Islamic Worldview Critical Thinking
I. Islamic Worldview
a. The Question of Origin – Similarly to Genesis of the Bible, the Quran offers verses describing creation. “Surely, your Lord is Allah who created the heavens and the earth…" (Yunus 10:3) The Quran also tells us that Allah is the creator of all, including man. There are very few differences between the Islamic and Christian views of Creation, as both views accept that everything was created by the Lord.
b. The Question of Identity – “The Islamic Identity is taken to mean the way of life of the Muslim, a comprehensive set of beliefs, practices, and ideologies as derived from the Quran and the example of Muhammad (BPUH). Islamic identity is that which separates us from non-Muslims. Robust Islamic Identity is also what separates between strong and shaky Muslims.” (Elsaie)
c. The Question of Meaning/Purpose – “The Christian witness, that man is created in the ‘image and likeness of God,’ is not the same as the Muslim witness. Although God breathed into man His spirit…for Islam the only Divine quality that was entrusted to man as a result of God’s breath was the faculty of knowledge, will, and power of action. If man uses these Divine qualities rightly in understanding God and following His law strictly, then he has nothing to fear in the present or in the future, and no sorrow for the past.” (Kateregga, 1981) Islamic religion has the belief that the purpose of man is to do God’s will.
d. The Question of Morality – “Islam does not hold out the possibility of salvation through the work of God on the behalf of the people, but invites people to accept God’s guidance as to what people should do.” (Burroughs & Ankerberg, 2008) Human beings were born innocent, but chose to sin against God. We have the power to choose good over evil. God is the standard for morality in the Islamic religion.
e. The Question of Destiny – According to the Quran, judgment will be delivered by means of a scale balancing the good deeds of man against the bad deeds. It
a. The Question of Origin – Similarly to Genesis of the Bible, the Quran offers verses describing creation. “Surely, your Lord is Allah who created the heavens and the earth…" (Yunus 10:3) The Quran also tells us that Allah is the creator of all, including man. There are very few differences between the Islamic and Christian views of Creation, as both views accept that everything was created by the Lord.
b. The Question of Identity – “The Islamic Identity is taken to mean the way of life of the Muslim, a comprehensive set of beliefs, practices, and ideologies as derived from the Quran and the example of Muhammad (BPUH). Islamic identity is that which separates us from non-Muslims. Robust Islamic Identity is also what separates between strong and shaky Muslims.” (Elsaie)
c. The Question of Meaning/Purpose – “The Christian witness, that man is created in the ‘image and likeness of God,’ is not the same as the Muslim witness. Although God breathed into man His spirit…for Islam the only Divine quality that was entrusted to man as a result of God’s breath was the faculty of knowledge, will, and power of action. If man uses these Divine qualities rightly in understanding God and following His law strictly, then he has nothing to fear in the present or in the future, and no sorrow for the past.” (Kateregga, 1981) Islamic religion has the belief that the purpose of man is to do God’s will.
d. The Question of Morality – “Islam does not hold out the possibility of salvation through the work of God on the behalf of the people, but invites people to accept God’s guidance as to what people should do.” (Burroughs & Ankerberg, 2008) Human beings were born innocent, but chose to sin against God. We have the power to choose good over evil. God is the standard for morality in the Islamic religion.
e. The Question of Destiny – According to the Quran, judgment will be delivered by means of a scale balancing the good deeds of man against the bad deeds. It
References: Burroughs, D., & Ankerberg, J. (2008). How is Christianity Different From Other Religions? AMG Publishers. Elsaie, D. A. (n.d.). Islamic Identity. Retrieved from www.usislam.org Kateregga, B. (1981). Islam and Christianity: A Muslim and a Christian in Dialogue. Wm.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co. Lefebvre, M. (2011, April 02). Worldviews-Christianity. Retrieved from Warranted Belief: http://warrantedbelief.wordpress.com (n.d.). Quran. In Yunus 10:3. Weider, D., & Gutierrez, D. (2011). Consider. Virginia Beach: Academx Publishing Services, Inc.