Do Islamists honor St. Michael the Archangel?

[Robert_Stockert]

I recently had an Islamic lady ask me for information about St. Michael. I’ve since provided her with a brief Catholic view that I compiled from a Catholic web site. Also, I got a booklet at a Catholic bookstore and left it for her at her home, which she asked me to do. Now I’m sure I’ll see her again the next time I deliver food from the food pantry, but I’m curious why she might have asked me that question. Do Islamic faith followers recognize or honor St. Michael in any way? I’ll ask her, but what answer might I expect and how may I best defend my Catholic beliefs from any heresy that may be preached about this subject?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

If you are going to engage this lady in discussion about religion, I urge you to use the correct terminology to refer to her and her religion. She is a Muslim who follows Islam. Creating adjectives and nouns from the word Islam, such as “Islamic” and “Islamist,” is incorrect and may be considered offensive to Muslims. When evangelizing, it is important to avoid unnecessarily offending those with whom you are speaking.

Muslims do believe in angels and do acknowledge St. Michael to be one of God’s archangels. He is called “Mikail” in Arabic and is considered to be the archangel of mercy who brings rain and thunder (source). You can read more about the Muslim understanding of St. Michael by clicking here.

It is possible that this Muslim lady is merely curious about the Catholic understanding of St. Michael. If she does talk with you further about the literature you gave her, I recommend concentrating on answering her questions from a Catholic perspective and avoiding conflict over “heresy.” It’s possible and perhaps more productive simply to listen attentively to her explanation of Muslim beliefs and then to explain to her what Catholics believe on the subject.