Comparing Islam and the Quran with Christianity and the Bible

Allah revealed His Word to a man named Muhammad through an angel in Arabic over a period (Surah (chapter) 12: (ayah) 1-3; 25:32) which Muslims say was 23 years (A.D. 610 to his death in 632). The words were written down in the Muslims’ holy book, the Qur’an, which is Allah’s Word (Surah 2:23, 185; 15:9; 16:101-102; 17:105-106; 69:41-47). The Qur’an says that the Word of God cannot be altered (Surah 6:34; 6:115; 10:64). It has 114 surahs. The Qur’an also says that the Bible is given by Allah i.e. the Torah (Genesis – Deuteronomy) (Surah 2:87),
the Psalms (4:163) and the Injil (Gospel) (3:3; 5:46). As the Word of God is from Allah and cannot be altered what Bible passages have been corrupted? Allah says, too, that the Scripture is to be believed (Surah 4:136; 5:47; 10:94). Would Allah want you to believe a corrupt Book?

God inspired all the holy Bible and so it has His authority and is profitable (2 Timothy (chapter) 3: (verse) 16-17). Holy men of God spoke and wrote as they were moved by God the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21, see also 1 Corinthians 1:17) and so the Bible is reliable. God’s “Word” is also a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who revealed God to us (John 1:1-4, 14; 14:9).
The Bible has 66 books written by over 40 authors, in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, over a period of about 1,500 years, from about 1445 B.C. to about 90 A.D.

Muslims do not believe Allah is a father to human beings (Surah 5:18). The Qur’an says that Allah does not love sinners (Surah 2:195; 2:276; 3:57; 4:107). For the Muslim there is no sense of relationship with Allah.

God, through Christ, created the world (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16) and as such we are God’s offspring (Acts 17:28-29). God also loves the world (John 3:16; 1 John 4:16) and while we were yet sinners He sent Jesus Christ into the world to save us from our sins (Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:14, 19). All who believe in the Lord Jesus for salvation become God’s children and so He becomes their loving Father (John 1:12-13; 2 Corinthians 6:18; Galatians 4:6). God is knowable (John 14:7, 9; 17:3; 1 John 4:8).

The Qur’an says that only liars say Allah has a son (Surah 37:152). Many verses in the Qur’an say Jesus (Isa) is not the son of Allah but is a prophet (Surah 2:116; 2:136; 4:171; 5:75; 9:30; 18:4-5; 19:30).

Christ is greater than the prophets (Hebrews 1:1-3; 3:5-6). Also “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten (unique) Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). “(Jesus Christ v3) And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” (Romans 1:4, see also Matthew 3:17; Hebrews 4:14; 1 John 5:20).If you think that it is blasphemy to say that God had close personal relations with Mary and so produced the Son of God then we agree with you. So how is the description “the Son of God” meant to be understood? If a book is called “the mother of books”, for say Italian cooking, does it mean that all other Italian cooking books come from it? No, it means that this book is considered the best source of information for Italian cooking. Does the phrase “a son of a road” mean that two roads got together and produced another road? No, it is an expression meaning that a person is a traveller. The same principle applies to the description of “the Son of God”. Jesus Christ was and is characteristically the Son of God as seen in Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: …” and 1 John 4:14, “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.” As someone must exist before they are sent anywhere so Jesus Christ was everlastingly God’s Holy Son before He was sent to the earth and also became a Man. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

Muslims say, “Islam does not teach original sin. Islam teaches that everyone is born pure and it is us who corrupt ourselves.”

“Therefore, just as through one man (Adam) sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man” (Mark 7:21-23). Some Muslims accuse Christianity of teaching that if an infant does not put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour before dying, then he/she is condemned to hell. The Bible teaches otherwise: “Then they brought little children (properly “infants”) to Him, that He might touch (that is “bless”) them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, ‘Let the little children (again “infants”) come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God’” (Mark 10:13-14). These verses clearly show the Lord Jesus accepts very young children who are not mature enough to put faith in Him.

“And their saying: Surely we have killed the Messiah, Isa son of Marium, the apostle of Allah; and they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them so (like Isa) …” (Surah 4:157).

