Is Islam a peace-loving religion, or does it tend towards violence? Both! Islam has a whole spectrum of positions. Some Muslims are liberally-minded and adapt themselves to democratic and pluralistic values, others are fundamentalists who struggle actively for a reformation of society, and still others are militant extremists prone to violence. Among the dedicated Muslim activists are peace-loving conservatives as well as the terrorist jihad supporters. It is important not to lump all Muslims and Islamic fundamentalists together.
What has contributed to the rise of militant Islam?
For a start, there are a number of events that have been traumatic for Muslims. Thinking of the past, they mourn the loss of the “Golden Age” of the beginnings of Islam and the Islamic cultural and military predominance from the seventh to 17th centuries. In addition, they have suffered under Western colonialism until recent times. Worldwide, they constantly experience the political, economical and military predominance of the “Christian” West. They have a sense of being under attack through events in Israel, Bosnia, Chechnya, Afghanistan and Iraq. They hate the repressive regimes in the Muslim world, which are often supported by the “Christian” West. They see their young people in danger from the immoral Western (“so-called Christian”) global culture. Many feel powerless and despised, leading them to be full of anger.
For militant Islamists, the example of Mohammad and the verses in the Qur’an that call for war against the “unbelievers” (Surat 2:190f, 9:5 and others) seem to be the only answer to this crisis. According to the Qur’an, violence is allowed if Muslims see themselves burdened or attacked. Petrodollars have helped many in the process of promoting militant Islam. They are inspired by the historic examples of commitment even to death of well-known Islamic personalities (eg Ibn Hanbal, Ibn Taimiyya, and Sayyid M Outb, the founder of modern jihad who was executed by the Egyptian government in 1966). It is probable that nearly every Muslim is convinced that one day all peoples will have to submit to Islam.
How can we pray for Islamists and for extremists?
1. Islamic fundamentalism, which is prone to violence, has evoked two types of reaction among Muslims: on the one hand, a stronger hatred of the West and stronger opposition to the gospel; on the other, a disillusionment with Islam and greater openness for the mercy and peace of God. Many Muslims are appalled by the acts of violence which are done in the name of Islam. This is verbalised in some internet chat room contributions as well as by testimonies of former Muslims in Algeria, Iran and Afghanistan who have turned their backs on Islam.
2. Some Islamic militants have come to understand something of God’s mercy and love from reading the Bible and observing the life of Christians. Interviews with more than 600 converts from a Muslim background have shown that these factors play crucial roles in about half of the decisions for Christ.
3. Some Islamic fundamentalists have experienced God’s direct intervention, ie through dreams, visions, healings or encounters with the risen Christ. Jesus encountered Saul, the persecutor of Christians (Acts 9); He can also reveal Himself to Muslim fighters and those involved in jihad in our day. Testimonies of converts from Islam make it clear that this is happening again and again.
4. Christians who work in the Islamic world and the Churches in the West need God’s help and a heart full of mercy to build up deep relationships with Muslims.
5. Churches worldwide need friendliness, love and creativity to express the love of God to Muslims. Only the Holy Spirit can open the eyes of Islamic militants to the truth. (This is no small matter. In Germany alone the National Office for the Protection of the Constitution estimates that there are about 30,000 Muslim militants who, under the right circumstances, could be prone to violence.)
6. We should also pray for God to frustrate the destructive plans of Islamic terrorists. Governments around the world need wisdom and the political will to counter these extremists in an appropriate way and protect the world from harm. We should also pray for the many victims of extremist Islam.
7. Let us pray for ourselves that we may be free from nationalistic and cultural attitudes concerned with defending the West. May we be free from fear (not seeing everything from a friend-enemy perspective) so that we can see militant Muslims through God’s eyes. Above all, may God give us His love for Islamic militants. Jesus also died and rose again for them, to bring them true peace.
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The history of the “Christian” West is filled with violence – against Jews and Christians (Protestant-Catholic, Protestant-Protestant, etc.). A* lot* of this came to the Western Hemisphere with our ancestors… they brought their prejudices and hatreds with them.
