Seeing Muslims with new eyes. By Stephan Kobes

Reading time: 5 minutes

In 2017, on a trip through Morocco, I came into close contact with Muslims for the first time. There were three very striking experiences that showed me the value and beauty of people in Arabic culture.

Already on the first day after arrival, we went from Marrakech across the country in the direction of Fès. In the early morning the whole landscape was covered with fog. It was cold. But then the fog suddenly lifted as we came to the border of the first small town on the route. The sun was shining in a bright blue sky. Our bus crossed the city without stopping. When we drove out of the small town again, the whole landscape was suddenly hidden behind dense haze and fog. When we reached the next town, the fog lifted and the sun shone again in all its beauty. As we passed the town limits, a cold mist settled over the landscape again. The pattern was so striking that I turned to God in prayer, "Why is the sun shining over every place we drive through when the rest of the landscape is shrouded in this cold mist?" Then I heard a faint one in my inner ear Voice: "Do you think I don't let the light of heaven shine on people who seek me in prayer every day?"

I was not prepared for such a thought. But he made me change my mind. In fact, I saw the pointed spiers of countless minarets along the entire route. When the muezzin called, a noticeable number of people stopped working and went to prayer. In any case, people took a lot of time to pray to God in everyday life. That silent voice I heard that morning shook the wall of my prejudices and prepared me to look at people with different eyes during my stay.

Days later I went on a trip to the Sahara with a small group. After some Bedouins had treated us lavishly, I retired from camp and went to the desert to pray. It was late. Night had fallen. But the moon shone brightly over the desert. The atmosphere was just inviting to talk to God in the stillness of nature. After walking a few hundred meters into the desert, I realized that I was not alone. Someone else had exactly the same idea as me. About 20 meters away, a Bedouin was preparing to pray. I watched with interest (yes, I had mixed feelings about it as prayer is not an act I enjoy watching people do... but I just couldn't look away!). The way he prayed was fascinating. Of course I didn't understand a word (even if he prayed aloud). But the posture was very expressive: when he bowed to the ground on his small prayer rug, I could only read a sincere humility in his posture. However, when he straightened up again, he assumed a stance so dignified that I had seldom seen a human being. That impressed me a lot. It was this alternation of humility and dignity, humility and dignity, humility and dignity, from which I was finally able to derive the true essence of religion: nothing had ever convinced my heart so much that true humility for us humans is just the beginning to rise to true dignity, like that young Bedouin's prayer that night.

Another day I found myself at the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca. It was March. Clouds hung over the mosque. After seeing this fascinating building up close, I walked across the square in front of the mosque. I was amazed at how many thousands of Muslims here worship Allah together on holidays. All the inhabitants of my hometown (Zwickau used to have over 100.000 inhabitants) would have space here to worship God in the mosque and on the square in front of it at the same time. It also happens on festival days, I was told, that so many Muslims gather at this mosque to worship Allah. Then suddenly something happened that left a lasting impression on me: there was a strong gust of wind from the sea. The cloud cover broke and the sun broke through, bathing the entire mosque in a bright, warm light. When that happened, in my mind's eye I saw three angels flying over the mosque bringing a message to the believers. That was very fascinating for me. Then I understood that the threefold angel's message will also be preached among Muslims! And that there will be many thousands of Muslims who will gratefully accept this message and pick up the light that they still lack in their worship.

Yes, of course I also understood that the three angels' messages can only be heard there if other people who already know them go there to make them known.

Then, as I sat on the bus and looked at the mosque for the last time, a young Moroccan walked past the side of the bus I was sitting on. When he saw me, he stopped abruptly. Then his whole face lit up. He pointed to his beard, then mine, put his hand on his chest and nodded to me with a mixture of joy, humility, and affection. Then he continued on his way. I had never experienced anything like this. But it grabbed my heart.

All in all, the stay in Morocco was an eye opener for me. I saw how many valuable people there are in Muslim countries, how many of them sincerely reach out to God, how warmly they treat each other and how graceful their way of worship can be. God had planted a seed in my heart that was soon to sprout...

It is beautiful when Jesus pours out his love into our hearts and through this we understand our mission better.