Perhaps after 500-600 years of Christianity a man was born who later realized himself as a last and greatest prophet. receiving new revelation from so-called angel Gabriel (Surah 2:97), he then began his new revolution speaking about one God but denying Jesus' divinity and crucifixion, led forward his new religious movement which today has successfully been second largest religion in this world which is often called as religion of peace and submission. It is Islam. It might sound striking to hear but Islam in many ways have taken a rival relationship to Christianity since history because of its conflicting religious beliefs. Islam is, at best, a perversion of Christian theology that eventually developed into its own religion. At worst, it is a completely new religion begun by Muhammad, which merely copied certain material from Christianity and Judaism. Islam is hence a perversion of Christian theology as it uses Christian ideas and terms but redefines them and forms a different new religion which is exactly what a heretic group does!
What this new revelation did?
a) Replacing Isaac with Ishmael, it claimed Abraham was about to kill Ishmael and not Isaac.
b) Replacing the Grace with laws, it removed any chance of salvation through Jesus.
c) Replacing the Bible with Quran, it labeled Bible as corrupted but the Quran as the final and pure form of revelation.
d) Replacing the sufficiency of Jesus with Muhammad as final greatest prophet, it raised a false prophet who struggles to deny Jesus' divinity.
e) Replacing the Trinity with Tawhid, it laid down its arguments in favour of unipersonal God rather than tripersonal and accuse Christians of worshipping three gods- Allah, Jesus and Mary
f) Replacing Jesus with Isa, it introduced another Jesus who isn't God but mere prophet!
Since millennium, Islam vs Christianity has been a topic of great concern even for bible colleges. Massive debates has been done between two religions.
Dr. Zakir Naik tactically argues:
1) Jonah was alive for three days and three nights. So, Jesus was too alive as required by the sign. He never died on cross.
(Watch this short video for answer to this objection: https://youtube.com/shorts/OPY7i0tdRDQ?si=WLEvPuG_Hh0BRuyX or a long video: https://youtu.be/48GA4NjXCo0?si=dfSIa0B-f6Kti7Mv)
2) The Bible has tons of sons of God. So what's so unique about Jesus being God's son?
(Watch these videos on what that term means: https://youtube.com/shorts/LnRFgBgD8Mw?si=L3da0__rLU4Bhrje or https://youtu.be/Dq0RLRVMC0w?si=69z_78TEYwy6Zbxv)
3) Muslims are more Christians than Christians themselves and have high respect for Jesus as they follow what he did on earth e.g. circumcision.
(Watch this video on how to answer this objection and satire: https://youtube.com/shorts/jD5FFcmGYOU?si=umRNqzEIaA5O-bfA)
4) There is not a single clear statement where Jesus ever claimed to be God and demanded worship.
(Watch this video for answer: https://youtu.be/yj4n_NLXbhs?si=gQGNyeuFe4kLBACN)
Furthermore, Muslims argue that the Bible has been changed and cannot be trusted. They also argue the Bible has prophecy of Muhammad like in Deut. 18:15-18; Psalms 45:3-5; Song of songs 5:16; John 14:16, etc. They misunderstand terms like Trinity and Son of God. Despite Quran's affirmation of Jesus' miraculous birth and even his great miraculous deeds, Jesus' death, atonement and resurrection are crazy stuffs for them to believe! Muslims claim they believe God of Abraham but their knowledge of God is vast different from what the Bible teaches.
ISLAM: A Great Threat to Christian Beliefs
Founder: Muhammad (full name is Muhammad Ibn Abdullah). He was born in 570 in Mecca which is now located in Saudi Arabia. He got married with a wealthy widow Khadija who was 15 years older than him. At around 35, he began going outside Mecca to Mount Hira (which is now called Mount Jabal Nur) for meditation. He used to go in a cave there where he claimed he received revelations from angel Gabriel. However, the encounter with the angel was disturbing (Surah 81:19-29). The angel commanded him to recite and that became the Quran which means recitation (96:1-19). This complete recitation which Muhammad received over a 23-year period, ending in 632, the year of his death, is known as the Qur’an. It is about the size of our New Testament. Initially, he highly doubted this unusual and terrifying experience but only supported by his wife and her cousin Waraquh as a calling from God to be a prophet like Moses. Unfortunately, the cousin was a Christian who deliberately suggested Muhammad to be a prophet. This led to rise of Islam. Muhammad called the people of his area to repent from their idol worship, to do good, and to serve the one and true God, Allah. He first thought that he was preaching the same message as believed by Jews and Christians. He had a deep respect for them. He used to call them 'poeples of book'. He believed they will be saved in the judgment day. However, the relationship with them grew cold when he said Jesus as a prophet which offended Jews. They rejected his teachings as he was not honest with Old Testament but Muhammad rather accused them of corrupting their own scriptures. Once a Jew gave him a poisonous meat to eat, thus affecting his life. This created more rivalry between Jews and his followers.
