Competing Claims Should I believe something other than Christianity?

2. Competing ClaimsShould I believe something other than Christianity?

4. Origin of Islam • At the age of 25, Mohammed marries a 40 year old wealthy, widow named Khadijah who owns trading caravans. During the next 15 years of his life he interactes with Arabs known as the Hanefites. Hanefites were Arabs who rejected idol worship and were searching for the true religion. They looked to the religion of the Jews and Christians as being close to the goal. The Hanefites abandonded their idols and would retreat to the caves of Mecca in meditation and prayer.

5. Origin of Islam • At age 40 Mohammed had his first vision in the year 610 AD. He was in a cave on Mt. Hera and thought he was demon possessed. He went to Khadijah and told her about the event. She consulted with her uncle Waraca, a Hanefite who converted to Christianity, who assured them Mohammed vision was from God. Waraca declared Mohammed was a prophet to the Arab peoples, Waraca died 2 years later never becoming a Muslim.

6. Origins • Mohommed is said to have received a message from an angel (Gabriel). • The book was dictated to Mohommed and is to be the precise words of God. • It was to serve as a corrective for all of the idols (the ones that Mohommed saw, as well as Judaism and Christianity).

7. Connection to Mormonism?

8. Origin of Islam • Mohammed proclaimed Allah as the one true god and rejected the idol worship of Mecca. Khadijah, his wife, was Mohammed’s first convert to Islam. Few listened to Mohammed’s message and animosity grew against him as he confronted the idol worshippers and preached his religion to Mecca. Eventually Mohommed had to flee in order to protect his life.

9. Origin of Islam Then in 621 during the Hajj, Arab tribes from the city of Yatrob later to be called Medina, came for the annual pilgrimage. They met Mohammed and thought him to be a prophet and invited him to their city to bring peace and settle disputes between the warring tribes. Yathrob was founded by three Jewish tribes and the idea of monotheism was familiar to its Arab tribesmen. Because of their basic beliefs in a coming Messiah, they assumed that Mohammed was the one.

10. Flight • The next year the situation became intolerable for the Muslims and in in June 622 they made what has become known as the Hejira or flight. In small groups the 150 Muslims of Mecca left for the city of Medina 280 miles to the north. When word reached those of Mecca about the escape to Medina they tried to kill Mohammed. • In Medina the warring Arab tribes submitted to Mohammed leadership and prophet-hood. The Jewish tribes rejected his claims of prophet and ridiculed his revelations. With most of the new arrivals from Mecca without work they needed to earn a living. Ghazu or caravan raiding was a way tribes would prevent one tribe from becoming to powerful. The Muslims in Medina began to rob the caravans heading toward Mecca. This is where the Muslim doctrine of Jihad was created.

11. Flight • With their caravan business being threatened, Mecca responds with one thousand soldiers at the battle of Bedr in March 624 the Muslims fielded 300 warriors. The battle went to the Muslims. Mohammed proclaimed his victory was a sign from Allah and his status in Medina was magnified. The lack of enthusiasm by one of the Jewish tribes caused them to be expelled by the victorious Muslim army. The direction of prayer was also changed from Jerusalem to Mecca as the Jews rejected Mohammad’s prophet-hood. • Exactly one year later Mecca amassed 3000 soldiers at the battle of Uhud and the Muslims fielded 1000 soldiers. The battle did not go as planned. The Muslims, defeated by Mecca, retreated to Medina. • Disheartened, Muslims blamed the second Jewish tribe as conspirators against their cause. Their homes and possessions were confiscated, and they are expelled from the city in 626 AD.

12. Flight • The Meccans in the hope of ending the caravan raids by the Muslims assembled 10,000 soldiers to attack the city of Medina in the year 627. After a two-week siege in the hot sun they are unable to penetrate the fortress-like city. They returned to Mecca. • After this unsuccessful attack,  Mohammed and the Muslims attacked the last remaining Jewish tribe. The tribe surrendered to the mercy of Mohammed. The men were killed and the women and children were sold into slavery. • Mecca began to feel the economic impact of its trading losses and  Mohammed’s power grew in the north. They reluctantly signed the 10 year Hudaybiah peace agreement with Mohammed and the Muslims in march 628.

13. Flight • Two years later, in January 630, Mohammed leads 10,000 warriors to Mecca and nullifies the treaty of Hudaybiah.The city submits to Mohammed and his warriors and accepts him as prophet. • Mohammed goes to the Kaba and destroys the 360 idols in the structure. From Mecca, the “Muslims” wage Jihad on the surrounding cities forcing them to accept Islam as their religion and Mohammed as their prophet. • Mohammed made his final Hajj in 632 and died unexpectedly 3 months later in June. His friend and father-in-law Abu Bakr (Father of Aisha) succeeded him as leader of the Muslims.

