Six days after the destruction of the world trade center towers, President Bush visited the Islamic Center in Washington "to denounce incidents of prejudice against Muslim Americans." He was attempting to defuse the national outrage against the attackers and prevent a violent backlash against Muslims living in America.

Since then, government leaders and the media have worked hard at establishing in our minds that most Muslims are peace-loving and the terrorists are fringe extremists.

But the line between the two remains very blurred. "Unfortunately, it is not so easy to find Muslim leaders who have genuinely renounced violent jihad and any intention, now or in the future, to impose Sharia (Muslim Law) on non-Muslim countries," writes Robert Spencer, author of several books on Islam. 

In an article on HumanEvents.com, Spencer points out that the situation is complicated by some basic Islamic doctrines of religious deception. Based on Bukhari`s translation of the Hadith, Muhammad is quoted as saying, "War is deceit." Two suras (chapters) of the Qur`an (3:28 and 16:106) seem to support this idea of speaking a lie while holding the truth "in your heart."

When cornered, they will claim that those verses only apply to situations where the speaker will be harmed if he tells the truth. However, there are plenty of current incidents where the "jihadists" used deception to carry out an act of war.  The destruction of the trade towers is a classic example.  The terrorists lied to get into the country, lied about their pilot training, lied to get onto the planes, and lied to the crew to overcome them. They saw themselves in a war and used deceit at every turn.

So where are the "moderates?" They are mostly caught between the extremists and the Qur`an. Author Mohammad Al Ghazoli, in Christ, Muhammad and I, writes: "The god of Muhammad, in accordance with the Qur`an, is a god of cruelty and deception.... The Qur`an describes Allah: 'The deceiver, and Allah also deceived them... You deceive, but Allah is the best of all deceivers.`" Ghazoli, page 176)

Spencer describes one of America`s favorite "moderates," Imam Siraj Wahaj. He is in great demand as a featured speaker at mosques as well as universities.  He was the first Muslim to give an invocation in the U.S. Congress in 1991.

After 9/11 he told America what we wanted to hear: "I now feel responsible to preach, actually to go on a jihad against extremism."

But he has also warned that the U.S. will fall unless it "accepts the Islamic agenda," and complained: "if only Muslims were clever politically, they could take over the United States and replace its constitutional government with a caliphate." (A Muslim type government.)

It is obvious from these quotes that his idea of "moderate" still includes world conquest by Islam.  And since his holy book stipulates that infidels must be killed if they do not convert, we must be suspicious of his definition of "moderate," especially since his holy book also allows him to use deception in conquering the world.

Ghazoli was, for most of his life, a Muslim working at the top of the Arabic publishing industry.  But since a child, something about Islam did not add up. Finally, near the end of his life, someone put a Bible in his hands and said, "Read!"

He opened it and was immediately captivated by this story of a God who instructed man to love his enemies instead of killing them.  In this Holy Book (Bible) he found that he could have forgiveness for his sins and assurance of heaven.

In his life he had written many books, so he proceeded to write another one in Arabic to his people showing the contrast between Allah and Jehovah, between Jesus and Muhammad. Ghazoli describes Muhammad as a violent, ruthless, womanizer subject to fits of revelation designed primarily to vindicate his lust and tyranny.
But the Jesus Ghazoli found was instead a gracious Saviour who actually gave His life for all the sins of man.

Later, Christ, Muhammad and I was translated into English and is a must-read for soul winners who witness to Muslims.

Islam, under the deceptive label of "moderate," is firmly committed to ruling the world.  The only force that can stop it is the gospel. Fortunately, the average Muslim is confused by the contradictions in the Qur`an. He is usually open to a gentle effort to help him see the beauty of salvation bought by a loving Saviour.

If we are going to stop this hellish war that uses girls equipped with remote-controlled bombs to blow up crowded markets, we must get busy leading them to our loving Saviour.