremism,” Britain’s Channel 4 announced the television station would air the Muslim call to prayer live every morning during the month of Ramadan. The broadcast of the call to prayer known as the adhan is three-minutes long and will be aired at about 3 am each day. Additional prayer times throughout the day will be broadcast on the station’s website.
The adhan is recited in Arabic and each line is repeated for emphasis. Removing the repetition and translating it into English, the following words will be broadcast over the United Kingdom for the next 30 days:
Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest.
I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah.
I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
Hasten to the Prayer, hasten to the Prayer
Hasten to real success, hasten to real success
Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest.
There is none worthy of worship but Allah.
In addition, Channel 4 available across the United Kingdom will also be featuring “4Ramadan” described as a season of programs “reflecting what life is like for Britain’s Muslim population who observe this religious festival.”
A spokesman from the Muslim Council of Britain in support of the station said, “This is a very special month for Muslims and its recognition on a mainstream channel is not only symbolic for belonging and solidarity but will hopefully help to portray a more realistic account of Islam and Muslims.”
During the next 30 days as we pray for Muslims during this time of heightened spiritual awareness for them, we ask that God will open the eyes and hearts of each of us to truly grasp a “realistic account of Islam and Muslims.”
Prayer Points:
Pray that any words spoken over the nations of the world that are not from the true and living God will fall null and void.
Pray as Muslims quench their physical thirst from the Ramadan fast each day, that God will quench their spiritual thirst with the living water of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Muslim people have been created by God to have a personal relationship with Him. Pray that Muslims will receive God’s love and have divine encounters with Jesus Christ as the Son of God during this time.
Best Current News 