Islam Islam The crescent moon is

Islam

Islam • The crescent moon is the most common symbol of this pagan moon worship as far back as 2000 BC. In Mecca, there was a god named Hubal who was Lord of the Kabah. This Hubal was a moon god. • One Muslim apologist confessed that the idol of moon god Hubal was placed upon the roof of the Kaba about 400 years before Muhammad. This may in fact be the origin of why the crescent moon is on top of every minaret at the Kaba today and the central symbol of Islam atop of every mosque throughout the world: “About four hundred years before the birth of Muhammad one Amr bin Lahyo. . . a descendant of Qahtan and king of Hijaz, had put an idol called Hubal on the roof of the Kaba. This was one of the chief deities of the Quraish before Islam. ” (Muhammad The Holy Prophet, Hafiz Ghulam Sarwar (Pakistan), p 18 -19, Muslim) • The moon god was also referred to as "al-ilah". This is not a proper name of a single specific god, but a generic reference meaning "the god". Each local pagan Arab tribe would refer to their own local tribal pagan god as "al-ilah" was later shortened to Allah before Muhammad began promoting his new religion in 610 AD. • When Muhammad came along, he dropped all references to the name "Hubal" but retained the generic "Allah". Muhammad retained almost all the pagan rituals of the Arabs at the Kaba and redefined them in monotheistic terms. • Regardless of the specifics of the facts, it is clear that Islam is derived from paganism that once worshiped a moon-god. Although Islam is today a monotheist religion, its roots are in paganism.

The Bible condemns moon worship: • "And beware, lest you lift up your eyes to heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, and be drawn away and worship them and serve them, those which the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven. " Deut 4: 19 • "and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, or the sun or the moon or any of the heavenly host, which I have not commanded" Deut 17: 3 • "For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. " 2 Kings 21: 3 • "And he did away with the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had appointed to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah and in the surrounding area of Jerusalem, also those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and to the moon and to the constellations and to all the host of heaven. " 2 Kings 23: 5 • "And they will spread them out to the sun, the moon, and to all the host of heaven, which they have loved, and which they have served, and which they have gone after, and which they have sought, and which they have worshiped. " Jer 8: 2 • "And the houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled like the place Topheth, because of all the houses on whose rooftops they burned sacrifices to all the heavenly host and poured out libations to other gods. " Jer 19: 13 • "And those who bow down on the housetops to the host of heaven" Zeph 1: 5

The Five Pillars of Islam 1. Shahadah (Profession of Faith) “There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah” This statement is said a minimum of 17 times each day in the daily prayers of all Muslims. 2. Salat (Daily Prayer) The prayer and its accompanying ritual, performed by the practicing Muslim 5 times a day. 3. Zakat (Annual charity) Obligatory alms tax ranging from 2. 5% - 10% of your wealth.

The Five Pillars of Islam 4. Sawm (Month long fasting) The month of Ramadan, 9 th month of the Muslim lunar calendar, is the month of fasting. The believer must abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset. 5. Hajj (Pilgrimage) All Muslims, provided a number of conditions including good health and financial ability are present, have a duty to make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime. The pilgrimage must be made in the Month of Pilgrimage, the last month in the lunar calendar, between the 8 th day of the month and the 12 th or 13 th. (A minor pilgrimage to Mecca, which does not count towards fulfillment of the religious duty is called in Arabic an ‘umra, may be made at any time and requires less ceremonial. )

Islam Questions / Discussions 1. What is the root of our faith? (use the 5 why method) Our belief that the compiled scriptures that we have, known as the Bible, is the complete and true Word of God. 2 Tim. 3: 16 -17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. ” That Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Mt. 16: 16 -17; Acts 8: 37), that He died for our sins, and rose victoriously over death (1 Cor. 15: 3 -4).

Islam Questions / Discussions 2. How does the Bible describe how prophets would be recognized? Deut. 18: 21 -22 “And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him. ” Deut. 13: 1 -4 “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them, ’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. ”

Islam When Muhammad was challenged by the Jews and Christians to produce a sign, he received a “special” revelation from Allah. Qur’an [6. 33] We know indeed that what they say certainly grieves you, but surely they do not call you a liar; but the unjust deny the communications of Allah. [6. 34] And certainly apostles before you were rejected, but they were patient on being rejected and persecuted until Our help came to them; and there is none to change the words of Allah, and certainly there has come to you some information about the messengers. [6. 35] And if their turning away is hard on you, then if you can seek an opening (to go down) into the earth or a ladder (to ascend up) to heaven so that you should bring them a sign and if Allah had pleased He would certainly have gathered them all on guidance, therefore be not of the ignorant. [6. 36] Only those accept who listen; and (as to) the dead, Allah will raise them, then to Him they shall be returned. [6. 37] And they say: Why has not a sign been sent down to him from his Lord? Say: Surely Allah is able to send down a sign, but most of them do not know. [6. 38] And there is no animal that walks upon the earth nor a bird that flies with its two wings but (they are) genera like yourselves; We have not neglected anything in the Book, then to their Lord shall they be gathered. [6. 39] And they who reject Our communications are deaf and dumb, in utter darkness; whom Allah pleases He causes to err and whom He pleases He puts on the right way.

