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Islam: What Christians Need To Know About Islam Lars Wilhelmsson

Islam is a religion of 1,400 years of history (622). Muslims are proud of their heritage. Devoted Muslims desire not only that their religion be understood and appreciated by outsiders but also that non-Muslims consider its merits sufficient enough to accept and practice it. In meeting and conversing with Muslims, Christians may be helped in knowing the following: ● Islam is one of the four great religions of the world, along with Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism. It is second only to Christianity in size, numbering 1.3 billion adherents which dominate more than three dozen countries on three continents. This means one of every five people in the world claims to be Muslim. ● Islam is one of the fastest growing religions of the world. In fifty years the Muslim population has seen a 500% growth, during the same period, Christianity increased 47%. Evangelical Christianity, however, increased even more than Islam. ● One of the main reasons Muslims believe they have grown so rapidly is because their religion is simple. They point out that Islam contains no irrational concepts to confuse and no miracles to explain. ● Muslims are either born into Islam or convert to Islam. They identify their religion with culture. There is no separation of religion and politics. All are one. ● Although Muslims have a uniformity in beliefs and practices, they also have theological differences and practices which separate them often into competing groups: Sunni, Shias (Shi’ite), Kharijites, Wahhabis, Folk Islam (popular religion) and Sectarian Islamic Movements (e.g. Nation of Islam). FOUNDATIONAL TEACHING 1. Muslims are strict monotheists who believe in one God. Therefore the most important words a Muslim may say are, “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.” 2. Muslims assume that Christians believe in three gods (the Qur’an teaches the Trinity to be composed of God, Mary, and Jesus). 3. Muslims believe they have a high concept of Jesus from the Qur’an (mentioned 93 times) when they call him prophet, messenger, messiah, word, and spirit. However they do not believe He was/is the divine Son of God.

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4. Muslims (mostly Folk Islam) may accept popular ideas about Jesus that go beyond the teachings of the Qur’an. They may view Him as saint and mediator and offer prayers to Him. 5. Muslims believe that Jesus did not die on the cross but that someone (probably Judas) took His place. 6. Muslims believe the Qur’an is the only true, correct and final revelation from God. 7. Muslims believe that Muhammad is the final and greatest of all the prophets. 8. Muslims believe that Jews have changed the Old Testament and that the New Testament has been corrupted. They believe the reason for this is to conceal the predictions of the coming of Muhammad. 9. Muslims believe in “The Five Articles”: one God, Scripture (Qur’an), angels, prophets, and a day of judgment. They practice “The Five Pillars”: prayers, almsgiving, fasting, pilgrimage and jihad. 10. Muslims believe salvation is gained through meticulous obedience to the law of Islam, that is, to all of its teachings, especially the belief in “The Five Articles of Faith” and the practice of “The Five Pillars.” 11. Since salvation is based upon good works, Muslims do not have assurance of salvation. 12. Muslims believe their religion is superior to all others in beliefs and practices. UNDERSTANDING Understanding is crucial if Muslims are to be reached with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Muslims are a proud religious people. Christians are well served in their relationships with Muslims to know their basic beliefs and practices as well as their views about life in general. As Christians we need to be realistic about the feelings which Muslims may have toward Christianity in general and toward Christians in particular. Basic distrust and suspicion can be dispelled through understanding, truthfulness and honesty. General Information ● Muslims often view Western nations and peoples as both Christian and colonialist and thus consider Christian missionaries as agents of Western Christian governments. ● The Crusades have indelibly branded in Muslim memory a continuing attitude that Christianity is a warring religion and Christians are a colonialistic people.

