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World in Need Jesus, The Christ

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BIBLICAL BASIS: OLD TESTAMENT

PART 1

IN ATTEMPTING TO WORK WITH DIVERSE MUSLIM PEOPLES, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE BASIC CONCEPTS OF GOD, MAN AND CULTURE AND HOW THEY RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND GOD'S STRATEGY FOR HIS OWN PEOPLE FOR THE ADVENT OF THE KING.

A. THE CULTURAL MANDATE: Gen. 1:26-30

God, in creating man and woman in His own image, entrusted them with the management of His world. Their responsibility was to rule and to subdue, to tend and develop it. In addition, they were to people the earth. Implied in this obligation is the idea of organising the first system by which man was to live, which would include the development of language, lifestyle, social institutions, customs and technical skills. All of this adds up to the development of specific culture, that is, the total interlocking systems of how men and women live, how they perceive reality, and how they teach it to their successors. This has been called, therefore, the cultural mandate given by God to man in his un-fallen state.

B. THE ENTRANCE OF EVIL: Gen. 2:8 - 3:24

To understand properly the significance of Christ, the presence of evil in our world, and the mission of the Church today, it is necessary to return to the early chapters in the book of Genesis.

They do not explain away all the mysteries, but they do describe for us the reality of satanic forces opposed to God, the nature of man's fall, the universality of the consequences of sin, and the warfare between God and Satan over the destiny of man. Embedded in the story are themes that carry through to the very end of Scripture when the kingdoms of this world become the Kingdom of God.

C. GOD'S ACTS OF JUDGEMENT AND REDEMPTION IN A FALLEN WORLD: Gen. 3

In the tragic unfolding of the life of the first couple, we note that Satan succeeded in alienating man from God and man from woman. Through disobedience, man and woman come under the influence of the Evil One. As He dealt with this situation, God confronted all participants. He broke up the alliance between Satan and foretold his future doom. He also meted out temporal punishment on Adam and Eve, but at the same time, promised victory through their "seed".

Note these important themes:

* God revealed his missionary heart in searching for frightened man (Gen. 3:9).

* The earliest allusion to the "gospel" (good news) was given by foretelling the crushing of Satan's head by woman's seed (Gen.3:15).

* God in His mercy did not allow man to partake of eternal life in his fallen state. He removed Adam and Eve from the garden so they could not partake of the tree of life in their fallenness and thereby become incapable of receiving the promise of eternal life in a redeemed state (Gen. 3:23-24).

D. SUBSEQUENT DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURE BY FALLEN MAN: Gen. 4:1-22


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The tragedy of the first couple was that their firstborn son, Cain, one who was hoped to undo the fall, became a murderer (Gen.4:1-8).

The first families described in Scripture actually came from the line of Cain. In the seventh generation from Adam, the children of Lamech are reputed to have raised livestock, developed musical instruments and forged metal tools (Gen. 4:20-22).

From this record, it can be seen that the first human culture, and all subsequent cultures, were the inevitable expressions of mankind's fallenness. Later on, this would be true of the development of all cultures. And yet human beings, even though fallen, were still the bearers of the divine image; the development of all cultures reflects this. All cultures are flawed but nevertheless contain elements that are redeemable or utilizable by the Church when it is planted in their midst.

E. THE BIRTH OF ETHNICITY, LANGUAGE AND CONTINENTS: Gen. 10 -11

Genesis 10 and 11 should be read as parallel passages. Genesis 10 has to do with the genealogy of the nations; Genesis 11 is a recapitulation of a segment of that history. Geological evidence supports the biblical account that there was a time when all the land mass of the earth was undivided. It subsequently separated into the various continents and islands we know today. The Bible provides a "theological" interpretation to all this.

In response to man's effort to make a name for himself through building a tower that would reach to heaven. God judged him by dividing the earth, causing the confusion of languages and scattering the people over the earth.

In Acts 17: 26-27 we read that the reason for this judgement was that man, in his divided state, might seek after God. It is axiomatic, that when man tries to unite to make a name for himself, it is always in opposition to God. God's reaction then seems to be to divide and scatter the peoples so that some can be saved. This being so, we can now understand and welcome themystery of the luxurious diversity of human cultures in their many ethnic and linguistic forms.

F. THE CHOOSING OF THE MAN OF FAITH: THE GREAT COMMISSIONGen. 12 - 25, Rom. 4:18-22, Heb. 11:8-12

In these passages we read that God spoke to the family of a city dweller. He called Abraham to become a pilgrim and live a life of faith. He revealed His own "missionary heart" in issuing this call to Abraham. He intended Abraham to be a means of blessing to all the peoples of the earth.

It is important to note at this point that virtually no institutional forms of religion were given to Abraham. He was free to worship the one true God by utilizing those forms that were already in use in the surrounding cultures, for example, the building of altars and the making of sacrifices. God did appropriate circumcision, which was already practised by others, and gave to it a new meaning. It was to be the sign of His covenant relationship to His missionary people.

Throughout the life of Abraham, God continued to teach him to walk by faith. There were tests of famine, Sarah's barrenness, and the sacrifice of Isaac. Throughout all of these, Abraham continued to bear witness to the one true God in many places and to many peoples.

G. THE PLACE OF ISHMAEL AND HIS DESCENDANTS IN GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION: Gen. 16 - 25, Is. 42:11 and 60:7, 1 Tim. 2:4, II Pet. 3:9, Rev. 5:9

Abraham and Sarah resorted to their own wisdom in attempting to solve the problem of their childlessness. According to a custom of their day, Hagar, Sarah's maidservant could serve as a substitute child bearer for her mistress. Ishmael was born of this arrangement. Although the


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Messiah would not come through this son, Ishmael was included in the covenant family. His name means "God hears". He was the first son of Abraham to be circumcised.

When bitter rivalry arose between Hagar and Sarah, Sarah drove Hagar and her son, Ishmael, from the home. God sent an angel to minister to them. One especially poignant passage about God's love for Ishmael is Gen. 21:20 which says, "God was with the boy as he grew up".

Subsequent passages in Isaiah indicate that descendants of Ishmael would be among the redeemed. Is. 42:11 and 60:7 mention two of Ishmael's children by name. For those of us seeking to bring Muslims to Christ, this is significant, because Muslims claim spiritual lineage with Ishmael and some even claim physical descent. We have good biblical grounds for believing that God intends many Muslims to come into the community of Christ's people. This idea is reinforced by the following New Testament passages:

"... who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" (I Tim. 2:4).

"The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (II Pet. 3:9).

"With your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9).

H. THE MOULDING OF THE MISSIONARY PEOPLE: Ex., Lev., Num. and Deut.

* Placing the Family in Egypt (Gen. 37 - 50).

* God’s Mighty Hand in deliverance (Ex.).

* Sacrifices, Atonement, Priests and Purity (Lev.).

* Israel’s Journeys - Lessons Learned (Num.).

* Renewal of Covenant - A People Made Ready (Deut.).

In this section, we are looking at two things. First, as outlined above, we are noting how God moulded and shaped His people to become a great and unique missionary people. Great lessons were learned. Institutional forms of community life were given along with the Law. The people were to be Lord's people, and they were to be a means of testifying to God before the nations. Salvation was to come to the whole world through Israel, God's covenant people.

The second thing to note is how God related to cultures during this period. We see that many of the forms that God used were actually borrowed from existing cultures and He transformed them for His own Holy purpose. This long record yields clues as to how God's method can help us in reaching peoples of other cultures today.

Items of interest from the Five Books of Moses:

* The concept of "covenant" was in use in Palestine before theIsraelites came to the land.

* Other peoples had priests and sacrificial systems before God established the Aaronic priesthood.

* The legal Code of Hammurabi (1700 B.C.) actually pre-dated Mosaic Law (1400 B.C.) by three centuries.

* A pattern similar to that of the portable Tabernacle (Tent of Meeting) actually existed in Egypt at the time of Moses.


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The existence of these forms and practices in the pre-Mosaic period in non-Israelite cultures takes nothing away from revelation. Rather, it illustrates that man, made in the image of God, reflects some of that image. However, because of man's fall, what he creates is flawed and must be redeemed and transformed by God himself.

Although the institutional forms and structures for organising God's missionary people evidence God's special genius in putting all this together, the really unique feature of this period was the covenant relationship God established with a specially selected people to be His witnesses of salvation to the world.

I. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE KINGDOM: I Sam., II Sam. 1, I Kgs.1 - 4

Several things occurred during this period. First is the account of how the people of God rejected the theocracy God had established. They then set up a kingdom similar to the ungodly nations around them. God tolerated this wilfulness, but gave them clear indications of how disastrous their choice was. Under this king they suffered the consequences of their choice.

Later, after their king had tragically failed, God provided in David the model of a divinely appointed king who would be a type of the Anointed One to come. Again, God appropriated an existing cultural form and transformed it for His own redemptive purposes. This 500 year experience of the Kingdom (roughly 1050 B.C. to 587 B.C.) never realized the high hopes the people had. In their disillusionment God generated in their hearts a great hunger for a new kind of Kingdom - "the Kingdom of God" – ruled by a divinely anointed king. In the New Testament period we find that the theme of "the Kingdom of God" was the key theme of Jesus' teaching and was mentioned at least 19 times in the teaching of Paul.

J. JERUSALEM AND ISRAEL TO BE A MODEL FOR THE NATIONS: I Chron. 13 - II Chron. 9 and Ps.

As the centre of worship for God's people, Jerusalem was to serve as a model for the nations. It was there that the worldwide concern of God was manifested through the very design of the Temple, which was to be a House of Prayer for all nations. The Temple had a Court of the Gentiles which figured prominently in the experience of Christ's cleansing of the Temple.

It was from Jerusalem that the Word of the Lord was to be proclaimed to all nations. The people of God were to model worship and their covenant relationship for all the world to see.

Many of the psalms reflect the universal concern of God for all the peoples of the world.

Note the following references:

* “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession" (Ps. 2:8).

* “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations" (Ps.22:27-28).

* “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us; may your ways be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth. May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him" (Ps. 67).

On the cultural side, it is again of interest to note that David and the other psalmists borrowed extensively from the highly developed musicology of surrounding peoples. For example, with the


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exception of one word, the words of Psalm 29 were found on one of the Ugaritic Tablets at Ras Shamra. These tablets are dated 200 years before the time of David. The one word that was different was that where the Ugaritic had the word "Baal", David used the word "Yahweh". This seems to reinforce the idea that God does not give "divine" cultural patterns and forms to His people, but under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, appropriates and transforms what is already there, while in some cases, introducing innovations.

K. THE FAILURE OF THE ISRAELITES, LOSS OF THE PHYSICAL KINGDOM AND THE MEANING OF THE EXILE: II Kgs. 12 - 25, the Prophets, and the Intertestamental Period

The period from the end of Solomon's reign to the last king of Judah was characterized by a gradual deterioration within the Israelite nation. But their half millennium of "kingdomship" experience gave the people of God an unquenchable desire for His Kingdom. Prophets served a two-fold purpose: they warned of the consequence of disobedience and foretold the coming of Messiah and the age of His coming rule.

Listed below are just a few of the hundreds of prophetic references to Christ:

* Christ to be Virgin Born (Is. 7:14, Mt. 1:23).

* The Governor of the Nations (Is. 9:6).

* A Light to the Nations (Is. 49:6).

* The New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34).

* The Good Shepherd (Ez. 34:11).

* The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28-29).

* Setting up the Kingdom of God (Dan. 2:44).

When the Exile occurred, it served to purify the people of God from their idolatry and it precipitated the dispersal of the Jews throughout the earth - a phenomenon which led to the rapidexpansion of the Church in the New Testament period.

