Ultimately - one's decision on the way they follow God is between that individual and God; *but as Disciples to Christ, we must be there to help anyone who asks, (not forcefully). We are not to compromise, but we're also not to be forceful of course. Whether it is an atheist, skeptic, or a follower of another religion, we must be there lovingly for them, and ready to answer their questions if they ask.
A few historic facts on Christianity and Islam -
There are no Arabic chronicles of Islam from the first century of Islam. Many of the earliest documents known about Islam refer to the followers of Muhammad as "hagarenes," and the "tribe of Ishmael," in other words as descendants of Hagar, the servant girl that the Jewish patriarch Abraham used to father his son Ishmael.
This same quality of transmission we find regarding the Jewish and Christian bible cannot be said of the Islamic Qur'an. The Islamic Qur'an was mostly written down from 3rd and 4th hand accounts; and from a few thoughts written on scrap papers, palm leaves and stones --and compiled over 150 years after Muhammad died in 632 A.D. In the Mishtatu ‘lMasabih, chapter 3, we are informed that by the command of the first Caliph, Abu Bakr, the text of the Qur’an was “collected” by Zaid ibn Thabit “from palm leaves and stones and from the breasts of those who had learned by heart” the various revelations." Abu Bakr’s copy came into the possession of Hafsah, one of Muhammad’s widows. Qustalani states that after Hafsah’s death her copy was torn to pieces by Mirwan, who was governor of Medina.
The oldest Qur'an dates from around 790 A.D. (after Jesus), and it is in the British Library. That's 158 years after Muhammad’s death. See corrupted Qur'an here .
Muslims often claim that the manuscript of the Qur'an housed in the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul, Turkey is one of the oldest sources. Muslims say it dates from around 650 A.D. There is an insurmountable problem with this. This document is written in Kufic (also known as al-Khatt al-Kufi) script. Coins in the British Museum show that the first coins using the Kufic script date from the mid to end of the 8th century (750-800 A.D.). The only script used during and after Muhammad's days was the Jazm script. These earliest copies of the Qur'an are written without vowels and diacritical dots that modern Arabic uses to make it clear what letter is intended. In the eighth and ninth centuries, more than a century after the death of Muhammad, Islamic commentators added diacritical marks to clear up the ambiguities of the text.
- The New Testament repeatedly declares that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He was crucified and resurrected to both pay for our sins and to make possible our salvation, but the Qur'an expressly denies all these things. The Qur'an says Jesus was not crucified. (Surah 4:157-158). The sacrificial death of Jesus Christ as an atonement for our sins was a stumbling block to Muhammad. Muhammad said that only one in his likeness was crucified. This clearly contradicts all 4 Gospels (Injil) which Muhammad confirmed in the as the revealed word of God in the Qur'an itself.
God cared enough about our sinful guilty human race to endure our punishment for us Himself, in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, whose perfect atoning sacrifice saved every repentant, believing sinner. To think that one can have eternal Life without someone like Jesus "paying our price" for our sin is to mistakenly believe that God can righteously forgive without requiring any atonement at all. This makes God Himself a protector of sin rather than its avenger.
If you accept Islam, you forever reject Jesus and His substitional suffering and death for your sins on the cross.
The New Testament was written by people who walked with Jesus. Muhammad only heard about Jesus (called Isa in the Qur'an) over five centuries later, and even what he heard he seems to have gotten confused.
Jesus was not merely a Prophet
Christians need to remember, Jesus Christ warned us that if you deny Him, He will deny you before the Father. Muslims falsely believe they have "this base" covered because they show reverence to Jesus as a "great Prophet" only.
Surah 3.45: When the angels said: O Marium, surely Allah gives you good news with a Word from Him (of one) whose name is the '. Messiah, Isa (Jesus) son of Marium, worthy of regard in this world and the hereafter and of those who are made near (to Allah).
You "deny" Jesus when you do not follow His teachings, such as He is the only way to the Father and salvation. You deny Jesus when you do not make Him the center of your life. Jesus of Nazareth is the Jewish Messiah foretold thousands of years before His arrival (see here) by numerous Prophets of God. Jesus led a sinless life. And only Jesus, the Son of the Father is the awaited Christ and mediator between you and the Father.
Comparison between Muhammad and Jesus (Isa)
Jesus (Isa)
Muhammad
Jesus is God (John 1 , Col. 1) and here . Jesus forgave sins and dispelled demons in His own name. He said "I and the Father are one".
Muhammad admitted he is only a man (Surah 18:110)
Jesus raised Himself from the dead (Matthew 28:6 ) and rose into heaven in front of many witnesses.
