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The first declaration in becoming a Muslim is to acknowledge there is no God but Allah and that Mohammad is His prophet.  From the beginning, Allah’s name is next to  “the prophet”.  Mohammad claims he received a revelation from the God of Abraham, through Gabriel. This revelation is contained in the pages of the Quran.  Muslims believe in Heaven there is an identical book to the Quran, written in Arabic.  Over time, and through intervals, Gabriel delivered the Quran to Mohammad over 22-years (A.D. 610-632). This revelation is the literal “Word of God” a copy of the same book in Heaven.

2 This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah; 3 Who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them; 4 And who believe in the Revelation sent to thee, and sent before thy time, and (in their hearts) have the assurance of the Hereafter.  Surah 2 :2-4 

97 Say: whoever is an enemy to Gabriel - for he brings down the (revelation) to they heart by Allah's will, a confirmation of what went before, and guidance and glad tidings for those who believe – Surah 2:97 

                The Quran claims to be a book like the Torah (Books of Moses) reveled to Moses, but to the Quran is for the rest of Mankind. Moses and Jesus came to the Jews, but Mohammad came for everybody else. 

87 We gave Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of Messengers;  we gave Jesus, the son of Mary, clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit. Is it that whenever there comes to you a Messenger with what ye yourselves desire not, ye are puffed up with pride? Some ye called impostors, and others ye slay!  89 And when there comes to them a Book from Allah, confirming what is with them - although from of old they had prayed for victory against those without Faith - when there comes to them that which they (should) have recognized. They refuse to believe in it but the curse of Allah is on those without Faith. Surah 2:87-89

 

            The Quran claims those who reject the Allah and Mohammad are doomed to eternity in Hell.

 

63 Know they not that for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, is the Fire of Hell?- Wherein they shall dwell. That is the supreme disgrace. Surah 9:63

            The Quran has several claims that need examination by anyone who is a Muslim or considering Islam as “Truth”.

• Is the Quran a revelation from the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses?
• Is Mohammad a Messenger (Prophet) of the God of the Bible?
• Should those who reject Mohammad as a prophet fear Hell?

 

            How can the claims of Mohammad and the Quran be evaluated to answer these questions. Since Islam claims to be a continuation of Abraham’s faith, and identical to what was revealed before, we can compare the revelations of these former prophets with the Quran, the revelation given to Mohammed.

The test of a prophet

 

            Before Moses died, the Lord proclaimed He would reveal His word, through prophets. It was the responsibility of the people to listen to the words of these prophets, because they were His words. God also provided a test, to determine if a prophet was a “true prophet” or a “false prophet”.

            This Test of a Prophet can be applied to the Quran, since it claims to be prophetic utterance, revealed by the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

 

21    "And if you say in your heart, 'How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?'22    when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. Deuteronomy 18:21-22 

            The word of the prophet is to be compared to reality, if what “the prophet” says does not come to pass, then his revelation is not from God. If it can be demonstrated the prophet proclaimed errors, then the prophet is not from God.  Furthermore, we are told to not fear the prophet, or his proclamations.  False prophets operate under the power of fear, the fear of disobeying God, Mohammed proclaimed, those who oppose him, as Allah’s messenger, face the fire of hell.  God through this test wants to free people from the power of false prophets. 

Strategy to Reach Muslims

 

            To reach Muslims with the Gospel, it is important to make a distinction between Christianity and Islam.  Muslims need to understand that both Islam and Christianity cannot be true.  Logically it is impossible, they both have diametrically opposed beliefs.  Therefore, the questions will always come too:

Ø          Is Mohammad a prophet?   

Ø          Is the Quran God’s revelation to Mohammad?

 

             Christians do not accept Mohammad as a prophet nor do we accept the Quran as God’s word, since both Mohammad and the Quran fail the test of a prophet.  However, to create the opportunity to answer the question, “Is Mohammad a prophet?” and “Is the Quran his word?” it is important to draw the distinction between the two.  For example Muslims, will often site their acceptance as Jesus as a prophet of Islam.  Christians can use this as an opportunity to share the Gospel by comparing the Jesus of Islam to the Jesus of the Bible.  This often leads to the discussion of what is “God’s word” and “who is a prophet”?

