No 19

(Islam, part 2)

In our previous study, we focused our attention on the fact that Islam was founded by Mohammed, an Arab in 610 AD but who are the Arabs? They descend from Abraham, just like the Jews do, but through Ishmael. Sarah, Abraham’s wife was barren and in her impatience she gave her handmaid Hagar to Abraham and she conceived a son (Genesis 16:11); Hagar named him Ishmael, which means “God hears”. At this point in time, Abraham had not yet been circumcised and it was only on Ishmael’s thirteenth birthday that they were both circumcised “And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.” (Genesis 17). The Lord said to Abraham “And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.” (Gen 17:20) The Lord protected Hagar and her son Ishmael from the start; the Bible says in Genesis 21: 18 “Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.” This how the Arab people came into existance.

Arabs were always present in Biblical times. Joseph was taken to Egypt and sold into slavery by Midianites (Genesis 37); Moses’ father in law, Jethro was an Arab Midianite and gave Moses council on how to delegate authority (Exodus 18) to the Jews and we also see Arabs in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost “Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.” Acts 2:11. So Arabs have been around as long as the Jews have and up until Mohammed and Islam, they were an idolatrous people, although as the verse in Acts indicate, some Arabs also became Christians; there are Arab Christians today. The Arabs are a people , not a religion.

Over the centuries, two factions of Islam have arisen and today we see Sunni Muslims who regard themselves as the mainstream and traditionalist branch of Islam and the Shiite Muslims who are considered the minority sect. They both find their beliefs in the Qur’an or Koran, the writings of Mohammed and his companions. The difference between each one is that the Shiites believe that Muslim leadership belongs to Mohammed’s son in law, Ali; whereas the Sunnis believe that Mohammed’s descendants were the rightful successors.

Either way, Islam is based on a man whose tomb is occupied whereas Christianity is based on Jesus Christ whose tomb is empty and who is sitting at the right hand of God interceding for us.