Introduction To 30 Days of Prayer

The 30 Days call to praying for Muslims originated during a meeting of Christian leaders in the Middle East in 1992.  They sensed God’s desire to call Christians to pray for the Muslim world.  The resulting prayer movement was planned to coincide with the important Islamic month of Ramadan.  The dates for Ramadan follow the shorter lunar calendar.  In 2008, Ramadan begins approximately on September 1st and ends September 30th.  This may vary from country to country because the fasting period begins and ends with the sighting of the crescent moon. 

Praying during the month of Ramadan does not mean we conform ourselves to Muslim practices of fasting and prayer.  Rather it allows us to identify with Muslims by praying for them during a significant period of their spiritual lives each year.  In no way is it intended as an occasion to show any kind of disrespect.

The goal of this prayer guide (while far from being comprehensive in its portrayal of Islam) is to inspire and guide each reader as s/he pleads for Muslims before the throne of the Almighty.  We encourage you to seek further information and to gain a greater understanding of the Islamic world and God’s activities among Muslims, as well as first-hand knowledge by developing friendships with Muslims. 

God is able to reach Muslims.  He wants them to come and know Him.  Join us in lifting them up in prayer!

Day One: Marriage in Tajikistan

A Muslim Woman’s empty dreams

Tonight, the respected businessman Sharif is going to visit Nazira’s family. On the telephone he said he wants to talk with her father about a new car, but Nazira knows the real reason for his visit. Nazira is already 24 years old and single. For quite some time her family has been looking around for a potential husband for her. However, that is not so easy. Farud, for example, who wanted to marry her three months ago, is an alcoholic, like many people in Tajikistan.

Evening came and Sharif visited Nazira’s family. Since the civil war of the 1990’s, this Central Asian country is slowly recuperating and business is steadily growing. Sharif is one who is doing well economically. His house has running water with regular electricity and he drives a German car. In Tajikistan the estimated average annual income is around 250 Euros per person, but Sharif is one of the exceptions. He already had two wives and Nazira will become his third. It seems obvious that Sharif is a good candidate. Quickly the parents agree and arrangements are made. The wedding will take place in the coming two weeks. Everyone is happy, however Nazira realises that some of her cherished dreams will not come true.

It is estimated that the number of Tajikistan workers in Russia number about one million. Since there are only seven million people in Tajikistan, this means that a large percentage of the male population is away from home. Women and children are in the majority. In the villages the women live amid tensions between old traditions, atheism and a new wave of radical Islam.

Tajikistan believers were few and far between even when there was freedom of religion. Now worries about radical Islam are being countered with new laws to restrict the rights of small religious groups. These laws also affect Christians.

Prayer Starters

* Pray for increasingly healthy and Biblically oriented families among the followers of Jesus in this nation.

* Pray for the many Tajik men in surrounding countries to be reached with the Good News.

* Pray that Tajikistan believers can develop more and more their own style of worship in their own language.

* Pray in small groups for women like Nazira, remembering many Muslim women receive dreams from Jesus.

Did you know:

LIMITED NUMBER OF WIVES
Mohammed limited the number of wives in Islamic marriage to four spouses. Previously some men had been marrying many more women than they could support financially. According to Muslim scholars women were better treated in Arabia following the rise of Islam than previously. Islam recognizes that men are especially weak in the sexual realm. The possibility of having four wives is seen as a limit on man’s sexual urges and thus gives stability to society.

 

Day Two:  Saudi Arabian Tribes

Be among the first to pray by name for the Shahran tribe

For the majority of Saudi Arabians their association to a tribe is a significant part of their social and cultural identity. People from Western countries have lost much of the experience of belonging to a very large extended family. For example: few Westerners can recite the names of their ancestors for 5-10 or more generations, however, it is not rare for some peoples in the Middle East to have this ability.