A Different Jesus

 

            One of the first questions we can ask about Islam is whether the Jesus of Islam is the same as the Jesus of the Bible.  When we examine the identity of the Jesus of the Bible (Ingil) and the Jesus of the Quran and Islam we find they cannot be the same.  Though there are similarities, the differences between these two individuals do not logically allow them both to be the same Jesus.

 

            The Jesus of Islam and Christianity have some similarities, which could confuse many to assume they are the same person. Both the Jesus of Christianity and Islam share these characteristics.

 

• Their mother is Mary.
• Their birth is miraculous, a virgin who conceived.
• They are both sinless.
• They are both considered prophets.
• They both do miracles, healing blind and raising the dead.
• They both have the ability to create.

 

            However, the difference between them will demonstrate it is impossible for them to share the same identity.  The difference between the Jesus of Christianity and Islam are these.

 

Jesus of Christianity	Jesus of Islam
Son of God	Not Son of God
Died on the Cross	Did not die on the Cross
Rose again on the third day	Will return to earth to die and be resurrected
Born in a manger, because of crowding at the Inn	Born under a Palm tree in deserted place
Will return to the earth to Rule for eternity	Will return to earth to marry, die and be buried next to Mohammad in Medina.
Will return to earth with the Angels to be worshipped as King of the Earth, ruling from Jerusalem over the nation of Israel (The Jews) and the world,	Will return to earth to proclaim Islam and kill Christians, Jews, and those who call him God, Jews will no longer exist.

 

 

We can only logically draw three conclusions from the facts regarding the Jesus of Islam and the Jesus of Christianity (The Bible).  Only three options are available to anyone who is considering the Jesus of Christianity or Islam.

·         Islam is right

·         Christianity is right

·         Both are wrong

 

However, it is impossible for both options be true, because the characteristics are diametrically opposed to each other.   Therefore, we can conclude that both the Bible and the Quran cannot be true. Since their revelation, contradict each other. 

 

 

What is the source of these differences?

 

Most Muslims will answer the reason there are differences between the Jesus of the Bible and the Quran/Islam ibecause Christian corrupted the message given to Jesus and Mohammed was restoring this corrupted message through the Quran.

The Quran was compiled after Mohammad after came into contact with “Gabriel”, in A.D. 610, when Mohammad was forty-years old.  If the Bible was corrupted, there is no mention of its corruption in the Quran.  In fact, there are entire copies of both the Old and New Testaments dating hundreds of years before his birth and  “Revelation”.  The Chester Beatty Papyrus, dated A.D. 200, existed over 400-years before Mohammad’s first meeting with “Gabriel”.  Codex Sinaticus and Codex Vaticanus 2 nearly complete copies of the scriptures, including both the Old and New Testaments, dated A.D. 350, existed 200 years before Mohammad’s birth.

 

The Quran makes an appeal to those who seek confirmation about its scriptural integrity to look at the former revelations. (Surah’s 34:31,35:31, 12:111, 6:154-157, 40:69-70, 46:12, 46:29-30, 2:91, 3:3, 4:162-163, 5:51)

 

37 This Quran is not such as can be produced by other than Allah; on the contrary it is a confirmation of (revelations) that went before it, and a fuller explanation of the book wherein there is no doubt from the Lord of the worlds. Surah 10:37

 

111 Allah hath purchased of the Believers their persons and their goods; for their (in return) is the Garden (of Paradise): they fight in His Cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in Truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the Quran and who is more faithful to his Covenant than Allah? Then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme. Surah 9:111

 

Nowhere, does the Quran claim the Bible (Torah, Ingil, and Zabur[4]) has or was corrupted in Mohammad’s day.  The reason Muslims claim the Bible is corrupted is because of the incredible differences between the books, the Bible and Quran.  Mohammad thought his revelation was truly the same as the Bible, he was in fact “wrong”.  The Bible needs to be corrupted, for the Quran to be true for Muslim apologists. 

 

What is the source for the Jesus of Islam?

 

            The sources for the Muslim Jesus can be traced to the influences in Mohammad’s Arabia.  Arabia became the refuge for people escaping the oppression of Byzantium and Persia. Many of the heretical movements fled to Arabia, taking with them their books and teachings. Among these heretical groups, are the Gnostics and Manicheans.

            In the Quran, we see Gnostic influences on Islam, Basilides a Gnostic teacher of the 2^nd century, also believed and taught Jesus did not die on the cross.

