Exploring Core Values in the Middle East from a Missiological Perspective

Samia’s father had just passed away. His death was unexpected, and her grieving family was torn over what could seem a simple dilemma: should they fulfill his wish of going to Mecca for pilgrimage or honor his memory by giving money to the poor? The family was divided. “What does our religion say?” they wanted to know. I met Samia on her way back from Al-Azhar where she had gone to consult the opinion of an expert on Islamic law who could issue her a fatwa to settle the matter. The Mufti, a highly trained scholar in legal matters, ruled that according to the Shaffi school (prevalent in Egypt), it is preferable to look after the living rather than investing in the dead (In Sunni Islam, there are four schools of interpretation of Islamic law: Hanafi, Hanbali, Shafii, and Maliki). Samia left the place with peace; now she knew what to do! Samia and millions of Muslims seek concrete answers in their faith. These are more than matters of personal decision left to the conscientious efforts of individual believers. In traditional Islamic communities, such as the ones found in the Middle East, there is a sense of interconnectedness with the past. No problem is completely new; therefore, past guidance can help provide solutions to modern problems. Second, there is a sense of belonging to a community upon which God has bestowed wisdom through its laws which offers a pool of right choices. Samia could have consulted the qualified opinion of another legal expert from another school of law who perhaps would have ruled in favor of the hajj, but if this had been the case, Samia would still have been at peace, knowing that going on a pilgrimage on behalf of her deceased GPP and her husband have been involved in ministry with Muslims people in various countries for the past 12 years. They both share a strong passion for God’s people among Muslims and for the amazing God that is drawing Muslims to himself in new ways.