FALSE RELIGION OF ISL_M By Dean Robinson (The following is a brief study on the subject of Isl_m. Many different sources were referred to which made this research possible. The purpose of the study was to offer a short analysis of some of the basic beliefs, ideas, and views held to by the typical Musl_m.)
INTRODUCTION: Isl_m is not a religious cult in the strictest sense of the word but it is a major world religion, a false religion vastly different and opposed to Christianity. Isl_m is the fastest growing religion in the world with one out of every 5 people on the face of the earth being a Musl_m. It is considered to be one of the four largest religions in the world, behind Christianity, Judaism, and Hinduism. It is estimated that by the year 2010, Isl_m will move ahead of Judaism to become the second largest religion in America. Hundreds of millions of people all over the world have embraced the Isl_mic faith to where entire countries are ruled and dominated by Isl_mic teachings, practices, and laws. Isl_m is a religious, social, and political force which every born-again Christian and every American should be aware of.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: It is recorded that Isl_m first got its start around 600 A.D. by a man named Muhamm_d in an area in what is known today as Saudi Arabia. This man claims to have received supernatural visions and revelations from All_h (Isl_mic name for God) through the archangel Gabriel: one hundred fourteen to be exact. These visions and revelations were recorded and written down known as the Kor_n (Arabic term for "the recitation"), the holy book of Isl_m. Muhamm_d claimed he was the true and final prophet to restore true religion and the praise of All_h throughout the world.
In order for us to understand the basic history and beliefs of Isl_m, there are some religious terms that need to be defined:
1) Isl_m -- is the name of the religion which came out of the revelations and teachings of Mohamm_d; it is the Arabic term for "submission."
2) Musl_m -- name given to one who adheres to, follows the religion of Isl_m. It means: "one who submits." A Musl_m is to submit to the will of All_h as revealed by Muhamm_d.
Muhamm_d was born in Mecca in 570 A.D. After his father's death he was raised by his grandfather and an uncle. His uncle was a merchant who traveled and Muhamm_d accompanied him, becoming a camel driver. It has been explained that when Muhamm_d began to see the polytheistic, idolatrous Arab tribal society around Mecca deteriorating in his day, that he decided to withdraw to a mountain cave near Mecca and spend a month (28 days) in meditation. This happened to be the month of Ramadan, the ninth month in Isl_m's lunar calendar. During this time he claims All_h, through the angel Gabriel, first spoke to him and this is when Isl_m had its start. Muhamm_d continued to have visions and revelations and began to claim he was restoring the true religion of Abraham, Moses, Jesus, etc. which had been corrupted. These visions and revelations were later recorded as the Kor_n. The Kor_n records Abraham as saying: "This am I commanded, and I am the first of the Musl_ms."
After conflicts for several years within his own country and people, Muhamm_d was able to convince many of his fellow Arabs that All_h was the only true god. Sources today indicate that All_h was in fact one of the 360 idol-gods worshiped by the Arab tribes. All_h was originally a mood god to the Arabs. Muhamm_d's proclaiming of All_h as the only god caused so much opposition in Mecca that he and his followers in 622 A.D. had to flee 250 miles to what is known as Medina. It was here that Muhamm_d became the political and religious leader in Medina and the town became the center for expansion of Isl_m. Muhamm_d eventually gained enough followers that he conquered Mecca in 630 A.D. He destroyed all the idols in the town and declared it a mosque (Arabic word for "temple"). In the next few years after this Muhamm_d's followers spread Isl_m over Palestine and Syria. Over the period of years, Muhamm_d married 15 wives. He said he did so for political reasons and because so many Musl_m women were left without husbands who had been killed in battles of war.
When Muhamm_d died, he left no male heir to take over and so Isl_m splintered into different groups. The biggest group is the Sunnite sect which claim to recognize and follow the teachings of the immediate successors of Muhamm_d. They practice a moderate form of Isl_mic interpretation of the Kor_n. Over 90% of the Musl_ms in the Mideast, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Libya are of this group.
The next biggest group is the Shi'ite sect who claim to be the rightful line of succession to Muhamm_d. This group is much more literal in its interpretation and application of the Kor_n and is much more militant and fanatical. About 93% of Musl_ms in Iran are of this group.
