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I NTRODUCTION
Islaam, the second largest Religion in the world and it is the fastest
growing Religion in the world. There are around 1.5 billion adherents of
Islaam in the world and unfortunately Islaam is the most misunderstood
Religion in the world.
For centuries Christianity was the dominant Religion in the world, it felt
no threat from any other way of life or any other philosophy prevailed at
that time. And Christianity was dominating and church had the highest
authority, but it was all until Islaam emerged in the main stage of the
world and People accepted Islaam in huge waves, the conversions were so
massive that Islaam became the threat to the faith and creed of Christianity
because Christianity was losing its customers in every nation where
Message of Islaam reached through the Muslims. First time in the history
of Christianity it faced a very strong competitor, a very strong opponent
according to the followers of the Christianity.
The enmity of Islaam grew very much amongst the learned men of
Christendom and they wanted to respond to the call of Islaam in every
possible way and this even included the military action against the
Muslims.
CRUSADES
Pope Urban II , in 1095, gave a rousing speech urging all Christians
to unite against the Islaamic threat and save Jerusalem from “the
wicked race” of Saracens (a fairly nasty term for Arabs & Muslims).
On July 15 1099, the crusaders from western Europe conquered
Jerusalem, falling upon its Jewish and Muslim inhabitants like
avenging angels from the Apocalypse. About 40,000 Muslims were
slaughtered in two days. A thriving populous city had been
transformed into a stinking charnel house.
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vision on a hillside near Cloyes in France. God told him that only
innocent children could drive the bad guys out of the Holy Land.
His Zeal attracted thousands of kids, most of them under 12 years
old. About 30,000 children went on a “Holy Mission” to drive out
“bad guys” from the Holy Land. The slimy merchants finally
loaded the exhausted little crusaders into old, rotten ship for “free
transport of the Holy Land”. Two of the ship sank, and all board
drowned. The Kids on the other ships were sold into slavery.
Thus between 1095- 1270 there were Eight Crusades (“Holy War”).
In a boarder sense all the wars between the Muslim power and the
Christian power of Eastern Europe were considered Crusades. The
Reconquista of Spain was considered a Crusade. (Above all When
the British occupied Jerusalem, in 1917, which has been just vacated
by the Ottomans, they declared it as the end of Crusades.)
This hatred does not end here it continued in the minds of the
westerners even in 20th century, Jeremy Johns, in his book
“Christianity and Islaam” in John McManners, edition 1990, in page
194 he states In 1920, when the French army entered Damascus,
their commander marched directly to Saladin’s tomb and declared,
famously: “Nous revoila, Saladin”- “We’re back!” or “here We are
again”.
C HRISTIAN D ILEMMA
All the military actions against Muslims didn’t restrict Islaam from
spreading, because Islaam triumphed every time when these
western forces tried to wipe out Islaam from this world. The
Christians were in quagmire, they really needed to stumble the rise
of Islaam, as the Christians very well know that Islaam is the only
religion that could overcome Christianity and ultimately put an
end to it. The rise of Islaam will be downfall of Christianity. The
Military action against Muslims is not always possible, they
required to tackle Islaam intellectually, to defeat Islaam
intellectually for this the Christians adopted, experimented various
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methodologies to discredit Islaam and to win over Muslims to
Christianity by converting them.
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etc. The argument given was that evil often triumphs.
1. Confrontational model
2. Traditional Evangelical model
3. Institutional model
4. Dialogical model
5. Contextualization model
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1995. He holds a Ph.D. in missions from South-western Baptist
Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Tex. and previously served as a
missionary int he Philippines from 1976 to 1989.
1. C ONFRONTATIONAL .
In the 18th and 19th centuries some missionaries—Henry Martyn,
Karl Pfander, and St. Clair Tidall, for example—tried to win
Muslims by public debate. They also preached in the bazaars and
produced apologetic and polemical literature in English and the
vernacular. Their approach was never very successful in terms of
converts, and it often aroused increased Muslim antipathy toward
Christianity.
