The Application of Basic Principles of Presuppositional Apologetics to Muslims and the Islamic faith
God has blessed His people with truth (His Son, John 14:6, and His Word, John 17:17) and enabling grace to guide them in presenting a Christian worldview and living accordingly. This booklet is designed to help all believers defend the faith and bring lost souls to Christ especially Muslims. I have divided the booklet into four sections:
• A general overview of Presuppositional Apologetics (PSA)
• Application of PSA in general (not specific for a Muslim and his worldview)
• Application of PSA to the Islamic faith and to Muslims using a thesis-antithesis motif including:
1. Qur’anic claims about itself and truth versus the Bible’s self-attestation
2. Qur’anic claims about Muhammad and Jesus versus the Bible’s teaching about prophets and Jesus
3. Qur’anic claims about the creation of man, sin and the fall, and salvation (including grace and forgiveness) verses the Bible’s teaching on each of these subjects.
• A “how to” section that illustrates the application of the principles set forth in the preceding sections.
Section I: Presuppositional Apologetics: An Overview
We begin at the beginning – with God, His presence, plan, power, purpose, promise, and provision (Genesis 1:1: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.). From this simple, yet profound declaration, we learn that God is, which is the essential and ultimate presupposition for all of life. We don’t prove God; rather we presuppose Him or we deny Him – His existence and being, His knowledge, and His ethical activity. From the very beginning of man’s existence, we are dealing with presuppositions. God is self-contained, self-revealing, Tri-personal, and self-sufficient (His aseity). There is nothing more characteristic of God than His eternality and self-existence. God is Creator and He is Covenant Lord. Therefore, He is Originator, Owner, and Possessor of everything everywhere. There is absoluteness and exclusivity to God. As such, He is Controller, Determiner, and Sustainer. And our God is good and merciful. He is personal, purposeful, and intimate with His people.
The above are presuppositions based on saving faith and a proper understanding and interpretation of natural and special revelation under the direction and power of the Holy Spirit ((Hebrews 11:1, 3, 6). The believer, and only the believer, has the mind of Christ. Only he can think God’s thoughts as a true prophet and rightly re-interpret God’s original revelation (1 Corinthians 2:16, 2 Corinthians 10:5).
Believers presuppose that the Triune God is, God knows, and God acts. Believers know these facts as non-negotiable truths – antithetical to that of the unbeliever (autonomous man). The believer knows because his interpretive grid for all of life is Scripture. By the indwelling Holy Spirit and His grace, the believer properly applies biblical truth by the exercise of the gift of saving faith. It is important to understand that as a religious being, every person is faith-based (Acts 17:24-31; Hebrews 11:1, 3, 6). The issue, then, is what kind of faith a person has – saving or non saving. Every person lives out of his faith. He demonstrates it in desire, thought, and action. Non-saving faith always leads to the distortion of God’s truth. The unbeliever deceives himself and uses his God-given rationality against God despite the fact that he (all men) is God’s image bearer (Romans 1:18-20; 2:14-15).
God is the author of truth. As such He is the “Pre-interpreter” of all facts. He has revealed Himself via natural and special revelation. Both were required in the Garden pre-fall. Scripture is God’s powerful, purposeful self expression. It is self-attesting and self-authenticating and explains all facts. At the least this means that the Bible carries its own testimony regarding its main subject and its own truthfulness. The first Adam was called to properly reinterpret God’s original interpretation of God, creation, and man. Truth and facts had to properly cohere one to another and correspond to God’s perfect revelation. Adam was created a revelational being. He, as are all men, was a revelation receiver, interpreter and implementer. However, he failed to function as God’s prophet. By God’s grace the believer is in Christ and functions as God’s prophet although imperfectly. Sadly, too often, the believer functionally distorts God’s truth. However, he always returns to the Triune God and His truth because of God’s faithfulness.
Consequently, there are no neutral (“things just are”), uninformed, or bare facts. Every fact reveals God (Who He is and what He does). Facts don’t simply reveal being or deity in general. Rather, facts truly reveal the Creator God (that, too, is a presupposition!). Facts are interpreted (another presupposition). The issue is how and by what means. The sovereign Creator God demands that all facts be interpreted correctly (biblically). Only He has the right to make such a demand. Facts will be interpreted in the context of one’s presuppositions and worldview. There are two non-negotiable truths that are essential in the proper interpretation of all facts: this is God’s world (not the creature’s), and God has ordained reality, being, rationality, and morality. In part, PSA stands on a proper understanding and interpretation of the triad composed of being, knowledge, and ethics – God is (being), God knows (epistemology), and God determines right and wrong (morality and ethics). It follows then that every worldview is ontological, epistemological, and ethical.
There are only two basic worldviews: for God and against God. Therefore, all of life is relational (man is in or out of proper relation to God) and theological. The unbeliever cannot (nor does he want to) think, reason, desire, and act according to biblical truth. He has an anti-God, unbiblical worldview (Romans 8:5-8; Ephesians 2:1-3). The unbeliever, as a result of God’s curse on sin, lives and breathes in God’s world as a rebel and an intruder living on borrowed, even stolen, capital. He uses his God-given existence, reasoning, and morality as weapons against God, thereby suppressing the truth of God in his unrighteousness (Romans 1:18-20). In his rejection of God, he presupposes that all is from “chance,” uncaused certainty. For him, the irrational is rational. Moreover, he knows God but not as he ought. He perceives things as “just are” and chance is his “certainty” which is no certainty at all. He is, at the core, a “control junkie.” Being comfortable in Satan’s kingdom and family, he creates his own system of ontology, epistemology, and ethics. Autonomous, natural man functionally inverts the Creator-creature distinction to his own misery (by Creator-creature distinction I mean simply that God is God and man is not. Nothing can exist in man just as it exists in God. Man is God’s image but the creature is only a copy not the original or identical. Satan’s temptation was an attack of the Creator-creature relationship offering the lie of knowing good and evil as God knows).
It follows that man is a presuppositionalist because he is the image of God. Much has been written on the subject of man’s image-bearing capacity. The following points are helpful as we consider man as God’s image:
• Real – man is a dependent being created with covenant-keeping capacity. Man was placed in covenant with God at the covenant of works. Man exists because the Triune God exists. Believer and unbeliever agree on man’s existence but they do not agree on man’s source and origin. For the believer, the issue of man’s existence is settled because the issue of God’s existence is settled: God is, man is, and God has declared Himself Creator of His world and all that is in it. Evidence (facts, nature) and God’s Word revelation proclaim and testify to these truths.
• Relational – since God is triune, He is relational; so, too, is man. Life has two references: vertically (to God) and horizontally (to man). Vertically, man is in relation to God properly (if saved, a covenant-keeper) or improperly (if unsaved, a covenant-breaker). As a corollary, horizontally, man relates to others and creation, properly or improperly. The vertical reference of life, proper or improper, controls the horizontal whether acknowledged or not. All men simultaneously relate vertically (to God) and horizontally (to others). There is a vertical dimension to every horizontal relationship (man to man or man to creation).
• Revelational – since the Triune God speaks and is self-revealing, man must be a revelation receiver, interpreter, and implementer. God speaks, man hears and responds. Since God is the Author of all truth and Pre-interpreter and Interpreter of every fact, man, the creature, is to function as God’s re-interpreter. Man reflects God or Satan in his re-interpretation of and response to God’s original interpretation of Himself and life as revealed in nature and Word revelation.
• Rational – man is a thinking being. Man thinks because he is, and he is because God is and thinks. Rationality did not evolve. Adam was inherently a thinker from the moment of his creation. In contrast to God’s knowledge, man’s knowledge is derivative, reflective, limited, finite, and analogical. Man was originally designed to think God’s thoughts after Him. At the fall, Adam lost the capacity and desire to think biblically. Post-fall, man either thinks God’s thoughts or Satan’s thoughts. Only as a result of the Spirit’s regenerating work and his union with Christ is the believer able to think God’s thoughts. He is to be a true prophet of God, thereby following the model of the true Prophet, Jesus Christ.
• Religious – man is a spiritual being. Man has an immaterial aspect to his being; he is spirit but he is not only spirit. Within man’s inner person (the Bible uses various terms to express man’s inner person such as heart, mind, will, spirit, and soul), he thinks, desires, doubts, and plans. Man is a worshipping being, a seeker, and a truster. He is to live and worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Originally, Adam was designed to seek no other God than the Maker and Creator of heaven and earth. As a result of sin, man’s thinking and his object of seeking were changed. The unbeliever worships that which he most desires, that which is his god – himself. Every person is an inside-out person and functions out of his inner person – his heart motivations (Proverbs 4:23). Actions indicate attitude and the meditation and desires of man’s heart. At regeneration man was changed from a self-worshipper (allegiance to anything else but God) to one who seeks to please God. God Himself becomes the object of the believer’s worship although the believer still has the tendency to create and worship his own god.
• Responsible – man is a morally, ethically responsible being and must give an account to a higher authority. Man is never a victim although he may feel like it. There is a judicial orientation to life. Morality did not evolve. Ultimately and daily (24/7), man is responsible to the King of kings and Lord of lords. Man must give an account of his stewardship whether good or bad.
• Free – as God’s image bearer man is free but he is limited in that freedom. God is also “limited,” but by His own essence. He cannot lie, deny Himself, or change (“divine cannots”). Man, an inside-out person, is also limited by his nature.
• Faith-based – man was created a faithful being. He puts his trust in something. The object of his faith is either God (we call that saving faith, a gift from God) or non-saving faith (trust in self). I discuss this topic in greater depth later.
From the foregoing we conclude that life is theological and every person is a theologian. The issue is which kind: a good one or bad one. These are the only two categories. The unbeliever is out of proper relation to God – he is a covenant breaker and a poor theologian. The believer is a good theologian, a covenant keeper but at times he may function as an unbeliever in thought, desire, and action.
Moreover, man, as God’s image, has a priori revelation within him and general revelation outside of him. Man cannot help but come “face to face” with the living God. He cannot escape God (Psalm 139). He knows in his heart of hearts that God exists and is Creator, full of power and majesty. Natural man, functioning as a poor theologian, futilely attempts to suppress the fact of God’s Creatorship, his creature-ness, and himself as an image bearer of God (Romans 1:18-20; 8:5-8; Acts 17:24-31). He cannot successfully suppress the truth about God or himself. PSA considers the fact of man as God’s image (and all that entails as discussed above) as the only point of contact between believer and unbeliever including the Muslim.
More specifically, pre-fall, Adam receptively reconstructed (properly reinterpreted) God’s original and comprehensive revelation of God, himself, and the creation. Adam was given “marching orders.” He had the capacity and inclination to be God’s true prophet, priest, and king. Adam was in ontological, epistemological, and ethical synchrony and harmony with God as well as with himself, Eve, and creation. The issue was never Adam’s being, knowledge, and ethics. For a “time” before the fall, Adam was God’s kind of prophet, priest, and king. He thought God’s thoughts after Him, desired God’s desires, and followed God’s directives.
Post-fall, Adam creaturely reconstructed God’s revelation and reinterpreted life autonomously based solely on his unaided reasoning. He reinterpreted God’s revelation but not after God. As a result he ignored and rejected God as covenant Lord and his own status as a covenant being. As a fallen worshipper and thinker he was in competition with God. Adam used his God-given reasoning capacity in opposition to God. Ethically, he rebelled against God.
In response to Adam’s covenant disloyalty and rebellion, God cursed Satan and creation and the activities of Adam and Eve. Part of the effect of the curse is the suppressing activity of fallen man of the truth of God as revealed in natural and special revelation. This means that unbelievers are living on borrowed, even stolen, capital using God’s gifts of reason and morality against God by creating and worshipping his own god. The natural man attempts to invert the Creator-creature distinction as he competes with God.
As we have said, by God’s design man is a faith-based creature. Faith has a standard, an object, and content. Faith requires knowledge, authority, and assent. The fact of faith (man believes, he trusts) is presuppositional. As with reasoning and morality, man’s faith-based orientation has a source. The unbeliever either refuses to discuss his source or champions his source of chance via evolution. The believer’s source of faith is the Creator God and His Word revelation. The object of faith (something man confidently believes, rests on, and trusts in) is that which man presupposes is his god (what he is loyal to, gives allegiance to, and gives devotion to). He functions as if his god deserves his full attention and affords him his greatest benefit. Actually natural man is his own god. This implies that unsaved man is at the core a user. He uses God and His creation for his own pleasure denying the fact that he does. He has a standard, an authority that he consults and marches to. In contradistinction, the believer’s object of faith is a Person – Jesus Christ, fully God, fully man, one person, two natures, forever. The believer is in Christ. He has a living relationship with Christ by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit.
Man is directed by faith in one of two categories:
• Faith (non-saving faith) in his own reason, feelings, and/or experience. These are some of the natural man’s interpretive grids by which he hopes, expects, decides, and reacts to God’s providence. He is for self. This response is in contrast to a biblically-controlled response involving thought, desire, and action. As part of the curse, at any moment the believer functions as the unbeliever. However this pattern of living by the senses as the primary modus operandi for life continues to change so that the believer is increasingly controlled by biblical principles and responses.
• Faith (saving faith) in God and His Word. The believer is a pupil and student of the Scripture which is his interpretative grid for all of life. He lives for God as demonstrated by the proper application of God’s truth. His motivation is to please God which he does by becoming more like Christ (this is the essence of progressive sanctification).
Section II: Presuppositional Apologetics: Its Application
PSA is more than a method of apologetics. It is a system of truth based on a true and cogent theology. It begins with the self-revealing Triune God of Scripture. PSA highlights the so-called indirect method of apologetics (meeting people where they are).
This can be pictured in variety of ways. One such way is by picturing two separate circles side by side. One circle represents God’s wisdom and the other autonomous man’s folly. The existence of two circles is the consequence of Adam’s fall and God’s judgment. They represent two worldviews as a result of the war of the seeds initiated by God in the Garden (Genesis 3:15).
For the sake of argument the presuppositionalist moves from God’s circle of wisdom (God’s truth and its application simplifies life – Matthew 11:28-30) to engage the unbeliever/Muslim in his circle of untruth (folly always complicates life – Proverbs 13:15). Knowing truth the Christian uses the Muslim’s own reasoning/logic to show his ultimate irrationality. He meets him where he is but he begins with the God-ordained point of contact as discussed above. The Muslim knows the triune God because he is God’s image. As such he has both internal and external revelation of the existence of God. Yet the unbeliever/Muslim chooses to suppress that truth.
The indirect method requires developing a working relationship with the other person which usually takes time. It requires understanding biblical truth and the Muslim’s untruth – falsehood. The Muslim holds his untruth dear to him. It is his refuge and stronghold (Proverbs 4:18-19). Part of the problem in ministering to him is his steadfastness in maintaining his choice. His choice may arise out of nurture and family claim but at the core, it is his choice. His belief system is presuppositional. Naturally, he functions as if his choice is his right and his destiny. He will go to great lengths to protect and exercise his rights (as a former Roman Catholic, when I was introduced to certain biblical truths, my initial response to them, especially the doctrine of election, was much the same. I reasoned: how dare someone challenge my right to decide. In retrospect, it was not a matter of truth or nurture but pride.).
