August 1, 2002, Vol.2, No.15.
Two new articles every two weeks.
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us.
THIS ISSUE: "An
Overview of Islam" (see below)
and "Was Muhammad a Prophet
and Apostle of God?"
To Our Muslim Friends:
An Overview of Islam
Guest article by William J. Stewart
We're glad that you are reading this series of articles, and hope you will benefit from the material presented. Each writer has done his best to address the assigned topics with integrity and objectivity. If anything has been misrepresented, you would be a friend to point it out to us. However, if what is said is true, then do not disregard it, but act upon it. Our desire is to ...warn every man and teach every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. (Colossians 1:28)
In this first article, we will provide a quick summary of basic information surrounding Islam. We will not focus on any particular Islamic doctrines, but will look at a few details about the history of Islam, and address basic questions, such as: What is Islam? What is the Qur'an? Who is Muhammad? Who is Jesus?
What Is Islam?
The Arabic word Islam means "submission" or "surrender," and apparently shares the same root as salam, meaning peace of safety.1 Though it has become popular among Islamic apologists to link Islam with peace due to their common root, Bassam Darwich cautions that this does not mean that the words Islam and peace are related in meaning.2 He illustrates the point with the words "loving" and "loveless," which have a common root (love), but opposite meanings. As we look at the use of the word Islam in the Qur'an, there are several times when it appears as though it could simply be a reference to the religion, but there are other times when we certain see the concept of "submission." Consider: O ye who believe! Fear God as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam. ...only those wilt thou get to listen who believe in Our Signs, and they will bow in Islam. ...I am commanded to be of those who bow in Islam to God’s Will... (Surah 3:102; 27:81, 91)
Islam is the verb, the act of submitting to Allah. The noun, those who submit, are called "Muslim." As we look into the Qur'an, we see the word Muslim used to speak of those who submit to Allah: Our Lord! Make of us Muslims, bowing to Thy (Will) ... pour out on us patience and constancy, and take our souls unto thee as Muslims (who bow to Thy Will). (Surah 2:128; 7:126)
The basic tenants of Islam are summarized in what are commonly called the Five Pillars of Islam.3 These primary beliefs of Islamic faith include:
- None is worthy of worship except Allah alone, and Muhammad is His prophet.
- Prayer (reciting verses from the Qur'an) is obligatory, five times daily (dawn, mid-day, late-afternoon, sunset & nightfall)
- One must give Zakah (an offering for the poor), an annual payment which is 1/40th of an individual's capital. Sadaqah is also encouraged, a voluntary act of charity.
- In the month of Ramadan, all Muslims fast from dawn until sundown. It is considered to be a time of self-purification and self-restraint.
- Muslims who are physically and financially able are expected to make a pilgrimage to Mecca, the birthplace of Muhammad, at least once.
What is the Qur'an?
The Qur'an is believed to be the word of God (Allah), revealed by the Archangel Gabriel to Muhammad. He and his followers memorized what had been revealed, and it was eventually penned by scribes.4 The Qur'an is not the exclusive source of instruction for Muslims; the Torah, the Psalms and the Gospels are also acknowledged as from God. Consider: It is He Who sent down to thee (step by step), in truth, the Book, confirming what went before it; and He sent down the Law (of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus) before this, as a guide to mankind, and He sent down the criterion (of judgment between right and wrong). ...Before this We wrote in the Psalms, after the Message (given to Moses): My servants the righteous, shall inherit the earth. (Surah 3:3; 21:106)
The Qur'an is not just a book for religious observance, but much like the Torah, provides laws for moral conduct, cultural activity and legal issues. Some of the laws in the Qur'an are comparable with laws in the Torah, others are quite different. There are laws in both texts which seem odd, even extreme to those who are neither Jewish nor Muslim. In the Qur'an, a man is permitted to marry multiple women (Surah 4:3), and if a wife displeases her husband, he is told to beat her (Surah 4:34). Though there are limitations on whom a man may marry (Surah 4:22-24), those limitations did not apply to Muhammad (Surah 33:50).
It has been claimed by some that not one word in the Qur'an has been changed,4 but several texts in the Hadiths reveal otherwise.5 At one time, there were multiple variations of the Qur'an, until Caliph 'Uthman ordered all versions be turned in, and a standardized version be produced. All others were supposed to be destroyed. While a mosque in Yemen was being restored in 1972, a mass of fused parchments and paper was found. Upon investigation, it became evident that there were a huge number of Qur'an fragments, likely among the oldest codices in existence, some dating back to the 7th and 8th centuries AD. What is troubling for some is that there are irregularities between these texts and the Qur'an as it is today.6
Who Is Muhammad?
