The other day I posted a blog explaining how I learned that literature distribution is not allowed in a public library (I’m still laughing at the word choice of the librarian). I was made aware of this policy while talking with a Muslim woman, which is the conversation I would like to relate here.
Dressed in an earthy brown burqa with a white hijab, the African-American woman glided into the library and sat down with her book on Public Policy and a note pad. Flipping through the book, she took notes and read. My family was scattered throughout the stacks and I was having a conversation with a couple of other people.
As it neared time for us to leave, we gathered our things and my family made their way to the circulation desk. I stopped by the woman’s table. “Excuse me,” trying to time my interruption with her page-flipping. She gave me her undivided attention. Closing her book, she smiled and said in a pleasant voice, “Yes, what can I do for you?”
“Would you mind if I asked you a question, please?” I inquired. “I was reading in the Qur’an and found this passage that intrigued me. It is Surah 10:94 (and I quoted to the best of my ability), ‘if you have any doubts, read the Holy books that came before this one.’” Her eyes widened and her smile grew even bigger.
“My question is,” I continued, “I was wondering if you would be interested in studying the Holy books with me and my family?”
She folded her hands across her book and said, “I would love to, only I have three children, I work and am working on my Master’s Degree.”
I delighted her response back, “How wonderful! We have 5 children and I am in higher education. What Master’s are you working on?” She told me and we discussed briefly the joys of parenting, working and education. Then she asked, “Have you really read the Qur’an?”
“Yes,” I replied. “And my attention was directed back to Surah 10:94, which is why I ask the question, ‘would you like to study the Holy Books with me and my family?’”
Continuing to beam, she replied, “that just sounds wonderful, and I am embarrassed to ask, which Holy Books you have in mind?”
I got squatted down by the table to get at eye level and said, “The Taurat and Injil,” I tried to remember the Zabbur [Psalms] but the name escaped me, so I said, “there are other books too.”
“What was that passage again?” she asked, taking up her pencil. I repeated the reference and she jotted it down. “Hmmmmm,” I thought to myself. It was about this point the librarian asked if I had given “something to read” to another patron and was told that literature distribution was not allowed in the library (I just love saying that). As the librarian left, the Muslim woman shook her head and said, “What a shame. We should be allowed to talk about God and His Word [note to self: “His Word”] in public.” I came a hairs’ breadth from saying “Amen,” and nodded in agreement with her. She asked in a pleasant tone, “What religion are you?”
“I am Christian.”
“And you’ve really read the Qur’an?” She asked again.
I replied to the affirmative then asked, “Have you ever read the Taurat or Injil?”
I could see the embarrassment flooding into her face as she looked down and asked, “I’ve only been Muslim for 15 years. Forgive me, but what is,” and she struggled to say, “’Taurat’ and ‘Injil’?”
Joy actually flooded my soul as I told her the Taurat is the Torah, or first five of the Holy Books, and the Injil is the “Gospels,” the life of Jesus.
“No,” she admitted. “I’ve never read them.” Then she asked a question I never saw coming. She said, “Truthfully. I want your honest answer here. You say you’ve read the Qur’an. What do you think of it? Do you find it valuable, interesting, a bunch of hog-wash Tell me what you think.” Then she waited while I thought .
How was I going to uphold the veracity of scripture and provide an uncompromised Christian witness? I prayed quickly, then the answer came just as quickly—something like this: “Obviously the Qur’an is very important to you. I could not help but remember how Surah 10:64 read, ‘No change can there be in the Words of Allâh, this is indeed the supreme success.’ If God’s Word never changes, and we are instructed to read the Holy Books, why would I read anything else? God does not change and neither does He (what kind of God would He be if He changed or if He could not protect His Word). I would be skeptical about anything else.”
She nodded, listening, processing what I was saying. Then curiosity got the best of me. “You mentioned you’ve only been Muslim for 15 years. May I inquire as to your religious background?”
“Certainly,” and she began to tell me how she grew up Methodist and went to Sunday School and how her family was always in church. But now she was under the strict regulations of finding favor with God by converting to Islam.
“And you’ve never read the Bible?” I asked.
“No,” she hung her head again with no smile to be seen. Then she ended our conversation with, “I am so glad you are reading the Qur’an. May you be blessed as you continue on your journey toward God.”
I rose back to my feet and said, “I look forward to seeing you again.”
“Yes,” came her reply.
And we parted.
