Islam and Christianity
Adventism
Christian movement which began in the 19th century, in the context of the Second Great Awakening revival in the United States. The name refers to belief in the imminent Second Coming (or "Second Advent") of Jesus Christ. It was started by William Miller, whose followers became known as Millerites.
Deity
Lat dens=God; belief in a supreme being who created the world and then left it to its own discoverable and reasonable natural laws; the Deist God is not personal and does not reveal religious truths or work miracles.
Allah
Literally, "the God"' Arabic name for the deity, used by Muslims and Christian Arabs.
Missionary
n Christianity, someone who goes to another region or country and preaches the word of God.
Islam Holy Days - 'd al-fitr
1) 1: Feast of Fast-Breaking: 1st day of Shawwal, the month after Ramadan, celebrates a return to normal life after the prolonged fast.
reasons for Islams rapid expansion
1-Universal religion- no national barriers- all people created by Allah and accepted 2)simple basic and easy to practice religion 3) Muslim conquerors were deliverers of a better life
Mormons
Is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Members believe that the church is in actuality, the restored true gospel of Jesus Christ and the revelation of the true God.
Ka'ba
Located in mecca- structure allegedly built by Abraham, it houses the Black Stone and is inside the Masjid al-Haram, the Grand Mosque, The Zamzam Well, the holy well that supposedly sprung into existence to give water to Hagar, wife of Abraham, can also be found in Mecca.
Islam Holy day- Month of Muharram
New Year-is the beg of the Muslim year. It is also celebrated b/c it is believed to have been the month of the Hijrah
Scripture
Qur'an
2nd major difference between C and I- Ascension vs resurrection
The Quran says Jesus did not die on the cross, but God made it appear that way to people. Furthermore, the Quran also says that Jesus was ascended to Heaven by God. Most Christians today insist Jesus was crucified and died on the cross, but two days later was resurrected.
Luther
The most outstanding figure of the reformation. Traditionally regarded as the founder of the Protestant Reformation.
Criticisms of Islam
1: Radical Christian Heresy believed by some Christians, Jews, and Muslims that the Islam faith is a diversion and a heresy of the Christian faith. 2: Morality of the life of Muhammad- jesus was god incarnate in chrisitanity lived a sinless perfect life, and Muhammad was far from that. Muhammad never claims to be God. Muhammad was a prophet, a man, and being a man is not without sin. 3: Criticism of the authenticy and the morality of the Qur'an- 4: Criticism of human rights in Isam- (treatment of women) 5: Criticism of the inability of Muslim immigrants to assimilate in the Western society. Islam faith accpets from a distance to prevent impurity. Criticized for unwillingness to blend.
FIver Pillars #1 Shahadah
1: Repetition of the Creed (Shahadah)- Devout holy Muslims, must recite the creed "there is no God but Allah; Muhammad is the messenger of Allah" over and over. The first words a Muslim child hears, and they are likely to be the last words uttered by the dying Muslim.
Five Pillars #2- Salaht
2: Daily Prayer . Expected to pray five times a day. Dawn, midday, mid afternoon, sunset, and nightfall. Prayer could be at the top of graceful towers known as minarets or spoken at the entrance of the mosque. Before they pray, they must wash themselves and be cleansed of any impurities. Once properly cleansed, the worshipers prostrate themselves, facing Mecca, and offer their prayers. Men and women may not pray together b/c of the possibility of inappropriate physical contact.
Five Pillars #3 Zakaht
3: Almsgiving- Muslims are expected to share their possessions with the poor, widows, and orphans. Alms may also be used to support religious institutions, scholars, and students. Charity is obligatory according to Islamic law and is assessed as a tax amounting to between 2.5 and 10 percent of one's wealth. Because of its emphasis on almsgiving. Receiving as well as giving alms is considered a source of God's blessing.
Five Pillars #4 Sawn
4: Fasting - Islam req. the longest and most stringent fast of all. Every year during the month of Ramadan, Muslims are expected to abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, and engaging in sexual relations during the daylight hours. The fast is kept in the remembrance of the month when the Prophet first received his revelation. Because of the Muslim lunar calendar, the month of Ramadan varies from year to year. The only Muslims excused from fasting are sick, travelers, mothers nursing infants, and small children. When the fast concludes, they celebrate with a feast that last 3 days. It is believed that Allah will pardon the sins of all of those believers who complete the fast.
