Introduction

This call to prayer for Muslims originally came during a meeting of several Christian leaders in the Middle East in 1992. These men and women strongly sensed God’s desire to call as many Christians as possible to pray for the Muslim world. The prayer movement was planned to coincide with the Islamic month of Ramadan. The dates for Ramadan are established according to the Islamic lunar calendar (see our special article about the Islamic calendar on page 5). In 2005, Ramadan begins approximately on October 5 and ends on November 3, although this may vary slightly from country to country. The fasting period ends with the sighting of the new moon, which occurs at the end of 30 days.

Praying during the month of Ramadan does not mean that we conform ourselves to the Muslim practices of fasting and prayer. Rather it was originally intended that “30 Days” should be during the month of Ramadan for at least two reasons:

as a means for Christians to identify themselves with Muslims during a fixed period of the year;
to call upon God’s sovereign intervention in the lives of Muslims during a time of the year when they are particularly religious.

While being opposed to Islam, “30 Days” emphasises God’s love for Muslims. The movement has always tried to cultivate a spirit of humility, love, respect and service toward Muslims.

The goal of this prayer guide is to inspire and guide each reader as he or she intercedes for the Muslim world. It is far from being completely informative about the Muslim world. However, each article will give you some ideas about the needs of Muslims. We encourage you to seek further information and so gain a greater understanding of the Islamic world and God’s activities among Muslims (our list of recommended websites might be a good place to start).

The editors have been amazed by the number of testimonies of dreams and visions which we have received this year. God is certainly touching the Muslim world in a supernatural way. We have included a significant number of testimonies in this edition of “30 Days” to encourage your faith as you pray.

The Editors