Islam – Understanding World Religions

Islam – Understanding World Religions

History and background

• Five eras

-Muhammad 610 -632

-Caliphate & Civil war 632 -750 (The Division between the Shiites and Sunnis. Today Sunnis make us 85+%, Shiites 13%, handful of other small denominations)

-Abbasid ear 750-1258

-Fall of Abbasids to the end of the caliphate (Ottoman Empire is during this time) 1258 -1924 … Great expansion during this era.

-Modem Era 1924 -present

Muslims believe there is only one God and we exist to love and serve God.

They believe that God has communicated through a variety of prophets: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. Muhammad was the last messenger of God.

They believe that the angel Gabriel spoke to Muhammad. The Qur’an is result of these conversations. They believe it to be the uncorrupted word of God. (They believe that the Old and New Testaments are the word of God but have been corrupted by man.)

After Muhammad died there was a split on who should be in charge also known as caliph. Sunnis believed it should be voted on who succeeded Muhammad. Shiites believe that Ali was appointed. Ali was Muhammad’s right hand man and blood relative.

Laws and Jurisprudence:

Sharia law and Figh/ Jurisprudence (knowledge & practice of religion)
govern how people should live life. This encompasses all aspects of living
from governing to foreigners to daily living.

It is important to note when speaking Sharia depending on which group you are associated with the laws will differ.

These laws are based on four fundamental roots:

-Qur’an (God’s Word) – The Qur’an has 114 chapters (suras) and 6,236 verses.  (Roughly the size of the New Testament.)

-Sunnah & Hadith (Sunnah -The recorded practices of Muhammad. Hadith a collection of sayings that have been attributed to Muhammad -Sunni and Shiites have different sets)

-Consensus of Muslims (Written interpretations from Jurist/legal schools/ mullahs, imams, maulvis)

-Quiys/analogical reasoning (They compare the Qur’an and Hadith to make current day applications and rules.)

Beliefs and practices

Six basic doctrines:

1. God -Muslims believe there is only one God and we exist to love and serve God.

2. Prophets -They believe that God has communicated through a variety of prophets: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses,]esus and Muhammad. Muhammad was the last messenger of God.

3. Revelation -They believe that the angel Gabriel spoke to Muhammad. The Qur’an is result of these conversations. They believe it to be the uncorrupted word of God. (They believe that the Old and New Testaments are the word of God but have been corrupted by man. However, the Qur’an holds the Old and New Testament with high regard.)

4. Angels -God Created angels Ginn), some of which are good and others evil.

5. A final day of judgment is coming, followed by heaven “seven levels” for the faithful and hell for the lost.

6. Predestination or divine preordainment (al-qada wa’l-qadar), God has full knowledge and control over all that occurs.

5 Pillars of Islamic practice:

1. All that is necessary to become a Muslim is to confess the shahadah: “There is no God but Allah, and Mohammad is his messenger.”

2. One must pray the salat, usually five times a day.

3. One keeps an annual fast (sawn) through the ninth lunar month of Ramadan.

4. One gives alms (sakat) to the needy, one fortieth of one’s income.

5. Every able Muslim must make one pilgrimage during life to Mecca.

Other important information.

-Some add one more pillar -Jihad.

Muslims also believe in jihad or holy war. Some Muslims believe this involves killing infidels, while others believe (I might add the majority) this is a personal inner struggle. (Sma 2:216)

Passages about Jihad:

-Rid the world of polytheists, disbelievers -Sura 4:80 … if they tum back from Islam, take them and kill them where you find them.

-Spread Islam … Muhammad -“I am commanded to fight with men till they testify that there is no God but Allah.”

-Test for true followers of Allah -Sura 9:16

-Obtain booty -Sura 8:41

-Assure place in paradise -Sura 3:195

-Usher in the hour of judgment

(You can see depending if you interpret things allegorically or literally your application will be different.)

-They deny the deity of Christ.

-Some Muslims believe that the Qur’an is only perfect in Arabic. Translations into other languages are an interpretation of the Qur’an.

How to speak to a Muslim

As an ambassador of Christ we need to speak with grace and respect. Muslims are often passionate about their faith. We need to reason with them as we seek to share the truth of the gospel. However, it is estimated that 70% of Muslims are nominal believers. That means they may not be well versed in the Qur’an, the Hadith, or Sunnah. Their leaders have told them how the Bible has been corrupted.

