The challenge of islam

What Is Islam?

Islam is more than merely another faith next to Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism or Judaism. Islam claims to be a manner of life. It is a system which governs and controls the lives of more than 1.2 Billion work forces and adult females around the Earth ( 1996 ) .

Muslim Publications Describe It In These Footings:

“ Islam in its clear and direct manner of showing truth has a enormous sum of entreaty for any searcher of cognition. It is the solution for all the jobs of life. It is a usher toward a better and complete life lauding in all its stages God, the Almighty Creator and the Merciful Nourisher. ”

Islam At A Glance, Durban, RSA

“ Islam is the first and the concluding faith of world. ”

“ Islam is the most rational faith. It gives a clear codification of life. ”

“ Islam is the shortest and broadest route that leads to God. ”

The Christian informant demands to hold a meaningful response to these claims, non merely by manner of clear statements but besides through a convincing life testimony.

The Challenge Of Islam

“ Africa is to be the first Islamic continent ” is a well-used Islamic motto. Is this mere propaganda or do Muslims prosecute this end in earnest? Let ‘s expression at the revival of Islam:

Since the terminal of the last World War there has been a entire turbulence and dramatic alteration in the ‘world order ‘ . The prostration of the colonial systems, the triumph of broad humanistic thought over former perceptual experiences of justness and ecology, the victimization of people and systems which resisted alterations in their value system, the new reading of socialism, democracy and freedom, every bit good as the displacement from the East-West struggle to an at hand North-South 1, and the migration of many 1000000s of people in hunt for a better hereafter, has produced a new society in many topographic points on our Earth. A new trade name of patriotism has in many instances non maintain its promises to ease the so much needed and wanted economic upliftment. The population detonation, the AIDS menace, monolithic unemployment and the glide of condemnable activities have led to an unprecedented pessimism and hopelessness in many countries of the universe.

At the same clip the industrial revolution with its ever-increasing appetency for energy – which is mostly found in the oil Fieldss of the formerly hapless and unimportant Islamic states of the Middle East – has created right there an unprecedented wealth. And – as we all know – wealth represents power. It is hence non surprising to detect in these states, the discord for military high quality, perfected by violative atomic arms. The human potency of Islam increased immensely when the former Soviet Union broke up and a figure of the Republics in the South began to see themselves as Islamic provinces.

Material richness in itself does non represent power as yet, and with that no existent menace to others. Merely if aligned with an political orientation, pecuniary power becomes a danger – and it did so when Iran came wholly under the influence of the ‘Ayatollah ‘ Khomeini. Because of his utmost positions he had to populate in expatriate for a figure of old ages, working to change by reversal the Western influence in and on his state. When, after his return, his fundamentalist philosophies were forcibly introduced, he gained full control over Iran. All those who did non hold with his positions were either eliminated or had to subject.

The rubric ‘Ayatollah ‘ agencies ‘sign of Allah ‘ , non a really modest appraisal. The word ‘Islam ‘ agencies ‘submission ‘ . While one would non anticipate a state to return to the proverbial ‘Middle Ages ‘ , we have to recognize that what happened in Iran shows the truest signifier of Islam. Many Westerners perceive the Persian revolution as an extra. But it is non that. It reflects cardinal, i.e. original, Islam.

It is surely non our purpose to support the present Western value system, but it still allows freedom of look and freedom of faith and worship which mostly ceases when the Shariah, the Islamic jurisprudence, is introduced to a state.

The Ultimate Goal of Islam: to Bring All People Into Submission to Islam

To understand the underlying system, we ought to see some theological facets. A expression at the Qur’an will be helpful here:

In Surah 8:39 We Read ( Harmonizing To Pickthall ) :

“ And contend them on until there is no more uproar or subjugation. And there prevail justness and religion in Allah wholly and everyplace: But if they cease, verily Allah doth see all that they do ” .

The existent rendition should read “ until all of faith comes to Allah ” .

