420 likes | 644 Views
This study comes with a need to develop an approach to Muslim people that allows for communication and not conflict. . A shift in attitudes is necessary in the following areas: 1. From our Greco Roman theological and missiological positions to one that is more Semitic.
E N D
This study comes with a need to develop an approach to Muslim people that allows for communication and not conflict. • A shift in attitudes is necessary in the following areas: • 1. From our Greco Roman theological and missiological positions to one that is more Semitic. • 2. To move from the apologetic to the pastoral. • 3. From individualism to Community based approaches. • 4. From exclusive to inclusive. • 5. From a Political approach to a Biblical one. • 6. From an ecclesiastic approach to a Kingdom approach (see Peter Phan). • 7. Understanding Kwame Bediako’s “Theology of Identity”
From time to time the church rediscovers truths in the word of God. • Baptism-Church government-the Holy Spirit- Gifts etc • Maybe we need to rediscover God’s plan for Ishmael and the Ishmaelites!
Increasing insights into Biblical themes • The Bible has become richer for the insights that translation work has given, anthropology has helped, sociology contributes and now I believe we need to listen to Kwame Badiako’s work on the Theology of Identity
John Wansbrough pioneered a new way. • The significant thing that he picked out was that the Koran seems to assume that the readers know these stories, it doesn’t tell these stories as if it’s talking to people who are ignorant of them, it’s using these stories to make moral and religious points, and assuming that the people already know the details of the stories. Prior to 800 AD it is a Jewish Arab sect.
Robin Hood Syndrome • We don’t really have any Islamic literature that you can really date much before about 800 AD. OK, those sources are drawing on earlier reports and earlier traditions, they are: • Qur’an • Hadis • Sira literature-Ishaq and Hisham. • Robin was created by the poets of his day
Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Yasr or simply Ibn Ishaq, meaning "the son of Isaac") (died 767, or 761 (Robinson 2003, p. xv)) was an Arab Muslim historian and hagiographer. He collected oral traditions that formed the basis of the first biography of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. • • Abu Muhammad 'Abd al-Malik bin Hisham, or Ibn Hisham (died 833) edited the biography of Muhammad written by Ibn Ishaq. Ibn Ishaq's work is lost and is now only known in the recensions of Ibn Hisham and al-Tabari. • Orientalists used these inaccurate sources to reconstruct M. life, eg Watt, Sale, Sell, etc
The term "Arab" here is a translation of the Hebrew Arvim referring to the Nabateans and not a reference to the modern Arab nation that arose in southern Arabia. Some commentators have understood the accounts to mean that the term "Ishmaelite" included descendants of Keturah's sons or was interchangeable with the terms "Midianite" and "Medanite", names of two of the tribes descended from Keturah. • Were the wise men that came to Jesus Nabatean Arabs?
Genesis 12-25 Ishmael and Isaac • Ishmael marries Egyptian and has 12 sons- Northern Arabia (Gen 25 v 16). Arabs work closely with Jews through being cousins. Arabs copy Jews. In Damascus they meet John of Damascus and invent stories of Mohammed. • No early record of Mohammed, but there is shahada (schema). On coins and rocks. Poetry from Sassanian, Syrian, Arabian sources create a body of literature in ME. From this the Hadis is created and from this the Qur’an.
Genesis 12 – 25 accounts • The term “Submit” in 16 v 9 • Hagar tells Ishmael, • Ishmael tell his 12 children • They understand that Submission pleases God and so Islam, Salaam, and Tasleem are all connected.
Wansbrough shows • Northern Arabs invade a political vacuum after Romans leave. • These are “Arab Jews” who have contextualised Judaism into a secular or Arab form • Islam forms over a period until 800AD then • clerics take over, ibn Hanbal, Shafi, Maliki, Hanafi Madhabs.
Question:To develop a confessional community takes years if not centuries, Christianity took some 33+ years, and was still chaotic until Constantine in 325 summoned the Council of Nicaea. How did Islam come to a rapid confessional and ritualist position so soon after the death of its supposed founder? Was there a short cut?
