Learning the essentials of Islam and how Christians can positively engage with Muslims in productive dialogue.

1. A cHRISTIAN
today’s world
WITNESS in
Tactics + sTRATEGIES
Relativism
The Bible
Pluralism
Islam
Sexual Revolution
Media
Training and Equipping Believers
to Live Out a Confident Faith

2. A cHRISTIAN
today’s world
WITNESS in
Tactics + sTRATEGIES
Relativism
The Bible
Sexual Revolution
Media
Training and Equipping Believers
to Live Out a Confident Faith
Pluralism
Islam

3. What we have CoveredOur Plan
A Christian
Witness in
Today’s World
Schedule of
Topics
Tactics (Part 1)
Tactics (Part 2)
Relativism
The Bible
Pluralism

6. Tonight

7. Islam

8. ??????

12. What is essential
for us to know?

13. What is essential?April
Overview of Islam and it’s
sources of authority
Dealing with
the Challenge
of Islam:
The Essentials
The Qur’an’s View of the Bible

14. Overview and authority
“There is no god but Allah”
Islam:

15. Muslim Demographics

16. Muslim DemographicsApril
1.5 billion Muslims
Dealing with
the Challenge
of Islam
70% nominal or cultural Muslims
Born in Muslim homes
Don’t attend mosque or read the
Qur’an. They are not violent.

17. Muslim DemographicsApril
15% are “Reformed”
Dealing with
the Challenge
of Islam
They do attend mosque and read
the Qur’an regularly
They take their faith seriously, but
re-interpret the violent passages as
not being applicable for today

18. Muslim DemographicsApril
15% are “Radical” or “Extreme”
Dealing with
the Challenge
of Islam
They do attend mosque and read
the Qur’an regularly
They consistently apply the
Qur’an’s teachings on violence and
treatment of women

19. 3, 5, 6

20. 3 sOURCES OF authority

21. 5 Pillars of Islam

22. 6 articles OF Faith

23. 3 Sources of authorityApril
1. The Qur'an
Dealing with
the Challenge
of Islam
The literal words of God
Literature about Mohammed’s life
2. The Hadith Literature
Mohammed’s life as an example
3. The Sundah

24. 5 Pillars of IslamApril
1. Reciting the creed, “There is no god
but Allah, Mohammed his messenger.”
Dealing with
the Challenge
of Islam
2. Prayer: Praying 5 times a day
3. The Fast of Ramadan: a month-long
fast to commemorate Mohammed
receiving the Qur’an.

25. April
4) Giving Alms: 2.5% of their money to
serve the poor and needy.
Dealing with
the Challenge
of Islam
5) Pilgrimage to Mecca: at least once
in their lifetime

26. 6 articles of fAITHApril
1. Belief in the unity of God: Rejection
of the notion of the trinity. God is one.
Dealing with
the Challenge
of Islam 2. Belief in God’s angels: Angels don’t
have free will and don’t sin. “Jinn” are
angelic-like beings that are evil.

27. April 3. Belief in God’s Prophets: The Qur’an
affirms Jesus as a prophet of God!
Dealing with
the Challenge
of Islam
4. Belief in God’s books: (qualified)
The Qur’an affirms the Torah, psalms
and “gospel”, but Muslims view them
as corrupt compare to the Qur’an.

28. April 5. Belief in Final Judgment: Islam is
clearly a system of works-based
salvation and merit.
Dealing with
the Challenge
of Islam
6. Belief in Divine Destiny:
Everything is a decree of Allah and
takes places because of his will.

29. iSLAM CLAIMS…April
to be only true religion
Dealing with
the Challenge
of Islam
Mohammed is a prophet
Jesus is a prophet

30. April God’s words can’t be altered
Dealing with
the Challenge
of Islam
The Bible is corrupt and the
Qur’an is pure
The Bible can only be
trusted where it agrees with
the Qur'an

31. no problem

33. the Qur'an is on our side

34. The better way

35. the Qu’ran: your friendApril
No Muslim will argue with
the Qur’an.Dealing with
the Challenge
of Islam
The Qur’an has a very high
view of the Bible

36. Our Main ArgumentApril
1) The Qur’an says the words of God
cannot be changed or corrupted.
Dealing with
the Challenge
of Islam
2) The Qur’an says the Bible is the
Word of God.
3) Therefore, on the Qur’an’s authority,
the Bible could not have been changed
or corrupted, as many Muslims claim.

