Sharing with an Atheist Hui Muslim

To be __ is to be Muslim. This is the common phrase heard across Muslim people groups. If you are Hui, Salar, Dongxiang, Bao’an or Huihui, you are Muslim whether you believe Islam or not. Within these people groups though you will find individuals who do not believe in a god. Instead, these individuals believe in themselves or science. Often they do not share this view with members of their family, but sometimes they will open up to an outsider.

Zhang* is a follower of Jesus, and God has given him a burden for Chinese Muslims. He has found that it is not easy to develop relationships with Muslim men so he tries to be intentional with his time by eating at Muslim restaurants and shopping in Muslim stores. He prays that as he encounters Chinese Muslims during the daily routines of his life that God will present opportunities for him to share about Jesus.

Zhang met a young Chinese Muslim named Majian*. They have had a few conversations that have confirmed that Majian does not believe in Islam or any religion. His focus is on making money and smoking. Majian like many Chinese men is constantly smoking.

The following is an excerpt from a conversation between Zhang and Majian.

Zhang: How are you? How is business in the restaurant today?

Majian: Very Good!  We almost sold out of food!

Zhang: Wonderful! Thank the Lord. What do you think about the small track about the Four Spiritual Laws that I gave you last time?

Majian: I don’t believe there are any gods. If God exists, please have him show up in front of me. I will immediately believe in Him. I only believe in science. Please offer evidence. Otherwise, it is nonsense.

Zhang: God created everything to bless all creation, like plants, trees, animals, humans, etc. That includes you and me. When you see all living things, they all were created by God. Even though the current science is great, it can’t create any living thing, like a mosquito or a germ, from nothing. God is Spirit, so we can’t see Him. Like the wind, we can’t see it, but we can feel its existence everywhere. Jesus is God, and he is full of grace and truth. God is love.

Majian: Have you seen Jesus? In my opinion, love is between me and my wife.  Most of  the time I like other girls more than my wife. Because my wife likes to control or dominate me, I dislike her.

Zhang: Even though I have not seen Jesus, I can feel his love. There have been a lot witnesses in history, especially in the Scriptures. 2000 years ago Jesus walked the earth. According to the Bible, Christ died for our sins on the cross. He was buried, and then he was raised on the third day. He appeared to Peter, and then to the twelve. After that, he appeared to more than 500 of the brothers at the same time, most of whom were still living at that time. 

You talked about the love that is just between a man and woman. There are other kinds of love, like parental love, friendly love, and unconditional and forgiving love.

Majian: Nobody knows if the Bible is real. The Bible was written by humans. I don’t believe it. I don’t read it.

Zhang: The Bible is the best selling book in the world. Many people read and believe it. The Bible was written by more than 40 authors during 1,500 years. Actually, the real author is God who inspired or revealed to these authors to write down the Scriptures without any errors and conflicts. The Bible has the truth.

Majian: Can God feed me? I am very realistic. What can he do for me?

Zhang: The Lord’s prayer, “Gives us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Don’t worry about your life. “Look at the birds of the air. They do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you much more valuable than they?” God gives us air, water, and rain which everyone receives. Seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Majian: When I was a child since 6 year old, I was always beaten by my father who is a miner with bad temper. I was victim of family violence. By these dark experiences, I lost my self-confidence. I could not trust anyone. Only myself! Man’s determination or effort can conquer nature.

Zhang: I am sorry to hear your story of abuse in your childhood. I will pray for you and your healing by the loving and forgiving God. Not only do our sins need God’s forgiveness, but also our bad memories, like bitterness or hate, should be cleansed by God’s love. God has grace and mercy. When we trust in Him, we experience God through Jesus’ salvation. I can pray for you right now.

Majian: Thank you.

Zhang: (Prayer) Praise the Lord! Dear Heavenly Father, may God’s love and grace fully fill Majian’s whole family including his wife and two children who are in his hometown with his grandparents.

Jesus promised us that “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Jesus is the good shepherd that lays down His life for the sheep. Jesus said “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” To all who received Jesus, to those who believed in Jesus’ name, He gave the right to become children of God. Will you open your heart to accept the Lord Jesus’ grace as your Savior and to repent your sins to receive His salvation?

Majian: Not yet. If God can immediately make me quit my smoking habit, I may believe in Him.

Zhang: I will pray for you to quit this bad habit by God’s strength.

Majian: How soon?

Zhang: It depends on His authority. You should believe the Lord, Jesus first, and then you will have new life in Christ and the Holy Spirit’s power against the temptations in smoking or sinful thoughts. Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:32)

Because a few customers entered the restaurant, Majian went back to selling food. Zhang said goodbye and left for the day.

Majian is representative of many young Chinese Muslim guys that attend school in China and have to decide whether their parents’ religion or their atheistic education is correct. When your father beats you as a child, it is easy to turn from Islam and embrace the idea that there is no god. However, as you can see in the conversation above, not believing in Islam does not readily make him open to following Jesus. He wants proof that God is real. Without a friend like Zhang, Majian likely would never consider the truths of the Bible. Instead, he would spend his days smoking, trying to make money and lazily browsing the Internet.

Prayer Requests

• Pray that God will give Christ-followers wisdom about how best to share the Gospel with each Chinese Muslim that they encounter.

• Pray asking God to use dreams and visions and miracles to confront Chinese Muslims with the truth that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life!

*names changed