Understanding Islam

1. Understanding Islam

2. Why spend time studying Islam? • Islam is the second largest religion in the world • Islam is the fastest growing religion both in the world and the USA • Many terrorists, including Osama Bin Laden & those associated with Al Qaeda are Muslims, who claim the teachings of Islam as the main reason behind their acts of terrorism • There is a world of confusion about Islam today, especially in the media, in our government, and in the church

3. What is Islam? • Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world • The word Islam comes from an Arabic word which means “submission” • Followers of Islam are called Muslims

4. Facts about Islam: • There are over 1.3 billion Muslims in the world • Islam is currently the fastest growing religion in the world (2.9%) • Islam is also the fastest growing religion in America • It is the second largest religion practiced in the world, next to “Christianity”

6. Facts about Islam: • Countries with significant Muslim population: • Indonesia – 88% - 210 million • Pakistan – 97% - 154 million • India – 12% - 128 million • Bangladesh – 83% - 117 million • There are approximately 7 million Muslims living in the United States today According to the CIA Handbook, 2004

7. Roots of Islam: • Islam began in Saudi Arabia by an Arab man named Muhammad (570-632 AD) • At the time, the Arabian tribes living in that area practiced polytheism, with some 360 known deities • In 610 AD, Muhammad claims to have received the first of several visions from the angel Gabriel • He continued to receive visions for the next 22 years until his sudden death in 632 AD • These visions comprise the holy book of Islam, the Qur’an

8. Roots of Islam: • Muhammad’s visions led him to believe that there was only one god, Allah – and he began to preach against the polytheism of his day • In 622, persecution eventually led to Muhammad and about 100 families fleeing from Mecca (his home town) to Yathrib (which is now called Medina) • This event is now referred to as “Hijrah,” and marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar

9. Roots of Islam: • Muhammad and his army led several sieges against Mecca • After forming a treaty with his own tribe, the Quraysh, he and his army took control of Mecca without a fight in 630 • He personally destroyed the idols in the Ka’bah, and was able to unify all of the Arab tribes under Islam within year • Muhammad died suddenly on June 8, 632

10. Types of Islam: • After his death, much confusion and disagreement among Muslims led to the forming of different sects of Islam: • Although there are more than 72 different sects (denominations) of Islam practiced today, there are two main types that make up the majority of Islam

11. Major sects of Islam: • Sunni • Believe the successor to Muhammad should be elected • Believe religious authority comes from the Qur’an, the Hadith, and the counsel of the elders (ulama) • Believe there should be a separation between religiuos and civil authority • Shi’ite • Believe the successor to Muhammad should be from his bloodline • Believe that authority comes from the Iman, and later the ulama • Believe there should be no separation between religious and civil authority

12. Sources of authority: Say: "O People of the Book! you have no ground to stand upon unless you stand fast by the Law, the Gospel, and all the revelation that has come to you from your Lord.“ (Qur’an 5:68) • Muslims view Islam as the final revelation, superseding the Law of Moses (Taurat), the Psalms of David (Jabur), and the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Injil) • While the holy book of Islam, the Qur’an, indicates that the Old and New Testaments of the Bible are both authoritative and uncorrupted (5:68), modern Muslim belief is that the Bible has been corrupted and is no longer authoritative

13. Sources of authority: • The Qur’an • Hadith – the traditions of the prophet • Qiyas – analogies taught by Muslim scholars based upon the Qur’an and the Hadith • Ijma – the consensus of the community & especially of Islamic scholars

14. What is the Qur’an? • The Qur’an (also spelled Koran) is the holy book of Islam • The word Qur’an means “recitations” • The Qur’an contains the visions which Muhammad received from the angel Gabriel • The Qur’an is made up of 114 surahs or chapters • The Qur’an is written in Arabic, an ancient Semitic language similar to Hebrew & Aramaic

15. One of the earliest manuscripts of the Qur’an, dated to the 7th century AD (or the 1st Islamic century)

16. Two early manuscripts, dated to the 8th century AD or the 2nd Islamic century

17. The earliest complete manuscript of the Qur’an, dated to 1002 AD (393 AH – “After the Hijrah)

18. “Alif Laam Raa, A Book which We have revealed unto thee, in order that thou mightest lead mankind out of the depths of darkness into light - by the leave of their Lord - to the Way of (Him) the Exalted in power, worthy of all praise!” – Qur’an 14:1

19. What is the Qur’an? • The revelation of Allah in His own words – the eternal, uncreated speech of Allah • Delivered by the Angel Gabriel • Given to the prophet Muhammad • Which supercedes all previous revelation (ie, the Bible)

