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DID YOU KNOW?
 There are more than a billion
Muslims (about 1 out of every 5
people on the planet); the U.N.
projects that by 2055 at least half
of the global birthrate will be
Islamic.
 Muslims have targeted the United
States with an aggressive
missionary program. Saudi
Arabia has given millions of
dollars to Harvard and the
University of Arkansas to fund
Islamic study centers.
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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DID YOU KNOW?
 There are already more
Muslims than Episcopalians in
America; and, within ten
years, Islam may be the second
largest religion in the United
States.
 Between 1989 and 1998 the
Islamic population in this
country grew by 25%; there
are now estimated to be
between 4 and 7 million
Muslims in the U.S.
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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Muslims Have Aggressive
Missionary Efforts In the U. S.
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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DID YOU KNOW?
 Muslim chaplains already serve
in the armed forces, and there are
weekly Muslim prayer meetings
on Capitol Hill.
 “Islam is the fastest-growing
religion in America, a guide and
pillar of stability for many of our
people...”
-Hillary Rodham Clinton
“First Lady Breaks Ground With Muslims,” Los Angeles Times, Home
Edition, Metro Section, Part B, May 31, 1996, p. 3
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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UNDERSTANDING ISLAM
Part 2
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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Contrasting Worldviews
Shortly after the end of the Cold War, Samuel
Huntington, professor of government at
Harvard, predicted that in the future serious
competition would lessen between nationstates or political ideologies.
Instead, Huntington predicted an era of
growing competition between civilizations:
i.e., religion, ethnicity, and cultural values.
Samuel Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations.
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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ISLAM & CHRISTIANTY:
Contrasting Worldviews
• Muhammad put his
enemies to the sword and
confiscated their
property and wives;
commanded his followers
to fight for their faith;
taught that those who
died in battle would
enter paradise; and died
a natural death after
consolidating his power
and wealth.
• Jesus told his disciples to
“put away the sword”
(John 18:11); healed the
one wound inflicted by
his followers (Luke
22:51); allowed his
enemies to take his life (1
Peter 2:21-24); and
prayed from the cross for
those who were executing
him (Luke 23:34.)
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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ISLAM & CHRISTIANTY:
Contrasting Worldviews
• Jesus envisioned a fellowship of believers drawn by
the example of his own sacrificial death (John
3:14-16, 12:31-32) and subsequent resurrection;
Muhammad fashioned a community based on the
burning conviction of a manifest destiny and
triumphant expansion.
• The founder of Christianity was put to death by
the authorities; the founder of Islam was the
ultimate political authority who put to death
thousands of others.
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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ISLAM & CHRISTIANTY:
Contrasting Worldviews
• In religion we are shaped by the “story”
that forms our faith: that is why, each
Sunday, we rehearse and remember the
story of the Cross in the Lord’s Supper.
• The “story” of Christianity makes an
explicit distinction between the political and
the spiritual; the “story” of Islam is one of
an all-encompassing system of religious,
political, and military power.
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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ISLAM & CHRISTIANTY:
Contrasting Worldviews
• It is true that Muslims may be “peaceful” when a
minority in a strong democratic nation. When they
hold the reins of temporal power in an Islamic
state, however, it is often a different reality for nonMuslims.
• Some scholars believe the greatest persecution in
the history of Christianity occurred in the last
century, primarily in Islamic countries. In many
Muslim cultures the penalty for converting to
Christ is death.
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The Early Muslim Empire Spread
Rapidly
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Muslim Expansion Greatly
Reduced the Byzantine Empire
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The Crusades
Beginning in 1099 and
lasting into the thirteenth
century, “Christian”
armies under orders of
the popes and European
leaders launched wars
that were known as
“crusades” to retake
Jerusalem and Palestine
from the Muslims.
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The Crusades
The “Crusades” were never successful
for long, and the Muslim general
Saladin became famous by
recapturing Jerusalem in 1187.
The land of Palestine remained under
Islamic control until the establishment
of the modern nation of Israel in 1948.
The Crusades left an enduring legacy
of deep bitterness and a still-vivid
sense of grievance among Muslims
toward the West.
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In 1998 Osama bin Laden declared that his
work was a continuation of the struggle
against “infidel” Crusaders of the Middle
Ages.
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WHAT IS ISLAM?
The word “Islam”
means “submission”
(to the will of Allah).
The word “Muslim”
means “one who
submits.”
It is a mobile, militant,
and missionary
religion.
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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How Does One Become A Muslim?
• Simply by saying with conviction,
“La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadur
rasoolu Allah,” one converts to Islam
and becomes a Muslim. This saying
means “There is no true god but
God (Allah), and Muhammad is the
Messenger (Prophet) of God.” The
first part, “There is no true god but
God,” means that none has the right to
be worshipped but God alone, and that
God has neither partner nor son.
