By now you may have seen video from this past Friday of thousands of Muslims gathered in prayer on their knees inside New York City’s Washington Square Park.
According to reports, the occasion was to mark Eid al-Fitr, also known as the “Festival of Breaking the Fast” – a three-day holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, a 30-day Islamic event remembering when Muhammad supposedly received the first revelation of the Quran.
In the video, you can hear those gathered reciting something called the Takbir, an Islamic declaration boasting about the primacy and exclusivity of Allah.
Muslims in New York City is not a new phenomenon, but the number of those who espouse the Islamic faith has grown exponentially in recent decades. It’s estimated there were somewhere between 100,000 and 200,000 in the latter part of the last century in the metropolitan area and an estimated 1.5 million today.
While Christians and Muslims violently clashed throughout the Crusades between the 11th and 13th centuries, for a long time there’s been a general sense of peaceful co-existence, cooperation and even interfaith dialogue in official channels.
Islamic terrorists and their sympathizers have been a whole other story, of course. From the thousands of Americans killed on September 11, 2001 to the Boston Marathon attack in 2013 and numerous other jihad-inspired tragedies, the public has been understandably on edge.
Recent protests and counterprotests have proven to be volatile and violent. Earlier this month, and just 6 miles from Washington Square Park, two ISIS-inspired terrorists tossed bombs made up of bolts and screws into a group protesting what they called the “Islamic Takeover of New York City.”
While there are still more churches being built in the United States than mosques, the significant growth of the latter reflects a changing tide driven by immigration, a lack of assimilation, and geopolitical issues.
Islam may recognize Jesus as a prophet, but it does not recognize Him as the divine son of God. As such, while Christians have peacefully co-existed with Muslims, the two faiths are fundamentally at odds.
History has demonstrated that culture suffers when Christian influence declines. Morality becomes more relative. Divorce goes up and family health goes down. The birthrate declines, too. Community and social cohesiveness take a hit. Public policies are more likely to be radical and liberal.
In video from Friday’s Washington Square Park event, the famed Washington Arch is visible. Constructed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of George Washington’s inauguration, there’s an inscription at the top – a quote from our first president:
“Let us raise a standard to which the wise and the honest can repair. The event is in the hand of God.”
This sentiment comes from a letter/message that then General Washington wrote in 1775. Foreseeing the coming war for independence with Great Britain, he was attempting to steady and prepare the colonists – and reminding them that man is responsible for his actions, but God is sovereign and in full control.
That’s a timeless and wise reminder, especially in a pluralistic nation like America. Few would foresee and certainly not welcome a coming war with those who claim Islamic faith. But as Christians, we do have a responsibility and even opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with those who pray to Allah – especially those whose paths we may cross.
I have a colleague here at Focus on the Family whose family has befriended a Muslim refugee family. His wife has taught the husband’s wife how to drive and even gifted them their old car. They are careful with what they say and how they say it knowing the sensitivities of the culture, but good things have unfolded over the years of their friendship. They make their evangelical faith evident and obvious.
Has this Muslim family converted to Christianity? No – not yet.
There is a lot more to study and discuss regarding this subject. What we saw in Washington Square Park is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg,
For now, as Christians, we should be, in the words of Washington, raising the standard when it comes to our witness and outreach. We should be praying fervently for our country, our leaders, and for those who have not yet confessed their sins and put their faith fully in Jesus Christ.
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