Islam part 1

Today, I want to talk a little bit about Islam. The topic of Islam and Muslims occurs frequently in the news; almost every day, there is some program, article, or news story concerning Islam. So, the first question is, of course, what is Islam? What does the word itself mean? The word itself means submission and obedience, peace, and harmony. All these different concepts are contained within the meaning of the word Islam. If we connect these together, it's the idea that peace comes from submission to God and obeying His will. If one wants to find inner peace within oneself, one achieves that inner peace through submitting to God's will and living one's life in harmony with it. Then, one finds inner peace. If you want to have peace within society, the people within that society also need to submit to God's will and live their lives according to it. You might wonder, what is God's will? You could say that God's will is living according to your conscience. If you live your life in submission to and in accordance with your conscience, then you have a deep inner peace. If a whole society consists of people living according to their conscience, that would be a society in which there would be peace and harmony.

The meaning of the word Islam comes from two roots: S, L, and M. You get the same root in the word 'shalom,' which is the Hebrew word for peace. Arabic and Hebrew are both Semitic languages and share this root. So, Islam is a state of harmony in which God created the world and the state in which we should all live. This harmony comes about when everything submits to the will of God. From a Muslim point of view, everybody is created as a Muslim. When someone converts to Islam and becomes a Muslim, Muslims don't say they converted; they say they reverted. The idea is that every human being is born as a Muslim, in a state of Islam, naturally submitting to their conscience and God's will. When a person becomes a Muslim, they are going back to the way they were when they were born. That's why Muslims talk about reverting rather than converting; they believe Islam is a natural way of life in which one fulfills and lives according to one's purpose.

Another meaning of the word Muslim is that something is in a state of Islam. Muslims would say that God created everything Muslim, so everything in the natural world is naturally in harmony with God's will. Plants and animals are all Muslim because they naturally submit to God's will by living out their natural purpose. This is the Muslim way of looking at things. Let's talk about 'salaam alaikum,' which means peace be with you. It's the idea of coming into greater peace and harmony with God. Islam is the second largest and fastest-growing major religion, after Christianity. It's growing more rapidly than Christianity and other major religions like Hinduism. You might be surprised to know that the most populous Muslim country in the world is actually Indonesia, but the country with the largest number of Muslims is India. There are more Muslims in India than in any other country in the world, even though there are more Hindus than Muslims in India.

Now, what do Muslims believe? In the Quran, it says that Muslims believe five things. The first thing they believe in is Allah, which is just the Arabic word for God. Christian Arabs also call God Allah; it's not a Muslim word, just an Arabic word. It means the Almighty, the Omniscient, the Perfect One. The worst sin for Muslims is something called 'shirk,' which is believing that God has a partner. This means that anyone or anything that is equal to God is considered a partner. Muslims are strict monotheists, like Jews. There is only one God, and God is one. From a Muslim point of view, the idea of the Trinity is not monotheism; it is shirk. Therefore, Muslims believe that no Christian will go to heaven because they believe that God has a partner in Jesus, the second person of the Trinity. Christians would argue that they believe in one God, but Muslims see the concept of the Trinity as a form of shirk.

Muslims also believe in angels, and they believe in God's revealed books. This is a very important point. You may think that for Muslims, the Quran is their only scripture, but actually, the Quran teaches that God gave a book to every single people. God has revealed Himself and many books. In particular, God gave the Torah to the Jewish people when Moses went up to Mount Sinai. He also gave a book to King David, which is the Psalms, and a book to Jesus, which is the Injil. Finally, God gave a book to Muhammad, which is the Quran. Muslims recognize that all of these are scriptures, revelations given by God to different people. They also believe that God gave books of scripture to other peoples as well. However, they believe that although Moses received the Torah, it later became corrupted. The Torah as found in the Hebrew Bible is not the same as the one given to Moses; it became corrupted over time due to miscopying or other reasons.

