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World Religions
Isaiah Suwari
The Religion of Islam

Islam is the religion of the followers of Muhammad, founder of the religion in the 7 th century
ACE in Arabia. The Arabic word al-‘islam literally means “surrender or submission” (Bond 345).
Another word derived from the same root is salaam (“peace”). “Islam” is thus a peaceful and
voluntary submission to Allah. According to Charles Adams, “Islam” describes the proper
relationship between human beings and Allah, and Muhammad called on people to surrender to the
will of Allah (491). The Qur’an claims that from ancient times the word “Islam” has been used by all
divine messengers (e.g. Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus etc.) and their followers as the name for their
religion (Draz 3). Adherents of Islam are called, “Muslims”. Islam, along with Judaism and
Christianity is a monotheistic religion because of its belief in one God and also “Abrahamic Religion”
because of its descent from Abraham.

History of Islam
Muhammad ibn ‘Abdallah (ACE 570-632), the founder of Islam was orphaned soon after
birth and adopted into a minor branch of the Qurayish tribe in Mecca (Lawrence 348). He grew up
under poor circumstances in the ward of his uncle, Abu Talib, but his worldly fortunes changed at 25
years old when he married a 40-year wealthy widow, Khadijah, and traded on her behalf. In ACE 610
he claimed to be receiving revelations from Allah through Angel Gabriel which he was to convey to
his fellow Meccans. His revelations were later collected and compiled to form the Qur’an.
Muhammad’s teachings were met with severe and hostile opposition and in ACE 622, preceded by
about seventy families he fled Mecca to Medina in the famed Hijra (Watt 312). The inhabitants of
Medina accepted him and it was from there Islam took its shape. The Jewish clans in Medina rejected
him and he expelled two and had the men of a third executed. In ACE 630 Muhammad conquered
Mecca. At his death in ACE 632, he had united the tribes of Arabia into a single religious polity
(Wikipedia).
After Muhammad the Islamic Empire was ruled by the caliphs: Abu Bakr (632-634), Umar
(634-644), Uthman Ibn al-Affan (644-656), and Ali (656-661). After the caliphs the Umayyad
dynasty ruled the empire from Damascus. The Umayyads were the conquerors of Islam and it was
under them that the greatest expansion of the Islamic Empire took place (Boer 89). From ACE 750 the
‘Abbasid dynasty ruled the Islamic world from Baghdad. During the ‘Abbasid rule Muslim culture
took great steps forward. Deep studies were made in Theology, Law, Medicine, Astronomy,
Mathematics, Philosophy, and the Natural Sciences (Boer 92). Within two centuries after its rise in
the 7th century, Islam had spread from its original home in Arabia into Syria, Egypt, North Africa, and
Spain to the west, and into Persia, India, and by the end of the 10 th century, beyond to the east
(Dallal). Between 1096 and 1291 alliances of European Christian kingdoms mobilized a series of wars
(Crusades) aimed at reversing Muslim military conquests in the eastern part of the Roman Empire. In
this the Christian armies failed in their most direct goal, the control of Jerusalem (Boer 133). The
introduction of Islam into West Africa took place between ACE 1060 and 1145.
The Wikipedia Free Encyclopaedia gives the following current statistics about Islam. A
comprehensive 2009 demographic study of 232 countries and territories reported that 23% of the
global population (1.57 billion) are Muslims. Approximately 50 countries are Muslim-majority, and
Arabs account for around 20% of all Muslims worldwide. Between 1900 and 1970 the global Muslim
community grew from 200 million to 551 million, between 1970 and 2009 Muslim population
increased more than three times to 1.57 billion. The majority of Muslims live in Asia and Africa.
Approximately 62% of the world’s Muslims live in Asia, with over 683 million adherents in
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Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India. In the Middle East, non-Arab countries such as Turkey
and Iran are the largest Muslim-majority countries; in Africa, Egypt and Nigeria have the most
populous Muslim communities (Wikipedia).

