Who is your hero?

Muslim apologist Brother Rachid shared these thoughts with his Arabic-speaking audience in November 2024, outlining the differences between Western and Islamic cultures when it comes to the definition of a hero. Brother Rachid grew up as a Muslim in Morocco and left it all behind to follow Jesus. Let’s listen in . . . 

In Western culture, soldiers and firefighters are heroes because they may die in the process of saving others from death. Spiderman is an example of a cultural hero too.  

The West’s concept of a hero comes from its Judeo-Christian culture and view of a savior. Perhaps the greatest savior in the Old Testament was Moses, who rescued an entire people from slavery. He sacrificed himself, his comfort, and his luxurious life in the Pharaoh's palace to save his people.  

In Christianity and the New Testament, the hero is Christ — the one who sacrificed Himself and died so that His followers might live.  

But what about Muslim cultures?  

We do not have the concept of a savior or redeemer. What matters is that you destroy your enemy, even if it means destroying yourself and your people in the process. 

For example, did Bin Laden save any people, even Muslims? No, of course not. But he is a hero to many. Why? Because he harmed America, their enemy.  

Did Hassan Nasrallah [the recently killed leader of Hezbollah] save the Lebanese people? No, not at all. But he is a hero to many. Why? Because he inflicted damage on their enemy, Israel.  

The same for Yahya Ibrahim Hassan Sinwar [former leader of Hamas in Gaza, who was killed in late 2024 by Israeli strikes]. Did he save His people? No, of course, he did not save them. Rather, he caused their destruction and ruin. Yet he is a hero in the eyes of many. Why? Because he inflicted harm on the Jews.  

What matters to Muslims is the destruction of the “other” — even at the cost of complete devastation to themselves. Be assured: A society that celebrates killing and makes such individuals heroes will produce more of them.  

Therefore, if you want to know the future of any people, look at who their heroes are today. Our heroes in the Middle East do not tend to be doctors who find vaccines and medicines to save humanity. They do not tend to be inventors who advance humanity and solve its problems. Our greatest heroes are merely advocates of destruction.  

This is how the entire value system is turned upside down. We need to deconstruct the concept of a hero and heroism among us as Arabic-speakers, so that we can understand who the true Hero is. 

Please pray for how insidiously this idea of heroism underpins Islamic cultures the world over. Join us in praying that as Brother Rachid and others speak the truth of the gospel, many, many Muslims will find their hearts turned toward the Prince of Peace. And please sign up for our newsletter to stay in touch and learn more about how the gospel is touching the Muslim world.