The Shahran Tribe

The Shahran tribe has an estimated 250,000 members, and is one of the largest in Arabia. The leadership of the Shahran tribe has belonged to the House of Mushayt for several hundred years and the tribe’s principal city is Khamis Mushayt. This is the largest city in ‘Asir province in South Western Arabia near the border with Yemen. Khamis Mushayt is the 8th largest city in Saudi Arabia with a population of about 630,000.

In 632 AD Surad Ibn Abd Allah Al-Azadi led a delegation of people from the ‘Asir region to declare their commitment to Mohammed and Islam. Mohammed made Surad ruler of the Muslims in ‘Asir, urging him to spread the Islamic faith and fight the polytheists. Surad returned to the ‘Ashir region and conquered it for Islam.

Prayer Starters

* There are very few followers of Jesus, if any at all, in this tribe at the present time. Remember the joy at your own salvation and pray along those lines.

* Pray with family and friends for opportunities for some of the Shahran to hear the Gospel through their travels abroad, through radio, internet and possibly satellite broadcasts.

* Pray for opportunities for some of the Shahran to hear the Gospel through their travels abroad, through radio, internet and possibly satellite broadcasts.

* The vast majority of this tribe are very much cut off from any significant access to the Gospel. It is illegal to proclaim the Gospel in Saudi Arabia; Many Christian internet sites are blocked and very few followers of Jesus ever travel to or live in Khamis Mushayt and the surrounding area.

The Clans:

We suggest that you actually pray through the whole list of names below. It is probable that you are among some of the first people on earth to actually pray for these clans of the Shahran tribe in Jesus’ name (Revelation 7:9).

Al-Rshaid (آل رشيد ), Al-Koad (آل كود ), Nahess (قبائل ناهس), Al-alGhmer (آل الغمر ), Banou Manbah (بنو منبه ), Banou Waheb (بنو واهب ), Banou Bejaad (بنو بجاد ), Banou Majoor (بنو ماجور ), Banou Selool (بنو سلول), Al Zelal (الزلال), Al’Hejaj (الحجاج), Al Garaeen (القراعين), Banou Qouhafah (بنو قحافه ), Al-Sarhan (آل سرحان), Banou Rash’hah (بنو رشحه), Al-Remtheen (الرمثين), Al-alSerh (آل السرح), Al-Mettair (آل مطير ), Al-alSafq (آل الصفق), Al-Na’man (آل نعمان), Al Jehrah (الجهرة), Ahel AlHaqou (أهل الحقو ), Ahel AlSha’af (أهل الشعف), Al Yanfa’ (آل ينفع), Banou Malek (بنو مالك)

 

Day Three: The Bakhtiari People of Iran

 

The colourful Bakhtiari people number between 750,000 – 1,000,000 and live in south western Iran in the clean and beautiful highlands of the Zagros Mountains. The Chahar Mahal Province has plains, snow-capped mountains, valleys, rivers and dense forests. It is the habitat of leopards, sheep and bears, and grows wild pistachio, almond, walnut, plum and ash trees. The Bakhtiari are divided into tribes, sub-tribes and clans. About half of the people retain their traditional lifestyle of shepherding for the men, and carpet-weaving and home making for the women. The rest are settled and involved in agriculture and a variety of commercial activities.

Bakhtiari women enjoy a high degree of freedom in this patrilineal culture. They traditionally wear beautiful bright coloured long full skirts, blouses and headscarves. For thousands of years they have undertaken a 4-6 week annual migration in the Spring, moving from their winter quarters in Khuzistan to summer pastures in the Chahar Mahal region south west of Esfahan. Men, women, children and animals – thousands of them, travel across some of the most difficult mountain country in Iran in their search for grass.

The Bakhtiari language is used across generations at home and in commerce, but many Bakhtiari also speak Persian. There are about 350,000 monolingual Bakhtiari speakers, especially among older people and women.

Like the majority of Iranians the Bakhtiari are Shi’a Muslims. There are just a few small cell churches and scattered believers throughout the region. In addition there are small numbers of Bakhtiari believers in certain places around the world. Some initial Bible translation work has begun in the United Kingdom.

