Shia March Today – A Heart for Those Who Do Not Yet Know Jesus
Today, friends stood outside the church we attend and watched and sent a video of a Shia Muslim march in Glasgow. They were remembering Hassan and Hussain, the grandsons of Muhammad. The scene was striking, with many dressed in black, chanting together. It looked intense. My heart was stirred with both concern and compassion.
It is such a shame they do not know Jesus.
In these processions, especially during the month of Muharram, many of them perform what is called matam, rhythmic chest-beating as an act of mourning for Husayn. For Shia believers, Karbala is a moral compass. Chest beating serves as a physical commitment to the values Husayn died for, including dignity, faith, and the fight against tyranny.
Seeing it today reminded me how sincere people can be in their religion and yet still not know the Lord Jesus Christ as He is revealed in the Scriptures.
A Christian Response
As believers who love the Lord and hold fast to the NKJV, we do not respond to this with fear or anger. We respond with the same burden the Apostle Paul had when he said, “I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart” for those who do not yet know Christ (Romans 9:2).
Our Lord Jesus Himself wept over Jerusalem. We ought to have tender hearts toward our Muslim neighbours, both Shia and Sunni, who show respect for Jesus (called Isa in the Quran) but do not know Him as the Bible truly presents Him.
Common Ground and Important Differences
A good way to open a conversation is to begin with the respect they already have for Jesus. The Quran speaks of His virgin birth and His miracles. But the Bible takes us much further. Let me share seven key areas, straight from scripture, I’m using the NKJV today, placed alongside common Islamic teachings:
- Virgin Birth
Bible: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)
Islamic view: Strongly agrees ~ Jesus was born of the virgin Mary.
- Miracles
Bible: “And Jesus went about all Galilee… healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.” (Matthew 4:23)
Islamic view: Agrees ~ Isa performed miracles by permission of Allah.
- Messiah
Bible: “Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He.’” (John 4:26)
Islamic view: Accepts Jesus as the Messiah, but sees Muhammad as the final prophet.
- Divinity / Son of God
Bible: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh…” (John 1:1, 14)
Islamic view: It strongly rejects that Jesus is the Son of God or divine.
- Crucifixion
Bible: “And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him…” (Luke 23:33)
Islamic view: Teaches it only appeared that Jesus was crucified; He was not.
- Resurrection
Bible: “He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.” (Matthew 28:6)
Islamic view: That Jesus was raised to heaven without dying on the cross and He will return later.
- Salvation
Bible: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
Islamic view: Salvation comes through submission to Allah, good deeds, and following the prophets ~ not through the atoning death of Jesus.
These are not small differences. They touch the very heart of who Jesus is and what He has done for us at the cross.
My Encouragement to You
I have been preaching through the Gospel of John, and I cannot tell you how clear it is. Jesus is the eternal Word who became flesh. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He is the only way to the Father.
If you see these processions in your town or have Muslim neighbours, pray for them.
Ask the Lord to open doors for real friendship. Start with the honour they already give to Jesus, then gently point them to the full revelation of Christ in the Scriptures.
It is a shame they do not yet know Him ~ but the same Lord who saved me can save them.
Let us be faithful witnesses, full of grace and truth, as we wait for His return.