Islam

In his book Revelation? Do We Worship the Same God? Mark Durie argues, notwithstanding Islamic claims to the contrary, that the God of Islam is completely different from the God of Judaism and Christianity. One of the most powerful parts of his argument is his discussion of holiness in Chapter 12. Here is what Durie […]

This is the first in a series of intermittent blogs that aims at integrity when it comes to critiquing Islam. If legitimate criticisms are to carry due weight then we must distance ourselves from treatments which are unfair and unwarranted.
Anis Sharrosh is a Palestinian-American Christian who stridently speaks against Islam. In attempting to show that the Qur’an should move Muslims […]

Following the ending of conflict at Siffin there were effectively two caliphs, Mu’awiya and Ali. After a series of engagements at Siffin a final confrontation was evaded by a clever ploy on Mu’awiya’s part. His soldiers faced their opponents having first speared leaves of the Qur’an on the tips of their lances. This followed advice Mu’awiya received when […]

Notwithstanding Muhammad’s many wives he died leaving no son to succeed him. Abu Bakr was chosen by the Helpers (the people of Medina who had given Muhammad refuge) and the Emigrants (those who left Mecca with Muhammad) as leader of the Muslims and their first caliph. This decision caused a fundamental rift among Muhammad’s followers. […]

http://www.persecution.com reports the story of the martyrdom of Fatima Al-Mutairi. In August this year, a Muslim cleric and member of Saudi Arabia’s Commission of the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, killed his 26-year-old sister, Fatima Al-Mutairi, after she proclaimed her faith to her family, in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The Voice […]

Some basic Islamic beliefs were forged in the context of battles. After Muhammad’s raids on Meccan caravans the Meccans mustered a force of 3,000 and engaged Muhammad’s forces at Uhud. Muhammad had secured a strong position on a hill and told his men not to move from this position. But when the Meccans fled after […]

In September, 622, avoiding a plot to kill him, Muhammad left Mecca with his followers, the Muhajirun, that is, the Emigrants. This event, remembered by Muslims as the Hijra, the Emigration, resulted in Muhammad establishing a new base in Yathrib, later renamed Madina al-Nabi, the City of the Prophet - Medina, for short.
Having left Mecca, […]

In their book Islam in Conflict Peter Riddell and Peter Cotterell make the undeniable point that the Muslim world (though not necessarily Muslim states) not only denies freedom of conscience and religion, but, indeed, holds the death threat over any Muslims who exercise such freedom. 
The Qur’an does not stipulate the death penalty for apostasy. In 3:77 it simply […]

Jihad, “stiving in the way of Allah” is very important for Muslims. Some Sunnis regard it as a sixth pillar and Twelver Shi’a Muslims regard it as one of their 10 Practices of Religion.
Many Muslims like to emphasise the meaning of jihad as “struggle”. It is then common to discriminate between the so-called “greater jihad“, […]

Peter Riddell describes a visit he made with 15 students to a suburban mosque in Melbourne. He reflects on the Christian-Muslim dialogue that followed the preliminary address by the Sheikh and his son which presented not only basic information about Islamic belief and practice but also bluntly informed them that the Bible was not the […]