What is Islam?

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 Odd why to start a thread I know. But its seems to be all over the place these days. 9/11, Iraq, Iran, and the diff groups of Sunnie, gotcha2es ect ect. I have done a litte reading and thought it might be ok to see if anyone else understands this relegion.
      Its the second largest relegion in the world. Someone one on another thread mention that they are, or could be the anti christ. And after all that I've read I don't doubt it.
      I've learned they do believe in one God. But Allah isn't the same God that Christians have. Allah is a works, judgement kind of god, and God (big G) is a GOd of love and mercy. SO for a while it looked like Islamics might being doing well. But there are big differences.
     My second reason for this thread is the very fact that they are one of the biggest relegions in the world, we really need to know what we are up against. How to protect ourselves, and how to lead some to Christ.
      Prophet.....Muhammad ibn Abdallah, AD 570, father died before he was born, mother died when he was 6, sent to grandpa who died, and then he lived with an uncle who belonged to the Quraish Clan. (use the K sound for the Q)
He was raised around polytheistic beliefs. Many gods, one for the sun, trees, rocks. It was common belief for pilgrimages, and offering sacrafices.
Muhammad couldn't read or write, so when he or his wife convinced him he decided to have the revelations written down, he had to dictate them to his disciples. LOTS of room for error I would think. But before I get there I'll back up a little, He was 40 yr old when he was sitting in a cave supposley not a happy person he had a "vision".  he had these visions for 2 years when his wife convinced him he there were from God. Somewhere along the line he come to believe Gabriel was the messanger. And the main theme of these messages was......there was only one true God, and idolatry was an abomination. NOT a common belief in his day. So he wasn't a real popular person.  
     end of first part

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Part 2

Good Evening,
                  I read over my first part, and ask for your forgiveness on my misspellings and typing errors. Maybe this should be a thread on typing.....lol.
       quick update forgot to say all this takes place in Arabia

     In 610 AD a 40 yr old Muhammad recieved the first of mystical visions. As I stated before he wasn't sure if they were of God, so he didn't tell anyone for a while except his wife who believed them to be true visions. After she finally convinced him (2 yrs later) he began preaching his knew faith. Reciting his visions to his disciples to write down for him. These writings become the Qur'an, or Koran as we read. The Koran is 114 chapter long, chapter are called surahs. Its approx. 4/5 the length of the New testament.
     This new preaching was making lots of people mad, ONE true God!! Allah. (which means "the God") The unpopular Muhammad and his followers left Mecca in 622 running to a city north of Mecca, known a Medina. This run is now referred to as the Hegira, using the abrevations of A.H. in there calenders.  
      Muhammad had some good leadership qualities, he organized a small army to keep the peace in Medina, was good with the surrounding people as well, and if diplomacy didn't work he could send his army against them. He finally won the peace in that area, He built a Mosque and fomed a government that made laws, concering religion, the economy, politics and social lives of his people. Those in Mecca realized the force Muhammad was becoming and waged war against Muhammad. The war raged on for 6 years, Muhammad and his forces winning.  They went about all of Mecca destroying every idol and Shrine except Ka'aba. WHich became the most sacred place for the Muslims even up to today.
     After winning the war against Mecca Muhammad gained control over most of Arabia either by treaty or with war. He was the religious leader and the governing ruler, enforcing the worhip of Allah, and requiring Pilgrimages to Ka'aba in Mecca.
    Muhaamad died in 636 but his follower continued on with the faith, taking it to Asia, Africa, and Europe.

peace

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part 3
sorry forgot to say where I am getting this info, papaphrasing  and facts," Guide to cults, religions, spiritual beliefs" By Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz, Harvest House Publishers, pg 73-97

        Enough back ground....(good thing too there wasn't anymore left to read anyway.... ) I'm anxious to get to the meat of islam anyway.
       
