Post by JEM on Sept 23, 2013 0:41:10 GMT
WHAT IS ISLAM?
WHERE DID IT COME FROM AND WHEN?
WHAT IS IT'S PURPOSE?
WHAT DOES IT BELIEVE?
WHERE DOES IT GAIN AUTHORITY FROM?
We turn to the Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry and their principal director Matt Slick for the answers at www.carm.org We seek the facts.
Matt Slick asks Muslims, to please read this statement below first
Assalamu alaikum
Christians and Muslims disagree on the nature of God, salvation, prophets, the true Scriptures, etc.
For the great majority of us on both sides, we will not change our views. You believe in Allah and Muhammad as his prophet. I am a Christian, saved by the grace of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus. In obedience to Christ, and according to the Bible,
I seek to expose error and teach the truth...and, as a Christian I teach that Christianity is true. Therefore, Islam, cannot be right. I say this outright so that no Muslim will accuse me of being deceptive or having a hidden agenda. My goal is to convert Muslims to Christ so they may find salvation in him.
However, please realize that I have no hatred for Muhammad, Muslims, or the Koran. I was not wronged by a Muslim and I have not had any childhood trauma involving anything Islamic.
Instead, as a Christian I seek to bring glory to the Lord Jesus and in so doing I must teach that Islam is false because it contradicts the Bible. If you are a Muslim, I know you will disagree and perhaps you will take it as an insult or some form of persecution. I hope you do not. But, I am simply being faithful to my Lord Jesus in defending his truth as revealed in the Bible.
I realize that there are many good Muslims in the world who are peaceful, honest, compassionate, and who desire to serve God in truth. I do not fault any Muslim for this. Likewise, I hope you will not find fault with my honest intention to do the same according to the convictions of my heart since I seek to serve God. You may condemn me as an infidel and that is fine. But, my hope for salvation is not found in Islam and its balance of good works verses bad works. Instead, it is found in the work of Jesus who died on the cross and rose from the dead.
Nevertheless, if I mistakenly misrepresent Islam on this site, I take full responsibility for it. It is not my desire to produce a false image of Islam and then attempt to destroy the false image. I only ask that you let me know in what area I have erred (with documentation) and I shall do my best to correct it, within reason. I say "within reason" because a difference of opinion on a matter does not warrant a correction. But, if I have some error in facts, definition, dates, or doctrines of Islam, I would appreciate being corrected.
I do not seek to attack and call Muslims names or use emotional and poorly reasoned arguments as "proofs" for my position -- as too many Christians have attempted in the past. Rather, I seek to know Islam truthfully, convey a factual and honest representation of it to readers, and, of course, to tackle its errors as it is compared to the Bible.
Therefore, these pages will be somewhat fluid in that they will be refined over time.
My only desire is that you find the forgiveness of Jesus and the love of God that abounds in my heart and the hearts of His redeemed people.
By the grace of Christ Jesus, my Saviour.
Matt Slick
What is Islam? By Matt Slick
Islam ( with 1.2 billion adherents) is one of the major world religions that, along with Christianity (1.9 billion adherents) and Judaism (14 million adherents), teaches monotheism which is the doctrine that there is only one God in all existence. Like Christianity and Judaism, Islam traces its roots back to the patriarch Abraham (Gen. 12).
The word "Islam" means "surrender" or "submission"1 and it comes from the root word "salem" which means "surrender."
A Muslim (or Moslem - which means one who surrenders to God) is an adherent of Islam, a religion with precise theological doctrines about God, judgment, heaven, hell, angels, prophets, salvation, etc. The Arabic word for god is "allah" which has become a kind of name of God in Islam.
Islam teaches that Allah is the one and only deity in all existence (Qur'an 5:73; 112:1-4). He is supreme, all knowing (40:20), ever-present, different from all of creation (3:191), and in complete control of all things.
According to Islam, Allah created the universe in six days (2:29; 25:61-62) and all that is in it continues to exist by his permission and will. Allah is non-Trinitarian
The Koran (or Qur'an, which means "the reading" in Arabic) is the sacred book of Islam and is broken up into 114 chapters called Suras which cover the subjects of ethics, history, law, and theology. It is highly revered by Muslims as the direct, literal word of God.
The Qur'an (also spelled Quran and Koran) was delivered by the angel Gabriel (also known as the Holy Spirit) to Muhammad over a 23-year period after Muhammad's initial encounter with Gabriel in a cave when he was 40 years old.
Muslims consider Muhammad (full name of Muhammad Ibn Abdullah) to be the final prophet of God to the world. Muhammad was born in 570? AD in Mecca and died in 632 AD.
Second only to the Islamic belief in the unity/oneness of God is the supremacy of Muhammad as Allah's prophet.
But, Islam acknowledges that several prophets preceded Muhammad. The major ones are Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus. These prophets gave revelations from God which were written as scriptures; mainly, the Old and New Testaments.
These predecessors to Muhammad are considered great prophets who spoke for God to specific people and whose message was meant for that time. Jesus, according to Islam, was simply one of many prophets.
Therefore, Muslims deny the Christian doctrine of the deity of Jesus, the need for His atoning sacrifice (4:157-158), the Trinity (5:73), and much more.
According to Islam, no sacrifice is needed to be forgiven, only faith in Allah, sincere repentance, and obedience to Islamic law (3:135; 7:8-9; 21:47; 49:14; 66:8-9).
In fact, in Islam, the greatest of sins, called shirk, is to attribute "partners" to God. In other words, to say that God is a Trinity of persons is an unforgivable sin to a Muslim.
In addition to the Qur'an is the Hadith.
It is another source of authority in Islam, though it is second to the Qur'an.
The Hadith is a collection of the sayings and deeds of Muhammad as recorded by his companions. They are oral traditions and are considered authoritative and instructive as commentaries and applications of Qur'anic principles and contain additional principles not found in the Qur'an.
According to Islam, the Hadith are the inspired truths of God transmitted to us in the style and words of Muhammad. By contrast, the Quran is supposed to be the exact words of Allah which are is supposed to be protected from corruption by him.
In Islam, all Muslims are united by the common faith irrespective of class, location, race, or gender. Therefore, they have a special bond of unity and equality.
The primary "truth" of Islam is found in the first pillar of Islam known as the shahda: "There is no true God except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."
Islamic theology also teaches that angels were created from light, that jinn are another race of beings, created from fire, who are invisible yet all around us, that there is an eternal judgment to Paradise for the good and hell for the bad; that Jesus was never crucified; and that drinking alcohol is forbidden as is gambling.
Within the first two centuries after its inception in Arabia, Islam spread very quickly, often aided by the sword (jihad),2 into North Africa, up through Europe to Spain, and east to India.
Presently, about 1.3 billion people are Muslim world-wide with adherents on every continent and nation. It is perhaps the world's fastest-growing religion and second in size only to Christianity.
Like most ancient religions, there are sects. Islam is no different. The major sects in Islam are the Sunni and the Shiites. The Sunni are the largest group and comprise about 90% of all Muslims. The Shiites, though smaller in number, are significant in Islamic history and presently occupy the lands of Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi-Arabia, Yemen, and Persian Gulf states.
The most important place of worship for the Muslim is the Mosque which is always pointed towards Mecca which is the birthplace of Muhammad and is located in Saudi Arabia.
All Muslims must face Mecca during their times of prayer because in Mecca there is the Ka'aba, a cube structure allegedly built by Abraham which contains a sacred stone. When a Muslim is in Mecca, he or she faces the Ka'aba.
Many Muslims hope for shari'ah, the complete rule of Islamic law in the world. To this end, Muslims are seeking more converts, attacking other religious systems both by the sword and by word, moving into every nation, and seeking political power wherever they can achieve it.
Islam is a growing and aggressive religion that seeks to submit everyone on the planet to its rule.
