:
Watch Live
Reston Bible Church

New to RBC? myRBC Give

  • Home
  • About
    • History of RBC
    • What We Believe
    • Sunday Services
    • Weekly Activities
    • Staff
    • Pastors
    • Elders
    • Contact Us
    • Weather Policy
  • Teaching
    • Live Stream
    • Sermons
    • Sr. High Audio
    • Jr. High Audio
    • Men’s Ministry
    • Women’s Ministry
    • Marriage
    • Iglesia Hispana
    • Special Events
  • Events
    • Men
    • Women
    • Children
    • Jr. High
    • Sr. High
    • Community
    • Family Life
    • Classes
  • Ministries
    • Worship
    • ETS Courses
    • Shepherd Groups
    • Children’s Ministry
    • Jr. High Ministry
    • Sr. High Ministry
    • Young Adults
    • Men’s Ministry
    • Women’s Ministry
    • Family Life
    • Iglesia Hispana
    • ESL Classes
    • Missions
    • Prayer
  • Care
    • Deacons
    • RBC Cares
    • Living On Mission
    • Counseling
    • Food Pantry
    • Community Garden
    • Guilford Elementary
    • Legal Clinic
    • GriefShare
    • Addicted Loved Ones
  • Resources
    • 2022 Annual Report
    • Jobs at RBC
    • Volunteer
    • myRBC
    • RightNow Media
    • Starting Point
    • Financial Peace
    • Believer’s Baptism
    • Parent-Child Dedications
    • Memorial Services
    • Weddings
    • Giving
  • Blog
  • Home
  • About
    • History of RBC
    • What We Believe
    • Sunday Services
    • Weekly Activities
    • Staff
    • Pastors
    • Elders
    • Contact Us
    • Weather Policy
  • Teaching
    • Live Stream
    • Sermons
    • Sr. High Audio
    • Jr. High Audio
    • Men’s Ministry
    • Women’s Ministry
    • Marriage
    • Iglesia Hispana
    • Special Events
  • Events
    • Men
    • Women
    • Children
    • Jr. High
    • Sr. High
    • Community
    • Family Life
    • Classes
  • Ministries
    • Worship
    • ETS Courses
    • Shepherd Groups
    • Children’s Ministry
    • Jr. High Ministry
    • Sr. High Ministry
    • Young Adults
    • Men’s Ministry
    • Women’s Ministry
    • Family Life
    • Iglesia Hispana
    • ESL Classes
    • Missions
    • Prayer
  • Care
    • Deacons
    • RBC Cares
    • Living On Mission
    • Counseling
    • Food Pantry
    • Community Garden
    • Guilford Elementary
    • Legal Clinic
    • GriefShare
    • Addicted Loved Ones
  • Resources
    • 2022 Annual Report
    • Jobs at RBC
    • Volunteer
    • myRBC
    • RightNow Media
    • Starting Point
    • Financial Peace
    • Believer’s Baptism
    • Parent-Child Dedications
    • Memorial Services
    • Weddings
    • Giving
  • Blog

Blog

Praying for Muslims During Ramadan

Jason VanDorstenCulture, From the Field, Gospel, MissionsJuly 9, 2013 2 Comments0

From the Field

Muslims fast for thirty days once a year during a period called Ramadan (or Ramazan). Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of the religion of Islam and one of their highest forms of worship. During these thirty days, Muslims around the world will fast from first light until sunset, not even drinking water. They will typically break fast to eat and drink in the evenings.  In the Muslim culture, Ramadan marks a period of heightened religious sensitivity and is regarded by Muslims as an act of obedience and submission to God as well as a means of atoning for sin. They view their fasting during this time as a way to purify themselves and earn favor with God.

As followers of Christ, clearly we do not celebrate Ramadan as a holy month like so many Muslims do.  However, the Islamic emphasis on earning favor with God though the fasting and abstinence during this season should call to mind at least two things for us:

1 – We should be humbled and grateful before God that we do not have to earn His favor. Jesus Christ atoned for our sins – no other atonement is sufficient or necessary (Romans 3:22-26). God has done that for us, a great gift of redemption that cannot be earned or achieved through our good works. It is God in His great love and mercy that makes us alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:4-9). Thus, we should be both immensely humbled and grateful. Mind you, our gratefulness shouldn’t be in the Pharisaical sense (“God, thank You that I am not like these other people…”) but with a sense of wonder that He should have mercy on sinners at all (Luke 18:9-18:14).

2 – We should be drawn in compassion toward those who do not know His gift of grace in Jesus. In the first chapter of 2 Corinthians, Paul urges Christ-followers to comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from our Heavenly Father – the “Father of compassion and the God of all comfort” (1 Cor. 1:3-5). Muslims have no concept of God as Father, and without Christ, cannot know Him as such or be reconciled to Him. So for the Christian, the Muslim celebration of Ramadan is a special opportunity to pray that they might come to know the great and eternal comfort in Christ.

Why should we pray for Muslims during Ramadan? Our compassion for the lost should draw us – at a minimum – to prayer for them. Prayer for Muslims during Ramadan is a means by which Christians can missionally identify with Muslims for a fixed period of time and call for God’s sovereign intervention in the lives of Muslims during a time of the year when they are particularly religious.