Law and Jurisprudence

The science of Islamic law is called jurisprudence (fiqh), which is the knowledge of the
practical rules of Islam. The method Islamic jurists use to derive rulings is known as usul al-fiqh
(“legal theory” or “principles of jurisprudence”). According to Islamic legal theory law has four
fundamental roots, which are given precedence here in order. The Qur’an contains in principle the
whole of the Shariah law. The Sunnah (Hadith) clarifies or elaborates the teaching of the Qur’an,
using the example of Muhammad as a model. The Ijma (consensus of the community) is based on
Muhammad’s saying: “My community will never agree on an error”, and is reached by the activity of
scholars (ulama) who formulate legal precepts dealing with new situations, using all the sources of the
law with a kind of logical reasoning or rational argument (Chapman 108). The Qiyas (principle of
analogy) is applied when there is no clear ruling from the Qur’an or Hadith. Scholars will find
comparable ruling that will suggest an appropriate parallel, relying on personal judgment and the
application of discretion in legal judgments based on the “good of the community” (Chapman 109).
Chapman gives the four main schools of thought in Islamic law, each differing according to
the emphasis it places on each of the four sources above. The Hanafi School was founded by Abu
Hanifa in Iraq. The main emphasis is the Qur’an and the Sunnah is regarded as secondary. The Maliki
School was founded by Malik ibn Anas in Medina. It is the oldest and very conservative. It regards
the Qur’an and the Sunnah as the main sources of authority, but allows some place for consensus. The
Shafi’i School was founded by al-Shafi’i who lived in Baghdad and Egypt. This position represents a
compromise between the Maliki and Hanafi Schools, and rejected the role of private judgment. Al-
Shafi’i established the principle that the Sunnah should be based only on the traditions of the Prophet.
The Hanbali School was founded by Ahmad ibn Hanbal in Baghdad. This was the most conservative
of the schools. It accepted only the Qur’an and the Sunnah and rejected both consensus and analogy
(109).

Pillars of Faith
The Pillars of Faith are the five obligatory acts in Islam. Shahadah (Declaration of Faith) is
the conscious and voluntary declaration: “I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, and I bear
witness that Muhammad is His Messenger” (Kerr 321). It is a statement professing monotheism and
accepting Muhammad as Allah’s messenger. These are the first words breathed into a child at birth
and the last words which a Muslim will utter with his dying breath- the lantern for life and the hope
for the mercy of Allah in the hereafter (ibid.). This recitation, sincerely and with faith, makes one a
Muslim. Salat (prayers) consists of five daily prayers: Fajr at dawn, Dhuhr at noon, Asr in the
afternoon, Maghrib at sunset, and Isha’a in the evening (Wikipedia). The prayers are recited in
Arabic, and involve a series of postures (standing, kneeling, hands and face on the ground, etc.) facing
Mecca. “Mosque” (masjid) literally means “a place of prostration” (Braswell 33). Before prayers,
Muslims do purifications (wudu) because Allah expects the Muslim to be physically clean before
approaching Him. Sawm (fasting) is obligatory in the month of Ramadan for all Muslims. Muslims
must abstain from food, drink, and sexual intercourse from dawn to dusk during this month, and are to
be especially mindful of other sins. Zakat (Almsgiving) is giving a fixed portion (2.5%) of
accumulated wealth by those who can afford it to alleviate poverty and to assist the spread of Islam
(Chapman 67). A Muslim should also give as an act of voluntary almsgiving (Sadaqah). Zakat (lit.
“Purification”) cleanses the Muslim of greed and selfishness (Caner and Caner 125). Hajj
(Pilgrimage) is done in the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah to the holy city of Mecca, and derives
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from an ancient Arab practice. Every Muslim is obliged to make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once
in their lifetime if he/she can afford it. After a Muslim makes the trip to Mecca, he/she is known as a
hajj/hajja. Hajj is a perfect illustration of what it takes to get to heaven: hard work, meditation, and the
mercy of Allah.

Articles of Faith
These are a set of the 7 main doctrines of Islam as given in the Qur’an and Hadith. Belief in
Allah- Islam is a strictly monotheistic religion. The word Allah is unique and almost incapable of
translation and the English “God” does not convey the actual meaning. Allah alone is the Creator and
has no father, no son, no daughter, no husband, and no wife (Surah 2.21-24). He is described and
referred to by ninety-nine names or attributes. Belief in angels- Angels are the spiritual messengers of
Allah. They do not possess free will but worship Allah in total obedience. Their duties include giving
revelations, glorifying Allah, recording peoples’ actions, and taking a person’s soul at the time of
death. They existed in the service of Allah before the creation of the world. There exist a hierarchy of
angels and prominent among them are Jibrail, Mikail, Israfil, and Izrail. Belief in the revealed books-
Islam believes in the Torah of Moses, the Psalms of David, the prophets, the Gospel of Christ, and the
Qur’an. Muslims believe parts of the previous scriptures had become distorted either in interpretation,
in text, or both. The Qur’an is the final revelation and literal Word of God, and supersedes all
previous revelations because it has been preserved in an uncorrupted state.
Belief in the prophets- These were chosen by Allah to be His messengers to all peoples.
Islamic theology says that all of Allah’s messengers preached the message of Islam- submission to the
will of God. The Qur’an mentions 120 prophets among whom are Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and
Jesus. Muslims believe that Allah finally sent Muhammad as the “Seal of the Prophets” to sum up and
finalize his word. Belief in the last day- Islam believes in the final resurrection and judgment. It is
believed that the time is preordained by God but unknown to man. Depending on a person’s deeds as
they are weighed, one will end up either in heaven or hell. Belief in the pre-measurement of good and
evil- Islam believes that Allah has full knowledge and control over all that occurs. Everything that
occurs, good or evil, has been preordained and nothing can happen unless permitted by Allah.
According to Muslim theologians, although events are pre-ordained, man possesses free will in that he
has the faculty to choose between right and wrong, and is thus responsible for his actions. Belief in
jihad- Jihad is and has been a powerful tool in the spread of Islam. Jihad is combat on the fronts of
politics, warfare, and culture against unbelievers and it is also a personal, internal struggle within
oneself (Caner and Caner 185).