So, when speaking to a Muslim about Jesus, Muhammad, the Bible, etc. you won’t get very far if you start off quoting the Bible. Muslims are taught that the Bible has been corrupted by men and the Qur’an is the true word of God. Their defenses will be raised and you will be at an impasse.

You might be surprised to note that the Qur’an actually takes a high view of Scripture. Thus you start with establishing the Qur’an view of scripture. Once that is established then you can talk about the claims of Christ in scripture. Listed below are key verses that will help you establish the scriptures reliability in the Qur’an.

The Qur’an teaches that God’s words are unchangeable.

-Surah 6:115 “None can change His Words.” Surah 10:64 “No change can there be in the words of Allah.”

The Qur’an teaches that the Bible is an example of God’s word.

-It calls it “the Book of God” and “guidance and light”. (Surah 5: 43, 5:68,6:91,6:154-157, 28:48-49 and 32:23)

-Surah 2: 136 “We believe in Allah, and the revela tion given to us, and to Abraham, Isma’il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and that give to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) prophets from their Lord: We make no difference between one and another of them.”

-Surah 4:136 “0 ye who believe! Believe in Allah and His messenger, and the scripture which He hath sent to His Messenger and the scripture which He sent to those before (him). Any who denieth Allah, His angels, His books, His Messengers, and Day of Judgment, hath gone far, far astray.”

Muslims are instructed in Surah 29:46 to not argue with Jews and Christians. In fact they are instructed to consult Jews and Christians if they doubt what the Qur’an teaches.

-Surah 10:49 “If thou wert in doubt as to what We have revealed unto thee, then ask those who have been reading the Book from before thee: the Truth hath indeed come to thee from thy Lord: so be in no wise of those in doubt.”

Conclusion: The Qur’an clearly teaches that the Bible is the Word of God.

Some will argue that the Bible has been corrupted. It is reasonable to ask when did this happen. Mohammad says that the Bible was reliable in his day. The Bible has not changed in the 13 centuries since Mohammad affirmed its reliability.

-Surah 5:43 implies that the Bible is a reliable source of truth.

-Surah 5:47,48 “Let the people of the Gospel judge by what Allah hath revealed therein. If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) those who rebel. To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety: so judge between them by what Allah hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging from the Truth that hath come in thee.”

Conclusion: If Mohammad says that the Bible was reliable in His day and it hasn’t changed since then, then it must be reliable today.

Many will argue it was corrupted before the Qur’an was written. If that is true why would Mohammad commands his believers to “believe in the revelation” (Surah 29 46) and “stand upon… the Law, the Gospel” (Surah 5:68)? Why would Allah command his followers to follow a corrupted text?

Some early Islamic commentaries (Ibn Kathir, Ibn Abbas and Wahb in Munabbih) suggest “that they misinterpret the verses of Allah, according to their own desires, and fabricated lies against Him.” “Although none of Allah’s creation can remove the words of Allah from his books, they alter and distort the apparent meanings. Wahb bin Munabbi said, ‘The Tawrah and Injil remain as Allah revealed them, and no letter in them was removed.'”

To be fair Kathir backpedalled a little from this quote. He later said he was talking about the Bible in heaven had not been changed.

‘The Qur’an does not claim Jews and Christians corrupted the Bible. What it claims is that certain Jews and Christians distorted the meaning, interpretation, and application of their scriptures.” Alan Shelmon

However, since the 10th century Muslims have been taught that the Bible itself is corrupt -thus contradicting what the Qur’an actually says.

After sharing these verses from the Qur’an and establishing the reliability of scripture you can then move to a discussion about what the Bible says.

Frequently asked questions:

What is the difference between Shia and Sunni?

-After Mohammad died there was a dispute on who should be the new leader known as the caliph. The Shiites believe Mohammad appointed Ali as caliph. Ali was his right hand man and only male blood relative. The Sunnis believe they should vote on the new leader. The Sunnis voted Abu-Bar as the new caliph thus creating the division. After Abu-Bar died Umar and Uthman became the second and third caliphs. Ali eventually became the fourth Caliph. Instead of unifying the Muslims a civil war ensued and Ali and his two sons were killed.