Islam • Muhammad’s follower’s believed him without any signs, miracles, or witnesses. When Muhammad revealed that he had been taken from Mecca to Jerusalem, then up into Heaven and back in one evening, some questioned Abu Bakr about this information. Abu Bakr’s response was, “If Muhammad said it, it must be so” Hebrews 2: 3 -4 "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? "

Islam Questions / Discussions 3. How does the Bible describe the futures of: Isaac: • promised as an offspring of Abraham & Sarah (Gen. 17: 16) • • his name given from God (Isaac=laughter) (Gen. 17: 19; 21: 3) God’s covenant with Abraham established through him (Gen. 17: 19, 21) Ishmael: • descendants multiplied exceedingly, “so that they shall not be • • counted for multitude” (Gen: 16: 10; 17: 20); his name given from God (Ishmael=God Hears) (Gen. 16: 17) “be a wild man, his hand against every man, and every man’s hand against him. He shall dwell in the presence of his brethren” (Gen. 16: 17) he will beget 12 princes (Gen. 17: 20); generations moved into Havilah (some believe in NW Arabia) and Shur (east of Egypt) (Gen. 25: 18); ancestors of Arabians God will make of him a great nation (Gen. 17: 20; 21: 13, 18)

Islam Questions / Discussions 4. What do Christians look forward to in heaven? • A reward, blessing for those who have been persecuted, reviled, spoken evil of, and accused falsely. (ref. Mt. 5: 10 -11) • An inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled, reserved for those who are obedient (ref. 1 Peter 1: 3 -4) • Worshipping God and being in His presence for eternity (ref. Rev 7: 9 -17)

Islam Questions / Discussions What do Muslims look forward to in heaven? [9. 72] Allah has promised to the believing men and the believing women gardens, beneath which rivers flow, to abide in them, and goodly dwellings in gardens of perpetual abode; and best of all is Allah's goodly pleasure; that is the grand achievement. [37. 45 -48] Rather, they will enjoy gentle speech, pleasant shade, and ever available fruit, as will as all the cool drink and meat they desire. They will drink from a shining stream of delicious wine, from which they will suffer no intoxicating aftereffects. And besides them will be chaste women, restraining their glances, with big eyes (of wonder and beauty).

Islam Questions / Discussions 5. Do we have a need for another revelation? (Koran, Book of Mormon, etc. ) No room for the Koran – • Jn. 16: 13, Lord’s promise – guide them into all truth. No room for more. • Ac. 20: 27, Paul’s preaching (whole counsel of God). No room for Koran. • 2 Jn. 9, John’s prohibition. Doctrine of Christ does not include the Koran. No need for the Koran – • Mk. 16: 15 -16, Gospel for every creature – What can the Qur’an add? . • Col. 2: 10, “and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. ” • 2 Tim. 3: 16 -17, Scriptures furnish completely for every good work.

Islam Questions / Discussions 6. Why do Christians believe the Bible to be the true, complete Word of God? • Paul said that revelation would come to an end: 1 Corinthians 13: 8, “Charity never faileth: but whethere be prophecies, they shall fail; whethere be tongues, they shall cease; whethere be knowledge, it shall vanish away. ” • Jude 3 tells us that the faith was fully delivered: “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. ” • Peter said that every thing that was necessary for man to be pleasing to God had been revealed. 2 Peter 1: 3, “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: ”

Islam WHY do Muslims believe the text of the Bible has been corrupted when: • The Quran declares the Bible to be a true revelation of God and demands faith in the Bible. Sura 2: 40 -42, 126, 136, 285; 3: 3, 71, 93; 4: 47, 136; 5: 47 -51, 69, 71 -72; 6: 91; 10: 37, 94; 21: 7; 29: 45, 46; 35: 31; 46: 11 • All these above texts presuppose the availability of the true revelation of God to the people of Muhammad’s day. Sura 3: 71, 93; 10: 94; 21: 71 • A true Muslim is obliged to believe in all the revelations of God. Sura 2: 136; 4: 136; 29: 46 • The Quran makes no distinction between God’s revelations Sura 2: 136 • The Qur’an claims that NO ONE can change the Word of God. Sura 6: 34; 10: 34

Islam Why Do Muslims Believe The Bible Is Corrupted? In 1064, Ibn-Khazem, FIRST charged that the Bible had been corrupted and the Bible falsified. This charge was to defend Islam against Christianity because Ibn-Khazem come upon differences and contradiction between the Bible and the Qur’an. Believing, by faith that the Qur’an was true, the Bible must then be false. He said, "Since the Qur’an must be true it must be the conflicting Gospel texts that are false. But Muhammad tells us to respect the Gospel. Therefore, the present text must have been falsified by the Christians after the time of Muhammad. " His argument was not based on any evidence or historical facts but only on his personal faith, reasoning and desire to safeguard the Qur’an. This led him to teach that, "The Christians lost the revealed Gospel except for a few traces which God has left intact as argument against them. "

Islam Allah is not the God of the Bible. “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? ” (Nu. 23: 19). “For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob” (Mal. 3: 6). “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Lk. 21: 33). God cannot lie (Tit. 1: 2; Hb. 6: 18). “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (Ja. 1: 17).

Islam WHAT CAN WE DO? • Pray for this country, 1 Tim. 2: 1 -2. • Study God’s word, 2 Tim. 2: 15 • Defend the gospel, Ph. 1: 17. • Pray for enemies, Mt. 5: 44. • Live godly lives, Gn. 18 -19. • Trust God, Gn. 18. Hab. 2: 4. Prov. 3: 5 -6 • Don’t lean on this world, 1 Co. 7: 29 -31. 1 Jn. 2: 17 Ten would have spared Sodom.