INTRODUCTION
1.
Introducing the Title of this Book: God & Islam – Facts &
Myths
All Religions have stories in their traditions - Legends, Myths, Fables, or
stories – many also incorporated into the Qur'an and the Bible. Stories that
are many times not likely possible, but when one read this, it should at least
make sense. Yes, there are what we can accept as miracles – where God clearly
intervened.
There are such stories in the Bible as well, like during
the history of Elijah in 2 Kings. One that I liked very much as a child is
found in 2 Kings 6 where Elisha delt with the Arameans that came with horses
and chariots and a strong force to surround the city of Dothan where the
prophet Elijah and his servant were staying.
-
Verse 15: When the servant of
the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses
and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the
servant asked.
-
16 “Don’t be afraid,” the
prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with
them.”
-
17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his
eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and
he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around
Elisha.
-
18 As the enemy came down
toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.” So,
he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked. (You
can read the whole story here)
The Cover Page of this book uses a very interesting picture about an event
in the traditional history of Islam. The year of the Elephant; that year where
prophet Muhammad was supposed to be born.
In the beginning of this paragraph, it was mentioned that such stories may
be not likely possible, but where God clearly intervened it can be accepted as
miracles. But...when one read this, it should at least make sense.
The traditional history about the origin of Islam, prophet Muhammad and the
Quran is full of such stories (when is it Facts or when is it Myths?)
This is the most important overall question that we will focuses on
throughout this Book: How to test
when is it a false tradition or false prophet? What is the Truth? Because
only the truth can set us free!
Just like in the time of the Old Testament and the tradition of the origin
of Muhammad and the Quran, we are living in the same strange times today where
many are calling themselves apostles and prophets of God. The great challenge
for us is to properly discern those who are genuine from those who are false,
fake or a Myth.
Hast thou not seen how thy Lord dealt with the masters of the elephant. Did he not make their treacherous design an occasion of drawing them into error; and send against them flocks of birds, which casts down upon them stones of baked clay; and render them like the leaves of corn eaten by cattle?
2.
A word from the Author of this Book.
Before jumping in the book, let me first introduce myself as
author and explain the aim of this book.
Let me start with a disclosure: I am not a “learned Scholar” of the
Muslim Religion or even of Christianity. I am only a normal Christian, saved by
the Grace of God. (You are welcome to read. my story of how I met and accepted
Jesus Christ as my Saviour by faith and how I am serving God today… You
can read it here.)
[God is the name that we Christians use for the Almighty;
Muslims will use the name Allah. We can later in the Book discuss the questions
if God and Allah are the same and if there are differences, what does that
mean]
To introduce myself – a short CV, not to brag, but to
share with you my own search for the truth about life and how I tried to serve
God to the best of my ability during my lifetime.
1.
After school, after I met Jesus
Christ as my Saviour and Lord and started searching for my future purpose in
life, I did a 5-year course in Mechanical Engineering – end up with a degree
and start working as an engineer.
2.
During that time, while serving
the Lord in the engineering field, God called me into full time ministry. That
meant a lot more study - another 3 years of part time language studies,
studying the original languages of the Bible - Hebrew and Greek. After that another
4 years of full time Theological studies.
3.
Only then I was able to serve
God as a local pastor - what a privilege to serve a big congregation with over
1000 members. What an opportunity it was to regularly prepare and preach many
sermons from the Bible over a time of 15 years, as well as being involved in
mission outreaches on a part time base.
4.
During this time, I did a
further post graduate master’s degree that focused more on practical ministry
and missions.
5.
This opens my eyes to focus
more on the mission task of the Church. During this time, I received a clear
calling from God from Isaiah 49:6 “I will also make you a light for the
gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth” from where my
life’s direction totally changed.
6.
The following 20+ years I was
so privileged to focus on Mission Mobilization and outreaches to many countries
all over the World – also various Muslim countries in Africa like Nigeria, Morocco,
Yemen, the Emirates etc. How wonderfully did God provided in all our needs over
so many years; physical, financial, and spiritual. All the Glory to God.
7.
Lately the big wide door of social
media on the World Wide Web opens more and more – especially during the recent Covid
lockdown years. Since 2018 we Share God’s Love by our #KoFie_Project on Facebook,
WhatsApp, and other platforms to many thousands of people with the Good News of
the Gospel – also to Muslims, because God also Loves Muslims. ISLAM = “Isiah Sincerely
Love All Muslims!”
8.
Welcome to visit some of our
initiatives on social media:
- Facebook Pages: CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS CONVERSATIONS
-
as well as Know and Understand Islam
-
Our Blog: Islam- Facts and Myths
3.
A Word
to all our Muslim friends that will read this book:
Friends, my first goal for this book is really to serve and
help Muslims! Which Muslims? All! Among the Muslims people that I met at
various occasions in my life and during many conversations on social media, I
think I can divide them in three categories:
3.1. Three categories of Muslims as I experience them
First, from most of my Muslim friends I experience a
strong dedication in their faith within their community or ummah. I respect
this very much. Some of you put a lot of effort in to let the world be a better
place and to make a difference in your communities.
