Of late, the media has kept talking about a hectic missionary movement in Algeria, a fortress of Pan-Arabism and Islam. Algeria in the minds of young and old Arabs is associated with its struggle against French colonization. The spirit of Islam, the religion that orders its followers to fight injustice and reject surrender and subjugation, fueled the Algerian revolution. This is one of the eternal secrets of Islam. Father Zyommer was the first to float the idea of convening a general conference for Protestant missionaries to draw plans on how to spread the teachings of the Bible among Muslims. The idea was discussed at a meeting in the Indian town of Mysore; the site was symbolic because of the importance of the place to Muslims who had an Islamic college in Aligarh.
At the beginning of the 20th century, a missionary committee was set up and Lord Arthur Balfour who served as minister for Scotland affairs and foreign secretary was entrusted with chairing it. Balfour’s chairmanship and his strong enthusiasm for the creation of the Zionist entity which was shared by some British personalities known for their double-standards is a clear indication of the strong relationship between missionary activity and colonialism, whether this colonization is of Western or Jewish nature.
If colonialism in the past used missionaries to establish a foothold in Arab and Muslim countries, the situation today is the same as it was in the past. Differences among Muslims on side-issues may lead to wars between Muslim societies. This unjustified animosity and hatred would only worsen the social and economic conditions and pave the way for Christian missions to enter the scene as mediators between the warring Muslim factions. Medical teams sent by missionary societies is the best proof of how this could indeed happen. Let us not forget the story of the Muslim woman who was treated by missionaries at an Egyptian hospital and who was later sent to a Protestant school for girls in Cairo. The woman ended up believing that Jesus was God as claimed by Christians.
If Muslims, whether individuals or groups, government or private bodies, are keen on protecting their community from missionaries using advanced and clever methods, then they should seriously look at the relationship between Christianity as a faith and contemporary Western civilization. Western civilization has not given away its religious doctrine and motives based on the ecclesiastical interpretation of life. Muslims are required to project the true face of Islam, a religion of love, tolerance and peace and one which does not condone one-sided views held by some Islamic groups. It is this that provides the weapon with which Christian and political circles will fight Islam.
Arnold Toynbee speaks of two historical events during which, he said, Islam was the symbol of loftiness in Oriental society which triumphed over Western intruders. The first was during the reign of the righteous caliphs when Islam liberated Syria and Egypt from Greek control and continued for almost one thousand years. The second was during the reign of sultan Nududdin and sultan Salahuddin when Islam drove back the Crusaders and Moguls. Toynbee concludes that if the present situation in the world led to a racial war, Islam could move to play its historic role one again.
These are the words of a Western thinker written some 60 years ago. Will we ever learn the lesson from an enemy that is lying in ambush ready to attack us?
