Understanding Islam

Understanding Islam - What Does the Bible Have to Say?

This morning you woke to an alarm clock. Millions around the world wake every day to different music. They wake to the morning prayer calls coming from their local mosque. These people make up the world’s 1 billion Muslims. There are lives dominated by the Imam, their mosque, and the rules of Islam. The Muslim people have a vastly different world view than Christians.

One of the pictures from the Iraq war that sticks out in my mind. It was a suicide bombing in Bagdad. An Iraqi man is seen on the TV shouting “DEATH TO ISRAEL.” What’s striking about this is that there was not a Jew within 1,000 miles! It was a vivid reminder of the hatred for Christians (in the mind of a Muslim, all Americans are Christians) and Jews.

To understand this, and to understand the threat to our society, we must understand Islam .

BACKGROUND

What is Islam?

Islam means “Submission”

Muslim “one who submits”

1.2 billion Muslims

2nd fastest growing religion

2nd largest religion (behind Christianity)

Are all Muslims Arab?

Only 30% pf Muslims are Arabic speaking

Top 4 nations with Muslim population are NOT Arab

‒ Indonesia (238 million, 88% Muslim)

‒ Pakistan (160 million, 97% Muslim)

‒ India (1 billion, 12% Muslim)

‒ Bangladesh (141 Million, 83% Muslim)

Are all Arabs Muslim?

‒ NO 95% lf Arabs world wide are Muslim

‒ Of America’s 2 million Arabs, only 23% claim to be Muslim

History of Islam

‒ Mohammad born in 570 in Mecca

‒ Familiar with Jewish and Christians. Familiar with the Bible and Christian practices.

‒ Mecca was the location of the Ka’bah - cube that contained 360 deities

‒ Mohammad preached against polytheism. This was welcomed by the Christians and Jews.

610, at the age of 40 Mohammad receives his first “vision” from the angel “Gabriel” ‒Mohammad thought this might be Jinn, or demons.

His wife reassured him it was not demons and to receive the message

After persecution began, Mohammad was forced to flee to Medina. This is the Hijrah or migrations.

I. The SOURCE of Islam

MUSLIM VIEW - “Allah is the Arabic name for God, which is used by Arab Muslims and Christians alike.” “Islam and Christianity and Judaism have the same source, going back to the prophet and patriarch Abraham.”

Islam is syncretistic. Jews had settled in Arabia following their defeat by the Romans. In 600 AD there were many Jews living in the current region of Arabia. Mohammed took the Arabian culture, the OT Scriptures, NT Scriptures, traditions from the hundreds of local deities, wrapped in the garment of his “revelations from God” and came up with the Koran.

The POLITICALLY CORRECT VIEW is that “Allah is the Arabic name for God. The word is literally al-Lah, meaning "the God." The term "Muslim" means one who surrenders (to God). Muslims worship the same God as Christians and Jews (ABC News Website).

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE HAVE TO SAY?

1. The Great Prophet is NOT Mohamed, but Jesus, Not a REVOLUTIONARY, but a SAVIOR

a. Prophesied in the OT

b. Gen 3:15

c. Micah 5:2

d. Isaiah 53

e. Luke 4:18-19. Reference to Isaiah’s prophesy

f. Matthew 5:17-18

g. Luke 22:37 “What is written about me is being fulfilled.”

h. Deuteronomy 18:15 with Deuteronomy 34:10-12.

2. Jesus is the ONLY mediator.

a. John 14:6 “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

b. 1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”

c. Acts 4:12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

3. The PROPHETS revealed JESUS. Islam teaches that Mohammad is the greatest prophet, but both the Old and New Testament contradict this idea. In particular, the New Testament teaches that the purpose of the prophets and apostles was to reveal Jesus. Jesus is the Mystery spoken of by the Old Testament prophets, though hidden in meaning until the revelation was disclosed by NT apostles and prophets.

a. 1 John 4:2-3

b. Hebrews 1:1-3

c. Ephesians 3:4-6

The CONFLICT of Islam is prophesied in the Bible

1. Genesis 16:11-12 prophesy of Ishmael. He also had 12 sons, like Isaac. His descendants would constantly be in conflict. This is true to this day.

2. Genesis 25:18

3. ISHMAEL the father of Arab people

Today, majority of Muslims are not arabs, BUT all Muslims are the SPIRITUAL descendants of ISHMAEL through Mohamed.

Revelation 17:5. Religious Babylon - All false religion is described as the HARLOT - illegitimate offspring

The CONFLICT is the only explanation for the militancy of Muslims