By a member of SEND’s Diaspora | North America team — Did you know there is a wonderful opportunity for you to interact with your Muslim neighbor or colleague this month? As one of the five pillars of Islam, at least once in their lifetime, every able-bodied Muslim is supposed to go on a Hajj pilgrimage. The journey entails making a trip to Mecca and performing the required duties and prayers during specific days of the event. This year, Hajj will take place on July 18-23, with Eid al Adha falling on the 20th.

Previous years have seen upwards of 2-3 million Muslims attending Hajj. However last year, because of the pandemic, Hajj was limited to around 1,000 people. This year, reports from Saudi Arabia indicate that due to the pandemic the country will again limit attendance to only 60,000 people, and participants must already live in Saudi Arabia. Muslims coming from any other country will not be allowed to attend.

There are strict rules and rituals to be followed during Hajj, including an important day, Eid Al Adha, in which Muslims sacrifice a sheep, cow, or camel to commemorate Abraham’s willingness to obey God by offering up his son as a sacrifice (God then intervened by providing a ram). Muslims believe that if these rituals are done correctly, then one’s sins are forgiven, and they are given a place in paradise.

You can imagine the angst those Muslims must feel who are waiting and wanting to have their sins forgiven yet denied the chance to attend Hajj once again. What an opportunity we have to share with them that they don’t have to wait! The Bible says in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” As you speak with your Muslim friends about Hajj, you can graciously ask questions about the pilgrimage, such as: “Why do many Muslims attend Hajj more than once? If when you perform Hajj, your sins are forgiven, why go again?” “What about those who can’t go on Hajj? How are their sins forgiven?”

You could also introduce them to Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, where he talks about not just following the letter of the law, but the spirit of the law and highlights the gravity of sin. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus says that if your eye causes you to sin gouge it out, and if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better to enter heaven maimed than to keep both eyes and go to hell. That’s pretty serious stuff. After sharing this passage, you could ask, “What do you think about sin and its consequences after hearing Jesus’ teaching on it? Do we take sin as seriously as God?”

This month, why not pick one or two conversational topics you could bring up with your Muslim friend, neighbor, or colleague, and ask the Lord to lead and guide you in these interactions!