Sects and Denominations

Islam, like Christianity, consists of differing factions and
braches, birthing variant stands of religion. After the assassination of
the fourth caliph, Ali, in ACE 661 the Umayyad dynasty took over
leadership of the Islamic community.
A faction believed Ali, Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law,
was the first true caliph. Those who supported the “mainstream” line
of caliphs came to be known as Sunni Muslims, while the dissenters
were known as Shi’a Muslims. They followed the Sunnah
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(custom/tradition of Muhammad) as practised and interpreted by the

Islamic community, the ’Ummah (Caner and Caner 162).
The split and subsequent political struggle eventually defined
the first division in Islam which exists till today, between the Sunnis
and Shi’ites. Sunni Muslims comprise 80-90% of the world’s Muslim
population (Wikipedia). The Qur’an and the Sunnah as recorded in
Hadith are the primary foundations of Sunni doctrine. Sunnis believe
that a caliph should be chosen by the whole community. Shia’
Muslims constitute 10-20% of the Muslim population (Wikipedia).
Shi’ites developed a theology that negated the caliph and enlisted
their own leaders, known as imams. The Shi’ite community insists on
the Shar’iah as a governmental absolute.
Sufism is a sect within Islam which developed in response to a
perceived legalism within Islam. Sufism is a mystical-ascetic
approach to Islam that seeks to find divine love and knowledge
through direct personal experience of God (Wikipedia). Sufism and
Islamic law are usually considered to be complementary. Many Sufi
orders, or tariqas, can be classified as either Sunni or Shi’a, but others
classify themselves simply as “Sufi”. About 98% of all Muslims
follow one of the three major sects above, but small sects draw
followers around the world too (Caner and Caner 166). Other sects
and movements within Islam are: Ahmadiyya, Berghouata, Quranists,
Yazdanism, The World Community of Al-Islam in the West (Nation
of Islam), Wahhabism, Druze, Alawites, Nusairiyyah, Taliban, and
Islamic Party etc.

Calendar and Holidays

The Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle, consisting of
twelve months of 29/30 days each and totalling 353/354 days a year
(Caner and Caner 153). David Kerr gives the main Islamic holidays.
First, is the pilgrimage to Mecca in the month of Dhu al-Hijja. On the
9th day of the pilgrimage, the Day of Arafa, Muslims pray for
forgiveness and mercy on the Plain of Arafat. On the 10 th day the
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Festival of Sacrifice (‘Eid-ul-Adha) is celebrated and marks the end of

the pilgrimage. This holiday celebrates Abraham’s willingness to
sacrifice everything, including Ishmael his son. The New Year (Day
of Hijjra) celebrates the Prophet’s departure from Mecca to Medina in
ACE 622. Muslims celebrate the birth of Prophet on the 12 th Rabi I.
The Ascension of the Prophet (Mirajun Nabi) commemorates the
Prophet’s night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and to heaven. The
most universally recognised Islamic holiday is Ramadan, when
Muslims fast during daylight. The End of the Month of Fasting (‘Eid-
ul-Fitr) is a joyful festival which marks the end of Ramadan. The
Night of Power (Lailat al-Qadr) commemorates the revelation of the
Qur’an to Muhammad (Kerr 324).

