Part 6 of Islam
Is Allah, the stone idol, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Just because Muhammad said so doesn't make it so! Allah chose Hagar and her son Ishmael for his covenant. The God of the Bible chose Abraham's other son, Isaac, as heir to His covenant.
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Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!" Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year." When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him (Genesis 17:18-22).
Allah is an unknowable being, impossible to approach or comprehend. The chief lack in the Islamic doctrine of God is that of love. The orthodox Muslim cannot say that God is love. The Bible's God befriends people like Abraham (Isaiah 41:8) and talks with them (Genesis 18:22ff). He loved us so much that he sent His only begotten Son to die fur us!
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
Dear Friends, let us lone one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning Sacrifice for our sins (1 John 4:7-10).
Allah is a god you cannot know personally. You know only the laws and commands of God given through the prophets, which you must obey and submit to. When a Muslim prays, he will always pray for mercy because he does not know the grace of God. He does not know that God loves us and has provided a Savior for our sins.
The Bible's God delights to show His boundless mercy. His gospel is the "good news" of grace and forgiveness, and His Kingdom to come! Titus 3:4-7 says:
When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, when he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
Allah requires total obedience to Islam and weighs the works of people. Allah and the Koran relegate Jesus to just the last prophet before Muhammad, below his authority. Jesus was not the Way, and could only point the way to Muhammad.
The Bible's God can only be reached through Jesus Christ, and trusting him is the only way to heaven. Jesus said:
I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).
Allah required the works of Muhammad to complete his words of judgment to man. The God of the Bible sent His Son to accomplish the finished work of grace for man.
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit (John 19:30).
In the light of Allah's actual origin and his radical difference from the God of the Bible, we must conclude that Allah is NOT God, as may Christians think. Allah is the name of a false god who cannot save anyone from anything!
With all of this, I'd like to end the blog…….Quoting Sam Solomon from his book, Challenges from Islam, he says, "Islam poses a huge challenge to the whole world generally and particularly so to the biblical Church… Political Islam, radical Islam, moderate Islam, peaceful Islam, mystical Islam, folk Islam, and many other forms of permutations of Islam-all these titles lead us to the first major error of looking at Islam from non-Islamic filters or glasses, and thus interpreting it and measuring it subjectively. We view Islam in this way to our peril, overlooking the fact that the challenge is not only political or of a terrorist nature. Rather, as Islam advances in our society, it takes on new faces and new challenges not yet in view."
How does Islam view the Christian gospel do you ask? Sam Solomon continues… it is important to understand that many non-biblical philosophies or ideologies tend to use biblical terminologies but mean something very different by each term. Islam is a prime example of that, as almost all of its terminology is borrowed from the Bible-yet its concepts and definitions are fundamentally, dramatically, and totally different.
Many today, even Christians, have the following opinion: "the Qur'an speaks of many Old Testament prophets and Jesus, and it refers favorably to Christians. Furthermore, the two faiths are very similar with similar teaching and only very minor differences."This is a prevalent view, even in evangelical circles.
But is it true?
There are increasing social pressures that urge us to focus exclusively on similarities when assessing different lifestyles and belief systems in our politically correct culture, but such similarity is an illusion at best, especially when it comes to accessing the nature of Islam. A reasonable person knows when they have themselves examined the differences. Therefore, in order to reveal the differences between Islam and Christianity, we must first scrutinize the whole body of thought and faith that is Islam."
Definition of Islam
The popular Western view of the word Islam meaning "peace" is neither accurate nor Qur'anic. Qur'anically speaking, Islam means "submission" or "surrender," but certainly not "peace" by any definition. Sura 49:14 states, "the Bedouins say: 'We believe.' Say: 'You believe not you only say, we have surrendered [in Islam], for Faith has not entered your hearts.'"
Islam cannot be defined as a religion in the Western sense of the word; neither can it be termed as a faith. Muslim scholars state that Islam is an all-encompassing system a socio-political, socio-religious system, as well as socio-economic, socio-educational, legislative, judiciary, and military system govern every aspect of the lives of its adherents, the relationship among themselves, and with those who are non-Muslim.
Islam's constitutional components: the Qur'an and the Sunnah
The constitutional components of Islam, the Qur'an and Sunnah, comprise even today in some Muslim countries (such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the former Taliban regime) the equivalent of the national Constitution and all Muslim majority countries (such as Egypt, Jordan, Malaysia, and Indonesia), family law for Muslim communities is based on Sharia law, which is derived from these constitutional components even with the participation of the US government, the national constitutions of Iraq and Afghanistan are based on these components, in the sense that these constitutions cannot contradict Islamic law. So let's now briefly examined the basic constitutional ingredients of Islam and their makeup: the Qur'an and the Sunnah.