1.". . . The One (True) God; To Him do we submit" (Qur'an 2:133).
2.Jihad means "striving." Fighting against one's own sinful self. Also, a physical fight for the truth of Islam, not allowing anyone to steal the ability to worship. It also means "holy war."
It is misused by Islamist extremists as an excuse to wage violent aggression on people in many lands in acts of cruel terrorism destroying churches, temples, synagogues, schools, homes and property, and killing innocent civilians. Which most Moslems reject as sinful and contrary to the spirit of Islam.
DIVISIONS WITHIN ISLAM by Matt Slick
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Because of Islam's great growth geographically in the first two centuries of its inception, there needed to be a larger set of Islamic laws capable of handling the different needs of Muslims throughout the Empire. The Qur'an and the Hadith were not detailed enough to provide all the answers.
Therefore, in the 8th century A.D., there arose a school of legal experts who interpreted and applied Islamic principles to different situations throughout the Empire. However, different scholars disagreed with these experts in various areas. This led to a variety of legal schools of thought within Islam.
These different schools became different sects within Islam.
The largest of the sects is the Sunni which comprises about 90% of all Muslims.
The next two largest are the Shi'i and Sufi.
After these, there are numerous splinter groups which are often named after the individual scholars who began them: Hanifa, after Abu Hanifa; Maliki, after Malik ibn Anas; Shafi'i, after Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi'i; Zaydi, after Zayd ibn Ali; the Nusayri, Ismaili, Murji'ah, etc.
SUNNI MUSLIMS
Sunni Muslims These are followers of the Hanifa, Shafi, Hanibal and Malik schools. They constitute a 90% majority of the believers, and are considered to be main stream traditionalists. Because they are comfortable pursuing their faith within secular societies, they have been able to adapt to a variety of national cultures, while following their three sources of law: the Qur'an, Hadith and consensus of Muslims.
The Sunni emphasize the power and sovereignty of Allah and his right to do whatever he wants with his creation. Strict determinism is taught. Its rulership is through the Caliphate, the office of Muslim ruler who is considered the successor to Muhammad. This successor is not through hereditary lineage.
SHI' ITE MUSLIMS
The Shi'ites (also known as the Ja'firi school) split with the Sunni over the issue of the successor to Muhammad. This split occured after the assassination of the fourth caliph in 661. Shi'ites believe that the successor to Muhammad should have been Ali, his son in law, and that subsequent successors should have been through his lineage through his wife Fatima.
Shi'ism is broken into three main sects: the Twelve-Imam, (Persia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Pakistan, and Syria), the Zaydis (Yemen), and the Ismailis (India, Iran, Syria, and East Africa). Each group, of course, has differences of doctrine.
"Shi'ite theology includes a doctrine known as the five supports: these are Divine Unity (tawhid), prophecy (nubuwwah), resurrection of the soul and body at the Judgment (ma'ad), the Imamate1 (imamah), and justice ('adl). The first three are found in Sunni Islam, albeit with some differences of emphasis; the Imamate, however , is the essence of Shi'ism, and the last, justice, is an inheritance from the Mu'tazilites, or rationalists, whose system is in many ways perpetuated in Shi'ite theology..." The Imamate, form the word "Imam", in the Shi'ite traditions is the political and religious leader of the Shi'ite sect. This person possesses great power and influence. According to Shi'ite doctrine, the Imam must be a biological successor of Ali. The Imam is also sinless and infallible on all matters of Islamic doctrine and will intercede for Muslims in the afterlife. The Shi'i and the Sunni differ in some interpretations of the Qur'an and Hadith and even have a different canon of Hadith and the Sunni.
SUFI MUSLIMS
The Sufi are a mystical tradition where the followers seek inner mystical knowledge of God. This sect "officially" developed around the 10th century and has since fragmented into different orders: Ahmadiyya, Qadariyya, Tijaniyya, etc. Of course, the Sufi believe their roots can be traced back to the inception of Islam in the early 7th century.
The Sufi mystic must follow a path of deprivation and meditation. There are various forms of abstinence and poverty.
Worldly things are renounced and a complete trust in God's will is taught.
The goal is to attain to a higher knowledge and experience of Allah. The mystical focus meant that the Qur'an could be interpreted in different ways and so Sufism taught that the Qur'an had mystical meanings hidden within its pages.
Out of this mysticism a type of pantheism developed among some Sufi believers. Pantheism is the teaching that God and the universe are one. Of course, the orthodox Muslims, called the Sunni, reject this idea since they claim that Allah is the creator of the universe and distinct from it.
In part, Sufism arose as a reaction to the growing Islamic materialism that had developed in the Empire at that time. Islam had achieved great power and geographical scope and with it, the material gain was great.
Conclusion
As you can see, Islam is not the united religious system it claims to be. There are divisions among its ranks and even those divisions have divisions. But what is interesting is that the Qur'an tells the Muslims to have no such divisions.
"The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah - the [sic] which we have sent by inspiration to thee - and that which we enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: namely, that ye should remain steadfast in religion and make no divisions therein: to those who worship other things than Allah, hard is the (way) to which thou callest them..." (42:13)
If this is the case, then the Muslim must admit that the divisions within Islam are sinful. But, such is the nature of humanity, to divide and set ourselves against one another.
CHRONOLOGY OF EARLY ISLAM
Notice how closely Islam's inception is associated with war. From 623 to 777, a span of 154 years, there are 83 military conflicts involving the Muslims...and that is just what I have recorded here. Is Islam a religion of peace? Muslims tell me it is. But....
570 - Birth of Muhammad in Mecca into the tribe of Quraish.
577 - Muhammad's mother dies.
580 - Death of Abdul Muttalib, Muhammad's grandfather.
583 - First journey to Syria with a trading Caravan.
595 - Muhammad marries Khadijah a rich widow several years older than him.
595 - Second journey to Syra.
598 - His son, Qasim, is born.
600 - His daughter, Zainab, is born.
603 - His daughter, Um-e-Kalthum, is born.
604 - His daughter, Ruqayya, is born.
605 - Placement of Black Stone in Ka'aba.
605 - His daughter, Fatima, is born.
610 - Mohammed, in a cave on Mt. Hira, hears the angel Gabriel tell him that
Allah is the only true God.
613 - Muhammad's first public preaching of Islam at Mt. Hira; gets few converts.
615 - Muslims persecuted by the Quraish.
619 - Marries Sau'da and Aisha.
620 - Institution of five daily prayers.
622 - Muhammad immigrates from Mecca to Medina, which was then called Yathrib, gets
more converts.
623 - Battle of Waddan.
623 - Battle of Safwan.
623 - Battle of Dul-'Ashir.
624 - Muhammad and converts begin raids on caravans to fund the movement.
624 - Zakat becomes mandatory.
624 - Battle of Badr.
624 - Battle of Bani Salim.
624 - Battle of Eid-ul-Fitr and Zakat-ul-Fitr.
624 - Battle of Bani Qainuqa'.
624 - Battle of Sawiq.
624 - Battle of Ghatfan.
624 - Battle of Bahran.
625 - Battle of Uhud; 70 Muslims are killed.
625 - Battle of Humra-ul-Asad.
625 - Battle of Banu Nudair.
625 - Battle of Dhatur-Riqa.
626 - Battle of Badru-Ukhra.
626 - Battle of Dumatul-Jandal.
626 - Battle of Banu Mustalaq Nikah.
627 - Battle of the Trench.
627 - Battle of Ahzab.
627 - Battle of Bani Quraiza.
627 - Battle of Bani Lahyan.
627 - Battle of Ghaiba.
627 - Battle of Khaibar.
628 - Muhammad signs treaty with Quraish.
630 - Muhammad conquers Mecca.
630 - Battle of Hunsin.
630 - Battle of Tabuk.
632 - Muhammad dies.
632 - Abu-Bakr, Muhammad's father-in-law, along with Umar, begin a military move to
enforce Islam in Arabia.