This approach is not widely used today. First, most Muslim
countries do not allow it. Those earlier missionaries often worked
under the protection of colonial governments. Second, today’s
missionaries prefer to emphasize the positive nature of the gospel,
rather than expose objectionable elements in Islaam. Finally, this
method is not usually successful. Occasionally, a Muslim
intellectual is convinced, but the debates do not move the masses.
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between Islaamic and Christian scholars. Eventually, as a whole
these debates didn’t get the result what the Christians expected.
3. I NSTITUTIONAL MODEL .
Several denominational missions have used this model. For
example, Presbyterians and Congregationalists tried to win
Muslims through hospitals, schools, and orphanages. The Foreign
Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention has operated
three hospitals in Arab countries, as well as schools and
orphanages in Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel (for Palestinians).
The assumption is that demonstrations of love, compassion, and
humility will break down the walls of prejudice. Some missiologists
say we should send more teachers, doctors, nurses, and
agriculturalists, because their deeds will speak louder than their
words.4
4. D IALOGICAL MODEL .
The dialogical approach was pioneered by Temple Gairdner (1873-
1928) and developed more fully by Kenneth Cragg. Dialogue is
motivated by a sincere love that seeks to reconcile Muslims and
Christians. It has four purposes:
(1) to learn what Muslims believe and to appreciate their beliefs in
relation to their culture;
(2) to seek to establish both contact and rapport on the basis of
sincere, honest friendship;
(3) to learn how to witness to them; and
(4) to bring them ultimately to salvation in Christ.5
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This approach must not be confused with the syncretistic,
universalistic dialogues sponsored by some ecumenical groups.
The missionary does not surrender his convictions. Rather, he
affirms them in a way that permits him to grow in his
understanding of Muslims.
5. C ONTEXTUALIZATION MOD EL .
In this approach missionaries try by every possible way to become
like Muslims so they can present the gospel in religious and
cultural forms that Muslims can identify with. This model does not
forget "the offense of the gospel," but seeks to avoid objectional
factors.6
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discover areas of felt need. These may provide useful points of
evangelistic contact.8
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C ONCLUSION
The institutional model will have to be used in Arab countries
where no other ministry is permitted. The dialogical model
provides a way to approach Muslims in different settings. The
church-oriented emphasis of the traditional model is biblical and
should be stressed. The contextualization model has drawn on the
insights of anthropology to suggest long-needed reforms that will
lead to truly indigenous churches.
I have tried to incorporate elements from all the models, bearing in
mind that Muslims vary culturally from place to place. One
strategy does not fit all situations.
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for service among Muslims.
END NOTES
1. Lyle Vander Werff, "Our Muslim Neighbors: The Contribution of
Samuel Zwemer to Christian Mission," Missio-logy 10 (April, 1982),
p. 191.
2. Ibid., p. 195.
3. Samuel M. Zwemer, The Cross Above the Crescent (Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 1941), p. 261.
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4. C. George Fry and James R. King, Islaam: A Survey of the
Muslim Faith (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1980), p. 133.
5. Ray G. Register, Jr., Dialogue and Interfaith Witness With
Muslims (Fort Washington, Pa.: Worldwide Evangelization
Crusade, 1979), pp. 11, 12.
6. Bashir Abdol Massih, "Incarna-tional Witness to Muslims: The
Models of Jesus, Paul, and the Early Church," World Pulse, Sept. 12,
1982, pp. 1-8.
7. Phil Parshall, New Paths in Muslim Evangelism (Grand Rapids:
Baker Book House, 1980), pp. 92, 93.
8. John D.C. Anderson, "The Missionary Approach to Islaam:
Christian or Cultic"? Missiology 4 (July, 1976), pp. 295-299.
9. Kenneth Cragg, Sandals at the Mosque (New York: Oxford
University Press, 1959), p. 143.
10. Frank Khair-Ullah, "Evangelism Among Muslims," in Let the
World Hear His Voice, J.D. Douglas, ed. (Minneapolis: World Wide
Publications, 1975), p. 824.
M ISSIONARY C LAIMS :
• A major evangelistic effort in Spain, uniting local churches with
specialized missions and organizations, takes place every summer.