“And He (Jesus v16), bearing His cross, went out to … Golgotha, where they crucified Him, … But when they (the soldiers v32) came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead …” (John 19:17-18, 33, see also Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 2:2). Other witnesses: the apostle John (John 19:26), Mary (Marium) (John 20:25-26), the Jewish leaders (Matt. 27:41), the crowd (Matt. 27:39), other women (Luke 23:27; John 19:25), the two thieves (Matt. 27:38), Roman centurion and those with him (Matt. 27:54; Mark 15:39), Pilate, Joseph (Mark 15:44-45) and Nicodemus (John 19:30).

“And when Allah said: O Isa, I am going to terminate the period of your stay (on earth) and cause you to ascend unto Me …” (Surah 3:55, see also Surah 4:158).

“Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead …” (Acts 4:10, see also 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Philippians 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:21). “Who (Jesus Christ v21) has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.” (1 Peter 3:22, see also Acts 1:11; Romans 8:34; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Hebrews 4:14; 10:12; 12:2; Revelation 19:11).

Islam teaches that, in addition to a Muslim’s belief in the revelation to Allah’s messenger in the Qur’an, their good works will also be weighed on Judgment Day. People who have done enough good deeds will go to paradise. No one knows how many good deeds are “enough” (Surah 2:25, 112; 7:8; 18:110; 23:102-103). Only those who have died in military action are guaranteed a place in Paradise (Surah 3:157-158, 169).

Trying to ‘be good’ is not ‘good enough’ for God and salvation, and no one is ‘right enough’ to deserve to go to heaven. This is because we have all thought, said and done wrong things, that God calls “sin”, which will keep us out of heaven and bring God’s judgment on us (Romans 3:22b-23; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Revelation 21:10, 27; Romans 2:2, 5). Based on God’s grace, meaning undeserved favour (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 2:11), perfect salvation from sin’s judgment is received by each one who believes in the Lord Jesus as their Saviour from their sin (James 1:17; 1 Timothy 2:5; John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Romans 3:22-23; 1 John 1:9). At the moment of belief they receive God’s total forgiveness for all their sins (Acts 13:38; Colossians 1:14) and God’s gift of everlasting life (John 6:47; 10:28; Romans 6:23).

Muslims believe they will delight in many of the same things in the gardens of paradise that many people are happy with on earth. This includes bracelets of gold, silk clothes interwoven with gold, resting on raised couches with flowers. Also drinking from rivers of: water, milk, wine (without getting drunk) and honey, with all fruits and flesh of fowl. There will be good companions and no call to sin but to peace (Surah 18:31, 107; 39:73; 47:15; 56:11-21).

God will establish a new heavens and earth where there is no sin, everything will be right and believers will be welcome (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1; Jude 1:24). There will be no more: death, sorrow, crying, pain or night as life will be “far better” than on earth (Philippians 1:23; Revelation 21:4; 22:5). While believers will have bodies made like the Lord Jesus’ glorious body (Philippians 3:21), the Bible emphasises the spiritual and joyful parts of God’s everlasting day (Psalm 16:11; Jude 1:24; Revelation 21:2-5, see also John 15:11). Believers will together forever enjoy: learning from, praising, serving and having friendship with God and the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:17; Ephesians 2:7; Revelation 5:11-14; 22:3-4; 19:6-9; 21:1-3).

Muslims believe Allah will judge people and will approve only those who believe the Qur’an and have done enough good works, but disbelievers will suffer loss (Surah 1:1-3; 3:57; 7:8, 9). Allah has cursed the disbelievers and prepared for them Hell fire forever. They are cast, bound in chains, into a constricted place (Surah 3:131; 25:11-13; 33:64-65; 43:74-77).

God is the judge of the world (Psalm 96:13) and is just (Isaiah 45:21). At death unhappily every unbelieving sinner will go to be alone into the judgment of hell (Hebrews 9:27; Luke 16:19-31). At the final judgment day (Acts 17:31) the Lord Jesus Christ will review the deeds of each unbelieving sinner (John 5:22; Revelation 20:11-13). They will sadly (2 Peter 3:9) be cast into the lake of fire to suffer God’s judgment forever (Revelation 20:14-15). However no one needs to go there because Christ took the judgment for all our sins when He was on the cross (John 1:29; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1 John 2:2). So whoever repents, i.e. changes their mind about their sin (Acts 20:21), and believes in Him will not perish, that is go to hell, but have all their sins forgiven and know where they are going after they die (Acts 26:18; John 3:36; Colossians 1:5).