633 - Battle at Oman.
633 - Battle at Hadramaut.
633 - Battle of Kazima.
633 Battle of Walaja.
633 - Battle of Ulleis.
633 - Battle of Anbar.
634 - Battle of Basra.
634 - Battle of Damascus.
634 - Battle of Ajnadin.
634 - Death of Hadrat Abu Bakr. Hadrat Umar Farooq becomes the Caliph.
634 - Battle of Namaraq.
634 - Battle of Saqatia.
635 - Battle of Bridge.
635 - Battle of Buwaib.
635 - Conquest of Damascus.
635 - Battle of Fahl.
636 - Battle of Yermuk.
636 - Battle of Qadsiyia.
636 - Conquest of Madain.
637 - Battle of Jalula.
638 - Battle of Yarmouk.
638 - The Muslims defeat the Romans and enter Jerusalem.
638 - Conquest of Jazirah.
639 - Conquest of Khuizistan and movement into Egypt.
641 - Battle of Nihawand.
642 - Battle of Rayy in Persia.
643 - Conquest of Azarbaijan.
644 - Conquest of Fars.
644 - Conquest of Kharan.
644 - Umar is murdered. Othman becomes the Caliph.
647 - Conquest of the island of Cypress.
644 - Uman dies and is succeeded by Caliph Uthman.
648 - Campaign against the Byzantines.
651 - Naval battle against the Byzantines.
654 - Islam spreads into North Africa.
656 - Uthman is murdered. Ali become Caliph.
658 - Battle of Nahrawan.
659 - Conquest of Egypt.
661 - Ali is murdered.
662 - Egypt falls to Islam rule.
666 - Sicily is attacked by Muslims.
677 - Siege of Constantinople.
687 - Battle of Kufa.
691 - Battle of Deir ul Jaliq.
700 - Sufism takes root as a sect of Islam.
700 - Military campaigns in North Africa.
702 - Battle of Deir ul Jamira.
711 - Muslims invade Gibraltar.
711 - Conquest of Spain.
713 - Conquest of Multan.
716 - Invasion of Constantinople.
732 - Battle of Tours in France.
740 - Battle of the Nobles.
741 - Battle of Bagdoura in North Africa.
744 - Battle of Ain al Jurr.
746 - Battle of Rupar Thutha.
748 - Battle of Rayy.
749 - Battle of lsfahan.
749 - Battle of Nihawand.
750 - Battle of Zab.
772 - Battle of Janbi in North Africa.
777 - Battle of Saragossa in Spain.
References:
Miller, William M., A Christian's Response to Islam, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, Phillipsburg, New Jersey, 1976.
Geisler, Norman, Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Books, 1999.
Glasse, Cyril, The Concise Encyclopedia of Islam, Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc. San Francisco, 1989.
Morey, Robert, The Islamic Invasion, Harvest House Publishers, Eugene Oregon, 1992
ISLAM AND THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS by Ryan Turner
Introduction
The Muslim religion is one of the fastest growing religions of the world, if not the fastest.
Among its many differences with Christianity is that it denies the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.
Whether Muslims believe in
a substitution theory (another person was crucified in Jesus' place),
an ascension theory (Jesus was rescued from the cross and ascended to heaven),
or a swoon theory (Jesus did not actually die while on the cross and survived the rigours of the crucifixion),
each one of them clearly denies the death of Jesus by crucifixion.
This Islamic belief is not just something that Muslims conjured up in response to Christianity.
Instead, the Qur’an clearly denies the crucifixion of Jesus in Surah 4:157-158 which says, “. . . they [the Jews] said (in boast), ‘We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah’ – But they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not – Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself . . . .”
1 The Muslim View
Commenting on the above verses, the renowned Qur’anic translator and commentator,
Yusuf Ali states, “The Qur’anic teaching is that Christ was not crucified nor killed by the Jews . . . .
”2 The Muslim apologist and author Ahmed Deedat agrees, “On the subject of the crucifixion the Muslim is told in no uncertain terms in the Holy Qur’an . . . that they did not kill Him, not did they crucify Him.”
3 Therefore the Qur’anic teaching is clearly that Jesus did not die by crucifixion, which is in direct contrast to Christianity which says there is no salvation apart from the cross (Mt. 26:28; Mk. 14:22-24; cf. 1 Cor. 1:18). Putting all theological beliefs aside, what does the evidence suggest? Did Jesus really die by crucifixion or did he just appear dead?
THE HISTORICAL EVIDENCE
#1. EYEWITNESS SOURCES
There are many evidences from which one can argue for the historicity of Christ’s death by crucifixion, of which I will use only a few. The first evidence for Jesus’ crucifixion is from the testimony of eyewitness sources. Many Muslims do not believe there is eyewitness material in the accounts of the crucifixion of Jesus. In fact, one Muslim claims that “Not a single one of the Christians was a witness with them [the Jews]. Rather the apostles kept a distance through fear, and not one of them witnessed the crucifixion.
” 4 This argument is largely based upon Matthew 26:56 which says, “Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
” 5 Though the disciples forsook Jesus, some of them were still witnesses from a distance (Mark 14:54).
Also, there was an anonymous disciple whom Jesus, while on the cross, commanded to take care of Mary (John 19:26-27).
The Gospel of Luke reports that while Jesus was carrying the cross, “. . . there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him (Luke 23:27, emphasis mine).”
In addition to these people already mentioned the Gospels are scattered with references to Jewish leaders (Mt. 27:41; Mk. 15:31), Roman centurion (Mt. 27:54; Mk. 15:39; Lk. 23:47) and soldiers (Mt. 27:35; Mk. 15:24; Lk. 23:35; and John 19:18, 23) who all witnessed Jesus’ crucifixion.
For Muslims to argue that the crucifixion is not historical simply does not square with the historical data because there were multitudes of witnesses to the fact that the Romans crucified Jesus.
#2. MEDICAL EVIDENCE
In light of the eyewitness evidence from the gospels, there is strong medical evidence that confirms the historicity of Christ’s death as presented in the Gospels. Before examining
the medical evidence, as a general point the Romans knew how to crucify their victims. To suppose that the Romans would have allowed Jesus to escape the cross, is nonsensical.
The Romans knew how to kill someone and they knew when someone was dead.
Concerning the specific medical evidence, the gospels report specific conditions that a crucified victim would have experienced.
First, in Jesus’ pre-crucifixion experience in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Gospel of Luke reports that Jesus sweated “great drops of blood” (Luke 22:44). According to Alexander Metherell an M.D. and Ph.D., “This is a known medical condition called hematidrosis.”
6 He later acknowledges that tremendous stress like the kind that Jesus suffered could have produced this effect.
Second, Jesus’ desire, while on the cross, to receive a drink confirms the fact that he likely was experiencing another known medical condition called hypovolemic shock, which would have been caused by his beating.
According to Metherell, hypovolemic schock “. . . does four things.
First, the heart races to try to pump blood that isn’t there;
second, the blood pressure drops, causing fainting or collapse;
third, the kidneys stop producing urine to maintain what volume is left; and
fourth, the person becomes very thirsty as the body craves fluids to replace the lost blood volume.”
7 Third, the evidence from the spear thrust confirms the idea that Jesus did indeed die on the cross. Concerning this Matherell states that hypovolemic shock causes a rapid heart beat which results in fluid around the heart called a pericardial effusion.
8 The Gospel of John testifies to this fact in John 19:34which says, “. . . one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.” Metherell continues, “The spear apparently went through the right lung and into the heart, so when the spear was pulled out, some fluid – the pericardial effusion and the pleural effusion – came out. This would have the appearance of a clear fluid like water.”
9 Therefore, given the above specific medical evidence, the Journal of the American Medical Association is justified to conclude, “. . . interpretations based on the assumption that Jesus did not die on the cross appear to be at odds with modern medical knowledge.”