Muhamm_d died in 632 A.D. and was buried in Medina. This is a known historical fact but Musl_m tradition tells a different story. They claim that he went to Jerusalem on a white horse and ascended into heaven from a rock that is now enclosed in the Dome of the Rock (Mosque of Omar) on Mt. Moriah. This is why Jerusalem is considered a holy place for Musl_ms.
THE KOR_N AND ITS TEACHINGS It is traditionally taught that there is no ceremony, no ritual involved in a person who wants to become a Musl_m. All one has to do is to believe and say: "There is no god but All_h and Muhamm_d is his prophet." After saying this, the person is obligated to do all the duties of Isl_m. One must remember that the word "Musl_m" means: one who submits. Isl_m basically offers the world two choices: the Kor_n (conversion) or the sword (death). According to the teaching of the Kor_n, conversion to Isl_m can either be by persuasion or force. We must understand that the spread of Isl_m through the centuries has been carried out largely on the battlefield. Isl_m has been advanced by the widespread use of war, torture, and force of arms. Isl_m has swept over the world slaughtering Jews and Christians alike. Isl_m is a fighting religion. Conquest is a religious duty in Isl_m. The Kor_n urges Musl_ms to take up arms against the "infidel" (anyone who is not a Musl_m). The Kor_n specifically says: "When ye encounter unbelievers, strike off their heads until ye have made a great slaughter among them, and bind them in bonds." In another place it says: "those who fight against you, kill them wherever ye shall find them ...You All_h are our protector. Give us victory therefore over the infidel nations." "Kill thine enemy" is the practical teaching of Isl_m.
The Kor_n is the final authority in Isl_m. It is the recordings of all the visions and revelations that Muhamm_d supposedly received directly from All_h. There were 114 in total. These revelations in the Kor_n are believed by Musl_ms to have come to Muhamm_d over a period of 23 years. The Kor_n is divided into 114 "sura's" or chapters and contains many quotations and references to the Bible. Quoting from one source: "The Kor_n offers a religion that relies upon methods of violence and force -- a doctrine of holy wars that brings inducements to political revolution and assassinations which have produced wars and tragedies unimaginable. The Kor_n offers a theology that is distinctly anti-Christ, claiming a method of salvation based entirely upon works."
Isl_m claims to revere the writings of all the supposed great prophets of the world yet the Musl_ms definitely exalt and honor the "prophecy" of Muhamm_d (i.e. the Kor_n) above the Scriptures and any other religious writings. Musl_ms believe that Muhamm_d is the prophet who fully revealed the final truth and they will not compromise that belief. A leaflet prepared by the Institute of Isl_mic Information and Education states: "Muhamm_d is the very last Prophet of God to mankind. He is the final Messenger of God. His message was and is still to the Christians, the Jews, and the rest of mankind. He was sent to those religious people to inform them about the true mission of Jesus, Moses, David, Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham." The leaflet continues: "Muhamm_d is considered to be the summation and the culmination of all the prophets and messengers that came before him. He purified the previous messages from adulteration and completed the Message of God for all humanity. He was entrusted with the power of explaining, interpreting, and living the teachings of the Kor_n." Musl_ms believe that all mankind must be brought into subjection to the teachings of the Kor_n in order to experience peace and blessing.
In the Kor_n, Isl_m is more than a religion; it is a complete way of life that includes political, economic, social as well as religious conduct. All Isl_m claims to follow the Kor_n but there are a multitude of interpretations and applications of it among Musl_ms.
At first glance to the general public, Isl_mic belief appears to be almost compatible with Christianity. Often people claim that the Musl_ms believe in the same God as Christians with the exception that they do not accept Jesus Christ. It is often said that Christians, Jews, and Musl_ms are worshiping the same God but in different ways. Musl_ms have capitalized on this misconception and now urge Christians and Jews to worship the one God (All_h) with them, and work together for solutions to the world's many social problems.
Based on the Kor_n, Musl_ms believe in one god (All_h but not the Trinity); they believe in God as the Creator and Jesus as a prophet (but not as Saviour); they believe in the resurrection of all (including animals), final judgment, and eternal punishment. They believe in all of these things but not according to the Bible's definition of these things. When you carefully study the Bible and compare it with the teachings of the Kor_n, it becomes obvious that the god of Isl_m is not the God of the Bible. Isl_m rejects the biblical doctrines of the Trinity and the Deity of Christ, among other things.
