Reaching Your Muslim Neighbor With the Gospel – A.S. Ibrahim

A.S Ibrahim, Reaching Your Muslim Neighbor With the Gospel (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2022), 176 pp.

God loves Muslims! This theme runs throughout A.S. Ibrahim’s new book, Reaching Your Muslim Neighbor With the Gospel. Dr. Ibrahim grew up in Egypt and trusted Christ at an early age. He is uniquely qualified, then, to write authoritatively about reaching Muslims for Christ.

Part 1: Understanding Muslims and Islam

In part one, the author focuses his attention on the nuts and bolts of Islam. He debunks some myths and misconceptions about Islam, which places readers in a strategic position to evangelize Muslims.

Ibrahim urges evangelists to utilize a Christ-centered strategy and avoid a confrontational approach if possible. The plea is ultimately centered around a relational approach that welcomes Muslims as friends and fellow image-bearers of God. He adds, “A sound theology always begins with this question: ‘What does the Scripture say? (Rom. 4:3). This shapes our evangelism since theology responds biblically to crucial questions related to engaging Muslims with the gospel.’”

Throughout the book, as mentioned above, Dr. Ibrahim encourages Christians to build strong relational bridges with Muslims. This dominant theme will surely bear good fruit that glorifies God as followers of Christ obey the Great Commandment by loving their Islamic neighbors. Breaking bread together, reading together, and sharing time for questions and answers are an important part of this process.

Finally, the author provides several helpful points that enable readers to understand the Islamic worldview. Readers should pay careful attention to this timely wisdom as they make inroads with their Muslim friends.

Part 2: Tools for Evangelizing Muslims

Part two provides a handful of invaluable tools for sharing the gospel with Muslims. Communications principles are set forth and the power of intercessory prayer is explored. The author also includes many dangers to avoid that focus on cultural taboos.

At the heart of the book is a passion for proclaiming Christ to Muslims. This theme emerges most vividly in chapter ten where Dr. Ibrahim urges Christians to simply read the Bible with their Muslim friends. This principle is simple, yet profound as anyone can sit down and read Scripture with a Muslim with an open mind. Reading about Jesus’s miracles and parables is emphasized with the aim of proclaiming the supremacy of Christ. Ultimately, it is the Holy Spirit who draws people to God, overcomes their resistance to the gospel, and regenerates their hearts.

Reaching Your Muslim Neighbor with the Gospel is a must-read for anyone who has a passion to share with unbelieving friends, especially Muslims. The writing is gracious, practical, and most important – biblical. Lord willing, thousands of fruitful evangelistic conversations will take place because of this timely book.

Highly recommended.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.