In the midst of this verbal battle, one Muslim group in New York called him "bigoted, hateful and divisive."

But Graham is only the most significant leader of a widespread and rapidly growing effort by conservative American Christians to criticize Islam?and attempt to convert its followers. Since 1990, the number of missionaries in Islamic countries has quadrupled. Mission experts estimate they have spoken to or given Christian material to at least 334 million people in that time. Groups such as Youth With a Mission and the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board, sponsor two-week jaunts to places like Kyrgyzstan to convert Muslims to Christianity.

Five years ago, the Southern Baptist Convention reorganized its International Missions Board to focus on the part of the world where Muslims live. That year, the Convention published a prayer guide for use when praying for the conversion of Muslims. They followed with similar prayer guides aimed at Hindus and Jews two years later. Two years ago, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary even created a master's degree program to help students minister to Muslims.

Donna Derr, an official for Church World Service, a mainline Protestant and Eastern Orthodox aid group, finds this activity worrisome.

She said the 2,000-year-old Christian churches in Iraq--whose members are a tiny minority in a vast Muslim population--have worked extraordinarily hard in the last decade to "develop their place" in the community. She said Christians and Muslims are working together in a way they never did before.

?I would hate to see the tenuous balance that has been created made unbalanced by the entry into Iraq by peoples who may have less sensitivity,? she said. "Our military activity has created one chasm. We don't want to see our humanitarian assistance create another chasm."

But Graham said Samaritan's Purse has worked closely with Christians in Iraq since 1991. He first went to Baghdad 30 years ago. "I know exactly what the situation is, and I?ve briefed my people very well on it," he said.

At this point, said Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention?s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, American Christians should stop worrying about whether Muslims think America is anti-Islam.

?What doesn?t look that way to the Muslim world?? Besides, he said, ?they?re the ones declaring holy war, not us. They?re the ones trying to convert people by force. They?re the ones killing people in the name of religion, not us.?

But Hooper, from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said evangelical groups bent on converting Muslims often go into countries emphasizing humanitarian concerns to obscure their proselytizing agenda. ?They go after them when they?re most vulnerable and hope they can get them to leave their faith. It?s a very despicable practice.?

He warned this could undermine the Bush administration?s efforts to portray the war as a move toward liberation, not a war against Islam. ?If it becomes generally known it?s going to be a public relations disaster for the Bush administration,? he said.

Even Michael Cromartie, director of evangelical studies at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and an ally of evangelical groups, cautioned that charities like Samaritan?s purse ?need to be soberly aware of the perception problems this might bring in light of the geopolitical situation.?