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● Muslims believe they have the best institution for the family with women and childhood protected. They are sensitive about criticism leveled against the place of women in Islam or their wearing the veil. ● Muslims are critical of the “Christian West,” especially the United States, for its decadence—corrupt values portrayed in movies and mass media: violence, nudity and sexual immorality. ● Muslims have a hatred for films, cinema, or writings they view as caricatures or blasphemy of their prophet Muhammad. ● Muslims love to give and receive hospitality with family and friends, especially hospitality centered around food, meals and festivities. ● Devoted Muslims are legalistic and do not drink alcoholic beverages, eat pork products or engage in gambling activities. ● Arab Muslims have an identity problem because they see themselves as having been humiliated by Israel’s conquering the land of Palestine for them. They see that their large number of adherents has been unable to defeat the small six million Jews in the land. They see their countries divided, backward and way behind the West. As a result, they cling to the one thing they have which the West does not: Islam. ● Muslims worldwide identify with the plight of the Palestinians for a homeland and for the return to them of the rights and privileges over the Muslim holy places in Jerusalem. ● Muslims believe their mission is “world conquest”—to extend Islam, and their religion until it becomes dominant. There is the world of Islam, and there is the world of ignorance and disobedience. Jihad is their mandate and mission. ● It is important to remember that Muslims are people like Christians who face life-and-death matters, who laugh and cry, and who desire a better world for themselves and their families. In light of the above, we need to be patient and loving as we seek to better understand where the root problem is in Muslim thinking. Muslims are uncompromising and they react more violently when threatened or attacked. Jihad What is Islam going to do about the increasing Islamic reliance on terrorism (Jihad) since the Qur’an does teach that it is not only acceptable but commendable to the actively pursue nonMuslims, especially Christians and Jews, with the intent to harm and even kill them? The Qur’an is clear:

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● What has become known as “The Verse of the Sword,” declares, “Fight and slay the pagans wherever you find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem.” (Surah 9:5) ● “If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him, and in the hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost.” (Surah 3:85) ● “O Prophet! Strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites, and be firm against them.” (Surahs 66:9 and 9:73) ● “Those that make war against Allah and his apostle and spread disorders in the land shall be put to death or crucified or have their hands and feet cut off on alternate sides, or be banished from the country.” (Surah 5:33) ● “It is not for any prophet to have prisoners until he has made wide slaughter in the land.” (Surah 8:68) Though early in his career, Muhammad recited verses that were kind to non-Muslims (e.g., Qur’an 2:62; 2:256), later in his life, his language changed. His last words commanding harm to non-Muslims are said to abrogate those verses commanding kindness (see below on the Qur’anic doctrine of abrogation of verses). Non-Muslims will be forgiven only if they turn to Islam and practice Islamic religious duties. No matter how Muslims try to explain away the verses, terrorists use them so that to them the end justifies the means. It is verses like these that form the basis for one of the fundamental tenets of Islam: Jihad. Accordingly, Islam’s ultimate goal is to enforce worldwide submission to the Qur’an at whatever cost. “Terrorists,” therefore, are a group of people who obey the Qur’an. In dealing with the future, the West must realize that terrorism has religion at its roots and its justification. Though not all Muslims share such thinking, the problem is that the Qur’an can be used as justification for terrorist activities against the West. QUESTIONS Why is reciprocity so lacking in the Islamic world? Why is it that Muslims are allowed to establish mosques and Islamic centers in the Western world, when the same privilege is not granted to Christians in many Muslim countries? For example, there is not one single church in Saudi Arabia. Christians there gather either in embassies or associated cultural centers or military bases. In contrast, in the U.S., there are more than 3,500 mosques, and growing at a rate of 4 to 5 a week! Wherever Islam spread it has closed the doors behind it. Why is there no democracy in the Arab world that insures basic human rights? Contrary to what Islamic leaders declare to the West, the voice of Arab Christians and other non-Muslim groups are not heard, and why are they persecuted and not given rights on equal par with Muslims? Why are searching Muslims not allowed to question or criticize their religion but are locked in it, with the threat of severe persecution and death for leaving the Muslim faith?