 

Gnostic Doctrine

The Qur’an

Wherefore he did not himself suffer death, but Simon, a certain man of Cyrene, being compelled, bore the cross in his stead; so that this latter being transfigured by him, that he might be thought to be Jesus, was crucified, through ignorance and error, while Jesus himself received the form of Simon, and, standing by, laughed at them. For since he was an incorporeal power, and the Nous (mind) of the unborn father, he transfigured himself as he pleased, and thus ascended to him who had sent him, deriding them, inasmuch as he could not be laid hold of, and was invisible to all….. If any one, therefore, he declares, confesses the crucified, that man is still a slave, and under the power of those who formed our bodies; but he who denies him has been freed from these beings, and is acquainted with the dispensation of the unborn father.[5] Basilides

And for their saying, "Verily we have slain the Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, an Apostle of God." Yet they slew him not, and they crucified him not, but they had only his likeness. And they who differed about him were in doubt concerning him: No sure knowledge had they about him, but followed only an opinion, and they did not really slay him, but God took him up to Himself. And God is Mighty, Wise! Surah 4:157

 

Gnostic Jesus	Muslim Jesus
Ø          Gnostic god prevented Jesus from dying Ø          Jesus transformed himself Ø          Simon of Cyrene was made to look like Jesus Ø          Denies the crucifixion	Ø          Allah prevented Jesus from dying Ø          Jesus transformed himself Ø          Judas or another was made to look like Jesus Ø          Denies the crucifixion

 

            As the Gnostics, Nestorians and other heretical Christian groups were forced out the Byzantine Empire they established themselves in the deserts of Arabia.  Their teachings and “Gnostic works” circulated in Arabia, which was not known to have an Arabic translation of the Gospel (Ingil).

 

            We can also see Infancy Gospel of Thomas, another heretical work which made its way into the Quran and was translated into Arabic.   In this “false gospel” account, Jesus is seen creating clay birds and bringing them to life.  In this same work, Jesus turns a child into a “Withered Tree” and calls him an “impious ignoramus”.  Later Jesus kills a child who accidentally bumps him in the shoulder.  This book is a false work written about 150 A.D., claiming to be written by Thomas the Israelite.  The account of the birds creation, has found its way into the Quran.

 

            In addition to these false works we can also the Manichean influence in Islam, Mani (216-270 A.D.) a Persian painter and “Prophet” made many claims similar to Mohammad, but only 400 years earlier.  Mani was an Eastern Gnostic, who combined Christian, Buddhist, Persian and Zoroastrian teachings into a belief system. His followers were persecuted in Persia and like the Nestorians and other heretical Christian groups, they fled into Arabia.   These would then have an influence on Mohammad years later.

 

 

The influences on Mohammad’s formation of Islam is not limited to Gnostics but several areas of influence can be clearly seen in the “Revelations” to Mohammad. These other sources include;

·         Pagan Arab customs

·         Heretical Christian Sources

·         Jewish Sources

·         Zoroastrian Sources

·         Hanefite influces

Sources of the Islam

Pagan Arab Sources

Once a year, during the Muslim month of Ramadan (Last month of the Muslim year), from the 7^th to the 12^th day, millions of Muslims converge on the city of Mecca to fulfill the Muslim requirement of Hajj. Once in their lifetime Muslims are required (If able) to go the city of Mecca, this is one of the “Five Pillars of Islam”.  In Mecca, Muslims perform several rites including circling the Kaaba seven times, kissing the black stone, running between the mountains, throwing stones at Satan, most of these rites were performed before the birth of Mohammed and are pagan in origin.

When the pilgrim is about 6 miles (10 km) from Mecca, he enters the state of holiness and purity known as ihram (q.v.) and dons the ihram garments, consisting of two white seamless sheets that are wrapped around the body. The pilgrim cuts neither his hair nor his nails until the pilgrimage rite is over. He enters Mecca and walks seven times around the sacred shrine called the Kabah, in the Great Mosque, kisses or touches the Black Stone (Ḥajar al-Aswad) in the Kaʿbah, prays twice in the direction of the Maqām Ibrāhīm and the Kabah, and runs seven times between the minor prominences of Mount Ṣafā and Mount Marwah. On the 7th of Dhū al-Ḥijjah the pilgrim is reminded of his duties. At the second stage of the ritual, which takes place between the 8th and the 12th days of the month, the pilgrim visits the holy places outside Mecca—Jabal ar-Raḥmah, Muzdalifah, Minā—and sacrifices an animal in commemoration of Abraham's sacrifice. The pilgrim's head is then usually shaved, and, after throwing seven stones at each of the three pillars at Minā on three successive days (the pillars exemplify various devils), he returns to Mecca to perform the farewell ṭawāf, or circling, of the Kabah before leaving the city.[6]

 

These rites pagan rites were incorporated within the Islamic faith, this allowed the pagan Arab to keep much of the traditions they had but new meaning was attached to the rites. 

