Class # 4: Islamic Sources The Clash of Monotheisms: Christian Encounter with Islam 5/26/2013 Introduction: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful (2 Timothy 3:16) So far we have looked at what Muslims believe and the history of Islam. Today we will look at the written sources that the theology is taken from. Q: What is the source of truth? Why did God give us His written Word? Shorter Catechism: Q2: What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him? A. The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him. Q3: What do the Scriptures principally teach? A. The Scriptures principally teach, what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man. 3 sources of truth/authority in Islam Quran revealed word of Allah Sunna Muhammad s life, a path to follow Hadith teachings attributed to Muhammad (lens through which Quran is interpreted) Quran: History -authorship compiled over 23 years from 610-623 AD. According to Muslim tradition, Muhammad was given the Quran by the angel Jibreel (Gabriel) over that period. The original Quran is on golden plates in heaven and is eternal, and written in Arabic Less than 20% of Muslims speak Arabic as a native language, but most know enough to recite passages Faithful Muslims have goal of memorizing the entire Quran in Arabic Quran recited, not inspired -historicity Sunni view: after Muhammad s death, first Caliph, Abu Bakr, put a version together from various sources, including companions/memorizers; After his death, Uthman, the 3 rd caliph put together the definitive written version which is supposedly identical to the version used today; within 20 years of Muhammad s death there was a definitive version used in defense of the authority/perfection of the Quran Arrangement -Surat (or Surah)
114 (NT has 260 chapters) Originally oral, (Quran means literally, recitation) consistent use of rhyme Divided into Ayat (verses) but not consistently arranged roughly by length (longest first) rather than topic or chronology, except First Surah which is recited as a prayer during the day by devout Muslims Surat are typically identified by title rather than number (such as The Cave, The Believers or The Ant ) Divided into Meccan and Medinan surat (86 and 28 respectively, in dispute) generally the Meccan surat focus on Heaven/eternity and Medninan surat focus on social and political happenings of the new Islamic community Every Surah except the 9 th starts with the Bismillah ( in the name of God ) In the name of God, the Merciful, the most merciful Generally when quoted, there are not long passages included mostly due to choppiness of the text not telling a story Matthew 6:9-13: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Surah 1: In the name of God, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. All praise and thanks is for to God, [The] Creator, Owner, Sustainer of the Worlds. The Entirely Merciful, The Especially Merciful. Owner of the Day of Recompense. You alone do we worship and You alone we seek for help Guide us to the Straight Path. The path of those whom Your blessings are upon, not of those who You have cursed nor of those who have gone astray. Muslim Views of the Quran -Word of God Muhammad is not the author (blasphemy): he received it from God Contains none of Muhammad s growth/development, because it is the word of God, there is none of Muhammad contained in it IS the word of God and is eternal, uncreated Jesus:Quran (high view of physical copies closest thing to an incarnation of Allah why burning is met with violence) Unique among holy books in that it has not changed in 1400 years other scriptures corrupted by man
Quran is to be believed, not interpreted no room generally for questioning the authority of the Quran -Only the Quran in Arabic translations are not the Quran, but interpretations of it - non-muslims should not handle the Quran in Arabic -Seen as the greatest work of Arabic poetry -Quran is a miracle sign of Muhammad s prophethood -Has supernatural powers stories of healing after reciting Claims -Tawhid and Shirk God is one -99 names of Allah -Creation Allah created everything, everyone is born a Muslim but is touched by Satan and needs to re-submit -Works based righteousness the scales of Salvation -Allah s sovereignty -Way of Islam is for all mankind unlike Judaism -all men should submit to will of Allah -tolerance in Meccan surahs for People of the Book, moving toward intolerance in Medinan surahs -Jihad struggle to bring all the earth under submission to Allah (by righteous example, education, law and force if necessary) -Many stories from the Bible Abraham, Lot/Destruction of Sodom, The Exodus from Egypt, Jonah, David and Goliath, Jesus birth -Quran uncorrupted version today is exactly the same as the version given to Muhammad, even to