Genesis 17:18-20 — And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

I do not seek, in any way, to be controversial in these devotional pieces. I was not happy today to find I was burdened by the convergence of recent events in the Middle East and Muslim Bible day,today, and the anniversary on the “9/11” attacks on the USA. The convergence makes me feel a need to write about the mission to Islam.
Formally, Islam had its foundation some six hundred years after the time of Christ, with the birth of Muhammad. In its doctrine it looks back to Adam, Abraham, Abraham’s son Ishmael who was the patriarch of the Islamic tribes, Moses, David and even Jesus — and Muslims believe that the greatest of all the prophets, greater than all of these, is Muhammad.
There are more than a billion followers of Islam in the world today. The best available evidence suggests that at most a few thousand are actively involved in attacking Christian communities (though they have the tacit support of millions).
It’s important to understand that the vast majority of Muslims are not “the enemy”. In fact most Muslims are seeking to live decent peaceful lives focused around the “Five pillars of Islam”:
–Shahadah: declaring there is no god except God, and Muhammad is God’s Messenger,
— Salat: ritual prayer five times a day,
— Zakat: giving 2.5% of one’s savings to the poor and needy,
— Sawm: fasting and self-control during the holy month of Ramadan,
— Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime if one is able.
The majority of Muslims are trying to live good lives … so who is the enemy?
Let me divert for a moment. Ishmael was Abraham’s first son, and he longed for him to “live before God” — that is to be redeemed, to be saved. But what did God promise? He promised that Ishmael would be blessed indeed — fruitful, and the father of twelve nations just like Isaac. But there is a crucial difference — Isaac’s blessing was spiritual …Ishmael’s material.
Herein lies the problem. Just like many Christians — and many believers — Muslims seek to ensure their future by their own efforts in the world. … So who is the enemy?
We share a common enemy. The enemy is the one who seeks to convince us all that salvation lies in our own hands. That’s the point of Muslim Bible Day. We have to share the truth of where salvation lies, and of who it is can defeat the real enemy. If you can, please help.

(I know that for many people this is a difficult, emotional issue – especially in the context of 9/11 and the horrific recent activities of ISIS. You will know that I approached this prayerfully. For more background, here’s a great resource —
Muslim Bible Day Bible Study