Islam claims the book known as the Qur'an to be the final revelation of Allah to mankind through his last and final messenger Muhammad, the seal of all of the prophets. This revelation was given to Mohammad piecemeal over a period of twenty-three years and the angel Gabriel. These revelations came to Mohammad mostly in the form of dictated citations by Gabriel
A reflection on the author of the corner
unlike the Bible, the Qur'an has no historical authentic document that we can witness to its literary reliability or to its historical authenticity. Its followers claim divine origin from the eternal tablet. They also claim that the Qur'an has come to perfect the Bible by adding to it. Yet the Qur'an's teachings contradict the very biblical teaching it claims to have come to complete. It does not teach anywhere the Ten Commandments, remains inconsistent with its own teaching, and at best portrays a totally different nature.
There is the character of its author: Allah. As described in the Qur'an, Allah is not a covenant-making god, for if he were to do that it would diminish his absolute authority and might find him subject to his creatures due to such a covenant. As portrayed, he is master of deception. He contradicts himself and justifies that by calling it abrogation, meaning the replacement of the earlier revelations with later ones as they were out of date and no longer applicable-all within a period of twenty-three years. Tawhid, the oneness or unity of Allah, is emphasized by repeated denials that Allah has no son, but it is not explained logically or philosophically in the Qur'an. All non-Muslims are Allah's enemies, with specific emphasis on Jews and Christians. He commands the followers of his prophet, whom he calls Muslims, to kill them and regard all non-Muslims as profane. He does not consider the Golden Rule. He never reveals himself, as he is ultra-transcendent and unknowable.
All the terminology in the Qur'an is allegedly "revealed" by Allah, whereby he has broken his treaty with non-Muslims forever and has made the shedding of their blood legitimate. There are no absolutes with him. He has repaired a desired place for those who do his bidding but with no certainty. In this place, they would have their full share of sexual pleasures, including alternative lifestyles and beautiful virgins specifically created for the enjoyment of his slaves, as well as young handsome boys who will remain actually fresh and young, shining like pearls.
In Islam, the highest sacrifice is not that of self-denial for the good of others but of self-sacrifice for the sake of Allah and killing his enemies. The benchmark of true believers is not their ability to love their enemies but how much they can hate them, even if they are their own parents, children, brothers, or Kinsman. Allah declared his enmity with them forever and ever if they resist him and Mohammad, his apostle.
Book of the Qur'an
Having introduced the alleged author of the Qur'an, let us consider the book itself. It is composed of 114 chapters known as Suras. They are not chronologically organized. The Arabic to language is intrinsically part of the revelation. Therefore, all its translations are regarded as commentaries and not text. Strange as it may sound, the Qur'an has no coherent message, lacks clarity, and is historically inaccurate and internally inconsistent.
Apologetically speaking, the Qur'an has serious fear of biblical teachings and so it distorts them through allusions and by falsification of the biblical truths. It's revelation through inspiration and its methodology is shrouded in secrecy. The original version of the Qur'an, having been preserved in the eternal tablet, was brought down to the atmospheric realm of our earth. Muslims believe that the whole of the Qur'an is an inspired word, with no human influence whatsoever. It has never been subjected to the acid tests that the Bible has been.
The Sunnah Muhammad: The Exemplar
Sunnah is an Arabic word that means "to form, to shape, to mold, to set, a path a track."In this case, it means "the example of the Prophet Muhammad," with the intent of establishing a new community and unifying it away from its tribal and ethnic backgrounds.
Mohammad claimed to be the perfect man and the ultimate example. The implication of the Sunnah is that all Muslims are to model their lives on Muhammad's life. Thus, the Qur'an is like a framework, but at least 80 percent of a Muslim's life is shaped by the Sunnah.
Islamic law declares that insulting the Prophet Muhammad is equaling two insulting Allah. Allah and Muhammad are paired throughout the Qur'an. If one believes in Allah without a belief in Muhammad and his status as the final prophet, he or she is regarded as an infidel and an enemy of Islam. Though denied outwardly, this belief is firmly established and central to the very survival of Islam.
Furthermore, according to the most respected scholars of Islam, Muhammad Spirit was created before Allah created Adam, and the Islamic creed is inscribed on the throne of Allah. As taught in the Qur'an, Muhammad was a lawgiver. Hence, regarding any issue in Islam, the only definitive answer in any given category is what did jurisprudence states, based on these twofold foundations, the Qur'an on the Sunnah, and disseminated by the mosque.
Having outlined the basic constitutional components of Islam, we now need to consider a few of its many charges-namely, the theological, political, administrative, and pragmatic challenges.
The theological challenge of Islam
Unlike any other religion or ideology, Islam based its authenticity and legitimacy firmly upon the prior revelations contained in the whole of the Judeo-Christian Scriptures. Let us examine a few of the key Qur'anic declarations as they referred to, and thus draw at authenticity from, the Bible.
Jesus proclaimed the coming of Muhammad
The Qur'an declares that the sole mission of Jesus was to affirm the Torah and proclaimed the coming of Muhammad: "and when Iesa (Jesus), son of Mary, said: 'O children of Israel! I am the messenger of Allah unto you confirming the Tauât (Torah) which came] before me, and getting glad tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmed: but when he [Ahmed i.e. Muhammad] came to them with clear proofs, they said: 'this is plain Magic'" (Sura 61:6).
