Ask Your Muslim Friend: An Introduction to Islam and a Christian's Guide for Interaction with Muslims

How did Islam Start and what does it teach? Which are its groups and movements? What are the biblical answers to Muslim objections? How can Christians interact with Muslims? These are just a few questions on which Dr. Andreas Maurer, theologian and expert on Christian-Muslim encounters, gives clear answers. Maurer sees the spread of Islam throughout the world not as a threat but as a challenge to the Christian church. He presents a compact and easily understood survey on the history of Islam, its teaching and religious background. Different groups and movements within Islam are also described. Readers will receive answers to Muslim objections and practical guidelines for interacting with Muslims. Preface: Since World War II, Islamic nations have gradually elevated themselves to become powerful religious and political entities. Due to unprecedented migration, many non-Muslims have become neighbours to Muslims in most non-Islamic countries. Recent events like the attack on September 11, 2001 in the USA, and countless terrorist attacks elsewhere have brought Islam to the forefront of attention, naturally raising questions about this religion. By now it has become evident that Islam is not a religion in the generally accepted sense i.e. a purely personal religious conviction. To the contrary, Islam claims that as a religion it stands above individuals and nations, above all spheres of life: faith, ethics, law, societal order, art, education, economy, and politics. In this book I endeavour to provide an overview of the religion of Islam and its rather vitriolic attacks against basic biblical faith. I will investigate how Christians can confidently and lovingly relate to their Muslim neighbours in an effort to rectify their often strange perceptions. Efforts have been made to formulate the text for easy comprehension. For a deeper study of the subject, readers are advised to contact our website and/or use the literature recommended in the Appendix. This book is written in a structured way to give basic insight into the religion of Islam and how Muslims practice their religion. After this book, readers may realize that in many cases they know more about Islam than the average Muslim does. However, the aim is not that Christians can correct Muslims about their beliefs. Instead, Christians should demonstrate a keen interest in what Muslims have to say. The information herein may contrast with statements by Muslims and help Christians to differentiate between facts and wishful thinking of Muslims. On this basis, Christians are then able to formulate more effective questions to challenge Muslims to think about the relationship between themselves and the Creator. Rather than immediately present answers, it is better that Muslims are first challenged to think and find answers themselves. Only later may Christians share their faith with Muslims and explain the teaching of the Bible. The aim of this book is thus to equip Christians to be more effective in their witness to Muslims. The knowledge gleaned through the study of this book is not intended to correct Muslims in their own beliefs, but that: