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Islam: Understanding and Outreach
Islam: Understanding and
Outreach
adapted from a pamphlet by A.L. Barry
The word "Islam" comes from an Arabic word, salama, which has a
double meaning: "to surrender" and "to be at peace". A "Muslim" is a
person who surrenders his or her entire life to the will of Allah.
A sincere, devout Muslim is a person of deep
religious conviction and faith, not unlike a devout Christian. Negative
stereotypes of Muslims in the Western world are partially due to the
fact that our culture has become so secular that people have a hard
time understanding anyone who holds to religious beliefs strongly.
As of 1995, there approximately one billion
Muslims in the world. There are about five million Muslims in the
United States.
Muhammad, an Arabian trader, became familiar with
Christianity and Judaism as a result of his work as a camel driver.
Muhammad was deeply troubled by the status of religion and morality
among his people. In the year 610 AD, he claimed that the angel Gabriel
revealed to him the name of the one and only true God, "Allah". At that
point, Muhammad's career as the founder of Islam began. Islam spread
rapidly through Muhammad's military conquests.
Above everything else, a Muslim believes that
"There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet." This motto,
called the Shahadah
or the Islamic Creed, is used in every aspect of Muslim life. The
sacred book of Islam is the Koran
(often spelled Qur'an),
which is believed to be the record of Allah's revelations to Muhammad.
Muslims believe in Allah's angels, in Allah's books and in all Allah's
messengers and prophets (Jesus is considered one of Allah's prophets).
Most Muslims also believe that Allah predestines
people to go either to heaven or hell. Muslims believe in a paradise
after death for those who are worthy, that is, those who have
adequately fulfilled Allah's requirements and are chosen by Allah. They
believe that Muslims may spend more time in hell, but will eventually
end up in paradise. Muslims believe that all who do not worship Allah,
following the Five Pillars of Islam (see below), will be cast into hell
when they die.
Everyone who claims to be a Muslim is expected to
follow the "Five Pillars of Islam", which are as follows:
- Daily recite the Shahadah.
- Pray five times every day facing Mecca--at
morning, noon, mid-afternoon, after sunset and before going to sleep.
- Give alms. The Muslim is expected to give 2.5
percent of his or income annually and to give other alms directly to
the poor and other programs.
- Fast during the holy month of Ramadan.
- Make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once during
one's life.
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Each national group of Muslims has a distinct
culture and traditions. While the five pillars of Islam are common
throughout Islam, there are three major groups of Muslims:
- Sunni
or Shia: 90 percent of the world's Muslims are either
Sunni or Shia Muslims, who believe that Allah is eternal and that the
Koran is also eternal. They believe that Allah's most important
characteristic is omnipotence. They believe that because man has a free
will, Allah rewards and punishes according to man's behavior.
- Shi'ite:
The other major Muslim group consists of
Shi'ite Muslims. While by far a minority group within Islam,
Shi'ite Muslims have captured much media attention because most major
terrorist organizations that claim to be Muslim are associated with the
Shi'ite branch of Islam. For instance, Shi'ite Muslims predominate the
country of Iran. Shi'ite Muslims trace their origin to the death of
Muhammad's son, Ali. They have added to the Islamic Creed (the Shahadah)
the phrase "...and Ali (the first imam) is Allah's confidant." They
have also added a sixth pillar to Islam, namely jihad or "holy war".
This concept is understood to refer not just to literal
warfare, but also to the effort to spread the Koran, and hence Islam,
througout the world.
Smaller groups of Muslims include:
- Sufi:
a higly mystical group of Muslims in which
one seeks to be pleasing to Allah by working to restore within onself a
ideal state called fitra, in which nothing one does defies Allah and
everything one does is with the motivation of the love of Allah. This
is done in part through specific ceremonies, prayers and meditations.
The famous Whirling Dirvishes are a practice of Sufi Muslims.
Like Christians, Muslims have a profound sense of
the presence of the Deity in their lives. They believe that Allah is
totally in control and believe it is their duty to submit completely to
his will. Like Christians, Muslims try to live according to clear moral
codes of right and wrong, and want the same for their children and for
their societies. Muslims are interested in supporting traditional
morality in regard to issues like marriage, sexuality, abortion,
homosexuality and the breakdown of the family unit. In these ways,
Christians and Muslims have a lot in common.