It is important for the believer to push the antithesis as he moves into the Muslim’s circle. By antithesis I am referring to God’s truth that stands in contrast to and opposes the particular untruth – the thesis – of any false religion including Islam. The unbeliever usually states his thesis authoritatively. He has a standard because all men refer and defer to some source of truth. Ultimately for the unbeliever that standard is himself even though he may claim his standard is outside of him. He may choose a book (including the Qur’an) or a person as the source of his authority. Ultimately his source is unaided, autonomous, human reason.
As I have mentioned the point of contact with an unbeliever is the fact that every person is the image of God. Yet the unbeliever attempts to suppress the truth of God’s existence, power, and ownership thereby attempting to suppress his own creatureness. In the course of the discussion the believer attempts to have the Muslim present his practiced, patterned worldview. This information will serve as the thesis.
As with all men the Muslim achieves and “gets something” from his worldview and its application. If he believes “life is good,” having him turn from what he thinks is real and worthwhile will be extremely difficult, even impossible. That is why the work of discipleship, including apologetics, is Holy Spirit-driven and Holy Spirit-dependent. What is impossible with man is possible with God. God has designed a way to minister truth to unbelievers. One way of ministering to them is by pushing the antithesis. As noted above, pushing the antithesis means, at the very least, contrasting, with the hopes of replacing, the Muslim’s folly with God’s truth. This was one way that Jesus engaged people (consider John 3 – Nicodemus; John 4 – woman at the well; John 5-8 – the Pharisees; and John 14 – His disciples). Jesus met people where they were and appropriately confronted them with God’s truth. By pushing the antithesis, gently and fervently depending on the believer’s relationship with the Muslim, a proper vertical reference to life is highlighted. In that way the unbeliever is confronted with the reality of his competition with God.
In pushing the antithesis with our Muslim friend, it is helpful to note that the Islamic faith has similar characteristics to Roman Catholicism and the religion of the Pharisees. Some of those characteristics are:
• These systems appeal to man’s pride.
• Each have wrong views of God, self, and others.
• Their source of truth is not the Christian Bible. Consequently, they have a wrong view of righteousness, law, lawkeeping, lawgiving, the Lawgiver, merit, and reward.
• Their view of God and self leads to a lifestyle of fear, arrogance, and ignorance. They don’t know God as Father or Jesus as Brother. God as Judge takes center stage. The goal is to be accepted by personal works in an attempt to manipulate God.
• Each system encourages living according to a “now” theology of life. This mindset is characterized by a “me” motivation via the physical and visible things of life. It is temporally oriented – now is the time for me to get for me. It desires the “created” – that which is sensually experienced and evaluated by feelings. A “now” theology of life is driven by two main desires: pleasure – feeling good about self, the “what I want” – and entitlement – “what I deserve.”
• Each system functions under the belief that their “God” is a debtor God who can be “trained” to accept and receive what the individual gives (Luke 18:9-14). An eternal reward (these systems teach an afterlife) is earned or merited. At the same time these are proud people (including Muslims) who are fearful and private, driven by the mantra of “my world, my way.” This contrasts a Romans 11:36 approach to God and life. In this doxology, Paul praises God – all things are from Him, to Him, and for Him.
In summary, PSA has the capacity to meet any unbeliever and his worldview in such a way that the unbeliever is without excuse. The presuppositionalist begins, continues, and ends with God’s truth all the while depending more and more on the work of the Holy Spirit. He fervently seeks to be the Holy Spirit’s tool. Ultimately the Holy Spirit is the final determiner of a changed heart.
The Islamic faith is another example of natural man’s suppressing the truth in unrighteousness. It has a global presence. It appeals to prideful man. It distorts the true God and His covenant Lordship. It distorts man as a covenant being dependent on God for his being/existence, knowledge, and ethics/morality. People hold tight to this system of thought because they are ignorant and arrogant. It is hard to decide in any one individual which weighs heavier. It is in that light that we understand some clerics consider Islam as the first reformation of the Judeo-Christian tradition (Islam, Forgiveness, and Jihad: Hawaii Forgiveness Project, www.hawaiiforgivenessproject.org, June 10, 2005) For the Muslim the Reformation began with Muhammad and continues to the present day (Sura 12:3: We do relate unto thee that most beautiful of stories in that We reveal to thee this (portion of the) Qur’an: before this, thou too was among those who knew it not.).
Further, consider the topics of nature and nurture as they relate to the Islamic faith. First nature. The natural man is anti-God. The Bible speaks of this rebellion as total depravity (Romans 8:5-8; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 2:1-3). Natural man creates his own god (Proverbs 3:5-8; 5:21-23). Such it is with a Muslim. In his mind Allah is the god of the universe who has no triune personality and no effecting Immanuel principle (God with us). The Muslim “god” (Allah) is unapproachable by sinful man. The Muslim may say he approaches Allah in prayer but the Muslim cannot have a personal relationship with him. Apparently Allah has no intimate, familial relationship with any being:
• Sura 2.29: It is He Who hath created for you all things that are on earth; Moreover His design comprehended the heavens, for He gave order and perfection to the seven firmaments. And of all things He hath perfect knowledge.;
• Sura 2.117: To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: when He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: “Be”, and it is.;
• Suras 6.22-23,73,163: One day shall We gather them all together: We shall say to those who ascribed partners (to Us): “Where are the partners whom ye (invented and) talked about?”; 23: There will then be (left) no subterfuge for them but to say: “By God our Lord, we were not those who joined gods with God.”; 73: It is He Who created the heavens and the earth in true (proportions): the day He saith, “Be,” behold! It is. His word is the truth. His will be the dominion the day the trumpet will be blown. He knoweth the unseen as well as that which is open. For He is the Wise, well acquainted (with all things).; 163: No partner hath He: this am I commanded, and I am the first of those who bow to His Will.;
• Sura 5.72-73: They do blaspheme who say: “God is Christ the son of Mary.” But said Christ: “O Children of Israel! Worship God, my Lord and your Lord.” Whoever joins other gods with God — God will forbid him the Garden, and the Fire will be his abode. There will for the wrong-doers be no one to help. They do blaspheme who say: God is one of three in a Trinity: for there is no god except One God. If they desist not from their word (of blasphemy), verily a grievous penalty will befall the blasphemers among them.; Sura 16.51: God has said: “Take not (for worship) two gods: for He is just one God: then fear Me (and Me alone).”;
• Sura 2.116: They say: “God hath begotten a son”: Glory be to him – Nay, to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth: everything renders worship to Him.;
• Sura 13.16: Say: “Who is the Lord and Sustainer of the heavens and the earth? Say “(It is) God.” Say: “Do ye then take (for worship) protectors other than Him, such as have no power either for good or for harm to themselves? Say: “Are the blind equal with those who see? or the depths of darkness equal with light?” Or do they assign to God partners who have created (anything) as He has created, so that the creation seemed to them similar? Say: “God is the Creator of all things: He is the One, the Supreme and Irresistible.”).
In the Muslim’s ignorance and folly, acceptance of and by Allah ostensibly serves himself (Proverbs 4:18-19). Yet the Muslim has no certainty of his standing before Allah. In fact the Muslim hopes against hope and “cranks out” more and more works. The Islamic faith offers blessings but actually produces curses and a hard life (Proverbs 4:18-19; 13:15).
Next, nurture. The history of Islam highlights the effects of false teaching and its devastating consequences (Proverbs 13:15). False teaching abounded and acceptance of the Islamic faith filled the vacuum produced by the lack of sound, biblical teaching. Armed with “his truth,” Muhammad postulated that he received revelation from Allah. The New Testament (perhaps the Old Testament as well) was not translated into Arabic until 720 A.D. – a century after Muhammad’s death. Although scattered groups of Jews and Christians lived on the Arabian peninsula in the years prior to Islam, there seemed to have been little spiritual vitality among those Christians and little effort to evangelize those of other beliefs (World Religions: A Comparison of Other World Religions with Biblical Christianity, page 39).
Falsehood leads to a miserable life both for the individual and those around him. The triad of truth, life, and ministry are the basics of discipleship. Truth is for living (thinking, desiring, acting) God’s way for His glory. Life is for ministry which includes other-directed discipleship including evangelism (bringing people into the kingdom) and discipling (growing individual members of God’s kingdom, and His body as a whole, the Church, into Christlikeness: Ephesians 4:11-14). The Muslim is truly indoctrinated into a way of life (one example is the memorization of the Qur’an at a very early age). I remind the reader of the two-circle illustration described above: circles of wisdom and folly. Theology determines a person’s goals and purposes for life and his resultant lifestyle. In the Muslim’s case he is a poor theologian. Pride is an overriding characteristic of all false religions including Islam. False religions claim some other source of authority other than Christ speaking by His Holy Spirit through His Word (Isaiah 8:20). In the final analysis every unbeliever is proud.
As with all apologetics a primary issue is standard. As I have said everyone has presuppositions and a standard. Specifically, what is the standard for determining truth and error, knowing what you know, and doing what you do? These questions imply rationality and morality. By rationality I am referring to knowledge and the capacity to discover facts (unbeliever and believer) and to receive and to accept revealed truth (only pertains to the believer). Rationality implies reason and a reasoning being. By morality I mean ethics, determining and doing what is right and wrong according to a standard. The unbeliever can never do “right” because he has the wrong standard (his truth which is no truth) and motivation (to get rather than to honor God). For the Christian the Triune personal God defines wisdom and knowledge because God is truth. Further, He is a rational moral Being Who defines morality. As to standard:
• the Muslim must ask what is the Qur’an’s teaching on ontology (being, both man’s and Allah’s), epistemology (knowing, both man’s and Allah’s), and ethics (man’s and Allah’s moral activity).
• the Christian relies on the self-revealing God Who has given to His people His Word. The Bible is self attesting, self-authenticating, and its own witness. It is the believer’s owner’s manual of life (Psalm 119:9-11, 24, 65-71, 105, 130). It is His powerful, personal, and purposeful self-disclosure. God is truth and His Word is truth, both of which are the Christian’s standard for all of life (John 14:6; 17:17).
Section III: Illustrations of Presuppositional Apologetics:
A Thesis-Antithesis Methodology
The Bible and the Qur’an make claims about themselves and truth. Thesis: The Qur’an claims to be truth (have truth). Based on the teaching of Islam Allah has spoken through the Qur’an even with all its contradictions and discrepancies. The Qur’an, the source of the Muslim’s truth, states it is a perfect book from Allah (despite its contradictions) preserved on tablets in heaven:
Sura 10.32: Such is God, your real Cherisher and Sustainer: apart from truth, what (remains) but error? How then are ye turned away?;
Sura 17.81: And say: “Truth has (now) arrived, and falsehood perished: for falsehood is (by its nature) bound to perish.”;
Sura 23.90: We have sent them the truth: but they indeed practice falsehood!;
Sura 77.15: Ah woe, that day, to the rejecters of truth!
Sura 85.21-22: nay, this a Glorious Qur’an, (inscribed) in a Table Preserved!
If the Qur’an is as it is claimed, according to the “truth” thesis, there should be no contradictions in it. Yet contradictions abound. Examples include descriptions of:
• Man’s creation: what was man created from?
Sura 96.2: “Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood,”
Sura 15.26: “We created man from sounding clay”;
Sura 3.59: “The similitude of Jesus before Allah is as that of Adam; He created him from dust”
Sura 19.67: “But does not man call to mind that we created him before out of nothing?”;
Sura 52.35: “Were they created of nothing or were they themselves the creators?”
Sura 16.4: “He has created man from a sperm-drop; and behold this same (man) becomes an open disputer!”
The Qur’an, Allah, Jesus: Jesus was like Adam: Sura 3.59: The similitude of Jesus before God is as that of Adam; he created him from dust, then said to him: “Be” and he was. Yet, Suras 5.110, 3.62, and 2.87 highlight “miraculous” Jesus. See Abdullah Yusuf Ali’s commentary, footnote 401 regarding Sura 3.62 (see further discussion of these Suras on pages 34-35).
• Compulsion regarding religion:
Sura 2.256: Let there be no compulsion in religion: truth stands out clear from error: whoever rejects evil and believes in God hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And God heareth and knoweth all things.
Sura 9.29: Fight those who believe not in God nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by God and His Apostle, nor acknowledge the religion of truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.
• Attitude toward Christians:
Sura 5.51: O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and Christians for your protectors: they are but protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them is of them. Verily God guideth not a people unjust.;
Sura 5.82: Strongest among men in enmity to the believers wilt thou find the Jews and Pagans: and nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say, “We are Christians”: because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant.
• Allah’s decrees: changed or not?
Sura 6.34: “..there is none that can alter the words (and decrees) of Allah”;
Sura 6.115: “None can change His words: for He is the one who heareth and knoweth all”
Sura 16.101: “When we substitute one revelation for another, and Allah knows best what He reveals (in stages).”
• Jesus as a servant-slave and yet an apostle entitled to honor and called the Christ born of the virgin Mary.
Sura 43.59: He was no more than a servant: We granted our favour to him, and We made him an example to the Children of Israel.
Sura 4.171-172: O People of the Book! commit no excesses in your religion: nor say of God aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) an Apostle of God, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in God and His Apostles. Say not “trinity”” desist: it will be better for you: for God is one God: glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son. of Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is God as a Disposer of affairs. Christ disdaineth not to serve and worship God, nor do the angels, those nearest (to God): those who disdain His worship and are arrogant — He will gather them all together unto Himself to (answer).
Sura 3.42: Behold! the angels said: “O Mary! God hath chosen thee and purified thee — chosen thee above the women of all nations. (See footnote 382 in The Qur’an Text, Translation & Commentary, Abdullah Yusuf Ali.)
Sura 3.45: Behold! The angels said: “O Mary! God giveth thee glad tiding of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the hereafter and of (the company of ) those nearest to God;
The Qur’an is the most Holy Book of Islam and it is considered to be the actual word of Allah and not the word of Muhammad to whom it was given. It is reported that Muhammad could not read or write so it is said that he recited to scribes who wrote down what he said. But it wasn’t until the fourth leader of Islam (Caliph Uthman) that the whole Qur’an was finally assembled, approved, and distributed throughout the Muslim world. There is no evidence at all that the Qur’an was written down in its entirety in Muhammad’s lifetime and compiled as a unit. So how could he have spoken it in its entirety and how could he have verified its truth? (see World Religions, page 48).
In the Qur’an, the word truth is used most frequently for the message that Muhammad received and recited to someone (someone is not defined). In addition Sura 4:142 seems to indicate that Allah is able to deceive. If “true,” Allah is not truthful or trustworthy. Therefore, neither is the Qur’an.
Sura 4.142: The Hypocrites — they think they are over-reaching God, but He will over-reach them: when they stand up to prayer, they stand without earnestness, to be seen of men, but little do they hold God in remembrance;
There are at least two antitheses based on the presupposition that the triune God and His Word are inseparable.
