Islam to Christianity

The Challenge

of

Classical Islam: power and authority

Islam itself means 'submission,’ complete submission to the will of Allah

Operates in every aspect of life at every level of society from individuals to states.

Classical Islam divides the world into two parts Dar-al-Islam, the 'House of Islam',

Dar-al-Harb, the 'House of war'.

It is the duty of every Muslim to work towards turning all parts of the world from Dar-al-Harb into Dar-al-Islam –

Shari‘a Law - an all-encompassing legalistic structure based on the Qu'ran and 'hadith’ (traditions)

Muhammadwas illiterate. He picked up stories

from the Jewish caravans.

Born in 570 A.D. in Mecca

At age 40 went to

meditate in a cave where he

said he received

messages from Allah thought to be through the Archangel

Gabriel.

Muhammad preaching

Teaching:

• Monotheism not polytheism

(360 gods worshipped at Ka’aba (black stone at Mecca , image of Artemis in Ephesus Acts 19:35)

• oneness of God- Allah

• day of judgement

• need to live pure lives.

The pagans of Mecca did not accept Muhammad’s

teaching so in 622 A.D. he fled to Medina.

Muhammad became a religious & political leader in Medina

In 624 A.D. he won the Battle of Badr, extended his rule over all Arabia.

He united all the Arabs for the first time.

AT FIRST MUHAMMAD HAD GOOD RELATIONS WITH JEWS AND CHRISTIANS AS THE OTHER MONO THEISTIC RELIGIONS

FIRST CONVERTS WERE HIS OWN FAMILYMOST INHABITANTS OF MECCA REJECTED HIS TEACHING

WHEN THE JEWS (& CHRISTIANS) REJECTED HIS AUTHORITY HE BECAME HOSTILE TOWARDS

THEM: BLOODY WARS FOLLOWED

MUHAMMAD MODIFIED HIS TEACHING AND BEGAN TO PREACH MORE MILITANT ISLAM (JIHAD)

TAUGHT THAT JEWS & CHRISTIANS HAD CORRUPTED THE FAITH FROM ABRAHAM

Muhammad and the Jews

• OBLIGATORY DAILY TIMES OF PRAYER, FACING MECCA• FRIDAY WAS APPOINTED AS A DAY FOR CORPORATE WORSHIP• ANNUAL MONTH OF FASTING WAS TAKEN OVER FROM THE PAGANS OF MECCA.

SPREAD OF ISLAM- In 632 A.D. Muhammad died aged 62- Succeeded by Caliphs: ‘Golden Age’- Islam spread across the Middle East and North Africa.- Most of Christian Byzantine Empire destroyed.- 11th-13th Centuries - Crusades: battles over the Holy Land.-Jews and Christians treated as ‘dhimmis’ inferior subjects who had to pay jizya tax.

-1980’s Radicalisation of Islam since fall of Shah in Iran.

-AIM: To set up a global Caliphate (world domination)

Muhammad’s new teaching

Islamic BeliefsIslamic Beliefs Christian BeliefsChristian Beliefs 

One God ALLAH Prophet MUHAMMAD

(messenger) salvation by WORKS paradise (place of

pleasure: food, sex ) hell (place of torment)

Holy book: Quran (Koran) ‘infallible word of God’ in Arabic. One form.

Hadith(teachings of Muhammad)

 Shari’a Law Submission to Allah

and his laws

 

One God Trinity: FATHER, SON

(JESUS), HOLY SPIRIT

 Salvation by FAITH

heaven( with God) hell (place of torment)

  Bible – ‘Spirit breathed’

66 books, 40 authors 1,400 years

 Ten Commandments Obedience, but

freedom from the Law

Islam and Christianity

ISLAMISLAM CHRISTIANITYCHRISTIANITY God’s name ALLAH

general Salvation by works- credit

to cancel debit

‘God has no son’‘Isa’ is just a prophet

Garden of Eden was in heaven

Paradise place of carnality: wine &70 virgins

God’s name YAHWEH specific Salvation by faith in Jesus’ sacrificial work on the cross

and grace, cannot be earned.

Jesus is God’s Son –fully divine and human

Garden of Eden was on earth

Heaven: place of God’s glory, no more sin and pain

Major Differences in belief between Islam and Christianity

5 pillars Lifestyle5 pillars Lifestyle worship worship

 

1. Recite creed

2. pray 5 times/day, publicly on Fridays

3. fasting dawn to dusk during month of Ramadan

4. giving alms to poor 2.5%

5. pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in lifetime.

