The Crisis Within Islam
In the light of yet another attempt to blow up an airplane and therefore murder hundreds of passengers in cold blood, the more thoughtful members of the Islamic community are asking some hard questions. A particularly thoughtful piece appeared in a British newspaper on New Year’s Eve under the heading “The voice of Islamic tolerance is rarely heard on campus”. The author was Usama Hasan, a university lecturer and Iman. The basic picture that he painted in his article depicted the domination of the university Islamic scene by forms of fundamentalism that have “lost their moral bearings completely”. He notes that all the varieties of fundamentalist groupings agree “…on the objective of a single, worldwide caliphate governed by a strict interpretation of Islamic law, and most were opposed to democracy or secularism.”
He points out that this development is partly the result of the natural radical outlook of the young who are easily (and rightly) inflamed by perceived injustices but it is also the result of an inability to integrate within western societies which often present traditional Muslims with the alternatives of the rabid secularization of their own faith or withdrawal. The first alternative does not necessarily produce well rounded citizens so much as citizens who simple adopt the worst aspects of Western secular life which often features greed, consumerism and individualism. The second alternative – withdrawal from mainstream society, carries the potential to produce radicalization of the caliphate kind. It’s a long and thoughtful article although the solutions that he offers are not particularly convincing.
It seems to me that Christians have a particular responsibility to reach out to an Islam in crisis. We know what it is like to come under the pressure of secular world views and to face the same agonizing choice of accommodation or withdrawal. Gradually, and it is gradually, Christians from the thoughtful evangelical wing of the church have begun to work out what it might look like to be “in the world but not of the world”.
I don’t mean by this that Christians should target Muslims for evangelisation, that is not in the first place the issue. Some Muslims are becoming Christians and in increasing numbers in many parts of the world. In part this is because the idea of a worldwide caliphate under strict Islamic law has been experienced by many Muslims and, like the Puritan regime, of 17th century England found to be thoroughly objectionable. Others have not experienced such ideas first hand but have been able to observe them and are looking elsewhere.
We need to make significant efforts to build friendships. This is not easy to do, not the least because the gender segregated dimension of traditional Muslim life makes it very hard for Christians who operate more as integrated communities of men and women to connect. We do not have ready made opportunities for social engagement on a socially segregated basis. But difficult as it might be it is an important dimension of our call to reconciliation. I love the story of Pope John 23rd who made a first historic visit to Turkey. It was a huge occasion and every dignitary who could be present was present. In the midst of the various formal introductions, Pope John took the hand of the leading Muslim clergyman and said, “I am John, I am your brother.” With these simple words, centuries of hatred and mistrust were bridged.