In terms of the Gospel given to Jesus, Muslims believe that it also became corrupted. They assert that Jesus himself didn't write it down. Muslims believe that Jesus received a book like Muhammad did, but while Muhammad recited it and dictated it to his disciples, who wrote it down faithfully, Jesus's revelation was not copied down faithfully by his disciples. If you look at the old versions of the New Testament, you can see that there are many differences; there is no single version of the revelation given to Jesus that matches exactly what he received. Muslims argue that the Quran is different because when Muhammad was given the Quran, he memorized it, and it was all in poetry. He spoke it, and then his followers wrote it down. All these fragments, these verses of the Quran, were collected together and put in order under Muhammad's direction from the revelation received. Therefore, they claim that the Quran has remained unchanged ever since. This is their argument for why the Quran is the only scripture that has not become corrupted.

What do you think of that argument or explanation? For Muslims, the Quran is the word of God, while for Christians, Jesus is the word of God. The Quran holds a similar position within Islam that Jesus holds within Christianity in terms of the source of everything. Jesus said he wasn't just a prophet; he was the word of God. The word of God came from within him spontaneously, whereas Muhammad received a revelation directly from an angel. This is the Muslim understanding of revelation and the source of the Quran. The Christian understanding is very different; they say Jesus himself was the word of God. In that sense, the Bible is not the word of God in the same way that the Quran is for Muslims. Muslims believe in the Messiah, but the understanding of that title differs among Jews, Christians, Muslims, and Unificationists. Muslims believe Jesus was a Messiah, but their understanding of that title is different from the Jewish, Christian, and Unificationist understanding.

Regarding the Torah, if you read the Old Testament, you can see that Moses received the commandments and wrote them down. However, the Torah itself contains a lot of other things as well. Muslims would say that all these prophets were given the same book, but this book is different in some way. The Quran itself raises many complicated questions about the meaning of the Torah. For example, Jews believe the Torah pre-existed Moses, but how could all this history pre-exist Moses? There are many complexities in understanding these texts, their status, and the different meanings of the words 'Torah,' 'Quran,' and 'Gospel.' Muslims believe that the Torah and the Gospels were corrupted and are not reliable, but interestingly enough, they believe that the Psalms of David have not been corrupted. This means that Jews, Christians, and Muslims can have a common scripture that they all recognize as not being corrupted: the Psalms. This is interesting, perhaps because it is poetry. You can participate in something called scriptural reasoning, where Jews, Christians, and Muslims study the same scripture together and see it from their own perspectives. It is fascinating to see how they interpret the same piece of scripture differently, which can be very enriching. For example, when I participated in scriptural reasoning and studied the New Testament, I was amazed by how Muslims and Jews explained certain passages. They could see things I had never noticed, particularly because the New Testament is composed of Jewish scriptures written by Jews for Jews. Many idioms that seemed strange to me were just natural expressions in Hebrew, which someone from an English background might not recognize. It's very interesting.

Muslims also believe in God's prophets and messengers. They believe there are several hundred prophets, with Adam being the first prophet of God. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Jesus are all considered prophets of God. The only difference with Muhammad is that he is regarded as the last prophet of God, the seal of the prophets. However, they all have the same status within Islam; Adam, Abraham, Moses, Isaac, Jacob, David, Jesus, and Muhammad are all equal as prophets of God. The fifth belief is in the Day of Judgment. They believe that on the Day of Judgment, they will be held accountable for their actions.

Judgment will lead to a resurrection; the people who have died will be resurrected and come back to life. They believe that Jesus will return on the Day of Judgment, and people will be judged. If they have led a good life, they will go to heaven; if they have led a bad life, they will go to hell. You are judged according to your deeds, not according to what you believe. The five basic beliefs of Islam include the belief in resurrection, which is very similar to Christian beliefs about resurrection. Their beliefs about the Day of Judgment are also similar to evangelical beliefs about Judgment Day, with many extraordinary supernatural phenomena expected to take place.

Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570 CE, 570 years after the birth of Jesus. His mother and father died when he was very young, and he was brought up by his uncle, Abu Talib. He grew up in the Hashem clan in Mecca and was well-respected as a young boy, earning the nickname Al-Amin, meaning 'the trustworthy one.' He was regarded as a peacemaker. One day, while rebuilding the Kaaba, there was a big argument about who would have the honour of placing the foundation stone back in the Kaaba. Many tribes were involved in the dispute, and they could not settle it. Muhammad, being a wise young man, suggested placing the stone on a large cloth so that representatives from each tribe could lift it together, allowing him to place it in its rightful position. This act demonstrated his ability to bring harmony and unity among people.

