'Apologiz-ing' (1 Pet. 3:15) to Muslims and Islam
(witnessing to Muslims) I have these materials on file, and have studied in the religion of Islam, and can help in these areas, and over 1,000 pages of matieral on various subjects, sources, etc for those desiring it, and I will share some later.
An overview (brief) History of Muhammad (Abu al Qasim [father of Qasim]) and Islam:
AD 570 - Muhammad born [supposedly, ancestry really unknown, no one knows the Muhammad for sure]
AD 610 - Muhammad [40 years old] met 'Jibril' in the Hira cave
AD 610 - 622 - Received 'Meccan' verses
AD 621 - Muhammad has the 'Mi'raj' to the 7 Heavens [5 Prayers/As-Salat]
AD 622 - 'Hijra' [Migration] from Mecca to Medina
AD 622 - 632 - Received 'Medinan' verses
AD 624 - There were no mosques prior to AD 624, Qibla [direction of prayer changed, from Jerusalem to Mecca [Al-Masjid-Al-Haram]], specifically to the Ka'bah [building and the blackstone [god] thereof], Qur'an surah 2 [Al-Baqarah], ayah 142-150
Qur'an - Al-Hilali-Khan; Surah 2:142-150 -
AD 632 - Died horribly of accumulated effects of poisoning [from the battle of Kaybar], there was as yet no official written or totally compiled [into one source] qur'an.
AD 632 - 634 - Abu Bakr [Father of Aishah, favorite wife of Muhammad], Rightly Guided Caliph of Muhammad, takes over
AD 634 - 644 - Umar [daughter Hafsa], starts conquering other cities - Bozrah, Baghdad, Damascus, Jerusalem, Cairo
AD 642 - The 5 Great cities of the Levant - Basra, Baghdad, Damascus, Jerusalem, Cairo, are now under Arab [not Muslim] control. Also Alexandria, Aden, Merat and Nishapur.
AD 644 - 656 - Uthman [Othman], he has the various qur'anic materials [like Hafsa's, daughter of Umar] compiled into one official [Zaid ibn Thabit, secretary of Muhammad, re-write and correct, and if any difficulty, use the Qur'aishi language, language of Muhammad's Ummah people, along with three other men], and burns all of the rest which differed, or were lost, had additions, etc.
4 main Uthman copies were made,
of which two are supposed to be still around, the Topkapi Mushaf [in Turkey, Istanbul, mid - 8th century] and the Sammarqand Mushaf [Tashkent early - mid 8th century], but they are not that old, but later [Umayyad period, 8th century], and contain errors, and are only half manuscripts.
Others are the:
AD 650 - Official Uthmanic recension of the various qur'ans compiled into one, all others destroyed
AD 656 - 661 - Ali [Adopted son of Muhammad], whom the Shia adhere to as the rightful heir
AD 661 - North Africa controlled by the Arabs, and goes into Spain, then to the east, in India
AD 685 - 705 - Abd al'Malik, comes to power
AD 685 - coins with Muhammad's name on them, no other record of this name before this date, that is known
AD 691 - dome of the rock,:
(witnessing to Muslims) I have these materials on file, and have studied in the religion of Islam, and can help in these areas, and over 1,000 pages of matieral on various subjects, sources, etc for those desiring it, and I will share some later.
An overview (brief) History of Muhammad (Abu al Qasim [father of Qasim]) and Islam:
AD 570 - Muhammad born [supposedly, ancestry really unknown, no one knows the Muhammad for sure]
AD 610 - Muhammad [40 years old] met 'Jibril' in the Hira cave
AD 610 - 622 - Received 'Meccan' verses
AD 621 - Muhammad has the 'Mi'raj' to the 7 Heavens [5 Prayers/As-Salat]
AD 622 - 'Hijra' [Migration] from Mecca to Medina
AD 622 - 632 - Received 'Medinan' verses
AD 624 - There were no mosques prior to AD 624, Qibla [direction of prayer changed, from Jerusalem to Mecca [Al-Masjid-Al-Haram]], specifically to the Ka'bah [building and the blackstone [god] thereof], Qur'an surah 2 [Al-Baqarah], ayah 142-150
Qur'an - Al-Hilali-Khan; Surah 2:142-150 -
"… [v. 142] The fools among the people (pagans, hypocrites, and Jews) will say, "What has turned them (Muslims) from the Qiblah [prayer direction (towards Jerusalem)] to which they used to face in prayer." Say, (O Muhammad) "To Allah belong both, east and the west. He guides whom He wills to the Straight Way." [v. 143] Thus We have made you [true Muslims – real believers of Islamic Monotheism, true followers of Prophet Muhammad and his Sunnah (legal ways)], a just (and the best) nation, that you be witnesses over mankind [1] and the Messenger (Muhammad) be a witness over you. And We made the Qiblah (prayer direction towards Jerusalem) which you used to face, only to test those who followed the Messenger (Muhammad) from those who would turn on their heels (i.e. disobey the Messenger). indeed it was great (heavy) except for those whom Allah guided. And Allah would never make your faith (prayers) to be lost (i.e. your prayers offered towards Jerusalem). Truly, Allah is full of Kindness, the Most Merciful towards mankind. [v. 144] Verily! We have see the turning of your (Muhammad's) face towards the heaven. Surely, We shall turn you to a Qiblah (prayer direction) that shall please you, so turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid-Al-Haram (at Makkah [Mecca]). And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces (in prayer) in that direction. Certainly, the people who were given the Scripture (i.e. Jews and the Christians) know well that, that (your turning towards the direction of the Ka'bah at Makkah [Mecca] in prayers) is the truth from their Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what they do. [v. 145] And even if you were to bring to the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) all of the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they would not follow your Qiblah (prayer direction), nor are you going to follow their Qiblah (prayer direction). And they will not follow each other's Qiblah (prayer direction). Verily, if you follow their desires after that which you have received of knowledge (from Allah), then indeed you will be one of the Zalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers). [v.146] Those to whom We gave the Scripture (Jews and Christians) recognise him (Muhammad or the Ka'bah at Makkah [Mecca]) as they recognise their sons. But verily, a party of them conceal the truth while they know it – [i.e. the qualities pf Muhammad which are written in the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] [v.147] (This is) the truth from your Lord. So be you not one of those who doubt. [v.148] For every nation there is a direction to which they face (in their prayers). So hasten towards all that is good. Wheresoever you may be, Allah will bring you together (on the Day of Resurrection). Truly, Allah is Able to do all things. [v.149] And from wheresoever you start forth (for prayers), turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid-Al-Haram (at Makkah [Mecca]), that is indeed the truth from your Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what you do. [v.150] And from wheresoever you start forth (your prayers), turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid-Al-Haram (at Makkah [Mecca]), and wheresoever you are, turn your faces towards it (when you pray) so that men may have no argument against you except those of them that are wrong-doers, so fear them not, but fear Me! – And so that I may complete My Blessings on you and that you may be guided. ..."