During the period from the Exile to the coming of Christ, several innovations came into use. The most prominent was the development of the synagogue. It differed radically from the Temple and was largely characterized by community worship and the reading of the Law. Closer to the time of Jesus, some Palestinian Jews developed the use of water in a baptismal rite and a "love-feast" or thanksgiving meal (Eucharist).

Since none of the above was divinely instituted, that is, the instructions for them were not given in the Old Testament; it is significant to note how Christ availed Himself of these institutions in His day. He perpetuated all three customs, but gave them special meanings. Hence, God's pattern seems to be to invade, appropriate, and fill with new meaning those customs and practices that suit His purposes. So it is important to keep asking, "Are there principles here that we can use in our work with Muslims?"

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BIBLICAL BASIS: NEW TESTAMENT

PART II

IN COMMUNICATING THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE GOSPEL MESSAGE TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD, TO THE


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CULTURE OF THE FIRST CENTURY, AND TO PRESENT CULTURES IN GENERAL - TO OUR OWN CULTURE AND TO ISLAMIC CULTURES IN PARTICULAR.

BIBLICAL BASIS: NEW TESTAMENT

PART II

A. AN OVERVIEW

In our attempt to win Muslims to Christ, it is extremely important that we clearly understand the place of Christ in God's redemptive scheme. It is equally important that we understand the spiritual powers that we are up against. We must be fully equipped and empowered through Christ for the task before us. The following pages present a brief outline of these major themes.

1. The World in Jesus' Day:

* The whole world in the power of the Evil One (I Jn. 5:19).

* Satan called the God of this age (II Cor. 4:4).

* Satan’s apparent authority over all kingdoms (Mt. 4:8).

2. Jesus' Ministry: * The purpose of His ministry: "to destroy the works of the Devil" (I Jn. 3:8). * The Holy Spirit given without measure (Mt. 3:16, Jn. 3:34). * The approving voice of the Father (Mt. 3:17).

3. Jesus' Dramatic Encounter with Satan:

* Directed by the Spirit of God (Mt. 4:1).

* Preceded by fasting (Mt. 4:2).

* Testing over the use of power (Mt. 4:3-10).

4. Jesus' Establishment of the Kingdom - Present and Coming:

* All men to repent (Mt. 4:17).

* Kingdom evidenced now by Christ's miracles (Mt. 11:5).

-- Authority over disease and death (Mt. 4:23, 11:5). -- Authority over demons and Satan (Mt. 4:24, 12:25-38).

* Christ’s final return signals end of all evil and reconstitution of new heaven and new earth founded on righteousness (I Cor. 15:24-26, II Pet. 3.13, Rev. 21:1-4).

5. The Heart of God in Christ's Redemptive Act:

* God’s gift of His son (Jn. 3:16).

* Jesus to bear our sins that we might live (Jn. 1:29, I Pet. 2:24).

* Jesus’ resurrection to guarantee believers eternal life (Jn. 11:25-26).


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6. Christ's Great Commission to All Believers:

* All authority in heaven and earth is His (Mt.28:18).

* We are empowered to make disciples (Acts 1:8, Mt. 28:19). * Men, women, and children are to be won from every tongue, tribe, people and nation (Rev. 5:9).

* We must draw on God's power in this struggle (Eph. 6:10- 12).

* Prayer is an indispensable part of what we do (Eph. 6:18).

B. NEW TESTAMENT WORKING MODELS

1. Jesus' Baptism, Temptation, and Spirit-led Ministry: Mt. 3 -4

The advent of Jesus, the Messiah, was attended with enormous spiritual power. Scripture says He received the Spirit without measure. Energized by the mighty power of God's Spirit, Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. The ensuing temptations were all of the nature of abuse of power or the lust for power. In successfully withstanding these temptations, Jesus in a measure gained power over Satan. In the very beginning of His ministry, Jesus demonstrated both His love and His power over evil by healing all manner of diseases and casting out demons. It is crucial to God's work to recognize the nature of the warfare we are engaged in and to avail ourselves of that same Spirit in our battles, whether they be with sinful Western society or with Islamic systems.

2. Jesus’ teaching on the Kingdom: Mt. 5 - 7, 13, 24, 28, Acts 1:3

In cross-cultural work with Muslims, it is very important that we clearly understand what Jesus taught about the Kingdom of God.

Muslims also believe in the Kingdom of God - but not the same way we do. This is why we must know the ethics of the Kingdom, especially as it is found in Mt. 5 - 7. We need to learn about the nature of the Kingdom as taught in the parables in Mt. 13. Later, in Mt. 24, we read more about the end of this world and the coming of the Kingdom in all its fullness. And in Mt. 28:16-20 we learn of Christ's unchanging commission to go out and call people into the Kingdom by making disciples of them.

3. How Jesus Related to Culture: Phil. 2:5-8, Lk. 2:51-52, Mt.3:13-15, 5:17, Jesus' use of the cultural forms of baptism and the Lord's Supper, the symbol of the cross, and the imagery of light, Jn. 4:1-42

Many clues can be derived from the model Jesus Himself provided. First of all, we know that Jesus humbled Himself to become incarnate as a simple Galilean carpenter and submitted to the mores and customs of His day. It is said that He grew in favour with fellow men. Yet, He also felt free to challenge wrong meanings or usages. He appropriated cultural forms that had no biblical precedence, such as the cross and symbol of discipleship, baptism and the Lord's Supper. It is also important to note that Jesus spiritualized the concept of the Kingdom.

4. Paul's Teaching on the Kingdom of God: Acts14:22, 19:8, 20:25, 28:23, Rom.14:17, ICor. 4:20, 6:9-10, 15:24, 50, Gal.5:21, Eph. 5:5, Col. 1:13, 4:11,IThess. 2:12, IIThess.1:5, IITim. 4:1,18

In dealing with the Muslim worldview, it is well to keep in mind that much of their system is built on being accepted by God, and gaining admission to paradise. For this reason, we need to be grounded in both Jesus' teaching on the Kingdom, as above, and in the place that this had in the Apostles' teaching after Jesus' ascension to heaven. Paul's lifelong ministry was concerned with proclaiming God's invitation to the Kingdom. At the conclusion of Acts we read, "From morning till


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evening he explained and declared to them the kingdom of God and tried to convince them about Jesus..." (Acts 28:23).

We need to remember that Paul also spiritualized many Jewish ideas such as the Kingdom, Jerusalem, and the Temple. He helped set the gospel free from its Jewishness so that it would be free to enter into all cultures. This is especially important to remember when working with Muslims.

5. How Paul Resolved Cross-Cultural Problems: I Cor. 9:19-23, Acts 9:15, 15:1-29, 16:1-3, 21:17-26, Gal. 2:1-15

Paul developed the remarkable missionary cross-cultural working principle of becoming all things to all men that he might by any means win some. To the Jew, he became a Jew. In this connection, he had Timothy circumcised and took the vows of a Nazarite on his last trip to Jerusalem. To the Greeks, he became a Greek which meant that he excused them from all the rules of the Jewish ceremonial law, especially circumcision and kosher food. He even withstood Peter on these matters, and refused to allow Titus to be circumcised. In general, he practised cultural adaptations and tried to build his approaches according to the local context. Comparing his style in a Jewish synagogue to that on Mars Hill in Athens will point out many of these principles.

6. Work Out What is Essential to the Gospel: I Cor. 2:1-5, 15:1-4; Rom. 1:16-17

The basics of the gospel are irrefutable. Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures. He rose again from the dead that we might have life. His death and resurrection are the power of salvation to everyone who believes.

But we must remember that Jesus and Paul spiritualized the Kingdom; they set it free from being bound to any particular form or structure. Jesus described it as light, leaven and salt. The gospel truth may flow into all manner of forms. This means it may even appropriate some Islamic forms outright; it may take others and adapt them and fill them with new meaning; it may have to completely ignore sill others which are not useful or are possibly even detrimental to Christian purposes. That which does not compromise the gospel might well be used and made suitable in Muslim cultures.

Be open to innovative approaches as you seek to win your Muslim friends to Christ.

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ISLAM - ITS FAITH AND FORMS

* STUDY I: THE ORIGINS OF ISLAM

* STUDY II: MUHAMMAD

* STUDY III: THE HOLY BOOK OF ISLAM - THE QURAN

* STUDY IV: THE BELIEFS AND PRACTICES OF MUSLIMS

* STUDY V: THE SPREAD OF ISLAM

* STUDY VI: THE DEVELOPMENT ISLAMIC CULTURES

* STUDY VII: PRESENT DAY TENSIONS IN ISLAM

ISLAM - ITS FAITH AND FORMSSTUDY I


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THE ORIGINS OF ISLAM

Islam, an Arabic word meaning submission, was first used by a man named Muhammad who lived in Mecca and Medina on the Arabian Peninsula in the 7th century A.D. Much of the religion of Islam was determined by the milieu of Mecca in his lifetime.

The world into which Muhammad was born was marked by major tensions and conflicts which made things ripe for reform. Titanic struggles had been going on for decades between the two major world powers. The Byzantines, who were Christians living in what is present day Turkey, were predominantly in power. They were constantly being challenged by the Sassanids, however, a largely Zoroastrian people living in what is present day Iraq and Iran. This conflict significantly affected the loosely associated Arab tribes in the northern part of the Arabian Peninsula as the two powers hired first one and then the other in efforts to gain dominance over one another in the region. From time to time, one or the other of these powers would interfere directly in the affairs of the people of Mecca.

Coming up from the south, in 570 A.D., the year Muhammad was born, another group of Christians, accompanied by an elephant attempted to attack Mecca in a retaliatory gesture against Arab desecration of their newly dedicated church. Referred to by Arabs as the Year of the Elephant, it was another expression of Christians using military might on behalf of their faith.

On the socio-economic side, growing trends toward urbanization were accompanied by a variety of social ills and the erosion of older Bedouin virtues. With Mecca becoming the chief monopolizer of the trade routes between Yemen in the south and Damascus in the north, the wealthy class was growing increasingly insensitive and self-centred. This was in dramatic contrast to Bedouin culture with its strong traditions about caring for orphans, widows and the poor. Muhammad, an orphan growing up in Mecca, was very sensitive to these things. He began to see that there was an urgent need for social reform at every level.

From the religious perspective, what Christian presence there was in the Arabian Peninsula was not at all characterized by a biblical Christianity. What Christian presence there was was linked in the minds of the Arabs with the super-powers in the north and their repeated political manipulations.

Monophysite Christianity was the dominant Christian sect throughout the area. Its expression of faith was characterized by monasteries, the celibacy of its monks and endless controversies over the nature of Christ and the veneration of Mary with equally endless controversy as to whether she was the "Mother of God" or the "Mother of Christ". This was due to the work of Jacob Baradaeus and the Ethiopian connection.

Seeing the emphasis on God the Father, the worship of Jesus, and in many cases, all of it overshadowed by the veneration of Mary, it is little wonder that the Arabs of the time thought Christians worshipped three Gods.

It is true that there were other segments of Christianity present in the area but they also had little positive impact. There was very little of the Scriptures in Arabic. In the vacuum, there was an abundance of apocryphal stories and other legendary material. The Qur’an reflects these unfortunate misrepresentations of Christianity.

There was a large Jewish presence in Arabia at the time which often contended with Muhammad in Mecca and Medina. They also did not have adequate Scriptures and circulated many legends. However, as the Arab people saw that the Christians and Jews each had their Scriptures in their own mother tongue, they longed for a purely Arabian holy book for themselves.

