Islam 101:

Beliefs Practices

Spread of Islam

Islam today

Stats on Muslims

✦ 22% of world population are Muslims. ✦ (1.3 billion), one person out of five.✦ 10-15% Shi’ite (Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, Azerbaijan)

Shi’ite means, “Supporters, helpers of Ali.”✦ 85-90% Sunni, means “Followers of the

customs of Muhammad.”✦ Sufis, a small group of Muslim mystics.

Muslims in the US

✦ Estimates vary from 4-6 million, about 2% of the population.

✦ Along the Front Range, estimates range from 30 to 50 thousand Muslims.

✦ Students from Saudi Arabia are arriving at the rate of 5,000 per year for the next ten years.

✦ Muslim Student Associations are just as prevalent on US campuses as Christian groups.

✦ 11 mosques in Denver, 1 in Ft. Collins

Islam: 101

Beliefs and

Practices

Islamic System

Islam is more than a religion. It is a system of:✦ Religion✦ Culture✦ Politics

Muslims vary as to which of these is at the core

F O L K

F O R M A L

P O L I T I C A LC U L T U R A L F u n d a m e n t a l

M o d e r a t e

S e c u l a r

Why does this…

…turn to this?

Muhammad

The Last Messenger of Allah✦ All prophets came for their own people,

Muhammad came for all people✦ Muhammad is the example to follow in his:

1. Life (sirah)2. Actions (sunnah)3. Sayings (hadith)

The Life of Muhammad✦ Born AD 570✦ Before his birth, his father died ✦ Age 6: mother died. Raised by grandfather✦ Age 8: Grandfather died. Raised by Uncle✦ Age 12: Traveled with Uncle to Syria where he

met a monk who told him about Christianity.✦ Age 22: was employed by wealthy Khadija as

head of her caravan. Led caravans for three years.

✦ Age 25: married Khadija who was 40.

The Life of Muhammad✦ Age 40: Receives his first revelation (AD 610)✦ Age 55: Khadija dies✦ AD 622, year of the Hejira (migration) to

Medina. Beginning of Islamic calendar.✦ Muhammad begins to marry many wives

(12 wives and 2 concubines)✦ AD 629, Conquest of Mecca✦ Age 63: Fell ill and died. (AD 632)

Religious Books of Islam

The Qur’an

✦ What the Bible is to Christians, the Qur’an is to Muslims

✦ The Qur’an was revealed by Gabriel to Muhammad

✦ Bible is also God’s word but it has been corrupted, so it is unreliable

✦ Qur’an has replaced the Bible

✦ Torah, Psalms and Gospel accepted (in theory)

The Hadith

✦ Stories of Muhammad’s sayings and doings

✦ Commentary interpreting the Qur’an

✦ Comes second to the Qur’an in authority

✦ Over 300,000 Hadiths;

✦ 6,000 are considered correct All others are questionable

Religious Books of Islam

Sharia: Islamic Constitution ✦ Sharia is the only accepted code of law

✦ The laws of the Sharia are derived from the Qur’an and Hadith.

✦ Most Muslim countries do not practice Sharia

✦Currently Sharia is practiced in: Saudi Arabia Iran Afghanistan

Practices: Five Pillars1. Shahada: Creed

The statement of belief:“There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet”

2. Salat: Prayer• Five Prayers on specific times each day while facing the city of Mecca:

SunriseNoonAfternoonSunsetBedtime

• Prayer, preceded by ceremonial cleansing, acts as a protection against defilement

• Different prayer postures, standing, bowing, kneeling and prostrating express the worshiper feeling as a helpless slave before almighty God

Practices: Five Pillars

3. Zakat: Almsgiving2.5 % of Gross income to charity and Mosque

4. Sawm: FastingDuring the month of Ramadan (the 9th month of the lunar calendar)30 days from sunrise to sunsetFeasting from Sunset to Sunrise

5. Hajj: PilgrimageOnce in a life time visit to Mecca (if one can afford it financially)

Beliefs of Islam

1. In Allah: He is one, not three2. Angels: Good and Bad3. Prophets: Biblical prophets including Jesus,

Muhammad is the last prophet4. Books: Tawrat, Injeel, Psalms, and

Qur’an, the Qur’an is last & best5. Day of Judgment

Islamic View of Mankind

✦ Islam does not agree with the view about the fallen and corrupted nature of mankind.

✦ In Islam, the core of people’s nature remains good because nothing can destroy what God has made.

✦ The Qur’an describes humanity as weak, but not sinful.

✦ Sins are the external acts of disobedienceSin is not in the heart, only in actions.

Salvation

✦ Salvation is earned, not given freely: Your actions (both good and bad) are recorded by

two angels that sit on your shoulders. At death, God will weigh your good and bad deeds.

This will determine whether he will be sent to Fire or Paradise. But in the end, Allah decides your fate and can send anyone to heaven or to hell regardless of their record of sin or how they lived their life.

Human beings should practice the pillars of Islam, and be obedient to the Sharia law.

Salvation

✦ No assurance of Paradise except: If you die in battle for the cause of Allah*

The Quran says: “Let those (believers) who sell their life of this world for the Hereafter fight in the cause of Allah, and whoso fights in the cause of Allah, and is killed or gets victory, We shall bestow on him a great reward (heaven).” –Surah 4:47

* This is Islamic Jihad. Jihad however is not limited to fighting. Jihad can also be working hard for Islam.

If you die in Mecca during the pilgrimage

Islam & Christianity: Differences

Islam:✦ Sin is an action✦ Thoughts cannot be

sinful

Christianity:✦ Sin is a mentality✦ Sin is based on the heart,

not only actions

Sin:

Islam & Christianity: Differences

Islam:✦ It is impossible for God

to come as a human, Jesus was not God

✦ The concept of the Trinity is polytheistic

Christianity:✦ God the Father, God the

Son, and God the Holy Spirit

✦ Jesus was fully God and fully man

The Trinity:

Islam & Christianity: Differences

Islam:✦ We are born without sin✦ It is possible for man to

live a sinless life

Christianity:✦ We can only be made

sinless through the sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the cross

The Nature of Mankind:

Islam & Christianity: Differences

Islam:✦ Has been changed and is

no longer reliable✦ Is still considered to be a

holy and good book✦ No Islamic law is

biblically based (with the exception of the consumption of pork)

Christianity:✦ It is the Word of God✦ There is no other word of

God but the Bible

The Bible:

Questions?

Next Week: Wes Tucker

✦ This session will cover the practical aspects of sharing your faith with a Muslim.

✦ Doorways to contact with Muslims in Ft. Collins will be presented.✦ Resource materials will also be available.