I.

ISLAMISM

Islam is a monotheistic religion that we call Islamism, which emerged in Saudi

Arabia in the 7th century AD, based on the teachings of Muhammad. The followers
of this religion are known as Mohammedans or Muslims.

A. Islam or Muslim

1. Literally, the word “Islam” in Arabic means submission or surrender to

God; in the case of Muslims, it is submission to Allah, considered the only God,
whom they call “the compassionate, the merciful.” Islam is popularly known as
the religion of those who confess that God (Allah) is one and Muhammad
(Mohammed) is the prophet of God.

2. Muslim literally means “one who submits to God” and is popularly

known as a person who follows the divine revelation found in the Quran.

B. Who was Muhammad?

The name of the founder of Islam is Abulgasim Mohamad ibn Abdullah

ibn Abd al Muttalib ibn Hashim, but the name Muhammad comes from
Mohammad and means “highly exalted.” Muhammad was born in the city of
Mecca in Saudi Arabia in the year 570 AD. Son of a humble family who
belonged to the Hashim clan and was part of the Quarayc tribe. His father died
before he was born and his mother when Muhammad was just a child, leaving
him in the care of his grandfather and then in the care of his uncles. Muhammad
married a rich widow much older than him. He settled in Mecca as a merchant
and prospered, thus beginning a contemplative life. Fifteen years later the story
goes that he had a vision and that this vision told him to preach, also stating that
he had several other visions of angels and archangels. He is also said to have
had an encounter with a Christian who told him that Muhammad was a prophet.

C. Origin of Islamism

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 Muhammad had his first prophetic experience at the age of 40 when, he
claimed, the archangel Gabriel appeared to him in a vision. Muhammad
confided to his family and close friends the content of this and subsequent
visions. After four years, he had converted about 40 people and then began
preaching publicly in his hometown of Mecca, the main commercial center of
Arabia. But the rivalry that arose with the inhabitants of this city forced him to
leave for Medina in the year 622.

Following Allah's revelation, in 628 Muhammad set out at the head of the
Muslims to invade Mecca. He entered the city, destroyed all the images and
idols of the Kaaba, announcing the advent of a time of peace and prosperity.
Years later, the most renowned personalities of Mecca had already joined Islam.
After Muhammad's death in June 632, his faithful disciple Abu-Berk dedicated
himself to the Islamization of the tribes and began carrying out expeditions to
conquer Syria and Persia. When Abu-Berk died, he was succeeded by Omar,
who ruled for ten years and extended the domains of the Islamic State to India,
also defeating the forces of Byzantium to take Syria and Palestine, as well as
Egypt and other territories of the Persian Empire. After Omar's assassination,
Othman took over and began to draft the definitive version of the Quran. And
when Othman died, Ali, Muhammad's brother-in-law, took over. After him, the
leadership of the Muslims became hereditary.

II. SOME DOCTRINES OF ISLAMISM

A. The Trinity: They do not accept the doctrine of the Trinity and believe
that the Holy Spirit is only a force that flows from God, and Jesus Christ for
them is only a prophet.

B. God in Islam: They are monotheistic and therefore teach the oneness of
God. Allah is the same God of Abraham, who completed his revelation in
Muhammad.

C. Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ is just a prophet who came after John the
Baptist, and Muhammad is the last prophet who came and to whom God
revealed his last prophecies.

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 D. Heaven: Heaven is the super oasis, the dream of a people who live in the
desert. In it, the blessed who followed the precepts of the Lord will find rivers
of milk, honey and wine, and multitudes of virgins with gazelle eyes. Soldiers
killed in holy war to spread Islam were guaranteed entry into the eight circles of
paradise, even before the final judgment.

E. Hell: The hell of Islamism has nothing special. It is only boiling oil and
fire for those who did not follow the precepts of Allah.

III. ISLAMISM AND CHRISTIANITY

A. Some differences between Christianity and Islam

1. Christ and Muhammad: Jesus Christ teaches about love between

friends and towards the enemy. He taught not to respond with the same action
as the offender. I never harbor resentment or revenge. I pray for his
executioners while he was on the cross. He never carried a weapon, advocating
for peace and love.

Muhammad was a warrior, he promoted violence as a system of Muslim

evangelization, on the other hand, he was also an excellent statesman. He was a
skilled and dexterous politician.

2. Polygamy and monogamy: Muhammad married three times by order

of God. Therefore, Islam allows polygamy and Muslim men can have up to four
women as legitimate wives.

Christianity, on the other hand, does not allow polygamy, but rather each
man must have one wife and each woman one husband, as we can see in several
passages of Scripture.

3. The way Christianity and Islam spread: The Muslim faith sees war
as a means of spreading its beliefs, and a magnificent reward for those who
fight for the cause of Allah. The Mohammedan wars were carried out for the
purpose of spreading the faith, especially after the death of Mohammed.

Christianity, on the other hand, does not contemplate war for

evangelization, but Jesus himself commissioned apostles and all his disciples to
preach the gospel, teaching about the love of God and the forgiveness of sins.

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B. Some similarities between Christianity and Islam

1. Both religions are monotheistic, with the difference that Islam does not
teach about the Trinity of God.

2. Like Christianity, Islam also has its holy book.

3. Both creeds believe in an evil being.

4. Islam, like Christianity, has its ten commandments, although the

content differs in some parts. Without a doubt we can say that the
commandments of Islam are a modified copy of the ten commandments
dictated by God to Moses.

5. Both religions believe in the resurrection of the dead and the final
judgment.