Two factors were having a major impact at this time. One was that Mecca was characterized by the presence of an unbelievable proliferation of gods. It is reputed that in the Kaaba, the large cubicle building in the centre of Mecca which was an ancient pilgrim shrine considerably pre-


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dating Islam, there were at least 354 idols - one for each day of the lunar year. Included among all of the gods who were worshipped, was the one representing the one true God, or Allah.

Secondly, there was a form of monotheism being practised that was neither Jewish nor Christian, but traced its roots all the way back to Abraham and Ishmael. The people who practised this religion were called "Hanifs", in Arabic meaning "dissent" or "one who dissents". This group was dissenting from the rampant idolatry of the day and affirming belief in the one true God known from Abraham's time.

It was into this environment that Muhammad, a prophet of reform came.

(In the Resource section at the end of this notebook there is a list of books which correspond with each of the seven studies on Islam - Its Faith and Forms.)

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STUDY II

MUHAMMAD

Muhammad was born into a small clan of the ruling tribe of the Quraish of Mecca in Arabia in 570 A.D. Tragedy struck his life in infancy. His father died before he was born and his mother six years later. For two years he was raised by his grandfather who then also died and later he was adopted by his uncle. Muhammad was a sensitive boy who thought about religious matters and about the social ills of his day. Earning a reputation for being very trustworthy and competent in business matters, at the age of 25 he was employed by a rich widow, Khadijah, to look after her caravan trade between Mecca and Damascus. Muhammad proved himself to be an effective and thoughtful man, so Khadijah proposed marriage. For Muhammad, this happy marriage provided emotional peace and economic stability thus freeing him for his life's work.

As was often his custom, Muhammad would go out into the hills surrounding Mecca to meditate. There was one cave in particular where he would sit by the hour and meditate on the things of God.

At the age of 40, he had an unusual psychic experience during one of these meditative periods. It is recounted that his body was severely effected with trembling and perspiration as he slipped into a trance-like state. He had a vision of some supernatural being suspended between the heaven and the horizon commanding him to recite. Then passages were given for him to recite. These passages were very powerful in terms of the tradition of Arabic poetry and oratory.

At the very beginning, Muhammad had doubts as to whether or not these experiences were from God or from Jinn (demon possession). His wife and her Christian cousin, Waraka, advised Muhammad that these experiences really were from God and that he should remain open to them. Muhammad was comforted by this counsel and gradually overcame his earlier apprehension about Satanic influences. He then perceived the experiences as "Revelations from God.

His own understanding about the origins of the "revelations" was that they had come from God verbatim. He believed that God had the angel Gabriel take them from the "preserved table" beside His throne and deliver them to the lowest of the seven heavens where, as occasion demanded, Gabriel would quote from them to Muhammad. Muhammad would them memorize the words. His view of Inspiration changes from mechanical dictation to begin with, to worldly temporal observations relating to historical events such as his wife Aishah's innocence and his adopted son's wife being given to him.


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Muhammad began sharing these intermittent "revelations" with the close members of his family. Khadijah was the first one to believe in him, and then other friends and relatives as well as a slave, Bilal, whom he freed.

The content of these "revelations" resulted in some very fiery preaching by Muhammad. He made strenuous appeals for the worship of the one true God. In the very beginning he claimed that he was nothing more than a messenger of God, that he had no miracles nor any other signs except the unusual literary, poetic, and oratorical power of the recitations themselves.

In addition to the powerful monotheistic strain that ran through all of these sermons, there was a strong ethical content, especially in the area of caring for orphans, widows and the poor. There was also an unabashed preaching of hell and of judgement on those who were idolatrous and on the heartless rich.

The ruling class in Mecca became uneasy with the preaching of this firebrand. In 619 A.D. when Muhammad was 49, another of his relatives became ruler of his own tribe, Hisham. The man's name was Abu Lahab. Contrary to his predecessors, this man refused to give protection to Muhammad. In the following 3 years, opposition began to mount against Muhammad's efforts to convert and alter the affairs of Mecca with his preaching. By 622 A.D. threats against his life began to surface.

As Mecca grew more hostile, the people of Medina, originally called Yathrib, were having serious problems due to inter-tribal warfare. Muhammad had previously met some of their leaders when they had come to the Kaaba in Mecca for their religious pilgrimage. Muhammad had impressed them. As affairs in their city grew worse, they sent a delegation to ask him if he would come and be their religious leader, as well as the arbiter of their tribal affairs.

In the same year, in order to save himself and his followers, Muhammad sent a message that he would accept the role of leader of Medina. He sent all of the followers ahead of him and then he himself surreptitiously made his way there in June 662 A.D. In Arabic this event is called the "hijra", which is translatedby his followers as "emigration". The Muslim calendar dates from this year. Our calendar date 662 A.D. is known to Muslims as the 0 year of A.H., or after the hijra. Considering the difference in the solar and lunar years, Muslims have just entered the 15th century.

At Medina, Muhammad showed extraordinary qualities of leadership and statesmanship. At first, he merely acted as arbiter and was evidently quite successful. As a religious preacher he was very convincing and the number of followers began to grow. But as time went on, the Muslims became an increasing burden to their hosts, and were clearly regarded as non-productive members of society.

During this time, Muhammad had been leading his followers on expeditionary raids against the richly-laden caravans trafficking to and from Mecca. These raids were discomforting enough to the Meccans that they mounted an attack on Muhammad at Medina. However, further raids by Muhammad's Muslims continued. The Meccans were then incited to mount a seige against Medina. This seige ended in the dispersion of the Meccan soldiers. Muhammad and his followers considered this a victory as did several of the surrounding tribes. The latter then began to convert to Islam and accept Muhammad's leadership.

In the ten year period from 622 to 632 A.D., Muhammad's driving concern was to persuade the Arab tribes to believe in God, accept Islam, and follow him as their leader. In due time, he was able to gather enough strength to march on Mecca itself.

The first approach to Mecca ended in negotiations and a promise that Muhammad could enter Mecca the following year with all of his followers for the pilgrimage to the Kaaba. In 630 A.D., twoyears before his death at 62, Muhammad and 10,000 of his men entered Mecca without bloodshed. They marched straight to the Kaaba, the cubicle building in the centre of town,


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purified it of all the idols, and proclaimed it as the holy centre for all those who would serve the one true God, Allah.

In the remaining two years of his life, Muhammad began to formalize the beliefs and practices of the Muslim community and at the same time consolidated his grip over other Arabian tribes.

When necessary, he even resorted to military campaigns to subjugate those who opposed him.

Muhammad was a man with such force of leadership and charisma that his followers sought to emulate him in all that he said. There is no doubt that they considered him a prophet from God -the last and greatest messenger from God.

The subsequent divisions in Islam can be traced back to the family conflicts at Muhammad's time as this genealogical tree points out.

* * * * * ISLAM - ITS FAITH AND FORMS:

STUDY III

THE HOLY BOOK OF ISLAM - THE QURAN

The word, Quran, means recitation. It comes from the Arabic word "qura", meaning "recite" which Muhammad heard from the angel Gabriel when he was receiving revelations. This is very close to the Syriac word "qerayna" which referred to the "lection", the passage of Scripture that was to be read in public worship.

Muhammad believed that the "revelation" which he received over a 22-year period of time, from 610 to 632 A.D., was the eternal message and that it was on the "preserved table" at the right hand of the throne of God from all eternity.

Muslims believe that from Adam to Muhammad there have been 124,000 holy books, each given for only a particular period of time. Only four of them, they believe, have survived. These are the Law, or Torah, that was given to Moses, the Psalms, or Zabur that was given to David, the Injil, or Gospel, given to Jesus, and finally, the Quran that was given to Muhammad. Muslims believe, however, that the Quran has superseded all previous books, that it is the complete and final "revelation" given by God to man. It also leads Muslims to explain that the books that the Christians and Jews now have, have been twisted or changed during the course of history and are no longer reliable.

Muhammad excelled in political oratory which was perhaps the highest and most respected art form in Arabia. He used this skill in arguing that his teachings did not originate with him but came from God himself. Many of the Arabian people received his words with awe. Of course, this brought opposition from both the Jews and Christians when they discovered that the "revelations" Muhammad preached differed from their own beliefs. In almost every story where there were references to Bible characters, key differences appear.

Gradually, the content of the "revelations" that Muhammad preached changed. The early surahs, or chapters, were powerful, stirring sermons delivered while Muhammad was in Mecca. Filled with emotion, they have strong appeal to religious and ethical sensibilities. The themes were monotheism, the day of judgement, concern for the social ills of poverty, the neglect of widows and orphans, and the forbidding of female infanticide.

As Muhammad's fortunes changed, so did the content of the recitations. The later surahs during the Medinan period, were filled with practical advice on political organization and military matters, and the establishment of social institutions.


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With regard to the arrangement and preservation of all the "revelations" that Muhammad received, the first caliph after Muhammad, Abu Bakr, made strenuous efforts to collect everythingthat Muhammad had said, both from those who had memorized his words as well as whatever had been written down. This was later rearranged in the days of Uthman, the third caliph, who set it in its present order.

The arrangement is such that after the opening surah, the others are arranged in order of their length, rather than chronologically with the longest surahs being first and the shortest last. This presents a major problem for anyone concerned with chronological sequence.

It is important to note that the content of inspiration in Islam differs radically from that of the Christian. To a Muslim, the words of the Quran are literally the words of God as if dictated by Him. They were recorded from all eternity in heaven, according to Muslim understanding, and were repeated by Gabriel to Muhammad at the right moment in time. There was no concept of the personality of Muhammad himself influencing or being involved in any way in these "revelations".

Throughout large parts of the Muslim world the Quran is reputed to have magical powers. As such, quranic passages are used in many ways for the purpose of warding off evil. For example, they are written on a piece of paper and put in little lockets that are worn on the arm or around the neck, or quranic phrases are written in chalk on a slate and washed off with the resulting water solution being used for medicinal purposes. Such uses are believed to preserve life and bring blessing to the wearer or user.

* * * * * * * *

Quran Hadith Ijma Qyas

Sources of authority in Islam


STUDY IV

THE BELIEFS AND PRACTICES OF MUSLIMS

A. THE BELIEFS:

Although the Quran is filled with a wealth of material that lends itself to the creation of large tomes on theology and jurisprudence, Muslims nevertheless outline their fundamental beliefs as follows:

1. Belief in God. God is one, having no partners and no equals. His otherness keeps mankind from knowing him.

2. Belief in the Holy Books. These include the Law of Moses, the Psalms of David, the Gospels, and the Quran as the complete and final revelation as it was given to Muhammad.

3. Belief in the prophets of God. Muslims believe in a number of prophets of which Muhammad is considered the last and the greatest. Jesus is also included but only one of the many prophets.

4. Belief in angels. Angelic beings include angels like Gabriel, the intermediary who brought the Quran to Muhammad, as well as Satan and jinn, sone of which are considered to be capricious beings made of fire who can cause much harm and others which are believed to be beneficent.


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5. Belief in the day of judgement. This doctrine received tremendous emphasis in the preaching of Muhammad. Large parts of the Quran end with exhortations to listen to the word of God lest one come under the fiery judgement reserved for unbelievers.

6. Belief in the decrees of God. Because God is sovereign, Muslims believe He is responsible for everything that happens. He decided the fate of men and angels, and is responsible for good and evil.

B. THE PRACTICES:

The practices of Islam are of the utmost importance to a Muslim.In the Quranic references to the balance scale of judgement heaven is achieved by one's good deeds having outweighed one's bad deeds. If the opposite is true, hell is then the result. This explains the Muslim obsession with doing things "the right way" as a means for gaining merit. Their major concern therefore has been for guidance in knowing exactly the right thing to do and the right way to do it in order that there be no mistakes and no loss of merit in their effort to gain Paradise. These practices cover every aspect of life. Commonly referred to as the "Pillars of Islam", they are as follows:

1. Recitation of the Creed. "There is no God but God and Muhammad is the messenger of God." The Arabic word for reciting the creed is 'shahada'.

