The Muslim Mindset- today

What is now shaping Islam?Let this sink in!

Basic shape of Islam is well established in your friend’s mind

• Islam means submission and you submit to:• To the Qur’an and the Hadith• To local religious authorities and traditions• To Allah’s appointed rulers• To Allah, of course!• To the established “Pillars of Islam”

The 5 Pillars of Islamcontinue to shape HIS LIFE

• 1 Shahada -confession of faith• 2 Salat -ritual prayer – (5x daily)• 3 Zakat - obligatory alms (2.5% - net worth)• 4 Fast of Ramadan (daylight hours)• 5 Hajj - the pilgrimage to Mecca

He is looking back … at his Muslim World

• Series of Caliphs - and assassinations• Shiite/ Sunni division, other sects… Warring

Islamic nations• Folk –Islam develops, and then,…. the Ottoman

Empire … and all along … he has observed ---

The Rise of the Western powers …and the loss of face for Ishmael

• Naturally, all the preceding continues to shape the mindset of your new Muslim friend

• What conclusions must he reach if he “submits to” all those influences coming from Islam?

• How does he see you and your world?– Take a break now and answer these last two

questions before moving on to the next segment: – the Muslim mindset today.

Yes, just pause this presentation

• And try to answer those 2 questions

• 1) What conclusions must he reach if he “submits to” all those influences coming from Islam?

• 3) How does he see you and your world?

• OR, is he going to “dig in,” check out Islam and prove that he and his religion are right?

• Is the Western advance a temporary thing that he must correct?

• What does Islam teach again ?

Is he about to “give up on Islam?”

You have seen …

• the basic teachings of Islam … But you should know much more – He believes that:

• The Qur’an supersedes previous revelations “Correcting previous revelations.”

• The Bible has been corrupted – invalid-• Islam, “the pure,” supersedes all other religions,

The teachings of Islam

• Deny Christian teachings, such as:• The Deity of Christ, the death of Christ,

redemption• Omits: the holiness of God, the sinfulness of

man.• No need of redemption,… salvation is by works

In Summary ... Muslim mind set

• The last word in religion, superior, nothing to learn from Christians or others. Nevertheless, troubled by successes in the West

• So, a return to a pure Islam- “our only option!”• Yet, - questions: “the People of the Book”

• But…Disdain for the corrupt, rotten “West” with their television, families in ruins, gross sin, etc.

What if Muslim met a Christian recently

• A Christian who is obviously submitted to God !

• These western Christians are not all the same. This one looks like “the real thing!”

• I have questions: “the People of the Book ?”

• I wonder if I can get to know this Christian?