Dr. Robert C. Kurka Professor, Theology and Church in Culture Lincoln Christian University *Title adapted from book of same name by Timothy George (Zondervan, 2002)
Introduction: Only an ostrich can ignore Islam today Martin Goldsmith Definitions: Islam Muslim * Varieties of Muslims: Sunnis Shi a Sufis Various unorthodox groups (e.g., Nation of Islam)
Muhammad (570-632) 1) Visions from God 2) Qur an 3) Medina 622: Beginning of Islamic Era 4) Control of Mecca 630; city is cleansed of pagan idols (Ka bah) Expansion and Demise and Rise (again) 632-2010 1) Breath-taking spread of Islam throughout the Eastern (Christian) world 2) The Crusades (1095-1291) 3) Ottoman Empire (15 th -17 th centuries) 4) European Invasion into Muslim world 5) Israel 1948 6) Islamic Republic of Iran 1979 7) 9/11/01 8) Continued growth in Europe and North America
Born in CE 570 in vicinity of Mecca Idolatry of Mecca: ka ba ( cube )=shrine to god, Hubal (meteorite in side of ka ba believed to have fallen from heaven) Crossroads of many cultures and religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Zoroastrianism Native strain of monotheism as well, the hanif ( pious ones ) who devoted themselves to worship of Allah
Muhammad was a member of the Quraish tribe (minor clan) Orphaned, raised by an uncle, illiterate, a camel driver Married a wealthy widow, Khadija, and became a wealthy merchant himself Came into contact with the monotheistic religions as well as Arabia s unique monotheistic tradition
AD 610 Muhammad has defining spiritual experience in cave outside Mecca Angel Gabriel spoke to him and instructed him to recite what he heard Began a prophetic career in Mecca preaching two main points: 1) There is only one God to whose will people must submit 2) There will be a day of judgment when all people will be judged by whether they have obeyed God
Converts were slow initially: Khadija, but many skeptics Muhammad continued to have occasional revelatory experiences throughout his life and after ten years, his group numbered in the thousands His followers referred to their belief as Islam ( submission to God ) Group became so large that the city fathers of Mecca instigated a persecution against Muhammad and his followers
In 622, Muhammad and a group of his followers fled Mecca and went to Yathrib (Medina). This flight is known in Islam as the hijra. This event also is used to mark the beginning of the Islamic calendar since this identifies the birth of an independent Muslim community, umma. Muslim calendars measure years A.H. (anno hegirae) Muhammad and his followers were welcomed in Yathrib and he was put in charge of the town. Jews were given special favor in the community and not expected to become Muslims. This pact broke down when some Jews attempted to assassinate Muhammad, prompting him to order the execution of hundreds of them Muhammad lived in relative peace with a number of new wives (Khadija had died)
Throughout the next ten years, Islam grew in strength and numbers. Many Arabian tribes swore allegiance to Muhammad and adopted his religion Muhammad and his army eventually captured Mecca and cleansed the city of idols as well as re-consecrated the ka ba (and Zamzam) Mecca became the center for Islamic pilgrimage Muhammad died in CE 632 as the religious and political head of much of the Arabian peninsula
Question: Who would succeed Muhammad as leader of the political and religious community (not prophet)? Obvious choice: Muhammad s son-in-law, Ali (married to favorite daughter, Fatima) However, since he did not have confidence of many people, he was rejected in favor of Muhammad s father-in-law, Abu Bakr. He became caliph This resulted in a split in Islam: Sunnites (majority) and Shi ites (minority)
Ali was by-passed two more times by Umar and Uthman. Both were assassinated Uthman collected Muhammad s revelations and issued the authoritative edition of the Qur an. He and his associates sorted through all the collections of materials determining the authentic from inauthentic. They destroyed the latter, causing some Shi ites to claim that Muhammad s choice of Ali as successor was also eliminated. This is today s Qur an.