The name Muhammad means "worthy of praise." This highly celebrated prophet of Islam was born about 570 AD in Mecca. Muhammad became acquainted with death very early in his life, his father passing before he was born, his mother dying when he was just six years old, and his grandfather passing on just two years later. With his parents and grandfather gone, his uncle took him in and cared for him.7
From an early age, Muhammad claimed to receive visions. Ibn Ishaq records an instance where Muhammad as a child had an apparent vision of two angels appeared to him and threw him to the ground. His brother believed he had a demon, his adoptive father feared the child had suffered a stroke. Some years later, he received a dream wherein the angel Gabriel commanded him to read a message from God, and shortly thereafter, heard a voice telling him that he was "the apostle of God". Many other stories of visions, voices and miraculous events in Muhammad's life are recorded in Ibn Ishaq.
The Qur'an gives a defense of Muhammad's call as Allah's messenger in Surah 53. There we read: By the Star when it goes down, Your Companion is neither astray nor being misled. Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire. It is no less than inspiration sent down to him: He was taught by one Mighty in Power, endued with Wisdom: for he appeared (in stately form); while he was in the highest part of the horizon: then he approached and came closer, and was at a distance of but two bow-lengths or (even) nearer; so did (God) convey the inspiration to His Servant - (conveyed) what He (meant) to convey. The (Prophet's) (mind and) heart in no way falsified that which he saw. Will ye then dispute with him concerning what he saw? (Surah 53:1-12)
Muhammad enjoyed protection from his detractors due to his uncle's power and influence, but his followers did not enjoy the same. After his uncle was deceased, he began to be treated with great offense among the Quraysh. Shortly after this, Muhammad claimed that God gave permission for his followers to fight, for Muhammad and for Allah, until the world was for Allah alone. The Qur'an bears evidence of the violence Muhammad commanded his people to show toward the Jews, the Christians and the infidels.
Who Is Jesus?
Jesus is mentioned several times in the Qur'an. The virgin birth is acknowledged (Surah 3:47), and that miraculous works of Jesus during the days of His ministry (Surah 2:87, 253; 5:110), and yet He identified as being no greater than any other man who received inspiration (Surah 2:136; 3:84; 4:163). To counter the Christian claim that Jesus is the Son of God, the Qur'an declares: O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: nor say of God aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) an apostle of God, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in God and His apostles. Say not "Trinity": desist: it will be better for you: for God is one God: Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is God as a Disposer of affairs. (Surah 4:171)
Muhammad sought to dispel the Catholic idea that Jesus and Mary should be worshiped (true Christians understand that Mary is not an object of worship), with a quote attributed to Jesus in Surah 5:116,which reads: And behold! God will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of God"? He will say: "Glory to Thee! Never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, though wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden."
Again, in contradiction to what Christians believe, and what the Bible says about Jesus, the Qur'an states that He was not crucified: That they say (in boast), 'We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Apostle of God'; 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, God raised him up unto Himself, and God is Exalted in Power, Wise... (Surah 4:157-158)
Muslims say that Muhammad was foretold in the Bible, in texts such as Deuteronomy 18:18, Isaiah 29:12, and John 14:16, 15:26; 16:7, 12-14. In the Qur'an, a text is recorded in which Jesus is attributed with declaring Muhammad would come after Him: And remember, Jesus, the son of Mary, said: 'O children of Israel! I am the apostle of God (sent) to you, confirming the Law (which came) before me, and giving Glad Tidings of an Apostle to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.' But when he came to them with Clear Signs, they said, 'this is evident sorcery!' (Surah 61:6)
Conclusion
There is no doubt that Islam and Christianity, though they have some similarities, are very different religious. Both address the need to be devoted to a Deity, supply the would be worshiper with a holy book to guide him. Both acknowledge Jesus Christ as a Prophet, an Apostle, a Man born of a virgin - but Islam very staunchly denies that He is deity. It will be the job of other writers in this series to examine in greater detail the claims of Islam and of Christianity, to contrast their holy books, their approach to making converts, their major persons - Muhammad and Jesus Christ.
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Notes:
1 muslimvoices.org/word-islam-meaning/
2 answering-islam.org/Hoaxes/salamislam.html
3 islam101.com/dawah/pillars.html
4 discoverislam.com/post.asp?poster=DIP2004_11&page=1
5 muslimhope.com/ChangesInTheQuran.htm
6 derafsh-kaviyani.com/english/quran1.php
7 muhammadbiography.blogspot.com (A summary of Ibn Ishaq’s “The Life of Muhammad”)
All quotes from the Qur’an are from The Holy Quran (Translated by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Islamic Computing Center, PDF version)
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