According to the Qur'an, this above mentioned prophecy by Jesus was one of many within the biblical text that are set to make a clear reference to the coming of Muhammad. And in fact, Muslims say that the whole of Scripture speaks of Muhammad, so that the "Jews and Christians know him well," as referenced in Sura 7:157: "those who follow the messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find mentioned in their own [scriptures],-in the Law and the Gospel."
All Biblical Prophets were Muslims
The Qur'an regards all Biblical Prophets as having been Muslim, because Islam, being the religion of Allah, means that all his prophets are Muslims by definition. Further, the Qur'an states that the Old Testament prophets Paul preached Islam and now there will to Allah in Islam, as in Sura 3:67: "Ibrahim (Abraham) was neither Julie nor Christian, but he was a true Muslim Hanifa and he bowed his will to either in Islam."
One of many other references for this concept is Sura 2:136, in which all the patriarch and Moses are said to have also been Muslims. "We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrahim (Abraham), Ismail (Ishmael), Ishaque (Isaac), Ya'cub (Jacob), and to Al-Asbat [the 12 sons of Ya'cub (Jacob)], and that which has been given to Musa (Moses) and Iesa (Jesus), and that which has been given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam)."
All Mankind Is Created Muslim
Based on this and many other verses, Islam has an even more specific doctrine called fitrah, as referenced in Sura 30:30: "So set you (O Muhammad) your face towards the religion of pure Islamic monotheism Hanifa Allah's Fitrah, with which He has created mankind. No change will there be in Khalq-illah (i.e. the Religion of Allah Islamic Monotheism), that is the straight religion, but most of the men know not." This doctrine teaches that not only were Jesus and the Major Prophets created as Muslims, but that all mankind-without exception-is created Muslim. It is only once parents, community, environment, or other influences that make you one a non-Muslim. As such, people who are of another faith-such as a Christian, Jew, pagan, or other belief system-are in a state of rebellion against Allah.
That is why when non-Muslims convert to Islam, the term reversion is applied rather than conversion because they are "reverting" back to earth status as Muslims therefore, when a Christian or a Jew says the Islamic statement of faith to become a Muslim, they are not "converts"; they are "reverts"-and they are welcomed "home" with great rejoicing by the Muslim community here given assistance, training, community, and they have all of their needs met because they have "returned to the religion of Allah.'
Muhammad Is the Final Prophet
These disputes, counteraccusations, and Islamizing of the biblical prophets and their scriptures and revelations promoted the revelations in Mohammad's defense that he was supremely unique, the final prophet, the only means of salvation, and absolute authority within Islam and thus to all mankind.
Naturally these views were challenged by the Christians and the Jews of Mohammed's day, and these challenges led him to claim that they were both in error and lying. He further accused them of tampering with their own scriptures in order to remove the prophecies that predicted him. These accusations resulted in the Qur'anic doctrine of biblical corruption as explained in more detail in the section on the pragmatic challenge of Islam.
The result of the affirmation doctrine led to the falsification of all Biblical revelations, teachings, values, laws, covenants, doctrines, and thus the rejection of the uniqueness of Christ, his person, and his atoning work. Mohammad then moved onto clear that he represents the perfect model to be followed and imitated by all, calling himself master of the entire human race and claiming to the headship over all the prophets as the only intercessor with Allah.
The political challenges of Islam
The political challenge is traced to its original roots in the evolution of early Islam under the direction and administration of Mohammed. The full implementation of his political program by his followers for the past 1400 years reveals hardly any change in the doctrines of political Islam, as coded in the Qur'an and the Sunnah. Two important doctrines by Mohammad need to be considered in this regard.
The Doctrine of the Universality of Mohammed's Message and Mission
First is the doctrine of Universality of Mohammed's message and mission. Sura 7:158-say O mankind I am an apostle of Allah unto all of you"-means that, since all people need to be brought back to Islam, and Muslims are obligated to implement the school by every means necessary. The resulting political implication divides the world into two territories the land of Islam and the land of war. The land of Islam is to be fully governed by the Islamist state armed with Sharia law, in the land of war is to be subdued by every means necessary.
The Doctrine of Jihad
With the second is the doctrine of Jihad, which evolved to apply to both the land of Islam in the land of war. In the land of Islam, the state is vulnerable to attacks by Islamist enemies and other religious and political groups. Hence, the means of population control and subjugation of opposition needed to be put in place.
In the lead of war, wars were fought by Mohammad and his followers; the so-called enemies of Allah were fought against and we're subdued. Some of the pagans were spared on recertification of the creed that upon acceptance of the political and religious hegemony of Islam, or killed if they fail to do so. Only the Jews and Christians were given the choice to convert (revert) or to live a life of servitude and humiliation under strict Islamic regulations with their religious freedom stifled (Sura 9:29).
I am sad to say that not only were millions and millions of people killed in those early Islamic conquests, but Jihad in real terms has virtually never stopped. Today persecution is rife, and non-Muslims have at best a token of freedom for religious survival with severe penalties if they ever attempt to preach overtly or attempt to convert Muslims.