What Musl_ms Believe About God For the Musl_m, All_h is the only true God. The Musl_m concept of All_h is not what God reveals Himself to be in the Bible. To say that God and All_h are two names for the same being reveals a lack of understanding of the Bible or the Kor_n or both. The Musl_ms teach there is no such thing as the "blasphemous" doctrine of the Trinity, i.e. the Godhead is One but exists in three Persons. Christians are referred to as unbelievers, infidels by the Musl_ms because they believe in the Trinity. In a booklet entitled "Christian Musl_m Dialogue" on page 16, it states: "The Trinity is not biblical. The word "trinity" is not even in the Bible or Bible dictionaries; it was never taught by Jesus and was never mentioned by him. There is no basis or proof in the Bible whatsoever for the acceptance of the Trinity." The Kor_n states that Christians worship 3 gods: God, Jesus, and Mary. It denies that there is a Trinity in the Godhead. It also says that those who say that God is a Trinity are to be severely punished: "Surely they are disbelievers those who said All_h is one of the 3 in a trinity. But there is none who has the right to be worshiped but one God (All_h). And if they cease not from what they say, verily a painful torment will befall the disbelievers among them."
The Musl_m god is unapproachable by sinful man; he is so perfect and holy he can only communicate with mankind through a progression of angels and prophets. The Musl_m god is a god of judgment, not grace; a god of wrath rather than love. Musl_ms have no concept of God as a loving and compassionate Father. Musl_ms never do refer to God as "Father;" they explain He would have to have a wife and children to be called such a name. This means, of course, that Musl_ms deny the deity of Christ. The Kor_n states: "It is not meet for All_h, the he should have any son. All_h forbid." Another quote plainly says: "God has no Son."
What Musl_ms Believe About Jesus Christ To the Musl_m, Jesus Christ is just one of many prophets of All_h. He is not the eternal Son of God or God Himself. Jesus Christ was a prophet for His people in His day. The Kor_n says: "Jesus is not more than a servant whom we favored, and proposed as an instance of divine power to the children of Israel." Muhamm_d, say the Musl_ms, is All_h's last and greatest prophet and all should heed him, superseding Jesus and all other prophets.
From the booklet "Christian Musl_m Dialogue," it says on page 3: "The reader will be surprised to learn that in the Bible Jesus never claimed to be God." Isl_m sees Jesus Christ as a prophet of God who otherwise is no different from other men. The Kor_n says: "Jesus was no more than a mortal whom All_h favored and made an example to the Israelites." According to the Kor_n, the main significance of Jesus is that He prophesied the coming of Muhamm_d. All Musl_m commentators teach that Jesus' promise of the coming of the Comforter in John 16:7 is a prophecy that Muhamm_d would come.
According to the Kor_n, anyone who says "God is the Messiah, Mary's Son, God shall prohibit him entrance into Paradise and his refuge shall be the fire. They are unbelievers who say God is the Third of Three." Another quote: "Kill those who join other gods with God (All_h) wherever ye shall find them; and seize them, besiege them, and lay wait for them with every kind of ambush."
In reference to Jesus Christ, the Kor_n states: "The Messiah, Son of Mary, is but an apostle; other apostles have flourished before him. And his mother was a just person, they both ate food." In other words, Jesus was just a human; God does not eat food, argue the Musl_ms. Another quote: "God has no wife, therefore he can have no son."
In a pamphlet entitled "Prophethood in Isl_m" it states: "The Kor_nic account of Jesus emphatically rejects the concept of his divinity and divine sonship." In a tract called "Is Jesus Really God," written by the Institute of Isl_mic Information and Education, it states that Isl_m totally rejects the Biblical teaching that Jesus is God manifest in the flesh.
Isl_m has even gone as far as to actually deny that Jesus Christ was ever crucified. In the booklet "Christian Musl_m Dialogue," it says on page 3: "The reader will be surprised to learn that in the Bible Jesus did not die on the cross." Musl_ms teach that Jesus Christ did not atone for anyone's sins, although He was Himself sinless. Various Musl_m traditions say that Jesus Christ either miraculously substituted Judas Iscariot for Himself on the cross, or that All_h miraculously delivered Him from the hands of the Romans and Jews before He could be crucified. Most Musl_ms believe that Jesus Christ was taken bodily into heaven without having died. Kor_n says: "they slew him not nor crucified him, but it appeared so unto them...they slew him not for certain, but All_h took him up unto himself."
