ISLAM

a brief overview for the layman

by Mark Tronson

Background

Mahomet or Muhammad, better known in the west as Mohammed was born in 570. His birth place was Mecca in Arabia. He claimed descent from the family of Hashem and the tribe of Koreish, which in their tradition had been entrusted with a famous Black Stone which was alleged to have fallen from heaven.

Mohammed was a sickly child who suffered from epilepsy and this had an influence on the whole course of his life. Being orphaned when a child, he was taken into the home of his uncle, Abu Tabib, whom he once accompanied on a business trip to Syria, where he visited Jewish and Christian settlements, and saw and heard many things which impressed him deeply.

At age 25 he entered the service of Kadijah, a rich widow, and he carried on her late husband’s trade and prospered greatly. He later married Kadijah who was 14 years his senior. In trading he became still better acquainted with Jews and Christians along with his own countrymen.

He was an enterprising surveyor of his own people’s psychological make-up. He formed the conviction that a new religion was needed and believed that his own people’s religious uncertainties were ripe for harvest.

He thought much on the unity of God and conceived the idea that he was a messenger of God, who had to warn his people that they could only escape condemnation by giving up their idols and turning to the worship of the one supreme God, whom he knew as Allah.

In his 40th year Mohammed spent a whole month in solitude in a mountain cave near Mecca called the Cave of Hira. He said that while he was there he saw visions and received messages from heaven. He also claimed that the words were spoken to him, ‘O Mahomet, of a truth thou art the prophet of God; fear not; I am his angel, Gabriel”.

He gave his new religion the name Islam, which means ‘obedience’ or ‘surrender’.

He acknowledged that Moses and Jesus were prophets, but claimed that he, Mohammed, was the greatest prophet of all. He said that Jesus was a holy man, but denied that he was the Son of God, for, he argued, God being one, could not have an eternal Son. He discounted the crucifixion of Christ and denied his resurrection.

More… http://www.bushorchestra.com/Guest_Teaching/Islam,%20a%20laymans%20overview.html

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