"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 2 Timothy 3:16,17
Tarentumchurchofchrist.com
Volume 20, Number 1, January / February 2002, Editor: Robert Johnson
In this Issue:
*The Truth About Islam
*Interesting “Facts?" In The Quran
*America Beware: Islam Thrives Because Of Ignorance!The Truth About Islam
Since September 11, 2001, the religion of Islam has been forced into our thoughts. There has been a landslide of interest in this fast growing cult that most Americans know very little about. The Muslim population has more than doubled over the last twenty years and there are Muslim centers or Mosques in every major city of the world. Islam is now the second largest religion in the world, moving to catch up and pass Christianity. American Muslim, political and even some prominent “Christian” leaders have portrayed Islam as a religion that follows the God of the Christians, but in a different way. It seems they would have us believe that Islam is compatible with Christianity and only the militant Muslims should be of concern to us. But, if more Americans knew the truth about Islam, they would understand that it is completely incompatible with the teachings of God and according to the Bible, its millions of followers have no hope of salvation. In fact, Muslims believe that Islam is the only true religion and it is their goal to make Islam the only religion on earth.
This religion is thriving under the religious tolerance provided them in America, but when Islam becomes the dominant faith in a country, the government quickly becomes intolerant of other religions such as Christianity and Judaism, making a word spoken against Mohammed grounds for imprisonment or even death. (Pakistan is an example of where this is now happening). In his lifetime, Mohammed killed many Christians, Jews and Pagans and enslaved and sold their families into slavery. On one hand he speaks of Christians and Jews as people of the book to be held in high regard, but he also warns his follows about being friends with them. It should also be noted that under certain conditions he teaches that Jews and Christians may be put to death to spread the true religion of Islam. I have spent the last six months trying to absorb information on Islam from the Quran and Muslim websites. This article will attempt to show that the religion of Islam is not from God and is not in any way compatible with the Bible and True Christianity. This information is not meant as a personal criticism of the people who practice Islam in this country for as with many cults, many followers are better than their religion. I just want to examine some of the truths about Islam that everyone should be familiar with.Mohammed
Mohammed was born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia about six hundred years after Christ lived on this earth. At that time Mecca was a holy place and a center for the worship of about three hundred and sixty different gods. Hubal, the moon god, was considered by many to be the chief of these gods. His idol was the image of a man covered in red jewels, he was also referred to as “Allah” the chief god. Mohammed’s father and uncle were worshipers of this chief god, using the term “allah” in their names. Mohammed later taught that “Allah” was the only true name of God, even though it is never found in the holy scriptures. “Allah” is documented by Arabic literature to be the name of a pagan idol, believed by some authorities to be associated with the pagan god “Baal” or “Balaam” who is mentioned in the Bible. It is also interesting to note that the crescent moon, which is today a symbol for Islam, was the symbol for the moon god Hubal and before that a symbol for an ancient fertility god.
Mohammed came to believe that Allah was not just the supreme God, but the only god. He claims that the only true God picked him to be a prophet or messenger. Mohammed claims that while in a trance, flaying around on the ground, the angel Gabriel appeared to him and began revealing to him God’s final and supreme message to man. Though Muslims claim that Mohammed was illiterate, he wrote down these revelations in a book that is now known as the Quran. Besides the Quran, Muslims consider many other writings about the life of Mohammed (Hadiths) to be sacred.
The prophets of God in the Bible were always supplied with miraculous abilities and performed signs and wonders to verify that their message was truly from God. Mohammed’s only miracle was the writing of the Quran. Muslims are not allowed to question the Quran because it came from the prophet Mohammed. Muslims are not allowed to question Mohammed because the Quran says he is God’s prophet. This is quite a departure from the Biblical prophets who God Himself verified as authentic by signs and wonders.
After he began writing the Quran, Mohammed made it his chief goal in life to purge the Arabic world of paganism. He led his followers in more than sixty battles against those who refused to submit to the Quran as God’s message and him as God’s prophet. The word “Islam” means submission.