The Crime of Conversion
Because of this climate of fear regarding the charges for converting Muslims, when I asked one of my Christian friends to get me a copy of the New Testament, there was much hesitancy on his part. He refused at first and required a lot of pushing and pleading before she did it. When I got it, I had to hide it. Finally when I could read it, I had to do so in utter secrecy. This is why when it became known that I had embraced the Christian face, I was arrested and went through a considerably hard time, finally being forced into exile by being deported for my country of birth.
To discard Islam for another faith, or for no faith, is a serious crime the less severe than treason. In some Muslim countries the punishment for embracing Christ is death by public execution. While in other countries it can mean a life of isolation and ostracism, hardship on all fronts, and continuous harassment from the family to the state.
Overall, the supremacy of Islam is prevalent even in the so-called moderate Muslim countries and regions such as Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Turkey, and the Gulf. This magnifies and already difficult task of evangelism among Muslims.
Sadly, even in the Western world comparatively few Christians are engaged in evangelizing Muslim friends. This may be due to fear or lack of knowledge regarding how to go about it. And when they do, they are at a loss because the lines of distinction are blurred with seeming similarities. Yet the Christian faith in Islam are as far away from each other as the east is from the west.
The administrative challenges of Islam.
Mohammed stated that Islam is a religion and a state, and he intertwined both, making them inseparable. Mohammed himself claimed authority from top to bottom in the budding Islamic entity, including prophetic office, supreme legislator, judge, commander-in-chief of the armies, and finally as head of the Muslim community. It established the state, sent armies, conquered his enemies, and collected taxes. He regulated the conduct of his followers by legislating their behaviors in almost every aspect of their public and private lives-both in relationship to one another and in relation to non-Muslims. So as stated before, Islam is neither a religion in the Western sense of the word, nor is it a faith; it is an all-encompassing system.
The Islamic view of life and religion
When considering the many comprehensiveness of the Islamic system, we must note that the relationship between life and religion in a Muslim society is foundationally different from that of other societies. In non-Muslim societies, there is a lot more to life than just religion. Furthermore, the freedom to choose one's religion is in principle a personal matter, respected by others, and protected by law.
In Islam, the very idea of a "choice" is not only an anathema but is also regarded as an anti-Islamic concept. Freedom of choice does not exist in Islam; neither is religion a private or personal matter. All decisions have already been made by Allah and his prophet Mohammed, so Muslims have no choice but to follow these divine regulations, as we see prescribed in Sura 33:36: "it is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever does obeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed in a plain error."
…[explanation of a picture that I can't copy very well]…
In Islam, life and religion are so deeply intertwined and inseparable that if a Muslim discards his religion for another, it is regarded as the highest treason and punishable by death in Islamic law. This is the driving principle behind what I have termed the administrative challenge: the ability to control the Islamic population within the Islamic state and to prevent Muslims from being liberated from the resulting physical and spiritual oppression.
The myth of "no compulsion in religion"
When engaging Muslims and religious discussion, one usually hears that Islam is a religion of peace and there is "no compulsion in religion."This phrase, often quoted by Muslims when freedom of religion is discussed, is a convenient phrase but not the final word in the Qur'an by any means. The phrase "no compulsion in religion" comes from Sura 2:256, which gives the impression of complete freedom of choice for individuals within an Islamic state or community. Note that "no compulsion" in religion is even at first glance a negative form of freedom, meaning at its best that it tolerates but does not grant the right of freedom for an individual to choose his or her own religion.
If "no compulsion in religion" were to be practiced, then the preaching of the Gospel would not be criminalized in Islamic states. Yet people are regularly deported from Islamic countries for giving a Bible to a Muslim, for discussing Christianity within individuals, or in some cases even possessing a Bible of their own.
Even if one were to make a simple statement with no intention to offend, such as "Mohammed the Prophet of Islam was not holy" or "Islam is not the final religion," that would be regarded as blasphemous almost everywhere in the Islamic world. In Pakistan, for instance, one would be charged with blasphemy under Pakistan's Penal Code of 295A, B, and C with the penalty varying from minimum 10 years to life imprisonment, or even a death sentence.
If the "no compulsion in religion" of Sura 2:256 were to be practiced, then why does the Saudi penal code prescribe a death penalty to any Muslim within Saudi Arabia were he should change his religion? Almost anywhere in the Islamic world, a public statement of a Muslims conversion or discarding of Islam bears a heavy penalty of isolation, official persecution, imprisonment, and even death. As discussed elsewhere in this chapter, since conversion to a religion other than Islam is considered treason against the Islamic state, the execution is often done in public.
Consequently, depending on the "no compulsion" reference is wishful thinking at best and is in reality a moot point. This is because Sura 2:256, along with other similar versus Mohammed stated earlier in his preaching that proclaimed flexibility, has been abrogated and replaced by later revelations, according to Islamic jurisprudence and revered Qur'anic expositors. This replacement became termed in the Qur'an as a doctrine of abrogation. The definitive references are Sura 16:101 and Sura 2:106:
And when We change a Verse [of the Qur'an, i.e. cancel (abrogate) it's order] in place of another, and Allah knows the best of what he sends down, they (the disbelievers) say: "You (O Muhammad) are but a Muftari! (forger, liar)." Nay, but most of them know not.
