Monthly Archives: March 2026

You’d be forgiven if you find yourself tracking bad news into your house these days. Seems like it’s everywhere. The country’s at war. Gas prices are through the roof. Airport security lines are out the door! 

Could you use a little good news? Me, too. 

Muslims coming to Jesus
Ted Essler, president of Missio Nexus, said in a recent article, “Hundreds of thousands of Muslims have made decisions to become Christians in the past twenty years. One can visit any one of a number of countries and find not just Muslim converts to Christ, but entire ministry teams made up of former Muslims, reaching their neighbors.”

As an example he told of meeting an African man who’d memorized the entire Quran and had qualified to teach in mosques. After encountering Jesus, a “completely different theological framework fill[s] his teaching, mind and heart.”

Holy Land-ish Tours
As much as I hate this war in the Middle East, here’s a possible, very slight, silver lining: If your church has had to cancel a Holy Land tour, perhaps you could encourage a visit that would involve more interaction with Muslims. Say a visit to Istanbul and retracing Paul’s journeys. If you’re feeling adventurous, head east to see a softer side of Islam in Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur. If low risk is now at the top of the list, four long days in London would allow you to introduce your friends to representatives from most of the Muslim world.

Dennis is Out!
After over a year in custody in Afghanistan, linguistic academic and friend of Muslims, Dennis Coyle is home. This video of him hugging his mom is worth wading through the ads! I imagine “home” is hard for Dennis to get a handle on. He spent most of the past 20 years in Afghanistan. Please join me in thanking God for his release and praying for his present transition. 

If you’ve got some good news to share, I’m big time happy to hear it. 

If you’re reading this Muslim Connect when it drops, Eid al-Fitr, the celebration at the end of Ramadan, begins tonight and hits full stride tomorrow. Feel free to screenshot the image above and use it on your socials. 

While Muslims all over celebrate Eid with new clothes, celebratory prayers, visits to family and gifts for kids, here are some regional highlights I find fascinating:

Syria
In Damascus, community ovens draw together celebrants and huge trays of desserts. At home, “Eid scrubbing” is an intense cleaning effort in which families ensure every corner of the house, including walls, is cleaned to make it “brighter than bright” for the holiday.

Nigeria
In northern cities like Kano and Katsina, local leaders dress themselves and their horses and camels in their “Sunday best” and parade through the streets, accompanied by horsemen, guards, and musicians.

Malaysia
Malay families “visit the graves of their loved ones who have passed away. At the graveside, visitors offer prayers for the deceased.” In some parts of Malaysia an Eid tradition continues that involves the firing of ceremonial cannons. As you might imagine, this is an Eid highlight for teenage boys!

Bali
In nearby Hindu-majority Bali, officials estimate 1.7 million of the 4.4 million people on the island will travel home for the holiday. Adding to the challenge, Eid al-Fitr coincides with a Hindu ceremony that consists of island-wide 24-hour period of silence! No one is supposed to leave their homes except for medical treatment. 

Iran
Muslims in Iran celebrate both the end of Ramadan (Eid al-Fitr) and the beginning of spring (Nowruz) on the same day this year! Writer Niloufar Haidari poignantly shares, “. . . families are making their Nowruz and Eid preparations under military bombardment, not knowing whether they will have a home or even be alive to see in the new year. The bazaars, traditionally bustling this time of year, are quieter than usual. Shops are closed, work has stopped. Nevertheless, life persists. Jasmine flowers bloom, their petals covered in ash.”

May peace, hope and the abundant life of Jesus spring forth in the coming year. 

With all the crazy, terrible stuff going on in the Middle East right now, it’s hard to remember, Muslims around the world are celebrating Ramadan. In fact, they’re coming up to the end. One of the most significant times in the month, Laylat al-Qadr, or Night of Power will take place on Sunday, March 15th. (That’s the best guess. It’s unknown when the night actually happens.) 

Laylat al-Qadr commemorates when Muhammad first began to receive the Quran. Surah Al-Qadr in the Quran quotes Allah describing it, “The Night of Power is better than a thousand months.” (Qur’an 97:3) Muslims believe all the good things they do on the Night of Power are multiplied many times over. One writer says a, “night of sincere prayer, charity, and remembrance can bring rewards greater than a lifetime of worship.”

Wow, that’s putting a lot on one night! 

A Muslim legal scholar says this about the importance and breadth of prayer during Laylat al-Qadr:

“Remember this is the night in which Allah decrees your rizq (provisions) for the coming year, so implore Allah; cry your heart out as they say so that He may give you what you desire. Don’t think what you’re asking for is too much for Allah, nothing you ask will decrease His dominion. You want money, ask Him, you want a wife/husband, ask Him, you want a job, ask Him, you want children, ask Him, you want peace of heart, ask Him, anything you desire ask.”

In 1 Kings 8.43, when Solomon is dedicating the Temple, he asks God to hear and answer the prayers of the outsiders. Based on that, I think we’re wise to ask God to answer Muslims prayers during Laylat al-Qadr in such a way as to bring them life and him glory. 

PS: Bonus points if you snag an opportunity to lead your whole church (or a subset) in prayer this Sunday!

“Truth is the first casualty of war,” goes the old saying. Close on its heels is a burgeoning population of refugees. I can’t imagine what it’s like to face the decision of fleeing my home, but many Iranians are facing that today. 

And here’s the crazy part: Iran hosts more displaced people right now than any country in the world! Most of these are Afghans who fled the multiple messes in their country. 

With the now two week old war already displacing people, where will they go?

The U.S. is an unlikely option. President Trump set the refugee limit for 2026 at 7500, the lowest level since the program began in 1980. The majority of those visas are slated to go to white Afrikaners from South Africa. 

With most of Europe in the process of locking down and preventing undesired immigration, it’s unlikely Iranian refugees will be welcomed there with open arms. 

Since all commercial and civilian flights in and out of Iran are stopped, no one is hopping a plane to a safe country. This leaves buses, cars and feet taking refugees to adjacent countries. 

In case your Middle East geography is not up to Jeopardy standards (mine wasn’t), here are the states that border Iran (Clockwise from the west): Iraq, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

Forbes says, “If displacement from Iran accelerates, Turkey and Iraq are the most likely immediate destinations due to geography and existing migration routes. But both countries are already under significant pressure from earlier refugee waves.” Turkey already hosts 3-4 million Syrians and has seen an uptick in Iranians since the brief military action in June of 2025.

As is usually the case with displaced peoples, there are no solutions that are not brutal and gut-wrenching. Let’s pray the war will be brief with minimal civilian impact.