10 #3. EARLY STATEMENTS OF BELIEF
In addition to the medical evidence for the historicity of the gospel accounts, there is evidence from early Christian creeds which are located in various places in the New Testament including Luke 24:34, parts of Philippians 2, and 1 Corinthians 15.
11 The creed that provides the strongest evidence for the death and resurrection of Jesus is from 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 which says, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve.” These few verses are just a sample of a much longer statement by Paul on the resurrection appearances of Jesus. Verses 6-8 go on to describe 500 people, James, the apostles, and Paul himself. Some scholars doubt the fact that the creed continues past verse 5; however, as Gary Habermas notes, “. . . it is agreed by virtually all scholars that the creed includes at least verses, 3, 4, and 5.”
12 Scholars believe that 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 is a creed for a number of reasons. First, there are certain words in the text that indicate someone was passing on tradition. William Lane Craig notes that the three fold use of “and that” in the passage show that someone is passing on tradition.
13 Other words also indicate the delivering of tradition such as the words “delivered” and “received.
14 Second, there are many non-Pauline words in the text such as “for our sins,” “according to the scriptures,” “he has been raised,” “third day,” “he was seen,” and “the twelve,” that indicate Paul probably did not compose this text on his own.
15 These are just some of the reasons why scholars think that this text is a creed and “. . . numerous critical theologians date it from three to eight years after Jesus’ crucifixion.”
16 Though there is strong evidence that 1 Corinthians 15 contains an early creed, yet the question arises: How do scholars find the date of the creed? Scholars generally start from the crucifixion of Jesus which is dated at 30 A.D. and then move to the fact of Paul’s conversion which took place around 33-35 A.D.
17 They then proceed to Paul’s own testimony, in Galatians 1. In this passage Paul states, “Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.” By the simple fact that Paul tells the time when he went to see Peter, one can date this event to around 36-38 A.D. Yet, while at Jerusalem, Paul probably received the creed included in 1 Corinthians. Habermas agrees, “. . . the presence of both Peter and James in the list of appearances (1 Cor. 15:5, 7) indicates the probability that Paul received this creed from the apostles when he visited Jerusalem.
18 Therefore, given the above evidence, the creed of 1 Corinthians is from within eight years of Jesus’ crucifixion. On top of that if one adds to the idea that Peter had the creed for a while before delivering it to Paul, one has to acknowledge that it goes back practically to the events themselves.”
19 In addition to the fact that this creed is early, the evidence from the creed points to eyewitness accounts of the resurrection appearances of Jesus. Verse 5 states, “. . . he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve.” This verse implies that the disciples saw Jesus collectively. Habermas states, “. . . even if we take the shorter creed and quit at verse 5, we still have an eyewitness report of a collective experience – an appearance to the twelve.”
20 Therefore, this is strong evidence for the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Not only is the creed early, but it likely contains eyewitness accounts. Furthermore, the fact that the creed acknowledges Jesus’ death and resurrection is strong evidence for the death of Jesus by crucifixion. Since the material is undeniably early it shows the fact that the followers of Jesus believes that Jesus died very early in Christianity.
In light of this early testimony to the resurrection of Jesus this points to a death of some sort. Without the death of Christ, there is no resurrection of Christ and a resurrection presupposes a death of some sort. Therefore, the resurrection appearances in 1 Corinthians 15 provide strong evidence that Jesus really died by crucifixion.
Along with the early creed in 1 Corinthians 15, there is also early preaching material which attests to the crucifixion of Jesus in the book of Acts. In his summary of the creeds in the New Testament, Habermas mentions five specific places in the book of Acts that mention the crucifixion.
21 Concerning some of these passages in Acts, John Drane states, “. . . there can be no doubt that in the first few chapters of Acts its author has preserved material from very early sources.
”22 These several verses in addition to the creed in 1 Corinthians 15, provide specific evidence for Jesus’ death by crucifixion. Among the many reason that scholars believe these are creeds, is the undeveloped theology in them.
23 In Acts 2:23 Peter states, “Him [Jesus], being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.” Peter again makes his point in Acts 2:36, “Therefore let all of the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Therefore, not only is there early testimony that hints at the crucifixion, but from the preaching of the apostles, we have clear references to Jesus’ crucifixion.
#4. TRANSFORMATION OF THE DISCIPLES AND EMERGENCE OF THE CHURCH
Another strong evidence for the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus is from the transformation of the disciples and the emergence of the early church. It is a historical fact that the Christian Church originated in the first century. This is something which Christians and Muslims can agree. However, the hypothesis that Jesus never really died on the cross does not account for this phenomenon
As has been shown, there were many people who witnessed Christ’s death, but if the disciples began preaching a crucified and risen Messiah like Acts suggests, these witnesses could have produced Jesus’ body if he was not dead. James Packer rightly states, “. . . how could Jesus’ resurrection have been successfully proclaimed in Jerusalem if his body could be produced?”
24 Thus any non-crucifixion theory just does not make sense.
#5. FAILURE OF ALTERNATE THEORIES TO THE CRUCIFIXION
In conclusion, the naturalistic theories simply do not adequately account for the above evidence. For Muslims to believe that Jesus did not really die on a cross does not explain well the emergence of the Christian Church. It has been shown that the Christians preached the death and resurrection extremely early in the history of the church and many of them died for their beliefs. To suppose that the disciples did not know that Jesus really died on the cross and arose from the dead, does not go well with the fact that there is extremely early eyewitness creedal material that indicates Jesus died and arose from the dead. Second, to suppose that the disciples knew Jesus did not die on the cross and then boldly proclaimed that it happened is simply absurd. People certainly die for things that they believe to be true, but for them to die for something they know to be false is beyond credulity. Thus, due to the eyewitness testimony, the medical evidence, the appearances of Jesus, and the emergence of the early church, this makes the historicity of the crucifixion a historical fact that every Muslim needs to consider.
1.Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Meaning of the Holy Qur’an, Tenth Ed. (Beltsville, MD: Amana, 1999), 235-36.
2.Ali, 236.
3.Josh McDowell and John Gilchrist, The Islam Debate (San Bernardino: Here’s Life Publishers, 1983), 143.
4.Ibn Taymiyya, A Muslim Theologian’s Response to Christianity, ed. and trans. Thomas F. Michel (Delmar, NY: Caravan Books, 1984), 110, in Norman L. Geisler and Abdul Saleeb, Answering Islam: The Crescent in Light of the Cross, Second Edition (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2002), 280.
5.See also Mark 14:50. All Biblical quotations unless otherwise noted are from the King James Version.
6.Lee Strobel, The Case for Christ: A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus(Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998), 195.
7.Ibid., 196.
8.Ibid., 199.
9.Ibid.
10.The Journal of the American Medical Association (March 21, 1986), 1463, in Geisler and Saleeb, 236.
11.Gary R. Habermas, The Historical Jesus: Ancient Evidence for the Life of Christ (Joplin, MO: College Press, 1996), 145, 149, 153.
12.Gary R. Habermas and Antony G. N. Flew, Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?, ed. Terry L. Miethe (San Francisco: Harper & Row Publishers, 1987), 161.
13.William Lane Craig, “The Empty Tomb of Jesus,” in In Defense of Miracles: A Comprehensive Case for God’s Action in History, eds. Douglas Geivett and Gary R. Habermas (Downers Grove, IL: Inter Varsity Press, 1997), 249.
14.Habermas, The Historical Jesus, 153.
15.Ibid., 154.
16.Ibid.
17.Ibid., 155.
18.Ibid.
19.Ibid.
20.Habermas and Flew, 85.
21.Acts 2:23; 2:36; 4:10; 5:30; 10:39 in Habermas, 151.
22.John Drane, Introducing the New Testament (San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1986), 99, in Habermas, 149.
23.Habermas, 149.
