The Islamic Challenge to the American Church
By Rachel
Posted in: Activate
Allah Wa-Akbar, Allah Wa-Akbar: The Islamic call to prayer blasts out in the darkness of the early hour. It’s 5:15am and I, still in my sub-conscience sleep, can hear my father as he rises for prayer. Ever since I can remember, my father in his crippled state has risen early to start his first of five daily prayers.
Never would I have imagined that one day I would see my father’s faith and religion, the root of our family for years, as a false teaching. Never would I have imagined that one day I would become a born again Christian and be called an infidel and an apostate by my father and family. Even though I ate, slept, and lived Islam as a child, I knew little about what it really was.
What is Islam?
Over 1350 years of Islam have influenced more people and cultures than the old Christian faith ever enveloped. We should recognize that Islam in itself is not a “religion” in a Western sense that fills and stimulates its followers only spiritually and intellectually: Islam is much more a way of life that encompasses all areas of personal and civil life. Many of its followers find rest and peace only where the Shari’ah (Islamic Law) is imposed upon the entire social structure of the country. We should understand that, for a Muslim, there is no separation between religion and politics. The Islamic State remains the unwavering goal of this religious society. The word Islam means to submit, hence it is to submit to the entire system of the Islamic religion: tenets and laws. ISLAM IS NOT PEACE WHICH MEANS (SALAM). IT IS SUBMISSION.
Today, close to 1.3 billion Muslims live in 90 countries of the world. Half of them are not even 20 years old. The Islamic people are young and aspiring - a challenge for satisfied and pessimistic Europeans and Americans. Every sixth inhabitant of the earth is a Muslim. Twenty-five million Muslims are born each year. Biologically, Islam is advancing while the Christian population in some countries is decreasing.
To be a Muslim means following the five pillars of Islam:
1. Confession of Faith (Shahada). “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet.”
2. Five times of daily prayers and Friday congregational prayer. All Muslims regardless of where they live around the world face Saudi Arabia during their prayers.
3. Fasting during the month of Ramadan. Muslims abstain from food and drink during daylight.
4. Pilgrimage to Ka’ba in Mecca (Saudi Arabia) at least once during their lifetime.
5. Almsgiving. Muslims are required to tithe 2.5% of their annual income.
What are the Facts about Islam?
The Facade
The “Islam” that has been introduced to the West these days is completely different from the Islam experienced in the Middle East and the Muslim world. A major facelift operation has been taking place in America. The international Islamicization movement, in recent years, has grown much in both intelligence and sophistication.
The following are some of the methods Muslim activists adopt:
1. Change of Identity
Muslim activists avoid referring to teachings that may offend the Western citizen, such as the Islamic code of punishment.
Muslim activists stress that they believe in Moses and Jesus.
Muslim activists refrain from calling Jews and Christians “infidels”, nor would they call them “Zionists” or “Crusaders”.
Muslim activists brag about being Americans, and often have the American flag displayed.
2. Change of Vocabulary
Muslim activists are now using a completely new terminology. Words like ‘love’ and ‘grace’ are now part of their vocabulary. Theological Christian terms such as ‘salvation,’ ‘justification,’ and ‘sanctification’ are now part of their teachings. They also change Qur’anic translations to hide some of Islam’s harsh teachings.
3. Change of Strategy
The new strategy of Muslim activists lies in trying to be accepted, included and involved in all activities: religious, social and political. They are now becoming active in partisan politics in order to have a say in parties platforms. They conduct letter campaigns to members of Congress to influence legislation. They run for public offices in hope of reaching a position of authority. They make full use of their voting power to get concessions in their favor.
The Facts
The following are some real teachings of Islam: (“Surah” is a chapter from the Qur’an)
Men are superior to women (Surah 2:228).
Women have half the rights of men: in court witness (Surah 2:282) and in inheritance (Surah 4:11).
A man may punish his wife by beating her (Surah 4:34).
A man may marry up to four wives at the same time (Surah 4:3).
Muslims must fight until their opponents submit to Islam (Surah 9:29).
A Muslim must not take a Jew or a Christian for a friend (Surah 5:51).
A Muslim apostate must be killed (Surah 9:12).
Stealing is punished by the amputation of the hands (Surah 5:38).
Adultery is punished by public flogging (Surah 24:2).
Resisting Islam is punished by death, crucifixion or the cutting off of the hands and feet (Surah 5:33).
Fate decides everyone’s eternal destination (Surah 17:13).
Every Muslim will pass through Hell (Surah 19:71).
Heaven in Islam is the place where a Muslim will be reclining, eating meats and delicious fruits, drinking exquisite wines, and engaging in sex with virgins (Surah 55:54-56 and Surah 52:17,19).
Islam is not a religion of peace, forgiveness, and hope, as Muslims would like the American people to think. Islam is very aggressive in evangelizing the west. Through the support of oil rich Islamic countries, Muslims are extremely mission minded. Islam is infiltrating US universities under the umbrella of tolerance and understanding. Americans have been attracted to Islam because it offers them discipline and a faith based on works. American women are falling in love with Muslim men not knowing what they are getting themselves into regarding culture, freedom, and faith. Islam’s agenda for the west is to convert these nations into Islamic states. In 1993 Congress was opened with an Islamic prayer, and in 1996 Hillary Clinton started the tradition of the White House celebrating the end of Ramadan.
We as the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ must be on the alert and educate our people about Islam and how to witness to Muslims.
The State of the American Church
The Church of our Lord Jesus Christ is at a crossroads just like what happened in the 1960s. The church was silent during the sexual and cultural revolution for which our society is still paying a dear price. Islam has an agenda to convert people to Islam whether through deceptive misrepresentation of the real Islam or through violence which Islam sanctions. The church needs to stand up for the truth which is the gospel. It has allowed the culture to influence the church instead of the other way around. The church has lost its saltiness and its light in this country for the sake of getting along or trying to be politically correct. Our church leaders have been caught up in such mentality to the detriment of the Church. Many, not all, preachers preach a watered down gospel and some preach a different Jesus and gospel, which the Apostle Paul calls the doctrine of demons.
The church has been trying to blend in with the culture and trying to be a seeker sensitive church instead of boldly preaching the gospel. Church leaders must stand up and proclaim the gospel and speak out against Islam, the culture, and organizations who offend Jesus or we will lose this religious war. Yes, you did read that correctly. I called it a religious WAR. This is exactly what we are in right now around the world. This war is between Islam and Christianity and Judaism. This war did not start on 9/11, nor in 1979 in Iran. This war was started by Muhammad in the seventh century. This war is not against Muslims, but against Islam which holds Muslims captive and makes them act the way they do.
The Bible informs me that Jesus Christ did not die for Islam, but for Muslims. We as a church must make the distinction between Islam and Muslims. The church has a great opportunity to reach Muslims for Christ. The church must share the gospel with their Muslim neighbors. That is how I accepted Christ. I could check out Christianity here in America without the fear of someone standing behind me with a gun over my head telling me not to. Praise the Lord for the freedom we have in this great nation of ours the good old USA. We as followers of Christ must seize this opportunity to witness while we still can.
Elijah Abraham
Elijah Abraham is the Founder of Living Oasis Ministries, a Christian ministry dedicated to educating the American church on Islam and how to reach their Muslim neighbors. Elijah is a former Muslim born in Iraq. Elijah is a graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
You can contact Elijah at infolom.admin@gmail.com