In St. Francis of Assisi and the Conversion of the Muslims, Frank Rega recounts the fateful journey of the Seraphic Saint and his friar-brother Illuminatus of Arce to al-Kamil, the Sultan of the Ayyubid Sultanate of Egypt. St. Francis was inspired to accompany the Fifth Crusade—not to fight, but rather to preach and convert the Muslims or die trying. Long considered a most singular event in Christian history, this is just one more magnificent gem in the life of one of the most glorious saints of the tradition. Francis's daring venture is here recounted, based on the historical sources, for today's generation of Christians. In addition, included is a brief overview of some of the other high points of St. Francis's career.
Francis's mission was one not foreign to our own time, and well-needed in the age when Western secularism threatens to cede all religion in Europe and the West to Islam. St. Francis's example of peaceful, meek preaching to convert the followers of Mohammed to the one true faith is exactly what is needed in our own time. Neither a warring crusade of political ambition, nor a false ecumenism of acquiescence and indifferentism, but a bold and simple apostolic zeal is what holy Francis exhorts us to, after his own example, from across the ages. Let us not fail to heed the call of him who was soaked in Divine Charity.