Mohammed had many wives, one of which was nine years old. One of his most significant marriages was to a wealthy women, whose wealth enabled Mohammed more time to pursue his religious convictions. As his power and influence increased, Mohammed destroyed all the pagan idols except the black stone, and turned Mecca from a pagan holy place into the house of Allah (which it had already been called). Muslims today still make the trip to Mecca and kiss this black stone just as many pagans did before the invention of Islam.
Mohammed’s Search For Authenticity: The Bible and the Quran.
Of all the religious writings considered sacred and originating from God, the Bible stands out head and shoulders above the rest. It is older or as old as most. It is proven by archeology and is by far the most accurate history of the ancient world. It contains many facts about science, medicine and even astronomy which have only been discovered by men in recent times. No religion on earth can claim such a reliable and verifiable source for their beliefs. Many have tried to discredit the Bible through the centuries, but it has withstood its critics.
It has been the custom of different cults over the years to profess their belief in the Bible to make their new religion seem legitimate. These cults then come up with some new revelation from God and spend the rest of their existence contradicting most everything the Bible says. One example is the Mormon religion which was founded by Joseph Smith who claimed the angel Moroni gave him a new book. The Apostle Paul must have known what was coming when he wrote by inspiration:
"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." (Gal 1:6-9)
Mohammed followed this same and often used pattern. The Quran acknowledges that the God of the Jews and Christians is the true God. The Quran affirms the existence of many Bible characters as the messengers of God. The Quran mentions Adam, Noah, Job, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joseph and others as God’s messengers. The Quran even mentions Jesus four times as many times as it mentions Mohammed. (Of course Mohammed claims that all these messengers were really Muslims).
This professed respect for the messengers of the Bible is only an illusion used to give Mohammed some history and apparent legitimacy. In the Quran, Mohammed then proceeds to rewrite the facts and information revealed in the Bible. Just as the Jehovah’s Witnesses have rewritten their Bibles and changed the things which contradict their teaching (New World Translation), the Muslims have rewritten Bible history in an attempt to confirm Mohammed as God’s prophet. It is interesting that the first translation of the Bible into the Arabic language (300 years after Mohammed’s death) never contained the name “Allah.”
When questioned about this inconsistency, the Muslims simply claim that the Jewish and Christian scriptures have been corrupted. Mohammed says the Word of God cannot be changed (S10:35, 64; 6:34,115), but he also claimed in the Quran that Allah can “abrogate” or change and improve anything he wants (S16:102-108). It should be noted that the Scriptures that existed in the days of Mohammed are the same ones we have today in the Bible. Our Bibles are confirmed by ancient manuscripts which date back to three hundred years or more before Mohammed lived.
The Quran contradicts the Bible at almost every turn. It also contains many contradictions within itself as Mohammed’s beliefs evolved. Are Jews and Christians to be respected and befriended or destroyed? (S5:82,83,51: 9:20). Will paradise be filled with a multitude of those of old and a few of later times (S56:11-14) or a multitude of both (S56:39,40). If wine and strong drink are forbidden as Satan’s handiwork (S5:90; 2:219) then why does paradise have rivers of flowing wine (47:15; 83:22,25) (This is changed in later translations to “delicious drink”, etc.). Will Jews and Christians who do good have their reward from the Lord (2:62) or will those who believe in Jesus be destined for the fire (5:72). Was Mohammed the first to submit himself to Allah (S6:14) or was Abraham also a Muslim (one who submits, S2:132). It should be noted that Muslims believe that Arabic is the language of heaven and anyone who cannot read the Quran in Arabic cannot possibly understand it. (This is why all Muslims must learn the Arabic language). What a convenient way to comfort the ignorant and deal with evidence of errors and contradictions.Mohammed and Jesus:
For those who still think Islam is compatible or similar to Christianity, it is time to wake up. Mohammed goes back into Bible history and changes the prophecies of the coming seed or Messiah to refer to himself. The Bible says the world would be blessed by a descendent of Abraham through Isaac (Gen 21:12; Rm 9:7; Heb 11:18), Mohammed says he would be a descendent of Ismael (Mohammed). The Bible says God would raise up a prophet from among the Jews to lead the people like Moses (Jesus, miracles, etc. Deut 18:18; Jn 1:45; 5:46; Acts 3:17-24), Mohammed claims he is that prophet with no miracles (except the Quran??) to verify his claims. The Prophets foretold that God’s great prophet to the Gentiles would be a descendent of David (Isa 11:1-5, 10), Mohammed did not descend from David, but Jesus did. Jesus promised His disciples that He would send a Comforter to guide them into all truth, the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-18), Muslims believe Mohammed is the promised comforter. To put it simply, just about every significant Bible truth concerning Jesus being the one sent from God to bring salvation is ignored and changed to refer to Mohammed. Finally, Mohammed’s teaching concerning Jesus proves conclusively that Islam is not from God and gives no hope of salvation from sin.
