A Study On Islam
How to Witness to People of Other Faiths • Sermon • Submitted
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A Study on Islam
Definitions
Qur’an- Islam’s holy book. Only can truly be written in Arabic. Muhammed got his first revelation in 610. His revelations supposedly came from Gabriel. He thought he was demon possessed but his wife convinced him he was not. Muhammed died in 632 which is when they began to write it. Finished writing in 650.
Surah- Are the “books of the Qur’an”
Hadith- are the oral traditions pertaining to the teachings and actions of Muhammed. They are also used to clear up “obscure” Qur’an passages. Are held equal to the Qur’an. You get different denominations of Islam based off of which groups accept what as hadith. Wrote over the first 300 years of Islam.
Birth of Islam
Ishmael
Genesis 21:17-18 we see many descendants were promised to Ishmael because he was a descendent of Abraham.
What is the attitude he would have against others according to Genesis 16:12?
Islam did not come about this time. This happened about 2000-2500 years before time. But this is a good indication where tension started.
Also the sons of Abraham’s concubine Keturah settled the Arab area. Also some of Esau’s descendants did also. So if we look at history in the Bible we can see this tension has been building a while before Islam comes along. Steadily a lack of faith has caused tension to happen.
Muhammed
Founded Islam. He would come in contact with Christians and Jews while working the trade routes, which would also be used later to spread the new religion he created.
First revelation in 610. Thought he was demon possessed (and ready to commit suicide), but his wife convinced him he wasn’t (and he claimed women were half as smart as men and that most of the people in hell would be women). Claimed Gabriel came to him.
Muhammed is held very highly in Islam. All Muslims regularly say ,” “there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah”
Until his death the Qur’an was just oral. Started writing it in 632, finished in 650.
Islam became an official religion in 622, which is also when their calendar (Hijri) begins. So today according to their calendar would be, Jumada Al-Akhirah 6, 1443.
Show video of spread of Islam
Views on Christians and the Bible:
Many people are surprised that the Qur’an mentions the Bible and Christians.
Surah 2:75 /5:13-16
This is a reference to Christians and Jews. Muslims claim the Bible was pure at one time, but that we distorted it.
Is there evidence for this? No.
400 B.C. to the 1400 A.D. is the time period we have copies of the Old Testament. Have they found major differences? No, periods, commas, etc. have been the differences. Not complete retelling of Bible stories as the Qur’an shows. There is no proof of tampering.
Surah 3:3-4
The Qur’an mentions the gospel, but claims we distorted it. We have copies of the New Testament dating to the 100s. Again no significant changes.
Is it self-contradictory? / Do the Facts Add Up?
So this flows well into our next point. We are already seeing the facts don’t add up for Islam, but do for the Bible.
Also within the Qur’an itself there is contradictions:
Surah 7:149-153 and Surah 20:91-92give two different golden calf stories.
There are also some historical inaccuracies:
Surah 34:10-11 mentions David using iron coats of chain mail. David lived around 1000 B.C. We don’t see chain mail until round 300 B.C
Hadiths, commentary, and translations have a tendency to confuse in trying to address the issues.
Can it be lived out?
It has a system that can be lived out for the most part. So in one sense yes. But on the other hand no. Salvation has no “goals.” The system encourages you to live as good as possible with hope it is enough to please Allah. Their is only one way for guaranteed salvation, jihad (Surah 4:74-75 & 9:111). Jihad can only be carried out by men.
Where does the universe and human beings come from?
Surah 7:54 teaches in 6 days the earth was created (some Qur’an passages make it out to be longer).
Surah 4:1 is an allusion to Adam and Eve. Surahs here and there reference Adam.
What is the meaning or purpose of life?
Surah 51:56-60 shows the Muslim’s whole purpose is to live a life pleasing to Allah
How do they know what is right and what wrong?
Fiqh is the law branch of Islam. Islam encompasses every area of Muslim life. Some Muslim denominations consider it infallible, and others say it is possible for error.
On a side note, when a religion allows an open religious text to be added to, that is a red flag. That allows them to manipulate and change to the times.
Shariah law that controls every aspect of Muslim life and is not possible of having mistakes. It also lists consequences. Most Muslims now take an allegorical interpretation of it. The radical Muslims are the ones who take it literal. Wahhabism typically produce the radical Muslims.
Surah 62:9
The sabbath is Friday
Surah 2:65
Teaches Jews were turned to apes for not keeping the sabbath. Classic commentators take it literal. Modern say it is figurative referring to the state of mind of the Jews.
Who is God?
One interesting aspect they teach on Allah is He only speaks Arabic
He has 100 names and only the camel knows the hundredth.
Every Surah starts off with “In the name of God, the compassionate, the merciful”
What happens in eternity?
They teach there is seven levels to heaven and seven levels to hell.
You do a lot of righteousness (2:82) and hope it is enough to outweigh the bad and to please Allah.
Who is Jesus?
We believe Christ died to redeem us from our shortcomings. Muslims do not believe this about Christ.
Surah 4:157-158
Jesus was not crucified. Different theories exist, but most believe that it was Judas that was crucified and that Allah confused the soldiers to think that.
Jesus then went to India, according to some, before Allah drew him up.
Jesus has not died…yet Since they believe him to be human he must die at some point. So in the end times he will come back to fight the antichrist, and then he will die after defeating him. Surah 43:61 references his return.
Surah 19:16-28
The birth narrative of Jesus
Salvation
You probably can guess by now salvation looks quite different within Islam.
Surah 4:74-75
Jihad is the only guarantee in salvation. You must die a martyr’s death. That is why suicide bombers do what they do. They are desperate for hope, and this is portrayed to them in a sense as their messiah.
5 Pillars
We mentioned earlier that in Islam you do enough good deeds in hope of salvation, this is the main way of doing it.
Shahada (Profession of Faith)- “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God”
Salat (Prayer)- five times a day facing Mecca (face Northeast from here)
Show Prayer Video
Zakat (alms)- giving to the poor
Sawm (Fasting)- Ramadan is when all Muslims fast for a month
Show Ramadan Video
Hajj (Pilgrimage)- Every Muslim that can is required to make a pilgrimage to Mecca
Show Hajj video
How not to unnecessarily offend a Muslim (culture sensitivity)?
Look at your Jewish dietary laws. And this will keep you from offering your Muslim neighbor a meal that offends.
Don’t shake with left hand.
If it is a man and women. Address the man, only address the woman if she initiates conversation.
Don’t plan events on Friday
Pointing feet (as may occur when a person sits with his or her legs crossed) is considered offensive
a Bible that has been marked up or written in is seen as disrespectful
How to Share the Gospel with a Muslim?
Use the Gospels (wouldn’t us ethe Roman road) because Muslims admit the gospels are important books. They just think in a lot of ways they have been perverted, but still hold a respect for them.
Be ready to address the issue of the Trinity. They see it as worshiping multiple gods.
They have some teachings on Jesus that are false, so be studied upon the Gospels.
Focus on grace and that they cannot earn salvation. It is a free gift.
Bible study on James for a Muslim you are breaking through with
Explain what happened on the cross. How Christ works as the sacrifice.
Don’t discount a Muslims dream. Many Islamic converts speak of Jesus coming to them in a dream. Dreams in Islamic culture are very important.