Reasoning from the Scriptures with Muslims , livre ebook

Harvest House Publishers, Inc. - Ron Rhodes

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184 pages

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Anyone interested in sharing the gospel with Muslim friends or understanding the doctrines and historical basis of Islam will appreciate this addition to the popular Reasoning from the Scriptures series. Using an easy-to-follow question-and-answer format, Reasoning from the Scriptures with Muslims covers issues, including...Muhammad and Jesus Christ--what are their roles?the Quran and the Bible--what kind of inspiration and authority do they have?Islam today--what different groups exist, and how can Muslims be reached with the good news?Each chapter examines a Muslim belief and compares it with biblical Christianity. Readers will find this an invaluable tool for discussing and sharing the words and life of Jesus Christ with Muslim friends and acquaintances.

Sujets

Philosophie et théologie

Comparative religion

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Publié par	Harvest House Publishers, Inc.
Date de parution	01 juillet 2002
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9780736936446
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0692€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS
EUGENE, OREGON
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible: New International Version . NIV . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. The NIV and New International Version trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society.
Verses marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible , 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Verses marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
Cover by Terry Dugan Design, Minneapolis, Minnesota
REASONING FROM THE SCRIPTURES WITH MUSLIMS
Copyright 2002 by Ron Rhodes
Published by Harvest House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon 97402
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Rhodes, Ron.
Reasoning from the scriptures with Muslims / Ron Rhodes.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-7369-1010-7 (pbk.)
ISBN 978-0-7369-3644-6 (eBook)
1. Missions to Muslims. 2. Christianity and other religions-Islam. 3. Islam-Relations-Christianity. I. Title.
BV2625 .R46 2002
266 .0088 2971-dc21
2002001754
All rights reserved. No part of this electronic publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means-electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any other-without the prior written permission of the publisher. The authorized purchaser has been granted a nontransferable, nonexclusive, and noncommercial right to access and view this electronic publication, and purchaser agrees to do so only in accordance with the terms of use under which it was purchased or transmitted. Participation in or encouragement of piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of author s and publisher s rights is strictly prohibited.
Dedication
To Christians everywhere who seek to share the good news of Jesus Christ with Muslim friends and neighbors
Acknowledgments
I never tire of thanking my wife, Kerri, and my two children, David and Kylie, for their continued sacrificial commitment to my work of ministry. Kerri is a treasure of a wife, a woman of virtue, and a joy to my heart (Proverbs 31:10). Our two children are without a doubt the two greatest gifts God has ever bestowed on us (Psalm 127:3). I cannot help but revel in the wonder of God s blessing.
Contents
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Contact the Author
The Phenomenal Growth of Islam
1. Dialoguing with Muslims
2. Muhammad and the Emergence of Islam
3. A Christian Critique of Muhammad
4. The Quran-The Scriptures of Islam
5. A Christian Critique of the Quran
6. Allah-The God of Islam
7. The Biblical View of God
8. Jesus-A Prophet of Islam
9. The Biblical View of Jesus, Part One
10. The Biblical View of Jesus, Part Two
11. The Muslim View of the Bible
12. A Defense of the Bible, Part One
13. A Defense of the Bible, Part Two
14. Sin and Salvation in Islam
15. The Muslim View of the Afterlife
16. Tips for Evangelizing Among Muslims
Postscript
Appendix A-The Two Major Sects of Islam
Appendix B-Jihad- Holy War
Appendix C-Resources Dealing with Bible Difficulties
Notes
Bibliography
Index to Subjects
Index to Bible Quotations
Index to Quran Quotations
Contact the Author