At that time, the Kaaba was a centre of idol worship, with around 365 idols, one for each day of the year. People came from all over the Middle East to worship their idols, which became a major source of income for the people of Mecca. Originally built by Abraham and Ishmael for the worship of the one God, the Kaaba had become corrupted over the centuries with idol worship. Muhammad, as he grew older, began working for Khadija, a wealthy widow who managed a trading company. He managed her business, and they eventually married, having four daughters and two sons, both of whom died. Muhammad regularly prayed at Mount Hira, concerned about the social injustices in Mecca, where the rich oppressed the poor, and gambling, drunkenness, and violence were rampant.

Muhammad often prayed at Mount Hira, seeking solutions to the injustices he observed. At the age of 40, he experienced something extraordinary known as the Night of Power. An angel, Jibril (Gabriel), appeared to him and commanded him to read. Muhammad was shocked, as he was illiterate, but the angel insisted. This became the first verse revealed to him, which is now part of the Quran: 'Read in the name of thy Lord who createth man from a clot of blood.' This revelation emphasised the importance of reading, literacy, and the pen in Islam, similar to its significance in Judaism. Muhammad's experience left him bewildered, and he initially questioned his sanity. However, he shared his experience with his wife Khadijah, who believed him and became his first follower.

Following this, Muhammad shared his revelations with a few close relatives and friends, including his cousin Ali and his best friend Abu Bakr, who also became followers. As he received revelations, Muhammad experienced physical manifestations, often going into a seizure-like state. Each revelation was profound and memorable, marking a significant moment in his life. This model of revelation, where the angel Gabriel directly communicated with him, differs from other religious models, such as those found in Christianity or Unification teachings. For Muslims, the Quran represents Muhammad's miracle, as he was illiterate yet received it in poetic form, which is considered the finest Arabic poetry.

As Muhammad began to preach publicly, he faced significant opposition. His message included a strong criticism of idolatry, following the tradition of Abraham, who smashed idols. He condemned the gambling, drinking, and violence prevalent in Mecca. This criticism upset many businessmen who profited from idol worship, leading to his persecution. Some of his followers were killed, and others were tortured for their faith. Muhammad himself faced insults but was protected by his uncle, Abu Talib, who was the clan leader. However, many of his followers, often slaves, suffered greatly, prompting Muhammad to send 83 of them to Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia) for refuge, where they were welcomed by the Christian king.

The year of sorrow marked a significant turning point for Muhammad, as both his wife Khadijah and his uncle Abu Talib died. With the loss of his uncle's protection, Muhammad's life became increasingly dangerous. He sought refuge in a nearby town but was rejected and stoned. Returning to Mecca, he found that the Muslims there did not invite him back or protect him. Instead, a non-Muslim friend took him in and offered protection, highlighting the challenges Muhammad faced during this tumultuous period.

Had something called a very profound experience known as the Night Journey. He traveled to the farthest mosque; in the Quran, it just states that he traveled to the farthest mosque. Muslims interpret this as meaning he traveled to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Jerusalem was significant as it was where Solomon built his temple, and some Muslims interpret that as being the Father's temple, the Father's mosque. He traveled there on a heavenly creature called Burak, which is about the size of a donkey. Muslims believe this was a literal phenomenon; he literally traveled all the way from Mecca overnight to Jerusalem. It wasn't merely a spiritual experience; it actually happened. I believe he went to Jerusalem to the Temple Mount, and in the company of the Archangel Gabriel, they went on this winged steed, stopping briefly at Mount Sinai, which is where the Torah was received.

This picture depicts Muhammad. So, who do you think created this picture? Actually, Shia Muslims have these pictures, while Sunni Muslims do not. The Shia do have pictures of Muhammad, sometimes with no face, just white. Within Islam, there are many different divisions, practices, and views about various things. This is a Shia picture. Muslims believe it literally happened; they say Muhammad rode a donkey flying through the night. The evidence they would cite is that on the way back, Muhammad saw certain things happening in the desert and reported them when he returned. Some might argue it was an out-of-body experience, but something significant happened. He went to Jerusalem, to the Temple Mount, and from there, he ascended into the spiritual world, reaching the seventh heaven, where he toured heaven and hell and met all the prophets, including Jesus and Moses. Muhammad led all the prophets in prayer and then approached the throne of God, where God revealed to him what the Muslim faith should entail and how the practices should be structured.

