The Hajj and Eid al-Adha – 2023

The Hajj is an annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia that is one of the five pillars of Islam. Every able-bodied adult Muslim who can afford to do so is obligated to make the Hajj at least once in their lifetime. During the Hajj, pilgrims perform a series of rituals, including circumambulating the Kaaba, the holiest site in Islam, and running between the hills of Safa and Marwa. The Hajj also includes standing at the plain of Arafat and participating in the symbolic stoning of the devil. The Hajj is a time of reflection, devotion, and unity, as Muslims from all over the world come together to perform the same rituals and reaffirm their faith.


The Hajj

The Hajj: For Muslims around the world, Hajj —or the pilgrimage to Islam’s most sacred city, Mecca—is closed. Many in the Muslim world are heartbroken over this. The Hajj: As one of the five pillars of faith for a Muslim, this pilgrimage is required once in your life.

For us, it is hard to fathom what this would be like. We, as followers of Jesus, know we worship in Spirit because God is Spirit. We know that God raised up the temple in three days through Jesus. We have this truth in us. However, for Muslims around the world, they do not. So many make the trek. For some, it means flying across the world to accomplish it. But this year, that has changed.

During this change, our vision is to join forces in unity as we pray during this time of canceled pilgrimages. As He did with the Samaritan woman and the men on the road to Emmaus, we are asking Jesus to walk with many through the Father’s heart. He is looking for those to worship in Spirit and in truth the One that all the prophets pointed to—the sacrificial spotless lamb, Jesus. Join us as we pray for mighty encounters during canceled plans and broken dreams.

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“Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship Him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.””

— John 4:21, 23-24

As the month of pilgrimage has ended, Eid al-Adha comes. It is the second of the two main holidays celebrated by Muslims. This 3-day celebration is based on the Quranic story of Allah asking Ibrahim to sacrifice his son. Ibrahim was willing and fully surrendered to Allah, but in the end, Allah provided an animal to sacrifice in the place of Ibrahim’s son. Many on this day will sacrifice goats or sheep as a symbol of Allah providing for Ibrahim. Many Muslims use this time to share the meat of the sacrificed animal with family, neighbors and the poor, and gather in large public gatherings for prayer. It is a celebration where Muslims dress in their best clothes, eating throughout the night with family and friends.

Although we see the story of Abraham and Isaac as a foreshadow to Jesus and the need for a sacrifice for our sins, many Muslims have not yet been opened to this profound truth. Our heart is to gather in prayer and cry out to God for the lineage of Ishmael. As Hagar cried out not to let her son die, God sprang up a well for Ishmael. We want to ask for the same thing—that God would spring up a well of living water for Muslims around the world.

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“But God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, “Hagar, what’s wrong? Do not be afraid! God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Go to him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants.” Then God opened Hagar’s eyes, and she saw a well full of water. She quickly filled her water container and gave the boy a drink. And God was with the boy as he grew up in the wilderness. ”

— Genesis 21: 17-20

join the live prayer event

with Heart 4 iran ministries


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Join us on Facebook Live Thursday, July 30, 2020 at Noon – 1 PM CDT to hear from the president of Heart 4 Iran Ministries on this special Muslim holiday and how you can pray with us for Muslims worldwide.

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We believe the Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are inspired by God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct. (2 Timothy 3:15-17, 1 Peter 1:21)

We believe that there is one God, eternally existent who has revealed Himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6:4, Luke 3:22)

We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father where He intercedes for us, in His present rule as Head of the Church, and in His personal return in power and glory. (Matthew 1:23, Luke 1:31)

We believe in the creation of mankind in God’s image, and the fall of man, resulting in universal guilt and total depravity; and the necessity, therefore, of redemption and restoration; that all men and women are lost spiritually and face the judgment of God, that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation, and that repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ is necessary for regeneration by the Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 2:17)

We believe salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, being justified by grace through faith, man becomes an heir of God, according to the hope of eternal life. (Luke 24:47, John 3:3)

We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; the saved unto the resurrection of eternal life in the presence of our Lord, and the lost unto the resurrection of damnation and eternal punishment. (Matthew 25:46, Mark 9:43-48)

We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ and that all true believers are members of His body, the Church, which has the duty to preach the Gospel to every person. (Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 2:22)

We believe that we must dedicate ourselves to prayer, to the service of our Lord, to His authority over our lives, and to the ministry of teaching, preaching, the prophetic, the apostolic, and evangelism. (Ephesians 4:11-13)

We believe in upholding the ordinances of the church of water baptism and holy communion.

The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded by the Scriptures. All who repent and believe in Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized. Thus, they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life. (Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:16, Acts 10:47,48, Romans 6:4)

The Lord’s Supper, consisting of the elements—bread and the fruit of the vine—, is the symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4), a memorial of His suffering and death (1 Corinthians 11:26), and a prophecy of His second coming (1 Corinthians 11:26), and is enjoined on all believers “till He comes!”