20. What is the Qur’an? • The Qur’an was not written by Muhammad • The Qur’an was written shortly after Muhammad’s death by his followers over a period of about 30 years • Muhammad was said to have recited to his followers the contents of his visions, which his followers memorized • His followers then wrote down the contents of the Qur’an from memory • There are no original manuscripts of the Qur’an

21. 5 Pillars of Islam • Faith (Confession of the Faith) – Shahadah • La ilaha illa Allah. Muhammad rasul Allah • “There is no god but Allah. Muhammad is the Messenger of God.” • Spoken with sincerity, this confession is all that one must do to become a Muslim

22. 5 Pillars of Islam • Prayer – Salat • Pray 5 times a day (early morning, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, evening) • A Friday afternoon service is also required • Pray facing Mecca • Salat is also required at funerals and during the two eclipses (sun & moon)

23. 5 Pillars of Islam • Almsgiving – Zakat • A tax of 2.5% due once annually • Some Muslim governments collect the tax • Every man 16 years and older pays the tax

24. 5 Pillars of Islam • Fasting – Sawm • A 30 day fast that occurs from sunrise to sunset during the 9th month of Ramadan (Sept/Oct) • During the last 10 days, Muslim men observe the “night of power” (a vigil-type retreat) • Muslims must fast from food, drink, smoking, and sexual relations • However, they can partake of any of those activities after sunset • The fast is a commemoration of Muhammad’s receiving of the Qur’an during the 9th month

25. 5 Pillars of Islam • Pilgrimage - Hajj • The pilgrimage to Mecca is required once in each Muslim’s life • They must be able to afford the trip – no loans are allowed • Before entering Mecca, the male Muslim must put on special clothes, and observe several complicated rites during the trip • Guides are offered to help Muslims through the obscure and difficult rituals

26. What Muslims Believe:

27. The Muslim Creed: “I believe in Allah; and in His Angels; and in His Scriptures; and in His Messengers; and in The Final Day; and in Fate, that Good and Evil are from Allah, and Resurrection after death be Truth. I testify that there is nothing worthy of worship but Allah; and I testify that Muhammad is His Messenger.”

28. Six Articles of Belief

29. 1. Belief in Allah • The word “Allah” in Arabic means “the deity, or the god.” • Allah is the general word in Arabic for god, and thus is not a proper name (i.e., like the name Yahweh or Jesus) • This is why missionaries to Arabic-speaking countries often use the word “Allah” to translate the Hebrew word Elohim or the Greek word Theos from the Old & New Testaments into Arabic.

30. 1. Belief in Allah • However, in many parts of the world, the word Allah has come to mean “the god of Muslims” or the “god of the Qur’an.” • Therefore it can function almost as a proper name for the Muslim god, depending upon the context • But because Allah is just the general word for god in Arabic, English-speaking Muslims will often just use the word “God” to refer to the god of the Qur’an – which creates a lot of confusion.

31. 1. Belief in Allah • The Oneness of Allah – absolute monotheism • “In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Ever Merciful. Proclaim: He is Allah, the One and Only; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him.” - (Qur’an 112:1-5) • Allah has no partners or associates (son, spirit, etc.)

32. 1. Belief in Allah • Allah is Transcendent – the Creator Allah is He beside Whom there is no god, Knower of the unseen and the seen. He is the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful. Allah is He beside Whom there is no god, the Sovereign, the Most Holy, the Source of Peace, the Bestower of Security, the Protector, the Mighty, the Subduer, the Exalted. Holy is Allah, far above that which they associate with Him. Allah is He, the Creator, the Maker, the Fashioner; His are the most beautiful names. All that is in the heavens and the earth glorifies Him. He is the Mighty, the Wise. (Qur’an 59:22-24)

33. 1. Belief in Allah • Allah is Merciful • Every chapter in the Qur’an except one begins with the phrase: In the name of Allah, the gracious, the merciful • But the Muslim concept of mercy is more about benevolence and providential care (for example, sending rain) – It is not his gracious mercy in not punishing people as they deserve

34. 1. Belief in Allah • Allah is Holy • Allah is Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent • Allah is the judge

35. 2. Belief in Angels • Angels fill the gap as mediators between god and man • Most angels are good messengers and helpers of Allah. One, however, is evil: Iblis (Satan), who was thrown out of heaven for refusing to bow down to Adam (Qur’an 7:11-18). • Each person has 2 angels assigned to him: one to record a person’s good deeds and the second to record his bad deeds • Other supernatural beings of fire are the jinn. They are lower than angels, limited in life-span, male or female, good or evil.

