New Life Equipping Class

ISLAM & THE Schedule

Introduction Origin & History & & Yahweh The Qur’an & the Sharing the Gospel with The Messengers (Ar-Rasul) of Allah

A messenger / apostle (rasul) is sent with the Word of (Scripture) to guide and reform the recipients: • (the Taureh = Law) • (the Zabur = / Writings) • Jesus (the Injil = / NT) • Muhammad (the Qur’an) The Messengers (Ar-Rusul) of Allah

• “We [God] gave Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of Messengers” (Q 2:87). • “And to David we gave the Psalms” (Q 4:163). • “We sent after them Jesus the son of Mary, and bestowed on him the Gospel” (Q 57:27). • “And this is a Book [the Qur’an] which we have sent down, bringing blessings, and confirming (the revelations) which came before it [the Bible]” (Q 6:92). The Revealed Scriptures (Al-Kutub)

• 4 acknowledged sources of authority: – Qur’an (“Recitation”) – (“Report”) – Qiyas (“Analogy”) – Ijma (“Consensus”) • 2 unofficially acknowledged: – Adat (“Custom”) – Qanun (“Law”) Respect for the Qur’an

“The is held in the greatest esteem and reverence among Muslims as their holy scripture. They dare not touch it without first being washed and purified. They read it with the greatest care and respect, never holding it below their waist. They swear by it and consult it on all occasions. They carry it with them to war, write sentences of it on their banners, suspend it from their necks as charm, and always place it on the highest shelf or in some place of honor in their houses. It is said that the runs away from the house in which a portion of the Quran, is read.” - Anis Shorrosh, Muslim The Miracle of the Qur’an

• Unique literary style • Muhammad’s illiteracy • Perfect preservation • Prophecies fulfilled • Scientific accuracy • Amazing mathematical structure • Changed lives Hadith

• “Ye have indeed In the Apostle of God A beautiful pattern (of conduct) For any one whose hope is In God and the Final Day” (Q 33:21). • “As Muslims, our knowledge of would be incomplete and shaky if we did not study and follow the Hadith. Similarly an outsider cannot understand Islam if he ignores the Hadith.” - Kateregga

What is the Qur’an? What is the Qur’an?

 Allah’s Revelation in His Own Words  Delivered by the Jabril ()  To the Prophet Muhammad  Superseding All Previous Revelation  Superior to the Bible Allah’s Revelation in His Own Words

• Muslims believe that the Qur’an is the ipsissima verba (the very words, exactly) of God Himself. – It had been transcribed already in heaven before it was sent to Muhammad. – It is considered to be the eternal, uncreated speech of Allah. • 2 Peter 1:21 Prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the . What is the Qur’an?

 Allah’s Revelation in His Own Words  Delivered by the Angel Jabril (Gabriel)  To the Prophet Muhammad  Superseding All Previous Revelation  Superior to the Bible Delivered by the Angel Jabril (Gabriel)

Stricken with panic, Muhammad arose and asked himself, What did I see? Did possession of the devil which I feared all along come to pass? Muhammad looked to his right and his left but saw nothing. For a while he stood there trembling with fear and stricken with awe. He feared the cave might be haunted and that he might run away still unable to explain what he saw. - Muslim biographer Haykal

Delivered by the Angel Jabril (Gabriel)

• Galatians 3:19 — “What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through by the hand of a mediator.” • Hebrews 2:2 — “For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, …” What is the Qur’an?

 Allah’s Revelation in His Own Words  Delivered by the Angel Jabril (Gabriel)  To the Prophet Muhammad  Superseding All Previous Revelation  Superior to the Bible To the Prophet Muhammad To the Prophet Muhammad

“The Qur’an says God told Muhammad, ‘When in doubt ask those who read the previous scriptures’ (Surah 10:95; 16:43). If Muhammad was told to read the Bible, the ‘previous Scriptures,’ should not Muslims read this same authority which God commanded Muhammad to read?” — Patrick O. Cate What is the Qur’an?

 Allah’s Revelation in His Own Words  Delivered by the Angel Jabril (Gabriel)  To the Prophet Muhammad  Superseding All Previous Revelation  Superior to the Bible Superseding All Previous Revelation

• Most Muslims think of the current Bible (Old and New Testaments) as being different (corrupted) than those to which the Qur’an refers. • The Qur’an itself, however, contradicts this concept of . “Say thou: ‘O , ye are [founded] upon nothing, until ye observe [or establish] the Taurat and the Injil and that which hath been sent down unto you by your Lord.’” Qur’an 5:72 Superseding All Previous Revelation

1. This shows that the at that time had the Taurat and that the at that time had the Injil. 2. It is impossible to command those people to obey those books if they did not have them. 3. And purposeless to command those people to obey those books if they had already been corrupted.

What do you say to a Muslim who claims the Bible has been corrupted?

1. Have you ever read the Bible? 2. If so…What are some of the errors? 3. Who changed the Bible: Jews or Christians? 4. When was it changed: before Muhammed or after? 5. Where did the changes take place?

Interesting teachings of the Qur’an • ’s wife adopted Moses (Q 28:9; cf. Exod 2:10) • , Pharaoh’s servant, built a high tower to ascend to God (Q 28:38; 40:25; cf. Gen 11) • Samaritans built the Israelite (Q 20:85-97) • The sacrifice of (Q 37:100-11; cf. Gen 22) • led ’s army (Q 2:249; cf. Judg 7) • The Trinity includes Mary (Q 5:116; cf. 5:73-75) • Jesus was not crucified (Q 4:157) • Blood is unimportant to Allah (Q 22:34-37; cf. Lev 17:11) • Seven earths (Q 65:12) • & shooting stars (Q 37:6-10; 55:33-35; 67:5; 72:6-9) • Allah made people into apes for violating the Day (Q 2:65-66; 7:163-67) What is the Qur’an?

 Allah’s Revelation in His Own Words  Delivered by the Angel Jabril (Gabriel)  To the Prophet Muhammad  Superseding All Previous Revelation  Superior to the Bible Superior to the Bible

• “No change can there be in the words of Allah” (Q 10:64). • “There is none that can alter the words of Allah” (Q 6:34). Superior to the Bible • How do you know the Bible is true? • How do you explain all the disagreements among the manuscripts?

“The fundamental difference between the sacred books of Christianity and Islam is that Christianity lacks a revealed text that was fixed at the very time of its origins, whereas Islam possesses one.” — Sayyid Lari Superior to the Bible “On a number of occasions he had, with the Prophet’s consent, changed the closing words of verses. For example, when the Prophet had said, “And God is mighty and wise” (‘aziz, hakim), ‘Abdollah b. Abi Sarh suggested writing down “knowing and wise” (‘alim, hakim), and the Prophet answered that there was no objection. Having observed a succession of changes of this type, ‘Abdollah renounced Islam on the ground that the revelations, if from God, could not be changed at the prompting of a scribe such as himself. After his apostasy he went to and joined the Qorayshites.” - hadith How can you encourage a Muslim to read the Bible? Qur’anic teaching 1. Muslims must read and believe in the Injeel (2:136; cf. 57:27). 2. Christians are friends to Muslims (5:82). 3. Christians must judge all revelation by the Injeel (5:47, 68). 4. Allah sent the OT and NT as a precursor to the Qur’an (5:44,46, 47, 49; 10:37, 94). 5. Muslims are instructed not to argue with the Jew or the Christian over the revelation (29:46).

How can you encourage a Muslim to read the Bible?

• Qur’anic teaching • Biblical teaching: “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Rom 10:17).