Girl Scouts can now earn awards for learning about Islam, practicing Muslim traditions and even introducing non-Muslim friends to Islamic practices.

The National Islamic Committee on Girl Scouting has developed four religious awards for Muslim Girl Scouts. The medals themselves bear the words, “GIRL SCOUT OF THE ISLAMIC FAITH.”

They are named “Bismillah,” “In the Name of Allah,” “Qurat ul A’in” and “Muslimeen.” According to the committee, the awards emphasize the “theory and practice of Islam.”

Other Islamic programs available to Girl Scouts include patches connected with Ramadan and special times of prayer. The National Islamic Committee on Girl Scouting even offers a Hajj patch and “Hajj Passport” for learning about the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca.

Another program yet offers an “All About Islam” patch. Requirements reportedly include learning about the Five Pillars of Islam and an option of fasting without food or water for Ramadan.

While all of these patches are designed to teach Muslim girls about their own religion, Muslim Girl Scout troops decided they needed to take it a step further.

One patch is focused on outreach to non-Muslims and is called “Share Ramadan With a Friend.”

The requirements for this patch include Girl Scouts inviting a non-Muslim friend to an iftar, the evening meal that breaks the daily fast during Ramadan. At the meal, they are required to explain the significance of the Muslim observance to their friend.

Other options for the patch include taking a non-Muslim friend to a mosque, explaining the dress code, and inviting her to observe salah, the Islamic ritual prayer.

One Girl Scout troop based at the SALAM mosque in Sacramento, California, hosted an event for the “broader Girl Scout community.” The event included a hijab photo booth and modesty lessons, as well as an informational booth about Palestine.

Mosque-based Girl Scout programs are present in California, Illinois, New York, Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C. to name a few.

According to one investigative reporter, the programs are “embedding prayer, hijab rules, Ramadan, Islamic education and mosque outreach into Girl Scouting.”

Muslim involvement in Girl Scouting isn't entirely new. According to reports, nearly a dozen predominantly Muslim Girl Scout troops were formed in Minneapolis following deliberate outreach by Girl Scouts to Muslim families in 2007 alone. The numbers have only grown since then.

Girl Scouts of the USA says that it “is not a religious organization and does not teach religion.” The organization also pointed out that the Islamic awards were developed by independent religious organizations, not Girl Scouts of the USA itself.

However, the Islamic programs, and the Girl Scout patches awarded, are operating under the umbrella of Girl Scouting.

Muslims clearly understand the importance of teaching their children what they believe.

As Christian parents, we should be even more determined to teach our children the truth of God's words and prepare them to share the gospel.

Chick tracts and comic books are great tools that serve this need. By giving children a variety of tracts and comic books, they can read the gospel for themselves in a format they understand, learn how to explain salvation to others, and learn from examples of Christians boldly standing for Jesus Christ.

They’ll also see how easy it is to share the gospel by giving tracts to a friend, classmate, or neighbor. The more they practice this simple form of outreach, the more they’ll learn how to incorporate sharing the gospel as a normal part of the Christian life.

Muslims are training the next generation to share Islam. Are we training the next generation to share Jesus Christ?

It’s happening . . . oh, so slowly.