14. Division in the Midst • Abu Bakr  received the title “Caliph” or successor of Mohammed. Their was a struggle about who would succeed Mohammad; some felt Ali the husband of Fatima, Mohammed’s daughter deserved the position. • In 634 AD Abu Bakr died and was succeeded by Umar (Omar) the 2nd Caliphate.  • Umar advanced the Muslim armies against Syria and Palestine. In 637 A D, the armies of Byzantium lost control of Jerusalem to Islam.  Uthman the 3rd Caliph succeeded Umar. Uthman ordered a complete revision of the Quran, this would cause a mutiny. He was killed and his death was considered justified because the mutineers claimed he ceased to be a Muslim.  Following Uthman’s death there was a struggle between rival factions of Islam about who was the rightful successor to lead Islam.                  

15. Division in the Midst • Ali, the 4th Caliph, Mohammad’s son-in-law and husband of Fatima, succeeded Uthman everybody did not accept him as rightful Caliphate.  War broke out between the rival groups, his succession was short lived, 2 years later he was killed. The Shi’a (Party of Ali, known as the Shi’ite Muslims) mourned the death of Ali, and his two sons (Grandsons of Mohammed). Ali is revered as a saint by the Shi’a who are dominate in Iran and Iraq.  The Shi’a feel Ali was the rightful successor to Mohammed and don’t recognize the three earlier Caliphs.  The Sunnis accept Ali and the first three Caliphate as legitimate. • As Muslims spread across Europe reaching France, they were defeated by Charles Martel at the Battle of Tours. The Muslims retreated, and Ferdinand Magellan sought to find a way to spread Christianity in Asia before the Muslims reached it. He was successful, but the two religions met in the Philippines and Indonesia. This began a rivalry between Islam and Christianity.

16. Islam Today •  Islam today is in conflict, between western secular culture and traditional Islamic culture. The growth of Islamic Fundamentalism is an attempt to reach back to the glories of Islamic history. Many Fundamentalist (Muslims) ask themselves the question, “if Islam is the religion of Allah, why are we being defeated by the West (United States) and Israel.”

17. Islam Today • The fundamentalist sees the problem with the failure of Islamic nations to live as the Qu’ran commands. This view of not living the life required by Allah, as specified in the Qu’ran and traditions and therefore being defeated by the West, is the spark of fundamentalism. Today in Islam there is a struggle between moderate and fundamentalist ideology. • Understanding the books of the Islamic faith is just as important to understanding its history. The books of Islam shape both the culture and philosophy of the Muslim world.

18. from Interfaith Evangelism Belief Bulletin • Islam is the world’s youngest major religion. It claims to be the restoration of original monotheism and truth and thus supersedes both Judaism and Christianity.

19. Qur’an • The Qur’an is to be followed completely and its teaching form a complete guide for life and society. • It is the sacred book of Islam and the perfect word of Allah (god) for the Muslim. • It’s claimed that the Qur’an was dictated in Arabic by the angel Gabriel to Muhammad and were God’s precise words.

20. Qur’an • As such, it had pre-existed from eternity in heaven with God as the “Mother of the Book” and was in that form uncreated and co-eternal with God. • Islam teaches that it contains the total and perfect revelation of the will of God. The Qur’an is about four-fifths the length of the NT and is divided into 114 “surahs” or chapters. • What problems do you see for Muslims in believing Islam is a connection to Christianity and Judaism (as far as Jesus, the OT, etc.)?

21. Qur’an • While Islam respects the Torah, the Psalms of David and the four Gospels, the Qur’an stands alone in its authority and absoluteness. • It is believed to be most perfectly understood in Arabic and it is a religious obligation to seek to read and quote it in the original language.

22. Five Pillars of Islam • These are the framework for the Muslim’s life and discipline. • Successful and satisfactory adherence to the pillars satisfy the will of Allah. • They form the basis for the Muslim’s hope for salvation along with faith and belief in Allah’s existence, the authority of Muhammad as a prophet, and the finality and perfection of the Qur’an.

23. Pillar #1: Shahada • Confession of Faith: It is the declaration that there is not god but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet (the typical saying you will hear from Muslims) • Sincerity in voicing of the confession is necessary for it to be valid. It must be held until death and repudiation of the Shahada nullifies hope for salvation.