24.Habermas and Flew, 149.
WHERE DID IT COME FROM AND WHEN?
WHAT IS IT'S PURPOSE?
WHAT DOES IT BELIEVE?
WHERE DOES IT GAIN AUTHORITY FROM?
We turn to the Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry and their principal director Matt Slick for the answers at www.carm.org We seek the facts.
Matt Slick asks Muslims, to please read this statement below first
Assalamu alaikum
Christians and Muslims disagree on the nature of God, salvation, prophets, the true Scriptures, etc.
For the great majority of us on both sides, we will not change our views. You believe in Allah and Muhammad as his prophet. I am a Christian, saved by the grace of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus. In obedience to Christ, and according to the Bible,
I seek to expose error and teach the truth...and, as a Christian I teach that Christianity is true. Therefore, Islam, cannot be right. I say this outright so that no Muslim will accuse me of being deceptive or having a hidden agenda. My goal is to convert Muslims to Christ so they may find salvation in him.
However, please realize that I have no hatred for Muhammad, Muslims, or the Koran. I was not wronged by a Muslim and I have not had any childhood trauma involving anything Islamic.
Instead, as a Christian I seek to bring glory to the Lord Jesus and in so doing I must teach that Islam is false because it contradicts the Bible. If you are a Muslim, I know you will disagree and perhaps you will take it as an insult or some form of persecution. I hope you do not. But, I am simply being faithful to my Lord Jesus in defending his truth as revealed in the Bible.
I realize that there are many good Muslims in the world who are peaceful, honest, compassionate, and who desire to serve God in truth. I do not fault any Muslim for this. Likewise, I hope you will not find fault with my honest intention to do the same according to the convictions of my heart since I seek to serve God. You may condemn me as an infidel and that is fine. But, my hope for salvation is not found in Islam and its balance of good works verses bad works. Instead, it is found in the work of Jesus who died on the cross and rose from the dead.
Nevertheless, if I mistakenly misrepresent Islam on this site, I take full responsibility for it. It is not my desire to produce a false image of Islam and then attempt to destroy the false image. I only ask that you let me know in what area I have erred (with documentation) and I shall do my best to correct it, within reason. I say "within reason" because a difference of opinion on a matter does not warrant a correction. But, if I have some error in facts, definition, dates, or doctrines of Islam, I would appreciate being corrected.
I do not seek to attack and call Muslims names or use emotional and poorly reasoned arguments as "proofs" for my position -- as too many Christians have attempted in the past. Rather, I seek to know Islam truthfully, convey a factual and honest representation of it to readers, and, of course, to tackle its errors as it is compared to the Bible.
Therefore, these pages will be somewhat fluid in that they will be refined over time.
My only desire is that you find the forgiveness of Jesus and the love of God that abounds in my heart and the hearts of His redeemed people.
By the grace of Christ Jesus, my Saviour.
Matt Slick
What is Islam? By Matt Slick
Islam ( with 1.2 billion adherents) is one of the major world religions that, along with Christianity (1.9 billion adherents) and Judaism (14 million adherents), teaches monotheism which is the doctrine that there is only one God in all existence. Like Christianity and Judaism, Islam traces its roots back to the patriarch Abraham (Gen. 12).
The word "Islam" means "surrender" or "submission"1 and it comes from the root word "salem" which means "surrender."
A Muslim (or Moslem - which means one who surrenders to God) is an adherent of Islam, a religion with precise theological doctrines about God, judgment, heaven, hell, angels, prophets, salvation, etc. The Arabic word for god is "allah" which has become a kind of name of God in Islam.
Islam teaches that Allah is the one and only deity in all existence (Qur'an 5:73; 112:1-4). He is supreme, all knowing (40:20), ever-present, different from all of creation (3:191), and in complete control of all things.
According to Islam, Allah created the universe in six days (2:29; 25:61-62) and all that is in it continues to exist by his permission and will. Allah is non-Trinitarian
The Koran (or Qur'an, which means "the reading" in Arabic) is the sacred book of Islam and is broken up into 114 chapters called Suras which cover the subjects of ethics, history, law, and theology. It is highly revered by Muslims as the direct, literal word of God.
The Qur'an (also spelled Quran and Koran) was delivered by the angel Gabriel (also known as the Holy Spirit) to Muhammad over a 23-year period after Muhammad's initial encounter with Gabriel in a cave when he was 40 years old.
Muslims consider Muhammad (full name of Muhammad Ibn Abdullah) to be the final prophet of God to the world. Muhammad was born in 570? AD in Mecca and died in 632 AD.
Second only to the Islamic belief in the unity/oneness of God is the supremacy of Muhammad as Allah's prophet.
But, Islam acknowledges that several prophets preceded Muhammad. The major ones are Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus. These prophets gave revelations from God which were written as scriptures; mainly, the Old and New Testaments.
These predecessors to Muhammad are considered great prophets who spoke for God to specific people and whose message was meant for that time. Jesus, according to Islam, was simply one of many prophets.
Therefore, Muslims deny the Christian doctrine of the deity of Jesus, the need for His atoning sacrifice (4:157-158), the Trinity (5:73), and much more.
According to Islam, no sacrifice is needed to be forgiven, only faith in Allah, sincere repentance, and obedience to Islamic law (3:135; 7:8-9; 21:47; 49:14; 66:8-9).
In fact, in Islam, the greatest of sins, called shirk, is to attribute "partners" to God. In other words, to say that God is a Trinity of persons is an unforgivable sin to a Muslim.
In addition to the Qur'an is the Hadith.
It is another source of authority in Islam, though it is second to the Qur'an.
The Hadith is a collection of the sayings and deeds of Muhammad as recorded by his companions. They are oral traditions and are considered authoritative and instructive as commentaries and applications of Qur'anic principles and contain additional principles not found in the Qur'an.
According to Islam, the Hadith are the inspired truths of God transmitted to us in the style and words of Muhammad. By contrast, the Quran is supposed to be the exact words of Allah which are is supposed to be protected from corruption by him.
In Islam, all Muslims are united by the common faith irrespective of class, location, race, or gender. Therefore, they have a special bond of unity and equality.
The primary "truth" of Islam is found in the first pillar of Islam known as the shahda: "There is no true God except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."
Islamic theology also teaches that angels were created from light, that jinn are another race of beings, created from fire, who are invisible yet all around us, that there is an eternal judgment to Paradise for the good and hell for the bad; that Jesus was never crucified; and that drinking alcohol is forbidden as is gambling.
Within the first two centuries after its inception in Arabia, Islam spread very quickly, often aided by the sword (jihad),2 into North Africa, up through Europe to Spain, and east to India.
Presently, about 1.3 billion people are Muslim world-wide with adherents on every continent and nation. It is perhaps the world's fastest-growing religion and second in size only to Christianity.
Like most ancient religions, there are sects. Islam is no different. The major sects in Islam are the Sunni and the Shiites. The Sunni are the largest group and comprise about 90% of all Muslims. The Shiites, though smaller in number, are significant in Islamic history and presently occupy the lands of Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi-Arabia, Yemen, and Persian Gulf states.
The most important place of worship for the Muslim is the Mosque which is always pointed towards Mecca which is the birthplace of Muhammad and is located in Saudi Arabia.
All Muslims must face Mecca during their times of prayer because in Mecca there is the Ka'aba, a cube structure allegedly built by Abraham which contains a sacred stone. When a Muslim is in Mecca, he or she faces the Ka'aba.
Many Muslims hope for shari'ah, the complete rule of Islamic law in the world. To this end, Muslims are seeking more converts, attacking other religious systems both by the sword and by word, moving into every nation, and seeking political power wherever they can achieve it.
Islam is a growing and aggressive religion that seeks to submit everyone on the planet to its rule.
1.". . . The One (True) God; To Him do we submit" (Qur'an 2:133).
