Which is the Religion of Peace,Christianity or Islam?

The question post 911 & 7-7

Roxbury2013

Omar Sharif Asif Hanif

(April 30, 2003)

Muslims Claim:

• “Islam is a Religion of Peace”

• “Muhammad is a man of Peace”

• “The Qur’an is a book of Peace”

How can we know if these are true?

Definitions:• Each religion, both Islam and Christianity

have definitions for what they call themselves…

• Both Islam and Christianity are defined by a revelation:– Islam = the Qur’an and the Traditions– Christianity = the New Testament

• Both Islam and Christianity are modelled by a person:– Islam = Muhammad

• (Suras 33:21 = ‘Pattern’, 68:4 = ‘Standard’)

– Christianity = Jesus Christ

In 2001, in the UK,How did Muslims

define themselves?

In 2001, in the UK,How did Muslims

define themselves?

•15% Radical15% Radical – Follow Scripture, and the Prophet Muhammad•70% Nominal70% Nominal – Follow Traditions, and their cultural adaptations

•15% Liberal15% Liberal – Follow the West, and assimilate

By 2002: Radicals had risen to 25%

By 2003-2004: No polls were carried out…..

On February 19th, 2006: over 40% now radical…*while 20 % supported Suicide bombers

2013: Over 50% are no radicalized

(source: Peter G. Riddell and Peter Cotterell, Islam In Conflict, Leicester, England: IVP, 2003, chapters 10-12, and page 193. Also a lecture by Riddell on the theme, “Muslim Views on the World” held at the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity, and sponsored by the London Lectures Trust, October 23, 2003)

* Sunday Telegraph, Feb. 19, 2006

A Global Problem:Poll on radicalisation

by Pew International (March 2004)

A Global Problem:Poll on radicalisation

by Pew International (March 2004)

Turkey = 31% Turkey = 31%

Morocco = 45%Morocco = 45%

Jordan = 55%Jordan = 55%

Pakistan = 65% Pakistan = 65%

(80 million out (80 million out

of 140 million of 140 million

people!)people!)

Turkey Morocco Jordan Pakistan

IMPACT SINCE 9/11 With the spiralling violence today, much of it perpetrated by Radical Muslims, in the name

of ‘Allah’, we need to take a closer look at what is happening within Islam….

post 9/11 & 7/7 & the ‘Arab Spring’ …..‘Arab Winter’

• Need to look at the INTERNAL DEBATE within Islam caused by 9/11

• Need to look at the ongoing attempts, by Muslims, to define themselves in light of this violence.

Beginning of Radicalism

1300 AD: Ibn Taymiyya

1700 AD: -Al Wahhab – Arabia

(Ibn Saud family)

-Waihulla – India

(Delhi, Patna, Indus Valley)

20th C. roots of Radical Islam20th C. roots of Radical Islam

Egypt

Hasan al Banna (1948) ->“Muslim

Brotherhood”

Sayyid Qutb (1966) ‘In the Shade of the Qur’an’

‘Milestones’

Indian Subcontinent

Muhammad Ilyas al-Kandhlawi

-Tablighi Jamaat (1926)

Abul Ala Maududi

-Jamaat-e-Islami

Abd al-Mawdudi – ‘Jamaat-i-Islami’Ayman Zawahiri – ‘Islamic Jihad’Osama bin Laden – ‘Al Queda’ 1970s – Present

• Hezbollah, Hamas, Muhajiroun, Hizb ul Tahrir…..

Radicalization of Moderate IslamRadicalization of Moderate Islam

• Yusef al Qaradawi – (July 7, 2004)-moderate, yet ‘out of the closet’

(suicide bombers, wife beating &

Homosexuals)•• Public vs. Private

face of Islam

Specific Agenda (Europe): In 1980 the ‘Islamic Council of Europe’ published a book:

MUSLIM COMMUNITIES IN NON-MUSLIM STATES

1. Muslims must band together to establish a viable Muslim community based on Islamic principles.

2. Must not be assimilated by the majority culture.

3. Must establish areas of high-Muslim concentration.

4. Must set up: Mosques, Community centres & Islamic schools.

5. Must share the message of Islam with ‘unbelievers’ (Da’wah)

6. A responsibility of every Muslim living in non-Muslim lands.

7. Objective: Muslims should become the majority & the entire nation should be governed according to Islam.

(from: M. Ali Kettani “The Problem of Muslim Minorities and the Solutions”, in Muslim Communities in Non-Muslim States, London, Islamic Council of Europe, 1980, pp.96-105)

Kuram Murad, in“The Islamic Movement in the West” 1980

“An Islamic movement is an organised struggle to change the existing society into an Islamic society based on the Qur'an and the Sunna, and make Islam, which is a code for entire life, supreme and dominant, especially in the socio-political spheres.”