We would certainly be clear that praying for Muslims during the month of Ramadan does not mean that we conform ourselves to the Muslim practices. As believers in Jesus Christ we do not hold to Islamic ideas, theology and practice. However, we can – and should – place an emphasis on God’s love for Muslims.  All believers should cultivate a spirit of humility, love, respect and service toward Muslims, and the month of Ramadan is an entirely appropriate season to redeem for the glory of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Though Muslims have been caricatured as “unreachable” with the Gospel, this simply is not true. About 20 years ago, the world had about 1.1 billion Muslims. Islam was a little-known religion in most Western nations, and efforts on the part of the Church to share their faith in Christ with Muslims were scarce. Today, efforts have increased ten-fold, and the technological advance of the past 20 years has transformed the way in which the Gospel is communicated to previously-unreached Muslim groups. For example, radio and satellite broadcasting throughout the Muslim world has resulted in millions of Muslims responding to the message of Christ. In the Arab world alone, one ministry, SAT 7, has a regular audience of 8.5 million. RBC supports a number of missionaries who are serving in Muslim communities around the world.

Many Christians are finding a new passion and commitment to see God’s kingdom come in Muslim nations, according to an article from Thirty Days Prayer Network.

In November 2012, 70,000 Christians from all denominations gathered in Cairo to pray for their nation. Others are finding increasing boldness as they lovingly reach out to their Muslim neighbours in new ways during these uncertain times.

Across the region there is an explosion of stories of Muslim people coming to faith in Christ and meeting together for support, encouragement and discipleship. Increasingly, however, these movements are finding themselves the targets of intimidation and persecution by their family, community or governments.

The challenges in reaching Muslims for Christ are great, but the power of the Gospel is greater. Our prayer is that Muslims will experience the love and grace of God the Father through the revelation of His Son, Jesus, to them as their Savior.

We encourage you to seek further information and gain a greater understanding reaching the Islamic world for Christ by viewing articles online at www.30-days.net. There, you can find daily prayer ideas though the month of Ramadan, as well as general articles and ministry ideas relating to Islam.

– – –
Jason VanDorsten with Bill Hurley

 

2 thoughts on “Praying for Muslims During Ramadan”

  1. Edgardo Sparks
    July 24, 2013 at 5:01 pm

    You have to abstain from eating/drinking from sunrise (morning prayer), until sunet (evening prayer). You are also not allowed to listen to music, talk bad about people, swearing, having sexual relations, and some other things, during day time. Muslims that are fasting do not feel bad because they can’t drink water. They feel GOOD because they are fasting in a Holy month, getting closer to Allah in prayers and in faith, they feel good because they get to know how it’s like for people with no income and no food to feed their children at night ( while we may overfeed ourselves sometimes, or even throw food in garbages). It makes us realize how important is what we have and thank Allah for all we have. Many muslims go about the day like any other days of the year ( work, school, etc…), by the only exception of the things I mentionned before ( so no eating, etc…). Many muslims will also take this month very seriously, and read more of the Holy Quran and Hadiths/dua’as (muslims scriptures). Most people will break fast at home, with family and close friends. Some more people likes to meet after sunset, and have a friendly chat with maybe tea cookies with tea. Some nights, there will be a greater “party” and groups might meet together in a given location ( mosque or Islamic center) and share foods and pray together.

    Reply ↓
  2. Armand
    July 29, 2013 at 3:14 am

    Practice of public displayable fasting is a very common thing within the ummah and specially where muslims are in minority in any nation which does not falls under ummah. I encourage you to pray and ask “Who is Jesus?”, ” If Jesus is real, speak with me”, you will get your answer. Since God reaches to someone who seeks Him.

    Reply ↓

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sunday Rewind | 7.7.2013

Sunday Rewind | 7.14.2013

Blog Categories

  • Announcements
  • Bible
  • Celebrating Generosity
  • Children's Ministry
  • Community
  • Culture
  • Current Events
  • Devotional
  • Doxologies
  • Event Updates
  • Events
  • Family Life
  • Family Quest
  • From the Field
  • Gospel
  • Green Room Sessions
  • International Connection
  • Local Outreach
  • Media
  • Men's Ministry
  • Missions
  • Moms Connection
  • News
  • Next Generation Project
  • Pastor Mike
  • Preparing for Sunday
  • Quest Trail Guide
  • Resources
  • Service/Volunteer
  • Stay the Course
  • Take 2
  • Take 5
  • Teaching Series
  • Theology
  • Uncategorized
  • Women's Ministry
  • Worship
  • Young Adults Ministry
  • Youth Ministry

About Us

RBC exists to know Jesus Christ and to make Him known. We seek to accomplish that through biblical preaching, teaching, and authentic Christian community here in Northern Virginia and around the world.

Sunday Services:
9:00 and 10:45 a.m.
Phone: 703-404-5010

Learn more Connect with us

On the Blog

  • Preparing for Palm Sunday | April 2
    Preparing for Palm Sunday | April 2
    March 29, 2023
  • QUEST: Preschool Lesson for March 26
    QUEST: Preschool Lesson for March 26
    March 24, 2023
  • Preparing for Sunday | March 26
    Preparing for Sunday | March 26
    March 22, 2023
  • QUEST: Preschool Lesson for March 19
    QUEST: Preschool Lesson for March 19
    March 18, 2023
See the Blog

Upcoming Events

  1. Sr. High Bike Trip

    March 31 - April 8
  2. Palm Sunday Service

    April 2
  3. Seder Dinner at CFC

    April 5 | 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
  4. Good Friday Service

    April 7 | 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
  5. Band of Brothers Men’s Breakfast

    April 8 | 8:00 am - 9:30 am

View All Events

Twitter Updates

  • What a joy to partner with @GuilfordEle! https://t.co/pGpMQTouZt - 21 hours ago
  • RT @MrsG_LovesMath: It’s book fair week! So thankful to @restonbible who so generously donated funds for every student to purchase a book!… - 9 days ago
  • RT @millerIFT: Thanks to the 19 @GuilfordEle staff members, four @restonbible volunteers, and three @ChildSci volunteers @GuilfordEle was… - 22 days ago
Follow Us
Copyright 2020 Reston Bible Church | 45650 Oakbrook Court, Dulles, Virginia 20166