Putting Islam in Perspective

By Jay Walsh

The events of 9/11 have opened a window for us to view the Islamic world as never before. Islam is still confusing to the general Christian public, perhaps even frightening, and difficult to comprehend. Terrorism, jihad, and Al-Qaeda are now common words in the world media. So great is the threat perpetrated by Islamic zealots that President Bush has declared war on terrorism and is actively pursuing them throughout the world.

I have spent more than three decades serving in a predominantly Muslim country, and I have a host of friends who have nothing to do with terrorism. In fact, most Muslims are neither terrorists nor involved with radical groups like Al-Qaeda. As in Judaism, there are three main divisions in Islamic society: liberals, conservatives, and radicals. Liberal Muslims in most Islamic countries are highly educated, often successful business people who seemingly have no qualms of conscience in partaking of the worldly pleasures- drinking, gambling, and womanizing-forbidden by orthodox Islam and the clerics.

Conservative Muslims follow the tenets of Islam, to one degree or another, in daily living. They represent the largest segment of society. They practice their religion by performing daily ablutions, praying five times, attending Mosque prayers on Fridays (Islam's Holy Day), keeping the fast of Ramadan, and giving to the poor. Only the wealthiest among them would have the opportunity of making the once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina.

Radical Muslims, often called fundamentalists or extremists, represent a slimmer portion of Islamic society, but exert a powerful influence that intimidates those who do not agree with them. More often than not, they are teachers in village madrasas (Islamic schools) or Imams (preachers) of local mosques. In madrasas , children learn to read Arabic, or as they call it, the "language of heaven," to recite Koranic verses, and to despise Jews and their supporters. Middle Eastern clerics commonly travel throughout the Muslim world preaching the stricter version of Islam.

Throughout the years, however, I have found my Muslim friends to be extremely generous and honored by our presence in their homes. Opportunities to share the gospel with these hospitable people are endless, whether on a one-to-one basis or privately in their homes. The challenge we face is not the Muslim people, but Islam itself.

An estimated 1.3 billion Muslims now live in our world, and Islam is recognized as one of the fastest growing religions. There are between seven to ten million Muslims living in North America alone. The Lord is using the events of this past year to focus many Christians and Christian organizations on the need to reach the spiritual sons of Ishmael for Christ. May our prayer be like Abraham's in Genesis 17:18, "And Abraham said unto God, 'O that Ishmael might live before thee.'"