comparative religions€¦ · "the same religion has he established for you as that which he...

H O U R 2

COMPARATIVE

RELIGIONS

REVIEW: WHAT IS ISLAM?

Allah• A contraction of al- ‘illah (“The God”)

Muslim:• “One who submits to Allah”

Islam:• “Peace”, “Submission to Allah”

Peace can be found by remembering to submit to the will of Allah

(Does this kind of sound familiar?)

THE STORY OF ISLAM:

WHERE DOES IT BEGIN?

Genesis

• Qur’an mentions the Adam & Eve story. • But doesn’t mention “Eve” by name, • Nor as being from Adams rib (just created by Allah)

Creation in Six Days Origins of Humanity

THE STORY OF ISLAM:

WHERE DOES IT BEGIN?

Qur’an & GenesisDo you see another difference?

By deceit he [Satan] brought them to their fall: when they tasted the tree, their shame became manifest to them and they began to sew together the leaves of the Garden over their bodies.

And their Lord called unto them: “Did I not forbid you that tree and tell you that Satan was your avowed enemy?”

They said: “Our Lord we have wronged our own souls and if You forgive us not and bestow not upon us Your mercy, we shall certainly be lost.

- The Holy Qur’an 7:22-23

Eve wasn’t the one who convinced Adam to eat the fruit.

REVIEW: ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS

The Shared Big Picture

• With God all is perfect, good, and loving.

• We are (or can be) estranged from God.

• Life is about returning to ideal relationship w/ God.

Biggest (?) difference is how the religions interpret…

1. what it means to be “estranged” from God,

2. and on how to find our “way” back to God.

THE STORY OF ISLAM:

HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT GOD WANTS?

Revelations to Various Prophets & Messengers (~25)

Can you name any?

All are mentioned in the Qur’an.

Adam Noah Abraham

Moses

(Torah)

David

(Psalms)

Jesus

(Gospel)

THE STORY OF ISLAM:



"Mankind is a single nation. So Allah raised prophets as bearers of good news and as warners. . ." (The Holy Qur’an 2:213)

"And those who believe in Allah and His messengers and make no distinction between any of them (in belief), to them He will grant their rewards." (The Holy Qur’an 4:152)

THE STORY OF ISLAM:



"The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah—the which We have sent by inspiration to thee—and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: Namely, that ye should remain steadfast in religion, and make no divisions therein:. (The Holy Qur’an 42:13)

THE STORY OF ISLAM:


The Holy Qur’an

Part I: What is it? Where did it come from?

• Sacred text Written in Heaven.

• Contains 114 surahs (chapters)

• Almost size of New Testament.

• God’s last & ultimate word

• Revealed to the Prophet Mohammedin the 7th Century in Arabic.

• “Untranslatable” to any other language.

THE STORY OF ISLAM:


The Prophet Mohammed

(570 CE-632 CE)

“Peace be Unto Him”

• So revered, name often followed by “PBUH”.

• Also used with other prophets.

Imagery

• Nothing in Qur’an forbids it, but avoided on principle to avoid idolatry.

THE STORY OF ISLAM:



(570 CE-632 CE)

• Born in Mecca (Saudi Arabia).

• Orphaned at age 6, raised by uncle.

• Was a great governor of men: bringing people together.

• Was a gentle, loving man, not a miracle worker.

• Except for the miracle of the Qur’an.

• The Seal of the Prophets

• While other prophets before him, none will come after him.

THE STORY OF ISLAM:



Born in chaotic, tribal culture.

THE STORY OF ISLAM:



Culture contained Judaism, Christianity,

but Animistic Polytheism dominated.

Kaaba

THE STORY OF ISLAM:



Preparation for Prophecy

• Was a merchant in Mecca.

• At age 25 he married widow, Khadija (she was 40)

• As a manager of her business, had more time to reflect on life.

• Over time grew more and more worried about tribal conflict and unrest.

THE STORY OF ISLAM:



Studied, Discussed, Meditated in Mountain Cave of Hira

Became convinced:

Allah is the only God.

THE STORY OF ISLAM:



610 CE

“Proclaim in the name of your Lord who created man from blood coagulated! Proclaim: your Lord is wondrous kind, Who

teaches by the pen, Things men knew not, being blind”

THE STORY OF ISLAM:



Qur’an revealed to him over the next 23 years!

La ilaha illa ‘llah. (There is no god but God!)

The unity of Allah was key.

THE STORY OF ISLAM:



How was his message first received?

Kaaba

NOT Well Received…

• Threatening to polytheistic beliefs.

• Threatening to the tourism trade, since Mecca had lots of shrines.

• Disliked by the rich who didn’t want to “give to the poor.”

THE STORY OF ISLAM:



Slowly Building a Following

THE STORY OF ISLAM:



622 CE: Yathrib (280 miles away) Requests Help

THE STORY OF ISLAM:



The Hijra (Migration)

Exodus out of Mecca to Yathrib, renamed Medina.

(“City of the Prophet”)

THE STORY OF ISLAM:



Avoiding an Ambush

THE STORY OF ISLAM:



Preaching & Governing in Medina

THE STORY OF ISLAM:



629 CE: Pilgrimage Back to Mecca

THE SPREAD OF ISLAM

THE HEART OF ISLAM

The Holy Qur’an

Part II: The Standing Miracle

• Qur’an: “recitation”

• Mohammed seized by Gabriel’s voice.

• Thought to be grammatically and poetically perfect.

• As God had intended.

• Trances memorized and recorded by Mohammed’s followers.

• Said to complete the truths began in Tanakh and New Testament.

• Said to correct faults in these due to human error.

THE HEART OF ISLAM

The Big Picture - I

To be a slave to God is to be free from slavery.

• God immaterial. God for all.

• Not just a God for Israel.

• Not a God in human form.

• World created by God.

• People are born good.

• No original sin.

• We forget our divine nature.

• Human obligations:

• Be grateful for our life.

• Surrender to God.

THE HEART OF ISLAM

The Big Picture - II

• Day of Judgment• Soul enters Heavens or Hells

• Judged by one’s actions on earth.

• Hells vividly described (unlike Judaism).

• So, treat each day as precious.

THE HEART OF ISLAM

Judgment Day

Qur’an: 39:68-73

The earth will become bright from the light of your Lord. The

Book of Records will be presented and the Prophets and witness

will be summoned. All will be judged with justice and no wrong

will be done to anyone. (69) Every soul will be recompensed for

its deeds. God knows best whatever they have done.(70) The

disbelievers will be driven to hell in hordes. …(71)

The pious ones will be led to Paradise in large groups. Its gates

will be opened to them when they are brought nearby and its

keepers will say, "Welcome! Peace be with you. Enter the gates

of Paradise to live therein forever". (73)

THE HEART OF ISLAM

HellQur’an - 43:74-78

Surely, the disbelievers will be in the torment of Hell to abide therein forever. (The torment) will not be lightened for them, and they will be plunged into destruction with deep regrets, sorrows and in despair therein. We wronged them not, but they were the wrongdoers. And they will cry: ‘O Malik (angel guarding over Hell)! Let your Lord make an end of us’ He will say: ‘Surely, you shall abide forever.’ Indeed We have brought the truth to you, but most of you have a hatred for the truth.

How to interpret this?

comparative religions€¦ · "the same religion has he established for you as that which he...

Documents