Mohammed completely rejects the Bible statements that Jesus pre-existed as the Son of God. To associate Jesus in anyway as being divine or anything more than just a man is considered “shirk” or idolatry and is punishable by death. Strangely, Mohammed accepted the virgin birth of Jesus, but states that he was only another messenger, an ordinary created man. Space does not permit an adequate quotations of all the Bible verses which assign divinity and uniqueness to Jesus as the Son of God. Let us settle this dispute with the Words of Jesus Himself when He said.
" Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you....Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him." (John 14:1-2: John 14:6-7)
Besides denying the Sonship of Jesus and the hundreds of prophecies He fulfilled while on earth, Mohammed also denies the fact that Jesus even died on the cross. Mohammed says that Allah would never allow one of his messengers to suffer or die at the hands of unbelievers (What about the prophets Mohammed says the Jews killed? S2:61). The Quran states that Jesus only appeared to die. Muslim sacred writings (Hadiths), claim to tell the story as it really happened. They teach that when Judas came to betray Jesus, God miraculously switched the faces of Jesus and Judas and Judas was then crucified as a punishment for betraying a messenger of Allah. After Judas was dead, Jesus made a pilgrimage to Mecca and then ascended up into heaven without ever dying. This false rewriting of the Gospel message most likely originated from a false epistle which was rejected by the early church, but found to be valuable to the Muslim way of thinking.
How could a religion contradict and oppose Christianity any more than this. The Bible promised a suffering servant who would bear the sins of the world.
" He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isa 53:3-6)
The Bible says that the Gospel is the Good News of the Death, Burial and resurrection of Christ according to the scriptures.
" Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:" (1 Cor 15:1-4)Where Is The Good News??
According to Islam, a dead man in a grave in Mecca is the ultimate good news and the leader of faith for mankind. Islam promises salvation to all who practice the five pillars of Islam: First you must say that there is one god and Allah is his name and Mohammed is his prophet. This makes you a Muslim. Then you must pray (according to regulations) five times a day facing Mecca. You must pay your poor tax. You must fast during the daylight hours in the month of Ramadan and at some point in your life you must visit the holy city of Mecca (unless you have a good excuse).
According to the Bible, the Gospel is the good news of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Through faith in Christ all people have the opportunity to overcome sin and death through His blood. As the scriptures teach, salvation is offered by the Grace of God to all who will hear the Gospel of Christ, believe in Jesus and be baptized for the remission of their sins (Mark 16:15,16; Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16).
There are no real legitimate similarities or significant common beliefs between Christianity and Islam, except they believe they must spread their religion to the whole world. Allah and the Yahweh (Jehovah) of the Bible are not the same Gods. Mohammed is not the promised Seed or Savior of the nations. Jesus, not Mohammed must be confessed as Lord in order to submit to the will of God. Accord to the scriptures, Jesus is the world’s only hope of salvation.
" Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:10-12)
There is no middle ground or room for compromise. Like the Jews, Muslims have rejected Jesus as God’s only foundation for salvation and the only way of being prepared to meet God in he judgment. Either the God of the Bible is God and Jesus is His Son and our Savior or Allah is God and Mohammed is His True prophet. The two are not compatible or even similar.Contest of the Gods:
In I Kings 18, the prophet Elijah challenged four hundred prophets of Baal (ancient version of Allah) to a contest. Before the contest, he ask the hoodwinked and ignorant Israelites of his time who they would follow. They would not answer or give their decision. During the contest Elijah’s God demonstrated indisputable evidence that He was the true God and Baal was just the product of human imagination. Upon seeing the evidence, the people immediately submitted themselves to the true God of the Bible.
