Biblical Questions of Islam

The apostle Paul tells us that if anyone comes along preaching a different Gospel, be it man or angel, they are to be accursed (Galatians 1:8-9) With that in mind, today we're going to be looking at problems/questions about Islam. Things that we find irreconcilable. Things we hold to be a different Gospel. These aren't things to simply bash people over the head with, but they are legitimate concerns we have. 

First: Islam claims that it is descended from Abraham, that it has the correct or complete story of what happened afterwards. Muslims claim that the Bible is corrupted, but Muhammad gave them the full truth that had been lost in the Bible's corruption. Also in Islam it's said that Muhammad was raised in a land that already had the Kaaba, the Hajj, and Allah as the Nebutain moon god. If these are true, how can we believe that Islam is the natural outgrowth of Christianity/Abrahamic faith? If these things, like the hajj, preexisted Muhammad and were part of the culture of the pagan deities of Mesopotamia, how can we believe that Islam is inherently Christian?

Next, according to the Hadith, Aisha married Muhammad when she was only six years old. They consummated the marriage when she was only nine years old. In Islam it's said that Muhammad was the greatest prophet who ever lived and that he is the model for all men/people. If that's the case, how can we believe, how can we follow, how can we live like someone who thought it was proper to marry a six year old girl when he himself was around fifty years old? How can this be the model man? Bukhari 5:58:234

According to Quran 18:86, the sun descends every day into a muddy pit at night and rises out of it every morning. How can we who live in a society that has astrophysics and has literally put someone on the moon believe this? 

According to Quran 19:28, Mary, Jesus' mother, was actually the same person as Miriam, Moses' sister. These two people lived almost 1500 years apart! How could we believe that the Quran is the inspired word of Allah if there are things like this, which archaeological and historical documents prove just can't be correct? 

In our Bible we have the Book of Esther where a man named Haman was in Xeres' court in the fifth century BC. However in Quran 40:24, Haman is said to be in pharaoh's court. How could this be since in the fifth century BC there were no pharaohs in Egypt, let alone someone named Haman there as well. 

Quran 3:110 says that the nation of Islam is the greatest nation in all of mankind. If that's the case, why have the Muslim countries who have tried, not been able to destroy Israel? Why are Allah's chosen people not able to defeat one small country? Is Allah afraid of Israel or America? Also, why have Muslims not been able to find Umma or perfect unity within Islam? Why are there many wars between ISIS, Sunni and Shia, and many other factions and in-fighting within Islam for centuries? Since the death of the prophet, there have always been fighting between Muslims. Yet this is Allah's greatest nation?

     

Quran 25:63 says that all who address Muslims harshly are returned only with peace and kind words. How can this be true with the myriad of terrorist attacks perpetrated in the name of Allah? How can this be true of a religion where in-fighting and factions are perpetually squabbling. In our Bible, Jesus said that He came not to bring peace, but to bring a sword. Our Bible also says that Ishmael will be violent and have in-fighting perpetually. It seems more like the Biblical account is correct over the Quranic one. 

According to the Hadith, enslavement of blacks is permissible and even to day, racial discrimination and racial enslavement takes place in Africa in the name of Allah and is perpetuated by Muslims. How can any Westerner believe in a religion that promotes such atrocious behavior? Also the Hadith says that arranged marriages are good because they help the women. How can we believe in a religion that allows for and promotes the forced marriages of young women?  Bukhari 9:89:256  Bukhari 3:46:723

The Quran also states that Jesus did not die on the cross, but that people were deceived. Quran 4:157. How can we believe that His disciples would not have known who Jesus was and who the person crucified were? Why would they have been willing to die for the cause of Christ if He were not actually killed? Why would they perpetuate a falsehood if Allah was simply going to refute it hundreds of years later through Muhammad? 

Bukhari 3320, 5782 says that if a fly falls into your drink you should dip it all the way in because on one wing is the poison on the other is the antidote/cure. How can we, who have modern medicine, even begin to believe or follow these practices that are demonstrably wrong?

Bukhari 7:2654 also says that Muhammad would regularly fall on the ground and snort like a camel when he received revelations from Allah. The only time a prophet in the Bible made animal noises from God was in Daniel, but it was a judgment upon Nebuchadnezzar, not a blessing or divine gift. How can we believe that Muhammad was receiving a blessing not a curse? 

A few other peculiar things like Bukhari 4:55:543 says that Adam was thirty feet tall! 4:54:516 says that you must blow your nose when you first wake up because Satan messes with your nasal cavity when you're sleeping. Quran 2:259 says that Ezra slept 100 years! How can we, as westerners with western medicine and knowledge of biology and science even begin to believe these things about Islam? 

I personally cannot, and hopefully neither can you. May the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob bless you and guide you into eternal truth that can only be found through the atoning work on Calvary. In Jesus' name, amen. 

A Biblical Response to Islam Part 1

  As Christians we believe we have all the answers. We believe that the Bible is inerrant and is 100% sufficient. However what percentage of Christians do you think actually read there Bible? Now, these are self-professed Christians, but still - what percent? As it turns out, twenty percent of Christians read their Bible. Now as to Muslims, however, what percent of Muslims do you think read the Quran? More than Christians? Less? Well, apparently only ten percent of Muslims read the Quran. The reasons for this are many, but one of the reasons is that the Quran is not the complete information, traditions, and practices that Muslims follow. They also follow something known as the Hadith.