Whatever a Verse (revelation) do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring a better one are similar to it. Know you not that Allah is able to do all things?
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Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!" Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year." When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him (Genesis 17:18-22).
Allah is an unknowable being, impossible to approach or comprehend. The chief lack in the Islamic doctrine of God is that of love. The orthodox Muslim cannot say that God is love. The Bible's God befriends people like Abraham (Isaiah 41:8) and talks with them (Genesis 18:22ff). He loved us so much that he sent His only begotten Son to die fur us!
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
Dear Friends, let us lone one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning Sacrifice for our sins (1 John 4:7-10).
Allah is a god you cannot know personally. You know only the laws and commands of God given through the prophets, which you must obey and submit to. When a Muslim prays, he will always pray for mercy because he does not know the grace of God. He does not know that God loves us and has provided a Savior for our sins.
The Bible's God delights to show His boundless mercy. His gospel is the "good news" of grace and forgiveness, and His Kingdom to come! Titus 3:4-7 says:
When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, when he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
Allah requires total obedience to Islam and weighs the works of people. Allah and the Koran relegate Jesus to just the last prophet before Muhammad, below his authority. Jesus was not the Way, and could only point the way to Muhammad.
The Bible's God can only be reached through Jesus Christ, and trusting him is the only way to heaven. Jesus said:
I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).
Allah required the works of Muhammad to complete his words of judgment to man. The God of the Bible sent His Son to accomplish the finished work of grace for man.
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit (John 19:30).
In the light of Allah's actual origin and his radical difference from the God of the Bible, we must conclude that Allah is NOT God, as may Christians think. Allah is the name of a false god who cannot save anyone from anything!
With all of this, I'd like to end the blog…….Quoting Sam Solomon from his book, Challenges from Islam, he says, "Islam poses a huge challenge to the whole world generally and particularly so to the biblical Church… Political Islam, radical Islam, moderate Islam, peaceful Islam, mystical Islam, folk Islam, and many other forms of permutations of Islam-all these titles lead us to the first major error of looking at Islam from non-Islamic filters or glasses, and thus interpreting it and measuring it subjectively. We view Islam in this way to our peril, overlooking the fact that the challenge is not only political or of a terrorist nature. Rather, as Islam advances in our society, it takes on new faces and new challenges not yet in view."
How does Islam view the Christian gospel do you ask? Sam Solomon continues… it is important to understand that many non-biblical philosophies or ideologies tend to use biblical terminologies but mean something very different by each term. Islam is a prime example of that, as almost all of its terminology is borrowed from the Bible-yet its concepts and definitions are fundamentally, dramatically, and totally different.
Many today, even Christians, have the following opinion: "the Qur'an speaks of many Old Testament prophets and Jesus, and it refers favorably to Christians. Furthermore, the two faiths are very similar with similar teaching and only very minor differences."This is a prevalent view, even in evangelical circles.
But is it true?
There are increasing social pressures that urge us to focus exclusively on similarities when assessing different lifestyles and belief systems in our politically correct culture, but such similarity is an illusion at best, especially when it comes to accessing the nature of Islam. A reasonable person knows when they have themselves examined the differences. Therefore, in order to reveal the differences between Islam and Christianity, we must first scrutinize the whole body of thought and faith that is Islam."
Definition of Islam
The popular Western view of the word Islam meaning "peace" is neither accurate nor Qur'anic. Qur'anically speaking, Islam means "submission" or "surrender," but certainly not "peace" by any definition. Sura 49:14 states, "the Bedouins say: 'We believe.' Say: 'You believe not you only say, we have surrendered [in Islam], for Faith has not entered your hearts.'"
Islam cannot be defined as a religion in the Western sense of the word; neither can it be termed as a faith. Muslim scholars state that Islam is an all-encompassing system a socio-political, socio-religious system, as well as socio-economic, socio-educational, legislative, judiciary, and military system govern every aspect of the lives of its adherents, the relationship among themselves, and with those who are non-Muslim.
Islam's constitutional components: the Qur'an and the Sunnah
The constitutional components of Islam, the Qur'an and Sunnah, comprise even today in some Muslim countries (such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the former Taliban regime) the equivalent of the national Constitution and all Muslim majority countries (such as Egypt, Jordan, Malaysia, and Indonesia), family law for Muslim communities is based on Sharia law, which is derived from these constitutional components even with the participation of the US government, the national constitutions of Iraq and Afghanistan are based on these components, in the sense that these constitutions cannot contradict Islamic law. So let's now briefly examined the basic constitutional ingredients of Islam and their makeup: the Qur'an and the Sunnah.
Islam claims the book known as the Qur'an to be the final revelation of Allah to mankind through his last and final messenger Muhammad, the seal of all of the prophets. This revelation was given to Mohammad piecemeal over a period of twenty-three years and the angel Gabriel. These revelations came to Mohammad mostly in the form of dictated citations by Gabriel
A reflection on the author of the corner
unlike the Bible, the Qur'an has no historical authentic document that we can witness to its literary reliability or to its historical authenticity. Its followers claim divine origin from the eternal tablet. They also claim that the Qur'an has come to perfect the Bible by adding to it. Yet the Qur'an's teachings contradict the very biblical teaching it claims to have come to complete. It does not teach anywhere the Ten Commandments, remains inconsistent with its own teaching, and at best portrays a totally different nature.