In July and August, the highways fill with 800,000 Moroccans and
Algerians who are either going on, or returning from, vacation. The
Muslims are concentrated in Alicante, Almería, Málaga, and
Algeciras.
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meeting the Lord almost everywhere," a ministry source reports. In
addition, about 150 Christian tentmakers work in the country.
Christianity has confronted Islaam since the age of Mohammed. From the
time of Raymond Lull (13th century), missionaries have sought to win
Muslims to Christ. Generally, this has been a difficult, discouraging task,
but as the reports above show, there are some encouraging signs.
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• Members of the international Yemen Prayer Fellowship report
continuing spiritual interest in that civil war-battered country on the Gulf
of Aden. At one undermanned hospital, YPF says, "A vital witness
continues and signs of hunger for the truth are evident."
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Missionary Nik Repkin (a pseudonym) estimates that an average of only
one person per church-based evangelical agency working in the Horn of
Africa is becoming a believer in Christ every year. Meanwhile, 80 percent
of Muslim "seekers" there have returned to Islaam.
Impressive growth
Signs of progress have abounded, even before September 11. In North
Africa, the numbers of Christians from Muslim backgrounds (in missions
jargon, Muslim-background believers, or MBBs) have multiplied.
In Morocco, the growth was from 300 people (and eight to ten groups) in
1979 to 900 people (20 to 25 groups) in 1999. In Tunisia, there were
perhaps 30 MBBs and two or three groups in 1979. Twenty years later,
there were 150 believers and five or six groups. Even Libya has grown
from no known MBBs to as many as 10. AWM says the number of
believers has doubled there in the last three years.
In Algeria, 120,000 people have died in a civil war that broke out in 1992
when the military government cancelled legislative elections that
Islaamists were widely expected to win. Church growth has been
impressive there, especially among the repressed non-Arab minority
Berber peoples, who constitute perhaps 40 percent of the population. In
1979, there were 1,200 believers and 12 to 18 groups. Three years ago,
there were 12,000 and 60 to 80, respectively. Many are from the Kabyle
Berber community.
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Bangladesh. In 2000, the rate of increase for Christians was 3.2 percent
yearly, versus 1.8 percent for Muslims.
Operation World reports that the number of MBBs of Iranian descent was
just 500 worldwide in 1979 at the start of the Iranian Revolution. Abe
Ghaffari was in the country for several years before the shah fell, and he
saw only one Muslim come to Christ. Ghaffari says that most Iranian
Muslims were nominal in their religion, more interested in economic
advancement than in founding a pure Islaamic state. Then Ayatollah
Ruhollah Khomeini seized power.
"After the revolution, they were really exposed to Islaam," says Ghaffari,
who helps resettle Iranian refugees through his organization, Iranian
Christians International. "They saw that Islaam didn't provide all the
answers and that the Islaamic clergy were corrupt."
Ghaffari estimates there are now 30,000 Iranian believers from Muslim
backgrounds worldwide, including 15,000 in Iran itself. Annual growth,
he estimates, is between 7 and 10 percent, with pockets of revival in
places such as Germany. He is uncertain how much of a factor the
terrorist attacks may become in Iranian evangelism.
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including Muslims, in 1999. A ministry leader in the country told World
Pulse, "Now Turkish fellowships are beginning to emerge with a new
confidence. They are renting or purchasing meeting places and are doing
outreach. Steady numbers of believers have managed to change their
identity cards from 'Muslim' to 'Christian.' "
Pat Cate noted in EMQ, "It really can be said that Islaam is the most
studied and least evangelized religion." The International Mission Board
of the Southern Baptist Convention is one of the few denominational
mission boards with a large and concerted outreach to Muslims. imb
personnel are working with more than 300 predominantly Muslim people
groups in 75 countries. The 2001 Annual Statistical Report says that
Southern Baptist missionaries and their partners overseas started 121
churches and recorded 3,405 baptisms among these groups. Avery Willis,
senior vice president for overseas operations, says the biggest problem in
bringing Muslims to faith is not theological.