Quran: It is divided into 114 chapters called Surahs. The word surah means “row.” Today the Koran is arranged with the longer Surahs first and the shorter ones after–with the whole thing divided into 30 approximately equal lengths. Its contents are not according to flow of time. Point to note, in the Quran, there is nothing that deals with Hinduism or Buddhism. It’s Christianity that influenced Muhammad and it seems that he took many ideas from Christianity and altered them. the Quran says that if there is any discrepancy within its pages, it’s not from God (Quran 4:82). It says that it is from a tablet that is preserved ‘in heaven’ (Quran 85:21-23), that nothing has been omitted from it (Quran 6:38), and that it has been guarded against corruption (Quran 15:9).
Teachings of Islam:
1) God is one person: tawhid (Surah 5:73; 112:1-4)
2) Muhammad is the final and greatest prophet
3) 5 pillars are Central to Islam:
i) Shahada-Islamic proclamation that “There is no true God except Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”
ii) Salat - Its prayer. Prayer involves confession of sins, which begins with the purification of the body and ends with the purification of the soul. Prayer is performed five times a day. The first prayer is at dawn and the last is at sunset.
iii) Saum - Its fasting. The month of Ramadan is the month of fasting in Islam. It is an act of worship where the faithful follower denies his own needs and seeks Allah.
iv) Zakat: Its alms giving or charity. It benefits the poor and helps the giver by moving him towards more holiness and submission to Allah. Alms-giving is considered a form of worship to God.
v) Hajj- Its a pilgrimage. This is the pilgrimage to Mecca. All Muslims, if they are able, are to make a pilgrimage to Mecca.
4) Jesus is not God. He never claimed it. (Surah 9:30; 5:17, 75)
5) Jesus would return again to judge those who believe him as God and Savior.
6) He never died on cross. (Surah 4:157)
7) Christians worship three gods. (Quran 5:73)
8) Bible is corrupted.
9) If your good deeds exceed your bad deeds and you believe in Allah and sincerely repent of sins, you may go to heaven (3:135; 7:8-9; 21:47; 49:14; 66:8-9)
10) Jinn are unseen beings, created (51:56) from fire (15:27; 55:15) but are not angels. They have communities. There are good and bad Jinn. The Devil, called Iblis, (2:34) is a bad Jinn
Problems with the Quran:
a) the Quran says to trust the Gospels and the four Gospels contradict the Quran. This means the Quran can’t be true if it says the gospel message is also true. Surah 6:34; 6:115; 18:27; 2:87; 3:3; 4:163; 57:27; 5:47; 5:48; 10:94;
Hence:
None can change Allah’s words (6:34; 6:115; 18:27).
Jesus was given the gospel by Allah (57:27).
The Quran confirms the Gospels (5:48)
The Gospels contradict the Quran
If the Quran is true, Islam is false. If the Quran is false, then Islam is false. Either ways!
b) If the Quran is from the same God as Moses (Quran 5:44), including Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Quran 4:163), then why does it never mention the name of God as revealed to Moses (Exodus 3:14-15) and the prophets?
c) There are many contradictions within the Quran. Here are some:
i) Which was created first, heaven or earth? (Heaven, Quran 79:27-30; Earth, 2:29)
ii) Can Allah have a son? (Yes, Quran 39:4; No 6:101)
iii) What did Allah use to create people? (Congealed blood, Quran 96:1-2; Water, 25:54; Clay 15:26; Dust, 30:20)
iv) Who was the first Muslim? (Abraham Quran 2:132; Jesus’ disciples, 39:52; Moses, 7:143; Muhammad, 39:11-12)
v) Is Heaven for Muslims only or others? (Muslims only, Quran 3:85; Not just Muslims, 2:62)
d) How Quran gets mistaken about Christian theology?
i) Trinity is three gods in Surah 5:73
ii) Mary is the sister of Aaron? Surah 19:27-28
iii) Mary as a part of Trinity in 5:116
iv) Son of God means God had sex with woman? Surah 6:101
v) Jesus is not God in the flesh (Surah 4:172; 5:73; 9:30), whereas in Christianity he is (John 1:1, 14; Col. 2:9).
vi) Holy Spirit is The arch-angel, Gabriel, who delivered the words of the Koran to Muhammad.
vii) Jesus did not die on the cross. Instead, God allowed Judas to look like Jesus, and he was crucified instead. (Surah 4:157)
e) It says God's word cannot be changed in 6:34, 115, and 10:64. It also says books of Moses, Psalms and Gospel were given by God in 2:87, 4:163, 3:3 and 5:46. Yet, Muslims repeatedly claim that the Bible has been corrupted.
f) Sources of the Quran!
i) Surah 2:34 recounts the casting out of Satan from heaven for refusing to bow down to Adam. it can be found in the entirely mythical book, “The Life of Adam and Eve.”
ii) Surah 5:31 reports a story of Cain learning to bury Abel’s body by watching a raven scratch the ground. This story is found in several places in the highly legendary and imaginative Jewish Midrash literature, like Midrash Tanguma
iii) Surah 21 tells a story of Abraham destroying idols in his homeland. He is then cast into a fire by the people but miraculously delivered by God. This story is a Jewish legend recorded in the second-century Midrash Rabbah.