Surah 61:9 Confirms This:

“ It is He Who has sent His Apostle with counsel and the Religion of Truth that he may proclaim it over all faith, even though the Pagans may hate ( it ) ” .

This Is Backed Up By A Hadith:

“ The Messenger of Allah says: I have been commanded to contend against people till they testify the fact that there is no God but Allah, and believe in me ( that ) I am the courier ( from the Lord ) and in all that I have brought ” .

Sahih Muslim I, P. 17

The word ‘oppression ‘ should really read ‘uprising ‘ or ‘revolt ‘ , which turns the inactive tense into and active 1. We should farther recognize that this is non merely a inquiry of all people to subject to God. In existent footings that means no less than that all have to subject to Islam and its jurisprudence.

Islam Has Divided The World Into Two Partss:

the ‘Dhar-ul Islam ‘ and the ‘Dhar-ul Harb ‘ ; or in English, the ‘territory of Islam ‘ and the ‘territory of war ‘ . This may non needfully represent armed struggle, though this was really much the instance, but it is rather clear that those states which are non as yet under the Shariah, are still to be conquered.

As Christians we might be tempted to presume that struggle might be of a religious nature. For we endeavor and wish that the whole universe should come under the Gospel. In similar mode Muslims enterprise to do the universe Islamic.

However, the church can non lawfully seek to coerce its influence on the province, or govern the province. This would travel against the Spirit of the Gospel. Attempts along this line have been made, wars have been fought, but none of these could be based on or can claim to hold been supported by Bible, our authorization.

Islam works otherwise. Merely when the Shariah is the constituted jurisprudence in a state, it constitutes an Muslim province. To consequence this, the authorities must be in Muslim custodies. Islam does non distinguish between the layman and the religious. It follows an incorporate system. Hygiene and political relations, household life and supplication, runing and concern patterns are all regulated by the Islamic jurisprudence. While Christians and Jews may be tolerated, they are surely strongly disadvantaged and non permitted to propagate their religion in an Muslim state.

Islam Is On The Move To Expand Its Influence

When we observe the current moves of Islam carefully, we can so detect how it consolidates itself and how conjunct attempts are made to beef up its place in many states, and non merely in those which were traditionally Islamic. Muslims dual their population biologically twice every bit fast as non-Muslims bash. This promotes migration and we can detect how in recent times much of the economic system of Africa, but besides of Europe, America, Australia and Asia is traveling into Muslim custodies. Whoever controls the economic system has besides a strong influence on authorities, the media and instruction.

In many ‘Third World ‘ states, Muslims frequently build really impressive mosques, even in countries with a really little figure of their ain persuasion. Schools are added, and free instruction, in contrast to most Government schools, is offered. This is highly moneymaking, and many parents can non defy such enticement. In add-on philanthropic aid is offered to people in drought-stricken countries. Employment is offered, but to Muslims merely. This will raise the matter-of-fact inquiry, “ why non go a Muslim? ”

Together, all this begins to show an impact on the population, nominal Christians non excepted. The charity displayed, together with the earnestness which can easy be gauged in many Muslims, plus the societal and material benefits are converting. And who can fault the people – unless they have a goodly foundation in the Word of God, the Bible, and have founded strong beliefs to possess the Truth when accepting and following our Lord Jesus Christ.

Who Is To Blame?

At this point I must hesitate to give a most of import account. We may by now have come to a point where we begin to fear or resent the Muslims. If this is the message you conceived, you have to make some rectification:

Moslems, like all other people, are a creative activity of God! “ They have a ardor for God – but it is unenlightened ” ( Rom. 10:2 ) . Our Lord Jesus died for every Muslim as good! God loves the Muslims excessively!

We have to distinguish between the faith of Islam and its system, which does non offer redemption or confidence of forgiveness, and those people who grew or turn up under its instruction.

They have small opportunity to believe, because they have non sufficiently, efficaciously and convincingly heard and understood the Gospel. That is surely non their mistake. To some grade it is ours – if our evangelistic attempt excludes the Muslims in our environment – or if our attempt does non take into consideration the wholly different mentality and apprehension of a Muslim.