2. Duty of prayers. Called salat in Arabic, the Quran makes reference to prayers being made only three times a day - morning, noon and night. Muhammad however, had begun to say his prayers five times a day, and shortly after his death, this became the established practice in the community of Islam. These five times of prayer are in the morning, at noon-time, mid-afternoon,sunset, and some time between sunset and retiring for sleep. For a Muslim to feel that he is praying, he has to have his prayer rug pointed towards Mecca and enough space to allow him to prostrate himself in a kneeling position and to be able to touch his forehead to the ground. The place must be clean and the Muslim must wash himself ritually (ablution) and, of course, remove his shoes. Some Muslims cover their heads at this time of prayer. It has been reckoned that the devout Muslim who says his prayers five times daily would be touching his head to the ground 87 times a day as a symbol of his "slaveship" to God.

3. Practice of alms-giving. Called zakat in Arabic, 2.5 percent of a Muslims's income is given voluntarily for the cause of the poor and the propagation of Islam. More recently, it has been highly institutionalized and managed by government as a required tax.

4. Practice of fasting. During the lunar month of Ramadan (or Ramzan) from sunrise to sunset nothing is to pass one's lips. In some countries, nothing is swallowed, not even one's own saliva during that period. (Note that this fasting does not go on from sunset to the following sunrise). This month is also characterized by great socializing and feasting during the evening hours. The purpose of the fast throughout the day is to cause one to say "no" to one's bodily drives and to think more about God and about the teachings of the Quran. It is considered compulsory. Since the lunar calendar is shorter than our solar calendar, this month occurs 11 days earlier every year, and hence moves through the seasons. This can be an ordeal of tremendous hardship when it occurs on long summer days in hot countries.

5. Pilgrimage to Mecca. Long before Muhammad came into prominence, the pagan people of Arabia had been making pilgrimages to the then idolatrous shrine - the Kaaba - in Mecca.

When Muhammad entered Mecca and purified the Kaaba, he appropriated this ancient pagan practice for Islam. Islam teaches that the pilgrimage must be made once in a lifetime and is essential to salvation. At the present time, it might be noted that the Saudi Arabian government subsidizes, whenever necessary, the return fare of pilgrims. In the case of certain people, the government even gives full fare for their coming and going to the central shrine of Islam.

6. Jihad. Not always listed officially as one of the practices, jihad is an Arabic word meaning "exert" or "exertion". It means "to exert or struggle on behalf of God", and hence Islam. It can


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mean to do so by preaching, by writing, or by the use of the sword. Many modern-day Muslims might object to this latter mode of the sword for such purposes. There is a wide variety of interpretations of the concept of jihad. Some scholars maintain there are two kinds: the inner jihad is against sin in oneself; the outer jihad is against the external enemies of Islam, that is, non-Muslims. The great Islamic Pakistani scholar, S. Abul a'la Maududi, spoke openly about the use of force to advance muslim causes. Today in current affairs in Iran and Afghanistan, one finds the word jihad used in the causes of both of these peoples against their respective enemies. Recently, before his death, the late King Khalid of Saudi Arabia called for a worldwide jihad for the recapture of Jerusalem for Islam.

* * *

QURAISH

ABD MANAF

HASHIM ABD - SHAMS

ABD al MUTTALIB UMAYYAH

UMAH ABUBAKR ABDULLAB ABUTALIB ALABBAS UMAYYAD CALIPHS 2nd Caliph 1st Caliph 661 - 750 (Iraq) 929 - 1031 (Spain)

A'ISHAH + MUHAMMAD ABBASID CALIPHS 750 - 1258

UTHMAN + RUQAYYAH FATIMA + ALI 3rd Caliph 4th Caliph

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

* THE PROFILE OF YOUR MUSLIM FRIEND

* CHART OF MUSLIM FELT NEEDS, ISLAMIC BRIDGES AND BIBLICALSOLUTIONS

* THE USE OF FORM AND STRUCTURE

* FORMS OF INCORPORATION

THE PROFILE OF YOUR MUSLIM FRIEND

It is essential to try to learn as much as you can about your Muslim friend(s). Put yourself in the position of a learner and attempt to develop a profile of the kind of Muslim you are working with. Listen carefully and give your friend all the time he needs to tell you about himself (or herself). Your friend will provide you with many crucial insights which will be critical to your developing the right approach for sharing Christ with him.

A. CULTURAL BACKGROUND:

First, learn about his overall cultural background. As we have already mentioned in earlier sections of this notebook, there are as many kinds of Muslims as there are Christians. Muslim peoples are found in almost every part of the world - from Jakarta, Indonesia to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from Istanbul, Turkey to London, England and Los Angeles, California. We estimate there are 3500 different groups. Each of these Muslim communities defines itself by a unique setof factors which give the group a sense of commonness. In Edward R. Dayton's 'That Everyone May Hear', these factors can be a shared caste and/or special situation such as immigrant, international student or refugee status. Since individuals usually live, move, think and interact in community patterns, rather than as singular and totally unique beings, perceiving the larger


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context in which the individual specifically fits will help to increase the meaningful span of your efforts.

Beyond the general classifications, you need to be aware of your friend's worldview which is composed of a system of values, beliefs and practices. Be alert to the specific forms of social, religious and personal expressions which make up their worldview. This requires a lot of careful and patient listening, but if you are sensitive to this information, you will discover how your friend sees themselves, their world and also how they see you.

Jot down your observations in a journal. Doing so will help you specifically identify the various forms of expression your friend uses - how often they occur, a description of them, and what meaning they contain for your friend.

B. RELIGIOUS CONVICTIONS

Secondly, you will discover where your friend is in their theological and spiritual convictions. Learning what particular sect of Islam he belongs to may lead you to further inquiry as to what their set of beliefs and practices are.

Not all Muslims believe and practise their faith in the same way.

Those who are strictly orthodox in practice may be in the minority around the world. Listed below are several general categories of which we are aware:

* Orthodox: Take Quran literally; follow the Traditions closely.

* Conservative: Try to conserve as much as possible from orthodox Islam while adjusting to life as it is.

* Mystic: Theologically can be almost anything; in practice is seeking some kind of union with God.

* Liberal: Hold to a few Muslim ideas, but make varied interpretations of how to apply them.

* Syncretist: Blend Islamic beliefs and practices with many local superstitions that are actually anti-Islamic; includes palm-reading, astrology, charms, curses, etc.

* Secularist: Nominally Muslim for social and political purposes, but have abandoned most practices.

* Communist/Socialist: Usually Marxist or Maoist in economic philosophy; would still identify as Muslims for the sake of expediency. Learn all you can about what their faith means to them and the religious forms they are most comfortable with. Be alert for those forms and expressions which could be used as bridges for communicating your faith to them. Be aware too of what might hinder them from gaining an understanding of Christ.

C. FELT NEEDS:

Thirdly, ask God to help you discover the real needs of your Muslim friend and how he perceives them. Letting your friend know you are willing to take time to get to know him will help establish trust between you and will encourage your friend to share his needs with you.

A need in this context is something about which a person feels anxiety to the extent to which he or she is incapable of functioning in a full and healthy manner. Some of these needs are listed in the chart on the following pages with some helpful ways to share Christ as being able to meet those needs.

D. DEGREE OF OPENNESS TO CHANGE:


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It is also important to note the degree of your friend's openness to change. Most Muslims in the West are in a state of flux, they are reacting with much that is new to them. Many are asking fundamental questions about themselves and their world. It is a time of evaluating, challenging, accepting or rejecting and replacing values, beliefs and practices old and new. Some will want to adjust to a new lifestyle while others will staunchly retain and strictly observe former customs and expressions. Others will find some combination of the two with which they are somewhat comfortable.

As you interact with your friends, you will need to take a lot of time to listen to them to discover the questions they are asking and the needs which are currently critical for them. Try and be sensitive to those areas where their needs are not being met. It will be imperative to share Christ at those points of need - socially and spiritually - making the Kingdom of God a viable reality for them.

On the following pages are samples of some Muslim beliefs and what felt needs they attempt to meet. You may discover other ways of analyzing the needs of your friends or friends. Use the Bible as a case book for ideas and look for other Scripture passages that you could use for sharing your faith.

(See Form A in the On from Here ... section for a suggested format for compiling a profile of your Muslim friend.)

* * * * * *

CHART OF MUSLIM FELT NEEDS, ISLAMIC BRIDGES AND BIBLICAL SOLUTIONS

ISLAM AS IT APPEARS

*SIX BELIEFS:1. God. Q2v62.2. Angels. Q2v97.3. The Prophets. Q2v2584. The Holy Books. Q7v148.5. Day of Judgement. Q70v26.6. Holy Decrees. Q13v11.

THE MEANING OF THE FORM

1. Proper understanding of God.2. Acknowledge good and bad spirits.3. Human interpreter.4. Authoritative guidebook.5. Proper fear/reward.6. Explanation for all that happens.

IDENTIFICATION OF THE FELT NEED

To be accepted by doing everything right; to accumulate merit for the Day of Judgement and to achieve entrance to Paradise.-----------------------------------------------------------------*SIX PRACTICES:

1. The Creed.2. Prayer. Q5v58.3. Alms. Q2v43.4. Fasting. Q9v112.5. Pilgrimage. Q2v125.


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6. Jihad. Q66v9.

1. Right confession.2. Right ritual.3. Right giving.4. Right motives.5. Right centre.6. Right cause.

-----------------------------------------------------------------*MUSLIM TRADITIONS:

"The Hadith": based on the life, words and practices of Muhammad.

Expression of exemplary behaviour of the ideal Muslim model, Muhammad.

The need for a human model to show how to be acceptable to God.

ISLAMIC MATERIAL AS BRIDGE TO BIBLICAL IDEAS

(Six Beliefs)1. Quranic references to God.2. Quranic references to angels.3. Acknowledgement of prophets.4. Quranic references to Bible.5. Quranic references to judgement.6. Quranic references to the decrees.

INTRODUCTION OF BIBLICAL EQUIVALENTS1. God more fully revealed.2. Clear definition of angels, satan and demons.3. Biblical definition of prophet.4. Authenticity and finality of the Bible defended.5. Reality of coming judgement affirmed.6. Sovereignty of God fully affirmed in Scriptures.

ULTIMATE NEEDS MET IN CHRIST AND CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

1. Christ as revealer of God; Heb. 1:3.2. Angels seen as ministers to those being saved; Heb. 1:14.3. Christ as prophet and Lord: Acts 3:19-264. Word of God as Christ and the Bible; John 1:1-5; 14.5. Christ as final judge; II Cor. 5:10-15.6. Sovereignty of God balanced with human responsibility; Phil2:12, 13.

---------------------------------------------------------------(Six Practices)

1. Affirming the acceptable; replace the unacceptable.2. Islamic forms acceptable.3. Increase 2.5% is good but not good enough.4. Fasting is desirable.5. Literal pilgrimage to Mecca not needed.6. Semantic interpretation of "exertion" on behalf of God is OK but not holy war.

1. Affirm belief in God; Replace unacceptable with Jesus as Word of God, Spirit of God.2. All forms of prayer acceptable to God.3. Remembering the poor and needy is taught by Jesus.4. Biblical teaching on fasting.5. Spiritualize concept of pilgrim life; quote Abraham.


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6. Exert for God in the way and on issues approved by God.