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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How Does One Become A
Muslim?
To be a Muslim, one should also:
n Believe that the Holy Qur’an is the
literal word of God, revealed by
Him.
n Believe that the Day of Judgment
(the Day of Resurrection) is true
and will come, as God promised in
the Qur’an.
n Accept Islam as his or her religion.
n Not worship anything nor anyone
except God.
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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The Inscription over this mosque reads: “There is
no true God but God, and Muhammad is the
Messenger (Prophet) of God.”
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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THE FIVE PILLARS OF
ISLAM
Shahadah: “There is no god but Allah, and
Muhammad is his prophet”
Salah: Turning to Mecca to pray 5 times a day
Sawm: Fasting during daylight hours through
the month of Ramadan
Zakat: Setting aside 2.5% of income to benefit
the Muslim community
Hajj: A once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to Mecca
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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The God of Islam
• “Allah Akbar” is sounded at
worship time: “God is great.”
• Islam conceives of God as
one, as transcendent, and as
all-powerful.
• “Say that Allah is One, the
Eternal God. He begot none,
nor was He begotten. None is
equal to Him” (Quran 112:1-4)
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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The Mosque
• The mosque is a major Muslim
institution for religious and social
life. Its primary function is as a
place of prayer, especially on
Fridays, when the community will
also hear a sermon.
• The Quran will also be chanted in
Arabic.
• Larger mosques may also contain
schools for training religious
leaders.
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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ISLAMIC HOLY PLACES
• Saudi Arabia considers
itself to be the caretaker of
Mecca, the most holy place
in Islam.
• It allows no Christian
missionaries to enter it and
no Christian churches to be
built on its soil.
• Osama bin Ladin is furious
that Saudi Arabia allows
“infidel” American military
forces to be stationed within
its borders.
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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ISLAMIC HOLY PLACES
• It is the sacred duty of
every Muslim to make
a hajj, or pilgrimage,
to Mecca once in their
lifetime.
• A triumphant
Muhammad purged
the ka’aba of idols.
Today pilgrims circle
it seven times, reciting
prayers and the Quran.
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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The Mosque of Muhammad in
Medina—the City of the Prophet
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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ISLAMIC HOLY PLACES
The third most holy place in Islam
is the “Dome of the Rock” in
Jerusalem.
According to Muslim legend,
Muhammad was supernaturally
transported from Mecca to this
spot and then taken up to
heaven, where he met Abraham,
Moses, and Jesus, whom he led
in prayer.
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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ISLAMIC HOLY PLACES
 According to Jewish tradition, this
same place marks the location where
Abraham attempted to offer his son
Isaac in response to God’s command.
 And, according to Christian history, it
is only a stone’s throw from Calvary,
where Jesus was crucified.
 You can see why it is one of the most
fiercely contested pieces of real estate
on earth! The fact that now Jews
control Jerusalem is a source of bitter
grievance to Muslims.
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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The Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem
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Bin-Laden’s Stated Goal
“The ruling to kill the Americans
and their allies—civilians and
military—is an individual duty
for every Muslim who can do it in
any country in which it is
possible to do it, in order to
liberate the al-Aqsa Mosque and
the holy mosque [Mecca] from
their grip, and in order for their
armies to move out of all the
lands of Islam, defeated and
unable to threaten any Muslim.“
("Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders," 23 February 1998)
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WOMEN & ISLAM
 Muhammad was given
a “special revelation”
to have some 13 wives
(other Muslim men
can have only 4)
 His favorite wife was
Aisha: she was six
when they were
engaged, and nine
when the marriage was
consummated
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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WOMEN & ISLAM
 The Koran requires
women to remain veiled
(33:59) and to remain
strictly segregated from
male society.
 Woman is to be seen “as
Satan” when a man is
sexually tempted. One of
the traditions of
Muhammad is that the
majority of people going
to hell are women.
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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WOMEN & ISLAM
 A man may divorce his wife
by repeating “I divorce you”
3 times.
 In court, a woman’s
testimony is worth only half
that of a man and her
inheritance rights are lesser.
 The United Nations has
condemned the Taliban in
Afghanistan for their brutal
treatment of women.
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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WOMEN & ISLAM
 The Quran teaches:
“Righteous women are
therefore obedient, guarding
the secret for God’s guarding.
And those you fear may be
rebellious admonish; banish
them to their couches, and
beat them” (Surah 4:35)
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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What Do Muslims Believe About
Jesus?
From an Islamic promotional piece:
“Muslims respect and revere Jesus (peace
be upon him). They consider him one of
the greatest of God’s messengers to
mankind. The Quran confirms his virgin
birth, and a chapter of the Quran is
entitled ‘Maryam’ (Mary). The Quran
describes the birth of Jesus as follows:
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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What Do Muslims Believe About
Jesus?
