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Truth Under Fire
”The Origins of Islam”
Pastor Carl Nichols
Apostle’s Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic* church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Origins of Islam
GENESIS 15 — God made a promise to Abraham and Sarah that seemed impossible.
Genesis 15:5
“Look toward heaven, and number the stars... So shall your offspring be.”
GENESIS 16 — Abraham and Sarah take matters into their own hands.
Genesis 16:11-12
11 The angel of the Lord also said to her: “You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery. 12 He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.”
GENESIS 17 — God Confirms the Covenant
Genesis 17:18
18 And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!”
Genesis 17:21
21 But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.”
Ishmael was blessed by God. Isaac was the son of the covenant.
The Covenant
A People - “I will make you a great nation.” (Genesis 12:2)
A Place - “To your offspring I will give this land.” (Genesis 12:7)
A Promise - “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3)
God was creating a people, in a place, through whom He would bring a Person.
GENESIS 21 — The Promise Finally Arrives
Ishmael — Abraham's son through Hagar.
Isaac — Abraham's son through Sarah and the promised covenant heir.
Genesis 21:8-10
8 The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. 9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10 and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”
Genesis 21:11-13
11 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. 12 But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. 13 I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring.”
Genesis 21:14
14 Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba.
Genesis 21:20-21
20 God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. 21 While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt.
So here's the whole story:
God promises Abraham a son.
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Abraham and Sarah become impatient.
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Abraham has Ishmael through Hagar.
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God promises to bless Ishmael.
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God gives Abraham and Sarah Isaac.
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God establishes His covenant through Isaac.
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Hagar and Ishmael leave Abraham's household to Beersheba.
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God protects Ishmael and promises to make him a great nation.
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Ishmael settles in the wilderness of Paran.
MUHAMMAD - The Birth of Islam - 2500 Years Later
AD 570 — Muhammad is born in Mecca
AD 595 — Muhammad marries Khadijah
AD 610 — Muhammad receives his revelation
AD 613 — Begins preaching publicly
The Twist…
Islam doesn't claim Muhammad came to introduce a brand-new God. Islam claims Muhammad came to restore the religion of Abraham.
The Belief…
Humanity corrupted the original faith of Abraham, and God has sent Muhammad to restore it.
Abraham + Ishmael → Kaaba/Mecca → Muhammad → restoration of Abraham's true religion
AD 622 — The Hijrah to Medina (The Turning Point)
Medina - “the city of the Prophet”
AD 610 marks the beginning of Muhammad's revelations. (Qu’ran - Meccan Period)
AD 622 marks the beginning of the Islamic community as an organized society. (Qu’ran - Medinan Period)
AD 624–627 — Military conflict
At this point Islam is no longer merely a religious preaching movement. It is becoming a significant political and military force in Arabia.
AD 628 — Treaty of Hudaybiyyah with Meccans
AD 630 — Muhammad takes Mecca
Abraham and Ishmael established worship at the Kaaba.
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People corrupted it with idolatry.
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Muhammad restores it to monotheistic worship.
AD 632 — Muhammad dies
AD 570–622 — MUHAMMAD WITHOUT POLITICAL POWER - Mecca: Prophet/Preacher
AD 622–632 — MUHAMMAD WITH POLITICAL POWER - Medina: Prophet/Political Leader/ Military Leader
For 2,500 years after Abraham, there is no Islam. Then around AD 570, a man is born in Arabia who will claim that the God of Abraham has spoken again, and that Abraham's original faith needs to be restored.
THE PROBLEM
The Biblical storyline: Abraham → Isaac → Jacob/Israel → Judah → David → Jesus
Islamic tradition: Abraham → Ishmael → Arabian ancestry → Muhammad
1 Corinthians 15:3–8:
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
Qur'an 4:157-159
157: They said, “We killed the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.” But they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him—it was made to appear so to them. Those who disagree about this are in doubt and have no certain knowledge, only speculation. They certainly did not kill him. 158: Rather, Allah raised him to Himself. Allah is Almighty and Wise. 159: There will be none from the People of the Book who will not believe in him before his death, and on the Day of Resurrection Jesus will be a witness against them.
Muhammad came out of the cave with a message. Jesus came out of the grave with victory.
Islam takes you to a cave where Muhammad received a vision from a demon. Christianity takes you to an empty tomb where Jesus defeated death, hell, and the grave.
In Islam they visit a cave because Muhammad was there. In Christianity, we visit the tomb because Jesus isn’t.