To deny Jesus Christ's crucifixion is to deny His resurrection. Musl_ms believe in a resurrection, but not the resurrection of the crucified Lord Jesus Christ. So here we see that Isl_m denies the basic, essential message of the Bible: the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In doing so, it has taken away the Saviour and has rejected God's saving grace. Isl_m says it has a high regard for Jesus as a prophet of All_h but no amount of respect for Jesus as a prophet can be acceptable to God when the Person and work of Jesus Christ are outright denied.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY? The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ was indeed God manifest in the flesh (1 Tim.3 :16). John 1:1 and 14 says God dwelt as a Man among men. The Lord said to the religious people of His day who rejected His deity: "if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins" (John 8:24). The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ was crucified and His crucifixion and resurrection are the basic message of the Bible. About one-third of the words of the first 4 books in the New Testament are given to eye-witness accounts of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The basic essential message of the Bible is the gospel of Jesus Christ, His death on the Cross for sinners, His burial, and His glorious resurrection from the dead.
The Bible teaches that from birth man is a sinner and cannot help or save himself. He must have a substitute to atone for him and the only substitute God will accept is Jesus Christ and His death on the Cross. The death of Christ is the only means of salvation. It is the only means of reconciliation to God. Without the crucifixion, God's Word makes it clear there can be no forgiveness of sin and no eternal life. If Jesus Christ did not die on the Cross and rise from the dead, there is no salvation from sin.
Isl_m unashamedly rejects these basic truths which comprise the gospel. While many people try to argue that Christians and Musl_ms worship the same God, 2 John verse 7 and 9 say otherwise: "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. . . Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son."
Denying the doctrine of Christ reveals Isl_m as a deception and an antichrist religion. The Kor_n has substituted false doctrines which present another gospel. No matter how intellectual, civilized, or scientific Isl_m is made to appear, it is still a religion which embraces and proclaims a false gospel and the Bible declares it and those who believe it to be accursed. "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." (Galatians 1:6-8)
FALSE CONCEPT OF SIN AND SALVATION For a true Musl_m, the Kor_n is the "word of All_h," and is to be believed and practiced literally. Apart from being a Musl_m, there is no hope for a person according to the Kor_n. The Kor_n says: "Whoso desires any other religion than Isl_m, that religion shall never be accepted from him, and in the next world he shall be among the lost." Another quote: "The true religion with God is Isl_m." These two quotes simply signify that there can be no compromise, concession, or agreement between true Christianity and orthodox Isl_m.
Biblical Christianity and Isl_m teach a different concept of sin and salvation. Isl_m believes mankind is born pure, without sin. From the tract entitled "Introducing Isl_m to Non-Musl_ms," it is explained: "Musl_ms believe that people are born free of sin. It is only after they reach the age of puberty and it is only after they commit sins that they are to be charged for their mistakes. No one is responsible for or can take the responsibility for the sins of others." What this does is to deny the Biblical teaching that all mankind sinned in Adam, i.e. Adam's sin has been imputed to the whole human race: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" (Romans 5:12). Second, this is a denial of the Biblical teaching that the sin of man is imputed to Christ, i.e. Christ became sin for us on Calvary's cross: "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5:21) Third, this is a denial of the Biblical teaching that the righteousness of God is imputed to men upon believing, i.e. believers possess the righteousness of God: "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." (Romans 5:19) By denying these truths which are fundamental to the gospel of salvation by grace through faith alone, Isl_m has laid the groundwork for a false gospel of self-righteousness and salvation by works.
The differing concepts of sin between Christianity and Isl_m leads to differing views of salvation. Isl_m's "salvation" is based on an individual's good works outweighing their bad works. The Bible teaches that salvation is not a reward but "the gift of God" (Romans 6:23). Heaven is the eternal abode of those who have received Christ as Saviour. Isl_m teaches that salvation is indeed a reward for a life of relative piety and righteousness. The Kor_n states: "Then those whose scales are heavy, they are successful. And those whose scales are light are those who lose their souls."