2.Jihad means "striving." Fighting against one's own sinful self. Also, a physical fight for the truth of Islam, not allowing anyone to steal the ability to worship. It also means "holy war."
It is misused by Islamist extremists as an excuse to wage violent aggression on people in many lands in acts of cruel terrorism destroying churches, temples, synagogues, schools, homes and property, and killing innocent civilians. Which most Moslems reject as sinful and contrary to the spirit of Islam.
DIVISIONS WITHIN ISLAM by Matt Slick
//////////////////////////////////
Because of Islam's great growth geographically in the first two centuries of its inception, there needed to be a larger set of Islamic laws capable of handling the different needs of Muslims throughout the Empire. The Qur'an and the Hadith were not detailed enough to provide all the answers.
Therefore, in the 8th century A.D., there arose a school of legal experts who interpreted and applied Islamic principles to different situations throughout the Empire. However, different scholars disagreed with these experts in various areas. This led to a variety of legal schools of thought within Islam.
These different schools became different sects within Islam.
The largest of the sects is the Sunni which comprises about 90% of all Muslims.
The next two largest are the Shi'i and Sufi.
After these, there are numerous splinter groups which are often named after the individual scholars who began them: Hanifa, after Abu Hanifa; Maliki, after Malik ibn Anas; Shafi'i, after Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi'i; Zaydi, after Zayd ibn Ali; the Nusayri, Ismaili, Murji'ah, etc.
SUNNI MUSLIMS
Sunni Muslims These are followers of the Hanifa, Shafi, Hanibal and Malik schools. They constitute a 90% majority of the believers, and are considered to be main stream traditionalists. Because they are comfortable pursuing their faith within secular societies, they have been able to adapt to a variety of national cultures, while following their three sources of law: the Qur'an, Hadith and consensus of Muslims.
The Sunni emphasize the power and sovereignty of Allah and his right to do whatever he wants with his creation. Strict determinism is taught. Its rulership is through the Caliphate, the office of Muslim ruler who is considered the successor to Muhammad. This successor is not through hereditary lineage.
SHI' ITE MUSLIMS
The Shi'ites (also known as the Ja'firi school) split with the Sunni over the issue of the successor to Muhammad. This split occured after the assassination of the fourth caliph in 661. Shi'ites believe that the successor to Muhammad should have been Ali, his son in law, and that subsequent successors should have been through his lineage through his wife Fatima.
Shi'ism is broken into three main sects: the Twelve-Imam, (Persia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Pakistan, and Syria), the Zaydis (Yemen), and the Ismailis (India, Iran, Syria, and East Africa). Each group, of course, has differences of doctrine.
"Shi'ite theology includes a doctrine known as the five supports: these are Divine Unity (tawhid), prophecy (nubuwwah), resurrection of the soul and body at the Judgment (ma'ad), the Imamate1 (imamah), and justice ('adl). The first three are found in Sunni Islam, albeit with some differences of emphasis; the Imamate, however , is the essence of Shi'ism, and the last, justice, is an inheritance from the Mu'tazilites, or rationalists, whose system is in many ways perpetuated in Shi'ite theology..." The Imamate, form the word "Imam", in the Shi'ite traditions is the political and religious leader of the Shi'ite sect. This person possesses great power and influence. According to Shi'ite doctrine, the Imam must be a biological successor of Ali. The Imam is also sinless and infallible on all matters of Islamic doctrine and will intercede for Muslims in the afterlife. The Shi'i and the Sunni differ in some interpretations of the Qur'an and Hadith and even have a different canon of Hadith and the Sunni.
SUFI MUSLIMS
The Sufi are a mystical tradition where the followers seek inner mystical knowledge of God. This sect "officially" developed around the 10th century and has since fragmented into different orders: Ahmadiyya, Qadariyya, Tijaniyya, etc. Of course, the Sufi believe their roots can be traced back to the inception of Islam in the early 7th century.
The Sufi mystic must follow a path of deprivation and meditation. There are various forms of abstinence and poverty.
Worldly things are renounced and a complete trust in God's will is taught.
The goal is to attain to a higher knowledge and experience of Allah. The mystical focus meant that the Qur'an could be interpreted in different ways and so Sufism taught that the Qur'an had mystical meanings hidden within its pages.
Out of this mysticism a type of pantheism developed among some Sufi believers. Pantheism is the teaching that God and the universe are one. Of course, the orthodox Muslims, called the Sunni, reject this idea since they claim that Allah is the creator of the universe and distinct from it.
In part, Sufism arose as a reaction to the growing Islamic materialism that had developed in the Empire at that time. Islam had achieved great power and geographical scope and with it, the material gain was great.
Conclusion
As you can see, Islam is not the united religious system it claims to be. There are divisions among its ranks and even those divisions have divisions. But what is interesting is that the Qur'an tells the Muslims to have no such divisions.
"The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah - the [sic] which we have sent by inspiration to thee - and that which we enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: namely, that ye should remain steadfast in religion and make no divisions therein: to those who worship other things than Allah, hard is the (way) to which thou callest them..." (42:13)
If this is the case, then the Muslim must admit that the divisions within Islam are sinful. But, such is the nature of humanity, to divide and set ourselves against one another.
CHRONOLOGY OF EARLY ISLAM
Notice how closely Islam's inception is associated with war. From 623 to 777, a span of 154 years, there are 83 military conflicts involving the Muslims...and that is just what I have recorded here. Is Islam a religion of peace? Muslims tell me it is. But....
570 - Birth of Muhammad in Mecca into the tribe of Quraish.
577 - Muhammad's mother dies.
580 - Death of Abdul Muttalib, Muhammad's grandfather.
583 - First journey to Syria with a trading Caravan.
595 - Muhammad marries Khadijah a rich widow several years older than him.
595 - Second journey to Syra.
598 - His son, Qasim, is born.
600 - His daughter, Zainab, is born.
603 - His daughter, Um-e-Kalthum, is born.
604 - His daughter, Ruqayya, is born.
605 - Placement of Black Stone in Ka'aba.
605 - His daughter, Fatima, is born.
610 - Mohammed, in a cave on Mt. Hira, hears the angel Gabriel tell him that
Allah is the only true God.
613 - Muhammad's first public preaching of Islam at Mt. Hira; gets few converts.
615 - Muslims persecuted by the Quraish.
619 - Marries Sau'da and Aisha.
620 - Institution of five daily prayers.
622 - Muhammad immigrates from Mecca to Medina, which was then called Yathrib, gets
more converts.
623 - Battle of Waddan.
623 - Battle of Safwan.
623 - Battle of Dul-'Ashir.
624 - Muhammad and converts begin raids on caravans to fund the movement.
624 - Zakat becomes mandatory.
624 - Battle of Badr.
624 - Battle of Bani Salim.
624 - Battle of Eid-ul-Fitr and Zakat-ul-Fitr.
624 - Battle of Bani Qainuqa'.
624 - Battle of Sawiq.
624 - Battle of Ghatfan.
624 - Battle of Bahran.
625 - Battle of Uhud; 70 Muslims are killed.
625 - Battle of Humra-ul-Asad.
625 - Battle of Banu Nudair.
625 - Battle of Dhatur-Riqa.
626 - Battle of Badru-Ukhra.
626 - Battle of Dumatul-Jandal.
626 - Battle of Banu Mustalaq Nikah.
627 - Battle of the Trench.
627 - Battle of Ahzab.
627 - Battle of Bani Quraiza.
627 - Battle of Bani Lahyan.
627 - Battle of Ghaiba.
627 - Battle of Khaibar.
628 - Muhammad signs treaty with Quraish.
630 - Muhammad conquers Mecca.
630 - Battle of Hunsin.
630 - Battle of Tabuk.
632 - Muhammad dies.
632 - Abu-Bakr, Muhammad's father-in-law, along with Umar, begin a military move to
enforce Islam in Arabia.
