The Cross in the Shadow of the Crescent by Erwin W. Lutzer

Author:Erwin W. Lutzer [Lutzer, Erwin W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Religious Studies, Comparative Religion, Christian Books & Bibles, Christian, Ministry & Evangelism, Missions & Missionary Work, Religion & Spirituality, Reference, Religion, Religious Studies & Reference
ISBN: 0736951326
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
Published: 2013-02-01T00:00:00+00:00

The Shadow of the Crescent

“Mahdi [the Twelfth Imam] and Messiah are two different personalities but they come at the same time, Mahdi as Imam and Jesus as his follower.”

Muslim website article “The Twelfth Imam”1

Chapter Seven

Lesson #6: Things Are Not What They Appear to Be

Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown (Revelation 2:10).

—JESUS, TO THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA

There are Muslims who say that the success of their past military conquests proves the superiority of their religion. No less than Muhammad himself pointed to his own military victories as evidence of his superiority among the prophets.2 Even a tour guide in Istanbul, Turkey, told me personally that in the same way Christianity proved its superiority over paganism by conquering it, Islam has proved its superiority by conquering Christian lands.

When I talked to a Muslim friend about how some Muslims teach that their religion is superior on account of their past military successes, he objected. However, this teaching is found in the Quran. The best example is Muhammad’s interpretation of the famous battle of Badr, which took place on March 13, 624.

First, a bit of background: Muhammad was born and raised in Mecca. When he began claiming to others that he had received revelations from God, most people rejected him and his message. Eventually Muhammad and his small band of followers went to Medina. There, he began to prepare to do battle against those in Mecca.

When word reached Muhammad that a caravan bearing money and goods was en route from Syria to Mecca, Muhammad decided to attack. The Meccans heard about Muhammad’s plans, and sent nearly a thousand reinforcements to guard the caravan. This show of force initially terrified Muhammad and his 300 or so men, and they wondered if they should retreat. But Muhammad and his forces marched forward, and although they were outnumbered three to one, they won the battle. This victory, which is still celebrated by Muslims today, has gone down as one of the most important in their history.

In the Quran, Muhammad’s victory is ascribed to divine intervention. Allah is said to have sent 3000 angels to help, and 5000 were available, if needed (Sura 3:123-125). And we are told regarding the killing of the Meccans, “You did not kill them, but God killed them” (Sura 8:17). This surprising outcome, in spite of overwhelming odds, was regarded as a warning to those who failed to honor Muhammad as a messenger of Allah.

Muhammad was said to have declared that he was superior to all the prophets who preceded him: “I have been helped by terror (in the hearts of enemies); spoils have been made lawful to me...I have been sent to all mankind and the line of prophets is closed with me.”3 ‘Ali Tabari, an Islamic scholar in the ninth century, wrote this in his defense of Islam: “His [Muhammad’s] victory over the nations is also by necessity and by undeniable arguments a manifest sign of his prophetic office.”4

So

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.