The Muslims are back in the news again – as if they are ever out of the news. Two years ago, I taught a quarter on Islam. After the events of 9/11/01, I realized I did not know much about this foreign religion. So, I set about learning. I have since read the Koran twice and a dozen books on Islam, most of them written by supporters of Islam. I am putting those lessons on the website. In the meanwhile, I’ll periodically share summarizes of each lesson for you.
Arabia is the largest peninsula in the world, covering around 1,000,000 sq. mi. – about 1/3 of the continental USA. It is bordered by the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf & Iraq and Jordan on the north.
Topographically, it is a plateau, sloping from the southwest (Red Sea) to the northeast. It is predominantly desert with more or less fertile coastal regions.
In Genesis 16, we have the account of Ishmael being born to Abraham and Hagar. In ancient Sumer, in Babylonian cultures, the primary purpose of marriage was procreation. Marriage was a contract and the relationship obliged the wife to supply her husband with a concubine through whom he could obtain an heir, if she was not able to provide one.
Abraham was 86 years old when Ishmael was born. See also Genesis 17:18-21. Among descendents of Abraham and his second wife, Keturah (Genesis 25:1-4), are some northern Arabian tribes.
The Queen of Sheba is believed by some scholars to be Arabian (1 Kings 9:26ff). On various occasions, the Arabs were in conflict with Jews during the period of the divided kingdom (see 2 Chron. 17:11 & 21:16ff) and attempted to interfere with Nehemiah’s work (6:1-4). They also joined the Greeks in fighting against the Jews. There was a flourishing civilization in Arabia 1,000 years before Christ. The apostle Paul went in to Arabia following his conversion (Acts 22:1-16; Galatians 1:17) but other than that, there are no references to Arabs in the NT.
THE MUSLIMS’ “TAKE” ON ISHMAEL:
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Local Arabic tradition held that Hagar and Ishmael settled down in Mecca. Tradition also holds that Abraham had visited there and that together Abraham and Ishmael rebuilt the Ka’bah. This was Muhammad’s way of including the Arab in the divine plan.
THE KA’BAH:
There is a black stone in the Ka’bah in Mecca. The Arabs believe the black stone came from heaven as a divine sign. The Ka’bah is a simple cube-shaped building, covered with black and gold cloth. It was built by Adam, destroyed by pagans, but rebuilt by Abraham and Ishmael. But by the time of Muhammad, it had been turned into a house of idol worship. The shrine had been dedicated to Hubal, the Nabatean deity and there were 360 idols, arranged around the Ka’bah (Koran 2.125-127; 3:96).
Muslims believe that it was Ishmael, not Isaac, whom God commanded Abraham to sacrifice. Muslims also celebrate a festival – Eid al-Adha – to commemorate Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael.
Today, when Muslims pray, they face the Ka’bah in Mecca (2:139).
Learn about this infamous religion and its beliefs and let’s pray for wisdom in evangelizing them.