1. Creed should affirm God in Christ; I Jn 4:1-3.2. Prayers made acceptable through Christ; I Thess. 5:17, 18; John 16:24.3. Giving self to Christ as living sacrifice; giving self to others; Rom. 12:1, 2; 2Cor. 9:7, 8.4. Concept of fasting to gain Christ; Phil. 3:8; Mt. 6:16-18.5. All of life a pilgrimage to gain Christ; I Pet. 2:11, 12.6. Striving for the gospel; entrance to Kingdom through Christ; Col. 1:13, 14, 28, 29.

-----------------------------------------------------------------(Muslim Traditions)It is right to ask for a model. Muhammad's is inadequate. The Quran mentions Jesus as the "One nearest to God". Q10v94.

ISLAM AS IT APPEARS

THE MEANING OF THE FORM

IDENTIFICATION OF THE FELT NEED-----------------------------------------------------------------*MUSLIM LAW:"Shariah".

Covers every detail of human life based on the Quran and the model of Muhammad and his companions.

The Muslim anxiety is to try to do everything "right". He must have an answer for every question of right and wrong.-----------------------------------------------------------------*THE UMAH:The household of Islam - "Dar al-Islam" - the community of the faithful.

The true Muslim community is made up of all who have submitted to God; it transcends all nationalism and is a worldwide family.

A Muslim finds his true identity in community. He needs to belong to a divinely blessed extended family in order to find significance for his life.----------------------------------------------------------------*ISLAMIC MYSTICISM:The Sufis: mystical brotherhoods and sisterhoods.

The Sufi mystics seek unity with God through a highly disciplined community that practises ways of perfection.

The need to find one's identity and worth through union with God.-----------------------------------------------------------------*SECULARIZED ISLAM:

Religious practices are at a minimum; accommodates to behaviour of secular peers. Old forms have lost significance. New values have become dominant.

The need for acceptance by his contemporaries; a new search for meaning is under way.-----------------------------------------------------------------*FOLK ISLAM:Animistic or syncretistic Islam.


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Indicates great accommodation to the spirit world. Spiritual powers need to be appeased by a variety of superstitious practices.

The need is to be delivered from the fear of evil spirits and demonic influences.----------------------------------------------------------------*MUSLIM COMMUNIST/SOCIALIST

Rejection of Islamic forms; an embracing of a western vision for a classless society; believes in perfectibility of society through human effort alone.

The need usually comes from recognizing the injustices bred by all other social systems and is an angry expression of seeking economic equality by any means.----------------------------------------------------------------

ISLAMIC MATERIAL AS BRIDGE TO BIBLICAL IDEAS

INTRODUCTION OF BIBLICAL EQUIVALENTS

ULTIMATE NEEDS MET IN CHRIST AND CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY----------------------------------------------------------------(Muslim Law)The desire to do everything right is good. It is based on an inadequate foundation in the life of Muhammad. Confessed his sin.

The Bible teaches that the Law is good, but no one can keep it. Its function is to lead us to cry out for mercy which is obtained through Christ.

Christ is the end of the Law. He is the fulfilment of all Law, and all righteousness is obtained through union with Him; Gal.3:23-25; Phil. 3:9.-----------------------------------------------------------------(The Ummah)The concept of "Ummah" or community of those who have submitted to God is a wonderful idea.

It is easy to "Christianize" this concept under a new name, "The Community of the King" or the "Kingdom of God".

Christ is the centre of the company of the redeemed. He is the focus of our worship and source of our being; Eph. 2:19-22.-----------------------------------------------------------------(Islamic Mysticism)The essential idea of union with God is valid, but the method is flawed because it is based on the idea of human perfectibility.

Point to union with Christ, the divine Son of God, as attainable through faith, not works; Christ is the key to our perfectibility by virtue of His own perfection.

Christ secures for us an eternal place in heaven in the presenceof God; Jn. 14:1-6; 17:20-23).----------------------------------------------------------------(Secularized Islam)The Quran warns believers against a turning away from God.

We are not to be conformed to the world but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind; Rom. 12:2.

All change should be in the direction of Christ who makes all things new; II Cor, 5:17; Rev. 21:5.-----------------------------------------------------------------(Folk Islam)


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The very practices observed testify to the reality of satanic power.

Show how Christ has overcome all the power of Satan; I Jn. 3:8.

Christ delivers us from all fear now: II Tim. 1:7; judges Satan: Rev. 20:10.-----------------------------------------------------------------(Muslim Com'st/Soc)The vision of an ideal society is good but the use of the non-ideal means works counter to the purpose of the concern.

This is the perfect time to teach about the Kingdom of God; the ethics of the Kingdom; Acts 2:42-47.

Christ appears in final judgement to end all forms of suffering and to personally usher in the new Heaven and the new Earth; Rev.21:1-4.-----------------------------------------------------------------THE USE OF FORM AND STRUCTURE

Christian workers have discovered that many Muslims are not resistant to the gospel as much as they are to the western communicator or western forms of worship. When they are given opportunities to worship in their mother tongue and culturally congenial forms, they do so. Since some of you will want to experiment in this area, a great deal of care should be taken as to what forms are used.

Listed below are three categories of forms:

* There are Islamic forms of practices that are totally unacceptable and unredeemable in Christina worship. Examples are listed below along with those in the other categories.

* There are Islamic forms and practices that lend themselves to Christian worship. One should take great care, if they are used, to make sure they are fully filled with Christian content.

Finally, there are those multitudes of cultural forms which are relatively neutral. They have to do with lifestyle and could be retained. (Some would maintain nothing is "neutral". This may be true, but no culture will be totally redeemed this side of the return of Christ).

The above listings are only some of the Islamic materi al that could be so handled. You may want to add to these columns as your knowledge of Islam grows.

One of the purposes of this section is to show you that we do not have to reject everything Islamic or Muslim. There is much that can serve as bridges to introducing biblical material. There is much that is praiseworthy and there is much that can be left alone.

Understanding the principles involved in this material can help you develop more effective approaches to your Muslim friends. Note carefully how valuable this becomes in the following case studies.

* * * * *

On the following pages are samples of some Muslim beliefs and what felt needs they attempt to meet. You may discover other ways of analyzing the needs of your friend or friends. Use the Bible as a case book for ideas and look for other Scripture passages that you could use for sharing your faith.

(See Form A in the On From Here ... section for a suggested format for compiling a profile of your Muslim friend.)* * * * * *


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CASE STUDIES: GROUP I

* ISLAMIC DIETARY CONSIDERATIONS

* MALE AND FEMALE ROLES

* DEVELOPING SENSITIVITY IN CROSS-CULTURAL EVANGELISM

CASE STUDY I

ISLAMIC DIETARY CONSIDERATIONS

This incident involves a Libyian student, who was a nominal Muslim when he arrived in England, but because of the treatment he received at the hands of his Christian landlady he contacted the local Islamic Centre and has since become a fervent Muslim. (This shows how, unwittingly, uninformed Christians can be used by Satan).

A. arrived in England with his father who received medical treatment in London. When the father returned to Libya A. decided to remain in England to learn English. He found himself a cheap language school that arranged for him to stay with a Christian landlady. The first problem arose when A. requested that he be given Hallal meat - the idea of eating non-Islamic meat repulsed him. Mrs W. the landlady at first took no notice, but A. continued asking and refused to eat any meat she served him. This led to friction and Mrs W. phoned the school and complained to the headmaster. One of the teachers who could speak Arabic discussed the whole matter with A. who volunteered to pay more money for Hallal meat and to buy it himself if necessary. When this information was relayed to Mrs W. she refused to be sympathetic and announced that A. must learn to adapt to British customs and culture.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:

1. What could have been done to avoid this disaster?

2. Should we give in to the "wrong" beliefs of the foreigner or should we expect or persuade foreigners to "adopt" our ways?

3. How would you go about rebuilding the relationship?

BRIEFING ON ISLAMIC DIETARY CONSIDERATIONS:

Islamic considerations:

Muslims take their Holy Book, the Quran, as well as their Traditions, very seriously. They are taught that the drinking of wine and eating of pork in any form is strictly forbidden. Humanly speaking, we can see that the stricture on pork came from awareness of Jewish dietary laws and the avoidance of alcohol because it was always associated with drunkenness and immorality.

Hallal meat is meat killed in accordance with Muslim law. Corresponding to Jewish Kosher meat.

For the devout Muslim, the Quran is treated as the literal Word of God. Hence, to break these laws is actually to blaspheme or deny God.

The Duty of the Hostess:

Mrs W. should have asked her Muslim guest if there were any dietary considerations. Having discovered that there were, she should have then discussed this with A, and come up with anacceptable menu.


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Following the principles of Scripture, "Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak ... Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will not eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall." (I Cor. 8:9,13)

The Rebuilding of Relationships:

One way to restore the relationship with A. is, after the initial apology, for Mrs W. to put herself in the position of a learner by asking A. to come back and teach her about his beliefs and practices.

It will take time to restore this relationship, but it is worth it. A. is lonely. He needs to be understood and approached. It may be necessary to listen a long time before he ever asks you

or is willing to listen to you explain what you believe. One must never be discouraged by initial mistakes, but always try to turn them into opportunities to strengthen a friendship for learning and building the bridge of understanding that will eventually support the witness to Christ.

* * * * *

CAST STUDY II.

MALE AND FEMALE ROLES

Ginger was an attractive student at UCLA. She was from a nominal church background. Like most American girls, she mixed freely with men, chatted in an animated way, smiled frequently, and occasionally would touch a male companion on the arm in the course of a conversation.

Ginger and Ali met in class. He was a Muslim from a high government family in Iran. Ginger and Ali were attracted to one another. Ginger noted immediately that Ali was different from most American men. He was more considerate, sensitive and gentle. Eventually he asked for a date. Their first evening together was pleasant for both of them. Other dates followed. The level of intimacy grew deeper. When Ali asked Ginger to marry him, she already felt so committed that she could not say no. Ali talked to Ginger about religion. He told about his belief in God, and Christ as a prophet, how the Quran taught about Jesus' birth by the Virgin Mary, and his miracles of healing and raising people from the dead. He also told her that Muslims believed in all the prophets and in the Holy Books.

Ginger's parents assented to their marriage. "After all," they said, "they both believe in the same God and in Jesus and the Holy Books, and that's enough."

Ginger and Ali were married and had their first child in the United States before they returned to his homeland. Upon arriving in Iran, Ginger's passport was taken away, and she was told that she was now the property of her husband. Shortly after, she was cruelly shocked when she learned that Muslims were allowed to have more than one wife. He could not understand why she was so upset. Ginger became more unhappy when she learned that Muslims did not really believe in the deity of Christ, or His crucifixion, or His ability to forgive people's sins.

Feeling culturally isolated and religiously betrayed, Ginger began to agitate for her return to the United States. Her husband was unwilling to leave Iran and said he would be happy to give here a certificate of divorce. However, she would leave the child behind in Iran. Ginger was trapped; in order to regain her passport she would have to forfeit her marriage and her child.

* * *

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:

1. What kind of questions should Ginger have asked Ali before marrying him?


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2. How would you have counselled Ginger during her courtship?

BRIEFING ON MALE AND FEMALE ROLES AND THEOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES:

Ginger's heart-rending experience possibly could have been avoided if she had been willing to ask questions and ponder consequences of what she had learned.

As a product of western society's cultural pattern of "love marriage", Ginger first needed to probe the patterns in Ali's culture. If she had, she would have learned that:

1) most Muslim families usually arrange the marriages of their children within the family in order to perpetuate the family name and preserve the family wealth. Many families arrange the marriage of their sons before they go abroad in order not to destabilize these ancient patterns.

2) the Quran, which acts as the foundations of Muslim law, states that a man may marry up to four wives and that the Muslim male may marry a Christian female but not vice versa.