   However in Islam there are five pillars, or five practices that basically define someone as being a Muslim:

• The Shahadah; a sincere profession that there is no God but Allah and Mohammed is his messenger

1. Salat; the ritual prayers that all Muslims must do five times each day. They must face Mecca. 
2. Zakat; the paying of alms or giving of charity to the poor and needy in their community. 
3. Sawm; the necessity of fasting during their month of Ramadan. 
4. Hajj; the once in a lifetime pilgrimage all Muslims in good health must make to Mecca. 

  These are the essence of what Muslims believe, they are the five pillars that the rest of their beliefs stand upon. For Christians, I would say the core pillars are Theology, Bibliology, Soteriology, and conduct. Providentially, these are also things we would divide over, as Christians and you can follow up on these things with this previous post of ours: http://christphileosophy.blogspot.com/2015/03/reasons-for-division-why-we-cannot-have.html

Well, going forward let us recognize that Muslims stand upon those five pillars, just like we stand on the four of ours. We view the Bible as sufficient whereas they view the Quran as perfect but follow the teachings of the Hadith that go along with the Quran. These are essential differences that we will need to better understand Islam. 

Escape Room

 Open up your Bibles to Genesis 6. In verse 13 we see that God is going to destroy the world, but in verse 18 he tells Noah that he's going to save Noah and his family. At this time the world was very wicked full of debased people doing debased things. They had no regard for godly men like Noah who knew God's word. God did however give Noah the means to escape the world.
 Fast forward to 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. God is telling us Christians that if we remain long enough (until the end of time) He will personally come for His people. Jesus will come down and we'll fly up into the air to meet Him (HOW COOL IS THAT?). We call this the Rapture. Again, at this time we see a debased world, doing debased things and God tells His faithful people (the church) in Thessalonians that He will provide the means for them to escape the world.
 Well right now, saints, I think we live in a wicked world. I think there are debased people doing debased things. I think God has spoken just as He did to Noah and to future saints in 1 Thessalonians. I think he has made a way for us to escape; namely, the church.
 In Hebrews 10:25 God tells us not to give up meeting together, but to encourage each other until the Rapture happens. We are supposed to be encouraging one another every time we meet together: in homegroups, in church, or just when we meet randomly in a gas station, grocery store, or go out to eat with other saints.
 In John 13 we see Jesus washing His disciples feet. Now remember, we need to escape from the world. Our feet are what come in contact with the world every day. It is a symbol/picture of being in the world, however we need to have our feet washed. We need to be cleansed from the world. Jesus modeled that we also need to wash each other's feet. We should have the attitude every time we meet at church and especially at homegroups that we're there to minister to others. That we're there to pray for, to love, and share God with others. Our meetings need to be different than meetings in the world. This isn't done only with Bible studies. This has to be intentional, loving fellowship that actually cleanses people from the world.
 This washing can only happen if people allow it to. Remember Peter? He didn't want to have his feet washed in John 13. There will be people who are averse to opening up. They are averse to telling people how they can be ministered to. They don't want people to see their smelly feet. Our response should always be Jesus' response: deliberate, loving instruction that we model ourselves.
 Guys we need to care about each other. We need to minister to one another. We need to get real with each other and tell others how we're struggling, how we could be held accountable, how we can be encouraged, how we can be prayed for. This doesn't come naturally, it comes supernaturally. It can only happen by the Holy Spirit. That's what we should want  for our homegroups. That's what we need in our homegroups. And, most importantly, it's what God desires for our homegroups.
 Do not forsake the assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encourage one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near Hebrews 10:25

An Everlasting Testimony

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him.   But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;   and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”   But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse.   When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.   They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”   Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he  fell asleep. Acts 7:54-60

  This is probably a peculiar passage for me to choose when discussing this topic. However, I chose it because I think it applies. See, we know Jesus is our High Priest constantly making intercession and prayers before the Father on our behalf, but here we see something different. Here we see someone faithful to Jesus who just gave a wonderful testimony and Jesus is standing for him. When one of Jesus' own is killed He doesn't just sit back, he doesn't look away, but He stands. Whether to welcome, out of love, or encouragement I don't know, but Jesus is standing to receive one of His own.

We also note Saul, a young man who would go on to become Paul, the Apostle of Jesus Christ. While here, he is persecuting one of Jesus' own, it will become apparent how much Paul will grieve his acts of persecution later in life. However, here we see Stephen's testimony before him. A testimony of who Jesus is and what He has done. Stephen did not testify of himself, but rather his Lord.

 Finally, we see that Stephen went to sleep. He did not die, he went to sleep. Just like Lazarus in the tomb, the little 12-year old girl, and all believers before the rapture (1 Thess 4:13), he fell asleep. In Greek there are two words for death, the final death, thanos, which no believer will ever experience and necros, the decaying of the body which everyone experiences since the fall of man. However, you can be certain that no believer will ever experience thanos. Jesus Christ paid the cost, death has no sting.

  What then shall we say of our dear brother and church leader Clint who went to be with the Lord yesterday afternoon? I say that just like Stephen, Clint's eyes were focused on Jesus. He did not point to himself, but rather to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He did not give a testimony to Jewish rulers, but rather a testimony to his fellow believers that faith without works is dead. We don't elevate him, but rather we elevate who he elevated. At this present moment we cannot know how many young Sauls Clint had an impact upon, but we can be certain whoever they are, they heard about Jesus from him. And lastly, we know that Clint did not die, he did not experience thanos, no but rather he experienced joy everlasting when he met his Savior face-to-face. Clint now knows, even as he himself was known.

Dear brothers and sisters, let us honor our beloved brother by honoring who he chose to honor. Let us serve as he chose to serve. Let us worship who he chose to worship. That will be his legacy, and I pray it will be ours also.