      there are 5 basic docrtrines they need to follow.
#1 believe in Allah, pray using the phrase,"Allah akbar" in the daily prayers. More like abbra ka dabra to me....but anyway.
By Praying Allah Akbar Muslim are saying that God is greater than everything. Like Christian they believe Allah is all seeing, all hearing, all knowing and all powerful, Christian know these as omniscience, amnipotence and omnipresence. The likeness stop at this point. The very nature of Allah is totally diff that God of Christianity and of the Jews.
       Muslims memorize 99 beautiful name for Allah, each one   describes a characteristics. There is no Mercy or Grace with Allah, no forgiveness. Once you did a bad thing it stays bad. But he does love those who do good. So it seems to be a work oriented faith. Allah isn't a god of love, but of judgement.  
    Allah is imcomprehensible, unknowable. So muslims don't believe you can know God, or have a personal relationship with God. Allah doesn't reveal himself, but he reveals his desires and wishes. Muslims don't even try to know allah, they try to do good things and the good angels keeping track of them. ( talk more about this a little later)
      Christian believe that God is present and active in our lives. Allah is a mystery, distant, don't even try to approach his throne.

      Another major diff is the trinity. I know that even Christians opinion diff on the trinity, I'm not suprised that muslims are confused as well. But it is a another major diff between our faiths. And why I believe they are in error. Its hard to explain, but Allah is a with out partner, no sons, he is the unity. He is the all that end all so to speak. Where Christians have the trinity.  So muslims think we worship 3 seperate gods. Confusing for lots of people. I personally believe that God the father, God the son and God the Holy Spirit are one, ( from the book of John), trying to describe this to a Mauslim is difficult. Muslims beleive Christians are unbelievers becuase of (some) our beliefs in the Trinity.  

         
#2 Know and believe there are good angels and bad angels. The good angels are the messengers of allah, the highest Angel is Gabriel (Muhammad come to believe this was the angel who gave him these revelations as well) Shaitan is the fallen agnel and his fellow are called jinns or demons. Every human has 2 angels, they keep track of all the good and bad things done. SO on judgement day your angels can stand there and have a contest to see if you done more good than bad. I suppose someone must keep a tally chart on this.....who knows. Probably Vanna Whites angels or something......lol.

#3 Muslims but Read the sacred scriptures, Koran, but 4 others as well, 1)theTorah, book of Moses, 2)the Zabur 3) the Pslams of David and 4) Injil Gospel of Jesus Christ...(shocker right) and of coarse the Koran, which naturlly supersedes all over books mentioned.
Some how or another allah has revealed himself through the four sacred books. You'll find many stories similiar to the bible in the Koran as well, familiar names aLot of info that is in the bible is in the Koran. Muslims believe The Torah, and Gospels of Jesus are revelations given to the pre Isalmic people. (aint that sweet allah thunked of us after all) The Koran is with out question, never debateable, never wrong, the perfect word of allah. (I suppose I have to say that about the Holy Scriptures, so ok give them a point.) BUT here is the catch after all, Jews and Christian have misinterpreted, our writting are corrupted, where the Koren survived all these years without error, or misinterpitation. Even though Muhammad had died by the time the Koran was done.  
    With their fearlyess leader dead many of his followers began to fall away, so Muhammad successor Abu Bakr had the Koran put together, using the memorized visions from the close friend and prophets of Muhammad, and what could be found written. Zaid ibn Thabit was in charge of collecting any remaind writing and finding all those people with perfect memorie. Not one word was lost even tho a war broke out and many of disciples of Muhammad had died taken the "word" with them. Zaid wasn't the only one, others tried too write as well, but the Zaid addition is the most widely used even tho it does diff from other writings.
      Also there seems to be some other books that Muslims use, Hadith, writing on how Muhammad acted while leading his people
the Qiyas, on how to interpet the Koran, and Shari'ah, telling Muslims how to behave.


peace friends
   

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OK if this is boring anyone let me know. But it helps me to remember all this after I've read the book.
On to doctrine 4

#4 Believe in the Prophets. those mention in the book are Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses David Solomon, Jonah, John the Baptist, and Jesus. As odd as it is, they do believe Jesus was without sin, born of a virgin. But no Jesus isn't Gods son, its a blasphemy to suggest that Jesus is God too. I don't understand this but Jesus with out sin is still less significant than Muhammad. All these prophets are important, they each brought a message of revelation for that time but none as important as Muhammad.

