“We should perhaps be a little less fearful of Islam.”
These words from Pope Leo XIV, spoken during his April 2026 visit to Algeria, sparked immediate debate across the Christian world. For many Western believers, the statement sounded reasonable — even enlightened. For Christians living under Islamic rule, it may have sounded naïve — or worse, dismissive of their daily reality.
So what does the Bible say? Should Christians fear Islam? At Higher Praise, we believe this question deserves a careful, Scripture-based answer that neither capitulates to political correctness nor descends into fear-mongering.
The Statistics Are Sobering
Before addressing theology, we must acknowledge reality. According to Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List, 388 million Christians now face high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith. That represents one in seven Christians worldwide — including one in five believers in Africa and two in five in Asia.
The numbers are stark. During the most recent reporting period, 4,849 Christians were killed for their faith. A staggering 93 percent of those deaths occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, with Nigeria alone accounting for 3,490 martyrdoms. Open Doors identifies “Islamic oppression” as one of the top drivers of persecution across the globe.
Among the 15 nations where persecution reaches “extreme” levels, the majority are Muslim-majority countries: Somalia, Libya, Yemen, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Mali, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan all appear on the list. Syria, following the fall of the Assad regime and the establishment of Islamic jurisprudence in the transitional constitution, jumped from number 18 to number 6 in just one year.
Even Algeria — the country where Pope Leo made his remarks — ranks number 20 on the World Watch List. Open Doors notes that Algerian Christians have been “driven underground by surveillance and crippling regulations.” Courts have imprisoned believers for “unauthorised worship” and “offence to Islam.”
This is the context in which the Pope urged less fear of Islam. For millions of Christians, fear is not an abstract theological concept but a daily survival instinct.
What Kind of Fear Are We Talking About?
The Bible uses the word “fear” in multiple ways, and distinguishing between them is essential.
First, there is the fear of the Lord — a reverent awe that Scripture commends. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). This fear produces obedience, worship, and holy living. It is entirely good.
Second, there is sinful fear — the kind that causes us to shrink back from obedience, deny Christ, or compromise truth. Jesus warned against this: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). This fear must be conquered by faith.
Third, there is prudent fear — a reasonable caution in the face of genuine danger. Jesus Himself instructed His disciples: “When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another” (Matthew 10:23). Wisdom acknowledges real threats and responds appropriately.
When Pope Leo urges Christians to be “less fearful of Islam,” which fear does he mean? If he means sinful fear that leads to hatred, prejudice, or refusal to love Muslim neighbours, he is right. If he means prudent fear that acknowledges the reality of persecution, his counsel requires qualification.
The Bible on Facing Hostile Powers
Scripture provides abundant guidance for believers living under hostile systems.
Daniel served faithfully in Babylon and later Persia — pagan empires that did not acknowledge the God of Israel. He rose to high office, earned respect from kings, and demonstrated integrity. Yet Daniel never compromised his worship. When prayer to any god but the king was forbidden, Daniel “went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before” (Daniel 6:10).
Daniel’s posture combined boldness with wisdom. He did not provoke conflict unnecessarily, but neither did he hide his faith. When the test came, he accepted the lion’s den rather than deny his Lord.
The apostles demonstrated similar courage. When the Sanhedrin commanded them to stop preaching about Jesus, Peter and John replied: “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20). Later, after being flogged, they rejoiced “because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (Acts 5:41).
Paul wrote from prison: “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). Fear that paralyses faith is not from God. But courage does not mean foolishness, and boldness does not mean recklessness.
Loving Muslims While Rejecting Islam
Here lies the crucial distinction that many miss — and that Pope Leo’s statement risks obscuring.
Christians are commanded to love Muslims. Every Muslim is made in God’s image, loved by God, and someone for whom Christ died. Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). This command applies even when — especially when — we face hostility.
However, loving Muslims does not require accepting Islam as a valid path to God. These are entirely different things. We can love people while believing their worldview is mistaken. Indeed, true love requires honesty. If we believe Jesus is “the way and the truth and the life” and that “no one comes to the Father except through” Him (John 14:6), then sharing that truth with Muslims is the most loving thing we can do.
The Higher Praise community affirms both realities: we love Muslim people as neighbours and potential brothers and sisters in Christ, and we reject Islam as a system that denies the deity of Jesus, the Trinity, and salvation by grace through faith.
The Reality of Spiritual Conflict
Beyond statistics and theology, Christians must acknowledge a spiritual dimension to this question.
Paul wrote: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). Our battle is not ultimately against Muslims but against the spiritual deception that holds them captive.
Islam explicitly denies the core claims of the gospel: that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died on the cross for our sins, and that He rose again. The Quran calls the Trinity blasphemy and claims Christians have corrupted their Scriptures. These are not minor disagreements; they concern the very heart of salvation.
