The Arabian Peninsula is one of the hottest and driest regions in the world and
is the birth place of Islam. Founded in Mecca, Arabia by Muhammad (AD 570-632),
considered by the Muslim world as the greatest man who ever lived and the last
of more than 124,000 messengers sent by Allah. Mecca became a part of Saudi
Arabia in 1925. Today, more than 13 million Muslims visit Mecca annually,
including several million who visit during the few days of Hajj. This has
resulted in Mecca becoming one of the most cosmopolitan and diverse cities in
the Muslim world, although non-Muslims remain formally prohibited from the
entering the city.
It was in Mecca that Muhammad began to receive visions through the angel Gabriel
in a cave near Mecca in the year A.D. 610. The Holy Qur’an (Koran) was a result
of the visions revealed to Muhammad by the angel Gabriel. The Qur’an is
considered by Muslims to be the main revelation to mankind. It is considered by
Muslims to be flawless, immutable and the final revelation of God. Muslims
believe that
the Bible and the Torah may have been misinterpreted or distorted by their
followers. Consequently, the Muslims believe the Qur’an as corrective to Jewish
and Christian scriptures. They believe that Allah is One and absolutely unique.
He cannot be known. The greatest sin in Islam is shirk, or associating anything
with Allah. Many Muslims think that Christians believe in three Gods and are
therefore guilty of shirk. As far as the Muslims are concerned, Jesus was not
the Son of God. His virgin birth is likened to Adam’s creation. He was sinless,
a worker of miracles, and one of the most respected prophets sent by Allah. He
was not crucified or resurrected. He, not Muhammad, will return to play a
special role before the future judgment day, perhaps turning Christians to
Islam.
Islam is made up of three main types: Sunni (“people of the tradition”), Shi’a
(“party of Ali”), and Sufi (mystics). The Sunni comprise over 1 billion of those
belonging to the Muslim faith. The Shi’a claims over 170 million followers of
Islam, located primarily in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Azerbaijan, and Bahrain.
The Five Pillars of Islam are the foundation of the Islamic religion. The Sunni
of the Islamic faith practice the Five Pillars or duties as follows: Profession
of Faith (shahadah); Prayers (salat); Almsgiving (zakat); Fasting during Ramadan
(sawm); and Pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj). These Five Pillars are the framework of
Muslim life. Muslims contend that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah
and Muhammad is his messenger. This declaration of faith is called the Shahadah,
a simple formula which all faithful Muslims pronounce. Salat is the name for the
obligatory prayers which are performed five times a day, and are a direct link
between the worshipper and Allah. The Islamic faith does not recognize a
hierarchical authority and no priests. The prayers are led by a learned person
of the Quran, chosen by the congregation. Prayers are said at dawn, noon,
mid-afternoon, sunset and nightfall. The rhythm of the day is centered on the
times of Prayer. Although a Muslim may prefer to pray in a Mosque together, they
may pray in any location such as a field, offices, universities, or factories.
Almsgiving (Zakat) is one of the most important principles of Islam in that it
teaches that all things belong to Allah, and that all wealth is held by human
beings in trust. Each Muslim calculates his or her zakat individually. A Muslim
pays two and a half percent of annual income each year. Fasting during Ramadan
(sawm) is observed from first light until sundown abstaining from food, drink,
and sexual relations. Those who are unable to comply with this ritual during
Ramadan are permitted to deviate from the fast and make it up on other days in
the year. The annual Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj) is an obligation only to those
who can afford the trip both physically and financially. About two million
people go to Mecca each year.
Generally speaking, there are two methods of salvation in all the religions of
the world: grace and works. Christianity is a religion of salvation of grace
alone. In Ephesians 2:8-9, it is written, “For by grace through faith you have
been saved, not of works.” All other systems rely totally or in part on the
works of the believer to attain salvation. Mormons, for example, say that you
are saved by grace through faith after all you can do. In Roman Catholicism,
God’s grace is infused into a believer that enables him to do good works by
which he is judged for salvation. In Islam, forgiveness is based on a
combination of Allah’s grace and the Muslim’s works. On the Day of Judgment, if
a Muslim’s good works outweighs his bad ones, and if Allah wills it, he may be
forgiven of all his sins and then enter into Paradise. Therefore, Islam is a
religion of salvation by works because it combines man’s works with Allah’s
grace. Christianity clearly teaches that all are saved by grace through faith
and that salvation is a FREE gift from God.