Sunnis enjoyed a relatively stable existence culminating in the Ottoman Empire. Shi ites, on the other hand, have endured a bloody and unstable existence Shi ites trace their lineage from Ali and his two sons, Hasan and Husayn. Husayn s death in a battle with Sunnis is still celebrated by Shi ites (Nov. 4 on this day in 1979, American embassy taken over by Shi ite radicals)
Shi ite belief centers on a special line of succession from Husayn imams who receives supernatural gifts to carry out prophetic leadership (not to be confused with Sunni imams prayer leaders) Three major Shi ite splits: 1) Twelvers ( Imamites ) recognize twelve imams. The twelfth disappeared when he was five years old but will return someday as the Mahdi and establish universal Islamic rule 2) Fivers ( Zaidites ) five imams, fifth being Zaid who is also living in concealment 3) Seveners ( Ismailites ) Seven imams, seventhbeing Ismail, who is true incarnation of Allah (heresy to all other Muslims). He, too, is in concealment (or his son) and will return as Mahdi.
Kharijites a third division of early Islam which set the standard for the heavy-handed and rigid form of Islam today. Most conservative interpretation of Qur an. Militant and generally intolerant of other Muslims as well as infidels. Wahhabi Movement-- Neo-Kharijites. Established in Taliban (Afghanistan) and in the followers of the late Osama bin Laden
Five Basic Doctrines: 1) There is one and only one God. 2) There have been many prophets: Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and finally, Muhammad 3)God created angels (jinn) some good, some evil 4) Qur an is God s full and final revelation. 5) Final day of judgment is coming; heaven for the faithful, hell for the lost
Five Basic PILLARS 1) Shahadah confession of Allah and his prophet, Muhammad 2) Salat prayer towards Mecca, 5 x per day 3) Ramadan annual fast that is kept during ninth lunar month 4) Sakat alms-giving to the needy 5) Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca
Sunna-- Muslim Canon Law Hadiths --Muhammad s Oral Teachings and Personal Practices --Rules and prohibitions that have been developed to govern all aspects of Muslim life --Interpreted by recognized scholars --Bans on pork and intoxicating beverages
Muslim (Sur. 1:1-7) In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds; Most Gracious, Most Merciful; Master of the Day of Judgment. Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek. Show us the straight way. The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who go not astray. Christian (Matt. 6:9-13) This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today 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 the evil one.
The fourth and final--stage of written revelation (Torah, Psalms, Gospel) Not so much progressive revelation but rather confirmation of God s LAW Divided into 114 surahs ( a bit larger than NT) Arabic is the divine language all translations are merely paraphrases Copy of the Heavenly Original (Book)
Isa is mentioned in 15 surahs and 93 verses Virgin-born, sinless, physically-ascended, coming again But a PROPHET and not even the greatest or final prophet (cf. Heb. 1:1,2) A Muslim connects Jesus more with the Qur an than with the Person of God Qur an REJECTS: 1) His death on the cross for our sins 2) His bodily resurrection 3) TRINITY DOCTRINE (understood to be God, Jesus, and MARY). Jesus IS NOT to be worshiped!
Through all we have reviewed there runs a great tenderness for Jesus, yet a sharp dissociation from his Christian dimensions. Islam registers a profound attraction but condemns its Christian interpretation. Jesus is the theme at once of acknowledgement and disavowal. Islam finds his nativity miraculous but his Incarnation impossible. His teaching entails suffering but the one is not perfected in the other. He is highly exalted, but by rescue rather than victory. He is vindicated but not by resurrection. His servanthood is understood to disclaim the sonship which is its secret.
His word is scripturised into the incidence of the Qur an fragmentarily. He does not pass as personality into a literature possessing him communally. Islam has for him a recognition moving within a non-recognition, a rejectionism on behalf of a deep and reverent esteem. (278-79)
The Qur an is essentially a book of LAW to show us the WILL OF GOD and the way we should follow. Humans are weak and ignorant creatures who break the divine commandments. In order to stop straying from the right path, we need LAW to redirect us back to Allah s Straight Way.