John wrote: “Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist — denying the Father and the Son” (1 John 2:22). Any system that systematically denies Christ’s deity operates in opposition to the gospel. This is not hatred; it is discernment.
Should Christians fear Islam in this spiritual sense? Yes — in the sense that we take seriously any worldview that leads people away from Christ. We should fear for the souls of those trapped in spiritual darkness, and we should work urgently to bring them the light.
A Higher Praise Perspective
At Higher Praise, we believe the biblical response to Islam involves four commitments:
First, we commit to love. Every Muslim we meet deserves kindness, respect, and genuine friendship. We reject prejudice, stereotypes, and hatred. We remember that many Muslims are themselves victims of Islamic extremism — and that more Muslims are coming to faith in Jesus today than at any other point in history.
Second, we commit to truth. We refuse to pretend that Christianity and Islam are equally valid paths to God. They are not. We will not compromise the gospel for the sake of interfaith harmony. We speak truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), but we do speak it.
Third, we commit to prayer. We pray for the persecuted church around the world — for courage, for protection, and for the gospel to advance even in hostile places. We pray for Muslims to encounter Jesus through dreams, visions, and the witness of faithful believers. We pray for our own hearts to be free from both hatred and cowardice.
Fourth, we commit to courage. We will not be silenced by cultural pressure or accusations of intolerance. The gospel is offensive to those who are perishing (1 Corinthians 1:18), and we accept that offence as the cost of faithfulness. We would rather be faithful and unpopular than compromised and celebrated.
Conclusion
Should Christians fear Islam? The biblical answer is nuanced.
We should not fear Muslims as people — they are our neighbours, and we are commanded to love them.
We should not fear persecution with a cowardly fear that leads us to deny Christ — “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body” (Matthew 10:28).
We should exercise prudent wisdom that acknowledges real dangers — Jesus Himself sometimes withdrew from hostile crowds.
We should take seriously the spiritual reality that Islam is a system opposed to the gospel — and respond with prayer, witness, and urgency.
And above all, we should fear God more than we fear anything else. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). When we fear God properly, all other fears fall into proper perspective.
Pope Leo XIV may be right that some Western Christians carry unhelpful fear toward Islam — fear rooted in ignorance or prejudice rather than biblical conviction. But for the 388 million believers facing persecution today, the answer is not less fear. It is greater faith — faith that trusts God even in the lion’s den, faith that speaks boldly even before hostile councils, faith that loves enemies and prays for persecutors.
That is the faith the Higher Praise community seeks to cultivate. May God grant it to all who name the name of Christ.
FAQ — People Also Ask
What does the Bible say about Islam? The Bible was completed centuries before Islam emerged in the 7th century AD, so it does not mention Islam directly. However, Scripture warns about false prophets (Matthew 7:15), false gospels (Galatians 1:8), and any teaching that denies Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 2:22-23). Since Islam explicitly denies Christ’s deity, the Trinity, and salvation through the cross, Christians view it as a system opposed to the biblical gospel.
How many Christians are persecuted for their faith? According to Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List, 388 million Christians face high levels of persecution and discrimination worldwide. This represents one in seven Christians globally, including one in five believers in Africa and two in five in Asia. During the most recent reporting period, 4,849 Christians were killed for their faith.
Which countries persecute Christians the most? The top 10 most dangerous countries for Christians in 2026 include North Korea, Somalia, Eritrea, Sudan, Libya, Syria, Nigeria, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Islamic oppression is a primary driver of persecution in most of these nations. Nigeria alone accounts for over 3,400 Christian deaths annually.
Should Christians be friends with Muslims? Yes. Jesus commands us to love our neighbours (Matthew 22:39), and many Muslims make wonderful friends and neighbours. Christians should build genuine relationships with Muslims, show Christ’s love through practical care, and share the gospel when opportunities arise. Loving Muslims is different from accepting Islam as true.
Is it wrong to criticise Islam? Criticising a belief system is not the same as hating its adherents. Christians can respectfully disagree with Islamic theology while treating Muslims with dignity and love. The gospel itself critiques all human attempts to earn salvation through works — Islam included. Speaking truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) requires honest engagement with what people believe.
Are Christians called to fear God or not fear? Both. The Bible distinguishes between different types of fear. The “fear of the Lord” — reverent awe and obedience — is commended as the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). Cowardly fear that leads to compromise or denial of Christ is condemned (Matthew 10:28). Prudent caution in the face of danger is wisdom (Matthew 10:23). Context determines which fear is appropriate.
What should Christians do about persecution? Christians are called to pray for the persecuted church (Hebrews 13:3), support them practically where possible, speak out against injustice, and remember that suffering for Christ is part of the Christian calling (Philippians 1:29). Organisations like Open Doors, Voice of the Martyrs, and others provide resources for prayer and support.