In world news today we often hear of Islamic expressions such as: Sunni, who
make up the majority of the Islamic world; the Shi’a who oppose the Sunni from a
political standpoint; the Sufi’s who have always been considered a part of Islam
but they have always had a troubled relationship with the Sunni’s and Shia’s.
The Sufi’s follow books that other Muslims do not. The Sufi’s have always been
on the mystical side from the very beginning of their existence within the
Muslim world. The Sufi’s have been persecuted by the Sunni for their beliefs and
mysticism in regard to Allah.
Other expressions heard sometimes include: Folk Islam – a term used to describe
a set of (folk) beliefs, superstitions, and cultural practices handed down from
generation to generation in Islamic countries. Many of these folk practices have
become integrated into the daily lives of many Muslims. Jihadism is an Islamic
term often mentioned in the media today. It is a term to describe the renewed
focus on armed warfare in radical Islamic fundamentalism. Jihadism emerged in
the 1960’s, with roots dating back to the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The rise of Jihadism was re-enforced by the Iranian Revolution and the Soviet
invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, and has been propagated in various armed
conflicts throughout the 1990s and 2000s.
The Nation of Islam is another term often seen in the media. It is mainly a new
African-American religious movement with headquarters in Chicago, IL. The Nation
of Islam does not publish its membership numbers but it is believed to number
from between 20,000 to 50,000, with most of these members being from the United
States. They teach black pride and principles of Islam. This movement was
founded in Detroit, MI in July 1930 by Wallace D. Fard Muhammad. Today this
movement is lead by Louis Farrakhan.
Islam appeals to many who find it easier to accept another’s beliefs rather than
to question those beliefs while trying to belong or to gain acceptance. The
simplicity of Islam and the requirements to become a part of it appeals to many
people. Islam is not so much a religious system as it is a tool of social
organization. It is more concerned with what people do as opposed to what they
might believe. Islam offers a new unity and identity for those seeking higher
principles. The Islamists have a simple set of rules for how Muslims and
non-Muslims must behave, for how women must act and how men should act. In a
multicultural society, Islam promises absolute unity to those seeking a way out
of fractured divisions of society. Islam was created precisely to supplant
a diversity of religions and beliefs by people who wanted to find unity through
one supreme system. Muslims think that the final benefit of Islam, of course, is
that it makes the Muslim in the West immediately superior to the Westerner from
the highest to the lowest member of a multicultural society. Islam promises
unity of the true believers which is a common promise by all cult leaders, and
has a timeless appeal to the disenchanted looking for a higher principle and a
new identity.
In approaching Muslims, one must be knowledgeable about Islam and Christianity.
Give your testimony as to how and why you became a Christian. Talk about how God
has revealed Himself to you before and since you became a Christian. This may
very well take the Muslim by surprise since, according to their belief; God has
not spoken to a single human being since Muhammad died (AD 632). Witnessing to a
Muslim is thoroughly a Biblical approach as stated in 1 John 1:3, “What we have
seen and heard we proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with
us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus
Christ.” There is no argument against a testimony.
In witnessing to a Muslim find a common ground or mutual understanding and work
from this standpoint. Muslims continually and genuinely strive to please Allah.
Compliment them on their practices in confessing Allah, praying five times
daily, giving to the poor, keeping a month-long fast, etc. There are points of
variance between Islamic and Christian doctrine, to be sure, but the point is to
find a common starting place. The Qur’an bears surprising witness to Jesus. It
affirms His virgin birth, His ability to heal and raise the dead, that He is
both a word from God and a spirit from God, that He is the Messiah, an
all-righteous one (sinless), among those nearest to God, that He is alive in
heaven now and will return to judge the world. Muslims often are convinced that
Christ is greater than Muhammad just by reading the Qur’an. The preceding points
would serve as excellent starting places in witnessing to a Muslim. Remember to
be culturally sensitive and emphasize that Christianity is a personal
relationship with God.
It has been estimated that the total number of Muslims range from 7 million to
1.8 billion worldwide and 1.1 million to 7 million in the United States. About
23% of all people on Earth follow Islam. The religion of Islam is currently in a
rapid state of growth. Christianity is currently the largest religion in the
world. Christianity is followed by about 33% of all people – a figure that has
remained stable for decades. If current trends continue, Islam will become the
most popular world religion sometime in the mid 21st century.