Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Christian Answers Regarding Islam, by Dennis Swick


1. The Koran does not contradict the Bible but supports it.


The Koran declares that it was written to confirm the previous revelations and not to replace the Bible according to Sura 5:48 which says,


And We have sent down to you the Scripture with truth, authenticating what is present of the Scripture and superseding it. So judge between them by what God has sent down, and do not follow their desires from what has come to you of the truth. For each of you We have made laws, and a structure; and had God willed, He would have made you all one nation, but He tests you with what He has given you; so strive to do good. To God you will return all of you, and He will inform you regarding that in which you dispute.” (1)



2. The Koran references the Torah and the Injeel (Gospel).


The Injeel is one is one of the four Islamic Holy Books as revealed by Allah. It is sometimes is translated as “Gospel”. (2)


Sura 5:46, “And We sent in their footsteps Jesus the son of Mary, authenticating what was present with him of the Torah. And We gave him the Injeel, in it is guidance and light, and to authenticate what is present with him of the Torah, and a guidance and lesson for the righteous.” Sura 5:46 says that Christ confirmed that the Torah was the truth and that the Evangelicals have the light. (3)


3. According to the Koran, all sacred books are equal or the same.


Sura 2:285, “The messenger believes in what was sent down to him from his Lord. And the believer all who believe in God, and His angels, and His Scriptures, and His messengers: "We do not differentiate between any of His messengers"; and they said: "We hear and obey, forgive us O Lord, and to you is our destiny." (4) His Scriptures means that there are many.


Sura 2:136, Say: "We believe in God and in what was sent down to us and what was sent down to Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the Patriarchs, and what was given to Moses and Jesus, and what was given to the prophets from their Lord; we do not make a distinction between any of them and to Him we surrender." (5) The Muslims don’t make any difference between one and the other.


Sura 4:136, Say: "We believe in God and in what was sent down to us and what was sent down to Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the Patriarchs, and what was given to Moses and Jesus, and what was given to the prophets from their Lord; we do not make a distinction between any of them and to Him we surrender." (6) Any Muslim that ignores or does not appreciate any part of God's (Allah's) revelation in the Torah or the Gospels has greatly strayed.


4. The Koran considers the Bible to be preeminent.

Sura 10:94, “If you have any doubt regarding what is revealed to you from your Lord, then ask those who read the previous scripture. Indeed, the truth has come to you from your Lord. Do not be with the doubters.” (7) Give Mohammed one commandment and any Muslim must treat the Bible like a primary source of illumination.


5. The Koran recognizes that the Jews have the Word of God (Allah).

Sura 5:43, “And how can they make you their judge when they have the Torah, in which is God's judgment; then they turn away after that. Those are not believers.” (8) Mohammed says that the Jews have the law in front of them.


6. The Koran recognized that Christians have the Word of God (Allah).

Sura 5:47, “And let the people of the Injeel judge with what God has sent down in it. And whoever does not judge by what God has sent down, then these are the vile ones.” (9) Let the Evangelical people judge according to what Allah has revealed.


7. The Koran never accuses the Jews or Christians of changing the Original text of the manuscripts of the Bible.


8. The Learned Muslims maintain the integrity of the Bible.

The Caliph Mutawakkil (847-861A.D) did not accuse the Jews or Christians of ruining their scriptures. He admitted that the authenticity of the Torah and the Gospel was left in the hands of the Jews and Christians.


9. The Trinity: Islam does not accept the doctrine of the Trinity. (10)

The Muslims believe that the Holy Spirit is a force that emanated from God. They see Jesus as a prophet that came after John the Baptist. Sura 4:171 says,



O people of the Scripture, do not overstep in your system, nor say about God except the truth. Jesus the son of Mary was no more than God's messenger and the fulfillment of His word to Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in God and His messengers, and do not Say: "Trinity." Cease, for it is better for you. God is only One god, be He glorified that He should have a son! To Him is all that is in the heavens and what is in the Earth. God is enough as a caretaker.” (11) The three Gods of Christianity are identified in the Koran as God, Jesus and Mary. (12)

But, the Bible teaches that God is One- Deuteronomy 6:4. It also teaches that the Father is God (Matthew 6:9), the Son is God (John 1:1, 8:58), and the Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:4). It also alludes to the doctrine of the Trinity in Matthew 28: 18-20; Mark 1:9-11; John 1:1; 2 Corinthians 13:14. Christians do not believe in three Gods. Instead they believe that God is one in three persons. (13)


10. The Scriptures: Muslims believe that the Hebrews and Christian Scriptures have been corrupted and adulterated. Some Muslims believe that the Scriptures have been corrupted over time through the many translations made throughout the centuries. But the Koran teaches that the Bible is a true revelation of God. Sura 2:40-42,126,136,285; 3:3,71,93; 4:47,136; 5:47-51, 69,71-72; 6:91; 10:37,94; 21:7; 29:45,46; 35:31; 46:11. (14)


The Koran also teaches that no one can change the Word of God. Sura 6:34; 10:34. (15) The Bible and the Koran are divine. (16)


Christians believe that the Bible was inspired by God and therefore contains no errors (Hebrew 1:1-2; Matthew 5:18-19; 2 Timothy 3:16; Revelation 22:18-19; 2 Peter 1:19-21). (17) Here are is a reply to the argument that the Bible has been corrupted: Bible corrupted


