Because my wife and I often travel to churches around the US to help Christians gain God’s great heart for Muslims, we are often asked the question:
“Do they have Sharia Law in Dearborn, Michigan?”
Surely there are some Arab Muslim families – Lebanese, Iraqi, or Yemeni – that might practice some form of Sharia in Dearborn. Conflict resolution (to keep issues out of court) might be a good example. But is Sharia the official law of the city? Not at all.
We love Dearborn, Michigan – the people, the culture, and of course, the food!
Being in Dearborn makes us feel like we are back in the Middle East. In Jordan. Or Lebanon. Or Palestine. Places where we feel so comfortable.
In Dearborn, we can go to a park in the summer and speak for hours with people from all over the Middle East. We can talk freely about our faiths and even pray together without fear of any kind of religious police shutting us down. (I have been blacklisted from one Middle Eastern country, so I know about being “shut down”)
In Dearborn, we can visit a mosque almost anytime and be kindly received by the people there. I have walked into mosques all over the country – including the two largest mosques in Dearborn – and had men take the initiative to walk up to me, shake hands, and extend a kind greeting.
In Dearborn, we have freedom to go door-to-door and give out our materials about the similarities and differences between the Qur’an and the Injil. Sometimes we have been invited into homes for delicious Middle Eastern food, along with tea or coffee.
In Dearborn, we have freedom to go to any Muslim neighborhood and sing Christmas carols (songs that celebrate the miraculous birth of Jesus – Isa al Masih) as we walk down street after street. What a joy to visit Muslim homes and businesses in Dearborn and sing Christmas carols for over 11 years now! The welcome we receive from Muslims is quite often so warm and hospitable.
So. . .do they have Sharia Law in Dearborn, Michigan?
Well, if they do, it hasn’t stopped us from Christmas caroling. . .and so much more.
People of Dearborn – we love you!!!
Hi Mark. Super post. You’re doing great work. God bless your endeavours. I could use prayer. Been suspended by Church of Scotland for supposed homophobic / Islamophobic tweets. Media have attacked me mercilessly. Difficult time. Had wonderful time in Gaza with Hanna last March. We’ll get there together one day!
Richard, I am so sorry for not responding sooner!
Brother, please send me a private email at InTheHarvest@gmail.com.
Let’s talk more about your suspension and pray together.
God is going to do something good out of the pain of it all.