At the CMS Summerview Conference Tasmania this year we had the pleasure of hearing Dr John Azumah speak.  Here are some my notes from one of his talks (my notes are not the responsibility of Dr John Azumah, although any credit is due to him!).

I found this helpful in educating me/us in the task of meeting people ‘where they are’ and not presuming to understand them simply because they are ‘Muslim’ or ‘Christian’ or ‘atheist’.

The idea of different ‘faces’ of Islam prevents the simplicisms of believing and saying “all Muslims are ….” Rather, Muslims are people for us to get to know, seek to understand, with whom to build the common good and to love in Christ.

Islam is diverse → Islams
The Challenge of Islam: Ebrahim Moosan: good and bad Muslims. 1.6 billion Muslims

1. The Missionary Face of Islam
pro Islam and anti-Christians/anti-Jews polemics (in the Qur’an) – this is built into Islam
Note:  Christianity sees itself as post Jewish (and Islam sees it itself as post Christian)
“Dawah” Islamic Mission 7th Century to 19th Century energised by Christian missions and financed by petro dollars/Muslim Governments.
“Missionary Face”– eg. Ahmed Deedat, South Africa

2. The Mystical Face
Bill Musk, “The Unseen Face of Islam” of Quranic Islam in Africa and Asia
Sufism, folk Islam, takes the supernatural seriously, dreams, exorcism, visions
Islamic Spirituality.
Similar to Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity. Experiential. Less influence of Bible/Qur’an among mystics
Mystical Face: Rumi 13th Century, Persian, Shakespeare of the East inspired by Christian mysticism.

3. The Ideological Face (Political Face)
Claims the public place for Islam: Islamic State governed by Sharia Law.
God’s will has to be implemented in God’s earth and Muslims (those who submit to God) are the ones empowered by God to bring in God’s rule.
No “Caesar’s coin” of Jesus’ teaching in Islam. No sharing between Caesar and God because Caesar belongs to God.
Ideological Face: Gumi: “Politics is more important than prayer”

4. The Militant Face
Seeks to achieve political ends through violence and warfare.
ISIS, Boko-Haram, al-Qaeda
Quote Qur’an and Islamic texts and romantised history and take Jihad into their own hands.
They do not follow rules for declaring Jihad e.g. by a Muslim Ruler (Some similarity to Just War theory)
“Militant Face”: reformist rebellions wishing to “purify” Islam, and therefore theocracy essential and democracy must be gotten rid of.
Inspire fear, use conspiracy, lies and propaganda, exploit weak and corrupt state institutions.
95% of victims of Militants are Muslims e.g. Pakistan
Many Muslims become disillusioned by Militant and Ideological Islam.

5. The Progressive Face
Reformers: self-critical, open to other world views.
Struggle for the soul of Islam
“Progressive Face”: Makmud Tahar(?), hung in 1985 for blasphemy.
Critical re-read of Islamic texts/ source books, defends rights of minorities, promotes gender equality.
Reformers quote Calvin, Zwingli (Christian Reformers)
Seen in Turkey, Iran, Sudan, Indonesia, South Africa West

*To listen to Dr John Azumah’s talks and also to hear Archbishop Glenn Davies, please chick here.