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17. Understanding Islam

Author: Bassam Khoury

INTRODUCTION

SECTION ONE: UNDERSTANDING THE BEGINNINGS OF ISLAM

CHAPTER 1: THE REGION BEFORE ISLAM

1.1. Nomadic pagans

1.2. Jews

1.3. Christians

1.4. Hanifs (Hunafā')

1.5. Mecca

CHAPTER 2: MOHAMMED’S LIFE

2.1. His Childhood

2.2. Mohammed’s first marriage and the call to prophethood

2.3. The Meccan Years

2.4. Mohammed’s move to Madina and the establishment of Islam as a military force

SECTION TWO: UNDERSTANDING ISLAMIC BELIEFS AND PRACTICES

CHAPTER 3: AXIOMS OF FAITH

3.1. AXIOM 1: Belief in the existence and oneness of God (Allah)

3.2. AXIOM 2: Belief in angels

3.3. AXIOM 3: Belief in the existence of the books of which God is the author

3.4. AXIOM 4: Belief in the Prophets

3.5. AXIOM 5: Belief in the Day of Judgement

3.6. AXIOM 6: Belief in fate

CHAPTER 4: THE PILLARS OF ISLAM

4.1. PILLAR 1: The Shahada (Islamic creed)

4.2. PILLAR 2: Salat (prayer)

4.3. PILLAR 3: Sawm (fasting)

4.4. PILLAR 4: Zakat (almsgiving)

4.5. PILLAR 5: Hajj (pilgrimage)

4.6. PILLAR 6: Jihad (holy struggle)

CHAPTER 5: ISLAMIC UTOPIA

SECTION THREE: UNDERSTANDING THE MUSLIM CHRIST

CHAPTER 6: CHRIST IN ISLAM

6.1. Christ’s miraculous conception

6.2. Christ’s Miraculous Birth

6.3. Christ as Blessed

6.4. Christ Supported by the Spirit of the Holy

6.5. Christ Raised to heaven

6.6. Christ’s Infallibility

6.7. The Miracle working Christ

6.8. Christ Knowing the future

6.9. Christ’s Intercession

CHAPTER 7: CHRIST’S MIRACLES IN THE QUR’AN

7.1. Christ Created

7.2. Christ Spoke in Infancy

7.3. Christ cured the blind and the leper, and gave life to the dead

7.4. Christ knows the unknown

7.5. Christ fed the multitude

CHAPTER 8: CHRIST IN ISLAM AS A SERVANT AND MERE HUMAN

SECTION FOUR: UNDERSTANDING ISLAMIC BARRIERS TO THE GOSPEL

CHAPTER 9: BARRIERS FOR CHRISTIANS TO OVERCOME WHEN EVANGELISING MUSLIMS

9.1. Do we have to?

9.2. Fear for ourselves

9.3. Fear for Muslims

9.4. Nominal Christianity

9.5. Spiritual forces of evil

9.6. Lack of confidence

9.7. Lack of love for Muslims

9.8. Lack of Biblical knowledge

9.9. Lack of trust in Christ’s work

9.10. Spiritual weakness

9.11. Ignorance of Islamic beliefs

CHAPTER 10: SOCIAL OBSTACLES FOR MUSLIMS TO OVERCOME WHEN CONSIDERING CHRISTIANITY

10.1. False feeling of security

10.2. Misunderstanding

10.3. Psychology

10.4. Political Islam

10.5. The law of apostasy

10.6. Something never heard of

CHAPTER 11: ADVICE FOR ENGAGING IN THEOLOGICAL DISCUSSIONS WITH MUSLIMS

CHAPTER 12: A BRIEF COMPARISON OF TOPICS IN THE BIBLE AND THE QUR'AN

12.1. Areas of agreement

12.2. Areas of disagreement

12.3. Christian beliefs foreign to Islam

SECTION FIVE: UNDERSTANDING MUSLIM OBJECTIONS TO THE GOSPEL

CHAPTER 13: MUSLIM OBJECTIONS TO CHRISTIANITY

13.1. Belief in the preservation of the Qur’an and the corruption of the original Bible

13.1.1. Did Mohammed memorise the Qur’an at the point of revelation?

13.1.2. Did Mohammed immediately dictate the Qur'an to his companions who wrote it down without any editing?

13.1.3. Was there only one version of the Qur’an?

13.1.4. Are all current copies of Qur’ans identical with no variants?

13.1.5. Has the Qur’an been perfectly preserved?

13.1.6. Is the Qur’an superior to other scriptures because they all have been changed, while the Qur’an alone has been preserved?

13.2. Challenges to the validity of the Bible as Muslims believe it has been abrogated by the Qur’an

13.3. Objections to the trinity

13.3.1. The Bible says the Father is God

13.3.2. The Bible says the Son is God

13.1.3. The Bible Says the Spirit is God

13.4. Objections about Christ's crucifixion and resurrection

13.5. The Claim of prophecies about Mohammed in the Bible

SECTION SIX: UNDERSTANDING CONVERTS FROM ISLAM

CHAPTER 14: SOCIETAL DIFFICULTIES FACED BY NEW CONVERTS FROM ISLAM

14.1. Rejection by family

14.2. Marriage

14.3. Children

14.4. Existing marriage to a Muslim

14.5. Legal threat

14.6. Accommodation and employment

CHAPTER 15: ADVICE FOR THE CHURCH

15.1. Be welcoming despite caution

15.2. Don’t close ranks

15.3. Don’t disguise your faith …

15.4. … but at the same time, avoid offence where you can

15.5. Avoid special treatment

15.6. Follow Scripture not your own ideas

15.7. Preach the whole counsel of God

15.8. Be patient and understanding

15.9. Don’t use Christian jargon

15.10. Don’t confuse culture with religion

CONCLUSION (Understanding the Ummah of Islam)