Week 2 Jesus in the Light of the Qur an and the Bible Welcome note, Opening Song, Opening Prayer, Week 1 REVIEW ARABIAN PENINSULA BEFORE MUHAMMAD - Traders - Interaction between Byzantine and Persian Empires and Ethiopia - Most of them were Nomads (wanderers who had no fixed place called home). - The Arabs were Bedouins desert tribes centered around families and ruled by clans. - They had no single government, Arabic was their common spoken language and were believers of multiple gods. INFLUENCE ON THE DEVLOPMENT OF ISLAM - Paganism - Judaism - Christianity - Heresies o Nestorianism a heresy not believing in the deity of Christ. o Zoroastrianism worship in fire temple believing fire represents God s light or wisdom. Persians were Zoroastrians o Gnostics rejected material things live in caves spending time in prayer to achieve mystical gnosis BRIEF ABOUT MUHAMMAD Born an orphan. Honest, hardworking and truthful man. Married a rich business woman 40 years his senior. At age 40 received revelations in a mysterious way. Started spreading Islam. Faced opposition and migrated from Mecca to Medina. Became violent, warrior and spread Islam by the sword. Was married 13 times but some say 22 times. His youngest wife was age 9. AD 632 he died of sickness possibly poisoning.
FACTORS ON THE EXPANSION OF ISLAM 1. Social unrest between Mecca and Medina 2. Emerging movement toward monotheism. 3. Reaction against Hellenism in Syria and Egypt. 4. Decline of the Persian and Byzantine Empires. 5. Opportunities for Arabic nomads to plunder neighboring lands. 6. Muhammad: the prophet, reformer, administrator and political strategist. THE CALIPHATE - Sunni & Shiites SURAH 9 Important facts regarding infidels. - Kill idolaters including Christians and the Jews. - Engage in war who insult Islam. - Do not allow non-muslims into the Mosque. - Perform jihad with your money and life. Muslims who do not will go to hell. - Can bribe people to believe in Islam Bernhard von Breydenback a German traveler and Dean of the Cathedral at Mainz conveys Muhammad the pseudo-prophet the first born of Satan. Viewed Islam a product of a conniving false prophet the son of Satan (metaphorically) Ref: pg. 9 Martin Luther and Islam by Dr. Adam Francisco. ALLAH Ur of the Chaldees from which God called Abraham, was so devoted to the moongod that it was sometimes called Nannar (after Nanna -moon god) in tablets from that time. Sir Leonard Wooley excavated a Babylonian temple of the moon god from that time period. His discoveries are displayed in British Museum.
Note the presence of the crescent moon (Ref. pg. 129 From Jihad to Jesus by Jerry Rassamni) During the time of Abraham, the important ancient city of Haran had the moon deity as patron god, under the name of Sin. (pg. 129) Sin s star and crescent as found on a coin in Haran in Turkey. A major temple of the moon god was excavated in 1950s at Hazor in Palestine. The inscription confirmed that the two idols found were in fact statues of the moon god. Each statue was of a man sitting on a throne, with a crescent moon carved upon his chest. In Noah s time there was increase in wickedness and worship of pagan deities. After the flood Noah s grandson through Shem settled in Ur of the Chaldees located in the region of Babylon in modern-day Iraq. Ur of Chaldees and Haran were the chief centers of worship of Sin during the time of Abraham 2100 BC. Sin was the moon god of Semitic religion and a principle deity in Babylonian and Assyrian pantheons. Archeological evidence reveals that the moon god, whose symbol throughout Arabia was the crescent moon the iconic symbol of Islam worshiped by the people of Mesopotamia, especially Ur, Haran, Sumeria, Assyria, Babylon, Syria, Canna, Persia and Egypt. Allah, the highest deity of pagan Arabia was the target worship in varying degrees of intensity from the southernmost tip of Arabia to the Mediterranean. With Muhammad, he (Allah) became Allah, God of the worlds. Although Arabs continued to worship other deities, the worship of the moon god (Allah) became pagan Arabia s answer to the monotheistic Judeo-Christian faith around them. Soon the polytheists of Arabia recognized Allah as their own monotheistic deity. Islam is clearly against moon worship. When Muslim say and worship Allah they do it with the sovereign creator in mind.