24. Pillar #2: Salat • Prayer: Five times a day, preceded by ceremonial washing, the Muslim is required to pray facing Mecca (as we will see today). • Specific formulas, recited from the Qur’an (in Arabic), along with prostration are included. • Prayer is, in this sense, an expression of submission to the will of Allah. While most of Islam has no hierarchical priesthood, prayers are led in mosques by respected lay leaders. • There are Imam’s who serve as the priests/pastors of the community. • The five times of prayer are before sunrise, noon, midafternoon, sunset, and prior to sleep.

25. Pillar #3: Zakat • Almsgiving: The Qur’an teaches the giving of two and one-half percent of one’s capital wealth to the poor and/or for the propagation of Islam. By doing so, the Muslims’ remaining wealth is purified.

26. Pillar #4: Sawm • The Fast: During the course of the lunar month of Ramadan, a fast is to be observed by every Muslim from sunrise to sunset. • Nothing is to pass over the lips during this time, and they should refrain from sexual relations. After sunset, feasting and other celebrations often occur. • The daylight hours are set aside for self-purification. The month is used to remember the giving of the Qur’an to Muhammad.

27. Pillar #5: Hajj • Pilgrimage: All Muslims who are economically and physically able are required to journey as a pilgrim to Mecca at least once in their lifetime. • The pilgrim’s required simple dress stresses the notion of equality before God. • Another element of the Hajj is the mandatory walk of each pilgrim seven times around the Kaabah – the shrine of the black rock, the holiest site of Islam. • Muhammad taught that the Kaabah was the original place of worship for Adam and later for Abraham. The Kaabah is thus venerated as the site of true religion, the absolute monotheism of Islam.

28. Doctrines of Islam • God: He is numerically and absolutely one. God is beyond the understanding of man so that only His will may be revealed and known. He is confessed as the ‘merciful and compassionate one.” • Sin: The most serious sin that can be ascribed to people is that of “shirk” or considering God as more than one. Original sin is viewed as a ‘lapse’ by Adam. The fallen nature of humankind is not endorsed by Islam. Humankind is considered weak and forgetful, but not as fallen.

29. Doctrines of Islam • Angels: Islam affirms the reality of angels as messengers of God. Evil spirits or Jinn also exist. Satan is a fallen angel. Angels perform important functions for God both now and at the end of time. • Final Judgment: The world will be judged at the end of time by God. The good deeds and obedience of all people to the five pillars and the Qur’an will serve as the basis of judgment.

30. Doctrines of Islam • Salvation: It is determined by faith, as defined by Islam, as well as by compiling good deeds primarily in conformity to the five pillars. • Marriage: Muslims uphold marriage as honorable and condemn adultery. While many Muslim marriages are monogamous, Islamic states allow as many as four wives. Men consider woman as less than an equal, and while a man has the right to divorce his wife, the wife has no similar power (Surah 2:228; 4:34). • Nonetheless, the female has a right to own and disown property. Modesty in dress is encouraged for both men and women. As you see in the area, there are differences for how this is to be understood.

31. Writings on Women • “Women shall with justice have rights similar to those exercised against them, although men have a status above women.” 2:228 • “Men has authority over women because God has made the one superior to the other, and because they spend their wealth to maintain them. Good women are obedient. They guard their unseen parts because God has guarded them. AS for those from whom you fear disobedience, admonish them, forsake them in beds apart, and beat them. Then if they obey you, take no further action against them.” 4:34

32. Doctrines of Islam • War: The term jihad or ‘struggle’ is often considered as both external and internal, both a physical and spiritual struggle. The enemies of Islam or ‘idolaters’, states the Qur’an, may be slain “wherever you find them” (Surah 9:5). Paradise is promised for those who die fighting in the cause of Islam. • Moderate Muslims emphasize the spiritual dimension of jihad and not its political element. • And now, two readings from the Koran (Qur’an)

33. Doctrines of Islam • Diet and Food: Muslim dietary codes forbid the eating of pork and the use of intoxicating drinks. Other meats may be eaten from animals slaughtered by devout Muslims. Healthy diet and lifestyle are encouraged.

34. One God – Allah Will is revealed, but Allah is unknowable Allah never portrayed as loving or a Father. Allah is the one who causes both good and evil. One God – triune being called God or Yahweh Will revealed an invites all into a personal relationship through Christ. Portrayed as a loving Father who cares for His people (and all). Loves good, hates evil. GOD

35. A prophet who was virgin born, but not the son of God. Sinless Messiah Blasphemy to say Jesus is God. Did not die, but taken into Heaven and another man (some believe Judas) was killed and onlookers mistake him for Jesus. Born of a virgin Sinless messiah Fully God and fully man (God’s Word and Savior to humanity) Died on the cross to pay for the sin of man and was raised on the third day, then ascended to Heaven after about 40 days. JESUS