What Is Happening In The Islamic World?

Let us now have a difficult expression at the progress of Islam: The ISLAM IN AFRICA ORGANISATION was founded by representatives of 24 African provinces at Abuja in Nigeria in November 1989. In its initiation communiqu & A ; eacute ; we are informed about its purposes and intents. It expresses really apprehensible and to them legitimate desires, such as the fusion of all Muslims throughout Africa, the seting off of ‘artificial boundaries ‘ , and re-instating a strong and united ‘Umma ‘ ( = fold of all Muslims ) with the intent of carry throughing the bids of Allah.

We will hold to see, nevertheless, the small syllable ‘re- ‘ . It keeps on happening in this papers: ‘re-instate the Umma ‘ in Africa, ‘re-store the usage of Arabic book in the slang ‘ , ‘re-instate the application of the Shariah ‘ . This means that what was there before, will hold to be instated once more, connoting that there was an Umma in Africa, within which the local linguistic communications were written in Arabic inscription, and that Africans were under the Shariah jurisprudence. All this is non true, demuring North Africa and some really stray instances in which e.g. Ki-Swahili was written in Arabic book. Let us look at some of the statements:

‘The Conference notes the longing of Muslims everyplace on the continent who have been deprived of their rights to be governed by the Shariah and urges them to escalate attempts in the battle to reinstate the application of the Shariah ‘ .

The originating inquiry surely is, how any state can be administered when two sets of Torahs are applied to different people? The Muslims in Britain are forcing for the same. This can merely take to either confrontation or decomposition.

While we understand and have to accept the attempt to set up Islamic Da’wa ( mission ) centres and to advance Da’wa work wholly over Africa, we find unacceptable the ‘establishment and application of the Shariah to all Muslims ‘ , if this is done while Moslems are a minority, and if such action leads to Christians being disadvantaged, which will, no uncertainty, be the instance.

Unacceptable Besides Are The Following Aims:

‘To guarantee the assignment of merely Muslims into strategic national and international stations of member states ‘ .

‘To eradicate in all its signifiers and branchings all non-Muslim faiths in member states ( such faiths shall include Christianity, Ahmadiyya and other tribal manners of worship unacceptable to Muslims ) ‘ .

‘To guarantee that merely Muslims are elected ( ! ) to all political stations of member states ‘ .

‘To guarantee the ultimate replacing of all Western signifiers of legal and judicial systems with the Shariah in all member states before the following Islam in Africa Conference ‘ .

Among the disclosed names of the member states we find Nigeria and Tanzania which have no Muslim bulk. A figure of other states have non been made known. These are likely to hold an even lesser Muslim presence. It is so noticeable by now that these purposes are being implemented and non merely in Islamic provinces, but besides in those with Muslim minorities.

May the figure of money be mentioned, which was ‘generously donated ‘ by the ‘government and people of Nigeria ‘ for the “ Islamic Development Fund ” : US $ 21 billion! ( IAO communiqu & A ; eacute ; )

The Roman Catholic publication “ Mission aktuell ” , which is the German official magazine of ‘MISSIO ‘ , the Roman Catholic mission, reported that in the same twelvemonth ( 1989 ) ‘the Nigerian caput of province ‘ , General Ibrahim B. Babangida, had ‘a recognition bank balance at the Arab-African International Bank of US $ 57.48 billion ‘ ” . His head of the ground forces and two cabinet curates had lesser sums ( US $ 15.2 ; 17.8 and 24.9 billion ) .

In close understanding with the above we find an article in the Turkish newspaper “ D & A ; uuml ; nya ” ( 1980 ) . It speaks about Islamisation and says: ‘The whole district is to be islamicised before the twelvemonth 2000 and in the Middle East in such a manner that all life ( people ) who did non turn Muslims, ( the Coptic Christians, the Christians in Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, the Assyrians, Chaldeans, Syrian ( i.e. Syrian-orthodox Christians ) , Armenians, Nubians and Israelis ) , must be wholly exterminated ‘ .