Response; It invaded Palestine and conquered Damascus as an Arab cousin of Judaism and as they interacted with John of Damascus and other Christians developed an Arab interpretation of Judaism over a period of 150 years.(800AD)
Common Monotheistic Religious Traits • Names and terms for various parts of Islam. • Emblems; initiations rites, acts, rituals • Creeds; membership rules, • Catechisms, dogmatic formulae • Identity, polemic visa sis other communities • Consolidation, conversion • Orthodoxy- instruction
Islam had a simple desert creed, one God, one rasul-this is an apologetic versus other confessions • Subsequent codification took place developing the Arkan al Islam. • The original kerygma was only sent as guidance within Jahili mythology it was not adopted and then codified until much later. • The earliest formulation of Islamic identity is contained in sira – maghazi (not Qur’an or • Hadis ) literature. Islam developed in an atmosphere of polemic with Christians and Jews.
Qur’anic complaint • Jews could not be trusted as they had killed the Prophets. • Christians had turned to worshipping three gods. • (Orientalists produced a story that was based upon erroneous texts. Hadis (Schacht-none true, Moh. Only 73 true out of 600,000) or Qur’an. Thus the story is inherently false. Like taking the stories of Terminator and deducing a real figure. Hadis used to controlling and influencing people in the absence of codified law and traditions.)
Arab Corrective • The Qur’an seeks to defend Isa al Masih • As Kalimatullah –Word of God • Ruh Allah- Spirit of God • Al Masih- the Messiah • Ibn Mariam- son of Mary
Re-using Common Pillars • Most of Islamic practices are closely related to Jewish theology and traditions that has its roots to Mosaic writings (Taurat, Mishna) and other writings of the prophets (Woodberry 1989) • The creed (shahada) I bear witness that there is “no god but Allah” is based on verses: Q37: 35/34(“There is no god but God”) and Q112: 1-2” Say, He [is] God, one [ahad]. God Alone’”) • This creedal formula according to Hartwig Herschfeld (New researches into the Composition and Exegesis of the Qur’an, London: Royal Asiatic Society, 1902: 35) indicates that it is apparently based on the Jewish Shema as found in Deuteronomy 6: 4 (‘Hear O Israel, the lord our god is one [ahad] Lord”) • Both Shema and shahada creedal formulas emphasize the same word ahad meaning ONE. • Islam’s most celebrated theologian Abu Hamid al-Ghazali(d.1111) twice states that Muslims as well as Christians should be able to accept the shahada with appropriate alternatives e.g. ; “There is no god but God and Isa/Muhammad is the apostle of God” (John 17: 3)
The Ritual Prayer (Salat) Although the OT mentions morning and evening prayers (Ex. 29: 39; Num. 28: 4) Judaism developed three daily prayers according to the pattern of Ps 55: 17 (also Dan. 6: 10) See the Talmud of Jerusalem, Berakoth 4: 1 (p. 37) • However Christian monks prayed seven times a day on the pattern of Psalm 119: 162. • Almsgiving (zakat)There is considerable concern that alms be given to the poor (9: 60). This concern is also shared in the O.T. (Deut. 15: 11; Prov. 19: 17 as well as in the NT (Mt. 6: 1-4; 25: 35-46)
Fasting (sawm)Moses, Elijah & Jesus had all fasted forty days & nights (Deut. 9: 9; 18; 1Kg 19: 8; Lk. 4:1-2) • Jesus expected his followers to fast (Mt. 6: 16-18. • Paul fasted frequently (Acts 13: 2; 2 Cor. 6: 5; 11: 27) • Early church fathers observed forty-day fast during the annual Lent for self denial • Judaism follows the same pattern (Judg. 20: 26; 2Sam. 1: 12; 3: 35) • Pilgrimage (Hajj) The word hajj is from the Hebrew word hag used in Ps. 8: 14 (v. 3 in English) for a sacrifice when the Israelites were gathered in Jerusalem. • For example circumambulation (dawaf) of Ka’aba is similar to going round the sanctuary (Ps. 26: 6).
Muslims also go round the Ka’aba and standing before God is an act of worship. • Mosque of Mecca is called haram a sacred place (9: 28) so also the court of gentiles for the gentiles who could not enter the Temple. • Mecca or Becca (Ps. 84:6 see also Qur’an 3: 96) is seen by Muslims as the place of the Last judgment as Jerusalem is seen by the Jews. • Holy War (Jihad ) “For those Christians who may stumble at certain aspects of Muhammad’s lifestyle, I urge them to study more objectively the lives of the Old Testament prophets where both holy war in a form more violent than Islam calls for genocide in the book of Joshua, and polygamy was quite common”.