I think it is vital for Western Christians to know about their own history, both bad and good, before attacking people who follow other religions for their so-called “warlike” and “hostile” qualities. I also believe that Jesus speaks pretty directly to us about this, in his admonition to take the log (or plank) out of our own eye before daring to tell a brother or sister that there is a dust mote in *their* eye.
John 8:7: “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone…”
Yes it is a peace loving religion same as Christins and Jewish have peace loving religions. Its problem is same as the other two religions in the world. THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD and with those words all three religions are beliving in GOD and the same one. The problem is with people yes its down to the individules way he belives in God
In the west they know from the bible there were many messangers and in the Koran it states the same but end with the last messanger Mohamed Islam belives in every messanger in the Bible as well. But people being people dont like change yes its that simple once we belive something or in something we refuse to open our eyes and allow others to see things differently what a sad state of affairs we Humans are we kill each other for thousands of years and will continue to do this all for beliving in the same God but through different messangers
We in the west say we are inlightened and allow freedom of beliefs but this was not always the way our past record of religous tolerance is worse than the Islamic one. Add to this in this day and age the Islamic one has been loosing its tolerance and we have the mess we enjoy today
So today when you put a George Bush and One Osma Bin Laden in the world we reap the wirl wind of hate and both sides loose as Hate and mistrust leads to the forfront of the news
When you turn on your TV in the west you see pictures of suicide bombers in Iraq Afganistan and Isreal you see wold leaders talk about wiping Isreal off the map
In middleast when a TV is turned on they see Isrealis beating an old woman or shooting a small boy or a navy ship shelling a 12 year old girl on a beach in gaza they turn the staion and see an American or British soldier in Iraq shooting at people and driving thier tank over someones car and they see the hospitals full of wounded children and mothers
So yes Hate runs deep on both sides but it can all be justified with past deeds and people speaking bad to each other and about each other
All of it can stop as well at least on the religous and personal level ( we will never stop the political wars )
But by people just reaching out and helping another and showing some form of trust and human contact all can at least become more human even the Holy Koran says the Sabeans, Christians and the Jews are all brothers and belivers in one GOD so lets break out those Bibles and Korans and Torrahs and relearn the basic human skill of saying hello to one another and enjoy this one life we lead rather than fight about how to get to heaven.
Amen to comment #5 by George! Thanks for clearing that up! I’m a Muslim and I don’t feel this article is giving an accurate portrayal of Muslims. Although the purpose if this article is to open the hearts of Muslims, it is in reality only making it more closed up. We are not longing for any “golden age”. We are only longing for peace with our brothers, sisters, and neighbors whether they be Muslim, Christian, Jews, or other…
Ahahahaha christians are praying for muslims what joke, first look around your and pray for your sister who is naked like animal and pregnent for unkown man or boyfreind and your gay brother who is geting maried with another man!!! And when you pray worship GOD THE ALLMIGHTY and not his creation (jesus)
Daahiye – What are you talking about “pray for your sister who is naked like animal and pregnent for unkown man or boyfreind and your gay brother who is geting maried with another man!!!” Most of these brothers and sisters are not Christians! Just because someone is white and western it does not mean they are Christian. Even if a person comes from a Christian family, it does not mean they are Christian. Christianity is a choice, made when a person sees the truth. You cannot be a Christian just because your parents are Christians or just because you go to church so these people you are talking about are mostly not Christian. Plus there are also Muslims who are gay or pregnant without being married.
The problem with Quran and Islam is that the violence against nonbelievers is a central tenet of the religion. Not as the author wirtes “…allowed by Quaran if Muslims feel burdened.” Islam is a religion of violence against all non-believers or infidels – they must either submit and become Muslim or will suffer whatever fate awaits them in the hands of plunderers and murderers who commit violence in the name of Allah. There is no difference between “peace loving” and extremist muslims – they all read from the same book – that calls every muslim male to kill infidels “wherever they find them”. We need not talk about terrorist when talking about terrorist acts around the world committed by Muslims, we need to talk about Islam’s expansion – where every muslim man is called to duty and lead the war against the infidels spreading Islam until all the world is under Sharia law. There is something to think about.