Download Youth Website World Religions and Christian Denominations Park

Youth Website World Religions and Christian Denominations
Park Cities Baptist Church
Jim Denison
Spring 2006
Script 2
Islam
19% of the world's population, 1.2 billion people, are followers of the Muslim faith.
There are more Muslims in America than Episcopalians or Presbyterians. In a few years,
Muslims will outnumber Jews to become the second-largest religion in our country.
There are more than 1,100 mosques around the country, several in Dallas.
History
The religion was founded by Muhammad in AD 622. Idolatry and division were running
rampant among his Arab people on the Arabian peninsula. The people commonly
worshiped the seven planets, the moon, and the stars. Many worshiped family household
gods and various angels. Others were involved in fire worship contributed by the
Magians from Persia. There was also a corrupt form of Judaism and heretical
Christianity present.
For twelve years Muhammad preached in Mecca, inviting the people there to come to
Allah. In the year 622 he migrated to Medina and established the first Islamic state there.
The Islamic calendar begins from the day of this migration of the prophet.
Within a century, Islam spread across the Middle East, North Africa, and much of
Europe. The Crusades were launched in AD 1095 to retake Jerusalem and the Holy
Land. Its persecution of Muslims has made Christian relations with Islam much more
difficult.
Beliefs
Islam means "peace" or "surrender." Muslims worship Allah, the Arabic name for
"God." It views mankind as free yet under the sovereignty of Allah. The Koran is the
central focus of Islam. "Koran" means "the reading." From the book, Muslims observe
the "five pillars of Islam":
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"The witness": "There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet."
Every Muslim must declare this statement of faith.
Prayer: made five times a day, facing toward Mecca, the Muslim holy city in
Arabia.
Alms: 2.5% of one's income given to the poor.
Fasting: during the month of Ramadan.
Pilgrimage to Mecca: at least once in a person's life.
Jihad (holy war) is a sixth pillar, when declared by religious leaders.
Relation to Christianity
How do Muslims relate to the Christian faith? Because Islam began in the Middle East
subsequent to Christianity, it has always had some reference to Christianity. Islam's holy
book, the Koran, maintains this reference to Christianity, speaking specifically of Jesus
and the Christian religion.
However, Islam is completely independent of Christianity in faith and philosophy. There
is almost no direct quotation in the Koran from either Testament. All we know for
certain is that Muhammad was aware of Jews and Christians and knew something of their
history. Tragically, the "Christianity" Muhammad encountered was heretical, and gave
him an erroneous picture of Christ and his followers.
Muhammad claimed to be a biological heir of Abraham through Ishmael. Through this
tie Muhammad saw himself as the establisher of the true religion of the one God in
Arabia. He claimed that the religion Abraham bequeathed to the Arabs became corrupt.
He claimed to receive direct revelation from God identical in content with the original
revelations to Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, and thus claimed to be in direct succession
with the Old and New Testament prophets.
Muslims have historically tolerated Christians and Jews as "people of the Book" in that
they have a revelation related, though inferior, to that of Muslims. Nevertheless, various
regulations are imposed on Christians in Muslim lands. One of the most difficult is the
law against a Christian's converting a Muslim, accompanied by an absolute prohibition
against the Muslim's accepting Christianity.
So, how can Christians best relate to Muslims? Begin with common ground: we both
believe in one God, and see Jesus as holy. We both emphasize personal morality. The
difference is that Christians have a relationship with God based on his grace, while
Muslims believe they must earn Allah's acceptance. No Muslim can be sure that he or
she will go to heaven. In Christ we have the forgiveness of our sins and the promise of
eternal life with God.
Have you experienced the salvation he gives us? Will you ask him to use you to share his
love with a Muslim soon?