Five Pillars #5 Hajj
5: Pilgrimage to Mecca was part of pre-Islamic Arab religion. It played an important role in the early history of Islam, and it is mentioned in the Qur'an as a ritual duty. The prophet Muhammad purged the Ka'ba of its idols and, according to Muslim tradition, re-established it as a shrine dedicated to the one God. Every Muslim who can afford the trip should make the pilgrimage to Mecca once in his or her lifetime. Takes place during a special month in the Muslim calendar called the Dhu al-Hijah. During this month pilgrims from all over the world arrive at Mecca. Must walk the whole way. During most of the hajj, pilgrims must abstain from food and drink during the daylight hours, they must abstain from sexual intercourse, and they must not cut their hair and nails. During the days of the pilgrimage, visitors to Mecca visit the Zamzam well, which is believed to have been estab by Hagar and Ishmael. They make seven trips around the Ka'ba and kiss the sacred black stone. They offer a sacrifice of a sheep or goat on the tenth day of the hajj to commemorate Abrahams' willingness to sacrifice even his own son to obey God's command. After these duties, they may visit Medina to pay respect to the grave of the Prophet Muhammad and to visit his mosque. When the pilgrims return home, they may have the title haji attached to their names so all the world will know they have fulfilled this religious obligation.
Nation of Islam
A traveling silk salesman named W. D. Fard founded the Nation of Islam (NOI) in Detroit in 1930. A variant of traditional Islam, the NOI taught that God was black and whites were a race of devils whose dominion over the earth would soon end. Fard disappeared in 1934 and leadership passed to Georgia native Elijah Muhammad. The NOI began a period of explosive growth in the 1950s, attracting thousands with a doctrine of black pride, separation, and self-sufficiency. With Malcolm X as its chief spokesman, the NOI created its own school, restaurants, and a newspaper. But soon tensions between the two men surfaced. Boxer Muhammad Ali joined the NOI in 1964, while Malcolm X left to form his own organization. He was assassinated in 1965 by members of the NOI, an event for which Elijah Muhammad would always deny any responsibility.
Qur'an
Addresses the social and inner condition of believers. Ethical and spiritual by turns, it occasionally refers to Biblical prophets, religious figures and events- Joseph in Egypt, Noah and the Flood, Jesus and the Virgin Mary, among many others- but it is not a book of history or narration. Rather, the Qur'an is concerned with people's spiritual destiny, the Day of Judgment, and what it means to believe in God and be a responsible person. In this last regard, the Qur'an occasionally lays down rules of behavior, but it is not a detailed book of laws like Leviticus or Deuteronomy.
Jihad
Arabic term meaning "struggle in the cause of God." Examples range from mission work to armed conflict.
Shari'a
Arabic word meaning "path" or "way." Today the term means "Islamic law," the detailed system of religious law developed by Muslim scholars in the first three centuries of Islam and still in force among fundamentalists today.Describes human acts dividing them into permitted (halal) and prohibited (haram). further subdivided into degrees of good or evil such as obligatory, recommended, neutral, objectionable or forbidden. Rules regulate all matters of devotional life, worship, ritual purity, marriage and inheritance, criminal offenses, commerce and personal conduct. It also regulates the governing of the Islamic state and its relations to non-Muslims within the state as well as to enemies outside the state. Influences the behavior and worldview of most Muslims
Difference between Islam & Christianity: 1) The holy Trinity
Christians believe in the Trinity, meaning that God has 3 forms (Father, Son, Holy Ghost/ Spirit). a concept was not adopted by Christianity until the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. Islam rejects the Trinity- Jesus is neither God, nor Son of God (in the literal sense). Jesus was a human prophet and not divine. Muslims worship only God Allah, the one and only the creator of the universe and of Jesus. Muslims consider Mohammad, Moses, and Jesus as prophets and messengers sent by God These prophets were human beings, not divine, and should not be worship directly or indirectly. Muslims believe that each human being can be called son/daughter of God because he/she was created by God. There is nothing special or divine about Jesus being called son of God and therefore Jesus should not be worshiped. Angels (such as Gabriel) are servants/agents of and created by God and are therefore not divine and should not be worshiped.
3rd Major Difference- Original Sin
Christians believe that this concept means that human beings are born as sinners , bearing the burden of the "Original Sin" of Adam and Eve. In the Quran, God forgave Adam for what he has done, and according to the Quran, no one should be made to bear the burden of someone else's sin or mistake because it is unfair.
Hadith
Collections of traditions concerning the life and words of the Prophet Muhammad.
Islam Holy day - 'Id al-Adha
Feast of Sacrifice: Celebrates when Abraham was told to sacrifice his son Ismael to show his faithfulness; head of household must sacrifice an animal for a feast.