Public

 

1. complex doctrine beatitudes2. pray without ceasing

3. fasting as led by the Holy Spirit 4. giving, tithe to the

church 10%

Private 

Islam Christianity

IslamIslam ChristianityChristianity

missionary- hard control  exclusive  imperial, territorial intolerant of other religions  male militant    Jihad (Holy War) ‘ moral’ but has hidden sins sects: Sunni Shiite Sufi Expecting the ‘Mahdi’(Anti-

Christ) re-incarnation of Mohammed, ushering in the Apocalypse

 

missionary- hard control  exclusive  imperial, territorial intolerant of other religions  male militant    Jihad (Holy War) ‘ moral’ but has hidden sins sects: Sunni Shiite Sufi Expecting the ‘Mahdi’(Anti-

Christ) re-incarnation of Mohammed, ushering in the Apocalypse

 

missionary –soft one way of salvation TRUTH  colonial expansion in past non-resistance, peace loving  female (especially since

ordination of women and feminist movement)

‘Just War’  seen as morally

decadent/permissive  sects and denominations

Expecting the Messiah, Jesus, resurrected, to come in judgement and to set up His kingdom on earth

missionary –soft one way of salvation TRUTH  colonial expansion in past non-resistance, peace loving  female (especially since

ordination of women and feminist movement)

‘Just War’  seen as morally

decadent/permissive  sects and denominations

Expecting the Messiah, Jesus, resurrected, to come in judgement and to set up His kingdom on earth

Some Problems with Islam

There are major inconsistencies within the Quran in relation to chronology and characters compared to the Bible.

Praying towards Mecca: The Qibla in the oldest mosques e.g. in Iran, Syria and Egypt faced Petra (now in Jordan) not Mecca!There are only 3 prayers in the Quran. Praying 5 times a day does nor appear until the

9th century.Mecca was not as described in the Quran or on a

major trade route.

ISLAMWhen were

Muhammad’s life and sayings recorded?

ISLAMWhen were

Muhammad’s life and sayings recorded?

CHRISTIANITYWhen were Jesus’ life and sayings recorded?

CHRISTIANITYWhen were Jesus’ life and sayings recorded?

765 AD Ibn Ishaq833 AD Ibn Hisham870 AD Al Bukhari (Hadith) 923 AD Al Tabari (Tafsir,

Ta’rikh) All of Muhammad’s life

and sayings more than 200 years after his death.

 

48-64 AD Paul’s letters 50-66 AD Gospels of

Matthew, Mark & Luke 52-62 AD Acts of the

Apostles (written by Luke)

92 AD Gospel of JohnAll of the New Testament

written within the first century, within 60 years

of Christ’s death!

The Reliablity of Islam?

Today Islamic Arab countries surround Israel

Why is a tiny country like Israel (only the size of Wales) seen to be such a threat to the Arab world?

Why do the Muslims want to destroy Israel?

To try to stop Jesus returning to Jerusalem.

1980’s Imposition of Shari’a law in Iran by Ayatollah Khomeni and rapid spread

1990 Ahmed Deedat challenged British Christians to debate the WORD of GOD: the Bible against the Quran in London and Birmingham

2001 Bombing of the World Trade Centre in and terrorism against Western democracy

Key Events in the Spread of Islam

GOAL OF WORLD DOMINATION• GROWING 4X FASTER THAN CHRISTIANITY• SPREADING ALL OVER THE WORLD: NETWORKS & INSTITUTIONS• YOUTHFUL, VIGOROUS AND AGGRESSIVE

WORLDWIDE

1 IN 5 ARE MUSLIM 1.5 BILLION

1 IN 3 PEOPLE ARE ‘CHRISTIAN’-(MOST ARE NOMINAL)THE BIRTH RATE AMONGST MUSLIMS IS FAR HIGHER.

EUROPE: MASSIVE IMMIGRATION12 CITIES TARGETTED - LONDON AS CENTRE

PROBLEM:INCOMPATIBILITY OF CHRISTIANITY & ISLAM

THE CHURCH IS LARGELY ASLEEP!

Challenge of Islam to Christians

CHRISTIANITY & ISLAM ARE DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED

• INFILTRATION OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM

own schools , political parties, exhibitions etc

• ROYAL FAMILY PRO-MUSLIM/MULTI-FAITH PRINCE CHARLES ‘DEFENDER OF FAITHS’ • POLITICAL CORRECTNESS: HUMAN RIGHTS AGENDA & FREE SPEECH

REF:PAWSON D.(2003) THE CHALLENGE OF ISLAM TO THE CHURCH HODDER AND STOUGHTON. LONDON.

SHOEBAT W. (2010)GOD’S WAR ON TERROR.TOP EXECUTIVE MEDIA.US.

Problems Islam presents for Britain