Ramadan provides a “unique opportunity” for Christians to share the Gospel with their Muslim neighbours, according to a missiologist.
Writing in a new series of articles by the Lausanne Movement designed to help believers interact purposefully with followers of other faiths, Dr Emil Saleem Shehadeh notes that many Christians feel unsure how to speak about Jesus with Muslims, yet Ramadan may be one of the most natural moments to begin.
“In the West, Muslims are on the increase,” he observes, noting demographic changes through migration and birth rates.
One of the most common questions he encounters in ministry is: “How do we witness to Muslims?”
His response centres on informed, relational engagement rather than debate.
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is marked by fasting from dawn until sunset, alongside increased prayer, repentance and charitable giving.
For Muslims, the month is regarded as a period of intensified faithfulness to Allah, marked by devoted time to reading the Qur’an and attending additional nightly prayers.
Because the month heightens spiritual awareness, Dr Shehadeh states: “As such, Ramadan is one of the best opportunities for a respectful gospel-shaped interaction, not least because during Ramadan, many Muslims are actually in a spiritually seeking mood.”
Drawing on his own research involving 4,833 Muslim-background Christians (MBCs), he notes that most encountered Christ through meaningful personal relationships rather than public preaching or media.
“Relational engagement plays a central role in journeys to Christ,” he explains, presenting Ramadan as a key window for building those connections.
Among his practical recommendations is the importance of showing respect during Ramadan, including refraining from eating or drinking conspicuously in front of neighbours or colleagues who are fasting.
He also encourages Christians to take a genuine, pastoral interest by asking thoughtful and empathetic questions, such as how someone is coping with the fast or what Ramadan means to them personally.
If invited to share in an iftar meal, he advises accepting courteously, describing the evening gathering to break the fast as a meaningful expression of friendship and trust.
Hospitality, he suggests, can also be offered in return, whether through hosting an iftar, providing food parcels, or sharing a Gospel or a biopic of Jesus.
He further proposes that Christians might consider fasting in their own way, combining prayer and voluntary self-denial, which can naturally lead to conversations about the distinction between ritual obligation and the Christian understanding of grace.
His research found that 17% of respondents who left Islam cited concerns about a works-based understanding of salvation as a factor in their spiritual journey.
In response, Dr Shehadeh encourages Christians to explain clearly, and gently, the biblical teaching that salvation comes “by grace … through faith” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
He highlights that the primary appeal of Christianity lies in Christ’s life and character. Rather than focusing on critique, he urges believers to centre conversations on Christ - His life, sacrifice and offer of assurance.
The article concludes by encouraging churches to treat Ramadan not as a barrier but as a bridge: “The message is: Understand Ramadan and what it means to Muslims. Use it as a bridge builder and an opportunity to share the love of God with these sincere seekers after God.
“Be considerate, kind, respectful and sensitive. But above all, share the story of the Lord Jesus, and how he came to fulfil the law, and remove the burden of rituals and feasts.
“Offer a contrast between what a Muslim has and what you have to look forward to in the life to come.”