If you run into witnessing trouble, feel free to contact Reasoning from the Scriptures Ministries. We will help you if we can.
Phone: 1-214-853-4370
E-mail: rhodes2@pacbell.net
Web site: www.ronrhodes.org
Free newsletter available upon request.
The Phenomenal Growth of Islam
T here are about 1.3 billion Muslims in the world-about 20 percent of the world s population. 1 That is one out of every five persons on Earth! Presently there are more than 3000 Muslim mosques in the United States; in 1990 there were only 30. 2 An average of one new mosque opens each week in the United States. There are presently 165 Islamic schools, 426 Islamic associations, and 90 Islamic publications in the United States. 3
Islam certainly has some well-known adherents in this country. Pop musician Cat Stevens converted to Islam in 1977 and is now known by the name Yusuf Islam. Basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is another highly visible convert to Islam. These two individuals alone have generated substantial publicity for the religion.
Islam has enjoyed impressive growth around the world.
It is presently the world s second largest religion, behind only Christianity.
Over 65 nations in the world are Islamic.
It is estimated that Muslims constitute 85 percent of the population in 32 countries. 4
There are more Muslims in the United Kingdom than Methodists and Baptists combined. 5
Though there was only one mosque in England in 1945, there are now thousands. Hundreds of the buildings used for mosques were originally churches-including the church that sent well-known Christian missionary William Carey to India. 6
Muslims are the second largest religious group in France. The number of mosques in France has mushroomed from only one in 1974 to thousands today. 7
Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries are donating many tens of millions of dollars toward the furtherance of Islam in the United States. 8
In the United States, it has been traditionally estimated that there are between four and eight million Muslims, the most likely figure being around five million. However, recent studies call this figure into question. The American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) 2001, carried out by the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, did a substantial poll and found the total American Muslim population to be about 1.8 million. 9 Another recent study estimates the Muslim population to be 1,886,000. However, with a nod toward figures supplied by Islamic organizations, the scholar who oversaw this later study allows that this number could be as high as 2,814,000 Muslims. 10
I personally wonder whether the actual figure may be higher in view of the fact that some Muslims in the United States may feel trepidation at admitting they are Muslims. Even a survey that simply asks, What is your religion, if any? may give some Muslims pause simply because of the horrible press Islam has received over the last few decades because of Islamic terrorists. It is hard to objectively measure such factors, but I would not be surprised if the actual number of Muslims in the U.S. were 3 million or more.
In any event, because of the phenomenal growth of Islam around the world, many Muslims argue that this constitutes proof that Islam is the true religion. After all, how could the religion grow so rapidly without God s blessing? 11
Reasons for Islamic Growth
There are a number of reasons for the rapid growth of Islam around the world. Below I summarize only the more pertinent factors that are acknowledged by Muslim leaders:
Financial support. A great deal of money is being poured into Arab missions around the world, especially in the United States. This money is being used to build mosques, Islamic centers at major universities, and for the publication of Islamic literature. 12
A universal religion. Islam claims to be a universal religion. Though it originated in Mecca, it claims to be for all people everywhere. Islam claims to know no barriers between races. 13 (Interestingly, though, the Shiites and Sunnis and other sects among the Muslims disagree on key issues and divide themselves from one another.)
A simple religion. Islam has few requirements. It is a much simpler religion, Muslims claim, than Christianity. There are no difficult doctrines like the Trinity and the two natures (divine and human) in the one person of Christ. A person who recites the Islamic creed is a Muslim. A person who keeps the five pillars of Islam is a good Muslim. A person who emulates the life of Muhammad will be a successful Muslim.
A comprehensive religion. Unlike Christianity, which focuses on spiritual matters only, Muslims say that Islam encompasses all spheres of life-political, economic, judicial, social, moral, and religious. (To be fair, though, Christians believe a relationship with Christ affects how one interacts in all these realms.)
An easier-to-obey religion. Muslims say that Islam is a much easier religion to obey than Christianity. Many of the requirements laid down by Christ can seem almost impossible to fulfill. By contrast, the commands listed in the Quran are realistic, and the average person can obey them. (To be fair, though, Christians believe that though Christ s commands are indeed loftier, the Holy Spirit empowers them and enables them to successfully live the Christian life.)
A rational religion. To Muslims, there are certain doctrines in Christianity that do not make sense. For example, the idea that one man can die for another or for many people is nonsensical to them. They also think it is ridiculous that God cannot forgive people without sacrificing someone on a cross. Likewise, they think the idea of Jesus being the Son of God is nonsensical and even blasphemous, because it implies that God has had physical relations with a female. By contrast, Islam is a thinking man s religion. It contains no irrational concepts like Christianity does. (I will address these issues later in the book.)
A brotherhood religion. Because Muslims all over the world follow the Muslim hadith (tradition), which contains details on how Muhammad acted in various circumstances, they have a sense of camaraderie and brotherhood known by few other religious groups.
Proselytizing . Muslims proselytize. They actively share their faith. They are commanded in the Quran to invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom (Sura 16:125). 14
Introducing Islam
Islam is a monotheistic religion that arose in the seventh century A.D . under the leadership