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Basic Aspects Islam Basic Aspects As it sees itself As others see it As it is A Teachers’ Textbook By Gerhard Nehls and Walter Eric Resource Material with Documentation of Original sources Islam Basic Aspects As it sees itself As others see it As it is By Gerhard Nehls and Walter Eric This is a publication of Life Challenge Africa © 2009 SIM P.O. Box 50770, 00200 City Square, Nairobi, Kenya New Fully Revised Edition 2005 ACTS Book Edition 2009 ISBN 9966 895 16 7 Introduction Welcome! This Textbook is part of a set of five Teacher-Trainer Manuals that are linked with a Student Handbook (REACH OUT). The set includes: Vol. 1 Islamics (green) Islam – Basic Aspects Vol. 2 Apologetics (blue) Christian – Islamic Controversy Vol. 3 Pragmatics (orange) Tactical – Practical Approach Vol. 4 Didatics (red) Training of Trainers Materials Vol. 5 Presentation File Display Materials for Teachers Please keep in mind: These notes depict primarily the view of original Islam as seen from its sources. Much of this is not known to the Muslim “man in the street”. So please use this information with wisdom and in a Christ-like spirit. Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be babes, but in your thinking be mature. 1Cor 14:20 (ASV) THIS IS A TEACHER’S TEXTBOOK – NOT A DO-IT-YOURSELF MANUAL! A textbook is not to be read as another book. Its content has to be well worked through to be fully understood. It supplies the trainer with comprehensive, yet basic information. He has to scrutinize this information and select his specific teaching materials. This should be adjusted to the students, the situation in which they are likely to work and the type of Muslims they are likely to meet. Anyone who like to read about this in more detail should contact us for our various teaching books, videos and CDs. Some repetitions have been unavoidable. These are done for emphasis, or because they relate to different subjects as well. But these notes are not designed to stand on its own. You will learn a lot from Muslims as you seek to share the Gospel in a meaningful way. It is so important to know how Islam views Christians and Christianity. We need to understand the Muslim’s world view, their perception of religion and some cultural aspects, for these factors determine decisively our communication. There are practical forms of how to present the Gospel, the good news, to this specific group of people. These notes, however, do not supply quick answers, nor do they promise instant results. Love and patience are always needed, and more so in Muslim evangelism. Which translations of Bible and Qur’an did we use? All quotations from the Bible , unless otherwise specified, are from the NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, 1984, by the International Bible Society. All quotations from the Qur’an , unless otherwise marked, are from the translation by Abdullah Yussuf Ali, New Revised Edition, Amana Corporation, Brentwood, Maryland, U.S.A., 1989. This is one of the most acceptable translations to Muslims. For practical reasons we have not included any Arabic texts in this edition. Your instructors, Gerhard Nehls and Walter Eric Table of Contents 1 FACING REALITY ............................................................................ 1 2 THE PROPHET AND HIS WORLD ............................................... 3 2.1 ARABIA BEFORE ISLAM ................................................................................................ 3 2.1.1 The people of Arabia .......................................................................... 3 2.1.2 Life in Arabia ....................................................................................... 4 2.1.3 The available Scriptures ...................................................................... 4 2.1.4 The Religion of the Pagans ................................................................. 4 2.1.5 Deities of the Pagans .......................................................................... 4 2.2 MUHAMMAD - THE PROPHET OF ISLAM ....................................................................... 5 2.2.1 Islamic Terms and their meaning ....................................................... 5 2.3 MUHAMMAD ’S CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH ..................................................................... 5 2.3.1 How Muhammad Received Revelation ............................................... 6 2.3.2 The Abyssinian Exile of the Early Muslims .......................................... 8 2.3.3 The Islamic Concept of Prophethood .................................................. 9 2.3.4 Alleged “Proofs” of Muhammad’s Prophethood ................................ 9 2.3.5 Muhammad - Allah’s Warner for Arabia .......................................... 18 2.3.6 The Miraj, the Mysterious Night Journey to Heaven ........................ 19 2.3.7 The Satanic Verses ............................................................................ 20 2.3.8 The Hijra - the Flight from Mecca to Medina ................................... 21 2.3.9 Muhammad in Mecca versus Muhammad in Medina ...................... 21 2.3.10 Muhammad and the Jews of Medina........................................... 22 2.3.11 Persecution of the Jews ................................................................ 25 2.3.12 Muhammad’s Assessment of the Christians ................................ 27 2.3.13 Muhammad goes to War ............................................................. 27 2.3.14 Muhammad’s Attitude Towards His Enemies .............................. 33 2.3.15 The Wives and Concubines of Muhammad .................................. 38 2.3.16 Personal Advantages - Muhammad’s great Temptation ............. 45 2.3.17 The Final Episode of the Life of Muhammad ................................ 48 2.3.18 An Evaluation ............................................................................... 50 3 HISTORY-MAKERS SHAPING NATIONS ................................. 52 3.1 THE KHALIFS (K HALIFAHS ) ......................................................................................... 52 3.1.1 The Early Expansion of Islam ............................................................ 53 3.2 THE DYNASTIES ........................................................................................................ 55 3.2.1 The Ummayad Dynasty .................................................................... 55 3.2.2 The Abbaside Dynasty ...................................................................... 56 3.2.3 Medieval Islamic Expansion .............................................................. 60 3.2.4 The Ottoman Empire ........................................................................ 60 3.2.5 Islam In The Modern Age .................................................................. 62 3.3 THE CHANGING FACE OF ISLAM .................................................................................. 64 3.3.1 The Socio-Economic Leap ................................................................. 64 3.3.2 Modernity ......................................................................................... 65 3.3.3 Fundamentalism ............................................................................... 65 3.3.4 Liberal Muslims ................................................................................. 65 3.3.5 The Other Option .............................................................................. 66 3.4 THE SECTS WITHIN ISLAM ........................................................................................... 66 3.4.1 The Sunnis ......................................................................................... 67 3.4.2 The Shi’ah ......................................................................................... 68 3.4.3 The Mutazilah ................................................................................... 68 3.4.4 The Wahhabi .................................................................................... 69 3.4.5 The Ahmadiyya ................................................................................. 69 3.4.6 The Bahai .......................................................................................... 70 3.4.7 The Tabligh Movement ..................................................................... 70 3.4.8 Sufism ............................................................................................... 72 3.4.9 Folk Islam .......................................................................................... 75 4 BOOKS THAT MATTER TO MUSLIMS .................................... 82 4.1 THE QUR ’AN ............................................................................................................ 82 4.1.1 An Introduction ................................................................................. 82 4.1.2 The Meaning of the Word “Qur’an” .................................................... 82 4.1.3 Chapter Divisions of the Qur’an ........................................................ 82 4.1.4 A Chronological List of the Surahs .................................................... 83 4.1.5 Important Criteria Concerning the Qur’an........................................ 83 4.1.6 An Introduction to the Qur’an as given in the Mishkat .................... 86 4.1.7 The Collection of the Qur’ an ............................................................ 91 4.1.8 Additions and Omissions in the Qur’an ............................................ 97 4.1.9 The Problem of Abrogation ............................................................ 102 4.1.10 Claims for the
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