3) Islam, although giving a high place to Jesus, differs in crucial essentials. Ginger and her parents were inexcusably naive about the teachings of Islam as well as the distinctives of their own faith.

On the positive side, the Quran (their holy book) does teach that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, that he was called the Messiah, the "Word of God" and a "Spirit of God". It also mentions that he gave sight to the blind, cured lepers and raised the dead. One passage refers to Him as the all-righteous one, the one nearest to God.

But on the other side, the Quran teaches that Jesus was only a prophet; that He was not the Son of God. Although it says He was put on the cross, the Jews did not crucify Him. They understand that God put another in His place, possibly Judas Iscariot, and that He was taken alive to heaven without ever dying. The Quran also has passages indicating that no one may die for another; in other words, there is no substitutionary death of Christ on the cross for the sins of the whole worlds. It has no sure foundation for teaching the forgiveness of sins, other than God'sarbitrary decision or the possibility of earning Paradise through "good works".

* * * * *

CASE STUDY III

DEVELOPING SENSITIVITY IN CROSS-CULTURAL EVANGELISM

Jane Barnes was a housewife living in a large city. She and her husband were concerned Christians with a desire to see others come to Christ. Recently they had learned that there were 10,000 Lebanese Muslims living in their area. They began to pray that God would show them how to befriend them.

One day in the local supermarket, Jane noticed a Middle Eastern mother who was having trouble talking to the cashier. She was also struggling with her two young children. Jane offered to help. Jane held one of the children and helped the cashier and Fatima understand one another. After explaining to Fatima that she was interested in learning about her country, Fatima invited her home and gave her Lebanese coffee. Jane and Fatima became good friends.

Later Jane and Bob invited Fatima and Aziz over for a meal. Then they began to entertain one another over a period of months. During these exchanges, Bob and Jane learned much about Lebanese Muslim culture and they helped their new friends learn how to cope with American ways. The Barnes gradually began to pick up some of the Lebanese customs. This seemed to


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make the Tawhids even more friendly. This encouraged them to buy a couple of books; one on the social customs of Arabs in Lebanon and another on Islam, the religion of the Tawhids.

Bob and Jane were good learners. From their conversations with the Tawhids, they learned that Islam did not totally satisfy them and that there were deep unmet needs in their relation to God. At the appropriate times, Bob and Jane gently shared how Jesus had met their needs. This led to very serious questions by the Tawhids about Christ.

But Bob and Jane did not know how to handle certain theological questions about the Trinity, about the Sonship of Christ, and the discrepancies between the Bible and the Muslim Holy Book, the Quran. They wrote to the Fellowship of Faith for Muslims and ordered several books that suggested ways for handling these questions. Meanwhile Jane had interested Fatima in reading the Bible with her. Because the Tawhids had trouble with English, the Barnes gave them Arabic Bibles. In a very short time Fatima recognized her need for Christ and became a believer.

In order to better understand where Aziz was coming from, Bob felt led to enrol in a correspondence course from the Zwemer Institute helping him understand what Islam was and what the Quran taught. This helped Bob immeasurably. Gradually Bob learned how to resolve Aziz' questions and to prepare the way for him to accept the biblical message as valid. Aziz usually read the Bible for himself and then would bring his questions to Bob.

Bob had the pleasure of praying with Aziz when he received Christ in faith.

Aziz then encouraged Bob to share Christ with some of his friends, but Bob insisted that Aziz learn how to do this himself.

Bob noticed how much more easily the new Lebanese immigrants could follow Aziz as he shared his faith with them in Arabic. Soon Bob and Aziz had a small Bible study group in Arabic. Out of keen interest Bob decided to study Arabic in order to be able to communicate with his new friends in their own language.

Meanwhile Jane and Fatima had a large group of Lebanese Muslim women involved with Bible study. Jane also felt led to learn Arabic in order to be able to explain things to the mothers who could not handle English. Soon, they were holding special classes for children.

* * * * * *

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION;

1. What were the factors that worked together to make the ministry of Jane and Bob possible with their Lebanese friends?

2. What were the steps that seemed to make the Tawhids receptive to the friendship and later on the witness of the Barnes?

3. To what extra lengths did the Barnes go in order to help the Tawhids see that Christ was the answer to their unmet needs?

4. Why did Bob and Jane not start a couples' Bible study group? What was the rationale behind that?

5. What was the reason that Bob did not try to win the other Lebanese Muslims to Christ himself?

6. Do you think it was necessary for either Bob or Jane to learn Arabic?

7. What kind of church, if any, should these friends be invited to? What really would be best for them?


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BRIEFING FOR DEVELOPING SENSITIVITY IN CROSS-CULTURAL EVANGELISM:

The three ingredients that made it all happen in the first place seemed to be: 1) The desire to see others come to Christ,

2) Commitment to praying about Lebanese Muslims being won to Christ, and 3) The attitude that impelled Jane to help a Lebanese woman.

The Barnes seemed appreciative of the Tawhid's culture. They asked questions. They wanted to learn. They accepted and practised hospitality. They began to do some things the Lebanese way. They augmented their personal knowledge with supplementary reading about the customs and the religion of their friends.

Bob and Jane did not get caught twice with the same question. They found out where to go for help and then made the extra sacrifice in time and energy to prepare explanations for the Tawhids.

As Bob and Jane worked with these two Muslim friends and learned more about their culture, they came to realise that Muslims have a different concept of male and female roles. Men and women in Islam do not normally worship together. There were always separate arrangements for men and women. Bob and Jane honoured this pattern as they worked with Aziz and Fatima.

Bob had the idea that it would be far better for Aziz to learn how to win others in his own mother tongue than to always have to grope through broken English. Bob also believed in the concept in II Timothy 2:2 that we can help the gospel grow fastest if we teach others how to win some who in turn will win still others.

It was not necessary for Bob and Jane to learn Arabic. But the fact that they did increased their effectiveness tremendously. They were able to handle the Scriptures better, understand questions more clearly, and explain their own answers more accurately.

Eventually Bob and Jane would want to think about the whole question of what the Tawhids would want to do about identifying with the larger body of Christians. With this new couple in the process of change, the options should probably be left up to them. The could choose to integrate completely with a local church; they could go occasionally and continue their own Bible studies in Arabic; they could seek or form an Arabic speaking congregation with others from the same ethnic background; or they could work out some combination of the above (see On From Here... section).

ON FROM HERE...

* PLANNING - A STATEMENT OF FAITH.

* POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN PLANNING.

FORM A: PROFILE OF MY MUSLIM FRIEND

PLANNING - A STATEMENT OF FAITH

Before you leave this seminar and re-enter your daily routine of activities and obligations, it is important to take a few minutes to think through some of the implications of the new awareness of Muslim peoples you have gained and what the Lord has been placing upon your heart concerning your part in reaching Muslims for Christ. A "harvest" mentality is infinitely better than a defeatist attitude.

But why should we take time to plan? The following are a few of the important ways planning can help you be more effective in your ministry.


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1. Planning helps to broaden your vision.

We can be so concerned about the details of the present that we can quickly lose perspective of the broader context in which we live. There were endless numbers of people for Christ to heal, feed and raise from the dead. Yet, He never lost perspective of the larger picture. Often, Christ removed Himself from the crowds to go away and pray and to think about all that was taking place in the onrush of events. He compelled His disciples to look beyond their own concerns to see the fields already white for harvest" (Jn. 4:35) and commissioned them to go and make disciples of all the nations" (Mt. 28:19). Paul, the great missionary strategist, was concerned with the gospel reaching to the outer perimeters of the then known world. He had made plans to go on to unevangelized Spain well before he had even arrived at the church in Rome itself (Rom. 15:24,28)!

We too need to take time to look at the broad picture today and set plans for tomorrow.

2. Planning helps to discover and link into God's plans.

In Jer. 33:3, we learn that God has asked us to call to Him for He will tell us "great and hidden things which you have not known". Prayer is an essential part of planning which makes us sensitive to the heart of God and to His activity in our midst. "I know the plans I have for you,' plans to give you a hope and a future'" (Jer. 29:11).

It is imperative to have the mind of the Lord as we plan; otherwise our plans can often be very limited, dull and even disastrous. In Acts 5:38 we read, "... if this plan is the undertaking of men, it will fail" and "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established" (Prov. 19:21). Planning according to His purposes can help us avoid some of the mistakes that might lie ahead, as well as give us a special sense of timing for the implementation of our plans.

To be linked up with God's plan is to participate in the work of the Creator of the Universe and the Saviour of the World.

To set plans from God's perspective is to claim His promises, and in our case, to claim His promises for Muslim peoples. In Rev.5:9 we see the vision of the Kingdom at the end of history when Christ has "ransomed men for God, every tribe and tongue and people and nation". The main goal or outcome of our ministry should be claiming His promises. Nothing happens when we are not expecting anything to happen. But with God, nothing is impossible with Him (Lk. 1:37).

3. Planning also helps the practice of good stewardship.

Part of the planning process is to take stock of who we are, our gifts and skills, the potential of others, the physical resources we have and what we still need. How we make use of our resources and how we obtain the resources we need for reaching our goals is the practice of stewardship.

The book of Nehemiah is filled with many principles of good stewardship. Nehemiah prayed first, claiming the promises of the Lord to Moses concerning His people. When he received the permission of the King, a time was set, letters drafted and quantities of materials ordered for rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. Before Nehemiah set to work, he first made a survey of the extent of the damage, assessing what needed to be done. Then, we see his awareness and careful employment of his people, his consideration for their individual strengths, family ties and skills. He ministered to their discouragement and worked to resolve conflict within and without. After the physical restoration was completed, he established the Law of the Lord at the heart of the people which brought continual conviction, confession, cleansing and renewal of commitment.

As we seek to make disciples of Christ from every Muslim people group - restoring them to God through Christ - we are participating in the building of the New Jerusalem. The wise stewardship


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displayed by Nehemiah provides us with a detailed model for each of us as we work out our parts.

* * *

POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN PLANNING

Whether you are just beginning or have already begun an outreach to Muslims, there are some key things to keep in mind when developing and strengthening your outreach.

1. Points of contact.

It is possible to meet and befriend Muslims in a variety of contexts. These points of contact influence how you relate and are involved with your Muslim friends. You may find that you will need to develop a number of different approaches for reaching your different friends.

- a church member meeting Muslim immigrant families or Muslim international students in the local neighbourhood.

- a host friend or family meeting Muslim international students at a nearby college or university.

- a student with Muslim roommates, classmates, or just fellow students.

- a local church pastor or elder meeting Muslims during hospital or community visitation.

- a Christian businessperson meeting Muslims on the job.

- a teacher with Muslim students in class.

- other:

2. Develop a specific approach for reaching each kind of Muslim/Muslim group.

In forming your approach, remember the things we have discussed:

a. Your role as an incarnational witness.

b. Prayer, biblical foundation and the promises of God.

c. A knowledge of Islam.

d. A profile of your Muslim friend(s): (See Form A in this section)

- cultural background

- religious identification

- worldview

- felt needs

- possible bridges for sharing Christ

- openness to change

e. Forms of incorporation of new believers.


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You may find that you are relating to a lot of different kinds of Muslims through your many points of contact with them. You will not be able to have a significant ministry to all of them as an individual. If you are working alone, choose one cultural group of Muslims to work with. If you're working in some kind of group ministry, have the group focus on one ethnic group or have the different members each choose a separate group. Culture is sufficiently complex and the task of relating the gospel within a culture, that if you really want to become familiar within a culture, that if you really want to become familiar with a particular people, it is good stewardship of your time and energy to focus only on one.

