Page:The young Moslem looks at life (1937).djvu/88

 Moslems who have been brought under Christian influence sometimes show the keenest spiritual insight in regard to prayer. One Moslem girl some years ago in the Isabella Thoburn College in Lucknow had been deeply impressed by the addresses she had heard in a series of meetings held for the students. In her heart she had been won for Christ, but she felt she could not take the final step of accepting him for fear of her family. At the close of one of the meetings she arose and told her story, and asked that those present should pray for her, that she might be helped through this time of testing. She closed her remarks by asking the congregation to sing her favorite Christian hymn, "In the hour of trial, Jesus, plead for me." A very fitting hymn for such a troubled soul and a striking confession for a Moslem to admit that she had a favorite Christian hymn! Given a chance the follower of Mohammed can appreciate the depth and reality of the spiritual meaning of prayer as well as anyone.

But granted that the Moslem may be sincere in prayer* as he understands it, the question still remains, Is he right, or has he missed the real point of communion with God and higher values which prayer has to offer? Has he perhaps set up a mechanical substitute for the real thing? And yet there are some things of real value that can be learned from the Moslem about prayer, if we are sufficiently humble and willing to learn. He is certainly to be commended for his belief in the value of prayer, for his belief that God

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