Scott taught this as a Sunday School lesson last year in a course dealing with the various religions of the world. I thought it was appropriate for now.

Thanks. Very succinct and informative.

Caliph – Successor of Mohammed as the head of the Islamic faith

Sunni – Moslems who believe that the caliphate succession was open. These make up the majority of all Moslems.

Shi’ite – Moslems who believe that the Mohammed’s cousin and son-in-law Ali was the divinely ordained caliph and reject any other claimants.

Some information to add to this:

1. There was a succession of 4(?) Caliphs after Muhammad died. These were uncles or relatives of Muhammad and his earliest disciples (if you will). This was based on the Bedouin (desert nomad) tradition that the tribes are led by the elders of the tribe.

2. Ali was murdered (I forget now by whom) during the succession period in a horrible massacre which is still commemorated today by the shi'a once a year. The men dance around in a circle and cut their foreheads so that they bleed quite a bit. They keep hitting their foreheads so that the blood does not immediately stop flowing.

3. The original concept of jihad had nothing whatsoever to do with killing others. It was supposed to be an internal struggle of the individual to live a more Godly, righteous, and sober life in a world filled with temptation. From an early time, however, it was twisted into killing non-believers in God or paganists who failed to repent at the point of a sword.

3. The original concept of jihad had nothing whatsoever to do with killing others. It was supposed to be an internal struggle of the individual to live a more Godly, righteous, and sober life in a world filled with temptation. From an early time, however, it was twisted into killing non-believers in God or paganists who failed to repent at the point of a sword.

I have been told many times that jihad is one of the pillars of the faith. As you say, it is not. It has gotten turned and twisted over the years.

My history professor in college said that an Islamic martyr is promised 72 virgins when he gets to heaven... is this in the Koran?

I could search for you tonight, but I doubt that it is.

More likely it is part of the Hadith which was is a series of so-and-so told so-and-so who told so-and-so, etc. etc. that Muhammad once said that...

The Hadith is to the Qur'an a bit like the Acts of the apostles is to the Gospels, except it's not REALLY seen as part of their "Bible" which is the Qur'an. It's important, but the parts about who told whom are vital to the stories because it enables people to make judgements as to the credibility of the stories.

Only the Qur'an is viewed as the word of God.

There are a few excellent websites for those who would like to know what Islam says and how to attack it.

http://www.muhammadanism.com/Resources/default.htm#MuslimResources

http://www.answering-islam.org/index1.html

http://www.bobmoreylive.com, see the Sermon Outlines for free material.

IMHO, the Koran or the Qur'an is a pack of lies written by an epileptic fit-inspired (see The Hadith vol I, nos.1, 2, 3, 4; vol. II, chap. 16 (p.354), 544; vol. III, nos. 17, 829; vol. IV, nos. 95, 438, 458, 461 vol. V, nos. 170, 462, 618, 659; vol. VI, nos. 447, 448, 468, 478, 481, 508) child molester (see The Hadith, Burkhari vol. V, no. 234 and Burkhari vol. V, no. 236) who said blacks Africans had raisin heads, (see The Hadith vol. 1, no. 256.), who believes that the majority of people in Hell are women (see The Hadith Burkhari vol. 1, no. 28), who believes Satan urinates in the ears of those who fall asleep during prayer, (The Hadith, Burkhari vol. II, no. 245), who said that if you pray looking up that the eyes will be snatched from your head (The Hadith, Muslim vol. I, no. 863, Chap. CLXXII), who said that a group of youths entered a cave and slept for 300 to 309 years without aging (The Qur'an, Surah XVIII:9-25), who said that a man was resurrected after 100 years (The Qur'an, Surah II:259), who said that non-Muslims had seven intestines while Muslims have but one (see The Hadith, Muslim vol. III, no. 5113, Chapter DCCCLXII), and the absurdities go on and on and on. FYI. All Muslims are required to accept and practice what is found in The Hadith as well as what is found in the Qur'an.

Child molester you may ask? You judge for yourself. He was engaged to Aisha at age 6 and married her at age 9 (consummated according to The Hadith, Burkahari vol. V, no. 236). Does that sound like a prophet of God to you or anyone who you'd trust with your eternal destiny?