Are You Walking Alongside Your Muslim Neighbor?

Do you have a Muslim neighbor? Or doctor or dentist? Many Muslims are immigrating to Canada and the United States and are moving into our communities. How much do you know about Islam, and are you prepared to reach out to your Muslim neighbor in a loving way?

The Fear Factor
At a recent conference people were asked for a one word reaction to the question: What’s keeping you from getting to know Muslims? Many people replied, “fear.” What are some of the misconceptions that Muslims have about Christians, and what are some of the misconceptions that we have about Muslims? One way we can reduce fear is to become educated and comfortable with a subject. That applies equally well to Islam. As Christians, what are some Muslim beliefs and practices that we need to be sensitive to? For example, serving pork or alcohol to your Muslim guest wouldn’t be a good idea. On the other hand, learning even a little bit about the Qu’ran would be very much appreciated.

Getting to Know Our Neighbors
In our upcoming webinar, “Walking Alongside our Muslim Neighbor,” I’m going to have a guest who works with Muslims in a large North American city. We hope to answer some of these questions and help you overcome fear and become more comfortable with the idea of getting to know Muslims. If you have a story to tell about getting to know a Muslim friend (remember to get permission and use a pseudonym) or an experience of getting to know more about Islam, feel free to post it, and tune into our webinar on March 14.