Grace & Truth 17. Understanding Islam

October 24, 2024

Creator:

Bassam Khoury | Grace and Truth

Language:

English, Bengali, Cebuano, French, Hausa, Hindi, Bahasa, Malayalam, Russian (Standard), Somali, Swahili, Yoruba

Audience:

All believers, Secondary education and up

Geographical focus:

Global

Date First Published:

2022

Resource Type:

Course, Website

Topics / Themes:

Apostasy, Apologetics, Christology, Holy Spirit, Islam or the Qur’an, Muslim-Christian relations, Persecution, Salvation, The cross-sacrifice and atonement, Trinity, Understanding the Bible

Overview:

An in-depth introduction to Islam, its history, theology, orthopraxis and its stance on the Christian faith

Content:

INTRODUCTION
SECTION ONE: UNDERSTANDING THE BEGINNINGS OF ISLAM
CHAPTER 1: THE REGION BEFORE ISLAM
1.1. Nomadic pagans
1.2. Jews
1.3. Christians
1.4. Hanifs (Hunafā’)
1.5. Mecca
CHAPTER 2: MOHAMMED’S LIFE
2.1. His Childhood
2.2. Mohammed’s first marriage and the call to prophethood
2.3. The Meccan Years
2.4. Mohammed’s move to Madina and the establishment of Islam as a military force
SECTION TWO: UNDERSTANDING ISLAMIC BELIEFS AND PRACTICES
CHAPTER 3: AXIOMS OF FAITH
3.1. AXIOM 1: Belief in the existence and oneness of God (Allah)
3.2. AXIOM 2: Belief in angels
3.3. AXIOM 3: Belief in the existence of the books of which God is the author
3.4. AXIOM 4: Belief in the Prophets
3.5. AXIOM 5: Belief in the Day of Judgement
3.6. AXIOM 6: Belief in fate
CHAPTER 4: THE PILLARS OF ISLAM
4.1. PILLAR 1: The Shahada (Islamic creed)
4.2. PILLAR 2: Salat (prayer)
4.3. PILLAR 3: Sawm (fasting)
4.4. PILLAR 4: Zakat (almsgiving)
4.5. PILLAR 5: Hajj (pilgrimage)
4.6. PILLAR 6: Jihad (holy struggle)
CHAPTER 5: ISLAMIC UTOPIA
SECTION THREE: UNDERSTANDING THE MUSLIM CHRIST
CHAPTER 6: CHRIST IN ISLAM
6.1. Christ’s miraculous conception
6.2. Christ’s Miraculous Birth
6.3. Christ as Blessed
6.4. Christ Supported by the Spirit of the Holy
6.5. Christ Raised to heaven
6.6. Christ’s Infallibility
6.7. The Miracle working Christ
6.8. Christ Knowing the future
6.9. Christ’s Intercession
CHAPTER 7: CHRIST’S MIRACLES IN THE QUR’AN
7.1. Christ Created
7.2. Christ Spoke in Infancy
7.3. Christ cured the blind and the leper, and gave life to the dead
7.4. Christ knows the unknown
7.5. Christ fed the multitude
CHAPTER 8: CHRIST IN ISLAM AS A SERVANT AND MERE HUMAN
SECTION FOUR: UNDERSTANDING ISLAMIC BARRIERS TO THE GOSPEL
CHAPTER 9: BARRIERS FOR CHRISTIANS TO OVERCOME WHEN EVANGELISING MUSLIMS
9.1. Do we have to?
9.2. Fear for ourselves
9.3. Fear for Muslims
9.4. Nominal Christianity
9.5. Spiritual forces of evil
9.6. Lack of confidence
9.7. Lack of love for Muslims
9.8. Lack of Biblical knowledge
9.9. Lack of trust in Christ’s work
9.10. Spiritual weakness
9.11. Ignorance of Islamic beliefs
CHAPTER 10: SOCIAL OBSTACLES FOR MUSLIMS TO OVERCOME WHEN CONSIDERING CHRISTIANITY
10.1. False feeling of security
10.2. Misunderstanding
10.3. Psychology
10.4. Political Islam
10.5. The law of apostasy
10.6. Something never heard of
CHAPTER 11: ADVICE FOR ENGAGING IN THEOLOGICAL DISCUSSIONS WITH MUSLIMS
CHAPTER 12: A BRIEF COMPARISON OF TOPICS IN THE BIBLE AND THE QUR’AN
12.1. Areas of agreement
12.2. Areas of disagreement
12.3. Christian beliefs foreign to Islam
SECTION FIVE: UNDERSTANDING MUSLIM OBJECTIONS TO THE GOSPEL
CHAPTER 13: MUSLIM OBJECTIONS TO CHRISTIANITY

13.1. Belief in the preservation of the Qur’an and the corruption of the original Bible

13.1.1. Did Mohammed memorise the Qur’an at the point of revelation?
13.1.2. Did Mohammed immediately dictate the Qur’an to his companions who wrote it down without any editing?
13.1.3. Was there only one version of the Qur’an?
13.1.4. Are all current copies of Qur’ans identical with no variants?
13.1.5. Has the Qur’an been perfectly preserved?
13.1.6. Is the Qur’an superior to other scriptures because they all have been changed, while the Qur’an alone has been preserved?
13.2. Challenges to the validity of the Bible as Muslims believe it has been abrogated by the Qur’an

13.3. Objections to the trinity

13.3.1. The Bible says the Father is God
13.3.2. The Bible says the Son is God
13.1.3. The Bible Says the Spirit is God
13.4. Objections about Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection
13.5. The Claim of prophecies about Mohammed in the Bible
SECTION SIX: UNDERSTANDING CONVERTS FROM ISLAM
CHAPTER 14: SOCIETAL DIFFICULTIES FACED BY NEW CONVERTS FROM ISLAM
14.1. Rejection by family
14.2. Marriage
14.3. Children
14.4. Existing marriage to a Muslim
14.5. Legal threat
14.6. Accommodation and employment
CHAPTER 15: ADVICE FOR THE CHURCH
15.1. Be welcoming despite caution
15.2. Don’t close ranks
15.3. Don’t disguise your faith …
15.4. … but at the same time, avoid offence where you can
15.5. Avoid special treatment
15.6. Follow Scripture not your own ideas
15.7. Preach the whole counsel of God
15.8. Be patient and understanding
15.9. Don’t use Christian jargon
15.10. Don’t confuse culture with religion
CONCLUSION (Understanding the Ummah of Islam)
Bible-study

Academic Discipline

Missiology, Religious studies, Theology

Academic Framework

Research Method

Qualitative Approach (General)

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