Islam

Islam

1. The following information was cut and pasted from various Islamic and Christian websites. The information included here can be obtained from a number of secular, Islamic and Christian sites. I make no apology that the information though received off a Islamic or a secular site has been presented here from a Christian perspective.

a. Muhammad was born in 570 AD in Mecca and according to Islamic tradition he was a descendant of Ismail through the lineage of his second son, Kedar. His father, Abdullah, died in Medina, several weeks before Muhammad’s birth. His mother died when he was six years old. He was raised by his paternal grandfather until the age of eight, and after his death, by his paternal uncle, 'Abd al Muttalib. Many years before Muhammad's birth, his uncle had established himself as an influential leader of the Arab tribe ‘Quraish’ in Mecca and took care of the holy sanctuary Kabah. The Ka’bah at this time was filled with three hundred sixty idols. This confirms archeology’s evidence that prior to Islam Arabia was filled with idol worship.The Kabah according to Islam is the holiest site in Islam; in later centuries Muslims built a mosque around it. The Kabah contains a black stone, that according to Islamic tradition, fell from Heaven during the time of Adam and Eve, when it was a pure and dazzling white, but has since turned black because of the sins it has absorbed over the years. It was later removed and hidden in the hill near Mecca. According to Islamic tradition when Abraham rebuilt the Kaaba, the Archangel Gabriel brought the stone out of hiding and gave it to him. Islamic scholars and historians say that the Kabah has been reconstructed between five to 12 times. The very first construction of the Kabah was done by Adam. The Koran says theKobah was the first house built for humanity to worship Allah. After this, Abraham and Ishmael rebuilt the Kaba. Under the guardianship of his uncle, Muhammad began to earn a living as a businessman and a trader. Muhammad married Khadijah a widowed rich merchant woman when he was 25. They had six children, four daughters and two sons.According to Islam, the original, pristine message of the Prophet Abraham was lost, and it was mixed with superstitions and traditions of pilgrims and visitors from distant places, who were used to idol worship and myths. Muhammad was chosen to restore that original message. Islam teaches that Muhammad was forty when, during his one of many retreats to Mount Hira for meditation during the month of Ramadan, he received the first revelation from the Archangel Gabriel. On this first appearance, Gabriel said to Muhammad: Read or Recite. Muhammad replied, “I cannot read," as he had not received any formal education and did not know how to read or write. The Angel Gabriel then embraced him until he reached the limit of his endurance and after releasing said: "I cannot read." Gabriel repeated the embrace for the third time, asked him to repeat after him and said: "Recite in the name of your Lord who created! He created man from that which clings. Recite; and thy Lord is most Bountiful, He who has taught by the pen, taught man what he knew not." According to Islam, these revelations are the first five verses of the Koran given to Muhammad. Thus it was in the year 610 AD the revelation began. According to Islam, Gabriel visited the Prophet as commanded by Allah revealing the verses of the Koran in Arabic over a period of twenty-three years. The revelations that he received were sometimes a few verses, a part of a chapter or the whole chapter. Some revelations came down in response to an inquiry by the nonbelievers. Angel Gabriel taught the order and arrangement of verses. All the revealed verses were compiled in the book known as Qur’an. The name Qur’an appears in the revealed verses. The Koran does not contain even a word from the Prophet. The Koran speaks in the first person, i.e., Allah's commandments to His creation. Gabriel also visited the Prophet throughout his mission informing and teaching him of events and strategy as needed to help in the completion of the prophetic mission. The Prophet’s sayings, actions, and approvals are recorded separately in collections known as Hadith. According to Islam, the Koran is the sacred book of Islam. For Muslims, it is the word of God as revealed by the archangel Gabriel to the prophet Mohammed and thence to mankind.

1). Galatians 1:8, 9 “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.

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.

2). In light of the above warning by the Apostle Paul , 1 Kings 13:1-24 should be looked at.

b. According to Islam, the mission of Muhammad was to restore the worship of the One True God, the creator and sustainer of the universe, as taught by Abraham and all the Prophets of God, and to demonstrate and complete the laws of moral, ethical, legal, and social conduct and all other matters of significance for the humanity at large. According to Islam, Muhammad was not the founder of Islam, only the last in the chain of messengers beginning with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Lot, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elias, Jonah, John, the Baptist, Jesus and many others who brought the same message, i.e., submission to the one God, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. Therefore, Islam in essence is the oldest religion, and at the same time, in the chain of revelations, it is the youngest among the major religions of the world. The Koran, the last revealed book of Allah, in our possession today is the same word for word as it was revealed to Muhammad more than fourteen centuries ago. Muhammad died in 632 A.D.

c. The Dome of the Rock, was built in 687 A.C. by Caliph Abd al-Malik, half a century after the death of the Prophet Muhammad. The rock marks the site from where according to Islam Muhammad made his Night Journey.

