The missionary movement in Muslim lands
حركة التبشير في بلاد الإسلام
Arslan's chapter on the missionary writer Samuel Zwemer reports the Christian missionary movement in Muslim lands as he reads it in Zwemer's book. He says a missionary conference in Cairo in 1906 brought together missionaries from dozens of societies in Europe and America, and that Zwemer saw the weakening of Muslim states after the First World War as an opening. Arslan reports the figures Zwemer gave for conversion in Africa and Asia, and notes that the societies had less success in the Arab lands than in India and Java. He replies that Muslims believe in the Gospel and the mission of Jesus, and that if the aim is to reach the unbelieving, the mission should go to pagans first. This describes what Arslan reports of the movement. The judgement about the intentions of its members is Arslan's, not the museum's.
At a glance
- Era
- The Colonial Era
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Overview
In the section "The missionary Zwemer and his fabrications", Shakib Arslan presents the Christian missionary movement in Muslim lands as he reads it from a book by the missionary Samuel Zwemer. 1
He mentions that a missionary conference was held in Cairo in 1906, attended by dozens of missionaries from European and American societies, and that the writer counted the period after the First World War as an opportunity to expand the work. He presents estimates of the results in Africa and Asia. 1
Arslan holds that the missionaries did not achieve in the Arab lands what they achieved in India and Java, and he replies that Muslims believe in the Gospel and the message of Jesus. His judgement on the intentions of the people of the movement is his own, not the museum's. 1
The figures and dates here are what Arslan reports from Zwemer, and they need a further source.
Sources
- Stoddard, Hadir al-ʿalam al-islami (Arabic translation with Arslan's commentary)
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “The missionary movement in Muslim lands”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/concept/missionary-movement-in-muslim-lands/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-10-17.