God initially told Muhammad that Muslims should pray fifty times a day. Muhammad accepted this and returned, but on the way back, he met Moses, who asked what God had said. When Muhammad told him about the fifty prayers, Moses replied that it would never work and urged him to negotiate a better deal. Muhammad returned to God's throne and successfully negotiated the number down to five prayers a day. This is significant, as it mirrors the tradition of Abraham and Moses arguing with God to reach a realistic agreement. Muhammad did not initially negotiate, which is interesting; he accepted the fifty prayers without question. However, when he returned to negotiate, he managed to reduce it to five times a day.

This rock is significant; it is the same rock where God told Abraham to sacrifice his son. From this rock, Muhammad ascended into heaven. This rock is covered by the Dome of the Rock, which is a shrine, not a mosque, making it a very holy site for Jews, Christians, and Muslims. This is why there is so much contention surrounding it. The Al-Aqsa Mosque is located about one hundred yards behind the Dome of the Rock, from this viewpoint on the Temple Mount. Muhammad faced persecution in Mecca; his life was at risk, and he sought safety. After being rejected in Taif, he was invited to Medina by twelve tribes who wanted him to become an arbitrator and judge. They recognised him as an honest and fair person who could be trusted to resolve disputes.

The tribes in Medina wanted someone impartial to act as an arbitrator, which is why they invited Muhammad, who was from Mecca. This event marks year one of the Muslim calendar, as Muslims date their calendar from the Hijra, the migration to Medina. He escaped with his followers, and many miracles are told about his journey, as the people of Mecca wanted to kill him. For instance, he hid in a cave, and a spider spun a web, leading his pursuers to believe he could not be inside. In Medina, he established a constitution, one of the oldest in the modern world. This constitution laid down basic rules that applied equally to all tribes, outlining processes for laws and conflict resolution, which were quite modern for that time.

The people of Mecca were not pleased with Muhammad's presence in Medina, leading to conflicts between the two cities. When Muhammad and his followers arrived in Medina, they were not part of the established clans, which created challenges as they lacked land and property. The Muslims in Medina, who converted to Islam, welcomed them and sought ways to integrate them into the economy. They also engaged in caravan raiding, which the people of Mecca viewed unfavourably. This led to the Battle of Badr, where the Muslims were victorious, followed by the second battle at Uhud, where they were defeated. The constitution of Medina required mutual support, but the two Jewish tribes were accused of not participating in the battle against Mecca and were subsequently expelled from Medina.

There was a siege of Medina, during which some Jews were punished for alleged treachery, resulting in their execution. Eventually, a treaty was signed between the people of Mecca and Medina in 628. During this period, harsh words about Jews appeared in the Quran, raising questions about how to interpret these passages today. Similar harsh words exist in the Bible, such as when Joshua was commanded to kill all the Canaanites. The question arises: how do Jews contextualise these statements? They do not take them literally; instead, they view them as applicable only to their historical context. This approach is common among rabbis, who draw the sting from such texts and argue that they do not serve as models for contemporary behaviour.

In the New Testament, Jesus also expressed harsh sentiments. For example, in Matthew chapter 23, his words are quite severe. Even the Sermon on the Mount contains harsh statements, such as advising to pluck out an eye or cut off a hand if they cause one to sin. Christians often interpret these passages metaphorically rather than literally. Some Christians, however, do take scripture literally, but generally, the Christian interpretation recognises multiple levels of meaning. Thus, it is essential to approach our own scriptures thoughtfully, considering context and interpretation.

In a workshop in Canberra, they were reading one of Father's speeches, which discussed different ways of walking and the types of clothing people wear. While the content seemed dry, I recalled when Father delivered that speech at Lancaster Gate. He was the funniest person I have ever seen, mimicking various walks, much like John Cleese's funny walks. Father was entertaining everyone while teaching valuable lessons through humour. However, when you read the text or listen to someone reciting the speech 25 or 30 years later, it appears as dry as dust. You might wonder about the meaning behind it, but Father was simply being himself and entertaining the audience at that time. The context of his delivery is often lost unless you have footnotes or commentaries to explain it, which is why they are so important in understanding religious texts.