Caliph
From Khalifa (literally, "deputy," "representative"); successors of Muhammad in leading Islam. At first, the caliphate was limited to the companions of the Prophet Muhammad, but as Islam grew, the caliphate took on the role of a dynastic political leadership.
Pentacostalism
In addition to speaking in tongues, Charismatic Pentecostals have been known to carry out far more obscure practices such as snake charming. These believers also have other roots strong in the Methodist Holiness Movement, which subscribes to living as sin-free a life as possible, according to strict and ancient biblical laws. Miracles, the existence of heaven and hell, and Creationism are common themes, as are the pursuit of grace, a personal relationship with the spirit of Jesus, and ritual baptism to form a closer bond with the divine.
Protestant Reformation
In the sixteenth century, the Western church was torn by a violent revolution as a result of European nationalism, the new learning of the Renaissance, and the decline of the papacy.
What are the Root of Islam
Islam began among the Arabian desert people in the seventh century C.E. The people of this area had developed religious forms of their own and had been geographically exposed to various other religions for centuries, among them Judaism and Christianity. Several of the desert tribes were Jewish. Another religion that may have influenced the formulation of Islam was Zoroastrianism. Although the effects on Islam were not as strong as on Judaism and Christianity, it is possible that Muhammad and some of his disciples were in contact with the Persian Zoroastrians. Perhaps the major religious force from which Islam grew - and reacted against - was the native religion of the Arab people. Apparently, the pre-Islamic people worshiped a variety of gods. They recognized one supreme High God, who was separate and unapproachable by human beings, whom they called Allah (literally, "the God").
Fundamentalism vs. Liberalism
Much modern Christian fundamentalist literature is taken up with detailed explanations of how the events of the Bible can be explained scientifically. Scientific explanations are desirable as they are considered to provide a guarantee of certainty and exactness of interpretation. The liberal, however, is willing to allow that the texts of the books are open to more than one interpretation. External factors in society may influence the way that the Scriptures are interpreted. Allegorical and symbolic interpretations may be used particularly of passages that appear to contradict human reason. Traditional interpretation may be examined for whatever useful insights it may present but has no binding force on the present. The liberal is much more willing to acknowledge that the Holy Scripture is a historical document.
mosque
Muslim house of prayer.
People of the Book
Muslims believe that God had previously revealed Himself to the earlier prophets of the Jews and Christians, such as Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. Muslims therefore accept the teachings of both the Jewish Torah and the Christian Gospels. They believe that Islam is the perfection of the religion revealed first to Abraham (who is considered the first Muslim) and later to other prophets. Muslims believe that Jews and Christians have strayed from God's true faith but hold them in higher esteem than pagans and unbelievers. They call Jews and Christians the "People of the Book" and allow them to practice their own religions. Muslims believe that Muhammad is the "seal of the prophecy," by which they mean that he is the last in the series of prophets God sent to mankind. Muslims abhor the followers of later prophets. This attitude serves to explain the extreme Muslim animosity toward Bahais, followers of a nineteenth-century prophet, who in the Muslim mind is false.
Comparing Islam, Christianity and Judaism
Roots are in both Judaism and Christianity. Islam is the second largest religion in the world after Christianity. Belief is monotheistic- he is the creator and sustainer of the universe (Christianity and Islam). Sacrificial Rituals: Feast of Sacrifice similar to Passover and Christ on the church. Judaism, Islam and Christianity are collectively known as "Abrahamic religions" because they trace their history to the covenant God made with Abraham in the Hebrew Bible.
Medina
Second holy city of Islam. Masjid al Nabawi, the Mosque of the Prophet, was built on the site of Muhammad's home and is where he is buried. The first mosque of Islam is also located here and is known as Masjid al-Quba, the Quba Mosque.
Christianity and Islam
Share the belief that:God sent prophets such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Joseph, John the Baptist, Jesus, etc. People should follow the Ten Commandments and the moral teachings of the prophets. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a virgin; therefore Jesus was born miraculously and Jesus Christ is the Messiah and he performed miracles. The Old testament/Torah and the new testament/Gospel) are holy scriptures. Satan is evil; therefore, people should not follow Satan, An Anti-Christ will appear on Earth before the Day of Judgment,Jesus Christ will return by descending from Heaven and will kill the Anti-Christ,The Day of Judgment will occur and people will be judged.
Shia or Shi'ites- geographic distribution
Shia Muslims account for approximately 15 percent of the total Muslim population in the world. Shiism has the greatest influence in the contemporary world in Iran where nearly 90 percent of Muslims are Shiite, but Shia are also the majority in Iraq, Bahrain, and Yemen. The division between the Shia and Sunni is rooted in disputes over the proper succession of leadership after the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632 C.E. The Shia maintain that the rightful successor of the Prophet was his cousin and son-in-law, Ali. Shia especially revere a succession of scholars (called Imams).