#5 Muslims do believe in an afterlife, anyone who has lived will be resurrected from the dead, called the great Day of Judgment. The Muslims 2 angels will use all they've written over their life all the good act, and all the bad acts to have a kind of play off. No questions either Allah has absolute justice. More good actions you earn eternity, more bad then you go to a place of terrible suffering. Doesn't make any diff what good you done if you have one more terrible action that good you go to the bad place. This book doesn't call it hell.....so I don't know what they call it. The catch is the good act you do have to be compatible with the teaching of the Koren, and the Hadith. And most importantly is keeping the 5 Pillars of faith. SO the simple gets a little harder as it goes on. I'd already been in troulbe for all the bad acts I've done in my life. And we haven't gotten to the ways to act yet or what to do yet. I talk about that tomorrow if I get the oppertunity.
     OOPS almost forgot.....there is one loophole.  Not matter how bad or good you've been, to earn a quick trip to eternity you must die as a martys, or die in defense of the islamic faith. What we've heard this last few months is called  a Jihad, or holy war. You go directly to heaven don't even have to go thru judgement, so your angels have wasted thier time I guess. This makes so much sense to me now, when coalition forces were heading to Bagdad, hussein opened up the prison letting ever evil person go, lot of innocents where killed but the real bad dudes, murders, rapist, were let go. hussein was concerned about there eternity.   I also understand now why the Fayheim (sorry can't spell it) guard are so blasted mean, they are street fighter, thugs from the wrong side of the tracks. Probably got there angel so busy writing all the bad things they do that they'd be late to the judgement anyway.  So anyone who was real bad could join up with this army and die in war, go to heaven. WOW, sounds almost good doesn't it. Go live a life of what ever, join this army and still live a life of sin and still go to heaven, as long as its a jihad you die in. How many time has hussein, or bin layden called for a jihad now?
    Ok thanks for any who have read his far.
May God bless you

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@%#$@&@^%#!!!!!!!! lost my last post.........Is the Lord teaching me patienes

Doing the 2 step, back up and try again.
 Just a quick reminder of the last bit of the pervious post. I probably find this the most interesting element of the islamic faith. The LOOPHOLE claus...lol.

Muslims can avoid judgement. Wouldn't that be nice. Do as we pleased, avoid judgement and go to heaven. I guess this leaves out the Muslim women, unless of coarse they are allowed to fight in a "jihad", or Holy War. If a muslim has been a terrilbe person, skipped on the required elements of faith, the prayer, fast, ect ect then the chances of getting into Heaven is pretty poor. SO to cover their tails on this one, if you die in a jihad, or holy war you will go straight to Heaven to be with Allah, and miss out on the judggement.  No question, your angels have followed you all the days of your life and they don't have to have the good bad play offs. Be all that you can be in the Iraq army, and you live with ALLAH for eternity LOL........sillly me, sounds like a commercial toon.

     Since the only good deeds that really count are those that Allah believes are good, and to make sure there is ever oppurtinity for enterance into Heaven Islams has 5 pillars they are required to do. This helps keep the balance between the 5 steps of the Islamic doctrine. Its all a works.

#1 Recite the Creed
     This creed is called the Shahadah (to bear witness). Each Muslim is expected to publicy proclaim in Arabic (since that is what allah speaks) this little phrase "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger." This some how acknowledges belief in God, Allah soveignty, and also say that Muhammad is the top prophet.

#2 Prayer
Prayer is something they must do 5 times a day at dawn, noon, mid afternoon, after sunset, and at night , excpet on Fridays they all come together to pray at noon in the Mosque. Prayer is done anywhere other times, and you must face Mecca in Saudi Arabia.



#3 Give the alms
    Much like our Christian tithing, only Muslims require 2.5 percent of a persons income. This helps widows, orphans, and sick, also for mosque building and salaries of Muslim missionaries.

