English Intercede

Storm clouds are gathering on the horizon and a chill wind blows. While Muslim countries limit free speech, it is troubling to see these trends coming to historically Christian nations. Limiting free speech may be detrimental to Christians and also to the spiritual well-being of Muslims. Also, these new trends come at a time when more Muslims than ever are interested in examining the biblical faith.

Some of my Christian friends from Muslim backgrounds regularly face threats from family and friends when sincerely defending their belief in the crucifixion. For those who regularly interact with Muslims, it is no secret that Islam exhibits overt contempt for the cross. Muslim hostility toward the cross is rooted in the core Islamic belief that Jesus was not crucified. That position is primarily based on interpretations of the following quranic passage by their most authoritative commentators.

Television screens regularly bombard us with pictures and commentary of radical Islamic terrorists killing and maiming innocent people. The growing impact of terror and war has far-reaching effects. Huge numbers of refugees are seeking shelter in Europe and beyond, internally displaced people in war-torn countries are desperate for security, and increasing persecution and death haunt Christian communities, especially in the Middle East. From a purely natural point of view, the situation presents itself as hopeless – and almost beyond cure.

Every Muslim is required to believe in “The Last Day.” However, when it comes to Muslim apocalyptic eschatology, there is no single, universally-agreed upon work laying out a complete picture of last days expectations, particularly the lead-up to the end.

Every Muslim is required to believe in “The Last Day.” However, when it comes to Muslim apocalyptic eschatology, there is no single, universally-agreed upon work laying out a complete picture of last days expectations, particularly the lead-up to the end.

Nearly six centuries before the advent of Muhammad, the aged prophet Simeon took the baby Jesus in his arms and said, “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed” (Luke 2:34-35). As it was then, so it is today. Each person’s eternal destiny is linked to his or her response, and relationship to, Jesus.

Muslims in America are an integral part of the 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide. An estimated 4.5 million Muslims live in America with that number increasing at least 100,000 a year. They have come, the 65% who are foreign-born, from around the world.v However, they are not first or foremost known for their ethnicity. They are known for their religious affiliation – Islamic. Their identity or current or past citizenship is not nearly as important as being a member of and continuing in the Islamic faith

Say Hello: Serving Muslim Women invites Christian women into Christ-like friendship with Muslim women, and helps to equip them for God-willed relationships (Mt. 28:19-20). We address women specifically because of Islam’s gender-related modesty beliefs and practices that segregate women from men. Although we recognize that cross-culturally these modesty practices vary, the most honorable relationships outside of marriage contexts will respect Islam’s woman-to-woman, man-to-man friendship boundaries.

Why do so many “moderate” Muslims trade civility for the savagery of extremist forms of Islamic fundamentalism? Are the allurements of sensual delights in paradise, bloodlust, and the spoils of war truly compelling reasons why otherwise “normal” Muslims engage in jihad, or “Islamic holy war”? To simply answer this question in the affirmative is not an adequate explanation.

This article examines the relationship of human rights and Islamic Sharia law in light of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) agreed upon by 48 nations in December 1948, after the Second World War, when the international community vowed never to let such atrocities happen again. To date there are 193 nations who have agreed to adopt this Declaration.

June 29, 2014 marked a significant day in Islamic history –and indeed in human history. On that day, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi of ISIS announced something that even Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda were unable to achieve. Al-Baghdadi announced that the Islamic Caliphate had been re-established with himself as its head, the Caliph. Indeed, the Caliphate had been abandoned since the Ottoman Empire collapsed nearly a century ago.

Militant Islam has been increasingly on the march for several decades. Their strange sounding names have become commonplace: ISIS, al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, Hamas, al-Shabaab, Ansar al-Sharia, Jihad al-Islamiyya, Hizbollah and the Taliban. By listening to and watching Western media, one is left confused and unable to explain these current events: Are these terrorists lone wolves? Are they just plain crazy? Do they represent Muslims at large? Do they follow the teachings of Muhammad? Are they fighting because of economic or political injustice? Where will all of this lead? In this article, I seek to tackle some of these questions by looking into the roots of militant Islam.