The historical context of Muhammad's encounters with Jews and Christians is also significant. Many Jews and Christians followed Muhammad and converted to Islam. In fact, a lot of Muhammad's followers came from these two traditions. When you read the Quran, you can see that many elements derive from the non-written Christian tradition and Jewish tradition. Numerous stories in the Quran can also be found in the Talmud, which contained circulating narratives at that time. Interestingly, while the Quran mentions prophets like Noah, it does not provide detailed accounts of their stories, assuming that people had access to the Torah and the New Testament and were familiar with the narratives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Jesus.

After 21 years of receiving revelations, Muhammad conquered Mecca. He spent 40 years before receiving these revelations and then went through a challenging 21-year period, similar to Jacob's struggles. Upon returning to Mecca, many people converted to Islam, but not everyone welcomed him back. Muhammad offered amnesty to those who had persecuted him, seeking reconciliation rather than revenge. However, the conflict between Muhammad's clan and the dominant tribe in Mecca continued for a long time. One of Muhammad's significant actions was to enter the Kaaba and destroy all the idols, just as Abraham had done. He also covered the images of Mary and Jesus, leaving them as the only icons in the Kaaba.

The approach of Islam towards pagans—those without a holy book—was that they were given a choice between converting to Islam or facing death. As Islam expanded, Jews and Christians were granted dhimmi status, allowing them to practice their faith but restricting them from building new places of worship or converting Muslims. Muhammad's last sermon emphasised the rights of women, stating that they are not property but partners and helpers. He taught that all mankind is from Adam and Eve, promoting the idea of equality among people, regardless of race or nationality. This principle is reflected during the Hajj, where Muslims of all backgrounds wear the same white garments, symbolising their equality.

However, in practice, issues arise due to the Quran being in Arabic. Some Arabs claim superiority in understanding the Quran because it was revealed in their language, leading to a form of Arabic imperialism. While Muslims worldwide learn to recite the Quran in Arabic, many do not understand its meaning, which can create cultural and linguistic disconnection. Muhammad's teachings also assert that no race has superiority over another except by piety and good actions. This radical idea fosters a sense of brotherhood among Muslims, which can sometimes lead to extreme actions, as individuals may prioritise their identity as Muslims over their national identity. This sense of belonging to the Muslim Ummah can drive people to respond to perceived injustices against fellow Muslims globally, complicating their sense of loyalty and identity.

Righteousness, after I have gone, no prophet or apostle will come after me, and no new faith will be born. This is a key point for Muslims: Muhammad was the last prophet, the seal of the prophets. He brought the Quran, which is perfect, and so no further revelation is needed. Anyone who claims to be a prophet, by definition, must be a false prophet. I leave behind me two things: the Quran and the Sunnah. The Sunnah is his own personal example; Muhammad's life was a role model for Muslims. If you follow these, you will never go astray. This day I perfected your religion for you and completed my favour upon you and have chosen Islam for your religion.

Muhammad is one of the most remarkable people in human history. Unlike Jesus, who was put to death, he became the leader of the Arab people, forging them into a single nation and becoming a great statesman. He laid down a constitution. Whereas Jesus was put to death, this affects the self-consciousness of Christians significantly. Christians often see themselves as being persecuted and martyred, whereas because Muhammad was accepted and became a ruler, Muslims do not think of themselves in that way. They believe they should naturally be rulers and have a strong economy. This leads to a very different mental approach between Muslims and Christians.

In Europe, we would normally say BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini), defining these years by the birth of Jesus. Nowadays, in a multicultural society, people argue that this is ethnocentric or religious-centric. As a result, many books now use BCE (Before the Common Era) and CE (Common Era) instead of being called after Christ. This is simply a renaming of the common era.

When they migrated from Mecca to Medina, there is a concept that every hundred years, a person comes to revitalise the faith. This idea is more associated with Shia beliefs, particularly regarding the twelve Imams and the concept of the hidden Imam. There is also the idea of the Mahdi, who was thought to be in Sudan in the middle of the 19th century. There are different understandings regarding who will come: one is the hidden Imam, another is Jesus, and yet another is the Mahdi.

Yes, I can talk about the Muslim view of Jesus. This is basically the life of Muhammad. One of your messages can change people's prejudices, inform them, and inspire them. Thank you for the time we have to share with each other afterwards, and we can carry this on next week.