Muslim’s Agenda:

The West is in Decline:-Culturally (loss of national identity, creating block societies i.e. Western Union, all in opposition to Islam’s culture)

-Socially (breakdown & dysfunction of the family, of society, rise in crime, indiscipline in schools, plethora of statistics)

-Morally (Movies, TV, Music, all push sexual promiscuity, immorality, & have huge influence on the youth)

-Spiritually (Secularism is now the norm, only 5-7% go to church, with much public criticism of religion)

-Economically (Capitalism’s dependence on interest/usury, is evil, and brings about inequality, and injustice)

-Politically (Democracy is anathema in Islam, and allows unbelievers to control and eradicate the faith of believers)

ISLAM IS THE ANSWER:

Radical Islam’s Agenda

•1) Eradicate Immorality – Shariah Law

•2) Eradicate Usury (Interest) – Islamic banking

•3) Eradicate Democracy - Caliphate

•4) Eradicate Western Militaries – Ummah

Using the 3 stages of ‘Da’wah’

– ‘Pen’ (Mecca 610-622 AD)– ‘Scale’ (early Medinan 622-624 AD)– ‘Sword’ (late Medinan 624-632 AD)

But, how much

influence do these

Radical Muslims

have?

From where do they derive their authority?

From where do they derive their authority?

TWO SOURCES:

1) THEIR SCRIPTURE: The Qur’an

2) THEIR PARADIGM: The Prophet Muhammad(Suras 33:21 = ‘Pattern’, 68:4 = ‘Standard’)

1) Scripture:Looking at the Qur’an:

The Peace Verses:

Sura 2:256 = “For there is no compulsion in religion”

“Law of Abrogation”

(Suras 2:106, 16:101)

“That which we give, we give something better”(Mansukh vs. Nasikh)

Thus, Sura 2:256 is a weak verse, abrogated by 101 verses which follow!

Sura 2:190-193 = “Those who fight you, Do not transgress limits, /

…and slay them wherever ye catch them, and fight them, until there prevail faith in Allah”

A Moderate Interpretation:

Sura 5:31-32 (raven, and blood of Abel) “we ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone slew a person…it would be as if he slew the whole people; and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people...”

A Radical Interpretation:

Sura 5:31-32 “we ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone slew a MUSLIM not in retaliation of murder, or to spread mischief in the land, it would be as if he slew ALL MUSLIMS; and if anyone saved A MUSLIM, it would be as if he saved the life of ALL MUSLIMS...”

Consider:

Sura 5:31-32 “we ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone slew a MUSLIM not in retaliation of murder, or to spread mischief in the land, it would be as if he slew ALL MUSLIMS; and if anyone saved A MUSLIM, it would be as if he saved the life of ALL MUSLIMS...”

What kind of Murder?

• Killing of Muslims in:

-Chechnya?

-Kashmir?

-Afghanistan?

-or Iraq?

What kind of ‘Mischief in the Land’?

• Immorality?

• Secularism?

• Democracy?

• Usery (use of interest)?

The Medinan Sword Verse:

Sura 9:5: = “But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay those who join other gods with Allah wherever you find them; besiege them, seize them, lay in wait for them with every kind of ambush..”

Sword Verse against Christians, Jews:

Sura 9:29 = “...Make war upon such of those to whom the scriptures have been given as believe not in Allah, or in the last day, and who forbid not what Allah and his apostle have forbidden...until they pay tribute...”

Methodology of Sword Verses:

Sura 47:4 = ”When you encounter the unbelievers, strike off their heads, until ye have made a great slaughter among them...” (i.e. Woolwich murder)

Sura 8:38-39 = “Unbelievers…And fight them on until there is no more Tumult or oppression, and there prevail Justice and faith in Allah”

Recompense for those who die in Jihad:

Sura 4:74 = “Let those who fight in the cause of Allah who sell the life of this world for the hereafter. To him who fighteth in the cause of Allah, whether he is slain or gets victory, Soon shall we give him a reward of great value”Sura 47:4-6 = “…Those who are killed in the way of Allah, He will never let their deeds be lost…And admit them to Paradise…”

The Qur’an’s 149 Sword Verses:

1.       2:178 2.       2:179 3.       2:190 4.       2:191 5.       2:193 6.       2:194 7.       2:216 8.       2:217 9.       2:218 10.   2:244 11.   3:121 12.   3:122 13.   3:123 14.   3:124 15.   3:125 16.   3:126 17.   3:140 18.   3:141 19.   3:146 20.   3:152 21.  

