ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY
A book by Ron Rhods - 2007
The jacket cover says:
In the last 16 (1991 to 2007) years the number of Mosques in America
has grown from 30 to 3,000!
The chances are if you don't currently have Muslim friends, you
soon will.
Do the Muslims and Christians worship the same God?
Was Muhammad a prophet of God?
Do the Quran and the Christian Bible agree?
In this concise, easy-to-understand guide ... Ron rhods answers
these questions and discusses seven more key elements of Islam.
Quoting from the quran, he provides honest descriptions of Islam
and compares and contrasts each point with biblical teaching.
If you want to have a informed opinion or participate in
discussions about Islam, here are the ten important things you
need to know.
........
About 20 percent of the earth's population is Muslim, that's
about 1.3 BILLION - one out of every five person on earth (as of
2007)!
A NEW Mosque opens every week in the United States.
More than 65 nations in the world are Islamic.
Islam is the second largest religion in Europe.
Ron Rhods tells us the different reasons why Islam is becoming so
popular.
CHAPTER ONE
Islam and diversity among Muslims.
There are FIVE essential beliefs - but then there is diversity.
You have the Shi'ites, about 10 percent of Muslims. They are the
fiercely authoritarians in their interpretation of the Quran.
Shi'ite leaders are known by the title Imam, Ayatollah Khomeini,
who died in 1989, was an Imam.
JIHAD comes from the arabic word "jahada" which principally means
"to struggle" or "strive in the path of allah." Muslims generally
understand it to refer to armed fighting and warfare in defending
Islam and standing against evil.
But there are TWO views of "jihad" - most Muslims think of it as
a person's struggle and fight with their own vices, and evil
tendencies in his soul. Most Muslims in the USA hold to this
view.
The less popular but fanatical view of "jihad" is the type we
hear about in the news, literal killing and fighting against what
they consider the evil enemies of Islamic religion and way of
life. Rhods gives information of the radical side of Islamic
"jihad" which led to the September 11, 2001, attack against the
World Trade Center.
CHAPTER TWO
Rhods goes into the Scripture book of Muslims - the Quran, how it
came to be and what Muslims claim about the Quran, like unity,
diction, style, changed lives, agreement with modern science,
prophecy, and Islamic traditions. Rhods then gives a Christian
response.
CHAPTER THREE
Muhammad: the Prophet of Islam
All about the man called Muhammad, his birth, the merchant, his
revelations, the tie with Mecca, migration to Midina, capture of
Mecca, his death. A Christian response.
CHAPTER FOUR
Allah: the God of Islam.
The Muslim view of Allah, many names, only one person, good and
evil, love but only to an extent. A Christian response.
CHAPTER FIVE
Muslim's five primary duties.
Creedal recitation
Prayer
Giving arms
Ramadan
The pilgrimage to Mecca
No assurance of paradise - only hope.
CHAPTER SIX
Allah and Salvation
Muslim view of salvation, sin, atonement unnecessary, works are
enough, no assurance. A Christian response.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Judgment day, Heaven, and Hell
Death, resurrection, heaven, hell. A Christian response.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Has the Bible been corrupted?
Muslim view of the Bible. A Christian response.
CHAPTER NINE
Was Jesus merely a prophet?
Muslim view of Jesus, a miracle worker, not the Son of God, not
God, his crucifixion, his resurrection, his second coming. A
Christian response.
CHAPTER TEN
Dialoguing with Muslims
Some important keys to remember if dialoguing or debating with
Muslims and wanting to lead them to Christ and the Bible.
..............
Ron Rhods' book called "The 10 Things You Need To Know About
Islam" is indeed concise and easy to read - 155 pages including
the Bibliography. I agree about 98 percent with his "Christian
response" to each chapter.
The publisher is Harvest House, Eugene, Oregon 97402. It is a
publication of 2007, so should be available through your local
Bible Store for a number of years to come. Eventually your local
Public Library may carry it or obtain it for you through their
Library transfer department.
I do recommend the book as a simple concise tool in understanding
the Muslim religion and way of life. If your church has a
Library, this book I recommend should be in it - Keith Hunt
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