MUHAMMAD August 2, AD 570 Birth of Muhammad in Mecca. His father Abdullah died before his birth. AD 576 At age 6 his mother Amenah died and his grandfather Abdul Muttalib assumed his care. AD 578 At age 8 his grandfather died and his father s brother Abu Talib assumed his care. AD 582 At age 12 in Syria a Nestorian Christian monk prophesied over Muhammad. AD 592 Age 25 1 st marriage to Khadija by her cousin Waraqa, an Ebionite Christian priest. AD 610 Age 40 1 st revelation from angel Gabriel in a cave. AD 613 Age 43 Started openly preaching in Mecca about his revelations. Muhammad is rejected by the people of Mecca In Mecca, 13 years with no result. He was cooperative, tolerant, non-violent, forgiving and not take revenge. After moving to Medina within 1 year announced Allah s permission to fight and turned into a roaring lion. KOR AN The earliest complete Kor an manuscript in existence in museums today are hundreds of years after Muhammad s death. Muslims claim that they have a Kor an that dates to the time of Muhammad. In reality it is not so. The earliest fragmentary manuscripts of the Kor an are all dated no earlier than 100 years after the death of Muhammad. There is no archeological evidence to prove artifact, manuscript or inscription available during the life of Muhammad. Uthman the 3 rd Caliph codified the Qur an in 651 AD. He burned all previous editions and copies of Qur an
HADITH The Hadith developed during the 1 st three centuries of Islamic history. Hadith means to tell what happened and to speak of it. It can be defined as the biography of Muhammad put together by the long memory of his community for their dedication, belief and obedience. Traditions became the central factor in the development of law and the shaping of the society. SHARIA LAW Sharia is an Arabic word and the law of Islam. Sharia deals with politics, economics, banking, business and contract law, sexuality and social issues. It is based on the Quran and the Hadith. It cannot be changed but interpreted by imams called fiqh. The Sharia law can punish by amputation of a hand for theft. Public lashing for adultery and fornication. Single woman s testimony in court much accompany another woman s testimony to validate it. Female heir inherits half of a male heir. Sharia law is divided in two sections. A. Worship called ibadat = 5 pillars of Islam B. Human interaction like Financial transactions, endowments, law of inheritance, marriage, divorce, child custody, food, drinks, rituals of hunting and slaughtering, penal punishments, warfare and peace and judicial matters. SUNAH, ANGELS, PROPHETS, JUDGEMENT Sunnah is the teachings, deeds and sayings of the prophets. Along with Quran and Hadith, the Sunnah makes up the Islamic theology and law. The Sunna is defined as a path, a way, a manner of life, all the traditions and practices of the Islamic prophet that have become models to be followed by Muslims. Angels are heavenly beings who do not have free will and only obey God s orders. Belief in angels is the 6 th article of faith in Islam. Islam says that humans are made of clay, jinn from smokeless fire and angels are made of light.
Jibrial (Gabriel) is the angel of revelation responsible to revealing Quran to Muhammad. Israfil is an archangel who will blow the trumpet twice at the end of time. Mikail (Michael) provides nourishments for bodies and soul. He is responsible for bringing rain and thunder. Azrael is the angel of death who parts the soul from the body. Prophets are messenger and bringer of divine revelations via an angel. The first prophet was Adam. The Torah was given to Moses, the Zabur to David and the Gospel to Jesus. Unique to Islam is Muhammad who is the seal of the prophets the last prophet. Muslims according to hadith say that there have been 124,000 prophets from Adam to Muhammad. Judgement day is life after death. The whole universe will be destroyed and the dead will be resurrected for judgement. This will be the beginning of a life that will never end. People will be rewarded for all their good and bad deeds. All non- Muslims will be doomed to hell forever. The Quran says that all Muslims shall definitely enter hell with no guarantee of coming out except for those who die in Jihad will go straight to paradise. The hadith describe the end time with more specificity than the Quran. The time for the day of Judgement is only known to Allah. Muhammad cannot bring it forward 1. The Shahada Confession The 5 pillars of Islam The confession of Muslims is a simple statement There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of God. This confession is whispered into Muslim s ears at birth and death. The confession provides the basic roadmap for Muslim life. It contains the code words for daily living. Both belief (iman) and practice (din) fit together as one submits to God.
