Islam
Islam – Historical Context
1500BC 660 1440 600
563
30AD 622
1823 1879
World Religions Aryans
Abraham Judaism 18 Million
Christianity 2 Billion
Islam 1.3 Billion
Hinduism 900 Million
Buddhism 360 Million
Current Distribution of the World’s Religions
Map: Thomson/Wadsworth
Islam Muhammad
Sunnism
Wahabbis
Shi sm
Bab Ali Mohammad
Nusayris
Baha Allah Baha i Fatih
Yazidis
Sufism
Druzes
Ahmadis
Nation of Islam
Ismalis
Others
Nizaris
Musta lis
Islam - Origin
Muhammad
Born into the powerful Quraysh tribe in Mecca 570 A.D. Tradition has it that he was born clean, circumcised, with his navel cord cut. Married a wealthy widow Khadija 15 years his senior. In 610 A.D. (at 40) Muhammad receives his calling from the angel Gabriel.
Muhammad Muhammad was deathly afraid of the source of his revelation. At first he thought it came from a jinn. Khadija convinced him it was from God. After a three year period of silence the messages began to come again. Hijra (622, flight), Battle of Badr, Battle of Uhud, the siege of Medina, Mecca falls
Muhammad
Iqbal: “Love of the Prophet runs like blood in the veins of his community.” And “You can deny God, but you cannot deny the Prophet.” Although not considered divine, his example is perfect. Abdalati writes: “He stands in history as the best model for man in piety and perfection. He is a living proof of what man can be and of what he can accomplish in the realm of excellence and virtue.
Islam – Beliefs
What is Islam?
Islam
(“submission”) is the religion of all who believe that Muhammad was God’s prophet.
Theology Monotheism Shirk
(Idolatry) Angels and Jinn Satan
Anthropology Adam was the first man, created in heaven and removed after he sinned Mankind was created innocent but chose to sin
– Mankind is misled but not fallen – We are intrinsically weak, frail, and imperfect. We are forgetful of God.
Sin
“...Islam teaches that people are born innocent and remain so until each makes him or herself guilty by a guilty deed. Islam does not believe in ‘original sin’; and its scripture interprets Adam’s disobedience as his own personal misdeed—a misdeed for which he repented and which God forgave.” Faruqi
Revelation Every people have had a prophet (124,000) and a book Prophets are sinless (almost) “Mother of the Book” (43:4, 13:39) Qur’an (Koran) Hadith
Qur’ an Dependence on the Jewish Talmud, Jewish apocrypha, Christian apocrypha, and Zoroastrian doctrines Borrows important practices from preIslamic and pagan Arabia such as those surrounding the visits to the hills of Safa and Marwas in the hajj ceremony, and also the throwing of stones against a stone pillar symbolizing Satan
Qur’an (Koran) Angel Gabriel
Muhammad Companions Zayd ibn Thabit
Uthman
The Hadith The source of traditional sayings of Muhammad Contains most of Muhammad’s miracles Bukhari admitted collecting 300,000 hadith
– Considered 100,000 to be true – Narrowed them down to 7,275 with many repetitions
There are various traditions: Bukhari, Mulsim, Abu Du’ad, Al-Tirmidhi, Al Nasa, Ibn Madja
Salvation
Good works consist of the five/six pillars: – Reciting the confession (shahada) – Prayer – Fasting – Almsgiving – Pilgrimage to Mecca – Jihad
Final Things This life is a preparation for the next Every person will taste death Two angels will question the dead in the grave (Munkar and Nakir) Unbelievers will be tormented in the grave and after the final resurrection The “Final Hour” will be preceded by disintegration of nature and universal sin
Jesus Christ Jesus is human Is a unique prophet, mentioned in 93 verses and 15 suras of the Qur’an Is called the Messiah, the Word of God, and the Spirit of God He is a prophet to the Jews Foretold the coming of Muhammad (Jn 14:26)
Jesus Christ
Is not God or the Son of God – “It is not befitting To (the majesty of) God That He should beget a son…” (19:35) – “They say, ‘God hath begotten A son’…No warrant Have ye for this! (10:68) – “Say not ‘Trinity’: desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is One God: glory be to Him: (far Exalted is He) above having a son. (4:171)
The Current Crisis
Jihad The word means ‘striving’ or ‘struggle’ Often used in the sense of personal striving in the path of God. According to Islamic law there are two domains
– Dar al-Islam, the house of Islam – Dar al-Harb, the house of War
Jihad more common interpretation, and that of the overwhelming majority of the classical jurists and commentators , presents jihad as armed struggle for Islam against infidels and apostates.� (Bernard Lewis,
ď Ž “The
professor of Near Eastern Studies, Princeton University)
Osama Bin Laden Three
complaints
– Americans in the holy land – Oppression of Iraq – American support of Israel
Taliban
“Students of Religion” Mullah Mohammed Omar Seized the capital, Kabul in 1996 and established an Islamic emirate. Bin Laden’s organization helps to keep them in power.
Wahhabi Reforms Muhammad Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab, 18th century Arabia Purification of Islam Encouragement of original thinking Focus on the here and now Militant methods
Muslims Coming to America What we need to talk about… – Understanding the issues – Immigration questions – Radical extremists How do we respond to: – Immigrants – Radicals – Others?
Immigrant History • First Muslim slaves to America in 1501 • Some Indian Muslims came in middle 1800s to California as farmers • From change of laws in 1965 to today, • Muslim immigration to US has increased
Why do immigrants come?
Refuge – Ethnic persecution – Religious persecution – Radical Muslim persecution- ISIS, ISIL, AlQueda, etc. – Civil wars and international wars
Education – By 1990s, over 500K foreign students in America – Around 75% end up staying in America
Radical Islamist ideals: – Some come because of the superpower status of the United States – In 1920s, an radical said, “Our plan is, to conquer America.” – Omar Abdel Rahman, blind cleric from NYC now in jail, stated, “I came her to smell freedom; I found it to be suffocating here.”
Who are they? 52% have graduate degrees Most focus on entrepreneurial ventures Engineering and science tend to be the careers of choice Around 90% Sunni, and 10% Shi’a Most families try to keep the family unit together. Want to teach manners and traditional customs to children Be aware of distinction from Nation of Islam
Some Muslim Organizations…
Of all minorities, Muslims have a smaller representation of special interest advocacy groups – American Muslim Council, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Muslim Public Affairs Committee
Their goals: – Promote Islamic ideas and understanding – Forge special relationships with government officials – Many have been linked to terrorist groups
Understand How They See Us How Do We View Each Other?
How should we respond? Biblical teaching on immigration Personal responses Careful of Stereotyping Engage people on individual level Know the issues: Evangelical Immigration Table Primary purpose is Kingdom of God, not Kingdom of the United States.
Resources
Websites – www.answering–islam.org – www.rim.org – www.probe.org
Books – The World of Islam, Swartley – Islam Revealed, Dr. Anis A. Shorrosh – The Islamic Invasion: Confronting the World’s Fastest Growing Religion, Robert Morey – The Oxford History of Islam, Ed. John L. Esposito