THE SHAHADA
Islam has five pillars, actions obligatory for believers. The first, shahada, means “to observe, witness, or testify.” Sometimes in Arabic the dual form is used for the twin actions of observing and then declaring that observation. The two acts in Islam are perceiving there is no god but God and testifying of God’s messenger. A single honest recitation of the shahada in Arabic is the only requirement to become a Muslim.
We prefer to live in a God-honoring way because living is less scary than proclaiming. We quote St. Francis of Assisi’s “Preach the Gospel always; if necessary, use words.” But the Bible calls us to proclaim, to engage in those twin actions of observing and then declaring that observation. Romans 10:14 says, “…How will they believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how will they hear without someone preaching? Proclamation is crucial to hearing and believing.
Read Acts 4, paying close attention to verse 20. We pray Jesus followers in the Muslim world would be modern day Peters, bursting to share the reason for the hope they have in Jesus.