• First, the Triune Personal God has spoken truthfully, clearly, authoritatively, necessarily, and sufficiently in His powerful, purposeful, self-attesting, self-identifying Scripture concerning Who He is and what He has done and is doing in His world for His people.
• Second, the Word is Truth (Jesus Christ). Truth is a Person and the written Word (the Living Word – John 14:6 and the Written Word – John 17:17). Both have their origins in and with God. Jesus claims that He is Truth, and He claims Deity (John 5;18-27, 8:58, 10:17-18, 30, 14:6). The Bible is living, enduring, and eternal (1 Peter 1:23, 25, Hebrews 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:15-16). The God of the Bible cannot lie (Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18, Numbers 23:19).
According to Islam, wherever the Bible contradicts Islam, the Bible is incorrect. The Qur’an is the source of their epistemology. The truth of the matter is this: the Qur’an and the Bible are not compatible. One is incorrect. To paraphrase Martin Luther when the issue of standard was raised: he said “I stand on the Bible, I can do nothing less.” This is a proper time to comment on what some may consider “contradictions” in the Bible. One such example of “apparent contradictions” is the so-called universalistic passages such as I Timothy 2:4, 4:10, and II Peter 3:9. Some people interpret the passages to mean that Christ’s atonement is universal. That is, He died for everyone paying satisfaction for their sin and guilt. Frequently, people say Christ died only to make it possible for all people to be saved.
A foundational truth is this: the self-revealing Triune God is not contradictory. The key in resolving apparent contradictions in Scripture is the analogy of Scripture (Scripture interprets Scripture) and the study of the context and purpose of the passage. In contrast to the Qur’an, the Bible teaches a limited atonement, in extent not in efficacy. Jesus’ death was 100% effective in accomplishing God’s purpose of saving His people. Jesus was their sacrificial, sin-bearing, substitute becoming sin judicially for each one of His sheep (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45; Titus 2:14; 2 Corinthians 5:21; John 6:37-40; Ephesians 1:4; Hebrews 9-10; Romans 3:25; I John 2:2; 4:10).
Another example of an apparent contradiction is God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. These two non-negotiable truths are linked and display the mind of God. Philippians 2:12-13 teach both truths side by side. Thus, there are no true contradictions in the Bible. Certainly there are biblical concepts that we cannot fully understand. We may never be able to explain, for example, how God created something from nothing, how He can raise someone from the dead, how the Spirit of God quickens the unregenerate soul, and how God can be three and yet one. Such concepts are mysteries to us but they are not contradictions in terms (R.L. Reymond, A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith, Second Edition, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, TN, pages 103-109).
Claims about Muhammad and Jesus
The Qur’an makes claims regarding Muhammad:
• The Qur’an claims Muhammad – “one who is praised” and the founder of Islamic
faith – is the final and greatest prophet of Allah and the reformer.
Sura 7.157-158: “Those who follow the Apostle, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find mentioned in their own (Scriptures) — for he commands them what is just and forbids them what is evil; he allows them as lawful what is good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is bad (and impure); he releases them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that are upon them. So it is those who believe in him, honour him, help him, and follow the light which is sent down with him — it is they who will prosper.” Say: “O men! I am sent unto you all, as the Apostle of God, to Whom belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth: there is no god but He: it is He that giveth both life and death. So believe in God and His Apostle, the unlettered Prophet, who believeth in God and His Words: follow him that (so) ye may be guided.”
Sura 3.164: God did confer a great favour on the believers when He sent among them an Apostle from among themselves, rehearsing unto them the signs of God, sanctifying them, and instructing them in scripture and wisdom, while, before that, they had been in manifest error.
Sura 81.22: And (o people!) Your companion is not one possessed;
• In Islam the divine source of truth is Allah, the one true god. Muhammad,
appointed by Allah, is its declarer and Allah’s messenger.
Sura 2.255: God! There is no god but He, the Living the Self subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him nor sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede in His presence except as he permitteth? He knoweth what (appeareth to his creatures as) before or after or behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of His knowledge except as He willeth. His throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth, and He feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for He is the Most High, the Supreme (in glory).
Sura 10.32: Thus is the word of thy Lord proved true against those who rebel: verily they will not believe.
Sura 16.51: God has said: “Take not (for worship) two gods: for He is just one God: then fear Me (and Me alone).”
Sura 28.88: And call not, besides God, on another god. There is no god but He. Everything (that exists) will perish except His own face. To Him belongs the command, and to Him will ye (all) be brought back.
There are two antitheses and both address the issue of standard.
First, Scripture teaches that God will raise up a prophet like Moses, greater than Moses and the angels: Deuteronomy 18:15-22, Acts 3:24-28, Hebrews. 1:5-9, 3:1-6. Our Triune God has spoken throughout history but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, His final and ultimate Prophet (Hebrews 1:1-3). Christ continues His prophetic function via the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth (John 14:16-17; 15:26; 16:13) and the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9-11; 1 Peter 1:11). He has not spoken through any other source of revelation. A prophet is more than a teller and predictor. He declares God’s truth. He is God’s mouthpiece (Exodus 4:14-16; 7:1-2). He speaks God’s truth. He gives the people a “piece of God’s mind.” Muhammad does not meet the biblical criteria for a prophet of the Triune God. He may be Allah’s prophet (whoever Allah is) but he is not a prophet of the God of the universe.
Second, supposedly, because Muhammad could neither read nor write, he dictated “his revelations” to “people” who supposedly wrote them down. Several questions must be answered: What is the evidence that Allah “revealed things” to Muhammad? If he did, what is the evidence that Muhammad received them correctly? As we said before there is no evidence that the Qur’an was written down in its entirety in Muhammad’s life and compiled as a unit, let alone correctly. “Correctly” isn’t intended to mean that Muhammad did receive revelation. A third issue is whether what Muhammad said – if he did speak to the “scribes” – was even heard and recorded correctly. The Christian knows Muhammad did not receive the Triune God’s revelation because Muhammad is not His mouthpiece. If Muhammad and the “scribes” (other experts) could not verify its “truth” how can we? Moreover, as far as I can tell, the Qur’an does not claim, as Scripture does, to be the powerful, purposeful, self-expression of a personal and powerful covenant God. This brings us to one conclusion: Allah must not be the true God.
In the Qur’an truth is defined only as “non-error.” Truth contrasts falsehood which is defined as those who disbelieve the Qur’anic message or reject Muhammad (The Truth about Islam, pages 83-86). The focus on truth in the Qur’an is on affirming the revelation that Muhammad (allegedly) received and defending him as the final prophet (The Truth about Islam, chapter 2). Functionally Islam and Muhammad compete with Jesus Christ. (See commentary on Sura 3.59, footnote 398 and Sura 4.171 footnote 676, The Qur’an Text, Translation & Commentary, Abdullah Usuf Ali)
According to Geisler and Saleeb, “Muhammad never offered his alleged prophecy as a proof of his prophethood.” “Nor did he offer any signs or miracles as evidence of prophethood” (The Truth about Islam, page 43). Muhammad’s claim as the final and greatest prophet is an unverifiable self-proclamation (The Truth about Islam, pages 43-44).
Moreover, Muhammad claims that he is Allah’s representative simply because he said so. The antithesis is that God is God Who has revealed Himself to us in His Word and His Son. The living and true God has spoken by and in His living and written Word (John 14:6, 17:17, 2 Timothy 3:15-17). Since the canon is closed there are no more prophets. Ephesians 4:11-14 speaks of apostles and prophets as gifts of God to equip Christ’s church. Ephesians 2:20 speak of them as the foundation of Christ’s church with Jesus Himself being the chief cornerstone. When the canon was completed the “need” for both apostles and prophets ceased. According to Scripture Muhammad is a false prophet and Allah is not the true God of the Bible. Antithetically:
• Scripture records truth about Jesus. Jesus claims to be God. He is truth and light (John 8:56-58; 14:6 – John 8:12; 9:5 – see 1 John 1:5 where John teaches that God is light). He is called God (Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5; 12:37-41; 20:28; Acts 28:25; 1 John 5:20); He has the attributes of God (John 1:1-5; 2:24-25; 5:18-29; 17:5, 24); He does the work of God (creates, sustains, forgives sins, hears and answers prayers); and He is worshipped as God (Matthew 14:33; John 9:38; 14:1, 13-14; 20:28; Revelation 5:12-14). In contrast, Muhammad sinned and needed forgiveness.
Sura 4.3: If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry women of your choice, two, or three, or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them). Then only one, or (a captive) that your right hands possess. That will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice.
Sura 4.31: If ye (but) eschew the most heinous of the things which ye are forbidden to do, we shall expel our of you all the evil in you, and admit you to a Gate of great honour.
Sura 40.5: But (there were people) before them, who denied (the signs) — the people of Noah, and the confederates (of evil) after them; and every people plotted against their prophet, to seize him and disputed by means of vanities, there with to condemn the truth: but it was I that seized them! And how (terrible) was My requital!
Sura 47.19: Know, therefore, that there is no god but God, and ask forgiveness for thy fault, and for the men and women who believe: for God knows how ye move about and how ye dwell in your homes.
Sura 48.2: That God may forgive thee thy faults of the past and those to follow; fulfil His favour to thee; and guide thee on the straight way; He performed no miracles, and he did not claim to be God.
Muhammad is said to have “received his revelation” from Allah through an angel. Joseph Smith Jr.(the founder of Mormonism) also claimed to receive revelation from an angel, the angel Moroni.
Sura 96.1-19: Proclaim? (Read!) In the name of your Lord and Cherisher, who created — 2 Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: 3 Proclaim! And your Lord is Most Bountiful — 4 He Who taught (the use of) the Pen — 5 Taught man that which he know not. 6 Nay, but man does transgress all bound, 7 In that he looks upon himself as self-sufficient. 8 Verily, to thy Lord is the return (of all). 9 Do you see one who forbids — 10 A votary when he (turns) to pray? 11 Do you see if he is on (the road of) guidance? — 12 Or enjoins righteousness? 13 Do you see if he denies (truth) and turns away? 14 Doesn’t he know that God does see? 15 Le him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock — 16 A lying, sinful forelock! 17 Then, let him call (for help) to his council (of comrades): 18 We will call on the angels of punishment (to deal with him)! 19 Nay, heed him not: but bow down in adoration, and bring yourself closer (to God)! (See commentary footnote 6204 in The Qur’an Text, Translation & Commentary, Abdullah Yusuf Ali.)
In Scripture Jesus is confirmed by signs, wonders, and miracles including the resurrection. The Qur’an agrees. It states that Jesus performed miracles.
Sura 3.49: “And (appoint him) an apostle to the Children of Israel, (with this message): “‘I have come to you, with a sign from your Lord, in that I make for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by God’s leave: and I heal those born blind, and the lepers, and I quicken the dead, by God’s leave; and I declare to you what ye eat, and what ye store in your houses. Surely therein is a sign for you if ye did believe; (See footnote 390, The Qur’an Text, Translation & Commentary, Abdullah Yusuf Ali.)
Sura 5.110: Then will God say: “O Jesus the son of Mary! Recount My favour to thee and to thy mother. Recount My favour to thee and to thy mother. Behold! I strengthened thee with the holy spirit so that thou didst speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. Behold! I taught thee the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel. And behold! Thou makest out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My leave, and thou breathest into it, and it becometh a bird by My leave, and thou healest those born blind, and the lepers, by My leave, And behold! Thou bringest forth the dead by My leave. And behold! I did restrain the Children of Israel from (violence to ) thee when thou didst show them the clear signs. And the unbelievers among them said: ‘This is nothing but evident magic.’
The Bible speaks of Jesus’ impeccability/sinlessness which is in marked contrast to what the Qur’an reports regarding Muhammad (Luke 1:35; 2 Corinthians 5:21; John 8:46; 14:30; 1 John 3:5; Hebrews 4:15; 7:26; 9:14). And the Qur’an agrees that Jesus is sinless (Sura 3.46: “He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. And he shall be (of the company) of the righteous.”). Jesus urged and invited people to believe Him and in Him (John 20:30-31; 1 John 5:13). The Qur’an is silent regarding any claims of deity regarding Muhammad.
Man and Creation
The Qur’an has much to say about man but it does not follow any logical order. The following is a list of passages that address the issue and my comments.
Sura 15.26,29: We created man from sounding clay from the mud moulded into shape. 29 When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My Spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him.
Seemingly the Qur’an postulates a dualism – a lower and higher state – with no mention of man as God’s image. Angels, including Satan, were to worship man. Man is to receive worship as god does. Antithetically, Hebrews 1 tells us that Jesus alone is superior to angels. He is worthy of worship because He is God.
Sura 16.4: he has created man from a sperm drop; and behold this same man becomes an open disputer.
Sura 4.28: God doth wish to lighten your (difficulties) for man was created weak (in flesh).
The Qur’an depicts man’s origin as lowly. This contrasts the “very good” that God pronounced to Himself and to His creation on the sixth day (Genesis 1:31; also see Ecclesiastes 7:29). Moreover, Genesis 2:7 teaches that God formed (yatsar) man from the dust (apar) of the ground. Man became a living being only as the triune God interposed Himself. He breathed into man the breath of life. Man was God’s vice-regent, His representative on earth. Further, and in contradistinction to the Qur’an, Holy Scripture teaches that man was God’s image created in perfect knowledge, righteousness, and holiness (Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10). As God’s image, man was created a good theologian. At one time pre-fall Adam was like the perfect man, Jesus Christ, sinless and in perfect covenant relationship with God. Redemption was not the issue in the Garden. As we learned earlier, man is the image of God (he is real – he exists, has being – he is relational, revelational, rational, religious, responsible, and free). The Bible’s teaching that man is God’s image is antithetical to the Qur’anic view of man and his position in the Muslim’s view of the creational order.
Sura 19.67: Does not man call to mind that we created him before out of nothing.
This sura contradicts several of the preceding ones. The contradictions return us to the issue of the Qur’an as a fallible or infallible standard and book. It would seem that these and other contradictions as we have previously discussed cast doubt on the perfection of the Qur’an.
Sura 52.35: Were they created out of nothing or were they themselves the creators?
This sura can, and has been, interpreted in a variety of ways further adding to confusion and disorder of the “perfect book” especially regarding man’s creation and his purpose for life.
Sura 96.2: Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood.
This sura again attests to an Aristotelian, Aquinas-like dual nature of man and is reminiscent of the teaching of concupiscence of the Roman Catholic Church. From this sura as well as others, man is pictured as a work in progress and stands in contrast to the Bible’s description of man at creation: mature, sinless, very good, and upright (Genesis 1:31; Ecclesiastics 7:29).
