"Similarities and Differences of the Islam and Christian Faith" Sunday, November 11, 2001

by Pastor Gene Kern
Selected Scripture Readings

On September 11, 2001 when terrorists attacked this nation by flying airplanes into the twin towers of The World Trade Center in New York City and into the Pentagon in Washington D.C., many questions have been raised and are left unanswered. Since there seems to be a connection between the terrorists and Islamic Fundamentalist Osama bin Ladin, the prime suspect as director of the attack, wonderment exists as to whether this is a "JIHAD" (a holy war by Muslims against the enemies of Islam).

My purpose today is not to attack the Islam faith, but to share information and, hopefully above all else, truth that has a transforming affect so that our beliefs and faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, will help us know how to respond to people of other faiths.

I. EXAMINING HISTORY

• 1900 BC - God's promised blessing to Abraham:

Genesis 12:1-3
¹The Lord had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.
²I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you;
I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
³I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

So God established a covenant with Abram, telling him that he would found a great nation. Not only would this nation be blessed, God said, but also the other nations of the earth would be blessed through Abram's descendants. Israel, the nation that would come from Abram, was to follow God and influence those with whom it came in contact. Through Abram's family tree, Jesus Christ was born to save humanity. Through Christ, people can have a personal relationship with God and be blessed beyond measure.

In Genesis 15:1-6 God promises a son to Abraham:

¹After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:
"Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward."
²But Abram said, "O Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" ³And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir."
⁴Then the word of the Lord came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." ⁵He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars-if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."
⁶Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

• Genesis 16:1-2 - Ishmael is born.

¹Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; ²so she said to Abram, "The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her." Abram agreed to what Sarai said.

Abraham lacks faith in God's promise to provide and bless, so he steps in and helps God out.

• Deut. 18:18-20 - Muslims claim Muhammad was prophesied in the Bible.

¹⁸I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. ¹⁹If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account. ²⁰But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death.

So, who is this prophet? Stephen used this verse to support his claim that Jesus Christ a God's Son, the Messiah (Acts 7:37). The coming of Jesus Christ to earth was not an afterthought, but part of God's original plan.

Some people today claim to have messages from God. God still speaks to his people, but we must be cautious before saying that someone is God's spokesman. How can we tell when people are speaking for the Lord? (1) We can see whether or not their prophecies come true-the ancient test for judging prophets. (2) We can check their words against the Bible. God never contradicts himself, so if someone says something contrary to the Bible, we can know that this is not God's word.

• AD 570 - Mohammed is born in Arabia in the city of Mecca.

Mohammed, whose original name was Ubu'l Kassim, was born near the southwest coast of the Arabian Peninsula. His father, Abdullah, a member of the powerful Quraish tribe, died shortly before his birth, and his mother, Amina, died when he was six years old. His grandfather cared for him for a short time, and then he was brought up by Abu Talib, his uncle. He became a camel driver and his uncle often took him on lengthy caravan journeys, sometimes as far as Syria and possibly Egypt. Because of this, Mohammed had extensive contacts with people of different religions and nationalities, and this later influenced his thinking.

When Mohammed was 25, he was employed by Khadijah, a wealthy widow in the caravan trade. He served her so well that she decided to marry him even though she was 15 years his senior. None of their children survived to maturity except a daughter named Fatima. As Khadijah's husband, Mohammed no longer had to work. Instead he began to occupy himself with meditation and reflection on the meaning of life.

The Arabian people were polytheistic idolaters who had a pantheon of deities (including Allah), as well as angels and demons (djinn). Mecca was a religious center with 360 shrines and a small temple known as the Kaaba, which housed the Black Stone. This stone (probably a meteorite) was thought to have been given to Abraham by Gabriel.

Mohammed was disturbed by the idolatrous practices of his countrymen and came to the conclusion that Allah was the one true God. He spent many hours of thought in a cave in Mount Hira, a few miles from Mecca. 

• At the age of 40, he received his first revelation.