The name "Al-Aqsa Mosque" translates to "the farthest mosque" or "the remote mosque" according to some translations, and is associated with the journey Muslims believe was made around 621 by Muhammad on the winged steed Buraq, which was brought to him by the Archangel Gabriel. According to the verse in the Koran, Muhammad took the journey in a single night from "the sacred mosque" in Mecca to "the farthest mosque" al-Masjid al-Aqsa, in Jerusalem. From a rock there, Muhammad ascended to heaven, accompanied by Gabriel, touring heaven and receiving the commandments, including the five daily prayers, before returning to Earth and back to Mecca to communicate them to the faithful. According to Jewish tradition, which I believe, it was actually the site where Abraham was to offer Issac for a sacrifice. It is also believed to be the foundation stone for Solomon’s temple. I personally believe that Satan inspired the the poor saps who believe in Islam to steal the site away from Judaism and fictitiously incorporate it into Islam.

The moon god and Allah

a. In order to show the difference between the God of Christianity and the god of Islam, there is an effort to show that the worship of Allah evolved out of pre-Islamic idolatry. There is no doubt about the archaeological evidence that points to this link, but of course Islamic scholars are now coming to the front to dispute this link. Although I believe it, the bottom line is that regardless of this evidence, the most sure evidence that reveals the God of Christianity and the god of Islam are not the same is the Bible.

1.In pre-Islamic times, pagan Arabs worshipped 360 gods at the Kabah in Mecca, and the Moon-god was the chief deity…According to numerous inscriptions, while the name of the Moon-god was Sin, his title was al-ilah, i.e. "the deity," meaning that he was the chief or high god among the gods. The Moon-god was called al-ilah, i.e. the god, which was shortened to Allah in pre-Islamic times. The pagan Arabs even used Allah in the names they gave to their children. For example, both Muhammad's father and uncle had Allah as part of their names. The fact that they were given such names by their pagan parents proves that Allah was used in pre-Islamic times. Professor Carleton S. Coon goes on to say, "Similarly, under Mohammed's tutelage, the relatively anonymous Ilah, became Al-Ilah, The God, or Allah, the Supreme Being."

2. A temple of the Moon-god has been excavated in Ur by Sir Leonard Woolley. He dug up many examples of moon worship in Ur and these are displayed in the British Museum to this day. Harran was likewise noted for its devotion to the Moon-god.

The God of Christianity and the god of Islam are not the same

1.There is a dangerous statement that is making its way through Christianity that the god of Islam is the same God of Christianity. It does not help matters when some of the individuals saying this are influential in some circles of Christianity. For example, Dr. Miroslav Volf, Founding Director of Yale’s Center for Faith and Culture said on the PBS program, Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, on 4/2/2004: “The Christian God is different, is different than the Muslim God, but not other than the Muslim God. I do believe that Muslims and Christians and Jews pray to the same God. And yet they understand who God is in significantly different ways.”

2. In October of 2007 138 scholars from Islam sent a letter entitled, “A Common Word” to Christian leaders worldwide. The following is an excerpt of that letter.

a. “Muslims and Christians together make up well over half of the world’s population. Without peace and justice between these two religious communities, there can be no meaningful peace in the world. The future of the world depends on peace between Muslims and Christians.Finding common ground between Muslims and Christians is not simply a matter for polite ecumenical dialogue between selected religious leaders. Christianity and Islam are the largest and second largest religions in the world and in history. Christians and Muslims reportedly make up over a third and over a fifth of humanity respectively. Together they make up more than 55% of the world’s population, making the relationship between these two religious communities the most important factor in contributing to meaningful peace around the world. If Muslims and Christians are not at peace, the world cannot be at peace. With the terrible weaponry of the modern world; with Muslims and Christians intertwined everywhere as never before, no side can unilaterally win a conflict between more than half of the world’s inhabitants. Thus our common future is at stake. The very survival of the world itself is perhaps at stake.”

