Sermon Tone Analysis

Islam

What is Islam?

(All Islam info in this section from So What’s the Difference? by Fritz Ridenour Chapter 5 on Islam except where noted.)

Islam means submission.

Muslim

A believer in Islam is called a Muslim, which means one who lives his life according to God’s Will.

In 2015, there were 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide, a little over 24% of the world’s population.

Rachid’s Story (from Engaging with Muslims by John Klaassen)

Difference between Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims

(Statistic from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/04/06/why-muslims-are-the-worlds-fastest-growing-religious-group/

accessed on 08/07/19.)

(Discussion of differences from Engaging Muslims, 19, 20)

When: 6th Century at the death of Muhammad.

Why: Shi’ite

The split came because the “Shi’ites believed Ali ben Talib, Muhammad’s son-in-law, was the legitimate next leader of Islam.”

Ali was the husband to Fatimah who was Muhammad’s only daughter.

He had very devoted and enthusiastic for the Islamic cause.

He also claimed that Muhammad had endowed him with his designation called “ilm” and with special spiritual knowledge know as “nass”.

Ali also claimed that he would be able to speak directly to God as Muhammad had and would continue to receive special knowledge.

The Majority of the the people did not support him, though, because they thought he was “quick tempered, out of control and unreliable.”

(19)

Why: Sunni

The Sunni’s support Abu Bakr, Muhammad’s father-in-law.

He had also distinguished himself as a leader and wise man.

After Muhammad died they wanted to make Muhammad a deity.

Abu took charge and settled the issue saying, “If anyone worships Muhammad, Muhammad is dead; but if anyone worships Allah, he [Allah] is alive and does not die.”

(Engaging 19, emphasis original) This settled the issue and provided stability for the people.

The people made Abu the first “caliph” the successor to Muhammad.

The Ali supporters were not in favor of this and this started the split.

The Arabic word for splinter is “shia” so it became the Shi’ites (the minority) and the Sunnis (the majority).

One of the first questions to ask your Muslim friend is “Are You Shi’ite or Sunni?” (Engaging 20, emphasis original) It would be like being Catholic or Protestant; there are massive differences but both call themselves Christians.

So too both the Shi’ites and Sunnis call themselves Muslims.

To ask this question will not offend them.

Inside of both of these groups you will find a continuum of belief: from radical fundamentalist who want the whole world to convert to Islam, to liberal inclusivists who believe everyone has a chance if they believe in the “one true God.”

There are also many “cultural Muslims” who have no idea what they believe, they just know they are Muslims and their children should only marry Muslims.

Islam was founded by Mohammed and includes submission to Allah.

The

There are main groups of Muslims, the Sunni and the Shi’ites.

In 2015, there were 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide, a little over 24% of the world’s population.

A believer in Islam is called a Muslim, which means one who lives his life according to God’s Will.

Islam was founded by Mohammed and includes submission to Allah.

Who is Allah?

Elohim means supreme one or might one in Hebrew.

The word refers to God in the Old Testament but also refers to human rulers, judges and even angels.

It does not mean that God is the Supreme being like Yahweh, but it emphasizes God’s power and might.

“When referring to God, Muslims use the word “Allah,” which is the Arabic translation of the Hebrew word Elohim.”

(https://www.imb.org/2018/05/11/do-you-know-the-basics-of-islam/

accesed on 08/10/19)

Allah is is the Arabic translation of the Hebrew word Elohim.

“If population estimates prove accurate, Islam will become the dominant belief system by the end of the twenty-first century.”

Elohim means supreme one or might one in Hebrew.

The word refers to God in the Old Testament but also refers to human rulers, judges and even angels.

It does not mean that God is the Supreme being like Yahweh, but it emphasizes God’s power and might.

Allah is the holy creator and sustainer of all things.

“They believe Allah is the holy creator and sustainer of all things.

Muslims attribute to Allah most of the qualities Christians bestow on God.

Muslims and Christians agree that God is the one and only God, but the God of the Bible is vastly different than the Allah of Islam.

For instance, but Muslims deny the biblical teaching that God is one being in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Muslims believe Allah is merciful, just , and compassionate , Yet he is unknowable.

Furthermore, Muslims believe Allah is to be esteemed in such a way that makes it inappropriate or impossible to call him “father.”

He is merciful, just, and compassionate, but simply unknowable beyond facts related to his perfection.”

(https://www.imb.org/2018/05/11/do-you-know-the-basics-of-islam/

accesed on 08/10/19)

The Six Doctrines of Islam

(So What’s the Difference?

Ridenour pg.

79-80 Unless otherwise noted.

Doctrines are direct quotes.

)

There are six doctrines every Muslim is required to believe:

1. God.

There is only one true God and his name is Allah.

Allah is all-seeing, all-knowing, and all-powerful.

2. Angels.

The chief angel is Gabriel, who is said to have appeared to Mohammed.

There is also a fallen angel named Shaitan.

Shaitan comes from the Hebrew “Satan”.

There are also followers of Shaitan called the jinns, which are demons.

3. Scripture.

Muslims believe in four God-inspired books: the Torah of Moses, the Zabur, the Injil, and the Qur’an.

The Torah of Moses is the first five books of the Old Testament.

Genisis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

Genisis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

The Zabur are the Psalms of David.

The Arabic word zabuur means "book" "inscription," or "writing."

[2] An alternate, less accepted origin for the title zabuur in the meaning of "psalm" is that it is a corruption of the Hebrew zimrah (Hebrew: זִמְרָה) meaning "song, music" or sipur (Hebrew: סִפּוּר‎), meaning "story."

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zabur

accessed 08/07/19)

An alternate, less accepted origin for the title zabuur in the meaning of "psalm" is that it is a corruption of the Hebrew zimrah (Hebrew: זִמְרָה) meaning "song, music" or sipur (Hebrew: סִפּוּר‎), meaning "story."

The Injil is the Gospel of Jesus.

The life and proclamations of many of these prophets are recorded in the Qur’an.

Many of Islam’s esteemed prophets, such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, and John the Baptist, are also recognized by Christians.”

Muslim scholars have resisted identifying the Injil with the New Testament Gospels.

Some have suggested the Injil may be the Gospel of Barnabas or Gospel of Thomas.[3]

More commonly, Muslim scholars have argued that the Injil refers to a text now lost or hopelessly corrupted.

For example, Abdullah Yusuf Ali wrote: The Injil (Greek, Evangel equals Gospel) spoken of by the Qur'an is not the New Testament.

It is not the four Gospels now received as canonical.

It is the single Gospel which, Islam teaches, was revealed to Jesus, and which he taught.

Fragments of it survive in the received canonical Gospels and in some others, of which traces survive (e.g., the Gospel of Childhood or the Nativity, the Gospel of St.Barnabas, etc.)." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_in_Islam

accessed 08/07/19)

Muslims believe that Jews and Christians corrupted their Scriptures, so the Qur’an is Allah’s final word to mankind.

It supersedes and overrules all previous writings.