Of the many belief systems in the world in which we find people utterly dedicated, Islam is perhaps the one in which its followers carry the greatest zeal to God. Here is a group of people who devote their lives, their very being to their faith in Allah; a term they use because they feel “God” is too weak, that is does not do justice in ultimately glorifying Him. I am certain much of what you the reader have heard being portrayed in the news, media and even school is that Islam is not only extremely peaceful, but quite tolerant of other beliefs, including Jews and Christians alike.
My goal here is not to diminish the character of person of the Muslim people, nor is it my goal to offend the Muslim reader of this topic. Much of my argument and material is that of the book “Kingdom Of The Cults”, written by Walter Martin and edited by Ravi Zacharias. My goal is to express my deepest desire in exposing the flaws, and mazes associated with Islam and offer to the reader the view of Christ in the Bible and His love and mercy for all; a stark contrast to the “mercy” of God in the Qur’an.
Background and Quick Facts Concerning Islam:
1. The Sovereignty of Allah is paramount: He is the one, true God. Mohammed is his chief prophet
2. There is no original sin. Humans are not predisposed toward sin, but they commit sins.
3. Jesus was not the Son of God. He is revered as a spiritual guide.
4. Salvation is by the will of God through human obedience to God’s law.
5. The Qur’an is the perfect Word of Allah.
“Islam is the second largest religion in the world, next to Christianity.” (KOTC) However, Christianity is probably considered the largest religion in the world because of the religions and cults who identify themselves with Christianity. For example, Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Catholics, and them those denominations of Christianity that exist in scores. “Islam in America is growing rapidly despite concerns created by the infamous attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.” (KOTC)
Islamic Beliefs:
This is a direct quote from KOTC – “At first glance, Islamic belief appears to be almost compatible with Christianity and/or Judaism. Often people claim that the Muslims believe in the same God as Christians: ‘They just don’t accept Jesus Christ.’ However, as we shall see, the Muslim God is not like the Christian God. Islam rejects the biblical doctrines of the Trinity and the deity of Christ.
Unlike Christians, Muslims do not emphasize a personal relationship with God. Scripture tells us that those who trust in Christ and do the Father’s will have been redeemed and have been adopted as sons (Romans 8:14-15; Galatians 3:26) we are heirs of God (Galatians 4:7), and the Father deals with us as His children (Matthew 12:47; Mark 3:35; Hebrews 12:5, 7). We can even be called friends of God (John 15:13-15; James 2:23). In contrast, Muslims believe God has no likeness (Sura 42:11), is transcendent (Sura 4:171), is unknowable (apart from revelation of course), and is wholly other and totally different. He is neither physical nor spirit. The Bible on the other hand, contradicting the Qur’an, tell us that we have been created in God’s image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27), and that we have knowledge of God in our hearts (Romans 1:19-20). Moreover, Scripture tells us that God is spirit (John 4:24).
The Maze:
One of the prerogatives of the Qur’an is abrogation, a legal term referring to the ‘destruction or annulling of a former law by an act of legislative power, by constitutional authority, or by usage.’ This is taught in three separate places in the Qur’an. Sura 2:100/106 says, ‘And for whatever verse we abrogate or cast it into oblivion, we bring one better like it.’; Sura 13:39 says, ‘Every term has a book. God blots out, and he establishes whatsoever he will; and with him is the Mother of all Books.’; and Sura 16:101 says, “And when we exchange a verse in place of another verse – And God knows very well what He is sending down – they say, ‘Thou art mere forger!’ Nay, but the most of them have no knowledge. Say, The Holy Spirit [in Islam the angel Gabriel is the Holy Spirit] sent it down from the Lord is truth, and to confirm those who believe, and to be a guidance and good tidings to those who surrender’. “On pages 89 and 90 Rahman argues that abrogation in the Qur’an does not have legal meaning but should be understood as substitution necessary for progressive revelation.” We all know very well that substitution is the act of replacing one thing with another. Knowing this, why is it necessary if the Qur’an is the eternal speech of God?
This seems to indicate that God can change his mind, something vastly different from the God of the Bible who is unchangeable in his mind and ways. If God is All-knowing, on what basis is there a need for substitution? Jesus said He did not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. (Matthew 5:17). Scripture is never abrogated, because God does not change (Malachi 3:6). So despite all arguments to the contrary, if the Qur’an is abrogated, there are literally scores of theological problems. According to KOTC, these are the top six.
1. The Qur’an cannot be trusted because it contains “divinely inspired” contradictions. If God has a history of abrogating his own revelation, the “eternal speech of God”, how can one be certain that he will not abrogate it again in the future?
2. It may be argued that it cannot be abrogated again in the future, since Muhammad was “the last prophet.” But how do we know that God will not abrogate that and send us more prophets?
3. If God can abrogate his eternal speech, how can we trust him with our eternal soul? Shall we depend on his mercy and compassion? How do we know that he will continue to be as merciful in the future as he has been in the past? How do we even know that he has been merciful in the past since the mercy sections of the Qur’an may themselves actually be substitutions?
4. If God has done any abrogating, as the Qur’an indicates, it does not indicate progressive revelation, which is additive. It indicates a contradiction and annulment, which subtracts from revelation, since at least some portion of past revelation has been canceled. This would mean that God either did not know how future contingent events would turn out, or that he did but purposefully changed his mind. So the God of Islam is either not All-knowing or is a liar. A third possibility would be that God can have the attribute of omniscience and not have it at the same time (thereby actualizing a contradiction) by not having a physical or spiritual nature – or any kind of nature. This makes no sense, but it seems to follow the Qur’anic view of God.