633 - Battle at Oman.
633 - Battle at Hadramaut.
633 - Battle of Kazima.
633 Battle of Walaja.
633 - Battle of Ulleis.
633 - Battle of Anbar.
634 - Battle of Basra.
634 - Battle of Damascus.
634 - Battle of Ajnadin.
634 - Death of Hadrat Abu Bakr. Hadrat Umar Farooq becomes the Caliph.
634 - Battle of Namaraq.
634 - Battle of Saqatia.
635 - Battle of Bridge.
635 - Battle of Buwaib.
635 - Conquest of Damascus.
635 - Battle of Fahl.
636 - Battle of Yermuk.
636 - Battle of Qadsiyia.
636 - Conquest of Madain.
637 - Battle of Jalula.
638 - Battle of Yarmouk.
638 - The Muslims defeat the Romans and enter Jerusalem.
638 - Conquest of Jazirah.
639 - Conquest of Khuizistan and movement into Egypt.
641 - Battle of Nihawand.
642 - Battle of Rayy in Persia.
643 - Conquest of Azarbaijan.
644 - Conquest of Fars.
644 - Conquest of Kharan.
644 - Umar is murdered. Othman becomes the Caliph.
647 - Conquest of the island of Cypress.
644 - Uman dies and is succeeded by Caliph Uthman.
648 - Campaign against the Byzantines.
651 - Naval battle against the Byzantines.
654 - Islam spreads into North Africa.
656 - Uthman is murdered. Ali become Caliph.
658 - Battle of Nahrawan.
659 - Conquest of Egypt.
661 - Ali is murdered.
662 - Egypt falls to Islam rule.
666 - Sicily is attacked by Muslims.
677 - Siege of Constantinople.
687 - Battle of Kufa.
691 - Battle of Deir ul Jaliq.
700 - Sufism takes root as a sect of Islam.
700 - Military campaigns in North Africa.
702 - Battle of Deir ul Jamira.
711 - Muslims invade Gibraltar.
711 - Conquest of Spain.
713 - Conquest of Multan.
716 - Invasion of Constantinople.
732 - Battle of Tours in France.
740 - Battle of the Nobles.
741 - Battle of Bagdoura in North Africa.
744 - Battle of Ain al Jurr.
746 - Battle of Rupar Thutha.
748 - Battle of Rayy.
749 - Battle of lsfahan.
749 - Battle of Nihawand.
750 - Battle of Zab.
772 - Battle of Janbi in North Africa.
777 - Battle of Saragossa in Spain.
References:
Miller, William M., A Christian's Response to Islam, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, Phillipsburg, New Jersey, 1976.
Geisler, Norman, Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Books, 1999.
Glasse, Cyril, The Concise Encyclopedia of Islam, Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc. San Francisco, 1989.
Morey, Robert, The Islamic Invasion, Harvest House Publishers, Eugene Oregon, 1992
ISLAM AND THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS by Ryan Turner
Introduction
The Muslim religion is one of the fastest growing religions of the world, if not the fastest.
Among its many differences with Christianity is that it denies the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.
Whether Muslims believe in
a substitution theory (another person was crucified in Jesus' place),
an ascension theory (Jesus was rescued from the cross and ascended to heaven),
or a swoon theory (Jesus did not actually die while on the cross and survived the rigours of the crucifixion),
each one of them clearly denies the death of Jesus by crucifixion.
This Islamic belief is not just something that Muslims conjured up in response to Christianity.
Instead, the Qur’an clearly denies the crucifixion of Jesus in Surah 4:157-158 which says, “. . . they [the Jews] said (in boast), ‘We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah’ – But they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not – Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself . . . .”
1 The Muslim View
Commenting on the above verses, the renowned Qur’anic translator and commentator,
Yusuf Ali states, “The Qur’anic teaching is that Christ was not crucified nor killed by the Jews . . . .
”2 The Muslim apologist and author Ahmed Deedat agrees, “On the subject of the crucifixion the Muslim is told in no uncertain terms in the Holy Qur’an . . . that they did not kill Him, not did they crucify Him.”
3 Therefore the Qur’anic teaching is clearly that Jesus did not die by crucifixion, which is in direct contrast to Christianity which says there is no salvation apart from the cross (Mt. 26:28; Mk. 14:22-24; cf. 1 Cor. 1:18). Putting all theological beliefs aside, what does the evidence suggest? Did Jesus really die by crucifixion or did he just appear dead?
THE HISTORICAL EVIDENCE
#1. EYEWITNESS SOURCES
There are many evidences from which one can argue for the historicity of Christ’s death by crucifixion, of which I will use only a few. The first evidence for Jesus’ crucifixion is from the testimony of eyewitness sources. Many Muslims do not believe there is eyewitness material in the accounts of the crucifixion of Jesus. In fact, one Muslim claims that “Not a single one of the Christians was a witness with them [the Jews]. Rather the apostles kept a distance through fear, and not one of them witnessed the crucifixion.
” 4 This argument is largely based upon Matthew 26:56 which says, “Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
” 5 Though the disciples forsook Jesus, some of them were still witnesses from a distance (Mark 14:54).
Also, there was an anonymous disciple whom Jesus, while on the cross, commanded to take care of Mary (John 19:26-27).
The Gospel of Luke reports that while Jesus was carrying the cross, “. . . there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him (Luke 23:27, emphasis mine).”
In addition to these people already mentioned the Gospels are scattered with references to Jewish leaders (Mt. 27:41; Mk. 15:31), Roman centurion (Mt. 27:54; Mk. 15:39; Lk. 23:47) and soldiers (Mt. 27:35; Mk. 15:24; Lk. 23:35; and John 19:18, 23) who all witnessed Jesus’ crucifixion.
For Muslims to argue that the crucifixion is not historical simply does not square with the historical data because there were multitudes of witnesses to the fact that the Romans crucified Jesus.
#2. MEDICAL EVIDENCE
In light of the eyewitness evidence from the gospels, there is strong medical evidence that confirms the historicity of Christ’s death as presented in the Gospels. Before examining
the medical evidence, as a general point the Romans knew how to crucify their victims. To suppose that the Romans would have allowed Jesus to escape the cross, is nonsensical.
The Romans knew how to kill someone and they knew when someone was dead.
Concerning the specific medical evidence, the gospels report specific conditions that a crucified victim would have experienced.
First, in Jesus’ pre-crucifixion experience in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Gospel of Luke reports that Jesus sweated “great drops of blood” (Luke 22:44). According to Alexander Metherell an M.D. and Ph.D., “This is a known medical condition called hematidrosis.”
6 He later acknowledges that tremendous stress like the kind that Jesus suffered could have produced this effect.
Second, Jesus’ desire, while on the cross, to receive a drink confirms the fact that he likely was experiencing another known medical condition called hypovolemic shock, which would have been caused by his beating.
According to Metherell, hypovolemic schock “. . . does four things.
First, the heart races to try to pump blood that isn’t there;
second, the blood pressure drops, causing fainting or collapse;
third, the kidneys stop producing urine to maintain what volume is left; and
fourth, the person becomes very thirsty as the body craves fluids to replace the lost blood volume.”
7 Third, the evidence from the spear thrust confirms the idea that Jesus did indeed die on the cross. Concerning this Matherell states that hypovolemic shock causes a rapid heart beat which results in fluid around the heart called a pericardial effusion.
8 The Gospel of John testifies to this fact in John 19:34which says, “. . . one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.” Metherell continues, “The spear apparently went through the right lung and into the heart, so when the spear was pulled out, some fluid – the pericardial effusion and the pleural effusion – came out. This would have the appearance of a clear fluid like water.”
9 Therefore, given the above specific medical evidence, the Journal of the American Medical Association is justified to conclude, “. . . interpretations based on the assumption that Jesus did not die on the cross appear to be at odds with modern medical knowledge.”