Sunnis believe Muhammad’s successor should be elected. Shiites believe the successor should come through the bloodlines of Mohammad. Shiites believe that there have been 12 divinely appointed imams.  The last one Mahdi was a messianic figure believed to have disappeared in the 9th century and will return with Jesus to establish Islam on earth.

Who is Satan according to the Muslims?

Surah 38:71-77, describes the fall of Satan.

Satan according to the Qur’an failed to worship Adam after he was created; the angels worshipped Adam, but Satan because he was a Jinn (angel), and proud refused to worship. He was kicked out of heaven. His role now is to try to keep mankind from worshipping Allah. Ultimately he will be cast into hell. The issue raised here is why would Allah, have Satan worship something he created, rather than worship Allah?

What does the Qur’an say about women?

-Author Hammaduah Abalalti writes, “Islam has given women rights
and privileges which she has never enjoyed under other religious or
constitutional systems.”

Here are some statements from the Qur’an that seem to paint a different picture.

-Surah 2:282 states that a woman’s witness is equal to half of a man’s. Why? Muhammad states “because of the deficiency of a woman’s mind.” (Bukhari 3:48:826) The Bukhari is part of the Hadith.

-Marital punishment: Surah 4:34 “As to those women on who part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (and last) beat them (lightly).” Note the words first, next, and last, and lightly do not appear in the original Arabic.

-It is important to note that most Muslims don’t treat women poorly. When a recent Saudi judge rule in favor of a man’s right to slap his wife for lavish spending on the abbaya (the black head to toe garb warn by Saudi women), scores of Muslims around the world condemned the ruling.

-Men are allowed to marry up to four women. Women who are captured in war have their marriage rights are annulled. Thus she can become a wife of the one who captured her. (Surah 4:24 and Abdullah Yusuf Ale, The Holy Qur’an: Text, Translation and Commentary, 187.)

-The Qur’an allows men to marry pre-pubescent girls. Surah 65:4 tells a man he must wait 3 months before he can divorce a pre-pubescent girl. Abul A’la Mawdudi makes it clear in his commentary, Towards Understanding the Qur’an, volume 5, p. 620, note 13.  Mohammad married Aisha when she was 6 and consummated their marriage when she was nine. (Bukari 7:62-64, 7:62-65, 5:58:236. Sahih Muslim” 8:3310, 11)

How does the violence in the Old Testament compare to the violence of Jihad?

It is true there are acts of murder, aggression and war in the Old Testament. There were even times when God commanded Israel to punish evil nations. He also did it against Israel for their rebellion. However, those were specific situations when God brought judgment upon people and no longer apply today.

Those who interpret the Qur’an literally take Muhammad’s word in Bukari 4:52: 196 as a call to war. “I have been ordered to fight with the people till they say, ‘None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.”

Jesus on the other hand never calls us to war or violence to advance the cause of Christ.

Glossary of Islamic Terms

Aisha -The third and youngest wife of Mohammed. Aisha was six when
Mohammed married her. He was in his 50s.

Ali -The fourth caliph. He was the cousin and son-in-law of Mohammed.
Ali is also the most revered Muslim among Shias (except for Mohammed).

Allah -The Arabic word for God. When spoken in English, it refers specifically
to the Islamic notion of God.

Allahu Akbar -Literally means, “God is great.” It is a praise to God.

Ayah -A verse of the Qur’an.

Caliph -A successor to Mohammed.

Fatwa -A religious decree concerning Islamic law.

Gabriel – Islamic tradition teaches that Gabriel is the angel who revealed the surahs of the Qur’an to Mohammed.

Hadith -Narrations of what Mohammed said, did, or approved of. They are the second most authoritative source in Islam (after the Qur’an).

Hajj -The pilgrimage every capable Muslim must make at least once in his lifetime.

Hijra -The migration of Mohammed and the first Muslims from Mecca to Medina. It occurred in 622 A.D. and marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar.

Iblis -Islamic name for Satan.

Imam -A Muslim religious leader, comparable to a pastor. For Shia Muslims, the term has the additional reference to the 12 divinely appointed successors to Mohammed.

Injil -The Gospel revelation that was given to Jesus by Allah. Muslims believe that the four Gospels in the New Testament are not the revelation given to Jesus, but rather corrupted versions of it.

Isa -The Qur’anic word for Jesus.