In the Qur’an man is not presented as the image of God nor Allah. Therefore he has no disposition to correctly think Allah’s thoughts, desire his desires, and honor him in his actions. According to the Qur’an, from the beginning, man must earn his way by climbing higher and higher endeavoring to make Allah “proud” and gain his acceptance but never having assurance of his favor:
Sura 3.135: And those who, having done something to be ashamed of, or wronged their own souls, earnestly bring God to mind, and ask for forgiveness for their sins, — and who can forgive sins except God? — and are never obstinate in persisting knowingly in (the wrong) they have done;
Sura 7.8-9: The balance that day will be true (to a nicely): those whose scale (of good) will be heavy, will prosper: 9 Those whose scale will be light, will find their souls in perdition, for that they wrongfully treated Our sighs.;
Sura 21.47: We shall set up scales of justice for the Day of Judgment, so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least. And if there be (no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it (to account): and enough are We to take account.;
Sura 49.14: The desert Arabs say, “We believe.” Say, “Ye have no faith; but ye (only) say, ‘We have submitted our wills to God,’ for not yet has faith entered your hearts. But if ye obey God and His Apostle, He will not belittle aught of your deeds: for God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”;
Sura 66.8-9: O ye who believe! Turn to God with sincere repentance: in the hope that your Lord will remove from you your ills and admit you to gardens beneath which rivers flow — the day that God will not permit to be humiliated the Prophet and those who believe with him. Their light will run forward before them and by their right hands, while they say, “Our Lord! Perfect our light for us, and grant us forgiveness: for Thou hast power over all things.” 9 O Prophet! Strive hard against the unbelievers and hypocrites, and be firm against them. Their abode is hell — an evil refuge (indeed).
The above sura make no mention of a creational design of man by Allah. The Bible teaches that the triune God decreed and counseled with Himself and made man His image – the visible representation of the invisible God (Gen 1:26-28). Man, as God’s image bearer and covenant being, was to function as God’s prophet, priest, and king. Pre-fall, Adam had the nature, desire, and capacity to please God because of God’s perfect covenant relationship with him. All his posterity would have enjoyed that same covenant relationship had Adam not sinned. God considered what Adam did and did not do as representative for Adam’s posterity. The Westminster Shorter Catechism (WSC) clearly delineates Scripture’s (God’s) position post-fall:
WSC #16: The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself but for his posterity, all mankind, descending from Adam by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first transgression.
WSC #18: The sinfulness of that estate where into man fell consists in the guilt of Adam’s first sin, the lack of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature – which is commonly called Original Sin, together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it.
WSC #20: God having out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into the covenant of grace (added: instituted after the fall but planned in eternity past), to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery and to bring them into the estate of salvation by a Redeemer.
The triune God, as covenant Lord, is good, intimate, and personal with and toward His people. In this way, God is glorified and man is afforded covenant blessings. This picture of God and His covenant status and love stands in contradistinction to the Qur’an’s depiction of Allah. Not once in the Qur’an is Allah mentioned as the heavenly Father (Abba), Redeemer, or Savior (the word “Allah” or “God” is mentioned about 2700 times in the Qur’an: Moslems and Christians: A Practical Guide with Qur’anic and Biblical Texts). Rather, he is depicted as Creator:
Sura 2.29: It is He Who hath created for you all things that are on earth; Morever His design comprehended the heavens, for He gave order and perfection to the seven firmaments. And of all things He hath perfect knowledge,;
Sura 2.117: To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: when He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: “Be”, and it is.;
Sura 6.73: It is He Who created the heavens and the earth in true (proportions): the day He saith, “Be,” behold! It is. His word is the truth. His will be the dominion the day the trumpet will be blown. He knoweth the unseen as well as that which is open. For He is the Wise, well acquainted (with all things).;
Sura 32.4: It is God Who has created the heavens and the earth, and all between them, in six Days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): ye have none, besides Him to protect or intercede (for you): will ye not then receive admonition.?),
Allah is also depicted as sustainer and a person of authority:
Sura 7.54: Your Guardian-Lord is God, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the Throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil O’er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: He created the sun, the moon, and the stars, (all) governed by laws under His command. Is it not His to create and to govern? Blessed be God, he Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds!;
Sura 13.16: Say: “Who is the Lord and Sustainer of the heavens and the earth? Say: “(It is) God.” Say: “Do ye then take (for worship) protectors other than Him, such as have no power either for good or for harm to themselves?” Say: “Are the blind equal with those who see? or the depths of darkness equal with light?” Or do they assign to God partners who have created (anything) as He has created, so that the creation seemed to them similar? Say: “God is the Creator of all things: He is the One, the Supreme and Irresistible.”
Further Allah is depicted as controller, guardian, and protector. These sura also highlight Allah’s vigilance and ownership but also his distance from people in “his own” world.
Sura 37.96: “But God has created you and your handiwork!”).
Sura 89.14: For thy Lord is (as a guardian) on a watch-tower.;
Sura 2.257: God is the Protector of those who have faith: From the depths of darkness He will lead them forth into light. Of those who reject faith the patrons are the Evil Ones: from light they will lead them forth into the depths of darkness. They will be companions of the fire, to dwell therin (forever).), he is free of all wants
Sura 31.26: To God belong all things in heaven and earth: verily God is He (Who is) Free of All Wants, Worthy of All Praise.
Yet the Qur’an also depicts Allah as forgiving, just, loving, and merciful.
Sura 2.284: To God belongeth all that is in the heavens and on earth. Whether ye show what is in your minds or conceal it, God calleth you to account for it. He forgiveth whom He pleaseth, and punisheth whom He pleaseth. For God hath power over all things.;
Sura 3.129: To God belongeth all that is in the heavens and on earth. He forgiveth whom He pleaseth and punisheth whom He pleaseth; but God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.;
Sura 4.116: God forgiveth not (the sin of) joining other gods with Him; but He forgiveth whom He pleaseth other sins that this: one who joins other gods with God, hath strayed far, far away (from the right).;
Sura 23.117: If anyone invokes, besides God, any other god, he has no authority therefore; and his reckoning will be only with his Lord! And verily the unbelievers will fail to win through!;
Sura 66.1-2: O Prophet! Why holdest thou to be forbidden that which God has made lawful to thee? Thou seekest to please thy consorts. But God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. God has already ordained for you, (O men), the dissolution of your oaths (in some cases): and God is your protector, and He is Full of Knowledge and Wisdom.;
Sura 3.31-32,76: Say: “If ye do love God, follow me: God will love you and forgive you your sins; for God is Oft-Forgiving, most merciful.” 32 Say: “Obey God and His Apostle”: but if they turn back, God loveth not those who reject faith.; 76: Nay — Those that keep their plighted faith and act aright, — verily God loves those who act aright.;
Sura 39.53: Say: “O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the mercy of God: for God forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Yet the Qur’an does not attempt to reconcile or explain Allah’s aloofness with his mercifulness. Moreover, apparently Allah chooses for his “special mercy” whom he will.
Sura 2.105: It is never the wish of those without faith among the People of the Book, nor of the pagans, that anything good should come down to you from your Lord. But God will choose for His special mercy whom He will – for God is Lord of Grace abounding.;
Sura 23.102-103: Then those whose balance (of good deeds) is heavy — they will attain salvation: 103 But those whose balance is light, will be those who have lost their souls; in hell will they abide.
Therefore, no Muslim can have “eternal security” (the Bible is clear that the believer perseveres because God perseveres. God saved His people and therefore, they cannot “unsave” themselves) or the assurance of Allah’s favor let alone his “salvation.”
Antithetically, the Bible gives us God’s “version” of Himself and man. For instance, according to the Bible, Christ is superior to angels (Hebrews 1:5-14). The author of Hebrews quotes seven Old Testament passages in order to affirm this claim:
• Hebrews 1:5: Psalm 2:7-9 and 2 Samuel 7:14
• Hebrews 1:6: Psalm 97:7 and Deuteronomy 32:43
• Hebrews 1:7: Psalm 104:4
• Hebrews 1:8-9: Psalm 45:6-7 and 89:26-27; Isaiah 61:1-3
• Hebrews 1:10-12: Psalm 102:25-27
• Hebrews 1:13: Psalm 110:1
Man’s position as God’s image bearer does not give him a position of being worshipped as depicted in the Qur’an. Rather, man is a spiritual, religious, and worshipping being. Psalm 8 makes clear that man is made lower than the angels but crowned with glory as God’s vice-regent on earth. Puny man (compared with an awesome, marvelous God) was given high dignity as God’s covenant creature and being. God bestowed on the first Adam and the second Adam (Christ) dominion over His creation. Moreover, the words of Psalm 8:4-8 are applied to Jesus in Hebrews 2:6-8. Jesus is King even when all things do not appear in subjection to Him (Hebrews 2:8-9).
The teaching of the Qur’an regarding the being and creation of Jesus Christ is antithetical to the Bible. Islam portrays Jesus:
• He was created and “he” is like Adam. The Qur’an states that Jesus, although a prophet, is a created being no different than Adam – “he” is not deity. In Allah’s sight, Jesus was as dust just as Adam was or humanity is.
Sura 3:59: The similitude of Jesus before God is that as Adam; he created him from dust then said to him “be and he was.”
• He was the son of the Virgin Mary (the only woman named in the Qur’an) – a human.
Sura 4:171: Allah is “far exalted is above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is God as a Disposer of affairs.”
• He was sinless.
Sura 3.46: “He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. And he shall be (of the company) of the righteous.”
• He was a servant-slave, apostle, prophet, who prophesied the coming of Muhammad, and was called Christ/Messiah.
Sura 43.59: He was no more than a servant: We granted our favour to him, and We made him an example to the Children of Israel.;
Sura 4.171: O People of the Book! commit no excesses in your religion: nor say of God aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) an Apostle of God, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in God and His Apostles. Say not “trinity”: desist: it will be better for you: for God is one God: glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is God as a Disposer of affairs.;
Sura 5.74-75: Why turn they not to God, and seek His forgiveness? For God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. 75 Christ, the son of Mary, was no more than an apostle; many were the apostles that passed away before him, His mother was a woman of truth. They had both to eat their (daily) food. See how God doth make his Signs clear to them; yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth!;
Sura 6.85: And Zakariya’ and John, and Jesus and Elias: all in the ranks of the righteous:;
Sura 61.6: And remember, Jesus, the son of Mary, said: “O Children of Israel! I am the Apostle of God (sent) to you, confirming the law (which came) before me, and giving glad tidings of an Apostle to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad. But when he came to them with clear signs, they said, “This is evident sorcery!”;
Sura 3.45-57: Behold! The angels said: “O Mary! God giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to God; 46 “He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. And he shall be (of the company) of the righteous.” 47 She said: “O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man hath touched me?” He said: “Even so: God createth what He willeth: when He hath decreed a plan, He but saith to it, ‘Be’, and it is! 48 “And God will teach him the Book and wisdom, the law and the Gospel, 49 “And (appoint him) an apostle to the Children of Israel, (with this message): “I have come to you, with a sign from your Lord, in that I make for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it and it becomes a bird by God’s leave: and I heal those born blind, and lepers, and I quicken the dead, by God’s leave; and I declare to you what ye eat, and what ye store in your houses. Surely therin is a sign for you if ye did believe; ” 50″(I have come to you), to attest the Law which was before me. And to make lawful to you part of what was (before) forbidden to you; I have come to you with a sign from your Lord. So fear God, and obey me. 51 “It is God who is my Lord and your Lord; then worship Him. This is a way that is straight.'” 52 When Jesus found unbelief on their part he said: “Who will be my helpers to (the work of) God?” Said the disciples: “We are God’s helpers: we believe in God, and do thou bear witness that we are Muslims. 53 “Our Lord! we believe in what Thou has revealed, and we follow the Apostle; then write us down among those who bear witness.” 54 And (the unbelievers) plotted and planned, and God too planned, and best of planners is God. 55 Behold! God said “O Jesus I will take thee and raise thee to myself and clear thee (of the falsehoods) of those who blaspheme; I will make those who follow thee superior to those who reject faith, to the day of resurrection: then shall ye all return unto me, and I will judge between you of the matters wherein ye dispute. 56 “As to those who reject faith, I will punish them with terrible agony in this world and in the hereafter, nor will they have anyone to help. 57 “As to those who believe and work righteousness, God will pay them (in full) their reward; but God loveth not those who do wrong.
However, a contradiction exists when we consider the above sura and Sura 4.172 that says that the Messiah is not a slave.
Sura 4.172: Christ disdaineth not to serve and worship God, nor do the angels, those nearest (to God): those who disdain His worship and are arrogant — He will gather them all together unto Himself to (answer).
• He was a miracle worker
Sura 3.49: “And (appoint him) an apostle to the Children of Israel, (with this message): “‘I have come to you, with a sign from your Lord, in that I make for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by God’s leave: and I heal those born blind, and the lepers, and I quicken the dead, by God’s leave; and I declare to you what ye eat, and what ye store in your houses. Surely therin is assign for you if ye did believe;
Sura 5.110: Then will God say: “O Jesus the son of Mary! Recount My favour to thee and to thy mother. Behold! I strengthened thee with the holy spirit, so that thou didst speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. Behold! I taught thee the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel. And behold! Thou makest out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My leave, and thou breathest into it, and it becometh a bird by My leave, and thou healest those born blind, and lepers by My leave. And behold! Thou bringest forth the dead by My leave. And behold! I did restrain the Children of Israel from (violence to) thee when thou didst show them the clear signs. And the unbelievers among them said: ‘This is nothing but evident magic.’
Abdullah Yusuf Ali has an interesting comment on the use of “holy spirit” in Sura 5.110 and Sura 3.62 and 2.87. In footnote 401 of Sura 3.62 he comments that Jesus is “no more than a man” but “he had no known human father as his birth was miraculous.” He further comments that Allah “strengthened him with the holy spirit.” He further comments that “the miracles that surround his story relate not only to his birth and his life and death but also to his mother Mary and his precursor Yahya.” What an amazing hodgepodge. The Qur’an gives testimony to a miraculous Jesus but maintains that he is only a man and that Muhammad is the greatest prophet.
• He was not God or the Son of God and “he” did not die on the cross.
Sura 5.17: In blasphemy indeed are those that say that God is Christ the son of Mary. Say: “Who then hath the least power against God, if His will were to destroy Christ the son of Mary, his mother, and all — every one that is on the earth? for to God belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between. He createth what He pleaseth. For God hath power over all things.”
Sura 5.116: And behold! God will say: “O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, ‘Worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of God’?” He will say: “Glory to Thee! Never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, Thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, though I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden.
Sura 19.19: He said: “Nay, I am only a messenger from thy Lord, (to announce) to thee the gift of a holy son.”
Sura 19.35: It is not befitting to (the majesty of ) God that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! When he determines a matter, He only says to it, “Be”, and it is. Sura 4.157: That they said (in boast), “We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Apostle of God”; — but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not —
Sura 9.30: The Jews call ‘Uzair a son of God, and Christians call Christ the son of God. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. God’s curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the truth!
Rather Allah saved Jesus from death and raised Him to heaven where He resides
until He comes again.
Sura 19.33: “So peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)”!
In other words, someone else died on the cross. In essence, Muslims reject both the Father and the Son: “it is not befitting to Allah that he should beget a son” (Sura 19:35). Moreover, Islam does not see a need for a sin-bearing substitute. No satisfaction is required for “sin” (however defined) and each soul is responsible for his own account.