3. Marvin Olasky writes in an article, God And Allah Aren’t The Same, “I’m all for people from different religions talking with each other…Nevertheless, our desire to make friends should not lead us to obscure the truth, as America Online’s primer about “Understanding Islam” did recently when it proclaimed, “Same God: Muslims accept the teachings of the Jewish Torah and the Christian Gospels.” Actually, Muslims accept neither the Bible as written nor the God of the Bible.”

4. In order for the belief, “it is the same God for both religions” to be true, God would have to be either a liar giving one inspired message to the writers of the New Testament and then turn around 5 centuries later and give Muhammad another inspired message through Gabriel. So either he is a liar or he is schizophrenic. No! Both of those lines of thought are impossible, the truth of the matter is it is not the same God. Now it is true that the God of Judaism and the God of Christianity are the same God, but the god of Islam is a devil!

a. 1 Corinthians 10:19, 20 “What say I then? That the idol is anything, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything?

But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.”

b. All one has to do is compare the God inspired writings of the Bible and the demonic inspired writings of the Koran to see the fundamental differences in the two.

Scripture & the Koran

5.72: Certainly they disbelieve who say: Surely Allah, He is the Messiah, son of Marium; and the Messiah said: O Children of Israel! serve Allah, my Lord and your Lord. Surely whoever associates (others) with Allah, then Allah has forbidden to him the garden, and his abode is the fire; and there shall be no helpers for the unjust.

a. 1 John 2:22 “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is an anti-christ, that denieth the Father and the Son.”

b. John 1:1, 14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

5.73: Certainly they disbelieve who say: Surely Allah is the third (person) of the three; and there is no god but the one God, and if they desist not from what they say, a painful chastisement shall befall those among them who disbelieve.

4.171: O followers of the Book! do not exceed the limits in your religion, and do not speak (lies) against Allah, but (speak) the truth; the Messiah, Isa son of Marium is only an apostle of Allah and His Word which He communicated to Marium and a spirit from Him; believe therefore in Allah and His apostles, and say not, Three. Desist, it is better for you; Allah is only one God; far be It from His glory that He should have a son, whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is His, and Allah is sufficient for a Protector.

a. 1 John 5:9-12 “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.

He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”

b. In some English translations of the Koran there is commentary at the bottom of the page referring to the various verses. Note 676 referring to 4.171 says the following: “Christ’s attributes are mentioned: 1. That he was the son of a woman, Mary, and therefore a man; 2. A messenger, a man with a mission from Allah, and therefore entitled to honor; 3. A Word bestowed on Mary, for he was created by Allah’s word “Be” (3.59); 4. A spirit proceeding from Allah, but not Allah; his life and his mission were more limited that in the case of some other messengers, though we must pay equal honour to him as a Prophet of Allah. The doctrines of Trinity, equality with Allah, and sonship, are repudiated as blasphemies.”

4.157: And their saying: Surely we have killed the Messiah, Isa son of Marium, the apostle of Allah; and they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them so (like Isa) and most surely those who differ therein are only in a doubt about it; they have no knowledge respecting it, but only follow a conjecture, and they killed him not for sure.

4.158: Nay! Allah took him up to Himself; and Allah is Mighty, Wise.

a. In some English translations of the Koran there is commentary at the bottom of the page referring to the various verses. Note 663 referring to verse 4.157 says the following: “The end of the life of Jesus on earth is as much involved mystery as his birth, and indeed the greater part of his ministry. It is not profitable to discuss the many doubts and conjectures among the early Christian sects and among Muslim theologians. The Orthodox Christians Churches make it a cardinal point of their doctrine that his life was taken on the Cross, that he died and was buried, that on the third day he rose in the body with his wonds intact, and walked about and conversed, and ate with his disciples, and was afterwards taken up bodily to heaven. This is necessary for the theological doctrine of blood sacrifice and vicarious atonement for sins, which is rejected by Islam.”

5.75: The Messiah, son of Marium is but an apostle; apostles before him have indeed passed away; and his mother was a truthful woman; they both used to eat food. See how We make the communications clear to them, then behold, how they are turned away.

9.30: And the Jews say: Uzair is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away!

19.54 Maryam

Also mention in the Book (the story of) Ismail: He was (strictly) true To what he promised, And he was a messenger (And) Prophet.

a. Note 2506: Islamic Commentary: “Ismail was Dhabih Allah, i.e., the chosen sacrifice of Allah in Muslim tradition. When Abraham told him of the sacrifice, he voluntarily offered himself for it, and never flinched from his promise, until the sacrifice was redeemed by the substitution of a ram under Allah’s command.”