ISLAM:ISLAM:WHY SHOULD I CARE?WHY SHOULD I CARE?

©Rev. Clinton Chisholm, September, 2014©Rev. Clinton Chisholm, September, 2014

Basics for MemoryBasics for Memory

The Religion: Islam The Followers:

Muslims(‘s’ as in ‘sing’ not as in

‘prism’)

The Deity:The Deity:AllahAllah

(Arabic for God)(Arabic for God)The Holy Book:The Holy Book:

Qur’ an Qur’ an (The Hadith, traditions of (The Hadith, traditions of the Prophet are critical for Muslims as the Prophet are critical for Muslims as

well)well)

The Holy Prophet:The Holy Prophet:Muhammad Muhammad (pbuh= peace be (pbuh= peace be

upon him, used when any prophet upon him, used when any prophet is mentioned)is mentioned)

The Five Pillars of IslamThe Five Pillars of Islam

1. The Creed (Shahada/Kalimah) “There is no god but Allah.

Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.” (ilaha illa Allah. Muhammad rasul Allah)

2. Prayer, 5 times per day3. Fasting during the 9th Islamic month, Ramadan, honouring the

arrival of the Qur’an

4. Almsgiving (Zakat ) = 2.5% of income, after outstanding debts 5. Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj ) at

least once for each mature Muslim

A Comparison/contrast between Christianity’s Great Commission and

Islam’s Great Command, Jihad

THE NATURE OF THE GREAT THE NATURE OF THE GREAT COMMISSION (Mt. 28. 16-COMMISSION (Mt. 28. 16-

20)20)1.The Imperative 1.The Imperative Dimension: ‘Make Dimension: ‘Make

Disciples’Disciples’2. The All-inclusive Dimension: 2. The All-inclusive Dimension:

‘…‘…of of allall nations’ nations’ Not caring about the lost Not caring about the lost

means you are either means you are either SINFULLY UNCONCERNED or SINFULLY UNCONCERNED or

SIMPLY UNCONVERTED.SIMPLY UNCONVERTED.

THE NATURE OF ISLAM’S THE NATURE OF ISLAM’S JIHADJIHAD

1. The Imperative Dimension: 1. The Imperative Dimension: re non-Muslims re non-Muslims

““And slay them wherever ye And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out catch them, and turn them out from where they have turned from where they have turned

you out; for tumult and you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than oppression are worse than slaughter.” (Sura 2.191)slaughter.” (Sura 2.191)

Though Jihad has a spiritual nuance the physical nuance is more dominant

““Mohammed said: Whoever Mohammed said: Whoever changes his Islamic religion, changes his Islamic religion,

kill him.” (Hadith 9.57)kill him.” (Hadith 9.57)

2. The All-inclusive 2. The All-inclusive Dimension:Dimension:

Islamic view of the worldIslamic view of the worldDar al Harb Dar al Sulh Dar Dar al Harb Dar al Sulh Dar

al Islamal Islam (infidels rule) (transitional turf) (Muslims rule) (infidels rule) (transitional turf) (Muslims rule)

““When the Crusaders arrived in When the Crusaders arrived in Jerusalem, barely four hundred Jerusalem, barely four hundred years had passed since that years had passed since that city, along with the rest of the city, along with the rest of the Levant and North Africa, had Levant and North Africa, had been wrested by the armies of been wrested by the armies of Islam from their Christian rulers, Islam from their Christian rulers, and their Christian populations and their Christian populations forcibly incorporated in a new forcibly incorporated in a new Muslim empire.” Muslim empire.” (Bernard Lewis, (Bernard Lewis, The Arabs in HistoryThe Arabs in History, 1993, pages , 1993, pages 163-164) 163-164)

““I have been ordered by God I have been ordered by God to fight with people till they to fight with people till they bear testimony to the fact bear testimony to the fact that there is no God but that there is no God but

Allah and that Muhammad is Allah and that Muhammad is his messengerhis messenger If they do it,

their blood and their property are safe from me

…”…” (Muhammad, cited in Behind the

Veil, 32)

““Islam must rule the Islam must rule the world and until Islam world and until Islam does rule the world does rule the world we will continue to we will continue to sacrifice our lives.”sacrifice our lives.”

(Al-Badr spokesman (Al-Badr spokesman Mustaq Aksari, CNN, Mustaq Aksari, CNN,

9/19/2001)9/19/2001)

Failed Suicide Bomber Interview, Youtube

The Cruciality of Jihad for The Cruciality of Jihad for MuslimsMuslims

““For the Muslim who fears that For the Muslim who fears that the scales may be weighted the scales may be weighted

toward his eternal damnation, toward his eternal damnation, jihad provides the only true jihad provides the only true

eternal security. For the Muslim eternal security. For the Muslim in fear or without hope, death in in fear or without hope, death in jihad is not only a viable option- jihad is not only a viable option-

it may be the only option.” it may be the only option.” (Ergun & Emir Caner(Ergun & Emir Caner, , Unveiling Unveiling

IslamIslam, 2002,195.), 2002,195.)