A Christian response to Islam?

An acquaintance of mine has expressed concern over the perceived islamification of Bradford having been talking with another friend of mine....
"he said that he thinks that Islam is a great religion and that it would be good for the Muslims to buy the building and turn it into a mosque because Bradford is now an Islamic city. I felt too shocked and upset to say much because I feel that I, and other Christians, should be working hard towards getting Bradford back to the Christian City that it used to be and to saving people involved in Islam so that they can have a relationship with Jesus."

Here's my anonymized reply:
I think that there are a handful of issues raised by your
encounter and reaction to it. I'll try to deal with the ones that I
can see. .. the first thing to say is that his opinion is not necessarily binding on anyone else and, on this point, does not reflect mine.

... I would like to address an issue of 'tactics' with regard to Islam. Bradford an Islamic city? That's an exagerration but it is true that inner Bradford is in some areas majority Muslim by background [now practice is another thing -as in the so-called Christian community]. Was it ever a Christian city? Hard to say but I would say that capitalism was its biggest 'religion' with civil Christianity coming second.

He's right, I think, that we should accept that things are as they are, in the sense that it's no good wishing they were otherwise because that won't change anything, and because we have to plan on the basis of what is and may be, not on the basis of wistful hopes. So, if Muslims did want to buy the building, what should we do? No good refusing [doubtful that it would be legal anyway as a charity is bound by law to get the best price for sale of assets] as at best that just sets them looking elsewhere and the forces that lead to them seeking acquisition [growing numbers etc] are still there.

So what are we to do as Christians? First I think that we need to recognize some facts; so far large investment in mission amongst Muslims [and other modern religions] has not made a major dent, I don't see any reason why that should change soon barring a move of God of unprecedented nature [and that is by its nature unpredictable -an act of God, if you will].

Next, the birthrate amongst Muslims means that in Bradford proportionally numbers of people from a Muslim background will continue to increase. Many 'Muslims' are only that in name, but the name is enough to keep them attached to the Muslim religion even if
they do not meaningfully practice, it also acts as a barrier to the gospel by the same token.

So, I conclude that we have to plan for a long campaign; pray for the barriers to hearing the gospel to decay or be broken down and to put ourselves in the way of fulfilling the possibility of gospel things happening. This includes making sure that we are good news and that our manner and tactics are consistent with the gospel. In particular I think that this means treating others as we would ourselves be treated -including people who deny the gospel, it means working for the welfare fo the city even if it is not-particularly Christian. It certainly means being good neighbours and learning to speak the truth in love. It means being patient knowing that it may be a long time before the fruit can be borne. It means recognizing that we can win the argument but lose the person.

My personal thought too is that actually religion is a barrier and we need to consider how the good news about Jesus might become incarnate in a Muslim culture. Is there a possibility of 'Muslims for Jesus', for example? 'Muslim' means 'submitted to God', I would say, in some ways I am a muslim in Christ ...

I think that if there is 'competition' between religions' I would like for us to engage in the competition in terms of holiness, righteousness and love.