Biblical Approach to evangelising Muslims

The evangelist to the Muslims should know the basic Islamic beliefs and teachings as
discussed above. As Christians, we have been commissioned with an urgent message, upon which
depends the eternal destiny of all people, including Muslims. As Christians we should understand the
theological basis for reaching out to Muslims. This includes an understanding of the sovereignty of
God (Ps. 33.11; Eph. 1.11; Rom. 9.14-18) which means at least three things: that God owns
everything in the universe; that He has an absolute and kingly authority to execute His perfect will
and requires all His creatures to carry out His command; and, that He is the Master of His universe
(McDowell and Zaka 154). Before reaching out to Muslims one must understand that salvation of all
humanity is attained only through Jesus Christ (John 10.9; 14.6; Acts 4.12; 1 Tim. 2.5). We should
bear it in mind that God will return to judge the world (Acts 17.30-31).
To meet Muslims we should make ourselves available and relate with them. This includes
making time to meet with them from various spheres of our lives: in the mosque, business centres,
schools, communities, and so forth. There are a wide variety of ways that we may use to reach out to
Muslims and we need to choose methods that work best with our talents, resources, and target. These
ways include Bible correspondence courses, church-mosque relationships, counselling, door-to-door,
vacation Bible school, debates, dialogue, e-mail, facebook, e-mail chat rooms, hospitality and cottage
evangelism, media evangelism, prison ministry, group Bible and Qur’an studies etc. When a contact is
made we should formally introduce ourselves and make our intentions known to them. Get to know
them and their beliefs (c.f. Acts 17.22-23) and establish a friendship and trust. We should pray for
them regularly. Witnessing to Muslims is best done naturally and biblically (Acts 8.30-31; 1 Cor.
9.22). Conversation naturally leads to the subject of Jesus Christ for a Christian who is walking with
the Lord. Christians should show hospitality and endeavour to meet the needs of the prospects if
possible.
Islam and Christianity share a variety of attributes in common- from the belief in the
existence of one Supreme God to the common ideals in the conduct of human beings. The best place
to begin is these common attributes, for example, monotheism, angels, prophets, revelation, life after
death etc. According to Caner and Caner, the clear message to a Muslim would be on the grace and
love of God (228-229). This stands in sharp contrast with the Islamic understanding of salvation by
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works which one can never be sure of. Colin Chapman says that the soul winner should endeavour not
to be involved in arguments which may close the room for further study. The danger of criticising
Islam should be avoided at all costs for this will bring about hostility and antagonism.
Misunderstandings that may exist (e.g. Christians worshipping three gods, Jesus being the Son of
God) should be clarified. The soul winner should also be prepared to admit mistakes and crimes of
“Christianity” in the past, e.g. the Crusades (212-215). Due respect should be given to Islamic social
life like greeting/speaking with women and dressing.
Islam is the second largest religion of the world after Christianity. The religion believes in the
existence of one God who is Allah. The general belief ii Islam is that all people are born Muslims and
decide on their own to follow or rebel against Allah. Islam is also the fastest growing religion of the
world with many people converting to the religion now than ever before. Apostasy is considered a
serious sin in Islam which is unforgivable unless repented of. Muslims also believe that the whole
world should be converted to Islam for the world to experience perfect peace.

Works Cited

Adams, Charles J. “Islam.” Encyclopaedia Americana. Intl. ed. 1988. Print.

Boer, Harry R. A Brief History of Islam. Ibadan, Nigeria: Daystar Press, 2006. Print.
Bond, Lawrence H. “Islam.” Abingdon Dictionary of Living Religions. Ed. Keith Crim.
Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1981. 345-365. Print.
Braswell, George. What You Need to Know About Islam and Muslims. Nashville: Broadman
and Holman, 2000. Print.
Bruce, Lawrence B. “Islam.” Abingdon Dictionary of Living Religions. Ed. Keith Crim et al.
Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1981. Print.
Caner, Ergun M. and Emir F. Caner. Unveiling Islam. Kaduna, Nigeria: Evangel, 2002. Print.
Chapman, Colin. Cross and Crescent: Responding to the Challenges of Islam. Nottingham:
Inter Varsity Press, 2007. Print.
Dallal, Ahmad S. “Islam.” Microsoft® Encarta® 2009 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft
Corporation, 2008.
Draz, Muhammad A. “The Origin of Islam.” Islam- The Straight Path. Ed. Kenneth W.
Morgan. New York: Ronald Press, 1980. 3-41. Print.
“Islam.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopaedia. 8 July 2011. Web. 15 July 2011. 8 July 2011.
< http://www.wikipedia.org>.
Kateregga, Badru D. and David W. Shenk. Islam and Christianity: A Muslim and a Christian
In Dialogue. Nairobi: Uzima Press, 1987. Print.
Kerr, David. “The Worship of Islam.” Eerdmans’ Handbook to the World’s Religions: A
Comprehensive Guide. Ed. Pierce R. Beaver et al. Grand Rapids: W.B. Eerdmans,
1982. 321-325. Print.
McDowell, Bruce A. and Anees Zaka. Muslims and Christians at the Table. Phillipsburg, NJ:
P & R Publishing, 1999. Print.
Watt, Montgomery. “The Way of the Prophet.” Eerdmans’ Handbook to World’s Religions
Ed. Pierce R. Beaver et al. Grand Rapids: WB Eerdmans, 1982. 311-318. Print.