#4 Fasting
     Each Muslim fast during the whole 9th month of the lunar year,(Ramadan). That is the same month that Muhammad had his first vision. They are to not eat, drink, have pleasures from sunrise to sunset each day. (ok I'm thinking what your thinking but the book didn't say sex). Sounds like they really mean business when it comes to fasting. But the rest of this faith the old loop whole claus....as long as it begins after sunset, and their finished by dawn, any eating, drinking or (hhhmmm) pleasures must be finsihed. And I actually thought that maybe the poor wife was going to get a break from all the "duties" that are required of them.

#5 Pilgrimage
      Now some who are sick or just to poor seem to do without this. But every Mulim is to make a pilgrimage (ubgone86) to Mecca at least once in their life time. This trip takes place duing the 12 month of the Islamic calander. I don't know what the differences are between the month they talk about here. To me that would be Sept is fasting, (well almost) and Dec is traveling. So there must be a diff. Not only do you travel you also need to remember to pray your vows, and once there you have to circle the Kaaba before you trip is done. This is suppose to symblize the global unity of Islam, and everyone equality before allah.

Peace

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Ok now that I caught up on when my post disappeared into cyber land.

I find it interesting that the Kaaba is nothing more than square shaped structure draped in black and in the eastern corner there is a holy black stone. This is considered the most sacred place on earth to a Muslim. No matter where they are in this world they must face this Kaaba to pray 5 times a day.
   Muslim history says that Adam (as in Adam and Eve) built the foundation (to what it doesn't say, wouldn't it be a blast if it was the foundation to their out house ) and the black stone is where Abraham was going to sacrafice Ishmael, (not Isaac as we know it). So it must be a good sized stone. Goes with out saying then that allah provided the ram for sacrifice. Please someone correct me, but this has got to be the weirdess part of this faith, how do you change history anyway. Wasn't Abraham and his sons dead for a good while by then, stop and think about it, NO ONE in the world knew Ishmael was suppose to be the sacrificail boy, unitl Muhammad enlightend them, go figure. The books of moses are in existance, and they say that Moses was a good prophet, but he was terrible with name. When the Muslims male visits the Kaaba he dresses in 2 seamess white sheets, and the women can wear their normal dress of head to ankle garb. WHite symbolized equality of all before allah. I don't understand this either, Eqaulity??, must mean something diff in this faith. If men wear white to mean all are equal then why do the women wear their normal dress?

There are 2 sects of Muslims thats well known to day. The Shi'ites, and the Sunnis (they mention a smaller group called the Ahmidyan sect, from another book I have). Naturally each with a diff understanding of the 5 doctrinal beliefs. Its the same age old story of the leader suddenly dies (Muhammad) with our having appointed a the next leader. So now you have a big 600th century popularity fight,
(sounds like another cult I know).

The smaller Shi'ites broke away from the main stream Islam because they didn't like the new ruler after muhammad died. They felt that Muhammad sucsessor should be a blood heir. The religious leader plus the political leader. The most famous shi'ite you all will remember well was in Iran. The Ayatollah Khoumeni. Sounds like Illah-tol-a-Co-main-knee. I am not sure wwas Hussein a Shi'ite?

The Sunnis are larger (80%of muslim population) known as followers of the path.  Don't understand that because Muhammad was the both the leader of islam and the politcical leader, and no one elected him but allah.  Sunnis want the Islamic leader to be elected, and separate from the government. Lots of Sunnis in southern Iraq where my son is. A few upstarts but as a whole they tolerate the USA, but really would rather we got out of dodge.

I kinda understand now why the Shi'ites around the Bagdad area are so mean, (not all please) they have to keep in power, Shi'ites the smaller group could loose power real easy in an "election" but of coarse, all the blood inside the "isolation" booth should make you stop and think. Lets see we have a choice this year Hussein and Hussein.  

Ok I'm done now, thanks for tolerating me. I have a better understanding of what Islam is, and an even greater appreciation for Jesus Christ who made the only way to Hevean for us.
God bless each of you.
Be in prayer about something that is really happening in my life right now. Thanks again