Encouraging Insider Paradigm Identity crisis is a typical experience of every people movement. • The Gentile Church after the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD, seeks for its cultural identity. Jewish Messianic Church (the Judaisers) Gentile Church Sec.Believers. C1________C2________C3_______C4_______C5_______C6 Necodemus • Islam seeks identity and contextualizes the “kibla” (direction of prayer) from Jerusalem (foreign) to “Macca” or “Bacca” local (Ps. 84: 6) Judaism Islam Sec. Bel. C1 ________C2________C3_______C4_______C5_______C6 Necodemus • Messianic Muslims just like Messianic Jews seek their cultural identity & retrace their history Traditional Indigenous MBB IM Sec. Bel. C1 ________C2________C3_______C4_______C5_______C6 Necodemus
Judaism and Islam • The historical interaction of Judaism and Islam started in the 7th century AD with the origin and spread of Islam in the Arabian peninsula. Because Islam has its foundation in Judaism and share a common origin in the Middle East through Abraham, both are considered Abrahamic religions. There are many shared aspects between Judaism and Islam: Islam is similar to Judaism in its fundamental religious outlook, structure, jurisprudence and practice
Abraham • Judaism and Islam are known as "Abrahamic religions • The first Abrahamic religion was Judaism as practiced in the wilderness of the Sinai peninsula subsequent to the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt and continuing as the Hebrews entered the land of Canaan to conquer and settle it.. The firstborn son of Abraham, Ishmael, is considered by Muslims to be the Father of the Arabs. Abraham's second son Isaac is called Father of the Hebrews. In Islamic tradition Isaac is viewed as the grandfather of all Israelites and the promised son of Abraham from his barren wife Sarah.
There are many common aspects between Islam and Judaism. As Islam developed in close contact with Judaism it gradually became the major religion closest to Judaism, both of them being strictly Monotheist religious traditions originating in a Semitic Middle Eastern culture. As opposed to Christianity, which originated from interaction between ancient Greek and Hebrew cultures, Islam is similar to Judaism in its fundamental religious outlook, structure, jurisprudence and practice. There are many traditions within Islam originating from traditions within the Hebrew Bible or from postbiblical Jewish traditions. These practices are known collectively as the Isra'iliyat
Adam Noah Shem Ham Japheth Abraham Hagar Sarah Keturah Isaac Ishmael (Arab) Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Ishbak, Shuah Esau Jacob/Israel 12 Princes 12 Tribes Moses TIMELINE OF WORLD RELIGION David All the Prophets Palestine (non-Arab) Chinese and Africans Europeans Jesus, the Christ The Seed of Abraham, the last Adam Mohammed Gentiles
Shared concepts1. Holy scriptures • Islam and Judaism share the idea of a revealed Scripture. Even though they differ over the precise text and its interpretations, the Hebrew Torah and the Muslim Qur'an share a lot of narrative as well as injunctions. From this, they share many other fundamental religious concepts such as the belief in a day of Divine Judgment.
Muslims commonly refer to Jews (and Christians) as fellow "People of the Book": people who follow the same general teachings in relation to the worship of the one God worshipped by [Abraham], Allah. The Qur'an distinguishes between "People of the Book" (Jews and Christians), who should be tolerated even if they hold to their faiths, and idolaters (polytheists) who are not given that same degree of tolerance (See Al-Baqara, 256).
2. Religious law • Judaism and Islam are unique in having systems of religious law based on oral tradition that can override the written laws and that does not distinguish between holy and secular spheres. In Islam the laws are called ‘Sharia’, In Judaism they are known as ‘Halakha’. Both Judaism and Islam consider the study of religious law to be a form of worship and an end in itself. (Sunni)
3. Rules of conduct • The most obvious common practice is the statement of the absolute unity of God, which Muslims observe in their five times daily prayers (Salah), and Jews state at least twice (Shema Yisrael), along with praying 3 times daily. The two faiths also share the central practices of fasting and almsgiving, as well as dietary laws and other aspects of ritual purity. Under the strict dietary laws, lawful food is called Kosher in Judaism and Halal in Islam.
Both religions prohibit the consumption of pork, which is different in Christianity because even that the bible prohibits the pork meat, Christians still eat it. Halal restrictions are similar to a subset of the Kashrut dietary laws, so many kosher foods are considered halal. • Both Islam and traditional Judaism ban homosexuality and forbid human sexual relations outside of marriage and necessitate abstinence during the wife's menstruation. Both practice circumcision for males.
