Valuable book about Islam

Understand My Muslim People Abraham Sarker. Barclay Press, 2004. 281 pages.

My involvement as a mobilizer with Arab World Ministries has required more than a casual study of Islam, its origin, beliefs, practices, topics related to honour and shame, folk Islam, tentmaking, and methods of reaching Muslims for Christ. I read this book, therefore, with great interest.

It begins with the author’s personal experience as he moved from his goal of becoming a leader in Islam in Bangladesh, through his finding truth in Jesus and the Bible. At 15, he had a recurring dream that he had died and gone to meet Allah, and that Allah had thrown him into the lake of fire. After the third time, Sarker spent all night in the mosque to ask Allah to reveal the dream’s meaning to him. Something happened that night that brought peace to his troubled soul and gave him a desire to search for God’s answer.

Those of us who have grown up in the church, where visions and dreams are not God’s standard way of revelation, may hesitate at this. However, those working with Muslims will testify that God is using dreams extensively in drawing Muslims to himself. I believe we need to open our theological window and recognize that God is working in this way.

The second part of the book talks about the life of Mohammed and the history of Islam, with charts that show the differences between the Sunni and Shiite groups and their many derivatives. Much of the material here is available in most books on Islam, with a few important exceptions. Sarker includes Mohammed’s final sermon, and points out that what the sermon says about hurting people and attitudes to women are in sharp contrast to the teachings in the Qur’an.

The next two sections deal with the five fundamental beliefs and the five pillars of Islam. The chapter on monotheism addresses the questions: “Is the God of the Bible the same as the Allah of the Qur’an?” and “Did Mohammed teach, and does the Qur’an state, that the God revealed in the Bible is the same God that Islam proclaims?” Sarker says no to the first and yes to the second. He shows that the attributes of the God of the Bible are very different from the attributes of Allah of the Qur’an. I found this confusing. It seems to say that Mohammed believed he was talking about the God of Jews and Christians, but the revelation given to him as recorded in the Qur’an does not agree with that premise.

The book’s climax is the last section on a Christian response to Islam. Sarker tackles the typical arguments a Muslim will put forward regarding the authority of the Bible, the Trinity and Jesus as the Son of God. He presents do’s and don’ts in witnessing to Muslims, and emphasizes what the gospel offers the Muslim who turns from his belief in Allah and embraces Christ.

A glossary, index and appendices complete the book, making it a very valuable reference book on Islam.

This is a “must read” for pastors, Christian leaders and anyone who meets Muslims in their world. Recently, I encountered a young man who had grown up in the Mennonite Brethren church who had turned to Islam. We need to be aware of Islam’s stated goal to “evangelize” the world for Allah and be fully conversant with Islam’s teachings and how to witness to its followers.

Art Klassen is a member of Central Heights Church in Abbotsford.