Sura 6.164: Say: “Shall I seek for (my) Cherisher other than God, when He is the Cherisher of all things (that exist)? Every soul draws the meed if its acts on none but itself: no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another. Your goal in the end is towards God: He will tell you the truth of the things wherein ye disputed.” (Also see Sura 20.115-127: We had already, beforehand, taken the covenant of Adam, but he forgot: and We found on his part no firm resolve. 116 When we said to the angels, “Prostrate yourselves to Adam”, they prostrated themselves, but not Iblis: he refused. 117 Then we said: “O Adam! Verily, this is an enemy to thee and thy wife: so let him not get you out both out of the Garden, So that thou art landed in misery. 118 “There is therein (enough provision) for thee not to go hungry nor to go naked, 119 “nor to suffer from thirst nor from the sun’s heat.” 120 But Satan whispered evil to him: he said, “O Adam! Shall I lead thee to the tree of eternity and to a kingdom that never decays?” 121 In the result, they both ate of the tree, and so their nakedness appeared to them: they began to sew together, for their covering, leaves from the garden: thus did Adam disobey His Lord, and allow himself to be seduced. 122 But his Lord chose him (for His grace): He turned to him, and gave him guidance. 123 He said: “Get ye down, both of you — all together, from the garden, with enmity One to another: but if, as is sure, there comes to you guidance from Me, whosoever follows My guidance, will not lose his, nor fall into misery. 124 “But whosoever turns away from My message, verily for him is a life narrowed down, and We shall raise him up blind on the “Day of Judgment.” 125 He will say: “O my Lord! Why hast thou raised me up blind, while I had sight (before)?” 126 (God) will say: “Thus didst thou, when Our sighs came unto thee, disregard them: so wilt thou, this day, be disregarded.” 127 And thus do We recompense him who transgresses beyond bounds and believes not in the signs of his Lord: and the penalty of the hereafter is far more grievous and more enduring.
The Qur’an’s doctrine of personal responsibility teach that Muslims are fully responsible for their own acts and cannot transfer the consequences to someone else. Nor can any one vicariously atone for sin. (The Qur’an Text, Translation & Commentary, Abdullah Yusuf Ali, U.S. edition 2008.). Islam denies the historical reality of Christ’s crucifixion and the need for a sacrificial, sin-bearing, substitute and perfect Lawkeeper.
• He was a guide but no Redeemer; “he” was not crucified.
Sura 4.157: That they said (in boast), “We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Apostle of God”; — but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not –).
• He was one who did not call for worship of himself.
Sura 5.116-118: And behold! God will say: “O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, ‘Worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of God’?” He will say: “Glory to Thee! Never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, Thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, though I know not what is in Thine. For thou knowest in full all that is hidden. 117 “Never said I to them aught except what Thou didst command me to say, to witness, ‘Worship God, my Lord and your Lord’; and I was a witness over them whilst I dwelt amongst them; when Thou didst take me up Thou wast the watcher over them, and Thou art a witness to all tings. 118 “If Thou dost punish them, they are Thy servants: if Thou dost forgive them, Thou are the Exalted in power, the Wise.”
• He is contrasted to Muhammad. Muhammad who is called the greatest of the prophets is reported to be sinful.
Sura 40.55: Patiently, then, persevere: for the promise of God is true: and ask forgiveness for thy fault, and celebrate the praises of thy Lord in the evening and in the morning.
Sura 47.19: Know, therefore, that there is not god but God, and ask forgiveness for thy fault, and for the men and women who believe: for God knows how ye move about and how ye dwell in your homes.
Sura 48.2: That God may forgive thee thy faults of the past and those to follow: fulfil His favour to thee; and guide thee on the straight way;
Muhammad never claimed to be Allah (god) and he did not do miracles. The Qur’an depicts Allah as saving Jesus from death (yet Muhammad died) and the cross. Allah reportedly raised Jesus to heaven where he resides until he comes to earth at the end of the world.
Sura 4.158: Nay, God raised him up unto Himself; and God is Exalted in Power, Wise–
According to more than one sound tradition, Muhammad is reported to have asked for forgiveness seventy times a day. Jesus the sinless, holy, harmless, undefiled Lamb judicially became sin for His elect (Hebrews 7:26; 2 Corinthians 5:21). An obvious question ensues: how is it, from the Qur’an, that Muhammad is the greatest prophet?
Antithetically, according to the Word of God, Jesus is God.
• He claimed to be God (John 8:56-58 and the seven “I ams”; Matthew 9:2-7);
• He was called God (John 1:1-5; 10:30; 14:7-10; 20:28; throughout Paul’s epistles – Romans 1:4; 9:5 and Hebrews 1:1-3);
• He has the attributes of God (John 1:1-5; 2:24; 8:56-58; 17:5, 24);
• He is worshipped as God (John 5:18, 22-27; 9:38; 14:1, 13-14; 20:28; Matthew 28:18-20);
• He does the work of God (John 1:1-5; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:1-3)
The Bible and the Qur’an are antithetical. Both cannot be correct. If Jesus is not God then the issue of salvation is unresolved. Either no salvation is necessary, man can save himself (but from what?), or salvation can be accomplished by some other person. From our brief study in the Bible, if Jesus is not God, He is not Creator, Protector, and Redeemer. If true, there is a real problem: what does man do with sin? Either he denies it, mislabels it, ignores it, or somehow finds some “wiggle room” to avoid it. Christianity is a supernatural, redemptive religion; it acknowledges sin and a Savior. In contrast, Islam has a low view of sin (it is a “forgetting” – Adam merely slipped in a moment of temporary forgetfulness and Satan was the problem), of hell, a high view of self, and a distorted view of God. Islam teaches that man does not need a savior.
If Jesus was not crucified (Sura 4:157 above), obviously there is no cross work and no satisfaction and payment for sin. Yet Muslims do speak of Jesus as messiah/Christ who is to be obeyed.
Sura 3.45: Behold! The angels said: “O Mary! God giveth thee glad tiding of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the hereafter of (the company of) those nearest to God;
Sura 43.63: When Jesus came with clear signs, he said: “Now have I come to you with wisdom, and in order to make clear to you some of the (points) on which ye dispute: therefore fear God and obey me.
They fail to understand the Person and His work – His Messianic mission. In one sense, Muslims are no different in their understanding of Christ’s Messianic mission and the cross than the disciples especially Peter (Matthew 16:21-23). Suffering on a cross is unbecoming to Allah and not needed. Therefore, there is no such thing as the triune God and Jesus can’t be God.
Since He was not crucified the Bible’s teaching regarding His perfect obedience and His expiatory, propitiatory, reconciling, redemptive once-for-all sacrifice is myth and nonsense. Since the Qur’an depicts Jesus like Adam (Sura 3.59: The similitude of Jesus before God is as that of Adam; he created him from dust, then said to him: “Be” and he was.), there is no union with Christ, no federalism, and no covenant faithfulness of the Triune personal God. If the Qur’an is correct, there is no salvation: no justification, adoption, sanctification, and there can’t be glorification. In other words, according to the Qur’an, Jesus is a “loser” and the Muslim is the “winner” in his own right. Sadly the Muslim hopes in vain.
Sin and the Fall
The Qur’an says that all were created weak and forgetful (Sura 4.28: God doth wish to lighten your (difficulties): for man was created weak (in flesh). and Sura 20.115: We had already, beforehand, taken the covenant of Adam, but he forgot: and We found on his part no firm resolve.). This teaching denies, is antithetical to, the triune God’s original creational design of man – sinless and in perfect communion with Him (Genesis 1:31; Ecclesiastes 7:29). Biblically Adam “lacked'” a God-righteousness but his position in the Garden did not warrant it. Sin was not present in the physical world. The issue was not salvation, but the expression of man’s covenant allegiance and faithfulness. Adam would accomplish this by living as who he was: God’s appointed federal head and representative of mankind (Genesis 1:26-27, 31; Ecclesiastes 7:29).
The Qur’an does teach that all have “sinned” even Muhammad:
Sura 16.61: If God were to punish men for their wrong-doing, He would not leave, on the (earth), a single living creature: but He gives them respite for a stated term: when their term expires, they would not be able to delay (the punishment) for a single hour, just as they would not be able to anticipate it (for a single hour).;
42.5: The heavens are almost rent asunder from above them (by His glory): and the angels celebrate the praises of their Lord, and pray for forgiveness for (all ) beings on earth: behold! Verily God is He, the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.;
40.55: Patiently, then, persevere: for the promise of God is true: and ask forgiveness for thy fault, and celebrate the praises of thy Lord in the evening and in the morning.;
47.19: Know, therefore, that there is no god but God, and ask forgiveness for thy fault, and for the men and women who believe: for God knows how ye move about and how ye dwell in your homes.
48.2: That God may forgive thee thy faults of the past and those to follow: fulfil His favour to thee; and guide thee on the straight way;
Consider these sura regarding Adam’s “disobedience.” Adam (apparently Eve, even though she is not mentioned by name) fell by eating forbidden fruit:
Sura 2.36: Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden) and get out of the state of (felicity) in which they had been . We said: “Get ye down all (ye people) with enmity among yourselves; on earth will be your dwelling place, and your means of livelihood for a time.”
Sura 2.35: We said: “O Adam! dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden; and eat of the bountiful things therein as (where and when) ye will; but approach not this tree, or ye run into harm and transgression.;
Sura 20.120: But Satan whispered evil to him: he said, “O Adam! Shall I lead thee to the tree of eternity and to a kingdom that never decays?”
They were created in heaven. Apparently, if they were created in heaven from clay and other “stuff,” there must be clay in heaven (I wonder what clay is doing in heaven?). After eating, they, along with Satan, were cast out of heaven/paradise down to earth because they disobeyed (Satan apparently refused to worship man). The Qur’an pictures earth as a place of bondage. Apparently, Adam’s “repentance” (it was not biblical repentance) did not “help” him. He was cast down to earth to fend for himself.
Sura 2.36-37:Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: “Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling place and your means of livelihood — for a time.” Then learnt Adam from his Lord words of inspiration, and his Lord turned towards him; for He is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.
Perhaps he was “forgiven.” But of what and on what basis? By definition, repentance indicates the presence of sin; if true, satisfaction must be made by an atonement for sin or there can be no repentance. Repentance is received and accepted only because the believer is forgiven in Christ. The Qur’an does not define forgiveness or say on what basis “forgiveness” flowed.
Both the Qur’an and the Bible teach man’s personal responsibility for his actions. In the Qur’an, Adam is apparently portrayed as a type of all mankind:
Sura 2.26-38: God disdains not to use the similitude of things, lowest as well as highest. Those who believe know that it is truth from their Lord; but those who reject faith say: “What means God by this similitude?” By it He causes many to stray and many He leads into the right path; but He causes not to stray, except those who forsake (the Path) — Those who break God’s Covenant after it is ratified, and who sunder what God has ordered to be joined, and do mischief on earth: these cause loss (only) to themselves. How can ye reject the faith in God? Seeing that ye were without life, and He gave you life; then will He cause you to die, and will again bring you to life; and again to Him will ye return. It is He Who hath created for you all things that are on earth; Morever His design comprehended the heavens, for He gave order and perfection to the seven firmaments. And of all things He hath perfect knowledge Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: “I will create a vicegerent on earth.” They said: “Wilt Thou place therein one who will make mischief therin and shed blood? — whilst we do celebrate Thy praises and glorify Thy holy (name)?” He said: “I know what ye know not.” And He taught Adam the names of all things’ then He placed them before the angels, and said: “Tell Me the names of these if ye are right.” They said: “Glory to Thee: of knowledge we have none, save what Thou hast taught us: in truth it is Thou Who art perfect in knowledge and wisdom.” He said: “O Adam! Tell them their natures.” When he had told them, God said: “Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of heaven and earth, and I know what ye reveal and what ye conceal?” And Behold, We said to the angels: “Bow down to Adam:” and they bowed down: Not so Iblis: he refused and was haughty: he was of those who reject faith. We said: “O Adam! dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden; and eat of the bountiful things therein as (where and when) ye will; but approach not this tree or ye run into harm and transgression.” Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: “Get ye down, all (ye people) with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling place and your means of livelihood — for a time.” Then learnt Adam from his Lord words of inspiration, and his Lord turned towards him; for He is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful. We said: “Get ye down all from here; and if, as is sure, there comes to you guidance from Me, whosoever follows My guidance, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.;
Sura 7.172-173: When thy Lord drew forth from the children of Adam — from their loins — their descendants, and made them testify concerning themselves, (saying): “Am I not your Lord (who cherishes and sustains you)?” — They said: “Yea! We do testify!” (This), lest ye should say on the Day of Judgement: “Of this we were never mindful”: Or lest ye should say: “Our fathers before us may have taken false gods, but we are (their) descendants after them: wilt Thou then destroy us because of the deeds of men who were futile?”).
The Qur’an teaches the “fall” of Adam and implicates the whole race in it. In Sura 2.38 the same command is given to Adam plus his offspring. It can be concluded that all men were affected by the fall (Sura 2.35-38). There was hostility to each other (Sura 7.24: (God) said: “Get ye down, with enmity between yourself. On earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood — for a time.”). Apparently there was no hostility in heaven. One wonders if the Qur’an teaches a change in man’s nature after Adam was cast out of heaven. It doesn’t appear it does. The Qur’an makes no attempt to explain the source of this “hostility” and offers no solution to the human condition except works including the destruction of non-Muslims. The Muslim has no guarantee that his works secure a reward. There is no doctrine of total depravity and no grace is needed in the Islamic scheme of things.
Muslims recognize Adam as the representative of his offspring. Therefore Adam by his “disobedience” “made” all his descendants personally responsible for their actions. Muslims can’t explain why people sin – do wrong. We have established that Muslims, like everyone else, do have a standard. They do not have a federal perspective of the first Adam. The Bible teaches that God reckoned to all mankind that preceded from Adam by ordinary generation what Adam did. God also reckoned Christ’s, Who is the second Adam, active and passive perfect obedience to His people. The Muslim would apply the fact that the father’s physical illness is not inherited so why should a “sin nature” be? From a purely secular standpoint, some physical diseases are familial! The Muslim motto is to do right and things will be “OK,” but I am not sure Islam ever defines “OK.” Apparently “OK” for most Muslim men means looking forward to “heaven” as the fulfillment of sensual pleasures that await their selfish self. The same is not said of the Muslim woman. There is a large gap between men and women in the Islamic faith but that is the subject for another time and place. Apparently there is no anticipated joy of being in the presence of Allah forever (see Hebrews 12:1-3 and 1 John 3:1-3 for a true eternal perspective for life with the triune God).
The Bible makes clear that by the sin of one man all inherit a fallen nature (total depravity) – Romans 5:12-21; 1 Corinthians 15:19-49. As noted in Suras 2.30-36 (see above) and 7.20-28, there is a similarity with the Biblical record regarding Adam’s sin and fall and the imputation of his transgression. The Qur’an does not pursue the matter of sin, guilt, condemnation, and atonement. While federalism is not taught in the Qur’an, it is clearly taught in the Bible. Islam has no answer for the problem of sin except more works, more hopelessness, and increasing uncertainty.