Islam and Judaism both consider the Christian doctrine of the trinity and the belief of Jesus being God as explicitly against the tenets of monotheism. Idolatry, worshiping graven images, is likewise forbidden in both religions. Both believe in angels and demons (Sahtahn in Hebrew/Judaism and Al-Shai'tan in Arabic/Islam) (However, many Jews do not consider angels nor demons to be literal beings as stated by Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon) and many angels possess similar names and roles in both religions. Neither religion subscribes to the concept of original sin. Both view homosexuality as sinful.
There are narrative similarities between Jewish texts and the Hadith have also been noted. Both state Potiphar's wife was named Zuleika (In Islam's case, this is a result of Isra'iliyat influence).There is a small bone in the body at the base of the spinal column called the Luz bone (known by differing traditions as either the coccyx or the seventh cervical vertebra) from which the body will be rebuilt at the time of resurrection, according to
Muslims and Jews who share the belief that this bone does not decay. Muslims books refer to this bone as “Ajbu al-Thanab”. Rabbi Joshua Ben Hananiah replied to Hadrian, as to how man revived in the world to come, "From Luz, in the back-bone."
Luke 12:3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs. Jewish culture lives on!
Some thoughts on Judaism and Islam. • Colin Chapman sees three reasons to dis-qualify an association with these two religions. • Mohammed was too creative in adding his own interpretation to the Joseph story Surah 12. • His teaching was influenced by the negative response from the Jews. The change of the Qiblah and the linking of Abraham with Mecca are given as examples. • The Jewish people had special privileges from God. • All these can be countered by taking on board the idea of a theology of identity.
Maxime Rodinson. • The name ‘Ishmaelite’ is synonymous to Arabs amongst Christians and Jews: Book of Jubelees 150 BC. Flavius Josephus 100AD. Also called Hagarenes, Agarenians. Jewish text the Sapiencial Poem 2nd part of the book of Baruch called sons of Agar (Baruch 3 v 33) • European Christians thought that the word Saracen came from Sara. ( this they had that association) • Simeon, son of Kamitos, high priest is predecessor of Caiaphas the high Priest is also called Ishmael in the Talmud. • Paul Kruger welcomed Indian merchants in South Africa called them Ishmaelites. • Massignon, using Lammens work, said that Islam “was an Arabic adaption of Biblical monotheism”
Ishmael is circumcised, before Isaac, into the Abrahamic covenant. And becomes the champion of the Arab genealogical claim. • The Ishmaelites originate from the NW of Arabia (Nabateans) NOT all Arabs. • NW Arabs used ‘El’ for God, Central and Southern used Allah. Later changed to make a distinction for Arabs. • Snouck Hurgronje shows that it is when Mohammed is in Medina that he discovers the link with Abraham. THERFORE anything Jewish is by way of inheritance and osmosis from visiting traders.
Jewish SECTS • The plethora of Jewish sects and their interpretation of the OT. Denominations of Judaism: Jewish movements, often referred to as denominations, branches or sects of Judaism, differ from each other in some beliefs and thus in the way they observe Judaism. Differences between Jewish movements, in contrast to differences between Christian denominations, derive from interpreting Jewish scriptures in more progressive/liberal or more traditional/conservative ways rather then from theological differences.
Jewish sects • 1. Orthodox Judaism:Orthodox Jews believe that God gave Moses the whole Torah (Written and Oral) at Mount Sinai. Orthodox Jews believe that the Torah contains 613 mitzvot (commandments) • 2. Conservative Judaism:Conservative Judaism maintains that the ideas in the Torah come from God, but were transmitted by humans and contain a human component. • 3. Reform Judaism:Reform Judaism believes that the Torah was written by different human sources, rather than by God, and then later combined.
4. Reconstructionist Judaism: Reconstructionists believe that Judaism is an "evolving religious civilization." In one way it is more liberal than Reform Judaism. • 5. Humanistic Judaism:Humanistic Judaism, founded in 1963 in Detroit, Michigan by Rabbi Sherwin T. Wine, offers a nontheistic alternative in contemporary Jewish life.
More research needed to ascertain the kind of Judaism in Arabia in 6th- 7th C.