There is the character of its author: Allah. As described in the Qur'an, Allah is not a covenant-making god, for if he were to do that it would diminish his absolute authority and might find him subject to his creatures due to such a covenant. As portrayed, he is master of deception. He contradicts himself and justifies that by calling it abrogation, meaning the replacement of the earlier revelations with later ones as they were out of date and no longer applicable-all within a period of twenty-three years. Tawhid, the oneness or unity of Allah, is emphasized by repeated denials that Allah has no son, but it is not explained logically or philosophically in the Qur'an. All non-Muslims are Allah's enemies, with specific emphasis on Jews and Christians. He commands the followers of his prophet, whom he calls Muslims, to kill them and regard all non-Muslims as profane. He does not consider the Golden Rule. He never reveals himself, as he is ultra-transcendent and unknowable.
All the terminology in the Qur'an is allegedly "revealed" by Allah, whereby he has broken his treaty with non-Muslims forever and has made the shedding of their blood legitimate. There are no absolutes with him. He has repaired a desired place for those who do his bidding but with no certainty. In this place, they would have their full share of sexual pleasures, including alternative lifestyles and beautiful virgins specifically created for the enjoyment of his slaves, as well as young handsome boys who will remain actually fresh and young, shining like pearls.
In Islam, the highest sacrifice is not that of self-denial for the good of others but of self-sacrifice for the sake of Allah and killing his enemies. The benchmark of true believers is not their ability to love their enemies but how much they can hate them, even if they are their own parents, children, brothers, or Kinsman. Allah declared his enmity with them forever and ever if they resist him and Mohammad, his apostle.
Book of the Qur'an
Having introduced the alleged author of the Qur'an, let us consider the book itself. It is composed of 114 chapters known as Suras. They are not chronologically organized. The Arabic to language is intrinsically part of the revelation. Therefore, all its translations are regarded as commentaries and not text. Strange as it may sound, the Qur'an has no coherent message, lacks clarity, and is historically inaccurate and internally inconsistent.
Apologetically speaking, the Qur'an has serious fear of biblical teachings and so it distorts them through allusions and by falsification of the biblical truths. It's revelation through inspiration and its methodology is shrouded in secrecy. The original version of the Qur'an, having been preserved in the eternal tablet, was brought down to the atmospheric realm of our earth. Muslims believe that the whole of the Qur'an is an inspired word, with no human influence whatsoever. It has never been subjected to the acid tests that the Bible has been.
The Sunnah Muhammad: The Exemplar
Sunnah is an Arabic word that means "to form, to shape, to mold, to set, a path a track."In this case, it means "the example of the Prophet Muhammad," with the intent of establishing a new community and unifying it away from its tribal and ethnic backgrounds.
Mohammad claimed to be the perfect man and the ultimate example. The implication of the Sunnah is that all Muslims are to model their lives on Muhammad's life. Thus, the Qur'an is like a framework, but at least 80 percent of a Muslim's life is shaped by the Sunnah.
Islamic law declares that insulting the Prophet Muhammad is equaling two insulting Allah. Allah and Muhammad are paired throughout the Qur'an. If one believes in Allah without a belief in Muhammad and his status as the final prophet, he or she is regarded as an infidel and an enemy of Islam. Though denied outwardly, this belief is firmly established and central to the very survival of Islam.
Furthermore, according to the most respected scholars of Islam, Muhammad Spirit was created before Allah created Adam, and the Islamic creed is inscribed on the throne of Allah. As taught in the Qur'an, Muhammad was a lawgiver. Hence, regarding any issue in Islam, the only definitive answer in any given category is what did jurisprudence states, based on these twofold foundations, the Qur'an on the Sunnah, and disseminated by the mosque.
Having outlined the basic constitutional components of Islam, we now need to consider a few of its many charges-namely, the theological, political, administrative, and pragmatic challenges.
The theological challenge of Islam
Unlike any other religion or ideology, Islam based its authenticity and legitimacy firmly upon the prior revelations contained in the whole of the Judeo-Christian Scriptures. Let us examine a few of the key Qur'anic declarations as they referred to, and thus draw at authenticity from, the Bible.
Jesus proclaimed the coming of Muhammad
The Qur'an declares that the sole mission of Jesus was to affirm the Torah and proclaimed the coming of Muhammad: "and when Iesa (Jesus), son of Mary, said: 'O children of Israel! I am the messenger of Allah unto you confirming the Tauât (Torah) which came] before me, and getting glad tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmed: but when he [Ahmed i.e. Muhammad] came to them with clear proofs, they said: 'this is plain Magic'" (Sura 61:6).
According to the Qur'an, this above mentioned prophecy by Jesus was one of many within the biblical text that are set to make a clear reference to the coming of Muhammad. And in fact, Muslims say that the whole of Scripture speaks of Muhammad, so that the "Jews and Christians know him well," as referenced in Sura 7:157: "those who follow the messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find mentioned in their own [scriptures],-in the Law and the Gospel."