iv) Surah 19:27-34 reports Jesus speaking as a newborn babe. This is rooted in an unbiblical and completely fictional legend that we know existed in Arabic speaking “Christian” communities, as it is written in the apocryphal “Arabic Infancy Gospel.”
v) Surah 3:49 and 5:110 both tell of Jesus making clay birds and bringing them to life. This myth was earlier recorded in the gnostic “Infancy Gospel of Thomas,”
These documents are merely records of the kinds of myths and stories that were being passed around among Jews, Christians, and their heretical offshoots during this period. The author of the Quran did not know the difference between the true and biblical events of history and the mythical tales of later men’s imaginations.
g) The Quran is claimed to have a perfect preservation and yet it undergoes some serious manuscript issues. Uthman (576 – 678 A.D.) is the one who compiled the present Quran and destroyed all the other manuscript evidence, suggests that the variations were so many that he got rid of the evidence of the Quran’s lack of manuscript consistency. But the Sana manuscript is not Uthmanic, and it undoubtedly is one that he did not destroy.
h) Jesus didn't die on cross as mentioned in 4:157. But 3:144 seems to show that Jesus eventually died who was prophet before Muhammad. Also 19:33 talks about Jesus mentioning his death. So, it seems the Quran has internal inconsistency. If the verse has been misunderstood and 4:157 is correct then the only conclusion remains: Allah is a deceiver. He is responsible for Christianity. Next, if Jesus was not crucified but some other person, then where was his dead body?
Jesus in the Quran:
a) Born of a virgin (19:19-21, 21:91)
b) Jesus strengthened with the Holy Spirit (2:87)
c) Jesus was given revelation by Allah (19:30)
d) Jesus taken bodily into Heaven (3:55)
e) Jesus was created (3:59)
f) Deny Jesus’ Crucifixion (4:157)
g) no more than a messenger of Allah (4:171, 5:575)
h) was a miracle worker (2:253)
i) Jesus, Son of Mary, did not say to worship himself or Mary (5:116)
j) Allah sent the Gospel to Jesus (5:46, 57:27)
k) You are cursed if you say Jesus is God’s son (9:30)
l) Jesus spoke as a child (19:29-30)
m) Deny Jesus is Son of God (19:34-35)
n) Jesus is the Son of Mary (33:7)
o) Jesus was no more than a Servant (43:57-59)
p) Jesus said to obey him (43:63)
Impact: Islam today has been known for a religion of terror rather than peace. This doesn't mean every Muslims are terrific but some hyper groups are obvious. But our focus here is their beliefs that are indeed rival to our faith. Islam might not be a Christian False teaching but it does show some genuine traits of having heretic teachings. We genuinely love Muslims and they are too made in image of God. They need to know true God and Jesus as the only way of salvation. We should pray for their world and reach them wisely whenever we get the opportunity. I had such two friends in my Higher Secondary education level and Bachelor's level. Meanwhile, I recognized they were too weak in their faith but I got opportunity to talk about Jesus through my life testimony and I was also aware what to talk and what not to talk with them. We, as Christians, must learn how to evangelize since reaching them is not that easy the way we think it is to Hindus. Meeting and having conversation with them is no more different than dealing with Christian False groups like Jehovah Witnesses or Mormons.
Some recommended resources on answering objections raised by Muslims:
a) Glory Apologetics
b) Sam Shamoun
c) Inspiring Philosophy
Resources concerned:
a) https://carm.org/islam/the-five-pillars-of-islam/
b) https://carm.org/islam/what-are-the-doctrines-of-islam/
c) https://www.youtube.com/live/cAsCFFZzjbI?si=BxBlAtiaENyVBKDm
d) https://carm.org/islam/muhammad/
e) https://carm.org/islam/the-quran/
f) https://carm.org/islam/if-the-quran-is-true-then-islam-is-false/
g) https://carm.org/islam/is-islam-a-christian-heresy-biblical/
h) https://carm.org/world-religions/is-the-quran-really-from-god/
i) https://carm.org/islam/the-quran-says-the-bible-is-not-corrupt/
j) https://carm.org/islam/what-are-some-of-the-mistakes-found-in-the-quran/
k) https://carm.org/islam/sources-of-the-quran/
l) https://carm.org/world-religions/has-the-quran-been-preserved-perfectly/
m) https://carm.org/about-god/is-allah-the-god-of-islam-the-same-as-the-yahweh-the-god-of-the-bible/
n) https://carm.org/islam/what-does-islam-and-the-quran-say-about-jesus/
o) https://carm.org/islam/comparison-table-between-christianity-and-islamic-doctrine-allah/
p) https://carm.org/islam/allah-is-proven-to-be-a-deceiver/
q) https://youtu.be/kqejKmbvInY?si=GYIvPnEeR1Rx37yf
r) https://youtu.be/sR2mqi5Ry0k?si=n8r14sqNqIMSyWVj
s) Major Religions of the World written by Rev Dr. Balkrishna Sharma
t) यी धर्महरूले के सिकाउँछन्? पा. मंगलमान महर्जन (Further study)
u) Answering Islam book by Norman Geisler (Further study)
v) Inspiring Philosophy channel for refutation of so-called Muhammad's prophecy in the Bible
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