2. The Prayers: - 4 am is the 1 st prayer called Sobh - 12 noon is the 2 nd prayer called Dhuhr - 3 pm is the 3 rd prayer called Asr - 5 pm is the 4 th prayer called Maghrib - 8:30 pm is the 5 th prayer called Isha
Goal of Islamic Prayer: 1. To avoid Allah s punishment for disobeying the command to pray five time a day. 2. Hope to please Allah so that he will accept them on Judgment day. Some comparison between Judaism and Islam Direction of prayers Jews face Jerusalem Muslims face Mecca Prostration Jews used to prostrate 3 times a day Muslims prostrate 17 times a day Praying with a group Prefer with congregation Prefer with congregation Language of Prayer Jews in Hebrew and Muslims in Arabic Aramaic Prayer times Five Five Wudu and postures of prayer Exodus 40:32 They washed whenever they entered the Tent of Meeting or approached the altar, as the Lord commanded Moses. Leviticus 15 is all about cleansing from being unclean. For Minor ablution: The Jews did wash right hand from wrist to finger-times 3 times, then repeat with left hand. In some instances, the feet are also washed. They recited appropriate blessings with proper intent. They did this before worship, on awakening, after relieving oneself, after touching a normally clothed part of the body (private part), before eating bread, before priestly blessing, after cutting one s hair or nails, after participating in a funeral upon, upon leaving a cemetery or coming within four cubits of a corpse, after touching inside of nose and ear and after touching the scalp. For major ablution: The Jews used to immerse the body completely in a pool of water. This was need by a woman that has finished her menstrual cycle (after some additional days have passed), a woman who has given birth, one who has had an emission, one who has performed an act of intimacy, one who has come into contact with a corpse, before a religious festival, before going to Temple and when those converting to the religion.
The kind of water used was: Rain water, well water, spring, sea or river water, water of melting snow or hail, water of a tank or pond. 3. Zakat Almsgiving Zakat is required by the Qur an. It is 2.5 % of one s wealth. In certain cases, such as farming and industry it could be up to 20% of assets. Zakat is associated with practicing regular charity and the gaining of paradise 4. Roza- Fasting Roza is observed during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Ramadan is the time when Muhammad received the revlation of the Qur an from angel Gabriel. The Qur an asserts, O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you Fasting means to abstain from drinking, eating, and certain other sensual pleasures during the daylight hours of the month. At the end of Ramadan is Eid Fetr when the fast is concluded with celebrations and return to normal routine. 5. Hajj Pilgrimage to Kaba in Mecca. Haj is a visit to Mecca during a special annual season to perform certain rituals in and around Mecca. The season includes the tenth and eleventh months and the first ten days of the twelfth month. The Qur an places an obligation upon all Muslim men and women who are capable of making the journey both; physically and financially at least once in a lifetime. The Qur an states And complete the Hajj or Umrah In the service of Allah. There are a number of interesting similarities between the two holiest sites in Islam and Judaism. Masjid al-haram is the Greatest Mosque in Mecca, while the Jewish Temple once stood in Jerusalem where the al-aqsa complex stand today Muslims: Once a year Muslims are commanded to make a pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca Jews: Three times a year Jews were commanded to make a pilgrimage (Hag hag ha-matzot, hag ha-sukkot, hag ha-shavuot) to Jerusalem Muslims: Only those capable of traveling to Mecca are obligated to go
Jews: Only those capable of traveling to the Temple were obligated to go Muslims: Purify the body with water before going on Hajj Jews: Purify the body with water before going on Hag Muslims: Circle the Kaaba seven times (Tawaf) anti-clockwise Jews: Circle the Temple seven times anti-clockwise Muslims: During Hajj pilgrims are obligated to offer certain animals as a qurban (sacrifice) Jews: As part of the Hag pilgrims were obligated to offer certain animals as a korban (sacrifice) Muslims: If a woman is in her menses she should refrain from circling the Kaaba Jews: If a woman is in her menses she should refrain from ascending to the Temple Mount and circling the Temple Muslims: It is preferable to enter the al-haram complex barefoot Jews: It is preferable to enter the Temple complex barefoot 6. JIHAD: Some Muslims include holy efforts in the cause of God (Jihad) as the 6 th pillar of Islam. Jihad is seen as a personal commitment by the Muslim to spread the faith. Jihad is also viewed as war on behalf of God. Basically the world means struggling or striving. Within Islam there is the greater Jihad and the lesser Jihad. Greater Jihad is the warfare against sin and all that is against Allah and his teachings. It is a personal battle that each Muslim wages within for righteousness. Lesser Jihad is the traditional holy war associated with the will of Allah and launched in the name of Allah against the enemies of Islam.