All Biblical Prophets were Muslims
The Qur'an regards all Biblical Prophets as having been Muslim, because Islam, being the religion of Allah, means that all his prophets are Muslims by definition. Further, the Qur'an states that the Old Testament prophets Paul preached Islam and now there will to Allah in Islam, as in Sura 3:67: "Ibrahim (Abraham) was neither Julie nor Christian, but he was a true Muslim Hanifa and he bowed his will to either in Islam."
One of many other references for this concept is Sura 2:136, in which all the patriarch and Moses are said to have also been Muslims. "We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrahim (Abraham), Ismail (Ishmael), Ishaque (Isaac), Ya'cub (Jacob), and to Al-Asbat [the 12 sons of Ya'cub (Jacob)], and that which has been given to Musa (Moses) and Iesa (Jesus), and that which has been given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam)."
All Mankind Is Created Muslim
Based on this and many other verses, Islam has an even more specific doctrine called fitrah, as referenced in Sura 30:30: "So set you (O Muhammad) your face towards the religion of pure Islamic monotheism Hanifa Allah's Fitrah, with which He has created mankind. No change will there be in Khalq-illah (i.e. the Religion of Allah Islamic Monotheism), that is the straight religion, but most of the men know not." This doctrine teaches that not only were Jesus and the Major Prophets created as Muslims, but that all mankind-without exception-is created Muslim. It is only once parents, community, environment, or other influences that make you one a non-Muslim. As such, people who are of another faith-such as a Christian, Jew, pagan, or other belief system-are in a state of rebellion against Allah.
That is why when non-Muslims convert to Islam, the term reversion is applied rather than conversion because they are "reverting" back to earth status as Muslims therefore, when a Christian or a Jew says the Islamic statement of faith to become a Muslim, they are not "converts"; they are "reverts"-and they are welcomed "home" with great rejoicing by the Muslim community here given assistance, training, community, and they have all of their needs met because they have "returned to the religion of Allah.'
Muhammad Is the Final Prophet
These disputes, counteraccusations, and Islamizing of the biblical prophets and their scriptures and revelations promoted the revelations in Mohammad's defense that he was supremely unique, the final prophet, the only means of salvation, and absolute authority within Islam and thus to all mankind.
Naturally these views were challenged by the Christians and the Jews of Mohammed's day, and these challenges led him to claim that they were both in error and lying. He further accused them of tampering with their own scriptures in order to remove the prophecies that predicted him. These accusations resulted in the Qur'anic doctrine of biblical corruption as explained in more detail in the section on the pragmatic challenge of Islam.
The result of the affirmation doctrine led to the falsification of all Biblical revelations, teachings, values, laws, covenants, doctrines, and thus the rejection of the uniqueness of Christ, his person, and his atoning work. Mohammad then moved onto clear that he represents the perfect model to be followed and imitated by all, calling himself master of the entire human race and claiming to the headship over all the prophets as the only intercessor with Allah.
The political challenges of Islam
The political challenge is traced to its original roots in the evolution of early Islam under the direction and administration of Mohammed. The full implementation of his political program by his followers for the past 1400 years reveals hardly any change in the doctrines of political Islam, as coded in the Qur'an and the Sunnah. Two important doctrines by Mohammad need to be considered in this regard.
The Doctrine of the Universality of Mohammed's Message and Mission
First is the doctrine of Universality of Mohammed's message and mission. Sura 7:158-say O mankind I am an apostle of Allah unto all of you"-means that, since all people need to be brought back to Islam, and Muslims are obligated to implement the school by every means necessary. The resulting political implication divides the world into two territories the land of Islam and the land of war. The land of Islam is to be fully governed by the Islamist state armed with Sharia law, in the land of war is to be subdued by every means necessary.
The Doctrine of Jihad
With the second is the doctrine of Jihad, which evolved to apply to both the land of Islam in the land of war. In the land of Islam, the state is vulnerable to attacks by Islamist enemies and other religious and political groups. Hence, the means of population control and subjugation of opposition needed to be put in place.
In the lead of war, wars were fought by Mohammad and his followers; the so-called enemies of Allah were fought against and we're subdued. Some of the pagans were spared on recertification of the creed that upon acceptance of the political and religious hegemony of Islam, or killed if they fail to do so. Only the Jews and Christians were given the choice to convert (revert) or to live a life of servitude and humiliation under strict Islamic regulations with their religious freedom stifled (Sura 9:29).
I am sad to say that not only were millions and millions of people killed in those early Islamic conquests, but Jihad in real terms has virtually never stopped. Today persecution is rife, and non-Muslims have at best a token of freedom for religious survival with severe penalties if they ever attempt to preach overtly or attempt to convert Muslims.
The Crime of Conversion
Because of this climate of fear regarding the charges for converting Muslims, when I asked one of my Christian friends to get me a copy of the New Testament, there was much hesitancy on his part. He refused at first and required a lot of pushing and pleading before she did it. When I got it, I had to hide it. Finally when I could read it, I had to do so in utter secrecy. This is why when it became known that I had embraced the Christian face, I was arrested and went through a considerably hard time, finally being forced into exile by being deported for my country of birth.