Even with a definitive LAW (Ten Commandments), the story of Israel (and all humanity) is one that reveals that we need more than divine LIGHT to direct us. Because of sin, we are fundamentally flawed people who need to be changed by the Triune God himself (cf. Rev. 7:9). He has given us the law, prophets, wisdom, and ultimately the SON, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit to redeem us and transform us into the creatures we were created to be, so that we can live forever in fellowship with Him.
Some Important Things we have learned about Islam 1. Islam =religion; Muslim=individual adherent; Arabic word meaning submit 2. There are varieties of Muslims; largest number are Sunnis (approx. 85%); 15% are Shi a 3. Islam was founded by Muhammad who had a defining spiritual experience outside Mecca in AD 610
4) The birth of the Muslim community occurred in 622 with the flight of Muhammad and his followers to Medina from Mecca. This date marks year one on Muslim calendars. 5) After Muhammad s death, there was a division of Islam into the two major sects we know today 6) Islam s history is one checkered with peace and violence somewhat like Christianity s own 7) There is some special respect and disdain for Jews and Christians since they are, too, People of the (incomplete) Book (Sur. 3:64-70)
There are Five Basic Doctrines in Islam: 1) There is one and only one God 2) There have been many prophets, including Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and finally Muhammad 3) God created angels (jinn) some good, some evil 4) Qur an is God s full and final revelation 5) A Final Day of Judgment is coming; heaven for the faithful, hell for the lost
Five Basic Pillars: 1) Shahadah confession of Allah and his prophet, Muhammad 2) Salat prayer towards Mecca, 5x per day 3) Ramadan annual fast that is kept during ninth lunar month 4) Sakat-alms-giving to the needy (2.5% of income) 5) Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca
All of life is governed by the Religion: Muslim Canon Law (Shari a) 1) Qur an 2) Sunna hadiths (literary reports of Muhammad s oral teachings and personal practices) 3) Consensus of Community (ijma) scholars of jurisprudence 4) Qiyas how would Muhammad have handled this?
A removed rather than relational God A God who may grant salvation to a person due to a faithful life of submission A God whose goodness is not based in his character but rather in his will A God who makes himself known (or as much as wants to be known) in a Book
The fourth and final stage of Revelation (first three=torah, Psalms, Gospel); divided into 114 surahs Not so much progressive revelation but confirmation of God s LAW Arabic is the divine language Copy of the Heavenly Original (Book)
Two New Testament places to meet Muslims: 1) Emmaus Road Luke 24:13,27 (Biblical Story Approach And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself (v.27) 2) Mars Hill Acts 17:22-31( We are Monotheists Approach)-- Others remarked, He (Paul) seems to be advocating foreign gods. (Paul said) The God who made the world and everything in it (vv.18,24)
Meet them on the Emmaus Road: Get Informed (be wary of sensationalism!) Recognize our common spiritual ancestry in Abraham and God s love for Ishmael (cf. Gen. 16, 17, 21) Invite them to read the original stories (Torah, Psalms, Gospels) Love your Muslim neighbor Pray for them and in their presence Meet them at Mars Hill (Acts 17:16-34) -- a God-centered Approach (Jesus is identified with God not as a first-century prophet) -- a God-centered Story of Revelation that goes through the Law, Psalms, and Gospel -- a God-centered Declaration of Who He is, How He reveals, Who He loves, and How He will judge -- a God-centered Invitation
1. Never criticize Muhammad even though there are aspects of his life that deserve criticism. 2) Never belittle the Qur an, Islam s holy book. The issue is not Muhammad or the Qur an, but Jesus and who he is as revealed in scripture. When Muslims come to faith, the place and importance of Muhammad and the Qur an seem to fade from view.