Understanding Islam

UNDERSTANDING ISLAM

Mark Grigg

CE521

November 22, 2014

CONTENTS3INTRODUCTION

3Chapter 1. Historical Connections

3Chapter 2. Struggles with Christianity

3Chapter 3. Struggles with Judaism

3Chapter 4. Struggles internally for Islam

3Chapter 5. Caparison of the Islam, Christianity, and Judaism

3One God

3The Prophets

3Holy Books/Guidance

3Chapter 6. Sharing the Gospel with the Muslim

3CONCLUSION

3BIBLIOGRAPHY

INTRODUCTION

Islam as a major religion faces both internal and external issues. These issues and how they are handled define the history and the future of Islam. Many of the struggles that have been faced and continue today are based around faith based belief versus science based reason and how to reconcile the two. As with most religions Islam has developed a more liberal group and a more traditional group.

Also as Islam expands it encounters other cultures and other religions. These can be neighboring countries cultural or religious beliefs, but also can come from interaction with other major religions that have a shared history with the religion of Islam and the people of the region in which it grew and developed. Let us look at a brief history as an overview.

Islam traces its religious history to the same lineage as the Christian and Jewish religions, the prophet Abraham. Abraham had son by a slave named Hagar, offered to him by his barren wife. The son was called Ishmael, who according to Islamic scriptures Abraham traveled with to Mecca to protect him from his wife Sarah. There they built a holy sanctuary, maybe the most famous in Islamic circles, the Kabah. This is believed to be the Adams original place of worship. Adam is the first person created by God according to scriptures.

Muhammad is known as the primary prophet in Islam. Muhammad received revelations from Allah (God), sometimes by angelic tongue others by divine remembrance, and they were recorded in the Quran. The Quran is the holy scriptures of the Islamic religion. Muhammad at the age of forty meets the angel Gabriel, who also appears in both Judaism and Christianity. Muhammad receives the scriptures form Gabriel. He then begins preaching, and was tormented as he preached the messages given to him, even to the point of being stoned. He experienced a night of ascension, traveling through the seven heavens. During this night he received blessings in the Divine Presence. Also in this experience of ascension he met with prophets. He later became a warrior leader eventually conquering Mecca. His death is recorded at the age of sixty two.

Chapter 1Historical Connections

The essence of the Islamic religion is a monotheistic belief in on God who is the ruler over all. Although diverse in cultures and beliefs the Islamic faith shares the monotheistic belief with Christianity and Judaism with each religion reverencing the same God. Monotheism is a vital aspect that sets apart Judaism, Christianity, and Islam traditions from other religions.

The origin of the monotheistic traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam is derived from the nomadic tribal people known as the Hebrews which is the ancestry of the Jews. Both Christianity and Islam were devised from Judaism, therefore, many of their teachings and beliefs are parallel to Judaism. All three are comparable in their depiction of what a relationship with God should be, but yet their views of God are diverse. They also share the belief in the importance of prayer, and supplication, as well as attaining a close relationship with God. The Jews believed they had a special relationship with God because the covenant they had with God. The basis for this special relationship is a covenant between God and Abraham on behalf of the Jewish people. Henceforth deeming Abraham to be the father of faith, monotheism, and the Jewish nation. Later Christianity and Islam immersed into the idea of monotheism but detached from Judaism when the notion of holiness and the virtue of Christ were acknowledged by Christianity and Islam. Then Christianity and Islam detached after their dispute on who the true prophet of God is; Muhammad or Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Granted the Islamic faith does not regard Jesus as the Messiah. It is without a doubt, in spite of the diversity among the three religions, their origins come from Abraham, esteemed as the father of all three religions. Judaism, Christianity and Islam are the front lines of monotheistic religions.

Chapter 2Struggles with Christianity

During the ancient tradition of both religions, once Christianity started to become a prominent force in the region, some Christians did find the revelation of Muhammad to be divine, while other found that Islam was the intended force to bring down the Byzantine Empire. The Christian forces were spreading thin, due to the crusades, much of which were fought between Christians and Muslims. It is also said, that it was customary for Muslims to be kind, and caring to both Christians and Jews. Much of Islam and Christianity lived in cohesion and unity for several hundred years. However, once the Middle Eastern countries had drawn up their borders, they took in the Quran as their constitution, thus separating a secular government, into a religious based government. For many years, Muslims were seen to the perpetrator of attacks on Christian and secular based countries. Once again, the division between Christians and Muslims are present through Islam adapting to the modern world, and bringing in more aspects associated with secular ideas. The forefront of the struggles between Christians and Muslims is also apparent between apparel, living conditions, cohesion, and fundamental rights. Today, many Muslims live under Christian majorities whom overpower the notions that Allah is the Supreme Being. In areas of Muslim majority and rule, we find Christians often persecuted. Chapter 3Struggles with Judaism

