The religion of Islam is much in the news. Wherever it goes, it casts its shadow. The darkness is deepest in the Middle East and Afghanistan. Radical elements in Islam have transformed the face of their religion into one of exploding bombs and suicide killings. The darkness emanating from the Middle East affects much of Asia and sets a somberness over Europe. There is a real possibility that parts of the latter continent could be dominated by Islam in the foreseeable future. The shadow is also beginning to extend to North America. Indeed, not a few imams, Islamic religious leaders, are calling for Islam to dominate the world. They make no secret of it. The openness and liberal values of the West are exploited to further their agenda. Security forces all over the world, also in Canada, are kept on the alert for possible terrorist attacks.

The Darkness⤒🔗

It is often said by western leaders that Islam is a religion of peace. That may be true of moderate Muslims who abhor violence. However, radical elements appeal to the Qur’an for their agenda of subjugating others to Islam, by force if necessary, and many religious leaders back them up. Does it not say in their holy book, the Qur’an: “Fight those who believe not in Allah ... until they pay the Jizyah (poll tax) with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued” (Surah 9:29)? It is also most telling that virtually no protest is ever heard from Islamic leaders in the West against terrorist attacks and against the issuing of death sentences (death fatwahs) for those who speak ill of Islam. The general silence of Islamic leaders can be interpreted as their agreement with this type of aggression because such acts of terror are justified by the Qur’an.

A major difference between Christianity and Islam is that the Qur’an urges the submission of unbelievers to the Islamic faith by force. The Bible gives no such command. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17). Whenever Christians have sought to subjugate others by force to the Christian faith, they have gone against Christ’s teachings. However, acts of violence for the cause of Islam are in agreement with Mohammad’s instructions. Not surprisingly, therefore, Islam is a religio-political system. “Church and state” are so to speak one. Christians are viciously persecuted in many Muslim countries. Indeed, there are very few Islamic countries where persecution does not take place. Such persecution is in accordance with the Qur’an.

Much could be said about the darkness that is Islam. For our purposes now, let two examples of Islam’s impact on their society suffice. One example is in their treatment of women. They are treated as a class lower than men (cf. Surah 53:27). They are not allowed to have eye contact with them and they must hide themselves by wearing a veil (Surah 24:31). Men can have more than one wife (Surah 4:3) and it is relatively easy for them to divorce (according to the Hadith, Sahih Muslim 9:3493). A horrific practice that reflects the lesser status of women is the so-called “honour killing.” Women are murdered, usually by their father, to preserve the honour of the family. For example in greater Toronto last December, a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl was strangled by her father for refusing to wear the hijab (Muslim head scarf). It has been estimated by the United Nations that perhaps five thousand of such murders occur each year. Despite denials by western imams that this practice is tolerable, such killings are perceived as excusable or understandable in Islamic countries.

A second example of the darkness of Islam is the glorification of martyrdom. To encourage volunteers to keep coming forward for suicide bombing missions, radicals have seized on Muhammad’s teaching that those who die in a jihad or holy war go straight to heaven to be welcomed by virgins (Sahih Muslim 781-782). It has also been documented that children as young as six have been and continue to be recruited as suicide bombers. This is literally a modern form of child sacrifice. Many young people, brainwashed from their youth of the glories of martyrdom, are being sacrificed on the altar of the ambitions of radical Muslims.

Against such darkness there is only one source of light – the gospel.

Resisting the Darkness←⤒🔗

It needs to be recognized that the sword or military might is no real solution to the threat of an aggressive Islam. The struggle against Islam is at bottom a spiritual struggle. For that reason the western world and culture can offer very little meaningful resistance, for the West is abandoning their Christian heritage and becoming spiritually bankrupt. Already there are signs that the western world is simply adapting to a growing Muslim presence. Secular man is pragmatic.

The only way to resist the darkness and to help those in bondage to Islam is through the gospel. Only the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, can counter the darkness. Only the gospel can present the light of the world, Jesus Christ. He is the only Saviour who can deliver those in bondage from the darkness that is Islam. And the light overcomes the darkness!

The Light of the World Triumphs←⤒🔗

In spite of vicious persecution, there are many conversions to Christianity in Muslim countries. In Iran, which wants to be a model Islamic state, many young Iranians have become Christian. Some sources estimate that in the last five years as many as a million may have abandoned Islam. As a result, there is now a law before the Iranian parliament which would impose the death penalty on all those who leave Islam. In neighbouring Iraq, the Christian population of that country has plummeted because of largely unchecked violence and killing of Christians.

Everywhere in the Muslim world Christians are under duress and those who convert from Islam are especially vulnerable and live in fear for their lives.

Yet, the Lord continues to gather his elect and He calls his own from the darkness of Islam. Back in 2001, a Saudi Arabian Muslim leader, Sheikh Ahmad al Qatanni, reported on al-Jazeera television that every day about 16,000 Muslims become Christian. Even when allowing for exaggeration in order to incite Islamic hatred of Christians, this remains a remarkable confession. It is estimated that since the early 1990s about five million Muslims in Sudan have become Christian in spite of horrific persecution. Other examples can be given  ¹The Lord is clearly doing a great work in the Islamic world which Muslim leaders fear and are forced to acknowledge. This miracle of so many conversions is rarely reported in the main line media. But it is a miracle which testifies to the love of God.

In central Khartoum there is a Christian orphanage for young boys. Above the door to their dormitory is the inscription in both Arabic and English: “God is love” (1 John 4:8). Surely this reality is the light which alone can penetrate the darkness of Islam.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.John 3:16

God’s love is revealed in Christ. He is the light of the world (John 8:12).

Islam does not know of God who is love. Allah’s love is rarely mentioned in the Qur’an. It is mentioned that Allah loves those who love him (Surah 3:31). But Muslims know nothing about God who loves sinners of mere grace and who even sent his one and only Son to this world to die for undeserving sinners and save them. This is the gospel which Muslims need, also those who have come to our country and now may be our neighbours. Christ is the light of the world and Him they must see. We also have responsibilities in that regard. For He who is the light of the world has also charged us to be light! “You are the light of the world!” (Matthew 5:14). As the Lord gives opportunity, let us show the only light that can release our Muslim countrymen from the bondage of darkness.

Let us, therefore, support all biblical mission work among Muslims in our nation. And going beyond our country, we can support the work of the Middle East Reformed Fellowship. The light of the gospel shines in the Middle East through their work. And it is bearing fruit, much fruit. Indeed, could it be that the rise of radical Islam, as seen especially in countries like Iran and in terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda, is due to the fear of the power of the gospel that invades the Muslim world? Could the military and terrorist struggles now being unleashed be a reaction to the onward victory march of our Lord and Saviour as he gathers his people, also in Islamic countries?

The Reformation “Prayer for all the needs of Christendom,” found in the Book of Praise, also includes the prayer for mission among the Muslims. Let us not forget them, for they live without hope in this world and the call of the gospel also goes out to them.