“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”
Isaiah 55:11
In this week’s update, I had intended to continue last week’s discussion of Biblical success, but an e-mail message I received this morning caused me to change my mind. In that message, a family member asked for information about Islam, as a teen in the family is being taught about it in the public school. When I received that, I was reminded how pluralistic and relativistic the society in which we live is and of how important it is for us and our children to know what we believe, why we believe it, and how to interact appropriately with other faiths. Muslims are seeking converts (just as we are!), and we must prepare our children for the spiritual battles they will encounter in today’s world.
With that in mind, I’d like to offer the following discussion Islam. The facts included are a compilation but primarily come from Missions, Evangelism, Discipleship by Dennis Mock. At the end, a few thoughts are offered on how to interact with your Muslim neighbors and friends. I hope you find it useful.
Islam – Description:
Islam was founded around 600 A.D. by Mohammed, its chief prophet. The Muslim faith is a mixture of Arabic tradition, Jewish monotheism, and Christian asceticism (self-denial). Islam claims its roots in the patriarchal fathers of Judaism, especially Abraham. In Islam, Ishmael is the child of promise (the ‘chosen seed’), not Isaac; thus, Arabs are considered to be the true people of God, rather than the Jews. And the land of Canaan is their holy land.
Islam is primarily based on a claim of divine revelation given to Mohammed by God in the Koran. Thus, unlike most other “eastern” religions, Islam claims to be revealed. To the Muslim, the Koran presents the true teachings about God (Allah), Mohamed (his chief prophet), and Jesus Christ (another holy man and prophet).
Islam tends to be legalistic, ritualistic, militant, all-consuming, intensely zealous, and strongly “evangelistic” Every area of life for the Muslim is dominated by his faith, so there is no difference between social, political, military, or economic causes and religious causes. They are one and the same. It is an act of high honor and brings great spiritual reward for a Muslim to die in battle for Allah.
Similar to many cults, Islam is built on revelation in addition to and different from the Bible, a pivotal human leader, and a belief that Jesus Christ was not God.
Islam claims as many as 900 million adherents or about 20% of the world’s population.
Islam – Basic Beliefs: God
“Allah” is believed to be the one true God and supreme being who is omnipotent, omniscient, and sovereign. He is also transcendent (being far above creation) and cannot be personally known by men. Both good and evil come from Allah, and he is more interested in justice and judgment than mercy and grace. He demands absolute unquestioned obedience.
The Trinity and deity of Christ are both rejected by Muslims. The message from Allah to men is not how to be saved but focuses rather on the penalty (hell) for disobeying Allah. While Allah is pictured as “Father,” it is not in keeping with the biblical picture of a living, caring, forgiving father, but of a stern authoritarian and disciplinarian who is mainly interested in obedience. In relating to God, man either lives in darkness or light based on obeying the Koran.
Islam – Basic Beliefs: Scriptures
The Koran is the book which has the true message from God and provides the basis for Muslim faith and practice. It is considered the supreme miracle of Islam, since it is believed to have fallen out of heaven into the hands of Mohammed. While Muslims recognize the Torah, the Psalms and the Gospels of Jesus, all of these are believed to have been corrupted and are thus superseded by the Koran, which is considered to be the “Word of God.”
Islam – Basic Beliefs: Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is not God to Muslims, but is thought to have only been a man. He is one of six recognized prophets – Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed. Since Mohammed is the latest prophet, he is also considered the greatest of the prophets. Muslims view Jesus as a sinless prophet but deny both the incarnation and the resurrection. Christ’s crucifixion is viewed as a hoax or myth.
Islam – Basic Beliefs: Salvation
According to Islam, man has no sin nature and only commits sin as he disobeys Allah. “Salvation” doesn’t relate to forgiveness of sins but to total obedience to Allah and the absolute surrender of one’s will to the will of Allah. In this way, each person is to acknowledge his or her pre-determined fate. Heaven (paradise) is for those who obey Allah and do his will while hell (torment) awaits those who disobey Allah. “Salvation,” then, is by works.
Islam – Basic Practices:
A person becomes a Muslim by declaring: “La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammad rasoolu Allah.” [“There is not god but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet.”] After that, the life of a Muslim is strictly controlled by the Koran and Islamic law. Muslims are required to accept the “Five Articles of Faith”:
- That Allah is the one true God.
- That angels are messengers, and the Holy Spirit is an angel.
- That the Koran is the supreme scripture.
- That Mohammed is the last and greatest prophet of Islam.
- That a final judgment day will come when those who obey Allah will go to heaven and those who don’t will go to hell.
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| via mindsgrid.com |
In addition to the Five Articles of Faith, there are “Five Pillars” or required practices:
- Recite the Islamic creed.
- Recite prayers and praise to Allah five times a day while facing Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
- Give to the poor.
- Fast one month a year.
- Make at least one pilgrimage to Mecca in his lifetime.
Family and marriage are important to Muslims, but both polygamy and divorce are allowed. Women have few rights and are generally considered of little value in comparison to men. Self-denial of certain pleasures is considered spiritual. Muslims are sexually modest, and external righteousness is stressed. Evangelism and proselytizing by the sword are still condoned. All wars are “holy wars” for many Muslims.
The various sects of Islam include (but are not limited to): Shiites – who mix religion and politics, Sunnites – who separate religion and politics (following the custom of Mohammed), and Sufis – who focus on asceticism and self-denial
Islam – Basic Terms:
Terms to know include: “Allah” – meaning the God; “Islam” – meaning the submission of the will to Allah; and“Muslim” – meaning one who submits.
Islam – Evangelistic Approach:
Witnessing to Muslims can be done effectively. Here are a few thoughts to remember:
Witnessing to Muslims is not easy. Here are a few of the reasons why:
§ During the Crusades and at other times in history the Muslims have been abused and treated as less than human.
§ The West has dominated Muslim lands until recent years.
§ There has been little missionary outreach to Muslims over the years.
§ Muslims are well-versed in their beliefs and practices and extremely devoted.
§ The false Christian belief that Arabs are condemned by God (Isaac vs. Ishmael) has led to bitter animosity.
§ The Bible was not translated into Arabic by the early churches.
Hints in witnessing to Muslims:
§ Pray! Pray! Pray! Ask the Lord to send His Holy Spirit to prepare their hearts for His truth. Without Him, we can do nothing!
§ Show genuine concern and respect for them and their culture.
§ Build friendly relationships.
§ Be well-versed in Muslim belief and practice.
§ Be patient.
§ Share your personal testimony and how God has transformed your life. Focus on…
- Knowing God personally
- Redemption and forgiveness of sins
- Salvation by faith, not by works
- Assurance of salvation.
§ Build on the positive teachings about Christ in the Koran and His uniqueness. Expand on this picture by using the Bible.
§ Admit that the Koran and the Bible do not agree. Try to share what the Bible teaches about Christ.
§ Point out inconsistencies between Christianity and Islam and within the Koran itself.
§ Pray diligently for God to remove the spiritual blindness!
Galatians 3-4 provide excellent background teaching and biblical perspective with respect to dealing with religions like Islam.
So, there it is… a brief overview of Islam and a few suggestions on how to witness to Muslims. This might be worth reviewing with your family.
“Let your speech always be with grace,
seasoned with salt, that you may know
how you ought to answer each one.”
Colossians 4:6
-- Christian Pilet
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