When he was 40, Muhammad had a series of disturbing visions. The angel Gabriel is claimed to have appeared to him in a cave near Mecca and allegedly gave him revelations to recite. At first Muhammad thought he might be possessed by an evil spirit. But his wife reassured him that the source of the revelations was divine, and encouraged him to be obedient.

Key among the revelations he received was that Allah is the one true God, and that Muhammad had been appointed by Allah to be his messenger. Muhammad denounced local gods in Mecca as false and worship of them idolatrous. Opposition to his message arose immediately. (The main source of income in the city was the many pilgrims who came from all over the world to worship the 360 idols in the Ka'bah [religious black stone shrine].)

The nearby city of Yathrib, 100 miles north of Mecca, welcomed some of Muhammad's followers. After a plot was organized against Muhammand's life, he too fled to Yathrib on July 16, 622. This flight-called Hijira by Muslims (literally "emigration")-marks the beginning of Islam as a religion. (Muslim dates are calculated from the day of this flight.) Yathrib was renamed Medina ("City of the Prophet"). Intermittent war continued between the Meccans and Muhammad. Then, in AD 630, Muhammad marched on Mecca with a force of 10,000 men and was victorious. The Muslims were now back in Mecca to stay.

The ancient shrine in Mecca-the Ka'bah-was then made a center for religious pilgrimage after Muhammad destroyed all the idols within its walls. From henceforth, Allah alone would be worshipped. Muhammad died in AD 632, leaving behind his teachings in the Quran.

II. UNDERSTANDING TERMINOLOGY

• ISLAM - "submission" to Allah the God of Mohammed - a monotheistic (belief in one god) religion.
• ALLAH - the God of Islam.
• MUSLIMS - members of Islam - those who submit and surrender to the teachings of Allah.
• QUR'AN - Koran - "the reciting" or "the reading" of the holy book of Islam.
• SURAHS - (chapters) 114 of them in the Qur'an, arranged in order according to length.
• SUNNIS - The Sunnis make up 80 percent of all Muslims and predominate in such countries as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. Their name is derived from Sunnah, which refers to "the trodden path" or "tradition." The Sunnis follow the traditions of Islam. They seek to live their lives according to the exemplary pattern set by Muhammad.
• SHI'ITES - The Shi'ites predominate in countries like Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, and parts of Africa. They broke off from the main body of Muslims in the first century over a dispute over the succession of leadership following Muhammad's death. The Shi'ites believed the successor should come through Muhammad's bloodline. The Sunnis, by contrast, believed Islamic leadership should elect him. The Sunnis got their way.
• JIHAD - a war by Muslims against enemies of Islam.

III. THE SIX DOCTRINES OF ISLAM 

(Muslims are required to believe these.)

• GOD - There is only one true God, whose name is Allah. The term "Allah" is probably derived from al illah which means "the god." Allah is said to have seven primary characteristics: He has absolute unity (God can have no son or partner), and is all-seeing, all-hearing, all-speaking, all-knowing, all-willing, and all-powerful.
• ANGELS - There is a hierarchy of angels between Allah and humankind. Each human being is said to have two recording angels who list all of his or her deeds, good or bad. These recorded deeds will be brought forth at the coming judgment.
• HOLY BOOKS - There are four inspired books: the Torah of Moses, the Psalms of David, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the Quran (containing the teachings of Muhammad). The Quran contains Allah's final message to humankind, and supersedes all previous revelation. The Quran abrogates any conflicting truth claims. Only the Quran has been preserved in an uncorrupted state.
• PROPHETS - There are allegedly over 100,000 prophets who have been sent to human beings throughout history. The most important ones number less than 30-the greatest of whom is Muhammad. Other prominent prophets include Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Jonah, John the Baptist, and Jesus. Each prophet brought truth for his particular age, but Muhammad is a prophet for all time.
• A FUTURE JUDGMENT - There will be a Day of Judgment and a resurrection. Allah will be the judge. Depending on how one fares as his or her deeds are weighed, one will end up either in heaven (a place of pleasure) or in hell (a place of torment). Muslims have no assurance of salvation since it is based on a works system and on complete surrender to Allah.
• PREDESTINATION - God has determined what He pleases, and no one can change what He has decreed (also known as kismet, the doctrine of fate). From this doctrine comes the most common Islamic phrase, "If it is Allah's will."

