Frequently Asked Questions about Islam

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Frequently Asked Questions about Islam

• Rob Bowman
• North American Mission Board

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What does Islam mean?

• The word Islam in Arabic means submission, that
  is, to the will of Allah.
• The word Muslim means one who submits.
• Both words are verbally similar to salam, which
  means peace, but this is not what they
  historically mean.

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Was Muhammad really a prophet?

• Although Muhammad seems to have been sincere, the
  evidence does not support his claim to be a
  prophet of God.
• Muhammad performed no miracles, spoke no
  predictive prophecies that were fulfilled (except
  predictions that he would win a battle), and gave
  revelations that contradicted the previous
  revelations of the Bible.

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What is the Quran?

• The Quran is a collection of Muhammads
  prophetic speeches, written down after his death.
• The speeches, called suras (like chapters), are
  arranged basically from longest to shortest.
• Muslims are expected to learn Arabic in order to
  read the Quran.

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How does the Quran compare with the Bible?

• The Quran is the work of one man speaking for
  about 20 years the Bible is the work of about 40
  authors spread out over 1500 years.
• The Bible contains dozens of prophecies that were
  historically fulfilled long after the lifetime of
  those who wrote them the Quran does not.

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What are the main religious duties (the Five
Pillars) in Islam?

• 1. To confess that there is no God but Allah,
  and Muhammad is his messenger.
• 2. To pray five times daily, facing Mecca.
• 3. To give 2.5 alms.
• 4. To fast during the month of Ramadan.
• 5. To make a pilgrimage to Mecca.

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Why is Mecca so important?

• Even before Muhammads day, it was the center of
  Arabian religion and culture.
• In Mecca is the Kabaa shrine containing a Black
  Stone thought to be a gem from Eden (its
  actually a meteorite) and that used to contain
  many idols.
• Muslims believe that Adam built the Kaba.

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The Black Stone
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What do Muslims believe about God?

• There is one God (Allah) he has no partners
  (i.e., they reject the Trinity).
• God created the world and revealed himself to
  Abraham.
• God is eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing, just,
  and merciful.
• God is inscrutable most Muslims seek to obey
  Allah, not to know him personally.

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Do Muslims and Christians worship the same God?

• It depends on what you mean.
• Muslims, Christians, and Jews all refer to the
  same Beingthe Creator of the universeas the
  object of their worship.
• However, they have different views of the nature
  of God and of the ways in which he deals with
  people.

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What do Muslims believe about Jesus?

• Jesus was a great prophet.
• Jesus was born of a virgin.
• Jesus was not the Son of God.
• Jesus performed miracles.
• Jesus did not die on the cross (or at all).
• Jesus did not rise from the dead.
• Jesus ascended to heaven.

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What are Sunnis and Shiites?

• Sunna means tradition Sunnis are traditional
  Muslims (about 80-90)
• Shia means party or sect Shiites are the
  largest Islamic sect (about 10-20)
• Sunnis accepted Muhammads right-hand man and his
  successors as the caliphs (successors)
  Shiites thought succession belonged to
  Muhammads family (dynasty)

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What other kinds of Islam exist?

• Sufis are mystical Muslims (both Sunni and
  Shiite) who seek experience of God
• Bahai is a religious offshoot of Islam that
  regards a man named Bahaullah as the last and
  final prophet
• The Nation of Islam is a new religion designed
  for African-Americans that borrowed elements of
  Islam

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How many Muslims are there?

• There are about a billion Muslims worldwide.
• The number of Muslims in the US is
  debatedbetween three and eight million.
• Most Muslims live in North Africa, the Middle
  East, and Southeast Asia.
• Indonesia is the largest Muslim nation.

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What is jihad?

• The word jihad means struggle.
• Sunnis and Shiites usually understand jihad to
  mean the political, military, and cultural
  struggle to establish Islamic law.
• Sufis reinterpreted jihad to mean the internal
  struggle to control ones own soul.

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What are the sources of Islamic terrorism?

• Reaction to the Westernization and secularization
  of Islamic nations (e.g., Egypt, Turkey)
• Hostility toward Israel and the Jews
• American military presence in Saudi Arabia is a
  major grievance of Al Qaeda, but the roots go
  much deeper

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How can we witness to Muslims?

• Understand that Muslims are not all alike most
  Muslims in America are to some degree secularized
  or Westernized.
• Make friends with Muslims.
• Encourage them to learn about Jesus, whom Islam
  agrees is a great prophet.
• Focus on the death of Jesus.
• Explain that grace does not excuse sin.
• Know what you believe and why!

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For more information on Islam, or for help in
defending the Christian faith, please visit the
following web sitewww.4Truth.netNorth
American Mission Board