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POSSIBLE MODELS IN MUSLIM LANDS
1. Integrate fully with the local Evangelical Christian minority (if
one exists) and its churches. This means a break with the Muslim
community and becoming a minority (Muslim believers), within a
minority (Evangelicals), within a recognised (nominal Christian)
minority. In very Islaamic societies, or where fundamentalists are
strong, this means persecution as apostates and even death - or
emigration. This option usually results in a break with family and
society.
In a mainly secular state like Turkey and Israel this option might
work. The danger is that these states are coming under increasing
religious, even fundamentalist, pressures and may have to reach an
accommodation with their religious constituencies that always
comes at the expense of the Muslim (or Jewish) believers.
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4. Isma'ili-type secret small-cell groups of Muslim believers who do
not publicly profess their faith, but keep it as a secret to be divulged
only to a very restricted group of trusted relatives and friends.
They evangelise secretly, meet secretly, practise taqiya, and
develop their own secret recognition patterns. Each believer is
introduced only to one or two other believers. This option might be
suitable for extremely Islaamic societies (Saudi Arabia).
"We both knew that God would eventually bring us back home to
Malaysia to teach and preach to the Malay people who haven't
heard," says Cindy Bowen, of her husband-and-wife team.
This year, the Bowens will leave their home in Georgia and commit
full time to proselytise in Malaysia's capital city, Kuala Lumpur.
They have been preparing nearly ten years for this opportunity.
Since their first trip to Malaysia, Mike got a bachelor's degree in
Missions and Evangelism from the South-western Assembly of God
College in Waxahachee, Texas; Cindy majored in Christian
Education. They will join an estimated contingent of 559 Christian
missionaries (370 Catholic, 189 Protestant) in Malaysia.
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previous 1400 years combined!" The Mesa, Arizona-based group
claims to have 500 missionaries in 30 countries, or about 20% of all
North American Protestant missionaries serving among Muslims.
Frontiers seeks missionaries for the 90's with the motto: "Muslims.
It's their turn. It's all we do. Whatever it takes." From Bosnia to
Bangladesh, American missionaries apparently have been doing
whatever it takes to penetrate often resistant and hostile Muslim
target countries. Two popular missionary approaches to Muslim
countries involves setting up business ventures or non-profit relief
and NGO work.
Christian relief groups have made inroads in places like Somalia
(which is 99% Muslim) by taking advantage of humanitarian crises
like the famine in 1992 that precipitated U.S. intervention. Some
missionaries reportedly even hook up with the CIA, blurring
religious and political goals.
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conditioned offices and reach out to the people."
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I T ’ S CONVERSION TIME IN V ALLEY
Slowly and discreetly, Christian evangelists make inroads into
Muslim heartland of Kashmir
SRINAGAR, APRIL 5 2003: Amid booming guns and endless
violence, Kashmir is witnessing a discreet spurt in conversion —
from Islaam to Christianity. Christian groups are putting the
number of neo-converts at over 10,000 and a Sunday Express
investigation confirms that conversions have been taking place
regularly across the Valley.
In the Valley where death and trauma are a way of life, the missionaries
are getting immediate attention because they reach out to the poor, needy
and those affected by violence. Also, they bring in a lot of money.
Well, it’s true that Missionaries are exaggerating the reports just to
appease their community they don’t want to lose their milking
cow. But the fact is which we Muslims can’t brush it away i.e.
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Christians are working on converting or to say “CON”verting
Muslims. It becomes impediment upon Muslim community to
strengthen up their community with right guidance and by sticking
to Islaamic guidelines i.e. making more efforts to follow the tenets
of Islaam, not only just to follow also to make our family and
friends to practice Islaam completely.