37. the Qur’an and the bIBLE
“There is no god but Allah”
Islam:

38. God’s Wordscan’t be changed
Fact #1:

39. The Qur’an: god’s words
“None can change His words”
- Surah 6:115
“No change can there be in the
words of Allah.” - Surah 10:64

40. The Qur’an: god’s words
“There is none that can alter the
words (and decrees) of Allah.”
- Surah 6:34

41. God’s Words
Fact #2:
The Bible is an example of

42. The Bible: god’s words
1. The Qur’an regularly praises the Bible
with positive language like: “guidance
and light” and “the book of God”
(according to the Qur’an)

43. “Say ye: ‘We believe in Allah, and the revelation
given to us, and to Abraham, Isma’il, Isaac,
Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses
and Jesus, and that given to (all) prophets from
their Lord: We make no difference between one
and another of them.’”
- Surah 2:136

44. The Bible: god’s words
According to the Qur’an, the Torah, the Psalms,
the gospel and the Qur’an are all valid
revelations from God!
(according to the Qur’an)
(Notice: Muslims are instructed to believe in the
Torah given to Moses and the Gospel of Jesus.)

45. The Bible: god’s words
(according to the Qur’an)
2. The Qur’an condemns those who
disregard any of God’s revelations

46. “O ye who believe! Believe in Allah and His
Messenger, and the scripture which He hath sent to
His Messenger and the scripture which He sent
to those before (him). Any who denieth Allah, His
angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Day of
Judgment, hath gone far, far astray.”
- Surah 4:136

47. The Bible: god’s words
(according to the Qur’an)
3. Muslims are not to argue with
Jews and Christians

48. “And dispute ye not with the People of the Book,
except with means better (than mere disputation),
unless it be with those of them who inflict wrong
(and injury): but say, ‘We believe in the revelation
which has come down to us and in that which came
down to you; Our Allah and your Allah is one; and
it is to Him we bow (in Islam).’” _
- Surah 29:46

49. The Bible: god’s words
(according to the Qur’an)
4. Allah commands Muslims to
consult Jews and Christians if they
doubt what the Qur’an teaches

50. “If thou wert in doubt as to what We have revealed
unto thee, then ask those who have been reading
the Book from before thee: the Truth hath indeed
come to thee from thy Lord: so be in no wise of
those in doubt.”
- Surah 10:94

51. The Bible: god’s words
(according to the Qur’an)
4. Allah commands Muslims to
consult Jews and Christians if they
doubt what the Qur’an teaches

52. “If thou wert in doubt as to what We have revealed
unto thee, then ask those who have been reading
the Book from before thee: the Truth hath indeed
come to thee from thy Lord: so be in no wise of
those in doubt.”
- Surah 10:94

53. The Bible: a Reliable source
(according to the Qur’an)
5. The Qur’an implies the Bible is a
reliable source during Mohammed’s
day (6 centuries after written)

54. “But why do they (Jews) come to thee for decision,
when they have their own law before them? Therein
is the command of Allah; yet even after that, they
would turn away. For they are not People of Faith.”
- Surah 10:94
(It wouldn’t make sense for Jews to go to “their own law” to
receive the “plain command of Allah” if it were corrupted.)

55. “Let the people of the Gospel judge by what Allah
hath revealed therein. If any do fail to judge by
(the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are
(no better than) those who rebel.”
- Surah 5:47
(Christians are supposed to do law based on the revelation
of the Bible. A strange statement if it was corrupt.)

56. The very next verse claims that the
Qur’an was sent to Muslims to confirm
the revelation that came before it:
The BIble

57. “To thee We sent the Scripture in truth,
confirming the scripture that came before it,
and guarding it in safety: so judge between them
by what Allah hath revealed, and follow not their
vain desires, diverging from the Truth that hath
come to thee.”
- Surah 5:48

58. bUT THE bIBLE’S BEEN CHANGED!
1. The Qur’an affirms the Bible as a true and
reliable source (7th century)
2. We have loads of Manuscript evidence before
and since the 7th century.
3. The manuscripts reveal that the Bible hasn’t
been changed one bit since Mohammed’s day.

59. Allah on the hot seat
“There is no god but Allah”
Islam:

60. Allah: a Tough Predicament
1. The Qur’an says Allah would guard is revelation
from corruption (Surah 15:9)
2. If he can guard the Qur’an, then he can also
protect other revelations (the Bible)
3. But the Bible, according to Muslims, is corrupt.
So how did mortals overcome Allah’s power?

61. 1. Allah is strong enough to prevent corruption,
but he chose not to. Why?
2. Then, why would he command Muslims,
Christians and Jews to follow a corrupt book?
Allah: a Tough Predicament

62. rEVIEW AND PRACTICE
“There is no god but Allah”
Next WEEK: