On the Anniversary of the Malatya Murders

The Impact of Martyrdom on the 21^st Century

Saturday April 19^th 2008

Ryan Keating

I was invited to speak on the topic of martyrdom.  Specifically its impact on the 21^st century.  Of course, my own experience with martyrdom is very narrow.  So this is going to be a very personal account of the impact of martyrdom in the 21^st century.

It struck me that very little has changed since the first century.  In the first century if you slit the throat of a Christian he died a painful death.  His body was eventually collected and buried.  His friends would gather to mourn and talk about his death and try to find meaning in his sacrifice.

And I’m sure that most of you are aware of the events of last year in Malatya in Eastern Turkey.  A year ago yesterday, in fact, three of our friends were killed, their throats slit.  This is likely to be a difficult story for me to tell, even a year later.  I apologize for that.

Malatya is a city of 500,000 people.  And it is almost entirely Muslim.  We moved to Malatya together with another family in 2006.  We joined three other Christian families who had moved to Malatya a few years earlier.  That group included a German family, Tilmann and Susanne Geske, a Turkish family, Necati and Shemsa Aydin, and a British family.

By the time we arrived there was a growing fellowship of 15-20 Turkish believers.  My wife jumped into language learning and I started in right away sharing the gospel with friends and neighbors.  Within a few months I was doing small Bible studies with about 10 Turkish men, a couple of whom made commitments to Christ. 

Necati was the pastor of the fellowship and he was also running a branch of a Christian publishing company in Malatya.  He was a very well known Christian, a gifted preacher and a passionate evangelist.  Necati had come from a conservative Muslim background and his entire family had disowned him as a result of his decision to follow Christ. 

Necati brought another young Turkish Christian to work at the company with him. Ugur Yuksel was engaged to be married.  He was from a small village in Eastern Turkey.  A deep thinker and a bold believer.

On April 18^th last year, Tilmann, Necati, and Ugur were working in the office of the Christian publishing company in downtown Malatya.  Five young Muslim men came to the office pretending to be interested in the gospel.  Apparently one or two of them had met with Necati before.  He let them in and served tea as they sat around the little table in his office.

At around 11:00 in the morning the five young men tied up Necati, Tilmann, and Ugur.  They tied them to their office chairs, with their arms and hands behind their backs.  During the next hour and half they were tortured with knives as the killers apparently demanded that they renounce Christ and accept Islam.  When they each insisted that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Muslim men slit the throats of Necati, Tilmann, and Ugur, one at a time.

The police were called when one of the other Turkish workers tried to get in the office and realized that something was wrong inside.  When the police arrived, the five killers were still inside.  Four of them surrendered and one of them tried to escape from the third floor balcony, breaking his neck on the sidewalk below.

Tilmann and Necati were found dead in the office and Ugur was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance with serious wounds all over his body.  I arrived on the scene as the ambulances were leaving for the hospital and I followed in a taxi. 

I was waiting together with our British friend under armed guard at the hospital.  The military police wanted us to identify who it was in surgery, so they took a picture with a digital camera and brought it out to us.  It was Ugur. He had been wearing a cross around his neck.  A few hours later I received the news from the doctor that Ugur hadn’t survived surgery.

My family was waiting at home with an intern from our church who was scheduled to give English lessons at that office just shortly after the murders took place.

Word quickly spread throughout Turkey and phone calls and visitors began to arrive.  Within a few hours our house was full of visitors from other cities.  Turkish pastors, other Christians, friends and family of the victims. 

Within a few days Tilmann was buried in Malatya. We sang hymns in Turkish that Tilmann had written.  Ugur was buried secretly in his home town.  His family insisted on a Muslim funeral and I wonder what they did with the cross he wore around his neck.  Necati was buried in Izmir at a funeral attended by hundreds of believers from around the world.

These were the first Turkish Protestant martyrs in the history of the republic of Turkey.

As I said.  Not much has changed.  We have hardly come very far.  Even in the 21^st century, When you slit the throat of a Christian, he dies a painful death.  His body is collected and buried and his friends try to find meaning in his sacrifice.

So this morning I’d like to say a few things about martyrdom and it’s impact in the 21^st century.  Then I’ll talk briefly about a Christian response to martyrdom.

1. So, addressing my topic, the first thing I’d like to say is that Martyrdom is deadly.

The most obvious impact of course is death.  It doesn’t do us any good to have romantic notions of martyrdom.  It’s deadly.  It’s not glamorous.  All the ethereal, poetic images  about martyrdom dissolve as your friends are wheeled by in bloody gurneys.

I’m reminded of Joseph of Arimathea who, together with some of the women, took down the body of Jesus from the cross.  What an awful task.  To handle the dead body of your friend, your leader, your hero.  The dead body of a man.  Cold and bloody.   I imagine joseph carrying the body down the road to wherever the tomb was.   

Martyrdom is deadly... But it is worth it.  He is worth it.

Of course Jesus is the evidence of that.  We don’t try in vain to find meaning in the sacrifice of Jesus, or in the deaths of those who followed him.  There is meaning there.  There is life after death.  Resurrection is real.

And it is a great privilege to have a cause worth dying for.  In fact, there is no other cause worth dying for.  And no other cause worth living for.

God is worth suffering for.  He is worth going to Malatya for.  He is worth being tortured for.  And the only way to be convinced of that is to meet Him.  To have a genuine encounter with the God who proved that martyrdom is not in vain.  The God who suffered on the cross and shook off death as if it were just a long nap.

But still, people aren’t lining up to go to the hard places of the world.  This is not because God isn’t calling them there.  It’s because you might die there.  I can tell you that my family back home gets this.  They understand in a unique way that martyrdom is deadly, because I’m sure that since April 18^th they have all imagined my own death.  My own father is angry that I insist on staying.  He has a good imagination.

Let’s look at a passage from Paul.

 2 Corinthians 4:7-15

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all surpassing power is from God and not from us.  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair, persecuted but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed.  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.  For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.  So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

Hear these words in the voice of Necati, Tilmann, and Ugur.

It is written, “I believed, therefore I have spoken.”  With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence.  All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

It is no small thing that while death was at work in Necati, Tilmann, and Ugur, the life that exists in the fellowship that remains would not have been possible without them. 

A couple weeks after the murders I went into the office after the police had removed the yellow tape.  They had wiped most of the blood up, but it was still everywhere.  And the tea cups were still on the table.  Evidence of the way that these men served the people of Turkey, the people of Malatya.  All this is for their benefit.  And for God’s glory.  And He is worth it. 

2.  The second thing that I’d like to say is that Martyrdom is Unjust.

This was what struck me the hardest in the days and weeks after the murders.  What a grave injustice.  That men who had already given so much should be asked to give again. 

Ugur met his fiancee years ago.  When they announced their intention to marry, her father refused to give his daughter to a Christian.  So he waited and prayed.  Just a couple weeks before the murders we celebrated with Ugur.  Her father had finally begun to agree to let them marry.  

Tilmann left a wife and three children behind.  Necati left a wife and two children.

Martyrdom is unjust.  That such great men could be slain by such small men.  That such unworthy adversaries are given satisfaction at our expense. 

And of course, the sacrifice of Jesus was just such an injustice. 

It is the painful reality of this age that the will of God, the justice of God, is contested by evil, evil of a supernatural enemy, evil of our own human choosing.  Evil is pervasive.  It has infected everything.  And this is the only way we can make sense of such an injustice. 

Martyrdom is unjust.   But His Kingdom is coming.

And by the example of Jesus, it is in the most heinous injustice ever carried out that the scales of justice are tipped forever in our favor.  It is in the very suffering of injustice, in the act of martyrdom that his kingdom comes. 

 The infection of evil is usurped by the strategy of God to grow the seeds of the kingdom among us.

And there will be a day when injustice is no more.  When suffering is vindicated.  When the will of God is no longer contested.  His kingdom is coming, growing up around us.   And we participate in its arrival.

Today, the trial of the five young men is underway.  The story still consumes news headlines, as the press finds new angles to exploit.  We pray for justice and His kingdom is coming in that courtroom. 

 The lawyers representing the families of the martyrs have been receiving death threats since the beginning of the trial.   The head attorney is an atheist.  And yet he continues to risk his life to defend us.  Martyrdom is unjust.

3.  And Finally, Martyrdom is Scandalous. 

 After the murders hundreds of people told me how sorry they were that such a thing had happened.  Most of them wanted to assure me that Turkey was really a safe place, that it was unthinkable to kill people for religion.  

And it became popular to jump on the condemnation bandwagon.  Local and national leaders all released statements:  “I condemn the attacks...”  Turks didn’t want this to marr the reputation of their country...

 And still so many of our neighbors stopped talking to us.  In a terrific irony, the neighbors were afraid of us.  We were dangerous.  Martyrdom is scandalous.

 The murders were quickly politicized, in much the same way that Jesus’ death was politicized.  No one wanted to take responsibility for what happened.  The authorities sought to cover-up the resurrection.  Conspiracy theories were invented and spread...

 The local media instantly began casting suspicion on the martyrs.  The murderers were only a footnote. 

What were these agitators doing in Malatya anyway?  Who were they really working for?  Almost immediately, grand conspiracy theories began to float around the media. 

The crank on the propaganda machine began to turn and out came some of the most ridiculous accusations and theories. 

 Martyrdom is scandalous.  But it pays more than they can imagine.

Jesus of course tells us in Matthew 5:11, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” 

 Necati, Ugur and Tilmann are well-compensated.  And it looks like I might be racking up quite a stash up there as well.

Martyrdom is deadly

Martyrdom is unjust

Martyrdom is scandalous

So how do we respond to martyrdom?  What can we do? Let me share three practical ideas:

1.  Struggle against injustice

We work for human rights in the nations.  For the right to live the life of Christ in Turkey.  Human rights is a Christian concept.  We fight to see laws changed, to see accurate portrayals in the media, to see justice done when Christians are persecuted.

2.  Maintain a Christ-like willingness to suffer

We don’t stop proclaiming the gospel.  We don’t stop living the life of Christ in the nations.  And we look for the courage to be willing to suffer, as Hebrews 13:13 says, “bearing the disgrace he bore.”  Ultimately we aren’t surprised when Christians suffer.  Jesus suffered.  He told us we would suffer. 

 3.  Care for the Suffering

 Hebrews 13:3 tells us to “Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.”  We can write letters to suffering or imprisoned Christians.  We can pray for the situation of persecuted people around the world. We can sponsor and financially support the work of the gospel in difficult places, and we can commit to visit or even to live out our lives among those who are suffering. 

God Lives at the Bus Station

Check out this article on www.rejectapathy.com

http://rejectapathy.com/poverty/columns/26072-god-lives-at-the-bus-station

Understanding Eid-al Adha and the Hajj

Understanding Eid al-Adha
Ryan Keating


Eid al-Adha, is the Islamic festival that coincides with the end of the annual pilgrimage in Mecca and is marked by sacrificing an animal such as a sheep, goat, or bull.

It is the most important festival in Islam, followed by the Eid al-fitr, which marks the end of the month-long fast of Ramadan.

It begins on the tenth day of the month of Dhu al-Hijja on the Muslim calendar and continues for four days.

The basic theological meaning is to identify with Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice everything, including his son, to Allah, and to celebrate God’s deliverance of Abraham by providing a sheep as a substitute.


Hajj: Tracing Abraham’s steps

It is impossible to understand the significance of Eid al-Adha without placing it in its context within the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

Hajj, or “pilgrimage” is the fifth pillar of Islam, marking one of the most basic Muslim practices. All Muslims who are financially and physically able are required to make at least one trip to Mecca during their lifetime. While a Muslim may visit Mecca at any time of year, the Hajj is only recognized if it is performed during the assigned days on the Muslim calendar, that is during the second week of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah.

The rituals of the pilgrimage center around reenacting important episodes from the life of Abraham, Hagar, and Ishmael. It begins with “tawaf”, circumambulating the Ka’ba seven times. The Ka’ba is said to have been rebuilt by Abraham and consecrated to Allah as a center of pilgrimage. Pilgrims pray for the cleansing of their sins and often try to kiss or touch the Black Stone which is lodged into one corner of the Ka’ba.

Pilgrims then perform “say” a ceremonial running back and forth between two hills in a reenactment of Hagar’s desperate search for water for her son Ishmael after she was shunned by Sarah, Abraham’s wife. The well of Zamzam is said to have appeared under Ishmael’s feet to save them from death. Pilgrims bathe in and drink this water during this ceremony.

Then the actual “pilgrimage” takes place as pilgrims make the trip to Arafat to gather in tents for prayer and conversation from noon until sunset. Prayers are said to be especially effective during this time.

After spending the night under stars at Muzdalifa pilgrims proceed to Mina where the ritual “stoning of Satan” occurs. Pilgrims throw seven rocks at large stone pillars said to represent Satan. This ceremony reenacts Abraham’s stern rejection of the temptation by Satan to refuse to obey God’s command to sacrifice Ishmael.

This ritual is followed by the offering of an animal sacrifice by each pilgrim, identifying with Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Ishmael and God’s provision of a sheep as a reward for Abraham’s complete faithfulness in Allah. It is on this same day that Eid al-Adha begins and many Muslims around the world participate vicariously in this Hajj ritual by sacrificing an animal themselves.

Muslims believe that if the Hajj has been performed properly, without violating the important regulations regarding ceremonial purity, and with the right intention of approaching God, then all previous sins are absolved. However, a Muslim cannot ever be certain that his Hajj has been accepted in this way.


Sacrifice in Islam: Eid al-Adha

Throughout the Muslim world, the festival of Eid al-Adha begins with morning prayers in the mosque followed by a sermon. This is in accordance with a hadith attributed to Muhammad:

Narrated Al-Bara: I heard the Prophet delivering a Khutba (hutbe) saying, "The first thing to be done on this day (the first day of 'Id-ul-Adha) is to pray; and after returning from the prayer we slaughter our sacrifices (in the name of Allah), and whoever does so, he acted according to our Sunna (traditions) " (Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 2, p. 37).

As with the hajj itself, the sacrifice must be performed with the pure intention of approaching God. Sacrificing an animal is not considered to be merely an optional or advantageous ritual, but a religious commandment signifying one’s readiness to surrender everything to Allah.

The Qur’an depicts Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son in Sura 37:

“We gave him [Abraham] news of a gentle son. And when he reached the age when he could work with him, his father said to him: ‘My son, I dreamt that I was sacrificing you. Tell me what you think.’ He replied: ‘Father, do as you are bidden. God willing, you shall find me steadfast.’ And when they had both submitted to God, and Abraham had laid down his son prostrate upon his face, We called out to him, saying: ‘Abraham, you have fulfilled your vision.’ Thus do we reward the righteous. That was indeed a bitter test. We ransomed his son with a noble sacrifice and bestowed on him the praise of later generations. ‘Peace be on Abraham!’

And the commandment to sacrifice an animal annually is understood from Surah 22:28, which is referring to the pilgrimage rituals:

“they will come to avail themselves of many a benefit, and to pronounce on the appointed days the name of God over the cattle which He has given them for food. Eat of their flesh, and feed the poor and the unfortunate.”

The sacrifice is to be performed by anyone who is financially able to do so. Guests in someone else’s household are understood to be exempt as are travelers and the poor. The sacrifice is considered an individual act, but if a wife and children are completely dependent on the income of the husband, then they are not required to sacrifice. Similarly, a sheep or goat cannot be shared between men or families as a joint sacrifice, but a larger animal such as an ox, camel, or cow can be shared by up to seven people as having fulfilled the sacrifice requirement of all of them.

While the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah is the most spiritually profitable day on which to sacrifice the animal, many Muslims believe that it may also be performed on either of the following two days as well.

The animal must be without blemish and smaller animals such as chickens are not acceptable for sacrifice. The sacrifice should be performed with care not to cause unnecessary suffering to the animal, and small children and other animals should are often excluded to prevent them from being traumatized. While the animal is being cut, the name of Allah is pronounced and a ritual prayer is usually recited:

In the name of Allah.
Allah is the greatest.
O Allah, this is indeed from you and for you.
O Allah accept [this] from me.

The meat should be divided into three portions, with one third given to the poor, one third given to friends, family, and neighbors, and one-third reserved to eat. According to some, poorer families may reserve a larger portion for themselves to eat. The hide should also be donated and cannot be sold for profit.


Celebrating Eid al-Adha

The festival often includes visits to family members, beginning with parents and then extended family, friends and neighbors. A trip to distribute meat to friends and family is often an occasion for a social visit as well. The graves of relatives are also visited during this time and mosque visits are often made more frequently.

Special foods, most of which include meat, are prepared during this time, and large family gatherings occur during the evenings of the festival. As with Eid al-fitr, traditional deserts and candy are also given as gifts and included in family celebrations.

Since many businesses are closed during these days, families often take the opportunity to go on vacations or to visit out-of-town family members. In Turkey, during years when the festival falls in summer months, the beaches are full of vacationers, for example.

Sacrifice as a Theological Bridge: Ransoming Ishmael with a lamb

The Qur’anic story of Allah saving Ishmael’s life by substituting a lamb has obvious value as a bridge for sharing the gospel. Just as Allah honored the faith of Abraham by ransoming Ishmael with a sacrificial lamb, Christians believe that Allah ransomed all of humanity with the life of Jesus, who is called the Lamb of Allah, and that by exercising the same kind of faith that Abraham had, that is, a willingness to surrender everything we have to God, we are able to be saved from the death that we otherwise deserved in Hell.

Also, just as Muslims believe that faithful participation in the Hajj results in absolution of all previous sins, Christians believe that faith in the sacrifice of Jesus, the substitute lamb of Allah, guarantees that our sins are also forgiven.

In more simple terms, Christians can affirm the value of Abraham’s faith, which is also recorded in the Taurat. It is the kind of faith that is willing to surrender everything to God. And we can identify with the concept of sacrifice because of its Old Testament parallel in Abraham and the system of temple sacrifice as well as its New Testament fulfillment in Jesus.

Of course, Muslims often respond to this kind of presentation by arguing that the sacrifice in Islam is different from the sacrifice in Judaism and that it doesn’t wash away our sins the way that we believe Jesus does. For example, the Qur’an says about the sacrificed animal:

“Their flesh and blood does not reach God: it is your piety that reaches Him.” (Sura 22:37)

Muslims sometimes use this verse to show that it is not the sacrificed animal itself that has any value to God, but the faith of the person performing the sacrifice. In this way, they might argue, a more perfect sacrifice does not have a greater effect, the way that Christians believe Jesus’ sacrifice is effective for providing forgiveness for the sins of the whole world.

Still, the parallel is helpful for Muslims to understand what Christians believe about the sacrifice of Jesus.

Using the Qur’an in Evangelism with Muslims

Can Christians use the Qur’an when sharing the gospel with Muslims? And, more importantly, should we use the Qur’an as part of our evangelistic approach?

Scripturally, the closest parallel to this kind of approach is found in Acts 17:22-31. Paul, at the Areopagus, is asked to explain the gospel that he had been preaching in Athens. As part of his explanation, he begins by commending the Athenians for being “religious,” and refers to the various idols and temples around the city. He then refers specifically to an altar dedicated “To an unknown god,” explaining that he would reveal the unknown God to them. During his presentation, Paul also refers to, and quotes from, a Greek poet.

This passage gives solid Biblical precedent for a limited use of non-Christian religious sources as a means of drawing parallels to the gospel and explaining it in light of familiar illustrations. However, many Christians are apprehensive about using the Qur’an in a similar way. Their concern is often expressed in terms of theological or philosophical problems with this kind of approach. However, it seems to me that the root source of the apprehension is uncertainty about how a Christian should approach the Qur’an and perhaps an unhealthy fear of the Qur’an itself.

To overcome this uncertainty, it may be helpful to have a concrete methodology for how to use the Qur’an in evangelism, and a criteria for evaluating whether a particular use of the Qur’an is appropriate. The following taxonomy offers a way to approach this subject. There are essentially three different ways that a Christian might use the Qur’an in evangelism. The first two can be incorporated into a biblical model of evangelism, while the third goes too far to be commended in this way.

1. Using the Qur’an to explore a Muslim’s own beliefs.

For example, as a way of responding to the accusation that the Bible has been changed, it is helpful to point out that Qur’an itself does not make this claim. In fact, the Qur’an affirms the truth of the “previous scriptures”. In explaining this point, we can look at the following verses with Muslims:

o Sura 10:64 says that God’s word doesn’t change.
o Sura 10:94 instructs Muslims to ask Christians about the Bible.
o Sura 4:136 commands Muslims and Christians to believe the Bible.

In this approach we are not commending the Qur’an or using it’s content to teach the gospel, we are simply exploring the plain meaning of it as it is interpreted by Muslims. In the example I have given, the effect is to show that although I don’t believe that the Qur’an is the Word of God, even if I did, it wouldn’t make sense to say that the Bible has been changed. It’s important to make the distinction here that we are not asking a Muslim to believe the Bible on the basis of the Qur’an’s authority, rather we are showing that the claim of Biblical corruption doesn’t make sense, even within a Muslim framework. We are simply pointing out something that the Qur’an doesn’t teach, without appealing to its authority.

There are many other examples of this kind of approach that invite a Muslim to consider with us what the Qur’an actually teaches. A willingness to explore the Qur’an honestly is a powerful demonstration of our own confidence in the gospel. If a person we hope to reach has an interest in sharing something from the Qur’an, our sincerity in reading with them can inspire the same kind of vulnerability that we want from them in considering the gospel. This is Paul’s own example.

2. Using the Qur’an to draw a parallel or to illustrate an aspect of the gospel.

For example, just as Paul affirmed the religiosity of the Athenians, we can affirm a Muslim’s commitment to Jesus. Reading the Qur’an, one can see that Muslims have a great deal of respect for Jesus. The Qur’an affirms his virgin birth, that he was the Messiah, that he performed many miracles, that he is the Word of God, and that he will participate in the Final Judgment. Reading some of these verses with a Muslim can be a helpful bridge to talking about the gospel. However, the message of Jesus in the Bible is significantly different from the message of Jesus in the Qur’an, so we need a criteria to decide between them. If we want to learn about Jesus, who lived in the first century, why would we go to the Qur’an, which wasn’t available until the 7th century?

Another example of this approach is using the Qur’anic story of Abraham. In Sura 37, the Qur’an teaches that Abraham was going to sacrifice his son, but God intervened, saving his life by providing a ram as a “ransom” (fidye) to die in his place. This is very similar to what the Bible teaches about Jesus. Our sins condemned us to an eternity in Hell, but God intervened, saving our lives by providing Jesus as a ransom to die in our place.

This approach also doesn’t assume the truth of the Qur’an. We are simply using familiar stories to explain an aspect of the gospel which is otherwise unfamiliar to Muslims. This has a strong parallel with Paul’s own use of the Athenian poets. We can explain that we don’t believe the Qur’an to be the word of God, and still use this familiar story as a point of reference to illustrate the Christian concept of redemption.

3. Using a Christian reinterpretation of the Qur’an

For example, some Christians attempt to use verses from the Qur’an to prove the doctrine of the Trinity, the deity of Christ, or to show that Jesus was actually raised from the dead. In fact, some approaches to the Muslim evangelism attempt to use only verses from the Qur’an to lead a Muslim to faith in Christ.

This approach is vulnerable to the common objections to a Christian use of the Qur’an in evangelism. By appealing to the authority of the Qur’an in order to lead a person to faith in Jesus as depicted in the gospels, this approach may be deceptive. And by reinterpreting verses of the Qur’an in light of the Bible, this approach may also be offensive, since it presumes to understand the “real meaning” of the Qur’an, robbing Muslims of 1500 years of interpretive tradition.

Three Questions:

As an criteria for determining whether a particular use of the Qur’an is appropriate, three questions may be helpful.

· Will it move my audience closer to an understanding of an aspect of the gospel?
· Does it appeal to the authority of the Qur’an?
· Does it distort or reinterpret the meaning of the Qur’an?

If using the Qur’an in a given situation isn’t likely to contribute to an understanding of the gospel; for example, if we haven’t thought through how to use the passage as a bridge to the gospel, then it would be difficult to justify using the Qur’an for its own sake. Appealing to the authority of the Qur’an in order to lead someone to the gospel, and distorting the meaning of the Qur’an to prove a Christian doctrine both have insurmountable ethical and theological problems, and so, should be avoided. However, this criteria still leaves a broad spectrum of biblically appropriate uses of the Qur’an in evangelism with Muslims. It would be worth our effort to investigate this area and emulate Paul’s own evangelistic approach.

Has The Bible Been Changed?

1. The Doctrine of Tahrif

Most Sunni Muslims today maintain that the previous scriptures have been corrupted. This accusation is called tahrif (in Turkish also). Turkish textbooks teach this doctrine to schoolchildren in religion lessons and imams teach it in mosques throughout the country. In Turkey, it is an almost universal assumption that the Bible has been changed or corrupted. It is common to hear something like this: “Allah revealed the Injil to Isa but it was eventually lost. By the time the Christians came together at Iznik (Nicea) in 325 to decide on their Bible, there were dozens and dozens of books claiming to be the Injil. Since the Christians couldn’t agree which one was the original, they kept four: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They decided on these because they wanted to teach that Jesus was the son of God, etc...”

Historically, the doctrine of tahrif didn’t appear until the 11th century with the writings of Ibn Hazm. Since Muslims had accepted the Qur’an as the final installment in a series of revelations that began with the Torah and continued with the Zabur (Psalms), and Injil (Gospels), they had to reconcile the profound discrepancies between the messages of those books and that of the Qur’an. If the Qur’an is the perfect word of Allah, and it doesn’t agree with the holy books that preceded it, then the only explanation is that the previous books have been corrupted. From that argument, Islamic theology proceeded to explain that the Qur’an was necessary because the previous scriptures had been corrupted.

However, the Qur’an never claims that the Bible has been changed.

2. The Problem in Evangelism

When Christians begin to share the gospel in Turkey, the question of whether the Bible has been changed inevitably surfaces. If a person is convinced that the Bible has been changed, then it will of course be difficult for them to take seriously the claims of Jesus, for example; and they won’t be surprised to see discrepancies between the Qur’an and the Bible.

For some people, it is enough to initially respond simply by saying: “No, the Bible has never been changed,” and ask them to consider the claims of Scripture. For others, a more involved argument is necessary. In any case, of course, a single objection shouldn’t prevent us from continuing to share the message of the gospel. The Holy Spirit doesn’t have to defeat every objection before moving a person’s heart. On the other hand, it is important for believers and seekers to know the truth about the Bible. If Christians could turn the tide of public opinion about whether the Bible has been changed, a significant barrier to the gospel would be lifted.

3. Responding to the Accusation: Has the Bible been changed?

When a Muslim claims that the Bible has been changed, it is useful to turn the question around and ask “When and Where was the Bible changed? Was it before Muhammad or after Muhammad?[i]”

If a Muslim claims that it was changed before Muhammad, there are a number of verses from the Qur’an that are helpful in showing that the Qur’an disagrees with that accusation:

· Several verses say that God’s word doesn’t change:
Sura 6.34; 10.64; 50.28-29
· Some verses instruct Muslims to ask Christians about the Bible:
Sura 10.94; 21.7
· Several verses instruct Muslims and Christians to believe the Bible:
Sura 4.136; Sura 5.46-47, 68

Would Allah refer people to a corrupted book? Why is there no warning in the Qur’an about the Bible’s corruption? Why did the accusation of corruption not appear until the 11th century?

If a Muslim claims that it was corrupted after Muhammad, how can we explain the manuscript evidence that supports the trustworthiness of the New Testament?

There are more than 5,000 Greek manuscripts in existence. (The original was written in Greek). Some are as old as 125 AD, and 230 are older than Muhammad.

• John Rylands Fragment: Some verses of the Gospel of John. Found in Egypt, far from Asia Minor where it was written. The oldest existing manuscript, from around 125.
• Bodmer Papyrus II: Most of John, Jude, 1 Peter and 2 Peter. From around 150 - 200 AD.
• Chester Beatty Papyri: Most of the NT. From around 250 AD.

We have more than 9,000 ancient manusripts of the New Testament in other languages, including Arabic, Latin, Coptic, Aramaic.

The first Christian writers after the apostles, called the “Early Church Fathers,” wrote hundreds of books and letters beginning with Clement in 96 and ending with Eusebius in 339. These men included a total of 36,289 quotations of the New Testament in their writings. From these quotations alone, the entire New Testament can be reconstructed except for 11 verses.

All of the New Testament manuscripts agree with eachother, with some minor discrepancies that amount to about a half page of Greek text. And even if all of our old Greek manuscripts were destroyed we would still have the translations. And if all of the translations were destroyed we would still have an ancient testimony to the trustworthiness of the New Testament in the writings of the Church Fathers.

If the Old Testament was corrupted after Muhammad, who changed it? Jews or Christians? Why do they use the same Hebrew Bible?

4. Some Simple Responses: Has the Bible been changed?
A simple answer is often enough to move the conversation forward

· There has never been any evidence that the Bible was changed. Do you have evidence?

· The accusation of corruption did not appear until long after Islam arrived. Why do you think that is?

· Why would God protect some of His books and not the others? It sounds like you are saying that God made a mistake with the Tevrat, Zebur, and Injil and he corrected it with the Quran.

· If the New Testament account of Jesus isn’t accurate, is there any historical evidence to support what the Qur’an says about Jesus? If I want to learn about something that happened in the 1st century why would I believe a 7th century book instead of a 1st century book?

5. Some verses about the Bible’s immutability

Seekers often find these verses signficant as they consider the claims of the Bible.

Matthew 5:18
I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

Luke 21:33
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Mezmur 119:89
Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.

6. Some helpful facts about the Bible

• 
  The New Testament was completed within the lifetimes of the apostles (John died in 90 AD)
• 
  The apostles supervised the compilation of the New Testament, preventing errors or fraud
• 
  There were always 4 Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life.
• 
  The councils (including the Council of Nicea) didn’t “decide” on scripture, it only officially recognized what was already decided by the church as a whole.
• 
  Jesus didn’t come to bring the Word of God, he is the Word of God.
• 
  God used the experiences and individual perspectives of the Biblical authors, inspiring them to write scripture. This is a more miraculous view of inspiration than receiving revelation verbatim.
  
  [i] I am indebted to Jay Smith for this strategy.

The Gospel and the Night of Power

The Gospel and the Night of Power

Ryan Keating

“Lo! We revealed it on the Night of Power. Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Night of Power is! The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein, by the permission of their Lord, with all decrees. (That night is) Peace until the rising of the dawn.”
(Qur’an, Sura al-Qadr: 97)

Islam teaches that the entire Qur’an, the Word of Allah, was “lowered” or “sent down” to earth from the highest level of heaven to be revealed to Muhammad piece by piece. The night that commemorates this “lowering” is called Laylat al-Qadr (Kadir Gecesi in Turkish), or “The Night of Power,” and it is observed during the last ten days of Ramadan, the month-long fast in Islam. The concept of the Night of Power offers significant theological bridges for sharing the gospel with Muslims and since many Muslims are particularly focused on their spiritual lives during this time, they may be especially receptive to hear our perspective on our relationship with God.

Ramadan and the Qur’an

The Qur’an makes an important connection between fasting during Ramadan and the revelation of the Word of Allah:

“In the month of Ramadan the Koran was revealed, a book of guidance for mankind with proofs of guidance distinguishing right from wrong. Therefore whoever of you is present in that month let him fast…” (Qur’an, Sura al-Baqara: 2.185)

According to tradition, Muhammad had been fasting and praying in a cave during the month of Ramadan (a month on the Arabic lunar calendar) when an angel appeared to him and commanded him to recite the things that Allah revealed to him. While it seems that Muhammad was already in the habit of fasting during Ramadan, it is the beginning of the revelation of the Qur’an during this month which established fasting as a Muslim requirement.

Muslims believe that the Qur’an is eternal and uncreated; as the very speech of Allah it has always existed in heaven exactly as we have it in the Arabic text today. Allah sent the entire text down to earth via the angel Gabriel on the night that the first verses were revealed to Muhammad, and over the next 23 years the rest of the verses were given to Muhammad as the proper circumstances presented themselves in the life of the prophet. The Qur’an itself is considered the greatest miracle of Islam and there are many miracle stories associated with the process of its revelation and preservation as well.

Fasting during Ramadan has become one of the five “Pillars” of Islam, a basic requirement of all Muslims who are able to fulfill it. From sunrise to sunset during this month-long ritual, Muslims abstain completely from eating, drinking, smoking, and sexual relations. As the call to prayer sounds from the mosque every evening the fast is broken and families usually share a meal together. Mosques are particularly well attended during this month, especially on Friday evenings when a special sermon is delivered. Many Muslims who don’t fulfill their religious obligations during the rest of the year still find themselves fasting and participating in prayer and other rituals during this time.

The Mystery of the Night of Power

The Hadith explains that the exact night on which the revelation began, and therefore the exact date of the Night of Power is a mystery. Muhammad is reported as saying that he once knew the exact date but that Allah “caused him to forget it.” (Sahih Bukhari 32.233)

Several other Hadith accounts seem to contradict themselves with regard to the exact date. In one tradition Muhammad explains that it is on one of the last ten nights of Ramadan (Sahih Bukhari 32.237); in other tradition he says that it is to be found “in one of the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan” (Sahih Bukhari 32.234); another account narrows the date down to either the 21^st, 23^rd, or 25^th night of Ramadan (Sahih Bukhari 32.238); yet another has Muhammad teaching it falls on either the 25^th, 27^th, and 29^th (Sahih Bukhari 32.240); and one account offers the night of the 24^th as the true date (Sahih Bukhari 32.239).

Obviously, the common denominator in these traditions is that the Night of Power falls sometime during the last ten nights of Ramadan. On the other hand, particularly in Turkey, the night of the 27^th has popularly become recognized as the official night and many Muslims commemorate it on this night.

Observing the Night of Power

Apart from the confusion about the exact date, the Hadith accounts are unanimous that Muslims are to “seek” the Night of Power in order to benefit from the unique opportunity for blessing and forgiveness. As the Qur’an teaches in the sura named for the Night of Power, worship offered on this night has the value of one thousand months of worship. The Hadith further clarifies that:

"Whoever established prayers on the night of Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven...” (Sahih Bukhari 31.125)

Since it is on this night that Allah has come closest to humanity by sending down his Word, Muslims believe that they have greater access to Allah on this night and that he is more likely to bless and respond to their petitions. For this reason many Muslims spend one or more nights in prayer and reading at the mosque or in their homes.

Muhammad himself is reported to have practiced itikaf, the tradition of remaining in the mosque for the duration of the last ten days and nights of Ramadan; and some Muslims still practice this, leaving the mosque only for emergencies. In this way, Muslims can be sure that they have succeeded in observing the Night of Power since they have prayed every night on which it might fall. Other Muslims choose one or two nights to pray and recite diligently in the mosque. This happens particularly on the 27^th night of Ramadan. Still others have the Qur’an recited throughout the night in their homes or perform special recitation and prayer ceremonies at home. Prayers for forgiveness are said to be particularly effective on this night, as one Hadith reports a conversation between Aisha (Muhammad’s wife) and Muhammad:

“I asked the Messenger of Allah if I knew which night was the Night of Power and what prayer I should say during that night? He said to me: Say: ‘O Allah! You are forgiving and you love forgiveness, so you too forgive me.’” (Ibn Majah and Tirmidhi)

The Night of Power as a Theological Bridge

Muslims believe that the Night of Power is an event on which all of our previous sins can be erased. While observance has to be sincere, the special status of this night is not because of any individual merit, but because of the significance of what Allah did on that day many years ago. Similarly Christians can help Muslims understand the Biblical concept of forgiveness by explaining that we obtain forgiveness for our sins not because we have earned it but because of the significance of what Allah did through Jesus. As the Bible teaches, we don’t have to wait for a special day on the calendar in order to approach Allah for forgiveness. This blessing is available to us in the same miraculous way every day of the year. Whenever we come to him with sincerity, believing in what He did for us by sending Jesus to earth, all of our previous sins are erased (1 John 1:9).

What makes the Night of Power significant in Islam is that Allah sent down his Word to guide mankind; He approached us in a unique way, worthy of our remembrance and commemoration. In the same way, Christians can explain that it is Allah’s decision to send down Jesus, The Living Word of Allah, to live and die among us, that we remember and commemorate. It is the unique way that Allah approached us in Jesus that signifies our opportunity, not only for forgiveness, but for special relationship with Allah as well (John 1:14; John 1:12). Christians worship Allah by fasting, praying, reading the Bible, repenting of our sins, and by living a life of love for Allah and for our neighbors. Our lives are lived in worship every day, whether we go to a church building or not.

Just as the Night of Power is described as a miraculous event, the Bible makes a point of describing the miraculous things that happened at the moment of Jesus’ death on the cross and after his resurrection:

“At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.” (Matthew 27: 51-53)

This reminds us of the prayer that was recorded in the Bible 700 years before Jesus in Isaiah 64:

“Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,
that the mountains would tremble before you! …

For when you did awesome things that we did not expect,
you came down, and the mountains trembled before you.”

The people prayed that Allah would rip open the heavens and “come down” among us. This prayer was fulfilled in Jesus, the Word of Allah, who was sent down to live among us and die as a sacrifice for us. Just as he was fulfilling his purpose, the curtain in the temple, which symbolized the separation between heaven and earth, was torn from top to bottom, and the mountains did tremble and the people did see things that they could never have expected! This is the Night of Power that we remember, the night which secures blessing and forgiveness for us, the night that is worth more than a thousand lifetimes of trying to reach Allah on our own.

Excerpt about Adnan Oktar and Turkish Creationism

Islamic Creationism in Turkey

A significant, corollary development since the rise of Bucailleism is the advent of the new Islamic Creationism, particularly as it has emerged in Turkey. This movement shares much in common with its American counterpart, but is clearly an outworking of a Bucailleist view of the relationship between science and Islam.

The major contributor to this genre, particularly in Turkey, is Adnan Oktar, who writes under the pseudonym, Harun Yahya. While some have speculated that one person could not be responsible for the sheer volume of publications that are attributed to him, the publications clearly present Yahya as the sole author of the literally hundreds of articles, booklets, and books which deal with this topic and many other Bucailleist issues including the standard presentation of scientific miracles in the Qur’an. His books are extravagantly produced with sophisticated full-color photos and use high quality materials. Similarly, his website, http://www.harunyahya.com/, is wonderfully designed and organized. His books, The Evolution Deceit, and Darwinism Refuted have become extremely influential in Turkey and have since been distributed throughout the Muslim world and the West.[28] In fact, The Evolution Deceit was recently mailed to several opponents of creationism in the United States.[29]In terms of the actual scientific support for creationism, the Turkish creationist movement borrows nearly all of its research from the Institute for Creation Research (ICR), a conservative, evangelical Christian organization that promotes scientific creationism in the United States.

While there is some irony in the fact that such a conservative Muslim movement would borrow much of its material from evangelical Christians, the connections between the two movements are profound. In fact, prominent American creationists from ICR such as John Morris and Duane Gish have been invited to speak at conferences in several Turkish cities organized by the Bilim Arastirma Vakfi, (BAV) “The Science Research Foundation.”

The new Turkish creationism differs somewhat in scientific content and even more in terms of religious and political underpinnings. Any Christian concepts are removed or replaced with Islamic counterparts and references to the Bible are exchanged for appeals to the Qur’an. Perhaps the largest difference in scientific content between the two “creationisms” is the omission of “flood geology” from the Turkish version. Flood geology, which has been called “ICR’s signature doctrine,” is used by creationists to demonstrate he feasibility of a global flood based on evidence in geology. Turkish creationists, however, are not concerned to defend a “young Earth” position since the Qur’an does not present a chronology of salvation history in the way that the Bible does.[30]

This version of Islamic creationism also attacks evolution on slightly different grounds, arguing that all mutations are harmful, because organisms are said to have been created perfect and have remained without flaw to this day.[31] This contrasts with ICR and biblical creationists who argue that all of creation bears the corrupting effects of sin.

The political nature of creationism in Turkey is of particular significance. In the literature itself, Darwinism is associated with Marxist ideologies, and Masons and Jews are credited with driving the evolutionist agenda.[32] While there is no parallel to this claim in the Christian creationist literature, attributing Masons and Jews with global conspiracies is a characteristic feature of some Islamic apologetic literature. In fact, Harun Yahya is also the author of The Holocaust Hoax, which denies the historicity of the holocaust.

Negatively portraying Marxism, Freemasonry, and Judaism, however, are only the rhetorical foils for the active Islamist agenda associated with Turkish creationism. Since the founding of the Refah party in 1983 Turkey’s Islamist movement has included anti-Darwinism as a “solid plank in the Islamist platform.”[33] Darwinism became associated with Communism, atheism, and even Jews and Freemasons, thus, a refutation of Darwinism on scientific grounds appealed to the masses as an Islamic cause justified by modern science. The rise of Islamic creationism in Turkey has coincided with the recent success of the Islamist party (AK partisi) in local and national elections, further cementing the association of Bucailleism with the Islamist agenda.

The rhetorical fervor associated with Islamism is also evident in the Bucailleist Turkish creationism. This is an element which further distinguishes Turkish creationism from its American counterpart. The level of discourse is markedly more political. While there are groups within Turkey which oppose at least some forms of creationism, such a stance can be seen as dangerous. As Taner Edis, a Turkish author in the United States, notes, “criticizing the faith not only puts the individual’s soul at risk but is also a treachery against the community. When a prominent Islamist newspaper (Akit, December 2, 1998) published the names of the signatories of the TUBA statement [note: TUBA is the Turkish Academy of Sciences which published a statement opposing creationism] on its front page, suggesting they trespassed against Islam, this had overtones of an invitation to violence.”[34]