The struggles between Islam and Judaism are not coming to end. According to history it appears, all of Islam is against the entire Jewish nation. Through this struggle and turmoil, many of the holy and sacred objects used in the worship of Islam are housed and mapped in the nation of Israel. Many facets regarding the destruction of the Jews stems from both the central beliefs of both Jews and Muslims. Jerusalem, the capital of Israel houses many thousands of both Muslims and Jews. One of Israels many concerns and struggles is to build the temple, which was destroyed twice, once before the birth of Jesus, and again to the Roman Empire. Muslims built a Mosque, over and around the rock of Abraham. These disputes have led to many deaths, demonstrations, and civil unrest. The nation of Israel turned away from the religious context of governing, turning to secular government, in part because of the modern emergence of the United Nations, and other community councils. The transformations Jewish leaders took throughout history were not the changes from within but from without. Granted, much of the tensions arise between Muslims and Jews, in the political realm, because of the westernization of governance. This is seen to be a huge disappointment from Islams religious perspective, in the sight of Allah, where scripture should found the governance of the people.Chapter 4Struggles internally for Islam

The internal struggles of Islam have expanded over the past few decades. As the world continues to modernize, Islamic communities are struggling to integrate their religion into a modern world more so than other cultures. This stems from political power struggles within its government which have been historically corrupt. Political disagreements caused radicals to rise, extremist groups within Muslim communities, to which have gained the attention of media outlets worldwide. The most well-known of these extremist groups is known as Al Queda which is responsible for the 9/11 terrorist attacks in America. These extremist groups had initially larger followings, but as their actions were played out, fewer and fewer Muslims accepted their actions as moral. Al Queda is to the Muslim world today as outcast whose views on Islam are radical and unacceptable.

Islamic communities are not secular like they are in most Western countries such as America. In the United States, we have modernized to a place where government and religion are separated. Religion and religious ideas do not govern our laws or education, and is allowed to be peacefully practiced and respected as a personal choice. Muslims live their life day to day with their faith, and integrate it into their work, schools, and government. Many Islamic countries write their laws and discipline according to the Qur'an because being a Muslim is a way of life and not just a religion practiced in a home privately. Many of these laws and disciplinary actions are outdated, as the religion is over 1400 years old. Practices within the Qur'an now are questioned by human rights organizations and feminist groups around the world. The extremist groups use these practices to gain attention to themselves, by stoning divorcees or forcing marriage on rape victims. With all the attention focused on these extremist groups, ignorance grows in the west and other countries are shutting out the Muslim world because they generalized the entire Muslim population with the few extremist radicals.

The youth of these communities are growing up now with social media, cell phones, and tablet computers that gives them information and access to the rest of the world. This new generation is more modern than ever, for each country. How then does the Muslim world modernize? It is harder for them because they are not secular. To modernize Islam is to call for reform, and questioning the Qur'an is more than frowned upon. It is hard to change the laws and disciplinary action given by the government because it is governed by their religion, so to change the political structure of Islamic countries would call for re-interpreting the Qur'an. Ideas to change first would be woman's rights and full inclusion in the community. This new generation of Muslims is struggling to change ideas and create a more modern Islam, and struggling to change westerners ideas of them, while fighting to combat the extremists. Creating a new reform would also likely create more backlashes from the extremist groups.

There is simply too much controversy and turmoil in the Islamic community and only one thing can be done at a time. It has taken decades to calm the roar over the Islamic extremists and find courage to fight back. Now that groups like Al Queda have shrunk and been forced out of predominate areas, the Muslim community has a chance to eradicate them completely. They can then begin to repair the damage done to their communities and people, and show the world that the entire Muslim population cannot be judged by a few. The new generation can begin a new reformed and modern Islam.

Chapter 5Caparison of the Islam, Christianity, and JudaismChristianity, Islam, and Judaism are three of the largest and most heavily influential religions in the history of the world. Kingdoms have risen a fallen because of them; the global exploration was driven in part by these three religions. While Judaism isnt as large as Christianity and Islam, its impact on the world has still been as profound, as the religion that then birthed the other two. Without Judaism there would be no Islam or Christianity. Judaism, Islam, and Christianity are even referred to as Abrahamic religions because they trace their history to Abraham in the Hebrew Bible.

One GodJudaism believes there is one God; it is a true monotheist religion. To attempt to divide Gods oneness is seen as a return to paganism, or as we would see it a worship of many gods. Islam worships an immaterial, invisible God who is omnipotent. In Islam God could not have a son as in Christianity because it would contradict the divine and human distinction of an ultimate god. Christians hold fast to the trinity of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. For the Christians, God gives a revelation of scripture through the flesh in Jesus Christ, also called the Son of God. They believe in God in three persons, but still one God in whole. The Prophets

All three of the religions acknowledge that Moses was a prophet of God. The prophets of Israel are a group pf much study and teaching in all three faiths. The Islamic faith eagerly awaits the return of the Prophet Jesus born by miracle of God without a father. The Prophet Mohammads words give and account of the signs that will precede the coming of Jesus. Christianity believes the prophets writings pointed to Jesus as the Messiah. The prophets confirmed that God is sovereign over history and is working out is purposes in his overall plan, Jesus being the result. The Jewish faith is still waiting for the messiah. Holy Books and Guidance

In Judaism, God (Yahweh) called Abraham to father a chosen people making a covenant with him. In Exodus, God used the Prophet Moses to show his power, goodness, and direction for the Jewish people in creating of them a great nation. The Ten Commandments have established the moral foundations for the cultural development and moral behavior. For traditional Jews, the mitzvoth (commandments) and Halacha (Jewish law) are still binding. Judaism makes its emphasis on serving God.