It is taught that a Musl_m cannot be assured of attaining Paradise (Kor_n's concept of Heaven) unless he dies in a "jihad" (holy war). Then he goes immediately to paradise, which explains why Musl_ms are willing to die in terrorist acts. Note this quote from the Kor_n: "And they who have suffered in my cause and have fought and fallen, I will blot out their sins from them, and I will bring them into gardens beneath which the streams do flow."
One writer wrote describing a Musl_m's concept of paradise as a type of desert oasis "where they will recline on soft couches, drinking cups of wine handed to them by maidens of paradise, of whom each man may marry as many as he pleases."
FIVE PILLARS OF THE FAITH Every Musl_m who hopes to escape the judgment of All_h, must fulfill his religious duties which are the works of the "Five Pillars of the Faith":
1. Recite the Musl_m creed -- "There is no God but All_h and Muhamm_d is his prophet." To say the creed with conviction and sincerity makes one a Musl_m.
2. Pray 5 prescribed prayers a day toward the holy city of Mecca.
3. Give alms to the poor. Musl_ms are required to give one-fortieth of their income as charitable contributions.
4. Fast during the entire month of Ramadan (9th month in the Musl_m's lunar calendar). This is when the Musl_ms are supposed to fast for 28 days from all food and drink from sunrise to sunset in atonement for their own sins over the previous year. In actuality, what this involves is sleeping all during the day and eating all night.
5. Make a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca at least once in a lifetime. For those unable to physically go, they can hire a substitute to go in their place.
CONCLUSION According to the Bible, All_h is not God, Muhamm_d is not his prophet, and the Kor_n is not the Word of God. Isl_m is a false religion and utterly without power to save from sin because it doesn't recognize Jesus Christ as the Saviour. No person, no matter how religious or how sincere he may be, can possess truth or salvation apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. The person and work of Christ is the crucial divider between Christianity and Isl_m. Christ's atoning death is the perfect and only sacrifice which God will accept in behalf of sinners.
Our message to Musl_ms is that they, like all men, are hopelessly lost. All are naturally at enmity with God. There is no good in us that can merit God's favor and there is no good we can do to endear ourselves to Him. Being utterly lost and completely unable to save ourselves, God did all that was required to reconcile men to Himself by sending His only begotten Son. Christ bore our sin, died on the Cross as our Substitute, shedding His precious blood as a complete, all-sufficient, perfect sacrifice for sin, and He arose again bodily from the dead. Repenting of one's sins and believing on Christ, trusting Him for salvation, is all that is necessary to be saved.
Isl_m claims to be a religion of peace and tolerance when in fact it is characterized by violence and religious bigotry. It is the Christian's duty to diligently witness to, not dialogue with the Musl_ms. We must stand for the true Gospel and against all other false gospels. Isl_m has rejected the essential teachings of the Word of God. The so-called prophet Muhamm_d brought an erroneous message from a false spirit that is totally opposed to the Gospel of God's grace. The message of Isl_m is a curse, not a blessing. "There is only one true religion. It was prophesied in the Garden of Eden, typified in the days of Noah, confirmed to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and realized in the Person and work of Jesus Christ."
There is no doubt that Musl_ms have a definite zeal for their god. They desire to follow All_h and express their worship of All_h through their lives. But the fact remains, Musl_ms need Christ and His saving Gospel which is still the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth. They need not only to hear and believe this life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ, but they also need to see it demonstrated in the lives of believers to serve as an example of what the Lord can do with a life that is totally and truly surrendered and submitted unto Him. Isl_m offers this world two choices: the Kor_n (conversion) or the sword (death). Bible-believing Christians have only one choice to offer the world: the Cross and empty tomb of Jesus Christ.
In this age of ecumenicalism and tolerance, many people would like to emphasize the resemblances and similarities between Isl_m and Christianity. While the two religions may share many historical persons and events in common, there is still an unbridgeable gap between them. "There is no possible compromise between biblical Christianity and Isl_m and none should be sought."
Sources Referred To:
The Kingdom of the Cults by Walter Martin.
The Discerner by William A. BeVier
The Baptist Watchman -- "Is the God of Isl_m the God of the Bible?" by Laurence A. Justice
The False Gospel of Isl_m by Ric Llewellyn