Revelation and Textual Integrity: The Bible vs. The Quran
• Muhammad claimed to have received revelations from the angel Gabriel for about 23 years, starting in 609 AD. The result was a sea of contradictions and seemingly illogical conclusions. This was about 600 years after the life and ministry of Jesus, as well as several hundred years after the Scriptures being canonized and confirmed through various councils. Muhammad’s claim of “divine revelation from an angel” adds skin to these verses of warning-- “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). “And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).
• Conversely, the Bible was written by 40 different authors over the span of about 1500 years, in three different languages, and yet still maintains one coherent and cohesive message from Genesis to Revelation (66 books in one). There are no contradictions other than a few words (based on translation) that do not change the overall message and integrity of the passage or the Book overall (2 Timothy3:16). It’s also a Book that is about 1/3 prophetic and predictive (contrary to every other religious book). At least one half of all biblical predictions have already been fulfilled precisely as God had declared. Because of God’s faithfulness in fulfilling these prophecies, we can be assured that He will fulfill the rest of the prophecies in Scripture without fault. “‘Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure…’” (Isaiah 46:9-10).
• The Quran asserts that God's Word cannot be changed or corrupted (Surah 6:34). In addition, the Quran acknowledges previous revelations or scriptures (namely the Law of Moses and the Gospel of Jesus) as guides for mankind (Surah 3:3). Which is why the claim of Muslims that the Law and the Gospels have been corrupted by man actually contradicts the teachings of the Quran itself. If Allah is all knowing and the Holy Scriptures of Judeo-Christian heritage were already corrupted by the 7th century (per Islamic tradition), then why didn’t Allah reveal that to Muhammad?
• Conversely, biblical verses emphasize the sanctity and inalterability of the Scriptures (Deuteronomy 4:2, Proverbs30:5-6, Revelation 22:18-19), with a grave warning for anyone who would dare add to or take away from God’s revealed Word.
Differences in God: Jehovah vs. Allah
• Muslims perceive Allah as unknowable and detached, unlike the Christian concept of a loving, self-sacrificial God. In fact, to claim God can be known and that He is self-sacrificial and loving is blasphemous to the theology of Islam. The chasm of difference between the God of the Bible and the “God” of the Quran is also summarized by the way each of them reveal their justice and mercy. Jehovah has a payment for sins in Jesus Christ, making Him both just and merciful. His justice is perfectly satisfied in the atonement of His Son and He is free to show mercy as the justifier to anyone that comes to Him for their forgiveness. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:23-26).
• Conversely, Allah has no payment for sins making his justice and mercy not only inconsistent but contradictory because justice demands payment. Again, Jehovah’s salvation is through Christ’s work. Allah’s salvation is through people’s works. *Note: Not even Muhammad knew his standing with Allah (Surah 46:9).
• The Quran emphasizes Allah's oneness and disavows the idea of begetting or being begotten (Surah 112:0-4, Surah 25:2). The Quran goes out of its way to make sure its followers reject the fact that God had a Son. Christianity asserts the Father-Son relationship and identifies denial of the Son as antichrist. “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also” (1 John 2:22-23).
Differing Views on Sin
• Christians believe in original sin (Psalm 51:5, Ephesians 2:1), while Muslims view sin as due to human weakness and forgetfulness (Surah 4:28).
• The Five Pillars of Islam then form the core of Islamic practice (confession, prayer, alms, fasting, pilgrimage), which is their works-based way of obtaining salvation (which no Muslim knows whether or not they are guaranteed Paradise; only the Jihadist).
• Conversely, Christians believe “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). This is not a result of human weakness or forgetfulness, this is inherited by human fallenness through Adam (Romans 5:12-19). And there is only one way for the atonement of sin, and it is not based on our own work but the work of the Son of God on the cross. Which is why the next difference between Islam and Christianity is so glaring and damning.
Divergent Views on Jesus
• Christians regard Jesus as God (John 10:30) and the only way to the Father (John 14:6), whereas Muslims only consider Him a prophet and miracle-worker (Surah 3:49; 5:110; 9:30).