3. Discipleship.

The development of your discipleship skills outside the objectives of this seminar. It is assumed that in your local church or para-church programme that you have access to training in such areas. If you don't, we recommend the book 'The Lost Art of Disciple Making' by Leroy Eims, a Navpress publication available through The Navigators, 86b Coombe Rd, New Malden, Surrey KT3 4RB or the excellent Navigators discipleship training program called, The 2:7 Series.

4. Keep a Diary.

Keeping a diary on a regular basis of your growing friendships with Muslims is an excellent discipline for planning, documenting and evaluating your ministry. A diary should contain:

a. Your expectations about an upcoming get-together with a particular Muslim friend(s).

b. Specific goals for the occasion.

c. An account of what happened.

d. An evaluation of the get-together against the goals set.

e. What needs to happen between now and the next get-together.

f. Specific items for prayer.

g. Your thoughts about what should happen at the next get-together. Right after you have been with your Muslim friend, it is good to think through what you would like to see happen the next time you are with him or her. This should include what you would like to avoid too.

Keeping a diary helps you to work through problem areas and think through solutions, note what has worked and what has not, and avoid some mistakes and possible duplication next time around. It also helps you make mid-course corrections along the way. Sharing your experiences with others will also help fellow Christians involved in reaching Muslims for Christ from your efforts.

5. The larger dimension.

In all your planning, it is critical to remember that there is a spiritual realm which is very operative. We are participating in a spiritual battle over the destiny of human lives, and we should neither be surprised at meeting opposition from the Evil One, nor fail to constantly look to God, as did Christ, for guidance and power as we continue to reach Muslims for Christ.

In the end, this is the Lord's work and He is in charge. Remain sensitive to His leading - open on the Godward side. Go ahead and plan as best as you can. Try to meet regularly with a friend to pray for your work. He will anoint your steps of faith. Even more, be prepared for surprises for the Lord delights to do the unusual. The praise and glory are His.

6. Stay in touch!


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World in Need is here to help you. Please call or write at any time to ask questions and request personal counsel. We are in contact with many people who specialize in the area of Muslim evangelism. We are glad to suggest further materials for study which will help guide you in more in-depth research as well as provide you with year-round training programmes. We want to stay in touch - and learn from you too!

WORLD IN NEEDP.O. BOX 256TUNBRIDGE WELLSKENTTN2 9SZTEL: 01892-669834FAX: 669894

* * * * * * RESOURCES

The following three sections provide suggested resources for further reading or use on: 1) Various aspects of Islam, 2) Your development as a cross-cultural worker with Muslims, and 3) Materials for use with your Muslim friends.

ISLAMICS

Muhammad:

Andrae, Tor1956 Mohammed, the Man and His Faith, Translated from the German. London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd. A serious but very readable study based on what knowledge and immense research which avoids extremes in interpreting the life of Muhammad.

Watt, W. Montgomery1961 Muhammad-Prophet and Statesman. London: Oxford University Press. A series of detailed, classical studies by an outstanding scholar.

* * *

THE HOLY BOOK OF ISLAM-THE QURAN

Ali, Abdullah Yusuf1938 The Meaning of the Glorious Quran. Vol. I - II, Dar Al-Kitab Al-Masri, Egypt. Arabic text and English translations of the Quran with extensive commentary.

Arberry, Arthur J.1964 The Koran Interpreted. New York: Macmillan. A scholarly attempt to convey to the English reader something of the spirit and tone of the Quran in Arabic. It is said to be "the most poetic of the English translations" - and one of the best.

Cragg, Kenneth1971 The Event of the Qur'an. Islam in its Scripture. London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd. A modern Christian attempt to sympathetically, yet critically, assess the meaning and significance of the Quran as an "event" - not simply a document - fusing Muhammad's personal charisma, poetic eloquence, Arab consciousness and vibrant theism into the Scripture of Islam.

Hamidullah, Muhammad


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1969 Introduction to Islam. Paris: Center Islamique. A thorough description of Muslim practices written by a Muslim scholar.

Jomier, Jacques1964 The Bible and the Koran. New York: Desclee Co. A brief comparison between the Bible and the Quran. Written by a member of the Dominican Order and translated from the French.

Maududi, S. Abul A'la1976 The meaning of the Quran. Vol. I - VIII. Lahore, Pakistan: Pan Islamic Publishers, 13-E, Shahalam Market. A commentary on the Quran written by a leading Pakistani reformer and scholar.

Parrinder, Geoffrey1965 Jesus in the Qur'an. London: Faber abd Faber. A book intended for both Christians and Muslims. The author systematically collects quranic teachings about Jesus and His associates and discusses them in the light of parallels in the Bible.

Watt, W. Montgomery1967 Companion to the Qur'an. London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd. Notes on the quranic text giving helpful background information and explaining allusions which western readers might not understand. Based on Arberry's translation but can be used with any translation. Contains a useful index of proper names in the Quran.

* * *

MUSLIM BELIEFS AND PRACTICES:

Cragg, Kenneth1969 House of Islam. Dickenson, California. Wonderful exposition by England's leading Islamicist on the five articles of Muslim belief.

Fellowship of Faith for Muslimsn.d. "Focus on Islam" booklets. York, England. A series of inexpensive, informative booklets which may be useful in introducing laypeople to the nature and challenges of Islam. Titles include: "The Muslim Challenge to the Christian Church", "Islam: What is It?", "The Five Pillars of Islam", "The Ahmadiyya Movement", "The Life of Muslim Women", "From Islam to Christ - How a Sufi Found his Lord", and "The Quran Says...".

Fry, C. George and James R. King1980 Islam. A Survey of the Muslim Faith. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House. A presentation of the strengths of the Islamic faith with the assumption that no successful Christian approach can be developed without such a perspective.

Nicholson, Reynold A.1970 The Mystics of Islam. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul. A broad outline of Sufism. The religious philosophy of Islam and some principles, methods and characteristic features of the inner life as lived by Muslims from the 8th century onward.

Rahman, Fazlur1979 Islam. Second Edition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. A descriptive and interpretive explanation of Islam and of the general history of ideas in the Muslim world by a key Muslim spokesman.

von Grunebaum, G. E.1951 Muhammadan Festivals. New York: Henry Schuman. The story of the main Muhammadan festivals from their origins to the present day.


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* * * * * *

THE SPREAD OF ISLAM

Bell, Richard1968 The Origin of Islam in its Christian Environment. London: Frank Cass Co., Ltd. A reprint of earlier lectures showing how Islam was shaped from the beginning by both contact with and misunderstanding of the Christian faith.

Boer, Harry1969 A Brief History of Islam - A Christian Interpretation. Ibadan, Nigeria: Daystar Press. A concise history of Islam written especially for Christian readers by the principal of a theological college in Africa. Special attention is given to Muslim penetration and expansion in West Africa.

Brockelman, Carl1973 History of the Islamic Peoples. New York: Capricorn Books. A revised edition of a classic one-volume history in English of all the Islamic states and peoples. Reviews, events, country by country. Complete with bibliography, index, maps, etc.

Roolvink, R.1957 Historical Atlas of the Muslim Peoples. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Excellent coloured maps depicting the extent of Islamic presence and influence during various periods of history.

* * * * * *

THE DEVELOPMENT OF ISLAMIC CULTURES:Beck, Lois and Nikki Keddi, editors 1978 Women in the Muslim World. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Contains 33 original essays written by experts who have lived and studied in main parts of the Muslim world covering historical and contemporary roles of Muslim women in nomadic, rural and urban Islamic societies and the influence of ideology, religion and ritual upon their lives.

Fernea, Elizabeth Warnock and Basima Qattan Bezirgan 1978 Middle Eastern Muslim Women Speak. Austin: University of Texas Press. Collection of autobiographical and biographical writings by and about Middle Eastern women representative of a wide range of occupations, perspectives and socio-economic status as well as views on major issues concerning women in the contemporary Muslim world.

Geertz, Clifford1968 Islam Observed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Comparative study on Islamic religions development in Morocco and Indonesia, with observations on the social role of religion.

Hoag, John D.1977 Islamic Architecture. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. Basic text on history and development of Islamic architectural forms.

Levy, Reuben1957 The Social Structure of Islam. London: Cambridge University Press. A sociological study of the effects which the religious system of Islam has on Muslim communities, noting the common features of their social structure with respect to social classes, the status of women and children, morality, law, etc.

Mernissi, Fatima1975 Beyond the Veil. Schenkman Pub. Comp., Mass. A detailed analysis of female/male dynamics in a modern Muslim Society, invaluable insights.

Patai, Raphael


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1976 The Arab Mind. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. Study of the Arab society, its traditions and way of life and its effects on contemporary Middle Eastern problems.

Rice, David Talbot1975 Islamic Art. New York: Oxford University Press. History of Islamic art from early Islam to the later Safavid Age. A basic text for anyone interested in the Muslim world.

Safadi, Yasin Hamid1979 Islamic Calligraphy. Boulder: Shambhala Publications, Inc. Over 200 illustrations of calligraphy from its origins in pre-Islamic times, through to the innovations of the present century.

Savory, R.M., editor1976 Introduction to Islamic Civilization. London: Cambridge University Press. A profusely illustrated study of Islamic art, literature, science, etc., with special references to the modern Muslim world.

Weekes, Richard V.1978 Muslim Peoples; A World Ethnographic Survey. Connecticut: Greenwood Press. Classification of Islamic cultures by country and ethnic grouping with detailed description and bibliography on close to 100 Muslim ethnic groups.

* * * * * *

PRESENT DAY TENSIONS IN ISLAM:

Cragg, Kenneth1965 Counsels in Contemporary Islam. (Islamic Surveys Series,No. 3) Edinburgh University Press. A survey of the main currents of Islamic reaction to the modern world in the Arab East, Turkey, Pakistan and India.

McNeil, W. H. and Waldman, M. R., editors1973 The Islamic World. Oxford University Press. A comprehensive and penetrating study complete with documentation.

Morgan, Kenneth W., editor1958 Islam - The Straight Path, Islam interpreted by Muslims. New York: The Ronald Press. A vivid and authentic description and interpretation of Islam for western readers by eleven competent Muslim scholars who represent each of the major Islamic areas from Egypt, Turkey and Iran to Pakistan, Indonesia and China.

Smith, Wilfrd Cantwell1957 Islam in Modern History. Princetown University Press. A basically sympathetic, yet keenly critical, view beneath the surface of events, providing perceptive insight into the tension between faith and history in the Muslim world.

Pullapilly, Cyriac (editor)1980 Islam in the Contemporary World. Cross Roads Books. A collection of extremely good essays on Islam today.

* * * * * * * *FOR THE CHRISTIAN WORKER

BOOKS:

Abdul-Haqq, Abdiyah Akbar1980 Sharing Your Faith with a Muslim. Minneapolis: Bethany Fellowship, Inc. The person of Christ, the key biblical concepts of sin, salvation and the nature of God beautifully articulated from the point of view of communicating them to a Muslim inquirer.


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Bethmann, Eric W.1953 Bridge to Islam, a Study of the Religious Forces of Islam and Christianity in the Near East. London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd. An attempt to build a bridge of understanding and communication between the two religions. Valuable especially for the concluding chapter, "The Bridge and Its Builders".

Brown, David"Christianity and Islam" series. London: S.P.C.K. A series of books written by a former missionary with Muslim readers in mind, attempting to explain to them God's revelation of Himself through the Messiah and the Scriptures. The fifth and final volume by another author. 1) "Jesus and God in the Christian Scriptures", 1967; 2) "The Christian Scriptures", 1968; 3) "The Cross of the Messiah", 1969; 4) "The Divine Trinity", 1969; 5) "The Church and the Churches", by Gordon Huelin, 1970.