We have to recognize some difficult facts: The Christians in Turkey and Lebanon have been strongly reduced by external force per unit area. Christians in Egypt are under changeless examination and are dictated upon by the province. Christians and heathens in Southern Sudan are being exterminated. The imperativeness speaks of race murder. There is no freedom of faith in any of the North African states, and in the Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan or Malaysia.

In 1981 the alleged ‘Mecca Declaration ‘ was adopted by the ‘Third Islamic Summit Conference of Kaaba ‘ . Here are some infusions:

“ We have resolved to carry on Jihaad ( ‘holy war ‘ ) with all the agencies at our disposal so as to liberate our district from business ” .

“ We declare that the subjugation suffered by Muslim minorities and communities in many states is a crying offense against the rights and self-respect of adult male. We appeal to all provinces in which there are Islamic minorities to let them full autonomy ” .

“ We are convinced of the demand to propagate the principles of Islam and its cultural influence in Muslim societies and throughout the universe ” .

We have to read these lines as it were with Muslim ‘s eyes. At the clip of this acme there were no Islamic districts occupied by non-Muslims. The Islamic apprehension is that, unless the Shariah is in force and an Muslim authorities in topographic point, this is ‘dhar-ul harb ‘ , district which still needs to be conquered.

William Muir, one of the great and so really just orientalists ( 1819-1905 ) , made a statement which about sounds like a prophetic vocalization:

“ It is my strong belief that the blade of Muhammad and the Qur’an are the most fatal enemies of civilization, autonomy and truth which the universe has yet known ” .

Another inquiry arising is: In which states Muslim minorities are enduring subjugation? What sort of subjugation is meant? Again it boils down to the same. Muslim minorities are oppressed every bit long as they are non governed by the Shariah – which amounts to ‘full autonomy ‘ .

The last paragraph confirms this in no unsure footings. While Muslims vociferously demand freedom from subjugation, they oppress Christian communities in districts ruled by the Shariah. Indeed many human rights issues have been raised in this regard – without much response.

Despite the alleged ‘oppression ‘ in the 1980 ‘s, every two hebdomads one mosque was opened in Britain, a rate of enlargement similar to that taking topographic point in France and Germany. Similar progresss are made in many other states.

As far back as the early 1980 ‘s, a papers emerged from the Islamic Foundation in Leicester with clear statements of purpose such as:

“ … the Islamic Movement ( is ) ‘an organized battle to alter the bing society into an Islamic society based on the Qur’an and the Sunna and do Islam, which is a codification for full life, supreme and dominant, particularly in the socio-political domains ‘ ” .

“ … ( the ) model will hold to be based on acknowledging the fact that the ultimate aim of the Islamic motion shall non be realized unless the battle is made by locals. For it is merely they who have the power to alter the society into an Muslim society ” .

“ Watchman Update ” , Dec. 1991 by Dr. Clifford Denton

The universe ‘s most advanced and powerful wireless senders have been built in the Middle East and North Africa. Seven 2000 KW senders are among them – compared with the former Christian sender ELWA station of 50 KW.

The Ayatollah Khomeini is reported to hold said:

‘If we want to derive the concluding triumph, we will hold to cognize precisely what is to be done. Else we will run into the same destiny as Hitler, who committed self-destruction… In the early yearss of Islam the disbelievers were invariably hit over the caput with the blade to do them Muslims. Many were killed. One should non shrivel back from going a sufferer… Up to day of the month we did non kill a individual homo being, but merely assailing wild animals have been purified, arrested and put away ‘ .

As a consequence many 1000s have been executed.

Again I like to carry the reader non to fault this on the Muslims he comes in contact with. I compile this study non to fault any individual, but to expose a spiritual system which is power-hungry, oppressive and profoundly anti-Christian.

Christians Need To Get To Footings With Islam

The present scene of Islam in this universe is really baleful. It additions credence and profile, even in broad ‘Christian ‘ circles.