IV. THE FIVE PILLARS OF THE ISLAM FAITH

In addition to the six Doctrines of Islam, Muslims also adhere to a set of obligations called "The Five Pillars of Islam." These are duties every Muslim is expected to perform.

• CREEDAL RECITATION
  Muslims are expected to publicly recite the Shahadah (which literally means, "to bear witness"): "There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the prophet of Allah." This recitation, with conviction, stated loudly, publicly and several times a day, makes one a believer.
• PRAYERS
  Muslims are expected to perform salat, or offer prayers, five times a day: at dawn, noon, afternoon, evening, and night. These prayers involve a series of postures (standing, kneeling, hands and face on the ground, etc.) while facing Mecca, the holy city.
• GIVING ALMS
  Muslims are expected to give alms (zakat) to the Muslim community that amount to one-fortieth (or 2-1/2 percent) of one's income. This offering benefits widows, orphans, and the sick, or it can be used toward furthering Islam (for example, building mosques and religious schools).
• FAST
  Muslims are expected to fast during the month of Ramadan (the ninth month of the Muslim lunar year). During this month Muslims abstain from food, drink, smoking, and sexual relations during the daylight hours. At sundown they are allowed to partake of these things again until sunrise the next morning.
• PILGRIMAGE
  Health and finances providing, every Muslin is expected to make an official pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj) at least once in his or her life. If one is unable to go, one is permitted to have another person make the Hajj for him as proxy.
  

In addition to these five pillars, a sixth is often added-the Holy War (Jihad), a religious war in which force is used to overcome infidels and spread Islam. The use of force is sanctioned in the Koran (Surah 2:163-64; 9:5, 29). Soldiers who die in such a war are assured of entrance into heaven.

Other practices in addition to these pillars are circumcision, the veiling of women with a purdah, polygamy (a man is limited to four wives at a time), and abstention from alcohol, gambling, and certain foods (especially pork). There are also a number of festivals and feasts, depending on the sect or branch of Islam to which one belongs.

In Islam everything has been codified into rigid practices. This has led to much externalism. Religion becomes a matter of custom, national heritage, and ritual rather than a relationship with God.

V. AREAS WHERE THE ISLAM AND CHRISTIAN FAITHS AGREE

• Both religions believe in one god, all powerful and ever-present, uncreated, without beginning or end, completely sufficient to himself. In reference to God, this is, however, as far as the agreement goes. For Muslims to say God could have a son is blasphemous-implying some kind of sexual generation. Allah is not viewed as "the Father" (Surahs 19:88-92; 112:3). Allah is transcendent, and seems more characterized by judgment, not grace; by power, not mercy (Surahs 6:142; 7:31).
• Both religions are strongly creationist in their beliefs-arguing both from the Quran but also from intelligent design within nature. Once, when a Bedouin was asked what made him believe in Allah, he pointed to marks in the sand, which made it clear to him that a camel had gone by, even though he had not seen the camel. He then pointed to the mountains and said that it was equally clear that Allah had made them, although he did not witness that either. So Muslims say that the beauty and order of the universe, as well as the integration and complexity of a single cell, show that there is an intelligence behind it. They say that such complexity could not be the product merely of time plus chance.
• Both religions stand together in their opposition of such social and moral issues as homosexuality, abortion, and lack of honesty in business. Muslims are not supposed to sell blemished produce, to cheat in weights and measures, to hoard, or to conceal a product's faults.
• Both religions welcome adherents of every skin color and ethnicity. However, Muslims have had their own problems with racial reconciliation, given the history of Arab development of the slave trade, but the Quran, like the Bible, is colorblind.
• About 20% of the world's population is composed of Muslims. This amounts to nearly one billion people.
• Islam is the world's second largest religion, behind Christianity.
• In the last 50 years, Islam has grown about 500%.
• Over 65 nations in the world are Islamic.
• There are now more Muslims in the United States than Episcopalians.
• There are now more Muslims in the United States than Methodists.
• Soon there will more Muslims in the United States than Jews.
• At the present rate of growth, within the next decade there will be more Muslims in the United States than Presbyterians.
• Muslims have built over 1000 mosques in the United States. Eighty percent of these have been constructed within the past 15 years.
• Muslims desire Islam to be a mainstream American religion, influencing American life and culture.

