Islam

Islam is Arabic for surrender, or submission. Its full connotation is”the peace that comes from surrendering one’s life to God.”

Muslim means “one who submits.”

20% of the world’s population

Indonesia-88% population is Muslim, Pakistan-97%, Bangladesh-85%, India-11%

Islam-Its Origins

A.D. 570 Muhammad was born

His tribe, the Quraysh, controlled the important city of Mecca which contained the Ka’bah

Over a period of 22 years, Muhammad received a series of revelations from the angel Gabriel which were compiled into the Qur’an, which means “recitations”.

The Qur’an

611-15--revelations about the nature of Allah and his rule and judgment.

616-22--revelations dealing with doctrines, many of which are taken directly out of the Pentateuch.

623-32--revelations dealing with government and ethics.

The Qur’an

Islam has a threefold system-religious, political and cultural.

Muslims believe that the Qur’an was with Allah forever, before being revealed.

The true Qur’an is the Arabic Qur’an. The sound is what is important, Allah’s speech. It cannot be translated, though paraphrases can be used as a kind of commentary.

Islam-its OriginsIn 622 Muhammed moved to Medina and took up leadership, it is from this year that Muslims start their calendar.

In 624 he defeated the Quraysh and in 630 he entered Mecca to become its leader.

In one year he unified all the tribes of the Arabian peninsula under the religion of Islam.

He died in 632.

Islam-its OriginsBefore the end of the century Armenia, Persia, Syria, Palestine, Iraq, N. Africa and Spain had been conquered by Muslims.

Struggle for leadership after Muhammad died. Sunni believed that his successor should be elected. Shi’ite believed his successor should follow blood-lines. The Sunnis won, and today make up 80%.

Islam

Sunnis emphasise the authority of the written traditions, including the Qur’an. The Hadith is a collection of stories and sayings of Muhammad and his followers. The Sunnah depicts events from the life of Muhammad, gives examples for ethics and living. Sunnis also follow guidance from religious scholars and elders.

Islam

Shi’ites are more authority oriented. Imam-God’s representative, 12th Imam became hidden in the 9th century. Source of authority passed to the elders, who are representatives of the hidden Imam. They are looking for the return of the 12th Imam.

Sufism is the mystical wing of Islam-goal is to merge self with Allah.

The Five Pillars of Islam

First Pillar is the shahadah-”There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His Prophet.”

Second Pillar is prayer: on rising, sun overhead, mid-afternoon, sunset, before bed. Pray facing Mecca.

Third Pillar: charity. 2.5% of finances should be given to the poor.

The Five Pillars of Islam

Fourth Pillar: the observance of Ramadan. The holy month of fasting from sunrise to sunset.

Fifth Pillar: pilgrimage to Mecca-Hajj

Jihad

the duty to struggle on behalf of the faith, and to fight in order to expand the area in which the faith is dominant.

The Qur’an and the Hadith state that the infidel must be converted or conquered. Those who give their lives for this cause receive eternal forgiveness and go to the highest level of paradise.

JihadIn Islamic law Jihad is valid when declared by the leading Muslim scholar in a recognised state.

Sayyid Qutb (1903-1966): the leading ideologist of the modern Islamist movement. Taught that the present condition of Islam is one of Jahiliya, or ignorance. He argued for principles that would justify armed attacks to restore back to a state of true Islam.

The Six Beliefs

Allah-God is one, there are 99 ‘Most Beautiful Names.’

Angels-Four archangels, ordinary angels, beings between angels and people called jinn-some good, some evil, some neutral.

The Books: Scrolls of Abraham (now lost) Torah, Psalms, Gospel, Qur’an, Hadith-traditions

The Six Beliefs

Prophetic Messengers: Adam-the first man, Abraham-the first Muslim, Moses-the law-giver, Jesus-the Word of God, Muhamad-the last and greatest.

The Judgement: Good and bad deeds are weighed and determine whether you go to Paradise or Hell

The Six Beliefs

Allah’s Decrees: Allah predestines everything, both good and evil. Fatalism is strong because of this

The Story of Struggle1400 years of struggle between Islam and Christianity.

691: the Dome of the Rock was built on the Jewish Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

715: the Great Mosque of Damascus replaced the Cathedral Church of St. John.

732: Battle of Tours halted the progress of Islam across Europe.

The Story of Struggle

Capital moves from Damascus to Baghdad. Internal expansion of theology, law and science. For three centuries no geographical expansion.

Pope Leo IV (847-55), John VIII (872-82) and other popes planted the idea of holy war into Western Christian thinking.

The Story of Struggle

Pope Urban II (1088-99) gave the battle cry of “God wills it!”

The Western Church had seen the withdrawal of Eastern Christians in 1054. A crusade to reclaim much of the eastern land might help to reunite Rome and Constantinople.

Crusades lasted from 1095-1291

The Story of Struggle1515-1919, Islam increased in strength under the Turkish Ottoman empire.

Renamed Constantinople Istanbul.

From the 17th-20th centuries, Russia and Turkey fought. As a result of WWI, the Ottoman Empire was broken up.

In 1923 at the Conference of Lusanne the modern borders were drawn up.

Jesus According to theQur’an

Jesus’ name appears 25 times in the Qur’an

A prophet to the Jews

Jesus was a man who pointed to Allah

Jesus did not die on a cross but was taken up to Allah and he will return

Christianity Through the Eyes of a Muslim

Christianity has been changed

Christians are divided and weak

Christians have maligned true Islam

Christians are blind and unreasonable

The Christian faith overlooks immorality

A Christian ResponseHistorical Evidence affirms Christianity

Christians and Muslims are both divided

Islam maligns Christianity far more than Christians malign Islam

Christian faith is reasonable and can be understood

Western nations are not Christian nations

Witnessing to Muslims

Understanding the culture is essential

Building bridges of friendship before presenting the gospel

Realising what it may mean for a Muslim to become a Christian

Sharing clearly without using jargon

Witnessing to MuslimsShowing interest in the Qur’an and what it says

Showing how the Bible gives evidence within itself that it is wholly trustworthy. Matt. 5:17,18; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20,21

in ‘The Call of the Minaret’ Kenneth Cragg says what is needed is a “restoration to Muslims of the Christ Whom they have missed.”