36. The last in the line of prophets and therefore the final authority in spiritual matters. Not accepted as a prophet or legitimate theological source. MUHAMMAD

37. Qu’ran is the final word of God. Old and New Testament were distorted by both Christians and Jews Qu’ran corrects the errors of the Bible. The Bible is the Final Word of God The Bible was written through men by the Holy Spirit (God-breathed) Bible is complete and not to be added to. SCRIPTURE

38. Man is created by Allah as sinless. Sin is disobedience to the established law, but sin does not grieve Allah. Man is weak and prone to error (misguided), but not necessarily sinful. Man simply needs guidance from Allah. Man is created in God’s image. Sin is rebellion against God and grieves Him. Man is sinful and separated from God due to the fall. Man needs a savior to pay the price of sin. MAN & SIN

39. Heaven attained by submitting to the will of Allah. No security or assurance of Heaven outside of martyrdom. Only granted by Allah’s mercy, therefore no guarantee. Eternal life is only by grace, through faith in Jesus and His work on the cross. Eternal life begins at conversion, based on Christ’s deeds, not our own. Salvation is only in a relationship with Christ. SALVATION

40. There will be bodily resurrection and final judgment with final destination. All Muslims go to heaven, though some must be purged of their sins first. All infidels are destined for hell. There will be bodily resurrection and final judgment and eternal destination. Destination (heaven or hell) will be decided based on good works, but it is impossible to outweigh bad works without Christ removing sin on the cross. All who have not accepted Christ have to pay the price of their own sin which means separation from God. LAST DAYS

41. Who is the Messiah predicted by the Jews? How do you explain Jesus’ claims to be God, forgive sins, make God known, and to warn of coming teachers who would oppose His message (like Mohammed)? What evidence do you have the the Bible was distorted? How do you explain Jesus’ resurrection and the eye-witnesses? If the foundation of the faith was laid through violence, should violence characterize the life of followers? How do you reconcile this with “Islam” as “Peace?” Others? Apologetic Questions

42. Christianity in Iran Even though Open Doors USA ranks Iran 5th in terms of the persecution of Christians, more and more Iranians are converting. Much of this growth has been in the house church movement often called the Muslim Background Believer Church. Just 40 years ago, there were about 200 MBBs in Iran. Now, it’s estimated that there are 370,000 MBBs. Added to that number are around 80,000 traditional Armenian and Assyrian Christians. Carl Moeller, the president of Open Doors USA, says, "Men and women, out of emptiness of their current situation spiritually, are turning to faith in Jesus Christ despite the literally lethal risks in doing so. That's only attributable to the work of the Holy Spirit."

45. Exclusive Religion: explain other religions as either in error, or as corruptions or counterfeits of the true faith. Requires adherence to teachings/beliefs of that religion (Christianity, Islam, Judaism) • Inclusive Religion: recognizes truth in all faith systems, not agreeing or disagreeing about the differences, but typically see their own faith as in some way ultimate (though they would not say it).

46. Origin • Native religion to India, which ranges back to the early Indus civilization about 3000 B.C. • There is no specific prophet like other religions like Islam. • The sacred Scriptures are the most integral part of the development of it’s beliefs. • The Scriptures are the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita (among others). • Many of the beliefs have been arrived at by members of the faith through meditation and Yoga. • There are over 500 million Hindus (most live in India – the second most populated country in the world).

47. Hindu is not a missionary religion like Christianity or Islam, but there has been some push to get the word out. • Wherever there are a gathering of Hindus, there is a temple. • The most popular form of Hinduism in the west is the Hare Krishna Consciousness societies. These follow the Bhagavad Gita in devotion to the god Krishna. • Transcendental Meditation societies and classes are offered all over Europe and North America.

48. Scriptures • Though the Bhagavad Gita has become the most popular, there have been several that have shaped belief over time: • Veda: oldest, very speculative about the origin of the universe – no definite answers – written in ancient Sanskrit; unknown author. • Upanishad: philosophical – unity in diversity, become one with Brahman. In this knowledge is the key – through Yoga.

49. God, Gods, no God • There are many deities, but this will take more explanation. • Elements of other religions or any combination of gods can be practiced. • In Hinduism, people can believe in one God, no God, several Gods, and still be accepted by other Hindus. • The reality is that all is god. This concept is called pantheism.

50. Brahman • Brahman is the true being – or the Hindu idea of God. • Atman is the individual soul (you and me) – but ultimately they are one. In fact the goal is to become united with the Brahman. • The Brahman is an impersonal, absolute God with whom a relationship is impossible (and really inconceivable by Hindus).