Folk Islam By Dr. Mark Anderson

The Andersons

The Islamic World

M: First Revelation (age 40) Muhammad: 570 AD- 632 AD Jerusalem captured 638 AD AD M Conquors Mecca 622 AD M. Flees to Medina 610 AD M: First Revelation (age 40)

Mohammad’s Revelations Mount Hira: Place of Mohammad’s Revelations

Good News! More Muslims have come to Christ in the past 30 years than the total number during the previous 1,300 years There are first-generation converts from Islam to Christ all over the planet

Definition: “Official Islam” answers ultimate issues of life theologically- the “big picture”

Official Beliefs of Islam Allah Angels of Allah Prophets of Allah Books of Allah Day of Judgment Destiny Life After Death

Five Pillars of Islam five times daily 1. The Shahada or Confession: “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet” 2. Required prayer performed five times daily 3. Almsgiving: giving to the poor equal to 2 ½ percent of ones property

Five Pillars of Islam 4. Fasting during Ramadan 5. Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime if affordable (6) Jihad – holy war or internal struggle?

Alvin Niendick asks: So what is Folk Islam?

“Folk Islam” Defined: “Folk Islam” handles immediate, everyday life problems by finding spiritual causes and solutions

Is Folk Islam Common? About 75% of practice Folk Islam the world’s Muslims practice Folk Islam

What Does This Mean? Muslim practices can look quite different from personal and official belief statements

Solutions for spiritual causes in everyday Folk Muslims seek power It’s About Power: Solutions for spiritual causes in everyday life involve power- Folk Muslims seek power for daily life

them for one’s benefit: Power For What? 1. Power over spiritual enemies Goal: Appeasing or manipulating them for one’s benefit: Satan (Shaytan): mentioned 59 times in 31 of the Koran’s 114 Suras (chapters) b. Spiritual powers, jinn: demons, angels

Power For What? of evil persons: a. Envy b. Curses and spells 2. Power over the power of evil persons: a. Envy b. Curses and spells c. Manipulation

Power For What? fertility health possessions family resources Power over threats to: fertility health possessions family resources

Dar al-Harb (Domain of War): Europe, United States, Israel, Power For What? 4. Power over: a. Threats to Islam b. Dawah- bringing Islam to Dar al-Harb (Domain of War): Europe, United States, Israel, Africa, Central & South America, Asia.

Daily Life May Include: Amulets Divination Curses Astrology Jinn or spirits Sorcery Ancestral spirits/ghosts Dead saints & baraka Magic

Daily Life Continued: Impersonal spirits Angels Sorcery/witchcraft Satan Sickness-healing Charms Medicine person Evil Eye Dreams and visions

natural realms are seen They interact between each In Folk Islam The supernatural and natural realms are seen as totally inter-dependent. They interact between each other normatively.

Normative interaction of the natural with supernatural is assumed in: Buddhism, Hinduism, Witchcraft, Sikhism, New Age Thought, Voodoo, Native American religion, Mormonism, Scientology, Jehovah’s Witnesses, etc.

Obtaining and Using Power Pastor Barnes, I still refuse to join the worship team!

Folk Religion: The Evil Eye Among contributing factors, the evil eye is seen as a major cause of crises in Muslim’s lives. Bill Musk. The Unseen Face of Islam. Ch. 1, p. 24.

communicates a destructive force with their eyes “Evil Eye” Defined: A person communicates a destructive force with their eyes (i.e., anger, jealousy)

(1) Say: I seek refuge with the Envy: Sura 113 (1) Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the Dawn, (2) From the mischief of created things; (3) From the mischief of darkness as it overspreads;

Envy: Sura 113 continued who practice Secret Arts; (4) From the mischief of those who practice Secret Arts; (5) And from the mischief of the envious one as he practices envy.

Evil Eye: Places of Origin North Africa The Middle East India Southern Europe David Burnett The World of the Spirits, 143.

Evil Eye Protection

Blue Eyes: Most Dangerous

Evil Eye Protection: Hand of Fatima, or “Hamsa” (five)

Door Knocker: Hand of Fatima

Hand of Fatima

Spiritual Protection- Bracelet: Piece of Koran

Pendant: Koranic Writing

Pendant: Koranic Writing

Shi’ite Armband Amulet (Koranic verses, Allah’s names, etc)

Guess What? Muslims have brought Folk beliefs and practices with them to America. They seek power to deal with everyday life issues.

What About Us?

God’s Angels † Rebellious Angels Michael & Gabriel Satan ∆ ∆ ∆ ▲ ∕ ∕ / \ \ ∕ ∕ \ \ ∆ ∆ ∆ ∆ ∆ ▲▲ ▲▲     \  | | \ ∆∆ ∆∆ ∆∆∆∆ ∆ ∆∆∆∆ ▲ ▲▲ ▲▲ ▲▲ ↨↨ ↨ ↨ ↨ ↨↨ \ \ \ ∕ ∕ ∕ ↨ ↨ ↨ ↨↨ People ☺☻☺☺☻☻ Pastor Barnes ☺☻☺☻☺

A Christian Challenge God An Excluded Middle God’s People -------------------------------------- ↨ An Excluded Middle ------------------------------------- God’s People

Jesus is Lord: Eph. 1:19-21 IN HIS ASCENSION, JESUS IS ELEVATED TO A POSITION OF AUTHORITY OVER ALL POWERS, WHOM HE JUDGES

Jesus the Center - Creation - All powers - The church His people Col. 1:15-23

Muslims Coming to Christ #1 Reason: The lifestyle of Christians; they practiced what they preached

Muslims Coming to Christ #2 Reason: The power of God to answer prayers and to heal

The Qur’an’s emphasis on judgment over love and acceptance. Reason Number Three: Dissatisfaction With The Type of Islam Experienced.   The Qur’an’s emphasis on judgment over love and acceptance. The need for liturgy in Arabic. Folk Islam’s use of amulets and praying at graves of saints.

dreams & visions before their decision for Christ, 40% at Reason Number Four: Dreams and Visions More than one in four respondents, 27%, noted dreams & visions before their decision for Christ, 40% at the time of conversion, and 45% afterward.

Christ “shows up” where such things would be Why is Jesus appearing to Muslims? Dreams/visions are where the supernatural and natural “intersect” in traditional Islamic worldview Christ “shows up” where such things would be expected to happen

Reason Number Five: The Gospel Message The gospel message, especially its assurance of salvation and forgiveness, is a significant attraction to Muslims. Muslims have no certainty of salvation. The Qur’an demands absolute obedience with no assurances (Allah might change his mind)

God’s People Praying = Unleashing God’s Power

St. Lukes Church Prayer Walking

Praying With And For Muslims Identifies You As: 1. A holy person One loved by God

Praying With And For Muslims Identifies You As: One who refuses secularism, humanism, atheism 4. A friend of Muslims

Praying With And For Muslims Identifies You As: 5. A source of help One whose prayers reveal power over spiritual forces

Prayer: Lining Up With God

Prayer: Spiritual Weight-Lifting

The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers God Listens The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand. Revelation 8:4

Bad Evangelism #1

Bad Evangelism #2 #2

To Do: Locate a Muslim 2. Pray for and with them

A Key Resource: Bill Musk

Lynn and Donna about to contact Muslim neighbors

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