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Christians know and believe in the Holy Trinity,
that is, one God who has revealed Himself as three equal, yet distinct,
persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Islam rejects the
Trinity and insists on belief in Allah. Muslims believe that the
doctrine of the Trinity is blasphemous idolatry. Therefore, it is
important to understand that when Muslims use the word "God", in
English, they are referring to Allah, the subject of the Koran, and are
most certainly not referring to the Holy Trinity, when they use the
word "God."
One
must be a bit cautious in making this point, simply because among
Arabic speaking Christians, "Allah" is the word used for "God" in
Arabic translations of the Bible. The point to be made is
that Christians and Muslims may use similar words, but don't mean the
same thing when they speak of God.
Muslims have great respect for Jesus, believing
Him to be the prophet who announced the coming of Allah's greatest
prophet, Muhammad. Muslims even believe that Jesus was sinless, born of
a virgin and did many miracles, but only because he was one of Allah's
prophets.
Christians believe, teach and confess that Jesus
was not just a prophet, but actually the Son of God, true God and true
Man, sent by the Father to be the world's Redeemer. Muslims do not
believe that Jesus died and rose again to win our salvation. Muslims
generally respect Christians as "People of the Book" and do not view
them with the same displeasure that they view persons who are atheists
or agnostics
Above all differences between Christians and
Muslims, this is the most important. Christians believe that salvation
is a gift from God--a gift earned for us by our Savior, Jesus Christ,
who willingly came into this world of sin and death, living perfectly
in our place, fulfilling all of God's demands, giving up His life as a
sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, and then finally rising from
the dead as the complete victor over sin, death and Satan. Forgiveness
of sins is a gift from God that cannot be earned. Christians know God
to be their loving heavenly Father, a concept that is nearly unknown to
Muslims, who do not speak of a personal relationship with Allah, even
though they are very much aware of his constant presence and control
over their lives.
Muslims believe that they can be saved if they
follow the Five Pillars of Islam well enough, and thus earn the favor
and blessing of Allah. But they can never be certain and confident of
their eternal salvation. Christians who have converted from Islam
describe how liberating it was for them to come to know and believe in
the true God of love and kindness, who gives them forgiveness, life and
salvation as gift because of what His Son, Jesus Christ, did for them.
Discussions about religion with Muslims should not
be one-sided. Christians must be willing to listen respectfully and
learn about the faith of Islam. Christians should pray that God will
touch the heart of their Muslim friends and neighbors and make them
open to the Gospel. In many cases, the best opportunity for outreach
comes when Muslims move into our communities and neighborhoods. With
many Muslim families now calling the San Gabriel Valley home, this
opportunity has never been greater or closer for us.
Rather than trying to engage Muslims in heated
debate (which generally is unsuccessful), Christians can reach out
through meaningful friendships and relationships with Muslims,
demonstrating what Christian love, compassion and forgiveness is all
about. As is usually the case, a Christian's lifestyle can go a long
way toward helping Muslims to at least consider the possibility of the
Christian faith. On the other hand, if Muslims witness behaviors that
are unloving and reflect a prejudice against them this can turn them
away from Christianity.
When opportunities for discussion about religion
arise, Christians need to stick to the important issues. God is a God
of love and mercy, who gives us forgiveness freely, as a gift, because
of Jesus, who is the Son of God, not merely a human prophet. Encourage
Muslims to read the New Testament for themselves. Most Muslims know
Jesus only from what little is said about Him in the Koran.
Glad News!
God Loves You, My Muslim Friend by Samy Tanagho (Tyrone, GA: Authentic
Publishing, 2004).
- A former
Islamic lawyer who converted to Christianity shares from the Koran what
it says about Jesus, and how it actually supports the Christian view of
the Son of God. This book is written as an evangelistic message to
Muslims interested in learning more about Jesus. Available at Christian
bookstores. The above link takes you to a free online version of the
book through Google Books.
How
to Respond - Muslims by Ernest Hahn (St. Louis,
MO: Concordia Publishing House, 1995).
- A
short presentation of Islamic faith and cultural expressions. Useful
for Christians seeking to share the Gospel with Muslims. Available
through the CPH website.
Muslim
Friends, Their Faith and Feelings: An Introduction to Islam
by Roland Miller (Concordia, 1996).
- A longer treatment of Islam with a respectful
and sensitive presentation of the Muslim worldview. This book
enables non-Muslims to understand Islam and to help foster friendly
relations between non-Muslims and Muslims. Available through the CPH
website.
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