 

Quranic Source: Arab Customs	Source	Response
The Kaba: Dates from pre-Islamic times and housed 360 idols before Mohammad day.  The earliest record of th Kaba is dated to 60 BC and is recorded by Diodorus Siculus (Book iii)	97. Allah hath appointed the Ka'bah, the Sacred House, a standard for mankind, and the Sacred Month and the offerings and the garlands. That is so that ye may know that Allah knoweth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, and that Allah is Knower of all things. Surah 5:97	The Muslims claim Adam first built the Kaba, and Abraham and Ishmael rebuilt it.                         The Bible tells us Ishmael was sent away and there is has no record of Abraham going to Mecca.  According to the Bible, God established his Covenant with Isaac “son of Sarah” at Mt. Moriah (Jerusalem), not Mecca. Isaac is referred to as “Your only son” 15Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, 16and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son—17blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.  Genesis 22:15-17
Kissing the Black Stone The kissing of the Black stone pre-dates Islam.  The black stone is meteorite that was worshipped in the days prior to Islam.  This practice has continued to this day and is incorporated within Islam. People either Kiss or wave at the stone. The animistic nature of the stone is revealed in the Hadith by Ibn Abbas.	'Umar bin Al-Khattab's Hadith, may Allah be pleased with him. It is reported: 'Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, kissed the (Black) Stone and then said: By Allah, I know that you are a stone and if I had not seen Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) kissing you, I would not have kissed you. Hadith number in Sahih Muslim [Arabic only]: 2228 Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) further related that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “By Allah, Allah will bring it forth on the Day of Judgment, and it will have two eyes with which it will see and a tongue with which it will speak, and it will testify in favor of those who touched it in sincerity.” (At-Tirmidhi, Sunan)	The Muslim claim the Black stone came down from paradise and was white but became black from sins. The worship of meteorites was a common practice by pagans.  This was the practice of pre-Islamic Arabia; the custom of the Black stone was incorporated within Islam. A similar event is recorded in the book of Acts. 35And when the city clerk had quieted the crowd, he said: “Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple guardian of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Zeus? Acts 19:35

Jewish Sources of Islam

            When Mohammed fled from Mecca, in September of 622 A.D., he arrived in Yathrob (Medina) 280 miles to the north.  The city was founded by three Jewish tribes and had a significant Jewish influence on the formation of Islam.  Mohammad claimed to be the person the Arab tribesman of Medina were looking for fulfilling the expectation created by the Jewish tribes of the coming of the Messiah.   Muslims will often cite Deuteronomy 18:18-19 as referring to Mohammad.

18	'I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.
19	'And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him. Deuteronomy 18:18-19

            The fact that this verse clearly states the prophet will be from “among their brethren” meaning an Israelite, since the children of Israel were gathered and about ready to enter the promised land, and Moses was giving them final instruction in the book of Deuteronomy. 

Mohammed appealed to the Jews of Medina of his prophet hood and felt confident the words he was proclaiming was the same as the Torah.  The Jews rejected him and his claims of prophet hood, this angered Mohammad as can be seen in the Quran. 

64. The Jews say: Allah's hand is fettered. Their hands are fettered and they are accursed for saying so. Nay, but both His hands are spread out wide in bounty. He bestoweth as He will. That which bath been revealed unto thee from thy Lord is certain to increase the contumacy and disbelief of many of them, and We have cast among them enmity and hatred till the Day of Resurrection. As often as they light a fire for war, Allah extinguisheth it. Their effort is for corruption in the land, and Allah loveth not corrupters.. Surah 5:64

The stories and sources of much of what Mohammad cited and felt were in the Torah (5 books of Moses) were 2^nd-5^th Century A.D. writings[7] of rabbinical Judaism[8].  The sources would have been available in Medina, or people familiar with these stories would have been able to rehearse the words to Mohammad who incorporated them into the Quran.