Prayer Starters

* May God soften the hearts of the Bakhtiari people towards the followers of Jesus so that they will be receptive to the Gospel.

* Pray with a prayer partner for intercessors to be raised up for the Bakhtiari people.

* Pray for the development of suitable ministry materials and means in the Bakhtiari language including: Scripture translations, radio broadcasts and the “Jesus” film.

* Pray that Bakhtiari speakers who are already believers will develop strong ministry skills and become effective in reaching out to their people.

Gospel for nations …

Jesus has told us that the Gospel will be preached to all the nations before the end of this present age (Matthew. 24:14). In Greek: the word nations in the text is “ethnos,” which is related to the English word ethnic, as in “ethnic group.” These groups have common ancestors, history, language, customs and practices.

Religious Affiliations: World Ethnic Groups
Christianity: 5,923 | 37%
Muslim: 3,109 | 20%
Ethnic Religions: 2,963 | 19%
Hinduism: 2,324 | 15%
Buddhism: 481 | 3%
Other / Undefined: 887 | 6%
Total: 15,687 | 99%
Mission Frontiers Magazine, March / April 2007

There are over 245 Muslim people groups of over 100,000 population which are completely unreached and for whom no one is actually engaged in proclaiming the Gospel.

 

 

Day Four: Muslims in Spain

Much of Spain was under Islamic rule for almost seven hundred years. Al-Andalus, was the Arabic name given to those parts of the Iberian Peninsula governed by Muslims, or Moors, up until the fall of the last Islamic stronghold, the city of Granada, in 1492. Muslim Spain or “Al-Andalus” is still seen by some as a good example of how Christians, Jews and Muslims should live together. However, most scholars have demonstrated that this ideal of Al-Andalus is not realistic.

Today’s Spain has around 800,000 Muslims, most of whom are fairly recent Moroccan immigrants. One of the largest mosques in Europe, which was built with financial help from Saudi Arabia, is located in Madrid. Although the Muslim North Africans have now become a significant minority in Spain, few Spanish Christians are actively seeking to proclaim Christ to them. This is also surprisingly true in the two Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla which are actually on the northern Moroccan coast. In those cities almost half the population is Muslim.

Happily there have been large efforts, especially in the port cities of Algeciras and Malaga, to distribute literature, cassettes and DVDs to Muslims travelling to and from Morocco. Unfortunately there are almost no Arab or Berber followers of Jesus who meet regularly for worship and mutual encouragement; some groups have made some attempts to do so but often in unfavourable circumstances. A few North Africans from a Muslim background are now studying in Spanish Bible schools. Their situation is not easy since they are often rejected by family and friends.

Prayer Starters

* Committed Spanish believers are relatively few in number, however, there are increasing opportunities for them to reach out to Muslims living in Spain. Pray for greater wisdom, zeal and mobilisation of Spanish Christians for ministry among Muslims.

* Pray for the distribution of Gospel literature and DVDs in areas where there are Muslims.

* Pray for North African young people who come to study in Spanish Bible schools.

* Pray for the radio and TV programmes being produced in Spain for North Africa.

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Map of Spain

Background Information on Spain (World Factbook)

Spain’s powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peaceful transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco FRANCO in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the EU in 1986) have given Spain one of the most dynamic economies in Europe and made it a global champion of freedom. Continuing challenges include Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorism, illegal immigration, and slowing economic growth.

Economy of Spain

The Spanish economy boomed from 1986 to 1990 averaging 5% annual growth. After a European-wide recession in the early 1990s, the Spanish economy resumed moderate growth starting in 1994. Growth averaging more than 3% annually during 2003-07 was satisfactory given the background of a faltering European economy. Export commodities include machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, medicines, and other consumer goods. The economy is based on agriculture: 3.5%, industry: 29.8% and services: 66.6%.

Statistics on Spain

Population: 40,491,051 (July 2008 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth: 79.92 years

Ethnic groups: composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

Religions: Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Languages: Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%, are official regionally

Literacy: 97.9%