Daniel Ali - Inside Islam: A Guide for Catholics: 100 Questions and Answers

Inside Islam

A Guide for Catholics

Daniel Ali and Robert Spencer

West Chester, Pennsylvania

Copyright 2003 Ascension Press, LLC
All rights reserved.

With the exception of short excerpts used in articles and critical reviews, no part of this work may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in any form whatsoever, printed or electronic, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Ascension Press Post Office Box 1990

West Chester, PA 19380

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Cover design: Kinsey Caruth

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN: 978-0-9659228-5-2

Abbreviations

Old Testament

Gn = Genesis

Sng = Song of Songs
Ex = Exodus

Wis = Wisdom
Lv = Leviticus

Sir = Sirach
Nm = Numbers

Is = Isaiah
Dt = Deuteronomy

Jer = Jeremiah
Jos = Joshua

Lam = Lamentations
Jgs = Judges

Bar = Baruch
Ru = Ruth

Ez = Ezekiel
1 Sam = 1 Samuel

Dn = Daniel
2 Sam = 2 Samuel

Hos = Hosea
1 Kgs = 1 Kings

Jl = Joel
2 Kgs = 2 Kings

Am = Amos
1 Chr = 1 Chronicles

Ob = Obadiah
2 Chr = 2 Chronicles

Jon = Jonah
Ezr = Ezra

Mi = Micah
Neh = Nehemiah

Na = Nahum
Tb = Tobit

Hb = Habakkuk
Jdt = Judith

Zep = Zephaniah
Est = Esther

Hg = Haggai
Jb = Job

Zec = Zechariah
Ps = Psalms

Mal = Malachi
Prv = Proverbs

1Mc = 1 Maccabees
Eccl = Ecclesiastes

2Mc = 2 Maccabees

New Testament

Mt = Matthew

1 Tm = 1 Timothy
Mk = Mark

2 Tm = 2 Timothy
Lk = Luke

Ti = Titus
Jn = John

Phlm = Philemon
Acts = Acts

Heb = Hebrews
Rom = Romans

Jas = James
1 Cor = 1 Corinthians

1 Pt = 1 Peter 2
Cor = 2 Corinthians

2 Pt = 2 Peter
Gal = Galatians

1 Jn = 1 John
Eph = Ephesians

2 Jn = 2 John
Phil = Philippians

3 Jn = 3 John
Col = Colossians

Jude = Jude
1 Thess = 1 Thessalonians

Rv = Revelation
2 Thess = 2 Thessalonians

CCC = Catechism of the Catholic Church

Foreword

Islam glories in the clear simplicity of its doctrine and demands. The faith of the Muslim can be understood by the least educated person, and the religion offers a promise of eternal happiness in a paradise appealing to the senses. Muslims criticize Christianity for a number of reasons, but chief among them is that Christianity is too complex a mystery to be true. Furthermore, the belief in a heaven where the blessed see God face to face seems blasphemous to the Muslim.

Despite Islams profession of a simple, clear faith, this religion is not well known to most Westerners. The media presents many news stories about Muslims without offering any real explanation of Islam and its tenets. Rarely does one encounter an article or program which explains the essential differences between secular Arab nationalism and Islamic religious movements. Many Western Christians remain unclear about the differences between the various Muslim sects: How do Sunni and Shiite differ? What are Wahhabi Muslims?

Since the conflicts in the Middle East have involved America in two wars and terrorism has inflicted horrors upon our own shores and abroad, the sale of the Koran in its English translation has greatly increased in the United States. Many American Christians want to better understand Islam but find that the more closely they approach this enigmatic faith, the more complex it seems. Since the Koran is not organized chronologically or thematically, it is difficult for the non-Muslim to make sense of it. The Koran appears so strange to Western eyes that many readers find it difficult to find a firm starting point to read it with comprehension.

Another problem in understanding Islam stems from the many conflicting ideas existing within it. Is it a religion of peace or a religion of war-like-jihad? Does jihad mean the individual struggle to submit to God more completely or does it refer to the universal struggle against every non-Muslim society and structure? If Islam teaches so many good things about Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, why do Muslims have so many difficulties with Christian beliefs?

The committed Christian, then, is faced with a central question: Does the choice between Islam and Christianity make any difference in living life on earth or achieving eternal bliss in the next life? Both Islam and Christianity claim to be Gods true revelation, so how does a Christian respond to Islams claim? Is there a way to sift through the Koran, pull together its themes of revelation, and make sense of it from a Christian perspective? Though Muslims are actively seeking converts from among Christians, is it possible to evangelize Muslims about Christianity? How can one begin to discuss the issues which separate the two religions?

I commend the authors of this book for helping Catholics tackle this most important topic. They have presented many of the key beliefs of Islam in a clear question-and-answer format. Their deep insights into the text and language of the Koran are truly enriching, especially for the relatively new student of Islam.

Though unabashedly Christian, Daniel Ali and Robert Spencer have chosen to treat this world religion and its believers with the respect they are due. First, Muslims are recognized as persons who truly want to please God by submitting to Him, and their commitment and sincerity are respectfully presented. Second, a great wealth of information from Islamic sources the Koran, Muhammads Tradition (the Hadith), and the opinions of Islamic scholars is presented and discussed extensively, with source citations provided so that the reader can personally examine the texts. And third, they take the claims of Islam seriously, as is proper for a religion which has changed the lives of hundreds of millions over thirteen centuries and across many cultures. Islam claims a divine origin for its revelation, so its texts must be read from the point of view of such a high claim.

This respectful attitude towards Islam involves a process of serious, careful attention to the data of Islamic revelation. However, the authors also note the difficulties, tensions, and contradictions within the Islamic literature precisely because they take it so seriously. Daniel Ali had to face these difficulties personally though once a believing Muslim, the tensions he began to see within Islam became such a weighty challenge that he was moved to increase his study of Islamic texts until he eventually came to accept that Jesus Christ is the true Son of God and Lord of all.

Having heard Mr. Ali speak many times, I am again deeply impressed at his brilliant insights into the many difficulties presented by the Koran. His deep understanding of its language and careful examination of the Arabic vocabulary help the nonArabic speaking Christian follow the arguments about its claims to be the reliable, perfect, inspired word of Allah. His coauthor, Robert Spencer, also comes to the project with an extensive knowledge of the religion of Muhammad, having written two previous books on Islam. Mr. Spencers background as a Catholic apologist and teacher have served this present book well.

Inside Islam: A Guide for Catholics is especially for those Christians who want to submit to Jesus command to make disciples of all nations. This book is definitely not for the timid or indifferent Catholic. It is for those who truly want to explore the mystery that is Islam, so that they might be better prepared to proclaim the saving truth of Christ to their Muslim neighbors. No one who is beginning to confront the reality of Islam should be without this book. May God bless all who read it.