the letter and diacritical mark -Older verses (ayat) can be abrogated (naskh) by later verses progressive revelation by Allah based on earthly circumstances (example of Mecca vs Medina time period) Jesus in the Quran -accepted by Muslims as a special messenger of God (unlike the Jews) -born of the virgin Mary created not begotten -was a prophet who received the Injil sent to People of Israel as a successor to Moses -not divine and did not claim to be divine -did miracles (such as speaking) as an infant -his miracles pertained to his time focused on health - and confirmed his prophethood -preached the same message as Muhammad and in fact predicted his coming (Another comes after me) -did not die on the cross (no concept of substitutionary atonement), only appeared to and then was raised up to God - Say not 3, fundamental misunderstanding of the doctrine of the Trinity, 3 persons in one God -Holy Spirit really the angel Gabriel
Criticisms -There are different versions of the Quran in use today -If the Quran is eternal why is it written in Arabic, a language with a definite beginning? -Why does Allah spend so much time talking about what happened in Muhammad s life? -Textual criticism unlike the Bible, the Quran has not been subjected to rigorous scholarly scrutiny -Faithful Muslims do not question the inerrancy of the Quran -The Bible invites scholarly criticism (Paul warning of false gospels, encouraging the testing of spirits) -How did Muhammad know what was contained in the uncorrupted Torah and Injil if they had already been lost by his time -Similarly, how is the Quran incorruptible if Allah s other messages could be corrupt? -Why does Allah misunderstand what Christians believe about the Trinity? Compare Bible and Quran from Anderson s notes. Sunna: Lit: Well-trodden path The Norms by which true Muslims live in this world -Based on the life of Muhammad: his biography (Sirat), his habits, thoughts, behavior, dress, etc -Teach that Muhammad was sent as an example, not just a messenger -verses in the Quran specifically instruct Muslims to obey the Prophet Certainly Allah conferred a benefit upon the believers when He raised among them a Messenger from among themselves, reciting to them His communications and purifying them, and teaching them the Book and the wisdom, although before that they were surely in manifest error. -elevates Muhammad to a higher place than other prophets/messengers -includes everything, how he ate, dressed, groomed himself (beards) Hadith: Teachings that are attributed to Muhammad, either his direct quotation or his tacit approval/disapproval or his example (as in the Sunna) In the century after Muhammad s death, his actions and teachings were passed down orally and eventually were written down.
Soon there were hundreds (often contradictory) Hadith, so a group of scholars began studying them and deciding which ones were authentic/authoritative Science of the Hadith -Sanad chain of narration need to be legitimately connected to Muhammad -Matn text of a hadith must conform to what we know of Muhammad and the Quran -Hadith are not direct word of God, but are inspired and authoritative for righteous living as a Muslim -Hadit Qudsi IS direct word of God, just not included in the Quran another criticism of the Quran (Bible is complete and sufficient, if Quran is complete and sufficient why do we need Hadith to complete it?) Example of what you need to know for salvation. -Quran is considered Muhammad s miracle, but many other miracles listed in Hadith -again elevate Muhammad Jesus in the Hadith -considered sinless -stories of Muhammad interceding for other sinners (showing them the error of their ways), but other prophets refusing to do so because of their sin (or in Jesus case because God is angry) - Criticism -so many variations, how do we know what is authentic? -Why is the Hadith even necessary if the Quran is the complete word of God? Islamic teachers: Mosque and Imams Quran is God s word no need to have it interpreted, so the mosque is just a place to participate in ritual worship with other Muslims. Imams are those who have studied the Islamic sources and have more knowledge than others on the path. Not the same in authority over Muslims, except as judges under Sharia. Somewhat different in Shia (Ayatollahs, etc) Typical use of the Quran is for recitation and ritual worship (salat), not expository (or even topical) preaching. Application: Is the Quran useful for morality? No, because it teaches a false God and false righteousness. Like the Pharisees it encourages people to become white-washed tombs. How do we treat the true Word of God? We should read and memorize, not to earn God s favor, but to know His grace and love. He has revealed Himself and by His Holy Spirit He changes our hearts to be more like Him.