AD 630 - Conquered Mecca 'peacefully', in the area of the Hijaz [Roman controlled province]AD 632 - Died horribly of accumulated effects of poisoning [from the battle of Kaybar], there was as yet no official written or totally compiled [into one source] qur'an.
AD 632 - 634 - Abu Bakr [Father of Aishah, favorite wife of Muhammad], Rightly Guided Caliph of Muhammad, takes over
AD 634 - 644 - Umar [daughter Hafsa], starts conquering other cities - Bozrah, Baghdad, Damascus, Jerusalem, Cairo
AD 642 - The 5 Great cities of the Levant - Basra, Baghdad, Damascus, Jerusalem, Cairo, are now under Arab [not Muslim] control. Also Alexandria, Aden, Merat and Nishapur.
AD 644 - 656 - Uthman [Othman], he has the various qur'anic materials [like Hafsa's, daughter of Umar] compiled into one official [Zaid ibn Thabit, secretary of Muhammad, re-write and correct, and if any difficulty, use the Qur'aishi language, language of Muhammad's Ummah people, along with three other men], and burns all of the rest which differed, or were lost, had additions, etc.
4 main Uthman copies were made,
[1] Medina,
[2] Basra,
[3] Baghdad,
[4] Damascus,
of which two are supposed to be still around, the Topkapi Mushaf [in Turkey, Istanbul, mid - 8th century] and the Sammarqand Mushaf [Tashkent early - mid 8th century], but they are not that old, but later [Umayyad period, 8th century], and contain errors, and are only half manuscripts.
Others are the:
[1] Ma'il [Britain, Hijazi text],
[2] Petropolitanus [Paris, see Francois Deroche 2009:172-177],
[3] Houseini [al-Mashhad al-Husayni] Cairo, Egypt, see Tayyar Altikulac Al Mushaf Al Sharif 2007:36, footnote 14a],
[4] San'aa manuscripts, see the book Al Mushaf Al Sharif, Prof. Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, and Dr. Tayyar Altikulac.
AD 650 - Official Uthmanic recension of the various qur'ans compiled into one, all others destroyed
AD 656 - 661 - Ali [Adopted son of Muhammad], whom the Shia adhere to as the rightful heir
AD 661 - North Africa controlled by the Arabs, and goes into Spain, then to the east, in India
AD 685 - 705 - Abd al'Malik, comes to power
AD 685 - coins with Muhammad's name on them, no other record of this name before this date, that is known
AD 691 - dome of the rock,:
[1] first Arab inscription referencing 'Muhammad' [Volker Popp-Ohlig & Puin, 2010:53];
[2] the first reference to 'Muslims' is in the 690's [Chronicle of John of Niku' – 1602],
[3] the first Arab reference to 'Muslim' if just prior to AD 749 [Nevo & Koren, 2003:234], otherwise they re simply 'Saracen' [Arab], 'Hagarene', 'Ishmaelite', 'Maghraye', 'Muhajiroun' [in exodus, nomad];
[4] the first reference to 'Islam' is not until AD 691 [Dome of the Rock] [Volker Popp-Ohlig & Puin, 2010:71],
[5] the first reference to 'Mecca' is not until AD 741 [Patricia Crone 1987:134-136 [found in Apocalypse of pseudo-Methodius Continuatio Byzantia Arabica, early reign of caliph Hisham]; Hoyland 1997:426; Tom Holland, In the Shadow of the Sword, 2012:303],
[6] the first Biography of 'Muhammad' within Islamic sources is not until AD 833 [Ibn Isham, citing the earlier non-extant work of Ibn Ishaq, AD 765],
[7] the earliest maps do not show or place 'Mecca' until AD 900, of which Patricia Crone, found Greek trading documents with Ta'if [South-East of Mecca], Yathrib [later Medina], Kaybar, but never Mecca.