Sura 7.20-28: Then began Satan to whisper suggestions to them, bringing openly before their minds all their shame that was hidden from them (before): he said: “Your Lord only forbade you t6his tree, lest ye should become angels or such beings as live forever.” 21 And he swore to them both that he was their sincere adviser. 22 So by deceit he brought about their fall: when they tasted of the tree, their shame became manifest to them, and they began to sew together the leaves of the Garden over their bodies. And their Lord called unto them: “Did I not forbid you that tree, and tell you that Satan was an avowed enemy unto you?” 23 They said: “Our Lord! We have wronged our own souls: if Thou forgive us not and bestow not upon us Thy mercy, we shall certainly be lost.” 24 (God) said: “Get ye down with enmity between yourself. On earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood — for a time.” 25 He said: “Therein shall ye live, and therein shall ye die; but from it shall ye be taken out (at last).” 26 O ye children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover your shame, as well as to be an adornment to you. But the raiment of righteousness — that is the best. Such are among the signs of God, that they may receive admonition! 27 O ye Children of Adam! Let not Satan seduce you, in the same manner as he got your parents out of the Garden, stripping them of their raiment, to expose their shame; for he and his tribe watch you from a position where ye cannot see them: We made the evil ones friends (only) to those without faith. 28 When they do aught that is shameful, they say: “We found our fathers doing so”; and “God commanded us thus”: say: “Nay, God never commands what is shameful: do ye say of God what ye know not?”)
.
The Qur’an does not pursue the matter of the “sin” of Adam. It leaves open such things as the eternal and temporal consequences of sin: guilt, condemnation, pollution – corruption of man’s nature, and misery. As noted, there is no mention of total depravity in the Qur’an (in contrast to the Bible: Genesis 6:5; 8:21; Ephesians 2:1-3; Romans 8:5-8). At best, the Qur’anic picture is one of pseudo-headship. If there is no first Adam, there is no need of the second Adam. Muslims need to recognize the true nature of sin – sin is ethical rebellion against the true and only God (Westminster Shorter Catechism #14: Sin is any lack of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God). It always has a vertical reference (to God) and it may have a horizontal one (to others) as well. There are universal consequences of sin as given in the Westminster Shorter Catechism # 18 answer: The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam’s first sin, that want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called Original Sin; together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it.
In Sura 2.30-36 and 7.19-28, the Qur’an speaks of Satan’s role in Adam’s and his wife’s (an anti-federalism approach) eating of the tree. The conclusion is that “he made them do it.” Allah is reported to have told them to dwell and enjoy, but not approach the tree (Sura 7.19). In Sura 7.20-22a, Satan is reported to have brought before their minds their hidden “shame” saying: “Then began Satan to whisper suggestions to them, bringing openly before their minds all their shame that was hidden from them (before): he said: Your lord only forbad you this tree lest you should become angels or such beings as live forever. And he swore to them both that he was their sincere adviser. So by deceit he brought about their fall. ” Satan influenced them by deceit promising blessings via his good intentions. While reminiscent of the Bible’s account of Genesis 3, the Qur’an makes no mention of the source of their shame (biblical shame is the result of guilt and emphasizes disgrace and humiliation – Genesis 3:8; Exodus 23:12) . Moreover, the Qur’an pictures Adam, the woman, and devil in heaven when they “sinned.” In Sura 7.22b, Allah responded by reminding them of his command and warning that Satan was their enemy. According to the Qur’an, sin was present in heaven because the Garden is alleged to be in heaven. The Qur’an essentially teaches that the war of the seed as taught in Genesis 3:15 (the first gospel) was actually begun in heaven. According to Suras 2.35; 7.20, and 20.120 (But Satan whispered evil to him: he said, “O Adam! Shall I lead thee to the tree of eternity and to a kingdom that never decays?”), the “forbidden tree” was in heaven as well.
Sura 7.23 records their response: “They said: ‘Our Lord! We have wronged our own souls (my emphasis: notice the lack of a proper vertical reference): if Thou forgive us not and bestow not upon us Thy mercy, we shall certainly be lost.” One may say that the Qur’an reports that they “repented” (never defined) and asked for mercy (please see that the emphasis is not on Adam alone but on Adam and his wife. This is another example of pseudo-federalism. In response to the eating, apparently Allah cast all three (Adam, his wife, and Satan – understanding the “they” ) to earth. (Sura 7.24: “(God) said: “Get ye down, with enmity between yourself. On earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood–for a time.” Apparently Allah promised hostility between “yourselves.” The covenant framework of the triune God’s relationship with His people is foreign to the Qur’an. In fact, it makes no mention of a covenant between man and Allah. Nothing is recorded as to why eating from the tree was a “bad thing.” Was the command not to eat simply an arbitrary statement by an ordinary god or was it a divine decree expressing God’s eternal purpose of covenantal faithfulness which would led everlasting life? The latter applies only to the triune God. The Bible has a resounding answer for all that occurs in God’s world. Creation echoes redemption and re-creation (regeneration and progressive sanctification) which echoes the triune God’s power, justice, and love.
Antithetically, the Qur’an deceives by failing to acknowledge the real issue: autonomous man wanting to be like the God of the Bible. If Satan is the issue (we won’t discuss the Qur’an’s view of Satan’s origin), then anyone can say: “I am not the problem.” “Sin” is minimized or not even considered. As we have noted, although not stated in the Qur’an, Muslims commonly believe that Adam merely “forgot” his lord’s command and after he had repented and asked for forgiveness he was duly forgiven (Muhammad and the Religion of Islam, page 277). Having a low view of sin, God, and Christ, Islam fails to acknowledge and understand the devastating power and effect of sin individually and on the human race. Yet the Qur’an describes the fall of Adam in terms that are pseudo-similar to the Bible. This is clearly an example of borrowed, more accurately, stolen capital and weaving it into a system that attacks the triune Creator God.
In summary, the cross is a missing link in the Islamic faith. The Qur’an teaches that it is not needed. De facto, Islam has such a high view of man that it believes “man can do it.” Interestingly, as any false religion, Islam functions as Satan did. All false religions try to discredit or eliminate Jesus’ mission to Jerusalem and the cross (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). In the wilderness, Jesus met the temptation of using His power and authority in an unauthorized manner by personal feeding on the Word of God. Later, Jesus rebuked Peter for his Satan-like thinking in regards to Christ’s Messianic mission (Matthew 16:21-28). We must be clear; Islam does not deny the crucifixion (Sura 4.157: That they said (in boast), “We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Apostle of God”;–but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not–). Islam denies Christ as the eternal son of God and His crucifixion, Why shouldn’t it if Islam teaches sin is “no big deal” and “I can take care of things myself.” Apparently, Islam believes in the native, inherent goodness of man in contrast to Sura 4.28 (God doth wish to lighten your (difficulties): for man was created weak (in flesh).) and 7.24.
Sura 19.33: “So peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)”!
Sura 30.30: So set thou thy face steadily and truly to the faith and (establish) God’s handiwork according to the pattern on which He has made mankind: no change (let there be) in the work (wrought) by God: that is the standard religion: but most among mankind understand not.;
Sura 95.4: We have indeed created man in the best of moulds,
Sadly but effectively, Islam denies total depravity and original sin. With man’s fallen nature eliminated and sin “out of the way,” man is at liberty to think, desire, and do as he sees fit. Islam takes mankind back to the Garden and believes the lie of Satan.
Salvation
The Qur’an’s teaching regarding salvation is hard to discover. The thesis: the Muslim espouses and lives by the fundamental premise of every autosoteriologist: “lawkeeping defined my way in my strength will earn me a nice reward – pleasure is my goal but it is not guaranteed.”
The Qur’an teaches that all have sinned including Muhammad:
Sura 16.51: God has said: “Take not (for worship) two gods: for He is just one God: then fear Me (and Me alone).”;
Sura 40.55: Patiently, then, persevere: for the promise of God is true: and ask forgiveness for thy fault, and celebrate the praises of thy Lord in the evening and in the morning.
Sura 42.5: The heavens are almost rent asunder from above them (by His glory): and the angels celebrate the praises of their Lord, and pray for forgiveness for (all) beings on earth: behold! Verily God is He, the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.;
Sura 47.19: Know, therefore, that there is no god but God, and ask forgiveness for thy fault, and for the men and women who believe: for God knows how ye move about and how ye dwell in your homes.
Sura 48.2: That God may forgive thee thy faults of the past and those to follow; fulfil His favour to thee; and guide thee on the straight way;
All will face judgment. “Good” works are done in hopes of outweighing “bad’ ones. One wonders how any Muslim, including Muhammad, was secure in the arms of Allah and certain of his destiny.
Sura 3.30: “On the day when every soul will be confronted with all the good it has done, and all the evil it has done, it will wish there were a great distance between it and its evil. But God cautions you (to remember) Himself. And God is full of kindness to those that serve Him.”;
Sura 35.33-37: Gardens of eternity will they enter: therein will they be adorned with bracelets of gold and pearls; and their garments there will be of silk. 34 And they will say: “Praise be to God, Who has removed from us )all) sorrow: for our Lord is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Ready to Appreciate (service). 35 “Who has, out of His Bounty, settled us in a home that will last: no toil nor sense of weariness shall touch us therein.” 36 But those who reject (God) — or them will be the fire of hell: no term shall be determined for them, so they should die, nor shall its penalty be lightened for them. Thus do We reward every ungrateful one! 37 Therein will they cry aloud (for assistance): “Our Lord! Bring us out: we shall work righteousness, not the (deeds) we used to do!” — “Did We not give you long enough life so that he that would should receive admonition? and (moreover) the warner came to you. So taste ye (the fruits of your deeds): for the wrong-doers there is no helper.”;
Sura 99.6-8: On that Day will men proceed in companies sorted out, to be shown the deeds that they (had done). 7 Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good, see it! 8 And anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil, shall see it. ”
A summary thought of the above mindset is: personal lawkeeping and meeting requirements suits me and allows me to focus on the external not on the internal (my heart). I look at what people don’t do (or do) rather than what I should be doing or not doing. I set check points that fit my mentality. I am autonomous giving homage to an unknown god hoping for the best.
Antithetically, the Bible teaches that the Christian is a lawkeeper but not for salvation, earning righteousness, or getting some reward. He knows the following truths:
• The law (and lawkeeping) is a way of life for the redeemed (Ezekiel 20:11, 13, 21; Leviticus 18:5; John 14:15, 21, 23), but not a way of salvation for the unredeemed (Galatians 3:10-13; Romans 10:1-5).
• The law is good and one of its functions is to drive men to Christ (Exodus 20:20; Romans 7:7-12; 1 Timothy 1:8-11; Galatians 3:19-24).
• Grace and law don’t compete. Rather, they are complementary. Law is never without grace in the Old or new Testaments. Obedience is always a heart issue.
• Love and law don’t compete. Love is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:10).
• Personal lawkeeping for salvation and acceptance competes with trusting in Christ and His lawkeeping.
• The problem of lawkeeping is neither Christ nor the law; it is the person.
• There is a purposeful, good Lawgiver and Lawkeeper Who is Jesus Christ.
The believer says in his heart: I am a sinner saved by grace and united to Christ
by faith as applied by the Holy Spirit. I no longer rely on my personal lawkeeping, but I
rejoice in Christ’s lawkeeping (Galatians 2:20; 5:24; Romans 6:6). He reasons: out of gratitude for the cross I obey; it is my duty, but more. It is my privilege and a blessing to demonstrate God’s love of me and my love for God in Christ by bowing my knee to His holy will as expressed in His Word and law. He thanks God for lawkeeping, both Christ’s which is reckoned to his account by God, and his own as a joyous, humble offering of his gratitude for salvation and sanctification (John 14:15 ,21, 23; Romans 6:1-11, 14, 2 Corinthians 5:7, 9.14-15, 21; Galatians 2:20, 5:24, James 1:11-12).
Does the Qur’an define sin, grace, forgiveness, and repentance? No. Why should it if there is no God-man (which is the case in any false religion)? If there is no crucified and resurrected Savior, there is no Lord of salvation and no salvation. Clearly Islam denies Christ’s sacrificial life and death. Consider:
• Without a Mediator and covenant Head (second Adam) there is no true Lawkeeper.
• If there is no true Lawkeeper, there is no perfect active obedience by Christ (by Christ’s perfect active obedience I mean that the demands of God’s perfect law are fully met in Christ by His perfect lawkeeping). And there is no basis for Christ’s righteousness to be imputed to the sinner. As a result, the sinner must supply his own righteousness which is woefully inadequate for the salvation
• If there is no true Lawkeeper, there is no passive obedience (by Jesus’ perfect sacrificial, substitutionary death, the penalty for Adam’s lawbreaking, and individual lawbreaking, was paid in full so that there is forgiveness of sin and no condemnation). In that case, the sinner remains guilty and condemned.
Think about the issue of salvation from another perspective. Most westernized Christians would agree that they are sinners (I doubt a Muslim thinks that way). But few admit that they are helpless sinners. If theologically astute, some may contend that they are new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). However, there is a danger for the Christian in failing to remember his roots and the past. In fact this failure may show a lack of a true understanding of total depravity and the perils of hell (see 1 Timothy 1:12-17: Paul never forgot the “bad news”- who he was apart from Christ, in self and Satan – which enabled him to rejoice and thank God for the good news). Also, the failure may be an expression of hopelessness. Saved people are “becomers” (growing in Christlikeness) – they have not yet reached Christlikeness; they are not yet sanctified in practice. Growth in the Lord requires effort and discipline (1 Timothy 4:7-8). But because of lingering habituation of self pleasing in thought, desire, and action developed while in Satan’s kingdom and family, even saved sinners can grow weary of sanctification (the continual activity of putting off self and putting on Christlikeness – Romans 13:12-14) . Claiming the truth of 2 Corinthians 5:17 must be motivated by a proper understanding of the cross and the cost to Christ. God has a right to demand perfection and receive it. Only the eternal incarnate Son of God met God’s perfect demand. That fact takes us back to sin – the Bible tells us that all are sinners and fall short of God’s perfection (Romans 3:23). If there was no crucified and resurrected Christ there is no salvation.
The great saints of old (consider Augustine and Martin Luther) who had done battle with the triune God came to realize that He was God and they were not. Acknowledging and understanding the bad news is a fundamental necessity in fully appreciating and acting upon the good news – the gospel (I Timothy 1:12-17).
A fundamental tenet of any religion is that one’s view of God determines one’s view of salvation. I often speak of God under the heading of five “Ds” which are false depictions of God. In man’s mind, God may be considered a debtor (I can manipulate God and earn His favor), a dullard (God does not know how hard life is), degraded (any old works should suit God), decorative (God is looking for the showy and flashy), or discarded (once I get from God He can be pushed aside until I need something else). Each of those terms speak to a wrong view of God. An unbeliever’s, including the Muslim, personal lawkeeping matches his view of God, His law, righteousness, and lawkeeping. If God is viewed as a debtor, He can be manipulated and approached in the same way the Pharisees did (Matthew 5:17-20; Luke 18:14-19).