“(Remember) when the angels said, “O Mary, God
gives you good news of a word from Him (God),
whose name is the Messiah Jesus, son of Mary,
revered in this world and the Hereafter, and one of
those brought near (to God). He will speak to the
people from his cradle and as a man, and he is of the
righteous.” She said, “My Lord, how can I have a
child when no mortal has touched me?” He said, “So
(it will be). God creates what He wills. If He decrees
a thing, He says to it only, ‘Be!’ and it is.”(Quran, 3:45-47)
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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WHAT DO MUSLIMS BELIEVE
ABOUT JESUS?
 Isa (Jesus) is mentioned 93
times in the Quran. It
describes his virgin birth,
calling him the “son of Mary”
23 times.
 Jesus is given more honorific
titles in the Quran than any
other prophet (including
Muhammad.) Those titles
include “prophet”, “messiah”,
“messenger”, “word”, and
“spirit and mercy of God.”
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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WHAT DO MUSLIMS THINK
OF JESUS?
The Quran also mentions the miracles of
Jesus, refers to “the gospel” 12 times, and
calls Christians the “people of the book.”
In addition to the Quran, Muslim traditions
associate Jesus with the end of time and the
judgment day, and Muslims often pray to
Jesus for healing or prosperity. He is
considered to one who has power.
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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WHAT DO MUSLIMS THINK
OF JESUS?
However, there is no other religion like Islam
in that from its inception it has promoted a
specific, total, and emphatic denial of the
major truth claims of Christianity.
This may partly be because of Muhammad’s
misunderstandings of the corrupted
Christianity of his day, but it may also be
explained by Islam’s desire to demonstrate
that it has superseded all other religions as the
last and greatest revelation of Allah.
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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ISLAM’S ATTACKS ON
CHRISTIANITY
That the Bible of the Christians is corrupt,
unreliable, and inferior to the Qur’an.
That Christians follow untruthful doctrines:
the doctrine of the Trinity is especially
considered to be blasphemous and sinful.
That Jesus is not the divine son of God, because
God is too exalted to have a son.
That Jesus was not crucified and was not
resurrected; that he is not a savior or mediator
and did not atone for the sins of mankind.
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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WHAT DO MUSLIMS THINK
OF JESUS?
“That they said in boast ‘We killed
Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the
Messenger of Allah.’ But they killed
him not, nor crucified him, but so it
was made to appear to them. And
those who differ therein are full of
doubts, with no certain knowledge,
but only conjecture to follow, for of
a surety they killed him not. Nay,
Allah raised him up unto Himself;
and Allah is exalted in Power,
Wise.” (Qur’an 4:157-158)
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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WHAT DO MUSLIMS THINK
OF JESUS?
• Some Muslims believe that Jesus hid
in a niche in the wall and one of his
companions took his place.
• Others hold that angels protected
Jesus and caused Judas to look like
him instead.
• Other assert that Simon of Cyrene
was switched at the last minute.
• Another traditional view is that the
Jews attempted to kill Jesus but that
God took him up into heaven instead.
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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The Christian Response To Islam
• 1. Understand their religion
and what they believe about
OUR faith.
• 2. Understand the differences
between worldviews that
leads to misunderstandings.
• 3. On a personal level, respect
and friendship may help to
overcome barriers and
provide opportunities to share
our faith.
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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The Christian Response To Islam
• 4. Pray for and support
mission efforts to the
Muslim world
• 5. Pray for and support
followers of Jesus who
suffer under Islamic regimes
• 6. Appreciate the uniqueness
of the gospel story!
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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What Makes Christianity Unique?
“God is great,” the cry of the
Moslems, is a truth which needed
no supernatural being to teach
men. That God is little, that is
the truth which Jesus taught
men, and we find at once so
tender and so perplexing. It is of
the nature of love to be infinitely
minute, as well as soaring in its
imagination, and this nature is
shown us by God.
-Nevelle Figgis
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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What Makes Christianity Unique?
“Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God
something to be grasped, but made
himself nothing, taking the very
nature of a servant, being made in
human likeness. And being found
in appearance as a man, he
humbled himself and became
obedient to death- even death on a
cross!”—Philippians 2:6-9
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What Makes Christianity Unique?
“Therefore God exalted him
to the highest place and gave
him the name that is above
every name, that at the name
of Jesus every knee should
bow, in heaven and on earth
and under the earth, and
every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
glory of God the Father.”
-Philippians 2:9-11
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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What Makes Christianity Unique?
“We preach Christ crucified: a
stumbling block to Jews and
foolishness to Gentiles, but to
those whom God has called,
both Jews and Greeks, Christ
the power of God and the
wisdom of God. For the
foolishness of God is wiser
than man’s wisdom, and the
weakness of God is stronger
than man’s strength.”
1 Corinthians 1:23-25
©2001 Dr. Dan Williams
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Presentation by Dr. Dan Williams
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