3:153 22.   3:154 23.   3:155 24.   3:156 25.   3:157 26.   3:165 27.   3:166 28.   3:167 29.   3:169 30.   3:172 31.   3:173 32.   3:195 33.   4:071 34.   4:072 35.   4:074 36.   4:075 37.   4:076 38.   4:077 39.   4:084 40.   4:089 41.   4:090 42.   4:091 43.   4:094 44.   4:095 45.   4:100 46.   4:102 47.   4:104 48.   5:033 49.   5:035 50.   5:082 51.   8:001 52.   8:005 53.   8:007 54.   8:009 55.   8:012 56.   8:015 57.   8:016 58.   8:017 59.   8:039 60.   8:040 61.   8:041 62.   8:042 63.   8:043 64.   8:044 65.   8:045 66.  

8:046 67.   8:047 68.   8:048 69.   8:057 70.   8:058 71.   8:059 72.   8:060 73.   8:065 74.   8:066 75.   8:067 76.   8:068 77.   8:069 78.   8:070 79.   8:071 80.   8:072 81.  

8:073 82.   8:074 83.   8:075 84.   9:005 85.   9:012 86.   9:013 87.   9:014 88.   9:016 89.   9:019 90.   9:020 91.   9:024 92.   9:025 93.   9:026 94.   9:029 95.   9:036 96.  

9:038 97.   9:039 98.   9:041 99.   9:044 100.      9:052 101.      9:073 102.      9:081 103.      9:083 104.      9:086 105.      9:088 106.      9:092 107.      9:111 108.      9:120 109.      9:122 110.      9:123 111.      16:110 112.      22:039 113.      22:058

114.      22:078 115.      24:053 116.      24:055 117.      25:052 118.      29:006 119.      29:069 120.      33:015 121.      33:018 122.      33:020 123.      33:025 124.      33:026 125.      33:027 126.      33:050 127.      47:004 128.      47:020 129.      48:015 130.      48:016 131.      48:017 132.      48:022 133.      48:024 134.      49:015 135.      59:002 136.      59:005 137.      59:006 138.      59:007 139.      59:008 140.      59:014 141.      60:009 142.      61:004 143.      61:011 144.      61:013 145.      63:004 146.      64:014

147.      66:009 148.  73:020 149.  76:008

How should these verses be exegeted?The example of Muhammad:

2) Their Paradigm

How should these verses be exegeted?The example of Muhammad:

2) Their Paradigm

• His biography: ‘Sira-t-ul rasul-Allah’, • His Sayings: Hadith • The Maghazi: 29 battles fought

39 battles planned

The example of Muhammad:The example of Muhammad:

With those Under his Jurisdiction:1. The Jews

• 624 - After Badr - Banu Qaynuka• 625 - After Uhud - Banu al Nadir • 627 - After the Trench – Banu Quraiza

2. Those who Criticized him: • Asma the poetess, and Umair the blind

disciple• Around 25 were assassinated

With these Scriptures, and the example of the prophet Muhammad, can you then understand why so many within Islam today are saying what they are saying, and doing what they are doing?

Their authority, they believe, is that of ‘holy writ’, a divine authority, modelled by the greatest and clearest paradigm for Mankind, for all peoples, all places, and for all times…including the West…today.

SO, WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?

• Radical Christians!

• Radical Methodolgy!!

Why? Because we follow the same Paradigm, and therefore can

understand them best!

We also have Two Sources:

1) The Bible

2) Our Lord Jesus Christ

But do they speak of Peace/Violence?

Violence in the Old Testament6 Criteria: 1) Restore broken relationship from the fall (Gen.3)

2) Create a people & a nation, from which the Messiah would come

3) Judge surrounding nation’s sin (Gen 15:13-14; Lev. 18:25-28; 20:22; Deut.18:9-14; 2Kings 21:9)

4) Judge the sin of the Jews (2 Chron.7:17-22) (i.e. Assyrian and Babylonian captivities)

5) Never for expansionist or political gain (i.e. promise to Abraham, fulfilled in David)

6) Goal: Peace and Reconciliation between God and His people•Bible: violence for a particular point in time•Quran: ongoing struggle to defeat unbelievers

Old Testament Peace = ‘Shalom’

• Wars were divinely ordained campaigns• Dependency on Divine intervention for God’s

Weak people:– Egypt (plagues): Ex.7-12– Jericho (Walls): Josh 6:20– Amorites (Sun): Josh 10:12-13– Canaanite (Rain): Judg.5– Midianites (Confusion): Judg.7– Arameans (Blindness): 2Ki.6:8– Assyrians (Strikes): 2Ki.19:35-37– Easterners (Ambush): 2Chr.20

Responsibility of the KINGDeut. 17:14-20

• They were not to amass horses – military security

• They were not to amass wives – political security.

• They were not to amass silver and gold – economic security.

• So what was the king to do? He was to study the Torah all day!

