International
(MNN) — Crescent Project has designated the month of May as a time of concentrated prayer for Muslim women. For May 25, the focus is on women who live with controlling and oppressive husbands.
"In many Muslim homes, women are treated not as an equal but rather as a servant. The Quran says,'Women are a belonging,'" explained Fouad Masri of Crescent Project. "Many countries require women who are married to have written permission from the husband to travel. In some countries, they can even stop you and ask, ‘Does your husband know that you're here?'"
Muslim men are taught to control when their wives leave the house, if they are to wear the hijab, and in whose presence they must wear the hijab. Of course, this is not the case in every Muslim family, "but the Islamic rule on the house behavior is that she reports to the husband. And the husband controls all the details," Masri said.
Muslim men who follow this teaching also prevent their wives from reading the Bible and learning about Christianity.
"Muslim women are put in a box of honor and shame," Masri explained. "You have to honor the rules–you have to honor the standards; don't shame the family, and don't shame your husband. So they don't have any room to have a choice."
Despite the oppression, however, the Gospel still reaches many Muslim women. For instance, one woman became a Christian when she found a way to study the Bible. Her husband noticed the
change in her life and eventually became a Christian, as well, through her witness.
"Just because they're forced to put on the hijab or the chador or the burqa, that does not mean that under that blanket there is not a person that Jesus loves and can save," Masri said. "And He is saving. Many Muslim women have become followers of Jesus… Many
of them win their husbands to the Lord."
While many Muslim women live isolated from the Gospel, others may be your neighbors. Crescent Project has produced a six-week small group Bible study, Bridges, to help you and your church or small group witness effectively to Muslims. Each lesson of the study ends with action points, suggestions for things you can do to reach out to Muslims in your community.
"Our biggest dream for Bridges is that millions of Christians go through it and put feet and actions to their words by reaching out to their Muslim neighbors–to show them love and connect with them about Jesus," Masri said.
Join Crescent Project in praying for salvation for Muslim women.
"Pray for Muslim women as wives, as moms, that God would use them to be a lighthouse to their community and draw people closer to Christ."