Any honest soul who compares the evidence for Islam to the evidence for Christianity will be compelled to make the same decision. Of course, evidence is of little importance to someone who really wants to believe something else. But, those who have a desire for the truth will submit to the God of the Bible and His Son Jesus Christ, Not to Allah and Mohammed. R. Johnson
Interesting “Facts?” in the Quran:
*Noah’s wife and one of his sons was drowned in the flood (S11:42,43)
*A Muslim is to keep their promises and oaths (S23:1,8, Al Quran 5:1; 6:58) unless of course they enter into them thoughtlessly (S46:2; 2:224,225).
*God held Mount Sinai over the heads of the Israelites to scare them into obedience (S7:171; 2:63).
*God turned some of the Israelites into apes and pigs because of their disobedience ((S5:60; 2:65; 7:166).
*God killed thousands of Israelites and raised them from the dead in Moses time (S2:55,56).
*Men are the managers of the affairs of their wives and permitted to beat them if they are rebellious to their husbands (S4:34).
*Abraham was a Muslim (S3:67).
*Jesus will burn in hell because Mohammed said that all who are worshipped besides Allah and those who do the worshipping will be together in hell (S21:98).
Interesting “Facts?” in the Hadith, believed to be further words of Mohammed:
*The majority of the inhabitants of hell are ungrateful women (Burkhari Vol 1, no. 28).
“ O women! Give alms, as I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of Hell-fire were you women...I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you.” (Burkhari Vol. 1, n. 301).
The Prophet then said...”I also saw the Hell-fire and I had never seen such a horrible sight. I saw that most of the inhabitants were women.” (Burkhari Vol. II, no. 161).
America Beware: Islam Thrives Because of Ignorance
You may have heard of the laws in some Islam countries which forbid contact with the Western world. Their leaders claim that this is to protect the people from the immoral influences of the “Great Satan.” We could not argue the presence of ungodliness in our country. But, it is not immorality that poses the greatest threat to the Muslim religion. It is knowledge of the Bible which poses the greatest threat to their faith. That is why it is against the law for Christian missionaries to teach the people about Christ or to distribute Bibles in Muslim nations. It is against the law for Muslims to receive radio or television broadcasts teaching Christianity and the God of the Bible. It is forbidden to question the authority of Mohammed or the Quran. Mohammed said, “O you who believe! do not put questions about things which if declared to you may trouble you...a people before you indeed asked such questions, and then became disbelievers on account of them.”(S5:101, 102). Islam is not a religion of tolerance by any stretch of the imagination. Consider the words of one former Muslim:
“ I was taught that Islam was the final religion, which canceled Judaism and Christianity, and that Christians worship three gods. I was taught also that Christians had corrupted the "original" Bible, which -- supposedly -- once contained references to the prophet of Islam. Islam also denies the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But there was never any serious attempt to explain the ground of such claims.
When I reached my teens the desire to know which religion is true grew in me. Because questioning Islam is not tolerated in a Muslim nation, my questions and investigations became rather on a private basis. But later many found out about my curiosity. They threw harsh accusations at me: I was called "mentally unstable" and "idiot". Still others claimed that I was under the influence of an anti-Islam organization. Muslims made my life so intolerable that I wished to die. All I wanted to know is the truth.” (from the Internet).
Muslim nations oppress their people and forbid the free exchange of information, not to mention free speech. No wonder America is perceived as such a threat. I wonder, if Islamic rule is to be such a blessing to the world, why have so many Muslims moved to America? I pray that they will someday find out what Jesus meant when He said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32).
If the people of America do not increase their knowledge and understanding of the Word of God contained in the Bible, our nation could easily be converted to Islam at some time in the future. Ignorance of God’s Word is rampant in America, even among very religious people. Add to this a general distaste for the widespread division and hypocrisy among the ranks of professing “Christians” and the stage is set for the deception of the masses. We must take seriously the Apostle Paul’s exhortation to "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Tim 2:15). EditorHome Page / What Is The Church of Christ / Free Bible Studies / Locate Us / Life Resources Publication / Sermons & Articles / How To Be Saved: God’s Terms / Bible Questions & Answers / Helpful Links / Tarentum Report / Events