The second group that I think about are those just equal
all of us: we all suffer at a certain stage – with many questions, life
questions and disappointments in our efforts. I experience many that ask real questions
and searching for truth and meaning; Questions about life and death, our
purpose on earth, about where and who is the true God, about Jesus, about the books
- your Quran and the Bible, about end times, about sin and how to be forgiven,
certainty about Eternal Life after death… So many other things.
To be honest I must unfortunately mention a third
group. In Chapter 12 of this Book, I will describe this in more detail, my
personal frustration when I have conversations with many Muslims and how they
respond (I prefer to rather use the word ‘conversations’ instead of the word “debates”).
Although one can’t generalize such an issue, I want to
mention it for what it is worth – as this agrees with what some other
Christians told me about their own experiences in Christian-Muslim
conversations. You can read more about this in Chapter 12.
3.2. The Aim of this Book:
In this Book I don’t only want to focus on this type of issues. I really
want to serve all the real questions about life that all Muslim people have -
that I may have and was struggling with at some point of time - with answers of
truth according to my understanding, especially with faith related issues (I
don’t think I can help with all people’s money needs or sex related questions).
Please give me the opportunity with this book to serve you
where possible, to share what I believe and help you where it is at all
possible!
May I emphasize again … this does not mean that I am looking
down on Muslims and the Islam Religion as if you are always wrong or in need of
answers. I realise many of you have more experience at many aspects of life that
I can ever imagine; many of you overcame problems that I don’t even know about.
I really respect those Muslims and their own personal struggles.
3.3. But what is RESPECT?
Respect is an interesting concept. I read somewhere that to
respect somebody, does not mean to never differ from the other, but rather, out
of that respect, if you truly care about somebody else, you can’t just leave
things there. If you realize that a person is on a wrong way, a road with a
dangerous dead end, you must continue to warn them, share them the right way
that you know about.
In the words of Ezekiel 3:18 God says it very clear: If I
say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor
speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that wicked
person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.
Lastly, I believe everybody will agree on this one: No
Religion alone can help or save anybody. There need to be a Relationship with
the One you put your faith and trust in. You may know and serve Him; But does
He know you?
3.4. May I share something about my own story?
I was very religious in the earlier part of my life; I
really tried my best to serve God – but mostly out of fear and uncertainty deep
down in my heart – I was never sure if what I did was ever enough to satisfy
Him. At a certain point I was very frightened that I might die and won’t be ready
to appear before God on Judgement day… Thanks God, at this point I made the
wonderful discovery of the real message of the Good News of the Gospel. (You
can read my whole testimony about that here)
Therefore, I can really say that I understand at least some of
your situation, and… I want to share with you and help you from what I learned.
Please, why not give this book a chance!? Take what you can to
learn from it. My prayer and hope are that you will really meet God as I had and
experience the joy of being in a personal relationship with Him as your eternal
Saviour – not to mention the joy of learning that He also wants to be your Father
(later more about this).
May I also say: I am NOT using this book as a DEBATE
PLATFORM against MUSLIMS or the ISLAM Religion. I am just sharing what I had
learned during my lifespan of 70+ years as a Christian, and my experience with
many Muslims and their questions while sharing the Love of God to them during the
last few years.
3.5. Some point where our faiths agree with
I believe there are a lot of things that our faiths agree
with. Just to think about our Creator; Why we are created and how we should respond
to our Creator and creation in general?
I am sure you will agree with me about what I find in this
Bible Verses (I am sure this same truths will also be emphasised in the Quran -
you know your book better than me and can look for it there)
· One Almighty God created everything (Isaiah 40:12,21-22,28; 42:5 “This is what the Lord God says – he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it...” (NIV); 43:1,7; 44:2,24
· Creation
was and still is …for His sole purpose! (Isaiah 42:10-12; 43:7 “everyone who is called
by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” (NIV);
43:10-11 “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have
chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before
me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord,
and apart from me there is no savior.”)
4. The Second goal of this book – to help Christians!
Yes, I want to help Christians, Biblical Christians that
take God’s Commission to share the Gospel to All Nations, seriously, who also care
about Muslims – this Book wants to help such Christians with guidelines to help
Muslims to get free, to learn them to really think and decide for themselves according
to the Gospel – and accept this Good News of God as a Heavenly Father.
5.
The Third goal of this book - to honor God and restore His Glory!
Islam is not honouring the true God! How can one say this? Through
this book readers will see why I say this. I want Muslims as well to restore
the honour of God – for His Name’s sake! (OK, God don’t need small human beings
like us to protect His Glory; He
can and will restore it Himself)
Chapter 10 of this Book will come back to this so Important
Issue.
Welcome to continue now with this Book – to take the reading ride with us.
Hope you don’t fall on the way but enjoy the ride.
No comments:
Post a Comment