Allaah states in the Holy Qur’an that Muslims are the Khaira-
Ummath in Sura Ali-Imran chapter 3 verse 110
ُ ُ
ۡۡبٲل َمعرُ وفِۡۡ َو َتن َهو َنۡ َع ِن َ ُاسۡ َتأمُر
ِ ون ِ ُكن ُتمۡۡ َخي َرۡأ َّمةٍۡأخ ِر َجتۡلِل َّن
ۡۚۡۡخي ً۬رمۡلَّهُم َ نۡأَهلُۡٱلڪِ َت ٰـبِۡلَ َك
َ ان َۡ ۡولَوۡ ََم َم ِ َّ ۡب
َ ۗۡٲّلل َ ۡو ُتؤ ِم ُن
ِ ون َ ٱلمُنڪ َِر
١١١(ۡون َ ُونۡ َوأَڪ َثرُ ُه ُمۡٱل َف ٰـسِ ق
َۡ مِّن ُه ُمۡٱلمُؤ ِم ُن
“Ye are the best of peoples evolved for mankind enjoining what is right
forbidding what is wrong and believing in Allaah. If only the People of the Book
had faith it were best for them; among them are some who have faith but most of
them are perverted transgressors.”
And it’s obligatory upon every Muslims to enjoin the Good and forbid
the Evil, so it’s really important to resist this Missionary onslaught on
Muslims and deter the onslaught of kufr upon Muslims. We should make
more effort to save the innocent and ignorant Muslims from these
Missionaries false propaganda. As for Islaam, Allaah has promised that
He will make His Deen prevail over all religions.
ِ ۥۡعلَىۡٱل ِّد
ۡين َ ُۡقۡلِيُظ ِه َرهِّۡ ِينۡٱل َح ِ ۡۡرسُولَ ُۡه
َ ۥۡبٲلهُدَ ٰى
ِ ۡود َۡ ِىۡأَر
َ س َل ٓ ه َُۡوۡٱلَّذ
َۡ ڪ ِر َهۡٱلمُش ِر ُك
ون َ ڪُلِّه
َ ِۡۦۡولَو
“It is He who hath sent His apostle with guidance and religion of truth to
proclaim it over all religions even though the pagans may detest (it)”.
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ِ ۥۡعلَىۡٱل ِّد
ۡين َ ُۡقۡلِيُظ ِه َره ِّۡ ِينۡٱل َح َ ۥۡبٲلهُدَ ٰى
ِ ۡود َ ِىۡأَر َس َل
ِ ۡۡرسُولَ ُۡه ٓ ه َُۡوۡٱلَّذ
ٲّللۡ َش ِه ً۬يدم
ِ َّ ۡب َ ُۚۡكلِّهِۦ
ِ ۡو َك َف ٰى
“It is He who has sent His Apostle with Guidance and the Religion of
Truth to proclaim it over all religion: and enough is Allaah for a Witness.”
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In Surah Tawbah chapter 9 verse 24
ۡير ُت ُكمَ ِۡو َعش َ ۡوإِخ َوٳ ُن ُكمۡۡ َوأَز َوٳ ُج ُكم َ ۡوأَب َنآؤُ ڪُم
َ انۡ ََم َبآؤُ ُكم
َ قُلۡۡإِنۡ َك
ۡٓضو َن َهاَ اۡو َم َس ٰـكِنُ ۡ َتر َ َوأَم َوٳلٌۡٱق َت َرف ُتمُو َهاۡ َوت َِج ٰـ َر ً۬ةٌۡ َتخ َشو َنۡ َك َسادَ َه
َ ِۦۡو ِج َها ً۬ ٍدۡفِىۡ َس ِبيلِهِۦۡ َف َت َۡر َّبصُو ْم
ۡۡح َّت ٰى َ ۡو َرسُولِه ِ َّ أَ َحبَّۡۡإِلَيڪُمۡم َِّن
َ ۡٱّلل
َۡ َۡۡ َيہدِىۡٱل َقو َمۡٱل َف ٰـسِ ق
ِين ۡ َ ُٱّلل َ ۗۡۡبأَم ِرهِۦ
َّ ۡو َّ َيأت َِى
ِ ُۡٱّلل
“Say: If it be that your fathers your sons your brothers your mates or your
kindred; the wealth that ye have gained; the commerce in which ye fear a
decline; or the dwellings in which ye delight are dearer to you than
Allaah or His apostle or the striving in his cause; then wait until Allaah
brings about His decision: and Allaah guides not the rebellious.”
And in
These are very strong verses from Holy Qur’an, if we fail to heed to these
warnings then its we who will be in severe loss, it will be a rebellion
against Allaah and Allaah guides not the rebellious.
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