How to Engage Your Muslim Neighbors: 3 Questions Our Field Teams Ask

With the growth of Islam in North America, you’ve probably encountered a woman in a hijab or met someone named Muhammad and thought, “What do I say?” But you don’t need to be an expert on Islam for the Holy Spirit to use you. Drawing from the wisdom of Leading The Way‘s Field Teams, who minister to Muslims daily, this guide offers an overview of what they believe and how to share the Gospel.

HOW TO “BREAK THE BOX”

Because Islam offers no assurance of salvation, your Muslim friends are probably already wondering, “Have I done enough? Can I be forgiven?” Lovingly challenge them by asking questions that lead to conversations about who Jesus is, how God relates to us, and how we can be assured of our eternal future. Here are three great places to start.

1. Adam and Eve: Proof of Our Condition

Muslims believe Adam and Eve sinned but that humanity did not inherit a sinful nature. Yet Scripture says, “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23). You can ask: “If Adam’s sin didn’t affect all of us, why are we still outside the Garden?” We all experience brokenness and separation from God because sin is not just our behavior—it’s our spiritual condition. We don’t simply need guidance or self-improvement; we need rescue. And that points directly to Jesus.

2. Jesus: He Has Authority to Judge

Muslims believe Jesus was a prophet who was born of a virgin, performed miracles, and will return to judge the world. That raises a key question: “How can a prophet be the final judge of humanity?” This invites Muslims to wrestle with a contradiction in Islam. The Bible, however, reveals why He can judge: He is God in the flesh. Jesus doesn’t just announce Truth—He is the Truth.

3. Abraham: How God Saves Us

Muslims believe God provided a sacrificial substitute for Abraham’s son (although they think he was Ishmael, not Isaac). You can ask, “Why did God provide a sacrifice in place of Abraham’s son?” Just like Abraham’s son was spared, God offers a free substitute for us: Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God. The question is Will we accept God’s sacrifice and live—or die on the altar trying to pay for our own sins?

TRUST THE SPIRIT

To conclude a conversation, our Field Teams offer a challenge: “Ask God to show you the Truth. My Jesus is alive, and He will reveal Himself to you.” Salvation is a work of the Holy Spirit, and no one is beyond His reach. Keep praying, keep planting seeds, and “[a]lways be prepared to give an answer” for your hope in Christ (1 Peter 3:15).