Muslim might summarize the way Islam asks people to live as it teaches them to walk the straight path. Gods revelation has come in stages to humankind: God revealed the truth of His oneness through the Prophet Abraham; God gave the Ten Commandments through the Prophet Moses; the Golden Rule was generated through the Prophet Jesus. The Books of God based on Islam include the Jewish Torah, Davids Psalms, the New Testament, and the Quran. Recognizing all four are revelations from God, each replaces the previous one. The Quran is the last, and therefore, the final and best word from God.

In Christianity the Bible is considered the word of God. The first person whom the Bible calls a prophet was Abraham. Moses calling established the standard of comparison for all future prophets, because it included a personal call from God in Exodus 3. In Luke 4:14-21, Jesus Christ demonstrates that he is fulfilling the words written by the prophet in Isaiah 61:1-2. Christianity is the only religion that claims Jesus is the Son of God; also it is the only religion that removed keeping of rules and laws as fulfilling the requirements, leaving only the need to believe in Jesus.Chapter 6Sharing the Gospel with the Muslim

Christian missionary actions into areas strong in Islam, and to the Muslim believer personally, have long been one of the toughest and least fruitful tasks. However based on the number of attempts and decisive failures it has led to three recommended ways to witness to the Muslim.

1. Tent making, entering an area closed to missionary opportunities and becoming a part of the community through work.

2. Remove the western culture from the Gospel. Many times the two are associated together and the Gospel is rejected based on the issues with the western culture.

3. The fulfilled Muslim approach says that Christians are Muslims that have found the Messiah.

The first two I would say could be successful in the right circumstance. But the last, fulfilled Muslim approach, would be a hard sale in either direction. First the Muslim sees Jesus only as a prophet and places Muhammad higher than him in the pecking order. For the Christian to accept scriptures others than the Bible and to claim Jesus as less than the Son of God is ignoring John 14:6 which says no one comes to God but through Jesus.

There is a shared moral code and scriptural reference points with the shared texts and scriptures. There is the knowledge of Jesus and who he was. The key to being able to convert the Muslim is to display Jesus as the Messiah by showing how he fulfilled the prophesies of scripture. Then we will have to allow the Holy Spirit to work in the persons life. We can plant the seed.

CONCLUSION

Islam is one of the worlds largest religions, the basic and central beliefs and practices of the believers of Islam are belief in the absolute unity of God, belief in angels, belief in prophets, belief in scriptures, and belief in the final judgment. As with many religions it will be the ongoing struggle to maintain relevance as it moves into a very science driven world. The story of Islam is far from finished, what started long ago continue, and will continue for many generations to come. To share with the Muslim the Gospel we will have to act in the very example of Jesus and be the Gospel to the people. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Braybrooke, M. What Can We Learn from Islam: The Struggle for True Religion. Hampshire, UK: John Hunt Publishing, 2002.Breiner, B.F., and Christian W Troll. "Christianity and Islam.. The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World. http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t236/e0149 (accessed November 21, 2014).Corduan, Winfried. Neighboring Faiths. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press-IVP Academic, 2012.Fisher, Mary. Living Religions. New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2005.Irving, Hexham. Understanding World Religions. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2011.Khan, A. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: A Common Tradition. Sydney, Australia: Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, 1992.Malloy, M. Experiencing the World's Religions: Tradition, Challenge, Change. New York, NY: MacGraw-Hill, 2010.Nwigwe, I.. What's Your Angle on Spirituality? Spiritual Living 360, August, 2007.Wright, R. The Struggle Within Islam. Smithsonian Magazine (January 1st, 2011).. M. Malloy, Experiencing the World's Religions: Tradition, Challenge, Change (New York, NY: MacGraw-Hill, 2010), 472.

. Mary Fisher, Living Religions (New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2005), 362.

. Ibid., 363.

. A. Khan, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: A Common Tradition (Sydney, Australia: Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, 1992).

. I. Nwigwe, What's Your Angle on Spirituality?, Spiritual Living 360, August, 2007.

. M Braybrooke, What Can We Learn from Islam: The Struggle for True Religion (Hampshire, UK: John Hunt Publishing, 2002), chap. 5.

. B.F. Breiner and Christian W Troll, "Christianity and Islam., The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World. http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t236/e0149 (accessed November 21, 2014).

. Malloy, Experiencing the World's Religions: Tradition, Challenge, Change, 462.

. Braybrooke, What Can We Learn from Islam: The Struggle for True Religion, chap. 5.

. R. Wright, The Struggle Within Islam, Smithsonian Magazine (January 1st, 2011).

. Hexham Irving, Understanding World Religions (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2011), 252.

. Winfried Corduan, Neighboring Faiths (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press-IVP Academic, 2012), 67.

. Ibid., 71.

. Braybrooke, What Can We Learn from Islam, chap. 5.

. Corduan, Neighboring Faiths, 135.

. Ibid.