Aspects Of Islam

by PRASHER, G. | Category: Focus | Nov 2006

In Matthew chapter twenty-four the Lord Jesus outlined to His apostles some features of world developments between His resurrection and ultimate return to earth as Son of Man. These included the warning that many false prophets shall arise, and lead many astray (v.11 RV). An outstanding example is the prophet Muhammed’s far-reaching influence over millions of people for almost fourteen centuries.

Muhammed was born in 570 AD at Mecca in Arabia. He became a caravan trader between Mecca and Syria, in the employment of a rich widow, Khadiji, whom he later married. Becoming incensed at the lax moral standards and multiple forms of idol worship in Mecca, he retreated to a contemplative life in the desert. There he claimed to have received a vision in which the angel Gabriel announced that he was to be a prophet. This led him to devote himself to the reform of religion and society. In particular he condemned the worship of many different gods. There was generally adverse reaction to his teachings in Mecca and persecution forced him to flee to Medina in 622 AD. Military conflict with Mecca continued until Muhammed finally conquered the city in 630 AD. He died at Medina two years later, his grave there having since been a place of pilgrimage.

The religious movement he founded became known as Islam, from an Arabic root implying submission - in this instance submission to the will of God. Those practising the religion were called Muslims, reflecting in Arabic their personal resignation to the teachings of the prophet. More generally in the course of time the terms Muhammadan or Mohammedan have been commonly used.

The lives of practising Muslims are governed by ‘the Five Pillars’ or primary duties of Islam: profession of faith in God and His prophet Muhammed; prayer to be performed five times each day; almsgiving to the poor and to the mosque; fasting during the daylight hours in the month of Ramadan; pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a Muslim’s lifetime if it is physically and financially possible.

There are of course commendable elements in some of these requirements. But the ‘Five Pillars’ essentially amount to a religion of salvation by self-effort. It is believed that good deeds will be rewarded by a place in Paradise, and evil deeds will be punished in hell. The Muslim’s faith offers no present assurance of salvation to its adherents. They are left in uncertainty until God’s verdict is given regarding each individual on the final Judgement Day.

The devout Muslim would doubtless answer to the apostle Paul’s description of his Judaistic compatriots in the first century: ‘For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God’ (Rom.10:2,3). This stands in pronounced contrast to the great gospel truth so powerfully expressed by the apostle Paul in his letter to Titus: ‘But when the kindness and the love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit’. (3:4,5)

Muslims gather in the mosque on Fridays for congregational worship, prayers being offered and a sermon given by an ‘imam’, a recognized teacher and prayer leader. Their sacred book is the Koran, which purports to be a collection of Muhammad’s oral revelations, written in Arabic. Following Muhammad’s death, disagreements regarding the succession of the prophet caused a division in Islam between two groups, the Sunnis and the Shi’ites. The Sunnis with 80% are much the largest group. They accept traditions that have been handed down regarding sayings and deeds of their prophet, whereas the Shi’ites recognize only the Koran as their spiritual guide. Among these two groups smaller sects have emerged, such as the conservative Wahabbi in Saudi Arabia, with which Osama bin Laden has been associated.

Within a century of Muhammad’s death Islam spread rapidly, with adherents from Spain in the west to India in the east. Today it is the principal religion of the Middle East, the northern half of Africa and large areas of Asia, claiming a total of one billion adherents world-wide.

In a different connection the apostle Paul wrote, ‘Brethren, my heart’s desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved’ (Rom.10:1 RV). A similar desire for the salvation of Muslims in our time may encourage evangelisation among them; an understanding of ‘where they are coming from’ is the first step in that direction!

PRASHER, G. | Nov 2006
Focus