5. If God can abrogate past divine revelation, it seems to indicate intellectual weakness at the very least. It not only causes problems for omniscience, since he did not have sufficient foreknowledge to avoid the need for abrogation, but also for omnipotence (because if he did have sufficient foreknowledge he apparently did not have the power to carry out effective preventive measures) as well as other attributes.
6. If the Muslim God is not consistent, then his creatures have no foundation for morality and ethics. Morality and ethics must either be absolute, invariant, and universal or not absolute invariant and universal. There is no third option. If God is not invariant, then the moral/ethical system derived from him would necessarily be inconsistent, and we would essentially be on our own. We would be autonomous (a law unto ourselves), because we lacked that divine absolute standard that exists only in Christianity. If each person had their own moral standard, there could be no legal basis for a society of any kind. This would make it not only inherently contradictory, but impossible.
Jesus in Islam:
“To the Muslim, Jesus Christ is merely one of the many prophets of Allah (Sura 4:171; 5:74). According to Islam, the prophet Muhammad supersedes Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is not the Son of God or a part of any Trinity (Sura 5:17; 5:116; 19:35). We are told that He was nothing but a slave on whom God showed favor (Sura 43:59); yet elsewhere we are told the Messiah is not a slave (Sura 4:172).” KOTC.
The Qur’an continually disagrees with the Bible on the deity and life of Christ, thus forfeiting His ability to deliver us and save us from our sins through His Grace. “Jesus Christ did not atone for anyone’s sins, although He Himself was sinless (Sura 3:46) and is one of those who are near to God (Sura 3:45). The Qur’an goes on to verify what we as Christian not to be true of Christ Jesus. It says Jesus performed miracles (Sura 3:49; 5:110) and was the Messiah (Sura 3:45; 4:157, 171). One central belief, and cornerstone that MUST BE TRUE of the Christian faith is Christ hanging on the cross, dying on the cross and rising, being resurrected by the Father, after His death. These things MUST HAVE HAPPENED or the Christian faith cannot stand. There is no foundation for it. In Islam, Christ did not hang on the cross, and was rescued from the persecuting Romans and Jews before He could be crucified. Most Muslims believe Jesus was taken to Heaven bodily without having died (Sura 4:157). However, Sura 199:33 says He died and would be resurrected.
One thing the Muslim and confused Christian might find very interesting is the comparison of Jesus and Muhammad in the Qur’an.
1. Jesus did Miracles (Sura 3:49, 5:110), but Muhammad did not (Sura 13:8; 6:37; 6:109; 17:59 and 17:90-93)
2. Jesus was sinless (Sura 3:46), but Muhammad sinned and needed forgiveness (Sura 40:55; 42:5; 47:19; 48:2).
3. Jesus was called “The Messiah” and was even born of a virgin (Sura 3:45-57). However, given the comparisons of these verses, Muhammad is supposed to be the greatest of the prophets? This is a contradiction in and of itself!
The Five Pillars of the Faith:
The Qur’an, like the Bible, teaches all have sinned and are in need of forgiveness from the Most High. We are told that this indeed includes Muhammad (Sura 40:55; 47:19; 48:2). Every Muslims who hopes to escape the judgment of Allah, However, must fulfill the work of the Five Pillars of the Faith.
1. Recitation of the Shahada (“There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the prophet of Allah).
2. Five daily prescribed prayers (Salat or Namaz) in Arabic. These prayers include genuflection and prostration in the direction of the holy city, Mecca.
3. Almsgiving (Zakat), which involves the duty to give a certain percentage of one’s total income to help others. Generally speaking, this it to be done privately unless there is good reason for it to have publicity.
4. Fasting (Saum or Ruzeh), during the entire month of Ramadan, when Muslims are supposed to fast from all food and drink from sunrise to sunset in atonement for their sins over the previous year. Muslims are allowed to eat and drink after sunset; however some get up early to eat before sunrise as to eat before the fast begins again.
5. A pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca, the holy city, at least once in a Muslim’s lifetime. The hajj takes place after Ramadan. The Muslim pilgrims engage in elaborate rituals both at the famous mosque in Mecca that holds the Kaba and in the areas surrounding their most sacred city.
The five pillars of faith were included so that the reader may understand the definite zeal, and devotion to faith each Muslim possesses. It is easy to watch those who follow the faith radically and associate every Muslim with this, group, however it is simply not so. Any student of Islam, or reader of the Qur’an can easily see, that Islam itself is not peaceful. It often charges our Muslim brothers and sisters with task that are violent and to be carried out against others who are deemed enemies of the faith of Islam. It should be noted that Islam literally means submission, and Muslims are those who submit. The confused Christian should be able to see from this reading that Islam and Christianity, though on the surface seemed to be quite compatible, but in reality are not alike. The Muslim seeking the truth should read this testimony, and realize that their very faith and eternity of their souls are being placed in a god who abrogates, and is uncertain of his own future, and thus uncertain of your own. I tell you Jesus is waiting for you. He yearns for that closeness to His children, those He loves. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever should believe on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). You can be certain that faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life, will guarantee eternity with Him forever, as He has never changed His mind nor has he changed His ways (Hebrews 13:8).
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