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Muslims who have converted to Christianity hide in fear. Today there is not one single visible church of Muslim converts in the entire Arab Muslim countries. This lack of true democracy has resulted in the absence of any common ground for dialogue or constructive cooperation between Muslims and non-Muslims in facing political, social, economic and religious challenges. How can truth be taken seriously if, according to the Qur’anic doctrine of abrogation, God is supposed to have made Muhammad forget some verses and then replaced them by others? Qur’an 17:86 declares, “If it were Our will We could take away that which We have sent thee by inspiration: then wouldst thou find none to plead thy affair in that matter as against Us.” Thus it is said that the responsibility for verses being erased from Muhammad’s memory lies on God Himself: “Allah doth blot out or confirm what He pleaseth.” (Surah 13:39) According to this well known doctrine in Islam, when God replaces a verse, the latter version is a better and improved one, and may even contain opposite instructions: “None of Our revelations do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, but We substitute something better or similar: knowest thou not that Allah has power over all things?” (Surah 2:106) Furthermore, man is not to allow this teaching of abrogation to cast doubt upon the reliability of Muhammad: “When we substitute one revelation for another and Allah knows best what He reveals, they say, ‘Thou [Muhammad] art but a forger’: but most of them understood not.” (Surah 16:101) Thus, authentication for the truth of Muhammad’s claims is not required, and does not extend beyond the alleged claim to a miraculous poetic style. This doctrine or abrogation has extended so far as to dismiss all previous revelation, including the Bible. Thus the Qur’an has rewritten biblical history with stories and accounts that contradict the Bible. To deal with the contradiction between the Bible and the Qur’an, Muslims throughout history have claimed that the Jews and Christians have corrupted their Bible so that the original Bible no longer exists. In the face of ample evidence for the truth and reliability of the Bible, Muslims refuse to face the possibility of the truth of the present Bible as we know it. This skepticism of the Bible and the belief in the doctrine of abrogation has resulted in the general deep lack of commitment for seeking truth or for seeing the value of truth.

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EVANGELISM AND ISLAM As Christians we are to unapologetically witness to our faith. We must share the Gospel, which is the life and message of Jesus Christ: His crucifixion upon the cross and His resurrection from the tomb. We need to explain the meaning of that message: that He died for the sins of the world, that He forgives sinners who confess their sins and accept His grace, and that His resurrection is positive proof of the overcoming of sin and the gift of eternal life. Islam offers many beliefs and practices which are similar and some antithetical to those in Christianity. An effective approach to evangelism to Muslims is based on the following: ● ● ● ● ● ●

A clear knowledge of Islam. An appreciation of the challenges and struggles of Muslim peoples. A love for individual Muslims and their families. A presentation of biblical truths especially the message and life of Jesus Christ. A sharing of one’s own Christian faith. Methods and styles of evangelism to Muslims may differ according to needs, circumstances, and personalities. Since much of the history between Christianity and Islam is negative, it is wise to tread carefully but deliberately and intentionally. Speaking the truth in love is key.

There are do’s and do not’s or positive and negative ways of communicating and being present with Muslims. Don’ts ● Do not accentuate the negative at the beginning of a conversation at the expense of the positive. It may be much better to discuss the meaning of the Messiah and Word of God and Spirit of God, as Jesus is given those titles in the Qur’an, than to start with Jesus as the Son of God and as part of the doctrine of the Trinity, which the Qur’an condemns. Deeper conversations about these truths may follow. ● Do not demean Islam, the Qur’an, and Muhammad in a disparaging spirit, for time will provide these topics to be addressed. ● Avoid argumentation and hostile disputes. ● Do not relate one-on-one and alone with the opposite gender unless the cultural norms would permit and others would completely understand it. Do’s ● Honor and respect Muslims as people with religious beliefs and feelings and culture. ● Cultivate relationships with Muslims by discussing common and similar areas of interest such a belief in one God, the virgin birth, and the names and titles given to Jesus in the Qur’an.

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● Learn Muslim social customs, especially the roles of men and women, greetings and diet, so that there will not be offense and embarrassment in interaction with Muslims. ● Include Muslims in activities where they may feel comfortable and may interact with Christians in social and some religious occasions. ● Use parables of Jesus and stories of the healing of the sick and miracles. Include one’s own personal witness of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. ● Be prepared to exercise patience and perseverance in discussing the truths of the Bible with Muslims and sharing with them the meanings of Jesus as the crucified Messiah and as the resurrected Lord. ● Prayer and dependence upon the Holy Spirit are to be sought as close companions.