As we have seen, the Islamic faith is a works-righteous, non-redemptive religion. We have made this point before but I will reiterate and clarify. All have sinned (the definition of sin is suspect in the Qur’an). Islam teaches that faith in Allah is not enough to win and rejoice in Allah. Allah has not sent himself or his representative to pay a penalty for the sinner. Jesus and an atonement is unnecessary and even unjust. Each individual must, and can, bear his or her own burden (2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 6:1-5; 1 Peter 2:24).
Sura 6.164: Say: “Shall I seek for (my) Cherisher other than God, when He is the Cherisher of all things (that exist)? Every soul draws the meed of its acts on none but itself: no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another. Your goal in the end is towards God: He will tell you the truth of the things wherein ye disputed.”;
Sura 16.61: If God were to punish men for their wrong-doing, He would not leave, on the (earth), a single living creature: but He gives them respite for a stated term: when their term expires, they would not be able to delay (the punishment) for a single hour, just as they would not be able to anticipate it (for a single hour).;
Sura 40.55: Patiently, then, persevere: for the promise of God is true: and ask forgiveness for thy fault, and celebrate the praises of thy Lord in the evening and in the morning.;
Sura 42.5: The heavens are almost rent asunder from above them (by His glory): and the angels celebrate the praises of their Lord, and pray for forgiveness for (all ) beings on earth: behold! Verily God is He, the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.;
Sura 47.19: Know, therefore, that there is no god but God, and ask forgiveness for thy fault, and for the men and women who believe: for God knows how ye move about and how ye dwell in your homes.;
Sura 48.2: That God may forgive thee thy faults of the past and those to follow; fulfil His favour to thee; and guide thee on the straight way;
Yet the Qur’an speaks of Allah’s forgiveness. This is in spite of the fact that sin is wrongly defined and minimized in Islam. In the Muslim system, sin does not require an atonement.
Sura 2.284: To God belongeth all that is in the heavens and on earth. Whether ye show what is in your minds or conceal it, God calleth you to account for it. He forgiveth whom He pleaseth, and punisheth whom He pleaseth. For God hath power over all things.
Sura 3.129: To God belongeth all that is in the heavens and on earth. He forgiveth whom He pleaseth and punisheth whom He pleaseth; but God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.;
Sura 4.116: God forgiveth not (the sin of) joining other gods with Him; but He forgiveth whom He pleaseth other sins than this: one who joins other gods with God, hath strayed far, far away (from the right).;
Sura 16.61 (above);
Sura 38.24-25: (David) said: “He has undoubtedly wronged thee in demanding thy (single) ewe to be added to his (flock of) ewes: truly many are the partners (in business) who wrong each other: not so do those who believe and wok deeds of righteousness, and how few are they?”… And David gathered that we had tried him: he asked forgiveness of his Lord, fell down, bowing (in prostration), and turned (to God in repentance). 25 So We forgave him this (lapse): he enjoyed, indeed, a near approach to Us, and a beautiful place of (final) return.
At times, the Qur’an seems to emphasize an act of self realization and “repentance” by the Muslim is to be freely accepted by Allah. If true, it is borrowed, stolen capital. Only the triune God can and does forgive sinners and removes the sin debt by judicially placing it on His Son Who bled and died for otherwise hell-bound sinners. Atonement for sin was made – Jesus was the ransom price accepted by the Father. The Muslim’s view of Allah’s “forgiveness” is a far cry from the Bible’s answer as summarized in question 87 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism: “Repentance unto life is a saving grace whereby the sinner out of true sense of his sin and apprehension of God’s mercy does with grief and hatred of his sin turn from it to God with a full purpose of and endeavor after new obedience.”
Apparently, every Muslim knows that judgment is coming (see Sura 3.30; 35.33-37; 99.6-8 quoted previously). Every Muslim who hopes to escape the judgment of Allah must fulfill the works of the Five Pillars of the Faith. The following suras speak of the balance-beam theory of life.
Sura 10.109: Follow thou the inspiration sent unto thee, and be patient and constant, till God decides: for He is the best to decide.;
Sura 23.102-103: Then those whose balance (of good deeds) is heavy — they will attain salvation: 103 But those whose balance is light, will be those who have lost their soul; in hell will they abide..
The Muslim hopes good deeds will outweigh his bad ones (never defined in the Qur’an):
Sura 3.135: And those who, having done something to be ashamed of or wronged their own souls, earnestly bring God to mind, and ask for forgiveness for their sins, — and who an forgive sins except God? — and are never obstinate in persisting knowingly in (the wrong) they have done;
Sura 7.8-9: The balance that day will be true (to a nicety): those whose scale (of good) will be heavy, will prosper: 9 Those whose scale will be light, will find their souls in perdition, for that they wrongfully treated Our signs.;
Sura 21.47: We shall set up scales of justice for the Day of Judgment, so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least. And if there be (no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it (to account): and enough are We to take account.;
Sura 49.14: The desert Arabs say, “We believe,” Say, “Ye have no faith; but ye (only) say, ‘We have submitted our wills to God,’ for not yet has faith entered your hearts. But if ye obey God and His Apostle, He will not belittle aught of your deeds: for God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”;
Sura 66.8-9: O ye who believe! Turn to God with sincere repentance: in the hope that your Lord will remove from you your ills and admit you to gardens beneath which rivers flow — the day that God will not permit to be humiliated the Prophet and those who believe with him. Their light will run forward before them and by their right hands, while they say, “Our Lor4d! Perfect our light for us, and grant us forgiveness: for Thou hast power over all things.” 9 O Prophet! Strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites, and be firm against them. Their abode is hell — an evil refuge (indeed).
So I ask: what is the Qur’an’s definition of and requirement for forgiveness? Sura 8:29 says: Allah is the Lord of grace unbounded. However according to Sura 2:105 (It is never the wish of those without faith among the People of the Book, nor of the pagans, that anything good should come down to you from your Lord. But God will choose for His special mercy whom He will – for God is Lord of Grace abounding.), Allah will choose for his special mercy whom he will. So I ask: on what basis does Allah choose and what is his sincerity and purpose in choosing? How will a Muslim know that he is “forgiven” and of what? Bottom line: the Qur’an presents Allah as capricious and arbitrarily discriminating as he sees fits. Consequently the Muslim has no assurance in this life or the next. His only hope is more legalism. The Muslim differs little from the Roman Catholic and the Pharisee. He may call his system “salvation,” but salvation from what?
The Muslim has no true idea regarding the purpose of law especially the triune God’s. They fail to acknowledge that Allah has implanted the moral law in every person and that every man is Allah’s image bearer. Is it because he hasn’t? Yes! Antithetically, as we have seen, man is the true God’s image and has a priori revelation and the moral law within him (Romans 1:18-20; 2:14-15; Isaiah 51:17; Psalm 37:31; 40:6-8). Therefore, no one, Muslims included, can escape the triune God. When faith is placed in one’s personal lawkeeping, there is no need for a Savior. The person is his own savior. Jesus taught against false lawkeeping in many places (Matthew 5:17-20, Romans 10:1-5, Luke 18:14ff.) The Muslim, as did the Pharisee, negotiated his own law. Both live under the banner of legalism which they embrace unless the Holy Spirit works in their hearts. The Islamic system teaches the dictum that man is capable of achieving personal righteousness by adherence to the letter of shari’ah law (The Truth about Islam. pages 139-140: “The Qur’an does not propound a doctrine of the original or the essential sinfulness of humanity. Human beings are not born sinful, but they are forgetful. This forgetfulness can be countered only by reminder (dhikr), which the Qur’an calls itself.” Following the Pharisees, the triune’s God’s law is replaced by man’s law. Further, Islamic law goes beyond simple Qur’anic reminders. It is strict, strong, zealously enforced, and religiously kept. Such was Paul in his approach to life before he became a believer (Philippians 3:3-6).
As we have mentioned, it is difficult to determine a concept of sin in Islam. The word sin is not used often in the Qur’an. As we mentioned, by tradition it is taught that Adam had a lapse in “remembering.” That hardly suffices as “any want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God” (Westminster Shorter Questions #14). Sin always has a vertical reference, is a contradiction of the triune God’s holiness, and is ethical rebellion.
Antithetically to the Qur’an, according to biblical teaching, God’s judgment and curse because of sin changed man’s position and relationship to God. Because of sin and the sinner and God’s holy nature, God changed His relationship to man (Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Ephesians 2:3,16; Colossians 1:20-22). The Bible’s view of man and God is antithetical to the Qur’an even though the Qur’an seems to have “borrowed” (stolen) some of its teaching from the Bible (discussed previously).
The Bible says much about grace (sinners receiving what they don’t deserve) and mercy (God withholding what sinners do deserve). Redeeming grace and sanctifying or enabling grace are foreign concepts to Islam. In fact, redeeming grace is nowhere mentioned in the Qur’an (Truth about Islam, page 144):
Sura 8.53 (“Because God will never change the grace which He” hath bestowed on a people until they change what is in their (own) souls: and verily God is He Who heareth and knoweth (all things).”)
Sura 13.11 (For each (such person) there are (angels) in succession, before and behind him: they guard him by command of God. Verily never will God change the condition of a people until they change it themselves (with their own souls). But when (once) God willeth a people’s punishment, there can be no turning it back, nor will they find, besides Him any to protect.) seem to indicate “self regeneration.”
According to the Qur’an the Muslim must change before he is “graced.” Islam teaches that Allah is limited in his “gracing-giving” even though Sura 2.1-5 and Sura 8.29 speak of him as abounding in grace.
Sura 2:105: It is never the wish of those without faith among the People of the Book, nor of the pagans, that anything good should come down to you from your Lord. But God will choose for His special mercy whom He will – for God is Lord of Grace abounding.
Sura 8.29 (O ye who believe! If ye fear God, He will grant you a Criterion (to judge between right and wrong), remove from you (all) evil (that may afflict) you, and forgive you: for God is the Lord of Grace unbounded.
Apparently, Allah refuses to give it or is hindered from giving it based on the individual. Using Rabbi Kushner’s logic that he purports in his book regarding the Jewish “God” (When Bad Things Happen to Good People which was written in response to losing his child with progeria), Allah is either impotent or unloving. You decide. Rabbi Kushner said that God was good but impotent. Psalm 62 ends with the claim that God is both good and strong. Such is our triune, personal God! The cross proves it and the resurrection confirms it.
Allah is said to be “one” and never as a triune personal God. He is presented as:
• creator and sustainer of all
Sura 2.29,117: It is He Who hath created for you all things that are on earth; Morever His design comprehended the heavens, for He gave order and perfection to the seven firmaments. And of all things He hat perfect knowledge., 117: To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: when He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: “Be”, and it is.;
Sura 6.73: It is He Who created the heavens and the earth in true (proportions): the day He saith, “Be,” behold! It is. His word is the truth. His will be the dominion the day the trumpet will be blown. He knoweth the unseen as well as that which is open. For He is the Wise, well acquainted (with all things).;
Sura 32.4: It is God Who has created the heavens and the earth, and all between them, in six Days, and is firmly established on the throne (of authority): ye have none, besides Him, to protect or intercede (for you): will ye not then receive admonition?;
Sura 7.54: Your Guardian-Lord is God, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the Throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil O’er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: He created the sun, the moon, and the stars, (all) governed by laws under His command. Is it not His to create and to govern? Blessed be God, he Cherisher and sustainer of the Worlds!;
Sura 13.16: Say: “Who is the Lord and Sustainer of the heavens and the earth? Say: “(It is) God.” Say: “Do ye then take (for worship) protectors other than Him, such as have no power either for good or for harm to themselves?” Say: ” are the blind equal wit those who see? or the depths of darkness equal with light?” Or do they assign to God partners who have created (anything) as He has created, so that the creation seemed to them similar? Say: “God is the Creator of all things: He is the One, the Supreme and Irresistible.”;
Sura 25.61-62: Blessed is He Who made constellations in the skies and placed therin a lamp and a moon giving light; 62 And it is He Who made the night and the day to follow each other: for such as have the will to celebrate His praises or to show their gratitude.
• protector
Sura 2.57: And We gave you the shade of clouds and sent down to you manna and quails, saying: “Eat of the good things We have provided for you:” (but they rebelled): to Us they did no harm, but they harmed their own souls.;
Sura 22.78: And strive in His cause as ye ought to strive, (with sincerity and under discipline). He has chosen you, and has imposed no difficulties on you in your religion; it is the cult of your father Abraham. It is He Who has named you Muslims, both before and in this (revelation); that the Apostle may be a witness for you, and ye be witnesses for mankind! So establish regular prayer, give regular charity, and hold fast to God! He is your protector — the best to protect and the best to help!
• merciful and ample in forgiveness
Suras 39.53: Say: “O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the mercy of God: for God forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.;
Sura 2.284: To God belongeth all that is in the heavens and on earth. Whether ye show what is in your minds or conceal it, God calleth you to account for it. He forgiveth whom He pleaseth, and punisheth whom He pleaseth. For God hath power over all things.;
Sura 3.129: To God belongeth all that is in the heavens and on earth. He forgiveth whom He pleaseth and punisheth whom He pleaseth; but God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.;
Sura 4.116: God forgiveth not (the sin of) joining other gods with Him; but He forgiveth whom He pleaseth other sins than this: one who joins other gods with God, hath strayed far, far away (from the right).;
Sura 9.80: Whether thou ask for their forgiveness, or not, (their sin is unforgivable): if thou ask seventy times for their forgiveness, God will not forgive them: because they have rejected God and His Apostle; and God guideth not those who are perversely rebellious.
• guardian
Sura 89.14: For thy Lord is (a guardian) on a watch-tower.
Yet as we have noted he is presented as capricious and arbitrary in his “forgiveness,” “forgiving” who he pleases on the basis of his own whims without satisfaction for sin. In fact there are some he will not forgive even if asked for 70 times (Sura 9.80).
Antithetically, the God of the Bible is the Giver: He gave Himself and He gives wisdom and grace in abundance (Galatians 1:3-4; Ephesians 1:6-7; 1 Timothy 1:14; 1 Peter 5:5-7,10; James 1:5-8). He is our covenant, personal triune God and Redeemer. Reformed theology teaches that the covenant of works is still alive and well. The works principle has been subsumed in the covenant of grace. God in His wisdom, mercy, and power has given us the ultimate Lawkeeper. Not only is Jesus our Lawkeeper, He is the Lawgiver. As He is the sacrifice and Sacrificer, He is both the Lawgiver and Lawkeeper (Romans 4-6; Galatians 3:19-24; 4:21-25). As a result of Christ’s active and passive obedience the believer has had a change in his state (via regeneration), standing (via justification), and his status (via adoption). The motivation for his own lawkeeping has changed. It is now a testimony of his changed heart and his gratitude for the triune God’s lawgiving and Christ’s lawkeeping. The believer knows it is only by the triune God’s abundant grace that he is able to see clearly that Christ is his personal substitute and Lawkeeper. Further, the believer rejoices in an alien righteousness (Christ’s righteousness) that has been reckoned to him by the triune personal God. It is the ground for his being declared and constituted justified-accepted in God’s sight (Romans 5:18-19; 2 Corinthians 5:21). There is no condemnation for the Christian (Romans 8:1,33-34). Salvation and sanctification do not depend on my own personal lawkeeping. Praise the Lord! We pray that all may hear and receive the good news of the gospel.