• The Quran acknowledges Jesus as a messenger but denies His divinity, death on the cross, claiming He was taken to Heaven (Surah 4:157-158). Again, these claims violate the Gospels (which is what the Quran says it affirms) and erase the sole way of salvation for mankind per the Judeo-Christian framework. And because there is an incompatibility between Islam and Christianity when it comes to the Word of God and the Son of God, it is worth noting the gross difference between each faith’s mission.
Differing Missions and Historical Actions
• Inherent in the teachings of Islam is the belief that all unbelievers must be subjugated by Islam. During his life, Muhammad warred against various nations, taking their land, and subjugating their people. Following his death, his followers continued that same strategy of domination and expansion. Islam was birthed in deception and weaned on violence.
• Islam's expansion through conquest contrasts with the non-violent aspects of the Christian message. In other words, Muhammad and his followers spread their message by shedding blood, but Jesus Christ shed His own blood to birth His Church and spread the Gospel of His Kingdom.
• Islamic doctrine elevates “martyrs” in holy war (jihad) as guaranteed entry to paradise. This unfortunately creates the very dark ideology that fashions terrorists.
• Distinctive ideological differences exist between the Judeo-Christian Creed and the Islamic-Jihadist Creed.
• Muhammad's actions and teachings (in the Hadith) contrasted with Jesus' life (in the Gospels) couldn’t be more polar: Jesus gave sight to the blind. Muhammad made blind those who had sight. Jesus gave His life physically to conquer sin and death. Muhammad took people’s lives physically in the name of Islamic conquest.
Inverse Eschatology’s: The Bible’s Antichrist vs. Islam’ s Antichrist
• In short, the Bible’s Antichrist is Islam’s Savior (the Mahdi). The Bible’s False Prophet is Islam’s “Jesus.” And Islam’s Antichrist is the Bible’s Jesus. Let that sink in and re-read those three sentences again! You see, after juxtaposing both eschatology’s, we see that several of the most unique and distinguishing aspects of the biblical Antichrist’s make-up, mission, and actions, are matched to quite an amazing degree by the descriptions of the Mahdi as found in the Islamic traditions.
• And even further, Muslim scholars actually apply Bible verses about the Antichrist to their awaited savior, the Mahdi. For example, the rider on the white horse in Revelation 6:2 is applied to Islam’s Mahdi. In Christianity, this mysterious figure is the Antichrist to come who will broker false peace before he turns on the Jewish people and attempts a final genocide on those that do not submit to his rule.
• Ironically, and eerily similar to the Bible’s Antichrist, the Mahdi’s “peace agreement” will also come in the form of a seven-year treaty. Christians read about this in Daniel 9:27.
• In Islamic eschatology, the Mahdi will be accompanied by Jesus (who, remember, is only a prophet to them). And when he returns, his role will be to correct Jews and Christian’s theology about who he really is and that he was not the “son of God.” Islam’s Jesus will then point everyone to submit to the Mahdi. In Christian eschatology, this is the Book of Revelations False Prophet (Revelation 13). It is an inversed view of Christianity’s end time scenario.
• Islam’s Antichrist is said to arrive at the end of the Mahdi’s seven-year reign and attempt to destroy him and their “Jesus.” This is where a great battle ensues, and Islam conquers the world (The Final Caliphate). However, in the Bible, we know it is the true biblical Jesus who returns and destroys the Antichrist and the False Prophet at the end of the seven years, otherwise known as the Great Tribulation (the time of Jacob’s Trouble). He too will be riding on a white horse (Revelation 19).
The aforementioned list is only a fraction of the differences between Islam and Christianity. And I am not naïve to the reality that one will be labeled an Islamophobe for addressing these facts. However, and note this, the true Christian is not Islamophobic but prophetic (forthtelling and foretelling). The true Christian is discerning and is willing to make spiritual appraisals about what is happening in our world and where things are headed.
“But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one” (1 Corinthians 2:15).
~Authored and researched by Matthew Maher~
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)