11. Jesus Christ is God but Muslims deny that he displayed all the attributes of God.


The Koran teaches:

  • “The Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, he was no more than God’s apostle . . . Say not “Trinity”: desist: it will be better for you: for God is but one God. God forbid that she should have a son!” (Sura 4:171) (18)
  • “Those who say: ‘The Lord of Mercy has begotten a son,’ preach a monstrous falsehood, at which the very heavens might crack…” (Sura 19:88-89)(19)
  • “They say: God forbid that He Himself should beget a son! ” (Sura 19:29-) (20)
  • “They say: ‘Praise be to God who has never begotten a son; who has no partner in His Kingdom . . .’ ” (Sura 17:111) (21)
  • They say: “(Allah) hath begotten a son!” - Glory be to Him! He is self- sufficient! His are all things in the heavens and on earth! No warrant have ye for this! say ye about Allah what ye know not? Say: Those who invent a lie against Allah will never prosper.” (Sura 10:68-69) (22 )

I It is a mortal sin for Muslims to associate something with God that is co-equal with God. But Jesus was God according to Philippians 2:6.Jesus is also God according to John 1:1, John 8:58, John 10:30, John 14:9, John 28:20, Matthew 17:5, Colossians 1:15-17, Colossians 2:9. Titus 2:13, Isaiah 9:6, 2 Peter 1:1, and many more. (23)

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112. Jesus was crucified on the cross but they claim it was someone else.

The Koran states in Sura 4:156-157 (in Arberry’s translation): "We (the Jews) slew the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, the Messenger of God" - yet they did not slay him, neither crucified him, only a likeness of that was shown to them. ... and they slew him not of certainty - no indeed; God raised him up to Him; God is All-mighty, All-wise.” (24)

They believe that Judas was crucified in Jesus place, disguised also as Jesus, that even Mary and His disciples were tricked. There are other commentaries that exist which say that Simon of Cirene was the one who was crucified. At any rate, they are convinced that it was not Jesus.

The Bible teaches that Judas was a traitor to Jesus (Mark 14:10, 11, 43-45). Judas hung himself and died at a later time (Matthew 27:5). A detailed description of Jesus' crucifixion can be found in Matthew 27:32-66. His resurrection can be found in Matthew 28:1-15 and John 20: 1-23. (25)

13. Mankind is sinful according to the Bible but Islam disclaims original sin.

Muslims believe that man is born without original sin (Sura 2:255). There is no need of a savior to redeem man who is supposedly a sinner by nature. According to Sura 95:4, humans are created in the spiritual form and then are lowered to the material form. Sura 2:255 teaches that man is not the product of original sin. And Sura 31:33 teaches nobody is responsible for another’s sin. We are capable of redeeming ourselves by making amends for our failures.(26)

The Bible teaches that man is a sinner and that we were born with sin: Psalms 51:5; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:12, 19; Genesis 8:21. (27)

The Bible teaches that man cannot be saved by good works but in the faith and belief in the works and person of Jesus: Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Matthew 7:21; Acts 4:12; John 1:12; and many more. (28)

RESOURCES

(1) http://19.org/km/RK/5/48

(2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Injil

(3) http://19.org/km/RK/5/46

(4) http://19.org/km/RK/2/285

(5) http://19.org/km/RK/2/136

(6) http://19.org/km/RK/2/136

(7) http://www.submission.org/suras/sura10.html

(8) http://19.org/km/RK/5/43

(9) http://19.org/km/RK/5/437

(10) J. Cabral, Religiones, Sectas y Herejias, ed. VIDA, 1980; Philip H. Lochhass, Cómo Responder al Islam, Ed. Concordia, 1977; Jerry Hill, "Islam", Frontiers; Dennis Swick; Philip H. Lochhass, Cómo Responder al Islam, Ed. Concordia, 1977.

(11) http://19.org/km/RK/4/171

(12) J. Cabral, Religiones, Sectas y Herejias, ed. VIDA, 1980; Philip H. Lochhass, Cómo Responder al Islam, Ed. Concordia, 1977; Jerry Hill, "Islam", Frontiers.

(13) Dennis Swick; Philip H. Lochhass, Cómo Responder al Islam, Ed. Concordia, 1977.

(14) http://www.bible.ca/islam/islam-bible-not-corrupted-early-muslims.htm

(15) http://www.bible.ca/islam/islam-bible-not-corrupted-early-muslims.htm

(16) J. Cabral, Religiones, Sectas y Herejias, ed. VIDA, 1980; Philip H. Lochhass, Cómo Responder al Islam, Ed. Concordia, 1977; Jerry Hill, "Islam", Frontiers.

(17) Dennis Swick; Philip H. Lochhass, Cómo Responder al Islam, Ed. Concordia, 1977.

(18) http://livingjourney.wordpress.com/2006/09/04/confessions-of-a-terrorist/

(19) Ibid

(20) Ibid

(21) Ibid

(22) Ibid

(23) Dennis Swick; Philip H. Lochhass, Cómo Responder al Islam, Ed. Concordia, 1977.

(24) http://answering-islam.org.uk/Green/test.htm

(25) Dennis Swick; Philip H. Lochhass, Cómo Responder al Islam, Ed. Concordia, 1977

(26) http://home.att.net/~a.f.aly/sin.htm

(27) Dennis Swick; Philip H. Lochhass, Cómo Responder al Islam, Ed. Concordia, 1977.

(28) Ibid.

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