Islam -The name of the religion. It comes from two words that mean “peace” and “submission.”

Jihad -Jihad literally means “struggle.” It most often refers to fighting for the sake of Allah.

Jizya -A tax levied on non-Muslims who live under Islamic jurisdiction.

Kaaba -The most sacred site in Islam. It is the masonry cube structure in Mecca that God allegedly told Abraham to worship towards. All Muslims, no matter where they are in the world, are to pray in the direction of the kaaba.

Khadija -Mohammed’s first wife.

Madrassah -An Islamic school.

Mahdi -The coming world leader in Islamic eschatology. He is a central religious figure in Shia doctrine, but among Sunnis there is disagreement about his existence and role.

Mecca -The holiest city in Islam. It is the birthplace of Mohammed and the location of the kaaba. It is in Saudi Arabia.

Medina -The second holiest city in Islam. It is where Mohammed became a spiritual, political, and military leader. He is also buried in a mosque in Medina. The city is just north of Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

Mohammed -Mohammed is the central figure in Islam. He is the final prophet.

Mosque -The center for religious activity for a local Muslim community.

Muslim -An adherent of Islam. It literally means “One who submits to Allah.”

Pbuh -An acronym for “Peace be upon him,” a phrase of blessing used by Muslims whenever they refer to a prophet in Islam.

Qibla -The direction of prayer. The qibla is always in the direction of the kaaba, though it originally may have been in the direction of Jerusalem.

Qur’an -The Islamic scriptures and the most sacred book in Islam. Muslims believe the Qur’an to be God’s very words, without error, and perfect in every way. Islamic tradition says the Qur’an is an eternal book found on tablets in heaven. It was revealed by the angel Gabriel to Mohammed. It is approximately the length of the New Testament. The word Qur’an literally means “recitation.”

Ramadan -The fourth pillar in Islam. It is an annual month-long fast that commemorates Mohammed receiving the Qur’an. During daylight hours, Muslims are to fast from food, drink, smoking, and sexual intercourse. It occurs in the 9th month of the lunar calendar.

Salat -This is prayer. It is the second pillar of Islam. Muslims are required
to pray five times a day: at sunrise, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and just before
going to bed.

Sawm -This is fasting. It is the fourth pillar in Islam required during Ramadan. Muslims are to fast during the daylight hours from food, drink, smoking, and sexual intercourse.

Shahada -The declaration of Islamic faith and the fust of the five pillars of Islam. A Muslim must declare, “There is no god but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet.” Shia Muslims sometimes add the following: “And Ali is a friend of Allah.” A sincere recitation of the shahada is all that is required for a person to become a Muslim.

Shari’a -Islamic law.

Shia -The minority branch of Islam. Shias comprise approximately 13% of the Muslim population worldwide. Contrary to Sunnis, they believe successors to Mohammed should come through his bloodline. Therefore, they believe Ali was the true successor to Mohammad.

Shirk -The sin of polytheism, but broadly refers to worshiping anything or anyone other than Allah. It is the most grievous sin in Islam and considered unpardonable.

Sira -A biography of Mohammed.

Sufi -A mystical branch of Islam found among both Sunni and Shia.

Sunnah -The life example of Mohammed preserved as a model for others
to follow.

Sunni -Sunni is the largest branch of Muslims. They comprise approximately
87% of the world’s Muslim population. Contrary to Shias, they believe that Mohammed’s successors should be elected. .

Surah -A chapter in the Qur’an. There are 114 surahs in the Qur’an.

Tafsir -Commentary on the Qur’an.

Tawhid -Islamic monotheism.

Tawrat -The Torah, the first five books of the Bible given to Moses as a
revelation from Allah. Muslims believe that the current Torah has been corrupted.

Wahabbi -A radical, Sunni sect located primarily in Saudi Arabia. They are
known for their strict adherence to Islamic rituals and Qur’anic doctrine.

Zabur -The Psalms, believed to be a revelation given to David by Allah.
Muslims believe the current Psalms have been corrupted.

Zakat -Giving alms. Muslims are required to give 2.5% (1/40) of their
wealth to support the needy.

(Glossary provided by The Ambassador’s Guide to Islam by Alan Shlemon) This book is a great resource for further information about Islam. It was used as one of the key sources for this booklet.

Compiled by Dave Friese