Prague, Czech Republic
March 2002
Declare God’s glory among
the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples. (Chronicles
16:24)
As believers we are under
mandate to express our faith to all peoples. We can do this best when we have
an enlightened understanding of the peoples around us with whom we work and
live. This three-part lecture series is meant to be a brief introduction to the
religion of Islam including a history and understanding of Islamic society.
"Muslims would say
that in one sense Islam is the oldest of the major religions. It was the
religion of Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and Jesus, because they all submitted
to God’s will rather than their own. In a more particular sense, they would say
Islam began with Muhammad in the seventh century A.D. Therefore it is the
youngest of the major religions." Don Tingle, Handbook on Islam,
Published by the Author for Christians serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Introduction: Please realize
that not all Muslims are alike any more than all Christians are alike. Islamic
society differs from country to country and person to person. In this lesson we
want to look at some things which seem to be characteristic of the majority of
Muslims with whom we have come in contact.
Don Tingle writes,
"Although the following list is incomplete and terribly simplistic,
perhaps it will help you understand some differences within the Islamic
community.
1. Secular Muslims
make religion more of a private matter. The state would protect the right to
practice religion, but religion would not dominate affairs of state. Those who
stress nationalism above pan-Islamic unity are often secularists.
2. Nominal Muslims claim
Islam as their ethnic or national heritage, but they know little about it and
do not observe most of the religious duties.
3. Traditionalists focus
on the way things have been taught in their particular legal school for the
past thousand years. Change is viewed with suspicion.
4. Modernists choose
to look at the old faith from new perspectives (without abandoning the basic
principles of the faith), because today’s Muslims face questions and challenges
that were not addressed in the beginning of Islam.
5. Revivalists attempt
to restore the original, pure form of Islam as taught by Muhammad and his
companions. They want to remove the centuries of layers of Islamic thought and
practice preserved by the traditionalists and recover the vitality of Islam as
it was experienced in the beginning.
6. Mystics move beyond
the literal meaning of passages in the Qur’an and choose to find deeper
spiritual meanings in the text. They seek union with the Divine. Sufis
are mystics, though not all mystics are Sufis.
I. Three Important Muslim
World-View Concepts
2. The individual is not as important as the family. The
nuclear family is not
as important as the extended family. The
extended family is not as
important as Umma.
3. Consider
these factors, and others, which reinforce the idea of community:
The Quran is memorized and recited in
Arabic universally; the community
meets together (especially on Friday) to
pray in the Mosque; Ramadan is a
world-wide fast; the Hajj brings together
people of various races and
nationalities who all dress alike and
perform the same rituals year after
year.
4. There is a
universal prohibition of eating pork and drinking alcohol.
C. Family
1. The Umma is composed of extended families or clans who
have a strong
network of
identity.
2. Look at
the chart on the following page concerning the family.
II. Themes in Tension (From:
Bill A. Musk, Touching The Soul of Islam, MARC)
A.
Male and Female
B.
Family and Individuals
C.
Honor and Shame
D.
Hospitality and Violence
E.
Time and Space
F.
Language and Silence
G.
Brotherhood and Rivalry
H.
Resignation and Manipulation
Conclusion: How do we as a
Christians properly relate to our Muslim neighbor?
"Actions will be noticed before your speech. By word and behavior try
to convey the following impressions:
1.
You believe in only one God, and you pray to God regularly.
2.
You are a person of honor. Try to live by the same high standard whether you
are alone or with a group, whether things are going well or badly.
3.
You believe people should treat each other justly.