VI. MAJOR DIFFERENCES

• Regarding The Trinity

For Muslims, God is one, period. The Quran explicitly attacks the Christian teaching on the Trinity, saying that anyone who ascribes "partners" to God is committing the sin of shirk (blasphemy). This prohibition is explicitly directed against the Christian doctrine of the Trinity and the teaching that Jesus is God. Many Muslims are also erroneously taught that Christians are really tri-theists who believe in God the Father, Mary the mother and Jesus the Son. This grotesque caricature of the Trinity is a complete misrepresentation of what biblical Christians believe and what the Bible teaches.

The Bible teaches to be sure that there is one God. Deut. 6:4 says: "Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!" But the Bible also states that God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Mt. 28:19 and II Cor.13:14). 

• Regarding the fact that Jesus is the Son of God

Muslims view or regard Jesus as being one of the foremost prophets of God. He was a sinless man who was a messenger of God-bringing truth for his age. He was not the Son of God. He was not God in human flesh. He is to be honored, but no more so than any other prophet of Allah. He is a lesser prophet than Muhammad.

The Bible, however, is clear in stating that Jesus is the Son of God. He is both God (Hebrews 1:8) and Lord (Matthew 22:43-45). He has all the attributes of deity-including being all-powerful (Matthew 28:18) and all-knowing (John 2:24-25). He does things only God can do-such as creating the universe (John 1:3) and raising people from the dead (John 11:43-44). He was worshiped as God (Matthew 14:33).

• Regarding Christ's death on the cross and His victorious resurrection

Muslims believe that Jesus did not die on the cross, but rather ascended directly into heaven. Judas was crucified in His place. It would have been unthinkable that Allah would have allowed one of his prophets to be crucified. Therefore, the crucifixion of Christ is viewed as a disrespectful doctrine.

As Christians, we believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins (Matthew 20:28; II Corinthians 5:21). He "gave himself as a ransom for all men" (1 Timothy 2:6 NIV). He then rose bodily from the dead-an event attested to by abundant biblical evidence. On one occasion He appeared bodily to more than 500 people at the same time (I Corinthians 15:6). He was then exalted to the place of highest honor and given a name above every name (Philippians 2:8-11).

• Regarding sin

Surah 4:111 declares that each person must take care of his or her own sins. Muslims must earn their salvation by following the Five Pillars of Faith. 

Muslims believe that man has lost his way. So long as man continues to follow his own mistaken ways, or worship false gods, his present life is meaningless and his eternal destiny is imperiled. But if one repents and submits to Allah, one can be forgiven. This forgiveness does not require any kind of atonement (Surahs 17:15; 35:18).

As Christians, we believe that sin is the failure to live up to God's standards (Romans 3:23). It involves moral rebellion against God, thereby severing our relationship with Him (Isaiah 59:2). The penalty for sin is spiritual death (Romans 6:23). Because sin is such a dire problem, a powerful remedy is needed. This is found in the atonement wrought by Christ at the cross (Matthew 26:28); Hebrews 10:18-22). 

• Regarding assurance of salvation (Surah 180:3)

Muslims believe that salvation is found in complete surrender to Allah. This is in keeping with the meaning of Islam ("submission") and Muslim ("one who submits"). Salvation, then, is ultimately based on works. Human effort is pivotal in the Islamic view of salvation.

So, depending on how one fares at the judgment, one will end up either in heaven (a place of pleasure and many physical delights) or in hell (a place of torment) (Surahs 7:8-9; 21:47). 

As Christians, we believe salvation is a free gift of God and is received by faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Acts 16:31). Salvation cannot be earned, but is based on God's grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). The moment one trusts in Christ, one is born again (John 3:5), declared righteous (Romans 3:24), reconciled to God (II Corinthians 5:19), forgiven (Hebrews 10:17; Colossians 2:13-14), and adopted into God's forever family (Romans 8:14-15).

