In Chicago, a small group of Christians and Muslims from a local church and mosque meet together regularly to study their holy books—the Bible and the Quran—together. During one gathering, a member of the local mosque, Nermin, announced to the group that he had something on his mind and wished to share with everyone present. The group was eager to hear what was on his heart and invited him to continue.
Nermin said, “Allah says that when you see something holier or better in another person, and you fail to mention it, it is considered a sin.” He paused, and then continued, “For the past five years, I have observed that your church feeds the hungry, houses the homeless and clothes those who need clothing. Our mosque does none of these acts of compassion or outreach, and I am convicted that this is wrong. My question is, can we Muslims from our mosque join you Christians in your service projects? We feel that by doing so, and by being close to you, we will draw nearer to God.”
From that moment on, this group of Muslims and Christians have served side by side in numerous service projects around the city. As the Christians faithfully embody Christ’s love to their community, they are also learning to love and appreciate their Muslim friends in deeper ways. Likewise, the Muslims in this group, along with their families and friends, are encountering the love of God through Jesus in a way they might have never understood Isa al-Masih (Jesus the Messiah) before—some have even expressed a desire to walk more closely with Him. Members of both communities are growing together in compassion and friendship, and God is being glorified at the center of it all!
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