Putting It Together:
This is the “how to” section of the book. It addresses application. In order to illustrate the material presented, I have presented several mock conversations between a Christian (B) and devout Muslim (M).
Conversation One
B: hi, good to be able to spend time with you.
M: I am looking forward to our time as well. I am excited about my religion.
B. Your point is well taken: we are both religious and thinkers. Do you have any thoughts on why that may be?
M: yes I do. As a young boy, I memorized the Qur’an, learned what it said, and began to practice what it says.
B: Your upbringing is important. Do you know where your parents came up with the idea of memorization?
M: Not really. I guess it was passed down – tradition.
B: Think about this. That tradition and your parents concern for religion says something about the God of the universe. In the Bible we find out (Genesis 1:26-28; Ecclesiastes 7:29; Romans 1:18-20; 2:14-15) that man is the image of God. Therefore man has some good attributes from God such as rationality and morality. That means all men are thinkers and religious. All men worship something. Being a person of intelligence with a sense of responsibility is a good thing and is one way that we are alike.
M: I never thought about it like that.
B: Yes, existence, thinking, morality, and worshipping come from some source. We exist because God exists; we think because God is a rational Being; we have a sense of right and wrong because God is a moral being; and we worship because we are religious beings who are blessed and obligated to worship God. What do you think?
M: I don’t know if all of that is in the Qur’an. I agree I am very religious. And I practice my religion. We have so many things to do. We are so busy doing them.
B: What do you think of all that busyness?
M: I am proud to be able to do it.
B. How so?
M: It was what I was taught – I believe it. If I stop working I am not sure what will happen. But I don’t want to know. Besides, everybody else I know in the community does the same thing.
B: Do you ever get tired?
M: Yes I do. What makes me most tired is not knowing. No one does. There is an uncertainty in my life but I suspect in yours as well.
B: It depends. I have uncertainties at times but never about my God. And because He has made unchanging and unfailing promises I focus on Him and pleasing Him. I am strengthened and rejuvenated. My God is not stern and harsh although He is fair and just. He even woos me to come to Him if I am burdened. He promises to take care of me.
M: You don’t have to do anything, not even keep on working? How can that be?
B: Those are good questions. Thanks for asking them. Your questions and your puzzlement are right on. It seems impossible to think that rest and peace are real entities in this life. Would you like to hear how?
M: I don’t know. On the one hand, I look forward to my prayers and practices but then I wonder.
B: Wonder what?
M: If I will get there and if that is all that it is supposed to be.
B. Certainty is a blessing. Why is it that you are not certain?
M: We have the Qur’an, hadith, my father, and the mosque. Still I wonder. It is like you said I am a seeker. From what you said earlier that is the way Allah made all of us. Maybe that is not so bad.
B: You are on the right track. We all live based on a standard. You just told me yours: the Qur’an, the hadiths, family, and friends. The Bible teaches that it was not by accident that you were born in your country to your parents and in your religion. Your childhood was no accident. That is the way a great God works. The God of the Bible is a big God and with Him there are no accidents. It is because of that last truth that I can be certain.
M: There is that word certainty again.
B: It seems that we are so different, and in some ways we are, but in other ways we are not. Think with me again. You say you are certain but your certainty is marked with uncertainty. Your uncertainty seems to be in what your efforts are going to get you.
M: Yes that is it. I am uncertain about my future.
B. Let me suggest your uncertainty is more than just about your future. In a sense the future is now. You hope that what you are doing is preparing for you a place of future enjoyment. But you are not sure your way is going to accomplish what you want.
M: That is correct.
B. So we have established a number of things but one is clear: there is a lot of thinking and wanting going on in you.
M: I never thought about it that way but you are correct.
B: It is time we go to our standard: I use the Bible. It speaks about the one, true God and the God-man Jesus Christ. I know the Qur’an speaks about Jesus and even calls him Christ (Messiah). However the term is never defined. And Muhammad had only partial access to the revelations about Christ. In a sense, the Qur’an stops with Sura 5 where Jesus remains a mystery. That sura suggests that Islam “waits” further disclosure about the Christ who will come again as Judge. Sura 43:81 may be interpreted as longing for that full disclosure (Say: If (GOD) Most Gracious had a son, I would be the first to worship.). The Bible says that all who are heavy burdened and come to him will find contentment and satisfaction (Matthew 11:28-30). Why don’t we take some time and see what the Bible says about this Messiah and contrast it with what the Qur’an says?
Critique:
The believer had a prior relationship with his Muslim friend. That point is crucial. The believer met him where he was. He asked questions designed to gather information in re: to wanting and thinking and to elicit foundational beliefs (presuppositions), their basis, and their effect personally. This conversation focused on certainty- uncertainty. A legalistic scheme of salvation and sanctification is burdensome and toilsome. It takes its toll on the performer. Certainty is only uncertainty which breeds pride, fear, intolerance to others who are not like minded, and more hard work. As the conversation preceded the believer modeled Acts 17:24-31. He also used a thesis-antithesis motif. He presented God’s truth in the vacuum created by the Muslim’s wrong view of God and self. What was unknown to the philosophers (and Muslims) in Acts 17 was not unknown to Paul and fellow believers. Similarly, what is uncertain to the Muslim is so certain and clear to the Christian – Jesus is the God-man, He is truth (John 14:6) and the truth, and only the truth, will set anyone free (John 8:31-32). The believer was heading in the right direction. He pushed Christ, not himself, in the most palatable manner possible.
Conversation Two
B. How are you doing these days?
M. Ok but it is hard sometimes.
B. How so?
M. Troubles at work, kids in school, and sometimes my wife and I disagree.
B. Sounds tough?
M: It is but I pray and look forward to heaven.
B. How does doing those things help you?
M. I get my mind off the troubles but they come back.
B. So what do you think is going on?
M. I am not sure.
B. So how does being religious help you in those times?
M. I know if I work hard enough Allah will take care of me.
B. How will Allah do that?
M. I don’t know – no one asked me that before. I guess he makes promises. The only promise I know is to be in heaven with him. Now that you mention it, I don’t know the basis for him keeping it except that he is Allah. He is going to make every thing work out.
B. That sounds like a big god.
M. I never thought about it that way. I know the Qur’an somewhere says he created the universe. I am not sure if he is keeping everything going. I am too busy doing my prayers and practices hoping he will get me to heaven.
B. It sounds like you really want to please Allah. Any reason?
M. I do – the reason is I want to be in heaven.
B. And heaven is?
M. I will be free of this place and in the place of beauty and pleasure.
B. Think with me. What I heard you say is that heaven is all about you, nothing about your wife, and nothing about your relationship with Allah. Is that correct?
M. That is hard. I have never heard it put that way.
B. If your son explained heaven that way, what would you say?
M. At first I would say great but as I listen to how it sounds – well – selfish.
B. That is a very good observation. I was thinking about that. How long do you think the feeling of pleasure will last in heaven especially since it is getting and not giving?
M: I don’t know – I guess forever.
B. There goes that uncertainty. In a sense you are working so hard on this earth to please Allah to get but you are not sure your works will earn Allah’s favor. At the same time you agree that going to heaven is gained by work and is a selfish place.
M. I don’t like the way you put it but it sounds like that is what I am saying.
B. How can Allah reward selfishness?
M. I don’t know – I have never thought about it.
B. Since I have your attention, let’s talk about sin. It is not mentioned much in the Qur’an.
M. That is correct. I only know what is wrong and right according to what I do and don’t do. I know I will be judged by Allah but I am not sure on what basis except what the Qur’an and the hadiths tell me. I model my life on Muhammad’s.
B. And the reason Muhammad is your model?
M. He is the greatest prophet. I know that because I was taught it.
B. Do you know that Muhammad thought his messages were consistent with the Bible: the Law (Pentateuch – torah), the Psalms (Zabur), Prophets, and the gospels (Injil)? He viewed his faith as standing in the line of Noah, Abraham, Moses, the Prophets, and Jesus. He even affirmed his belief in what was revealed to Moses and Jesus and he appealed to Scripture to “authenticate” his “revelations” (Suras 3:84; 4:150-152; 5:51,71; 6:34; 10:37,64,94; 13:36; 26:192-197; 46:12). The Qur’an reports him as saying the Qur’an attests to the Bible (Suras 2:89; 3:48; 5:48; 6:93; 35:31; 46:11-30).
M. I did not know that. I wonder if it is true.
B. That is an interesting question. You have one standard, the Qur’an, that seems to have borrowed from the Bible. I have another standard, the Bible, which is the powerful self- expression of God Himself. Maybe we can look at what the Bible says about itself and our earlier subject sin.
M. Tell me about sin.
B. Several sura in the Qur’an say that all have sinned including Muhammad and will face judgment (16:51; 40:5; 42:5; 47:19; 48:2). Muhammad was exhorted to seek forgiveness which is not really defined in the Qur’an. The Bible also says that every person has sinned but the Bible teaches that all sinned in Adam, are guilty and condemned, and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23; 5:12-19). We call sin and its consequences the bad news. The Bible is not only about the bad news though. It links the bad news with the good news. God saves people by His free gift of grace. God requires that sin (which it defines as transgression of or failure to keep all the law all the time) be addressed. What is the Qur’an’s solution for sin?
M. I don’t know except for good works and hope that Allah accepts them.
B: Let’s talk about that fact. What do you think of that scheme?
M. I guess it is “OK” – the Qur’an says so.
B. Let’s look at what the Qur’an says in this area, OK?
M. OK – this may be interesting.
B. Lawkeeping is an emphasis in the Bible. So, too, with the Muslim. In the Bible law- keeping is a never a way of acceptance, favor, or salvation. In fact, it is not a way of life for the unsaved (Leviticus 18:5; Galatians 3:10-13; Romans 10:1-5; Matthew 5:20; James 2:10). It is, however, a way of life for the believer (Ezekiel 20:11,13, 21; John 14:15, 21, 23). And law/lawkeeping and love are never contrasted in the Bible. In fact love is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:10).
M. That is very different from what I have been taught.
B. Zeal for lawkeeping can be a good thing if you understand God’s purpose for the law. Law has always been around since the time God created Adam. The Qur’an teaches a real Adam who was created weak and imperfect. What the Bible teaches is that Adam, initially sinless but able to sin, did sin and stood as a representative for all mankind. That was God’s design. When he sinned every person sinned, was guilty, and became a sinner such that personal lawkeeping was cursed and became a burden. You told me about your burden.
M. Yes I did – I wonder if I should have told you.
B. Please hear me out. The problem is not the law whose function was always to turn people to the true Lawgiver. The law is good because God is good and He gave it (Romans 7:12; 1 Timothy 1:8-11).
M. So I have these laws. I try to keep them and I do for the most part.
B. And yet you still churn out those “good works” without the certainty of knowing that you have been liberated from personal lawkeeping as a way of something better – salvation. It seems to me that you are still in bondage to personal lawkeeping as a way of earning favor. Think of this illustration: you are like an animal on a wheel who keeps running but gets nowhere.
M. Sometimes I feel that way but I don’t like to admit it. My parents wouldn’t approve. Neither would my community.
B. Sounds like you are stuck.
M. I guess it sounds like that.
B. Let’s continue our discussion to see if I can shed some light on your dilemma. In Sura 7:158 Muhammad asked people to follow him. (Say: “O men! I am sent unto you all, as the Apostle of God, to Whom belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth: there is no god but He: it is He that giveth both life and death. So believe in God and His Apostle, the unlettered Prophet, who believeth in God and His Words: follow him that (so) ye may be guided.”) Yet, elsewhere in the Qur’an Muhammad testified that Jesus was among those nearest to God, held in honor in this world and the hereafter (Sura 3:45). Most Muslims understand this to mean that Jesus was sinless and all righteous. Jesus also performed miracles. Nowhere is sinless-ness, all righteousness, and performing of miracles ever attributed to Muhammad. In fact, he asked for forgiveness up to70 times in a day. In several Suras (2:253; 3:45-49; 4:158, 171; 5:49; 19:33; 89:22) Jesus was called the Messiah and is in heaven now and will return to judge the earth.
M. I didn’t know all that about Jesus was in the Qur’an and the Bible.
B. The Bible teaches that sin is a real problem and that it takes true and perfect lawkeeping to pay the just penalty that God as a just judge had a right to demand. Only Jesus is able to keep God’s law perfectly because He is the perfect Lawkeeper. Maybe we can talk about Jesus some more. What do you think?
M. I think I would like that but I’m not sure. I guess there is that uncertainty again. Yes, I would like to meet again.
Critique
In this conversation, we find the believer gathering data – in this case the hardness of life – as a springboard to present and develop biblical truth. The response of the Muslim is typical of a legalistic approach to life. In that scheme the purpose of lawkeeping is to get. In order to do that, a law compatible to man’s inflated thinking of himself and deceived and depraved thinking about God (His favor can be earned and that He is a debtor God) must be developed and maintained. Such it is with Islam. The believer moved his friend to a reconsideration of God, lawgiving, lawkeeping, and sin. Lawkeeping had not provided the Muslim with hope, contentment, and satisfaction. The believer used the occasion of the Muslim’s disillusionment to present Christ. He showed him what the Qur’an and the Bible taught about Jesus. The Muslim was left to ponder his predicament in light of biblical truth.
Bibliography
The Truth About Islam, The Noble Qur’an’s Teachings in Light of the Holy Bible, Anees Zaka & Diane Coleman, P&R Publishing, Phillipsburg, New Jersey, 2004.
Cry of the Heart and Quest of the Mind, AN Analysis of Muslim and Christian Women’s Search for Truth and Honor, Anees Zaka & Diane Coleman, Church Without Walls, 2006.
Why I Am Not a Muslim, IBN Warraq, Prometheus Books, Amherst, New York, 2003
Islam, Forgiveness and Jihad, Presentation by Ra’ana Dilruba Yasmin, American Muslim Council Hawaii Forgiveness Project, Honolulu, June 10, 2005
World Religions, A Comparison of Other World Religions with Biblical Christianity, Bob Martin and Mark Dutton.
Moslems and Christians, A Practical Guide With Qur’anic and Biblical Texts, Dr. Anees Zaka, CWW/BIIS, 2001, Second Edition 2004.
Muhammad and the Religion of Islam page 277 quoted in Christian Witness to the Muslim
The Qur’an, Text, Translation and Commentary, Abdullah Usuf Ali, Tahrike Tarsile Qur’an, Inc., Elmhurst, New York, U.S. Edition 2008
When Bad Things Happen to Good People, Rabbi Kushner
Westminster Confession of Faith Shorter Catechism
Sharing the Gospel with Muslims, http://answering-islam.org
A Concordance of the Qur’an, Kassis Mishkatul-Masabih, Vol. 3, Karim
The Christian Witness to the Muslim: The Fall of Adam and the Cross of Christ, John Gilchrist, pages 232-245
The Fallen Nature of Man in Islam and Christianity, www.faithfacts.org/…/christianity-vs.-islam