The convention has faced strong criticism in the United States in the past, when it called for prayers on the holy days of Jews and Hindus

The head of the convention, James Merritt, called on Baptists to unite in prayer for Muslims to try to bring Christ to the world's Muslims because they were lost without him.

He said God had been moving powerfully all over the world since 11 September and Christians should plead with God on the behalf of Muslims.

'Free country'

He said the last day of Ramadan was appropriate because that was the day when Moslems believe God speaks to them - and in previous years they have seen many converting to Christianity.

The convention has faced strong criticism in the United States in the past, when it called for prayers on the holy days of Jews and Hindus.

An official with the American-Islamic association said this week that it was a free country and that people could pray for whoever they liked.

He said he would only object if they actively went out and, for example, laid hands on a mosque in an effort to convert all those inside.

In recent years the Southern Baptist Convention has adopted an increasingly conservative and literal interpretation of the Bible - last year former US President Jimmy Carter announced he was severing ties with the organisation, saying that part of its increasingly rigid doctrines violated the basic premises of his Christian faith.

Yet the convention still wields considerable influence in the United States as the second largest Christian church, and its members say they believe their prayers will extend God's love to people who need it.