Difference betwee Sunni and Shi'tes
The Sunni Muslims consist of 85% of all Muslims- considered the guardians of Islamic orthodoxy and tradition, base practice on Qur'an ad traditions concerning the early Muslim community. Shi'ites represents political and theological breach in the body of the religion stemming from Muhammad's failure to name a successor before his death. The biggest differences between the Sunnis and Shi'ites: belief that imams are divinely inspired figures who speak with the authority of God, a messiah will one day appear and lead the world into an era of justice, praise of martyrdom and distrust of the Sunni's reading and interpretation of the Qur'an
Denominationalism
The division of one religion into separate groups, sects, schools; This ideology which views some or all Christian groups as being versions of the same thing regardless of their distinguishing labels is not accepted by all Christian churches. Largely a protestant concept among Christians
What the major difference between Christianity and the other two religions?
The major difference is that most Christians believe that Jesus was divine, the son of God. Islam reveres Jesus as a prophet only. Judaism does not think Jesus is the Son of God.
Muhammad
The prophet of Islam, was born in Mecca around the year 570. Orphaned by six, raised under the protection of his uncle Abu Talib. Worked as a merchant and became known for his trustworthiness. He married Khadija, a wealthy widow whose status elevated Muhammad's position in Meccan society at age 25. Age 40ish had visions and hear mysterious voices, sought solitude in a cave on Mount Hira on the outskirts of Mecca. One night during Ramadan, an angel appeared to him in the form of a man and ordered him to; Recite in the name of thy lord who created, Created man from a clot; Recite in the name of thy lord, Who taught by the pen, Taught man what he knew not. Muhammad, fearing that he was being attacked by an evil spirit, fled down the mountain in terror. The voice called after him, "O Muhammad, you are the messenger of God, and I am the angel Gabriel." This revelation was soon followed by others about the one true God. Eventually, the angel told Muhammad to begin proclaiming God's message. was the political leader of the Muslim community as well as a prophet. Follwing years of persecution, he led the Muslim community from Mecca to Medina in what is now Saudi Arabia in 622 C.E. For the next eight years, there was intense and often violent conflict with the people of Mecca, who sought to destroy the new religion. Mecca was taken in 630 C.E. and Islam rapidly became the religion of almost all Arabs.
Secularization
The transformation of a society from close identification with religious values and institutions toward nonreligious (or irreligious) values and secular institutions. The secularization thesis refers to the belief that as societies "progress", particularly through modernization and rationalization, religion loses its authority in all aspects of social life and governance.
Similarities between all three
They all come from Abraham and his sons Ishmael and Isaac. They all share the Old Testament. They all believe in ONE God. They three believe in an afterlife.They all have a Holy Book
Mormon religion beliefs
They believe that God is man's Heavenly Father and that he is the creator and that his son Jesus Christ is their Savior and atoned for the sins of mankind. Through repentance and adherence to God's commandments man can return to live with God for eternity. Also believe in the Holy Ghost, which guides them and gives them knowledge of the truth of the gospel.They do not believe in the Holy Trinity version which claims that all three are one unified being. Believe in a living prophet, not unlike the prophets of the Old and New Testament. According to their beliefs, members receive timely instructions from God through the prophet as to how they should live their lives and how the business of the church should be conducted.
Seventh day adventist
This movement has its roots in the 19th-century "Millerite movement," which centered on the belief that Jesus would return on October 22, 1844. "End of the world and The second coming" wrote a book called: Evidences from Scripture and History of the Second Coming of Christ about the Year 1843. William Miller was originally a Deist,converted to Christianity and became a Baptist. Said bible contained coded information about the end of the world and the Second Coming of Jesus. In 1836, he published the book
Imam
To Sunni Muslims, they lead the community in prayers; to Shi'ite Muslims, they were the legitimate successors of Ali.
Wahhabi
Ultraconservative Muslim movement founded in the eighteenth century and opposed to all forms of change within religion and culture.
Great Schism
a period of division in the Roman Catholic Church, 1378-1417, over papal succession, during which there were two, or sometimes three, claimants to the papal office.
Counter-Reformation
a response to the Protestant Reformation. Those who wanted to purify the Church without establishing another form of Christianity or revolution.These individuals remained within the Roman Catholic Church and initiated the Counter-Reformation
Ecumincal Movement
action among modern Christian denominations to attempt to minimize differences among various Christian groups and achieve some form of unity.
