Understanding Islam

The ways Christians and Muslims relate in the 21st century will have a profound impact on both communities and the world. Clearly, global interdependence requires more than tolerance in the midst of diversity. Economic, ecological and military dangers underscore the need for mutual understanding and cooperation across religious and cultural boundaries. Unfortunately, the large majority of Christians and Muslims tend to view the other through the lens of misinformation and stereotype. The problem is made worse by the tendency in the media to focus on the most violent and sensational events.

Knowing very little about Islam, most Christians in the U.S. shape their views in response to stories about terrorists blowing up the World Trade Center, a zealots call for Holy War, hostage takers, or the sharp rhetoric of Louis Farrakhan. While these images are rooted in the behavior of small groups of Muslims, they are hardly representative of the more than one billion Muslims, the overwhelming majority of whom are horrified by violent extremism. Consider the following facts.

Minister Farrakhans supporters represent less than 20% of the African-American Muslim community. Some Muslims consider this movement to be another religion. The large majority are following traditional Islamic teachings out of camera range.

The largest Islamic country is not in the Middle East. It is Indonesia with more than 160 million Muslims. There are more than 100 million Muslims in each of these countries: India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. China has over 30 million Muslims, more than any Middle Eastern country except Egypt.
Why should Western Christians base their images of Islam on the behavior of extremist elements rather than the hundreds of millions of people who are not behaving violently?

Turn the image around and the problem comes into focus. Imagine yourself a Muslim living in Tunisia. You know very little about Christianity. But, you do see and hear strange stories on TV and radio: David Koresh and the Branch Davidians in Waco, TX; the scandals of Jim and Tammy Bakker; bombings by the IRA in Ireland; more than 20,000 documented cases of rape or murder of Bosnian Muslim women and children; or, the most recent media frenzy over the group known as Heavens Gate. If your image of Christianity was shaped largely by media attention to these violent and sensational stories, how accurate would it be?

In addition to pragmatic needs for cooperation, the Bible challenges Christians to examine relationships with others: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor" (Ex. 20:16); "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mt. 19:19); and "If it is possible, so far as it depends on you live peaceably with everyone." (Rom. 12:18).

How is it possible to avoid bearing false witness against, or to love ones neighbor, or live together in peace if we know so little about our neighbor? Even worse, how is it possible to live in faithfulness to these biblical imperatives when much of what we think we know is incorrect?

Like Jews, Christians and Muslims claim descent from Abraham. The three great monotheistic religions share many ideas and doctrines, beginning with their belief in the same God. Many Americans are surprised to learn that the Muslims pray to the same God as Christians and Jews. Allah is simply the Arabic word for God, just as Dieu is the French and Gott is the German word for God. In the Middle East today, 14-16 million indigenous, Arabic-speaking Christians direct their prayers to Allah.

Most Christians and Muslims have similar views on Gods revelatory activity through prophets. The Bible and the Quran convey similar things about angels and devils, the last judgment, heaven and hell. They also differ at crucial points, most notably the understandings about Gods activity in and through Jesus. The differences are real and profound.

For Christians, the similarities and differences with Muslims have important consequences for mission and witness as well as dialogue and cooperation on common concerns. However one approaches these concerns, the prospects for constructive encounter is linked directly to better, more accurate understanding. Now, perhaps more than ever, people of faith and goodwill need to make concerted efforts toward such understanding. The road is not blocked. There are ways to move forward.

A good place to begin is with study programs in churches and intentional dialogues with local Muslims. Such efforts can help to correct stereotypes and begin to put a human face on others with whom we share this increasingly fragile planet.