Every year, Muslims around the world fast in the month of Ramadan. On such occasions, they often ask their Christian neighbors about their way of fasting. According to Islamic teaching, all people of God fasted, including Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus. In seeing no special fasting celebration among Christians, some Muslim friends ask, "Why do Christians not fast as Jesus and Moses did?" (Matthew 4:2; Exodus 34:28) Here are some thoughts in response.

Islam has 99 names for Allah but not one of them is "Father." I still remember the day, at age 13, when I received the gospel account of John in the Urdu language. I liked reading and finished it in one day. I found that not only is Jesus different than what I was taught in Islam, but also God in his attributes is different. I knew God as our Rab, Lord, but not as Abba, Father. I didn’t come to accept what I learned in the Bible till later.

In the name of tolerance, peace, interfaith and multiculturalism, many Churches have opened their doors to a wave known as "coexistence" and “Chrislam”. In recent years, some Muslim scholars and activists have joined in to use all such efforts to their advantage by keeping their enemies close. Islam, like a Trojan horse, has entered some key congregations in the United States of America and is destroying from the inside, the Biblical foundation of many churches.

Does the Bible instruct Christians to find common ground with other faiths so to live in peace? In the name of tolerance, peace, interfaith and multi-culturalism many Christians have opened their hearts to a wave known as ‘coexist’. In recent years some Muslim scholars and activists too have joined in to use all such efforts to their advantage. More ‘Christian leaders’ are joining in to support world peace initiatives. Others have even gone to the extent of agreeing not to encourage Muslims to become Christians.

Why do people suffer? The Bible gives many reasons. It may be because of our own faults and sin. "A man reaps what he sows" (Galatians 6:7). People suffer because of the effect of the wrongdoings of others. At times God allows innocent people to suffer, like Job (Qur'an 38:41). The full story is related in the book of Job in the Bible. Often, God allows suffering so that people may learn a lesson (Qur'an: 7:94; Bible: John 9:2-3; Hebrews 12:5-13). Although God is not obliged to state reasons for his sovereign will, He may allow us to learn the cause of some sufferings.