36. 3. Belief in the books (sent by Allah) • The Qur’an - the uncreated, perfect word of Allah • The Bible – Muslims acknowledge the Bible as real revelation, but believe it has become corrupt and is therefore no longer authoritative

37. 4. Belief in all prophets and Messengers (sent by Allah) • A messenger (rasul) is sent with the Word of God (Scripture) to guide and reform the recipients: Moses (the Taurat), David (the Zabur), Jesus (the Injil), and Muhammad (the Qur’an). • A prophet carries information or declares the word of Allah, but does not necessarily receive a divine book • The Qur’an mentions 25 prophets, the Hadith mentions 124,000 prophets • Adam, Abel, Abraham, Lot, Moses, Jonah, Jesus, John, etc. • Muhammad (the “last messenger” or “seal of the prophets”)

38. 5. Belief in fate (Qadar) • Muslims believe in Qadar or “fate” • While believing also in a certain amount of free will, Muslims believe that Allah has sovereignty predestined all that will happen • Qadar also includes the belief in Allah as the creator of all things

39. 6. Belief in the day of judgment and the resurrection • Islam teaches a day of judgment, bodily resurrection, the immortality of the soul, and a literal heaven and hell • The living and the dead shall be gathered in the presence of Allah and judged by the book placed in their hands. The book will be handed to each in either the left hand or the right hand. • Those men that enter heaven will also have their wives and children with them • Islam even teaches that Jesus will be involved in some end-time events

40. Salvation in Islam • Islam calls all people to repentance The messengers of God, whose proud lives were never penetrated by any element of sin, would always invite sinners to seek God’s forgiveness and encourage them to place their hopes in His mercy, for His kindness and compassion toward His believing servants are such that He would never abandon them in the dark pit of disobedience and sin. On the contrary, He invites all men to return to Him, and it is up to us to answer His call and thus act to attain our salvation. God’s acceptance of repentance indicates a particular worthiness in man to receive God’s mercy, a worthiness which causes the gates of forgiveness to remain open before sinners. They have the opportunity to express contrition and shame before God over their dark past and to abandon and attempt to make up for the evil they have committed. If they do this, all their misfortune will be turned to good fortune, and all their darkness to light. —Sayyid Mujtaba Musavi Lari, Resurrection Judgement and the Hereafter: Lessons on Islamic Doctrine (Book Three), trans. By Hamid Algar (N.p.: Foundation of Islamic Cultural Propagation in the World, 1992), 163

41. Salvation in Islam • Islam does not allow “fox-hole” conversions The one who continues to sin until he witnesses death and then begins to experience regret, saying, “Now I repent”—the repentance of such a one will not be accepted. (Qur’an 4:18)

42. Salvation in Islam • Islam teaches salvation by works It is only those gifted with understanding who take heed; those who fulfill Allah’s pact and break not the covenant; who join together the ties of kinship that Allah has bidden to be joined, and fear their Lord, and dread the evil reckoning; those who are steadfast in seeking the favour of their Lord, and observe Prayer, and spend secretly and openly out of that with which We have provided them, and overcome evil with good. For them is the best reward of the Hereafter: Gardens of Eternity, which they shall enter and also those who are righteous from among their ancestors, and their consorts and their progeny. (Qur’an 13:20-23)

43. Salvation in Islam • Islam teaches a different concept of forgiveness than the Bible • Allah forgives whom he will • No one can be sure of their forgiveness – the Day of judgment will reveal it • There is no forgiveness for certain sins (for example, shirk – associating god with a created thing) • The Qur’an gives no personal confessions of sin (Psalm 51) or developed analogies of forgiveness (Hosea, Prodigal Son)

44. Salvation in Islam • Islam offers some a second chance after death Those who have wronged themselves in this world will be asked by the angels when they die what they have done. They will say, “We were weak and oppressed and unable to move.” Then the angels will ask, “Was God’s earth not wide enough for you to travel in it (so that you might hasten from the land of ignorance to that of faith and knowledge)?” The abode of these evildoers shall be hellfire; how evil and terrible an abode! Excepted from this shall be those men, women and children who were indeed unable to act or to move; they could not flee and they had no path of escape. It may be that God will forgive and show mercy to them, for He is Merciful and Pardoning. (Qur’an 4:97-98)

45. Salvation in Islam • Islam also offers hope to unfaithful Muslims who do not go to heaven through a “purgatory” type temporary stay in Hell Those Muslims who do not inherit heaven will be punished with a temporary stay in hell, and will go to heaven later as long as there is "one atom of faith in their hearts" as stated by the Prophet Muhammed. (Islam, Wikipedia Encyclopedia, 2004)

46. Islam vs. Christianity

47. Islam vs. Christianity

48. Islam vs. Christianity

49. Understanding Muslims

50. A Muslim’s Worldview • Muslim’s are theocentric – god is very much what their world revolves around • Inshallah – “if Allah wills” • In contrast, Americans and Europeans represent a very materialist orientation