10 #3. EARLY STATEMENTS OF BELIEF
In addition to the medical evidence for the historicity of the gospel accounts, there is evidence from early Christian creeds which are located in various places in the New Testament including Luke 24:34, parts of Philippians 2, and 1 Corinthians 15.
11 The creed that provides the strongest evidence for the death and resurrection of Jesus is from 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 which says, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve.” These few verses are just a sample of a much longer statement by Paul on the resurrection appearances of Jesus. Verses 6-8 go on to describe 500 people, James, the apostles, and Paul himself. Some scholars doubt the fact that the creed continues past verse 5; however, as Gary Habermas notes, “. . . it is agreed by virtually all scholars that the creed includes at least verses, 3, 4, and 5.”
12 Scholars believe that 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 is a creed for a number of reasons. First, there are certain words in the text that indicate someone was passing on tradition. William Lane Craig notes that the three fold use of “and that” in the passage show that someone is passing on tradition.
13 Other words also indicate the delivering of tradition such as the words “delivered” and “received.
14 Second, there are many non-Pauline words in the text such as “for our sins,” “according to the scriptures,” “he has been raised,” “third day,” “he was seen,” and “the twelve,” that indicate Paul probably did not compose this text on his own.
15 These are just some of the reasons why scholars think that this text is a creed and “. . . numerous critical theologians date it from three to eight years after Jesus’ crucifixion.”
16 Though there is strong evidence that 1 Corinthians 15 contains an early creed, yet the question arises: How do scholars find the date of the creed? Scholars generally start from the crucifixion of Jesus which is dated at 30 A.D. and then move to the fact of Paul’s conversion which took place around 33-35 A.D.
17 They then proceed to Paul’s own testimony, in Galatians 1. In this passage Paul states, “Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.” By the simple fact that Paul tells the time when he went to see Peter, one can date this event to around 36-38 A.D. Yet, while at Jerusalem, Paul probably received the creed included in 1 Corinthians. Habermas agrees, “. . . the presence of both Peter and James in the list of appearances (1 Cor. 15:5, 7) indicates the probability that Paul received this creed from the apostles when he visited Jerusalem.
18 Therefore, given the above evidence, the creed of 1 Corinthians is from within eight years of Jesus’ crucifixion. On top of that if one adds to the idea that Peter had the creed for a while before delivering it to Paul, one has to acknowledge that it goes back practically to the events themselves.”
19 In addition to the fact that this creed is early, the evidence from the creed points to eyewitness accounts of the resurrection appearances of Jesus. Verse 5 states, “. . . he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve.” This verse implies that the disciples saw Jesus collectively. Habermas states, “. . . even if we take the shorter creed and quit at verse 5, we still have an eyewitness report of a collective experience – an appearance to the twelve.”
20 Therefore, this is strong evidence for the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Not only is the creed early, but it likely contains eyewitness accounts. Furthermore, the fact that the creed acknowledges Jesus’ death and resurrection is strong evidence for the death of Jesus by crucifixion. Since the material is undeniably early it shows the fact that the followers of Jesus believes that Jesus died very early in Christianity.
In light of this early testimony to the resurrection of Jesus this points to a death of some sort. Without the death of Christ, there is no resurrection of Christ and a resurrection presupposes a death of some sort. Therefore, the resurrection appearances in 1 Corinthians 15 provide strong evidence that Jesus really died by crucifixion.
Along with the early creed in 1 Corinthians 15, there is also early preaching material which attests to the crucifixion of Jesus in the book of Acts. In his summary of the creeds in the New Testament, Habermas mentions five specific places in the book of Acts that mention the crucifixion.
21 Concerning some of these passages in Acts, John Drane states, “. . . there can be no doubt that in the first few chapters of Acts its author has preserved material from very early sources.
”22 These several verses in addition to the creed in 1 Corinthians 15, provide specific evidence for Jesus’ death by crucifixion. Among the many reason that scholars believe these are creeds, is the undeveloped theology in them.
23 In Acts 2:23 Peter states, “Him [Jesus], being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.” Peter again makes his point in Acts 2:36, “Therefore let all of the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Therefore, not only is there early testimony that hints at the crucifixion, but from the preaching of the apostles, we have clear references to Jesus’ crucifixion.
#4. TRANSFORMATION OF THE DISCIPLES AND EMERGENCE OF THE CHURCH
Another strong evidence for the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus is from the transformation of the disciples and the emergence of the early church. It is a historical fact that the Christian Church originated in the first century. This is something which Christians and Muslims can agree. However, the hypothesis that Jesus never really died on the cross does not account for this phenomenon
As has been shown, there were many people who witnessed Christ’s death, but if the disciples began preaching a crucified and risen Messiah like Acts suggests, these witnesses could have produced Jesus’ body if he was not dead. James Packer rightly states, “. . . how could Jesus’ resurrection have been successfully proclaimed in Jerusalem if his body could be produced?”
24 Thus any non-crucifixion theory just does not make sense.
#5. FAILURE OF ALTERNATE THEORIES TO THE CRUCIFIXION
In conclusion, the naturalistic theories simply do not adequately account for the above evidence. For Muslims to believe that Jesus did not really die on a cross does not explain well the emergence of the Christian Church. It has been shown that the Christians preached the death and resurrection extremely early in the history of the church and many of them died for their beliefs. To suppose that the disciples did not know that Jesus really died on the cross and arose from the dead, does not go well with the fact that there is extremely early eyewitness creedal material that indicates Jesus died and arose from the dead. Second, to suppose that the disciples knew Jesus did not die on the cross and then boldly proclaimed that it happened is simply absurd. People certainly die for things that they believe to be true, but for them to die for something they know to be false is beyond credulity. Thus, due to the eyewitness testimony, the medical evidence, the appearances of Jesus, and the emergence of the early church, this makes the historicity of the crucifixion a historical fact that every Muslim needs to consider.
1.Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Meaning of the Holy Qur’an, Tenth Ed. (Beltsville, MD: Amana, 1999), 235-36.
2.Ali, 236.
3.Josh McDowell and John Gilchrist, The Islam Debate (San Bernardino: Here’s Life Publishers, 1983), 143.
4.Ibn Taymiyya, A Muslim Theologian’s Response to Christianity, ed. and trans. Thomas F. Michel (Delmar, NY: Caravan Books, 1984), 110, in Norman L. Geisler and Abdul Saleeb, Answering Islam: The Crescent in Light of the Cross, Second Edition (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2002), 280.
5.See also Mark 14:50. All Biblical quotations unless otherwise noted are from the King James Version.
6.Lee Strobel, The Case for Christ: A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus(Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998), 195.
7.Ibid., 196.
8.Ibid., 199.
9.Ibid.
10.The Journal of the American Medical Association (March 21, 1986), 1463, in Geisler and Saleeb, 236.
11.Gary R. Habermas, The Historical Jesus: Ancient Evidence for the Life of Christ (Joplin, MO: College Press, 1996), 145, 149, 153.
12.Gary R. Habermas and Antony G. N. Flew, Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?, ed. Terry L. Miethe (San Francisco: Harper & Row Publishers, 1987), 161.
13.William Lane Craig, “The Empty Tomb of Jesus,” in In Defense of Miracles: A Comprehensive Case for God’s Action in History, eds. Douglas Geivett and Gary R. Habermas (Downers Grove, IL: Inter Varsity Press, 1997), 249.
14.Habermas, The Historical Jesus, 153.
15.Ibid., 154.
16.Ibid.
17.Ibid., 155.
18.Ibid.
19.Ibid.
20.Habermas and Flew, 85.
21.Acts 2:23; 2:36; 4:10; 5:30; 10:39 in Habermas, 151.
22.John Drane, Introducing the New Testament (San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1986), 99, in Habermas, 149.
23.Habermas, 149.
24.Habermas and Flew, 149.