Christensen, Jens1977 The Practical Approach to Muslims. North Africa Mission. A timely reprint of a stimulating study course first published serially in Pakistan by a Lutheran bishop who spent a lifetime working among Muslim Pathans on the Northwest Frontier. Bishop Christensen was an original thinker who held that the basic problem in the mission to Islam is theological and he calls for an honest rethinking of our approach to Islam which is both radical and practical.

Cragg, Kenneth1964 The Call of the Minaret. London: Oxford University Press. The first and perhaps best of Dr. Cragg's many books. A penetrating and stimulating interpretation of Islam based on the phrases of the call to prayer as given five times a day by the muezzin. He first analyses what the call to prayer means to the Muslim, historically and doctrinally. Then he finds in it, for the Christian, a call to understanding, to service, to retrieval, to interpretation and to patience.

Dayton, Edward, Peter Wagner and Don McCurry1980 Unreached Peoples '80. Elgin: David C. Cook Publishing Co. Includes case studies on evangelistic approaches being done among 5 Muslim groups and 75 profiles on unreached Muslim groups worldwide and a listing of others.

Dretke, James P.1979 A Christian Approach to Muslims. Reflections from West Africa. Pasadena: William Carey Library. Basic questions and answers common to Muslim/Christian interaction on many different aspects of faith presented in a conversational format between author and West African Muslims.

Elder, John1974 Biblical Approach to the Muslims. Fort Washington: Worldwide Evangelization Crusade. Brief coverage of history of Islam followed by analysis of Islam and Christianity as basis of an apologetic approach. Each chapter is followed by questions for review.

Fellowship of Faith for Muslims1976 Your Muslim Guest, A Practical Guide in Friendship and Witness for Christians Who Meet Muslims in North America. Toronto: Fellowship of Faith for Muslims. The purpose of this 15-page booklet is clear from the sub-title. It is especially helpful for people meeting and entertaining Muslim guests for the first time.

Friends of TurkeyA Witness Handbook for Persons Living or Working Among Turks. Available from: Friends of Turkey, 277 Oak., Grand Junction, CO 81503. An excellent beginning in helping you become equipped for working with Turkish people. Presents some cultural cues and pointers in sharing the Christian faith.

Goldsmith, Martin


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1982 Islam and Christian Witness. Hodder & Stoughton, London. One of the best books to start with for an understanding of Islam and being an effective witness.

Kershaw, R. Max1978 How to Share the Good News with Your Muslim Friend. Colorado Springs: International Students, Inc. Brief introduction to the basics about what a Muslim believes, and provides a few suggestions on how to share one's faith with a Muslim friend.

Lenning, Larry G.1980 Blessing in Mosque and Mission. Pasadena: William Carey Library. A well-researched effort aimed at building constructive bridges to African Muslims through the dynamic concept of blessing. It includes extensive documentation of Islamic and biblical material which presents the Christian worker with numerous avenues for meeting Muslims with the gospel.

Marsh, Charles R.1975 Share Your Faith with a Muslim. Chicago: Moody Press. A practical little book by a veteran missionary in North America on "do's and don'ts" of working with Muslim men and women. Shows great insight into issues between muslims and Christians.

Massey, Kundan1980 Tide of the Supernatural: A Call to love for the Muslim World. San Bernardino: Here's Life Publishers, Inc. The story of the development of the ministry of Middle East Leadership of Campus Crusade for Christ to Muslims in the Middle East told with the same warmth and love which is the hallmark of its ministry.

McCurry, Don M., editor1978 The Gospel and Islam: a 1978 Compendium. Monrovia: Missions Advanced Research and Communication Centre. Forty study papers and conference report present the key issues being faced in Muslim evangelism today and an overview of the extent of Islam worldwide; and also current thinking on new approaches in Muslim evangelism. A key text for Christian workers.

Nehls, Gerhard1980 Christians Ask Muslims. Christians Answer Muslims. Life Challenge, South Africa. Two excellent books on basic information.

Parshall, Philip1980 New Paths in Muslim Evangelism. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House. This book deals with the efforts to disciple Muslims of Bangladesh who have come to Christ and who are designing their own form and structure of fellowships from the Bible alone in a Muslim context.

Register, Ray G.1979 Dialogue and Interfaith Witness with Muslims. Kingsport: Moody Inc. Presents history of Muslim/Christian dialogue along with guidelines including questions and statements encountered in the dialogical approach with Muslims. Dr. Register's work among Muslims on the west coast of the United States is also recounted.

Samuel Zwemer Institute1981 Handbook for Christians Working with Iranians in North America. Available from the Samuel Zwemer Institute, Box 365, Altadena, CA 91001. An excellent introduction to working with Iranians. Covers key cultural aspects that are important in working and identifying with the needs of Iranians in North America. Also includes materials that will help in sharing one's faith with Iranian friends.

Spencer, H.


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1967 Islam and the Gospel of God. Delhi: S.P.C.K. A Comparison of the central doctrines of Christianity and Islam prepared as a useful tool for Christian workers, translators and writers among Muslims. Recently reprinted because of renewed demand.

Vander Werff, Lyle L.1977 Christian Mission to Muslims. The Record, Anglican and Reformed Approaches in India and the Near East, 1800-1938. Pasadena: William Carey Library. A doctrinal study analyzing lessons learned in the mission to Muslims from the time of Henry Martyn to Samuel Zwemer.

Wilson, J. ChristyToday's Tentmakers. Self-support: An alternative model for worldwide witness. Wheaton, Il: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. A handbook for prospective tentmakers including information on foreign travel and employment, support organisations, language training, moving, cultural adjustment and politics. Excellent bibliography and list of organisations with addresses on all aspects of tentmaking.

* * * * * * * *

FILMS:

Islam: Unlocking the Door.1981 Produced by World Vision International. Directed by James Greenelsh. 35 minutes, 16mm. A documentary and highlighting issues and attitudes germane to understanding Islam and developing more sensitive approaches to Muslim peoples.

* * * * * *FOR MUSLIMS

BOOKS:Accad, Fuad E.197- Have You Ever Read the Seven Muslim/Christian Principles. Second edition. Colorado Springs: Navigators. A contextualized version of the "Four Spiritual Laws" for Muslims using references from the Bible and the Quran in a comparative text format.

Clark, Dennis E.1977 The Life and Teaching of Jesus the Messiah (Sirat-ul-Masih, Isa, Ibn Maryam). Elgin: Dove Publications. A carefully prepared life of Christ based on the text of the Gospels, written with Muslim readers in mind, by one with much experience in living and working among them. In addition to English, it is available in Arabic and several other languages of the Muslim world.

Fellowship of Isa1980 Isa (Jesus Christ) in the Quran and the Bible. Minneapolis: Fellowship of Isa. Short pamphlet outlining: 1) Quranic references about Christ's second coming, 2) listing of comparative references from the Quran and Injil (Bible) about Christ and 3) a brief summary of the gospel message for salvation.

Finlay, M.H.1968 Face the Facts, Questions and Answers Concerning the Christian Faith. Bombay: Gospel Literature Service. Originally written in Singapore, this little manual is just what the sub-title implies. It specifically replies to common Muslim questions about the Bible, the person of Christ and the Trinity.

Hannah, Mark1975 The True Path. Seven Muslims Make Their Greatest Discovery. Colorado Springs: The International Doorways Publications. Testimonies by representative Muslims who have


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discovered Christ in a personal way. The book concludes with an extensive glossary of Christian terms and appendices presenting additional information about the Bible.

Miller, William M.1972 Beliefs and Practices of Christians, (A Letter to a Friend). Lahore, Pakistan: Mashihi Isha'at Khana. An excellent brief guide to Christian beliefs, well written for Muslims in terms and categories which they understand.

1969 Ten Muslims Meet Christ. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. Classic stories of the grace of God in operation in the lives of ten Muslims who became believers in Christ.

Rhoton, Dale and Elaine1972 Can We Know? Fort Wshington, PA: Christian Literature Crusade. An examination of the basis for religious knowledge and Christian commitment. Without any reference to Islam or the author's years of experience in the Muslim world, the book is clearly written with the hope that Muslims - as well as others - will make the discovery of life in Christ.

Sheikh. Madame Bilquis

1978 I Dared to Call Him Father. Waco, TX: Chosen Books Publishing Co., Ltd. The amazing story of a Pakistani woman of noble birth who underwent a dramatic conversion to Christ.

Wootton, R.W.F.1982 Jesus More than a Prophet. I.V.P. London. 15 Muslims tell how they came to Christ as Saviour.

* * * * *

ORGANIZATIONS FOR MORE INFORMATION AND MATERIALS

The following is a list of some organizations in Europe where Christian literature for Muslims and cassettes in muslim languages can be obtained. This list is not comprehensive by any means and we would welcome additions to the list. Following each address are indicated the different languages in which materials are available from the organization or individual.

Abbreviations used:

cass . = cassettes Ar. = Arabicpor = Scripture portions Kur. = KurdishOT. = Old Testament Per. = PersianNT. = New Testament Pus. = Pushtu (Afghan)tr. = tracts Dar. = Dari (Afghan)bk. = books Tur. = Turkish Ur. = Urdu

No FrontiersPO Box 7,Battle,East Sussex.TN33 OUXTEL:01424 772814FAX: 775416


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Scriptures in all languages.Carmel MissionP.O. 10187000 Stuttgart 1Germanybk.tr.cass.stickers, Ar.

Fellowship of Faith for MuslimsP.O. Box 58WakefieldW.YorksWF2 9YDEngland

Offers a prayer diary for the Muslim world. Also runs a yearly conference and local days of prayer for the Muslim world. Books about Islam are available.

STL9 London RoadBromleyKent

Stocks of books about Islam. Some Scriptures available in Islamic languages.

Friends of Turkey116 Perry ValeForest HillLondon

A mailing ministry to Turkey

Gospel Recordings Unit 20Morelands Trading EstateBristol RoadGlosGL1 5RZCass. Records. all languages

Audio Visuals:Islam Unlocking the door

Produced by World Vision International. Buy direct or for rent from WEC. 35 minutes, 16mm. A documentary highlighting issues and attitudes germane to understanding Islam and developing a more sensitive approach to Muslim peoples.

Manara TrustDoug Howell92 Old Forge RoadLayer de la HayeColchesterBooks in Arabic

Scripture Gift Mission


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Radstock HouseEccleston StreetLondonSW1por tr. Ar.Kur. Per. Pus. Dar. Tur. Ur. etc.

Training ProgrammesWorld in NeedP.O. Box 256Tunbridge WellsKentTN2 9SZTel: 01892-669834Fax: 669894

Seminars are offered to churches and groups over a nine hour period of teaching.

IN contactSt Andrew's RoadPlaistowLondon

A training institute, called the Henry Martyn Institute, offers courses during a one month period on slam and training in practical outreach using door to door visitation methods.

Arab World Teamc/o Operation Mobilisation142 Dantzic StreetManchesterM4

A one year team witnessing programme supplemented with lectures and books and video.

All Nations Christian CollegeEasneyeWareHerts

A two week training course on Islam

Missions involved with Muslim evangelism in Europe.

Operation Mobilisation63 Fabriekstraat1930 ZaventemBrusselsBelgium

Arab World ministries2 Radmoor StreetLoughboroughLeicester

In ContactSt Andrew's RoadPlaistowLondonTeam outreach to immigrants in London


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IFES/UCCF38 De Montfort StreetLeicester LE1 7GPStudent work in Britain


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Documents

M U S L I M A W A R E N E S S - mcssonlinemcssonline.org/missiontheology/muslimawareness.pdf · M U S L I M A W A R E N E S S S E M I N A R WORLD IN NEED Philippines 600 Naguilian