Islamist/Fundamentalists. Islam in America Types of Muslims According to the Gallup Poll on the Muslim World around 7% of Muslims worldwide have Islamist sympathies. Here are some of the distinctive features of this group: - Seek to develop an Islamic socio-political Muslim society - Reject nationalism, secularism, communism and Westernization - Emphasize Islamic values and institutions in response to Western counterparts - Want an Islamic state - Groups: Muslim Brotherhood (Salafia), Jama at Islami and Revolutionary Iran - Oppose: Secularists, Nationalists, Liberals, Modernists, Westernized Muslims and some Puritans Puritains These Muslims believe that Islam was codified by the 12th century and that there can be no new developments in religion since that time. They look to the literature before the 12th century to find Islamic interpretations for the modern world. Their stance has caused stagnation for them in today s world. The following are characteristics of traditionalists: - Follow strictly the pre-modern schools of Islamic law - Uphold solutions arrived at by pre-modern jurists and theologians - Reject reforms to Islamic law and criticism of traditionalism - Dominate the traditional seminary system across the Islamic world. - Groups: Most Muslims fit this category. - Oppose: Anyone who calls for reform (ijtihad), modernists, neo-modernists, Western-educated Islamic scholars and liberal Muslims Traditionalists These Muslims believe that Islam was codified by the 12th century and that there can be no new developments in religion since that time. They look to the literature before the 12th century to find Islamic interpretations for the modern
world. Their stance has caused stagnation for them in today s world. The following are characteristics of traditionalists: - Follow strictly the pre-modern schools of Islamic law - Uphold solutions arrived at by pre-modern jurists and theologians - Reject reforms to Islamic law and criticism of traditionalism - Dominate the traditional seminary system across the Islamic world. - Groups: Most Muslims fit this category. - Oppose: Anyone who calls for reform (ijtihad), modernists, neo-modernists, Western-educated Islamic scholars and liberal Muslims Ijtihadist/Modernists These Muslims favor re-opening the door of creative and innovative interpretation of Islam in order to find a place in the modern world. They want a version of Islam that will have positive impacts on the world around it. The following represents this group: - Argue for major changes in the methodology of Islamic law and reform - Islamic law needs substantial change to meet the needs of Muslims today - Traditional Islamic law is not relevant for today and needs new laws to keep up with Muslim needs today. - Groups: Modern, liberal and even secular Muslims and some reformminded traditionalists. - Oppose: Traditionalists, some puritans and Islamists. Secularists This group is the western educated elite within Islamic society. They relegate religion to personal belief and some in this category believe that the religion of Islam is actually the problem. Their distinctive are: - Islam is a personal belief - They value personal piety - No need for an Islamic state nor implementation of sha ria law - Oppose: anyone calling for an Islamic state, socio-political order or those seeking to implement a pre-modern Islamic law in society.
African American Islam These Muslims are defined by their ethnicity and fall into two categories. The first are mostly Sunni Muslims who want to get back to the original religion of their African ancestors. The second are the Nation of Islam, a black nationalist movement with religious ideas that other Muslims deem heretical. - Warith Deen Muhammad, former head of The Muslim American Society (MAS) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/american_society_of_muslims - Imam Siraj Wahhaj is a prominent modern spokesman for Sunni African Muslims http://www.imamsiraj.org/ - MAS Operates Clara Muhammad Schools 27 elementary, secondary, and high schools throughout the U.S. - Louis Farrakhan, leader of the racist Nation of Islam (http://www.noi.org) Sufism-Mystic Muslims Focus on the inner spiritual life as a response to modernity. Many of the practices of mystical Muslims are found in pre-islamic practices or mystical practices found in other eastern or animistic religions. Relationship with God is paramount. - They are in love with God - Poetry and song are used to express their love - Some seek mystical union with the divine - Groups: International Association of Sufism Refugees This is a group that has been victimized by political, social and/or religious upheaval in their country of origin. Often they have little education and only practice what they have been taught about Islam from their families. The trauma and chaos they have gone through has deeply scared and shaped their worldview. - Refugees are disenfranchised, displaced people nothing is normal - Circumstances abused, neglected, disappointed, hopeless - Trust Broken trust in government, news agencies, ideologies, and religion
Folk/Popular Muslims These Muslims mix their practice of religion with animism and magic. They believe the world to be populated by angels, jinn and demons. Over 80% of the Muslims in the world fall into this category. - Poor and uneducated - Use charms and amulets for protection - Use Qur an as book of magic - Support for their beliefs are found in: - Qur an - Hadith - Superstition Christian Response Some have responded to Islam with fear, others with an uncritical acceptance and still others with attacks and political agendas. But, as followers of Christ we must lovingly approach Muslims with the truth of the Gospel. Only then can they be free from their bondage and enter into God s Kingdom. Here are some practical steps in embracing Muslims with the Gospel: - Show them the loving body of Christ - Receive those who are victims of Islamic violence - Pray for our Muslim neighbors - Resist reducing Islam and Muslims to an ideology we can attack - Share Christ with those who are willing to listen