Many writers on Islam have tried to find one word that will best describe it. In my reading I have found different authors using numerous words such as “justice,” “sacrifice,” “submission,” and “community.” It is now apparent to me that the one word that best describes Islam is "fear."

One Moroccan scholar, Fatima Mersissi, used fear as her main theme when writing her book, Islam and Democracy: Fear of the Modern World . Seven of her ten chapter titles include the word fear. They are:

• Chapter one: “Fear of the Foreign West"
• Chapter two: "Fear of the Imam"
• Chapter three: "Fear of Democracy"
• Chapter six: "Fear of Freedom of Thought"
• Chapter seven: "Fear of the Individualism"
• Chapter eight: "Fear of the Past"
• Chapter Nine: "Fear of the Present"

In looking at several of these categories, it is plain that the average Muslim lives in fear. They have a great fear of Allah. He is not a loving god but one who rules with an iron fist. The Koran tells the readers that they should fear Allah. Not only do they fear their god but they are deathly afraid of eternal damnation. Their religion does not give much assurance of salvation. The only ones that are guaranteed a place in Heaven are those who die in a Jihad or those who die while on a pilgrimage to Mecca. They hope they will be allowed into Heaven, but there is no certainty. This is why Islam is the apex of a “works" religion. They must do all that the Koran tells them to do or they possibly will not go into Heaven.

There is a real fear of Hell. In Islam Hell is described in graphic terms. There are seven progressively worsening levels. Christians are going to be in the sixth hell. All Muslims who have not pleased God will also fall into Hell, but by the grace of Allah they can be brought out. It is true that, as Christians, we have a fiery Hell as a part of our theology, but we concentrate more on Heaven than Hell.

Muslims also fear the West and Christians. One of the laws in their legal system ( Shariah ) is the penalty for apostasy. If a Muslim ever converts to another religion or belief they are to be killed. They are given three days to change their minds. After this time of grace they are to be killed. This is carried out today in many Muslim countries.

At a recent conference for leading Islamic clerics, this topic was discussed. Some moderate leaders said that it should be God that punishes the one who leaves Islam. They said that Allah can send the person to Hell, saving man the responsibility. The final decision, however, was that the Koran does prescribe capital punishment for leaving Islam. The rule still stands.

It should be added that one reason those at the conference did not want to change the law was their fear that there would be a mass exodus from Islam.

Muslims have been taught to fear democracy. In Arabic it is one of the very few foreign words in the language. When Muslims hear the word, they feel that it is something against their culture. The fact that today democratic principles are having some success in the Islamic countries is practically a miracle.

Within Islam, there is also a fear of the West. The word for the West in Arabic is Gharb . This is their word for a place of darkness and the incomprehensible. They see our western world in a negative light, thus they fear both the people of the West and their religion, Christianity.

Almost all Muslims that I have met have a great amount of fear in their lives once you get past the outer layer. They often marvel at how we in the West can be so positive. This gives us great opportunity to tell them of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we can be assured of our salvation through our faith in Him.

Paul wrote to Timothy that “God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment,” 2 Timothy 1:7 (HCSB).

Let us, as Christians, do all we can to bring our Muslims brothers and sisters out of the darkness of fear into the light of love and hope.

*HOW ISLAM PLANS TO CHANGE THE WORLD can be purchased online by going to http://www.amazon.com .