Ka'bah
enclosure surrounding the black stone in Mecca; this stone became an object of veneration by pilgrims in pre-Islamic Arabia.
Place Of worship
generally Muslim worship is carried out in a variety of place. Islam is not a temple-oriented religion. Although certain places are venerated by Muslims, it would not have suited the nomadic life of the Arab people to require them to worship in any sort of temple. The nature of their lives demanded that they be free to worship Allah every day, wherever they might be.
Liberation Theology
grew out of the needs of the poor of Latin America and tends to view religion in revolutionary terms. Liberation Theology is based in part on portions of the Gospels and Acts that mention social justice and economic equality as basic teachings of Jesus and the early Christian community. It purports to read the Bible through the eyes of the poor and the oppressed and to apply its message to contemporary problems. Its adherents believe that the proper role for Christianity is political identification with the struggles of the poor.
Monastic Movement
introduced by the early medieval church (3rd century), this movement became a major part of Christianity- Christianity is the only one to encourage people to be dedicated to a simple life of hard manual labor, prayer, fasting, and sometimes study.
Evangelism
is the preaching of the Christian Gospel or the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others with the object of conversion.
Anabaptist
literally "rebaptizer"' a radical group of Protestant reformers who insisted that baptism is for adult believers only.
Hijrah
literally, "migration"; the migration of Muhammad and his community from Mecca to Medina in 622 B.C.E.
Qur'an
literally,"reading," "recitation"' Muslim scripture.Muslims view the Qur'an as a divine scripture revealed by God in the same way that many Christians and Jews view their scriptures. The Arabic word "Qur'an" means "the Recitations" or "the Revelations." It is a collection of the revelations that Muslims believe Muhammad starting in 610 when he was 40 years old. According to its own message, the Qur'an does not establish a new religion. Instead, it confirms and clarifies the truth of the original monotheism of Abraham, the focus of the Torah and Gospels.
sunni
most muslims are Sunnis (traditionalists), who accept orthodox Muslim theology and the traditional line of caliphs.
Calvin
prob the greatest and most influential mind of the reformation whose writings"Five Points of Calvinism" and is best known for its doctrines of predestination and total depravity, stressing the total contingency of man's salvation upon the absolute sovereignty of God.
Mecca- location
the Holy City of Islam, located in the western region of Saudi Arabia, near the Red Sea. Technically, the city is formally known as Makkah al-Mukaaramah, translating into English as "Mecca the Blessed."
What is islam based upon?
the life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. Islam means "Submission to God. " Allah is the Arabic word for God. This is the same God worshiped by Jews and Christians. The Prophet Muhammad was born about 570 C.E. Tradition holds that he received his first revelation from God in 610 a process that continued until his death in 632 C.E. Together these revelations are the Qur'an which Muslims believe to be the speech of God.
Differences between all three
the major difference is that most Christians believe that Jesus was divine, the son of God. Islam says Jesus was only a prophet; The Jews do not believe that Jesus was a Prophet, or in any way holy; Muslims think the Christian Bible is a holy document, as it describes the life and times of one of their Prophets, though they do not agree with some of the details.
Day for Worship
though Muslims pray as often as possible, it has been mandated that on Fridays, Muslims are allowed to pray together in a Mosque, but this is the only day they are allowed to do so within a certain place.
Jehovah's Witness
Believe in a supreme God — a spirit which has a body, but not a human body. Jesus is the Lord and Savior but He is not a part of God. Do NOT believe in the Trinity- Jesus is separate from God and was God's servant on Earth. Jesus was given an exalted status in heaven to a higher level than angels. They pray to God, not Jesus because they believe Jesus is not God, and that prayer is a form of worship and that one must not worship false gods, pray to God, not Jesus.
Islam Holy day- Mawlid an-Nabi
Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad estab. on the 12th day of the 3rd month. The recitation of the Prophet's bio and prayers for him are among the most common elements of this feast.
Importance of Mecca to muslims
Birthplace of Muhammed. Must travel there during their lifetimes to fulfill hajj, Many of his revelations also occurred within the confines of the city.
Original Sin
in Christian theology, the sin of Adam and Eve; the effect of it is the fundamentally graceless nature of human beings; that is, all people are regarded as having a sinful nature.
Sufism
This is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. Believe they are practicing Ihsan (perfection of worship) as revealed by Gabriel to Muhammad, "Worship and serve Allah as you are seeing Him and while you see Him not yet truly He sees you."
Deity
Allah
Founder
Muhammad