• Peace found in: – Bodily Health, stability (Lev.26:6; Job 5:23)– Welfare (2Sam.20:19)– Family relationships (Gen.29:6; 37:4; 43:23-28)– Friendships (Gen.43:27; Ex.18:28)– Persue Peace (Ps.34:14) – Israel’s peace (Num.6:24-26)– God’s relationship (2Sam.20:19; 1Kings 8:61)– Inner spiritual peace (Num.6:26; Ps.4:8; Isa.45:7)– Goal of war is Peace (Ps.72:7; 122:6-8)

• Messiah = ‘Prince of Peace’ (Isa.9:5-7; Mic.5:4-5)• And when he comes: “Beat [our] swords into

ploughshares and [our] spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore” (Isaiah 2:4)

Isaiah 11:6-10 = A Vision of Normalcy:“The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious.”

*Fulfilled in Rev.21:3-5 “God will dwell with His people…wipe away every tear…no more death…”

New Testament = Eiréné (state of Peace, opposite of War: Matt.10:34; Lk.12:51)

• Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the Peacemakers”• Matthew 5:39-44 “whoever slaps you on your right

cheek, turn the other to him also. love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you

• MATTHEW 22:37-40 “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.''YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.“

• Matthew 26:52 ”Put away your sword, Jesus said to him, for all who live by the sword will die by the sword” (Lk.22:49-51; Jn 18:11)

• Matt. 5:44; Luke 6:27 “Love your enemies”

• ROMANS 10:15 Gospel is “the Gospel of Peace”, which is to be Preached (Acts 10:36; Eph.6:15)

• ROMANS 12:18 “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men”

• 2 COR.13:11 “live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you”

• COLOSSIANS 3:15 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts”

• 1 THESS.5:13-16 “Live in peace with one another… See that no one repays evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people”

• 1 PETER 3:11 “Seek Peace, and pursue it”

Peace between Husbands & Wives

• Love one’s wife: 1 Pet. 3:7, Col. 3:19 “husbands must love your wives & NEVER treat them harshly.”

• Ephesians 5 ‘A man must love his wife as Christ loved the church, and be willing to die for her’

Jesus’ teaching for Christians:• Instead of Violence – Suffering

(Matt. 5:38-39)• Instead of Vengeance – Forgiveness

(Matt.6:14-15; Luke 17:3-4; 23:34)• Instead of Greed – Sharing

(Luke 12:33-34: 18:22)• Instead of Domination – Service

(Luke 22:24-27)• Instead of Hatred – Love

(Matt.5:43-45; Luke 6:27-31)

Problem Passages:• Temple Cleansing: (Mt. 21:12-13; Mk.11:15-

18; Lk.19:45-46; Jn.2:13-17) On animals, no violence, but authoritative words

• ‘Swords’ at the Last Supper: (Lk.22:36-38) Be ready to defend against thieves, exampled with dinner knives. See its application the next day…with Peter (Mt. 26:52).

• Not bring Peace, but a Sword: (Mt.10:34; 12:51) Consequence of commission, and not sword, but ‘Word of God’ (“sharper than any double-edged sword” Heb.4:12)

• Revelation Violence: We are spectators, because final justice can only be done by an Omniscient, Omnipresent and Omnipotent God. The sword God wields is the sword form his mouth (Rev.19:15) = the sword of the ‘word of truth’

What about the Crusades, Inquisition?

• Ask criteria for their displeasure

“One should not eradicate others for their God”…agree with them.

• Use Jesus as our paradigm, to condemn the crusades.

• Take them to Muhammad’s example in Medina– Then ask them to condemn that example

• Show them that we uniquely have the moral high ground on this issue…proving the relevance of Jesus.

CONCLUSIONS:

• If you want to find peace:– Don’t go to the Qur’an– Don’t go to their Prophet Muhammad– GO TO THE NEW TESTAMENT!– GO TO JESUS CHRIST!

• The whole world is looking for PEACE

• There is only one real source for it…– And WE HAVE IT!! “COME ON HOME”

Solutions:

1) Move beyond our fear of Confrontation

2) Move beyond our fear of Repercussions

3) Move beyond our need for Security

4) Move beyond our opponent’s Sensibilities

5) Move beyond dialogue → to debate

6) Begin to teach Christian Apologetics & Polemics

7) Begin to publicly confront their auth. (Qur’an)

8) Begin to publicly confront their model (Prophet)

9) Leaders must model it (i.e. ‘ol Codgers’)

10) Get on &

We must ‘Stand in the Gap’1) It’s the best way to get their attention2) Forces our antagonists to respond3) May be the 1st time they have heard criticism4) Gets the agenda moving5) ‘Pre-Evangelistic’6) We don’t have a choice

-Muslims/Humanists tend to initiate the confrontation-Fits their cultural paradigm

7) Creates a Christian Public Presence8) Does that which the state may/can not do9) Upgrades and strengthens the church10) We have the only alternative!11) We have the Best Material!12) WE HAVE THE TRUTH…and his name is JESUS!

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they are divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ”

(II Corinthians 10:3-5)

What weapons will we use?What weapons will we use?