To discard Islam for another faith, or for no faith, is a serious crime the less severe than treason. In some Muslim countries the punishment for embracing Christ is death by public execution. While in other countries it can mean a life of isolation and ostracism, hardship on all fronts, and continuous harassment from the family to the state.
Overall, the supremacy of Islam is prevalent even in the so-called moderate Muslim countries and regions such as Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Turkey, and the Gulf. This magnifies and already difficult task of evangelism among Muslims.
Sadly, even in the Western world comparatively few Christians are engaged in evangelizing Muslim friends. This may be due to fear or lack of knowledge regarding how to go about it. And when they do, they are at a loss because the lines of distinction are blurred with seeming similarities. Yet the Christian faith in Islam are as far away from each other as the east is from the west.
The administrative challenges of Islam.
Mohammed stated that Islam is a religion and a state, and he intertwined both, making them inseparable. Mohammed himself claimed authority from top to bottom in the budding Islamic entity, including prophetic office, supreme legislator, judge, commander-in-chief of the armies, and finally as head of the Muslim community. It established the state, sent armies, conquered his enemies, and collected taxes. He regulated the conduct of his followers by legislating their behaviors in almost every aspect of their public and private lives-both in relationship to one another and in relation to non-Muslims. So as stated before, Islam is neither a religion in the Western sense of the word, nor is it a faith; it is an all-encompassing system.
The Islamic view of life and religion
When considering the many comprehensiveness of the Islamic system, we must note that the relationship between life and religion in a Muslim society is foundationally different from that of other societies. In non-Muslim societies, there is a lot more to life than just religion. Furthermore, the freedom to choose one's religion is in principle a personal matter, respected by others, and protected by law.
In Islam, the very idea of a "choice" is not only an anathema but is also regarded as an anti-Islamic concept. Freedom of choice does not exist in Islam; neither is religion a private or personal matter. All decisions have already been made by Allah and his prophet Mohammed, so Muslims have no choice but to follow these divine regulations, as we see prescribed in Sura 33:36: "it is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever does obeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed in a plain error."
…[explanation of a picture that I can't copy very well]…
In Islam, life and religion are so deeply intertwined and inseparable that if a Muslim discards his religion for another, it is regarded as the highest treason and punishable by death in Islamic law. This is the driving principle behind what I have termed the administrative challenge: the ability to control the Islamic population within the Islamic state and to prevent Muslims from being liberated from the resulting physical and spiritual oppression.
The myth of "no compulsion in religion"
When engaging Muslims and religious discussion, one usually hears that Islam is a religion of peace and there is "no compulsion in religion."This phrase, often quoted by Muslims when freedom of religion is discussed, is a convenient phrase but not the final word in the Qur'an by any means. The phrase "no compulsion in religion" comes from Sura 2:256, which gives the impression of complete freedom of choice for individuals within an Islamic state or community. Note that "no compulsion" in religion is even at first glance a negative form of freedom, meaning at its best that it tolerates but does not grant the right of freedom for an individual to choose his or her own religion.
If "no compulsion in religion" were to be practiced, then the preaching of the Gospel would not be criminalized in Islamic states. Yet people are regularly deported from Islamic countries for giving a Bible to a Muslim, for discussing Christianity within individuals, or in some cases even possessing a Bible of their own.
Even if one were to make a simple statement with no intention to offend, such as "Mohammed the Prophet of Islam was not holy" or "Islam is not the final religion," that would be regarded as blasphemous almost everywhere in the Islamic world. In Pakistan, for instance, one would be charged with blasphemy under Pakistan's Penal Code of 295A, B, and C with the penalty varying from minimum 10 years to life imprisonment, or even a death sentence.
If the "no compulsion in religion" of Sura 2:256 were to be practiced, then why does the Saudi penal code prescribe a death penalty to any Muslim within Saudi Arabia were he should change his religion? Almost anywhere in the Islamic world, a public statement of a Muslims conversion or discarding of Islam bears a heavy penalty of isolation, official persecution, imprisonment, and even death. As discussed elsewhere in this chapter, since conversion to a religion other than Islam is considered treason against the Islamic state, the execution is often done in public.
Consequently, depending on the "no compulsion" reference is wishful thinking at best and is in reality a moot point. This is because Sura 2:256, along with other similar versus Mohammed stated earlier in his preaching that proclaimed flexibility, has been abrogated and replaced by later revelations, according to Islamic jurisprudence and revered Qur'anic expositors. This replacement became termed in the Qur'an as a doctrine of abrogation. The definitive references are Sura 16:101 and Sura 2:106:
And when We change a Verse [of the Qur'an, i.e. cancel (abrogate) it's order] in place of another, and Allah knows the best of what he sends down, they (the disbelievers) say: "You (O Muhammad) are but a Muftari! (forger, liar)." Nay, but most of them know not.
Whatever a Verse (revelation) do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring a better one are similar to it. Know you not that Allah is able to do all things?
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