There are several lending factors. Moslems are cognizant that oil militias do non last everlastingly. Consequently, they have invested huge sums of capital in industries of the developed states, which gives them a considerable influence in these concerns and through that on the relevant states. Subsequently, the imperativeness in these states, fortified by the broad premiss from which they operate, will instead be positive than in any manner negative towards Islam.

Quite in line with this is the broad World Council of Churches ( WCC ) . It seeks ‘dialogue ‘ with other faiths in order to larn from each other and to accept one another. In pattern this replaces the Christian informant of Jesus Christ, as the lone hope for world.

The Vatican sides with this, as can be seen from the supplication for peace arranged by the Pope at Assisi, to which representatives of all sorts of faiths had been invited. At the Second Vatican Council the undermentioned determinations were laid down:

“ The program of God ‘s redemption includes those who acknowledge the Creator, and in the first topographic point among them the Muslims ” . ( L.G.16 )

“ The Church has a high respect for the Muslims… unluckily many belligerencies have arisen between Christians and Muslims. This sacred Council now pleads with all to bury the yesteryear, and urges that sincere attempts be made to accomplish common apprehension for the benefit of all. Let them together preserve and advance peace, freedom, societal justness and moral values ” . ( N.A.3 )

This state of affairs is the direct consequence of ignorance. The Christian Church has fought bitter and bloody wars against Muslims, but made barely any move to show the Message of Grace to them.

Reacting To The Challenge Of Islam

Surely we can see how of import it is to derive a realistic appraisal of Islam, as it truly is. Let us get down by looking at the adult male Muhammad, the laminitis of the Islamic faith and power base.

( Niobium: The above information is besides available in a separate booklet. )

Holy War in Islam, Abd Al-Masih, Light of Life, 71 pages.

* shows how the Jihad thought was portion and package of original Islam and how the development of Islam based on the illustration of Muhammad ‘s life is disputing the whole universe due to the huge birthgrowth as portion of “ the holy war in Islam ” .

Is an Muslim World Empire Imminent? , Abd Al-Masih, Light of Life, 91 pages.

* gives the background to developments in the Islamic universe and in Israel up to today, including statistics about the Muslim universe.

Ishmael, my Brother, compiled by Anne Cooper, MARC, Evangelical Missionary Alliance, 1993, 317 pages.

* a survey book from the UK concentrating chiefly on Islam as faced in the West ; includes activities, points for contemplation and counsel for farther reading. It covers the Christian informant, understanding Islam and Muslims in their cultural scene and the challenge of Islam today. The attack taken is non-confrontational. ( pp. 229-301 )

Islam under the Magnifying Glass, Abd Al-Masih, Light of Life, 139 pages.

* shows the many faces of Islam by giving information about Allah, Muhammad, the Qur’an and the Sharia in comparing with the Christian point of position.

Islam Unveiled, Abdullah Al-Araby, The Pen versus the Sword, 1994, 44 pages.

* written for the challenge of Islam in America where Islam is presented for Black Americans as the true individuality in glorious visible radiation. This brochure “ unveils ” major Islamic instructions to assist recognize what it would be like to populate under an Islamic regulation.

The Church in Africa takes note of the Islamic Agenda, LCA 1996, 8 pages.

* the booklet shows the challenge of Islam the church is confronting today. Order as many transcripts as you need.

The Great Commission, You and the Muslims, Gerhard Nehls, LCA 1980, 135 pages.

* challenges Christians to a sober appraisal of the growing of Islam and to understand evangelism, the Muslim and Islam and so to make Muslims with the Gospel. Soon to be revised.

Who Cares? , Gerhard Nehls, LCA 1992 revised, 32 pages.

* Why have Christians failed to make Muslims in the yesteryear? How can the serious reader develop a scheme in making them? How could others be mobilized aboard? A simple yet profound eye-opener. Order excess transcripts to give them to curates and Christian leaders.