Depending on whether one has trusted in Christ (John 3:16; Acts 16:31), one will spend eternity either in heaven or in hell. Heaven is a place of great glory (I Corinthians 2:9) where death is absent (I Corinthians 15:54) and rest predominates (Revelation 14:13). There will be intimate fellowship with God and Christ (II Corinthians 5:8; John 14:2-3). Hell is a place of horror (Psalm 30:9), weeping (Matthew 13:42), and punishment (Job 24:19).

Are you heaven bound? Do you have an assurance that when this life comes to an end, you'll spend eternity in heaven?

John 3:14-16; 36

¹⁴And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; ¹⁵that whoever believes may in Him have eternal life.
¹⁶For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
³⁶He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.

John 5:24

²⁴ Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

I Timothy 1:12b

I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.

I John 5:10-13

¹⁰The one who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the witness that God has borne concerning His son.
¹¹And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
¹²He who has the son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.
¹³These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life.

VII. HOW SHOULD I, AS A CHRISTIAN, RESPOND TO PEOPLE OF THE ISLAMIC FAITH?

1. Be their friend! 
   God loves them and so should I. As is true in witnessing to others, Muslims do not care about how much you know until they know how much you care.
   
2. Be humble!
   Don't have a spiritual chip on your shoulder and speak down at the Muslim. You will erect an unnecessary barrier if you approach the Muslim with an implied superiority.
   
3. Be patient!
   Sometimes this means explaining the same thing over and over again.
   
4. Be prayerful!
   Pray especially that the Muslim will see the futility of trying to live a life good enough to earn God's favor. Even the smallest failure brings condemnation (James 2:10)
   
   "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all."
   
   By contrast, talk about the wonderful grace of God and how God has offered salvation as a free gift for those who believe in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9)
   
   "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast."
   
5. Be lovingly Christ-centered!
   Don't create unnecessary barriers by saying disdainful things about Muhammad and the Quran. Focus instead on the good things about Jesus, what He did at the cross, and the Bible.
   
   And as Paul says in Ephesians 1:18-19, pray that the eyes of their heart will be enlightened: ¹⁸I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.
   
6. Be gracious but firmly grounded in Bible truth!
   Don't hesitate to quote from the Bible. If they argue that the Bible has been corrupted, be ready to demonstrate why you trust the Bible's accuracy.
   
7. Be informed as to Islamic beliefs!
   The Quran enjoins every true Muslim to believe in and honor all the prophets of God. Therefore, urge the Muslim to consider the truth-claims of Jesus Christ.
   
8. Be submissive!
   Remember that Jesus submitted to go to the cross for the sins of the world. "Islam" means "submission" or "surrender."
   
9. Be respectful!
   Treat people of the Muslim and other faiths with dignity. God loves them. Respectfully mention the Quran's affirmation that Jesus was sinless and all-righteous (Surahs 3:45, 49; 4:158; 82:22), whereas Muhammad was exhorted in the Quran to seek forgiveness for his faults (Surahs 16:61; 40:55; 42:5,30: 47:19; 48:1-2). Use that as a launch-pad to talk about how Jesus was our sinless substitute who died on the cross on our behalf (II Corinthians 5:19-21).
   
   II Cor. 5:19-21
   ¹⁹God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
   ²⁰Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
   ²¹He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
   
10. Be helpful!
    Help your Muslim friend understand that Christianity is not just a religion but in fact hinges entirely on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ (1 John 1:3). Be sure to give your testimony regarding how Jesus Christ has changed your life forever. Be aware that if your Muslim friend turns to Christ, he will face pressure from Muslim friends and family members. He or she will need your support.
    
    

Resources:
The Holy Bible So What's The Difference 
The Koran (Fritz Ridenour-Ch. 5-Regal Pub.)
The World Magazine (Nov.-Dec.2001) Islam-"What You Need to Know"
Moody Monthly Magazine (Nov.-Dec.2001) (brochure - Harvest House Pub.)
Newsweek (Oct. 15, 2001) Webster's New World Dictionary