INTRODUCTION TO ISLAMIC THEOLOGY.pdf - CUEA

More documents

Recommendations

Info

18that they are sure he is not the same God of the Bible. Some say he is indeed a mighty god, but not theAlmighty God. Yet some are of the opinion that there are two Allâhs. They say that Allâh of the Arab andHausa Christians is different from the Allâh of the Muslims in these same areas. According to them, whilethe Allâh of the Arab Christians is God, the Allâh of the Muslims is not. But if he is not, who he is? 56Moshay's main contention is that Allâh is not the God of the Bible. In fact, he goes so far as to saythat Allâh is demon as he wrote:I thank God for this serious observation and comment. It has served to reinforce my convictions on the spiritbehind Islam. But there is still a question whether indeed it is one god that is worshipped in Islam... There isno monotheism in heathenism. Probably the right word should be monolatry. One cannot serve satan andnot have relationship with demons. In fact, most operations and interactions in the occult and Christlessreligions are more with these demonic spirits than satan himself. 57We, however, take the position of Massignon and Cragg that Allâh (the Arabic name of God) is theGod of Israel, the God of Jesus. If we look at the themes that are stressed in the Qur'ân in order toidentify God, we will realize that God is presented as the sole divinity in relation to man, one in hisnature and the only One who is worthy to be worshiped; He is eternal. In its document Vatican IIcouncil, The authority of the Catholic Church, aware of the Islamic belief in one God, presents itspoint of view.Vatican II Council first refers to Jews and Muslims when he says that those who have not yetreceived the Gospel are related to the people of God in various ways. Vatican II Council added thatMuslims adore the one, merciful God. 58 We shall lengthwise examine Vatican II Council in thefollowing documents.From its point of view about dialogue between Christians and Muslims, the Catholic Churchpresents two documents in which we notice an acknowledgement of the monotheism in Islam. Thefirst is the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium No. 16) says:But the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the creation, in the first place amongst whomare the moslems: these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one,merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day". It goes without saying that the Catholic Church places Islamas the first monotheistic religion outside the biblical revelation because it affirms broadly that Muslims andChristians worship the same living God as unique and mankind's judge on the last day. 59The second text, longer than the first, stresses the same idea but more strongly. In its Declarationon the Relation of the Church to non-Christian Religions (Nostra Aetate No.3), the Catholic Churchsays:The Church has also a high regard for the Muslims. They worship God, who is one, living andsubsistent, merciful and almighty, the creator of heaven and earth, who has spoken to man. Theystrive to submit themselves without reserve to the hidden decrees of God, just as Abrahamsubmitted himself to God's plan, to whose faith Muslims eagerly link their own".56 G. Moshay, Who is this Allâh? (Ibadan: Fireliners International, 1987), p. 9.57 Ibid., p. 130.58 Vatican II Council, Lumen Gentium, 16.59 Robert Caspar, Traité de théologie muslmane. Histoire de la penseé Religieusemusulmane (Rome: P.I.S.A.I, 1987), t. 1, p. 84.
19In this document, the Catholic Church affirms once more that belief in one God and his worship arethe foundation of Islam. Even Christians believe in one God in three persons; Christians andMuslims worship the same God in different ways.In my point of view, should I doubt Islamic monotheism? No. Muslims adore the supreme God intheir context, language and practice. There is only one supreme God called YHWH in Hebrew,Allâh in Arabic, God in English, Dieu in French, Olúwa in Yoruba, Nzambi in Kikongo. Afterstudying a little of the Qur'ân, the period of Muhammad's lifetime and a few centuries after hisdeath, I can say that the God worshipped by Muslims is one, unique and Creator of the universe,despite their life of honouring Him. Even if some types of Christians are still doubting Islamicmonotheism, I do not complain so much because the time will come when they will believe thatAllâh in whom Muslims believe, is one, All-Mighty, Most Gracious, Most Merciful, Master of the dayof Judgement.H. NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF <strong>ISLAMIC</strong> MONOTHEISMIslamic monotheism has some negative aspects that take some people into doubt. Here, I intendto present one I have found very important according to my topic. Despite its meaning andabsoluteness, Islamic monotheism has a very serious deficiency; for instance, many Muslimsbelieve that this unique God calls them to fight or discriminate against unbelievers in order to makethem believers. E. Tyan said that jihâd in Islam is a duty which is imposed upon the communityconsidered as a whole and which only becomes obligatory for each individual according to thepurpose envisaged by the law. 60 The Qur'ân has many calls for a holy war (2:186;8:15;22:40;9:13-14). Sûra 9:13-14 has this recommendation:Will ye not fight a people who broke their oaths and aimed at the expulsion of the Messenger, and theyattacked you first? Do you fear them? But Allâh has more right that you should fear Him, if you arebelievers. Fight them; Allâh will chastise them at your hands and bring them to disgrace, and assist youagainst them and relieve the hearts of a believing people.Besides, in some sects in Islamic world, jihâd is considered as the sixth pillar after shahâda, alât,zakât, awm and ajj. Taking into account these cases, jihâd becomes an end and not a means. Butthese practices do not basically change Islamic monotheism. We keep saying that Islam is amonotheistic religion and Muslims believe in God who is one and unique. Meanwhile, we shouldknow that there is a big difference between faith and the practice of that faith. The negative aspectof Islamic monotheism lies in the practice of their belief and sometimes in its development. As amatter of fact, the Islamic view of God's unity will be different from that of Christianity because theirpractices and development are different.60 Cf. The Encyclopedia of Islam, vol. 2 (London: E.J. Brill, 1965).
Page 2 and 3: 2FIRST PARTI. MONOTHEISM: ITS DEVEL
Page 4 and 5: 4common idea. Again, Arabians lived
Page 6 and 7: 6JudaismJudaism is a religion of th
Page 8 and 9: 8The Qur’ânic preachingAt the be
Page 10 and 11: 10As for the question which might b
Page 12 and 13: 12shirk (associating other diviniti
Page 14 and 15: 14like unto Him". With these four v
Page 16 and 17: 16Allâh is one, almighty and power
Page 20 and 21: 20SECOND PARTII. SOME MAJOR THEOLOG
Page 22 and 23: 22In 683 Ibn-al-Azraq went to Mecca
Page 24 and 25: 24have been primarily directed agai
Page 26 and 27: 26The meaning of the “intermediat
Page 28 and 29: 28Still another tendency which said
Page 30 and 31: 30Another problem was why does God
Page 32 and 33: 32power. God alone is sovereign and
Page 34 and 35: 34Muhammad’s designation, must be
Page 36 and 37: 36point was the rejection of ijtih
Page 38 and 39: 38teaching is completely unchangeab
Page 40 and 41: 40scholars, even though some degree
Page 42 and 43: 42afterwards, the Sunan (“sunnas
Page 44 and 45: 44SûfismSûfism has sometimes been
Page 46 and 47: 46Greek philosophical influencebefo
Page 48 and 49: 48than natural emanation, to him se
Page 50 and 51: 50In metaphysics, ibn-Sina maintain
Page 52 and 53: 52Religions is only the Book of God
Page 54 and 55: 54prophesy of the future etc.) Al-b
Page 56 and 57: 56reconciliation of philosophy and
Page 58 and 59: 58God’s essence. This teaching ab

INTRODUCTION TO ISLAMIC THEOLOGY.pdf - CUEA

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?