Praying for Muslims in our neighborhoods and communities this Ramadan

March 10 marks the beginning of Ramadan this year, when Muslims in Canada and around the world will begin fasting and praying.

For 30 days devout Muslims will fast from dawn to dusk and are required to abstain from food and water and all “earthly pleasures.” Ramadan will end the evening of April 9. 

According to the Islamic calendar, Ramadan is the 9th month, and Muslims believe it was the month their holy book, the Koran, was first revealed to the Prophet Mohammad. 

Muslims put their beliefs into practice by following the five pillars of Islam, and observing Ramadan is one of them. 

A prayer opportunity

During the Muslim holy month, Muslims around the world pray and fast seeking Allah's favor and approval. As Muslims enter a season of prayer and fasting during this month, Christians can also enter a season of prayer and fasting. For 30 years, around the world, Christians have set aside these 30 days of Ramadan to pray specifically for Muslims.

As Christ-followers, we can focus on:

• Praying persistently for our Muslim friends and neighbours.
• Offering (and receiving!) hospitality as each day’s fasting ends with a shared meal.
• Encouraging other Christians to learn and grow in their understanding of the beliefs and needs of the Muslim community in Canada.
• Asking thoughtful questions and provoking wondering in your Muslim friends, even as the days of Ramadan tick by.

Ideas on how to pray

Let me share some prayer ideas related to my work as national coordinator of Loving Muslims Together (www.lovingmuslimstogether.ca). This is a ministry of Outreach Canada, a national network that  exists to rally and support the Canadian church to give all Muslims in Canada the opportunity to become disciples of Jesus Christ.

• Loving Muslims Together offers a free daily prayer booklet called 30 Days of Prayer for Muslims in Canada. Each day has a short introduction and prayer point that focuses on the real needs of our Muslim neighbours in Canada. Anyone can sign up to receive daily prayer points in their inbox (English version only) and access the prayer booklets in Chinese and Korean.  
• 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World 2023 is a prayer booklet featuring 30 days of stories, images and prayer ideas. There is also a 30 Days of Prayer ‘Just for Kids’ exclusively for children to engage in prayer for Muslims during Ramadan! 
• Prayercast offers powerful videos featuring former Muslims leading you in prayer during Ramadan for specific and strategic needs within the Muslim world. Invite your church to watch a Prayercast video to bring awareness of the Muslims living in your community by showing them the video Praying for Muslims in Canada on a Sunday morning or in a small group. 
• The events page offered by Loving Muslims Together is where you can find information about Night of Power prayer meetings held online across Canada toward the end of Ramadan. Join one and pray with others for light to shine in the darkness. 
• When Ramadan comes to an end, your prayers don’t have to. One of the opportunities available year-round is to pray for the mosque community nearest you. Wouldn’t it be amazing if God raised up people and churches to pray for every mosque in Canada? If you want to know more about this initiative check out Pray for a Mosque Community or contact us at info@lmtn.ca. 

We have a webpage that collects helpful materials. You may want to read the top article there, “Love your Muslim Neighbours this Ramadan: Ways to Pray and Engage.”

Cristina Vieira Boersma is the national coordinator for Loving Muslims Together. She coordinates the network’s initiatives and provides support to volunteer leaders of the network who are praying for and ministering to Muslims across Canada. Her efforts are motivated by the desire for Christians to befriend and love Muslims and share their hope in Jesus. Cristina believes that this can happen by mobilizing prayer, equipping Christians, and engaging Muslims. Cristina is originally from Brazil and has been living in Canada since 2008. She lives in Sarnia, Ont. Sunset photo by Ann Savchenko on Unsplash