Muhammad remains dead
His Birth, Life, Death, Resurrection was foretold by numerous prophets. See here
Proverbs 30:4 (written 700 B.C./1300 yrs before Muhammad): "...What is His name, and what is His son's name, if thou canst tell?"
Nothing predicted about Muhammad. The "Comforter" was the Holy Spirit Jesus promised the apostles.
Allah himself refers to Muhammad as sinful (Surah 40:55, 48:1-2).
Jesus did numerous miracles to prove His divinity, including raising the dead and command over nature (All Gospel writers and Josephus). While teaching his apostles Jesus said; "Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves" (John 14:11 and Matthew 9:2-7)
On two occasions in the Qur'an Muhammad admitted he could do no miracles to show any sort of divinity or divine calling (Surah 17:90-95; 3:183, also see: 29:50-51)
Jesus cared for His enemies (Matthew 5:43-44 ). Jesus promised to save those who believe and trust in Him.
Killed his enemies and anyone who disagreed with him (Surah 9:5)
Held a high view of marriage and hated divorce - as God the Father does (Matthew 19:7-8).
Muhammad commanded his adopted son to divorce his wife so that she would become his (Surah 33:36-38)
Accurately prophesied many verifiable events that took place after His time (Matthew 24 ).
Delivered only one -questionable- guess/prophecy about the Romans winning a future battle. No date or place given. (Surah 30:1-4)
Jesus gave his disciples authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness (Matthew 10:1; Mark 6:12-13)
Muhammad gave his followers the authority to wage war on unbelievers.
Muhammad is Allah's apostle. Those who follow him are ruthless to unbelievers. (Surah 48:29)
Jesus told his disciples not to ask for money, and not to carry money with them. (Matthew 10:8-9, Luke 10:7)
Muhammad instructed his followers on how to divide booty they seized from unbelievers. He insisted on 20% for himself.
Jesus said to his followers that if anyone will not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. (Matthew 10:14-15, 23)
Muhammad ordered Muslims to attack any city that rejected Islam.
Jesus told his followers to get ready, because unbelievers would flog them, arrest them, and put them on trial (Matthew 10:16-19)
Muhammad told his followers to fight (militarily) hard against unbelievers.
"Kill the Mushrikun (unbelievers) wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege them, and lie in wait for them in each and every ambush..." Surah 9:5. Also see Surah 9:29.
Jesus washed his disciples' feet.
He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. John 13:4-5, 12-17
One day after battle, Muhammad came back home and said to his daughter Fatima, "Wash the blood from this sword and I swear in the name of Allah this sword was obeying me all the time." Muhammad then took the swords of his friend Ali ibn Abu Talib and washed them for him.
Jesus never took up a sword or encouraged anyone else to do so. Once a close follower took it upon himself to take up a sword. Jesus soundly reprimanded him. Jesus warned; "all who take the sword will perish by the sword" (Matthew 26:52)
According to Muslim scholar Pickthal, "the number of campaigns (military) he (Muhammad) led in person during the last ten years of his life is twenty-seven, in nine of which there was hard fighting. The number of expeditions which he planned and sent out under other leaders is thirty-eight" (n.d., pg. xxvi)
Jesus said: "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? (Matthew 5:44-46)
Surah 9:29 : PICKTHAL: "Fight against such of those who have been given the Scripture (Christians & Jews) as believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by His messenger, and follow not the Religion of Truth, until they pay the tribute readily, being brought low."
Jesus's last message to his followers about himself and his mission:
Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Luke 24:46-47
Muhammad's last speech to his followers on Mt Arafat:
....."I descended by Allah with the sword in my hand, and my wealth will come from the shadow of my sword. And the one who will disagree with me will be humiliated and persecuted."
Reference: Ibn Hisham (828 A.D., "The Life of Muhammad", 3rd ed., pt. 6, vol. 3 (Beirut, Lebanon: Dar-al-Jil, 1998), p. 8
Slavery is not a hallmark of the true God
Most individual Muslims may respect and honor women, but Islam doesn't! Several words Muhammad uses in the Qur'an to describe women should be an "eye opener". The words “naghess al aghl” literally means defected witted person. It describes the intellectual capability of women in general. And the word “zaeefeh”, refers directly to female gender in contrast to men in ain a condescending way. It means “the weaker one” . Muhammad's Allah command this: “Give them their dowry for the enjoyment you have had of them as a duty” (Koran 4.24). In other words, a Muslim husband should live with his wife to satisfy his own need and pleasure. It is clearly understood in Islam, that if a woman disobeys her husband, it is usually necessary for her husband to stop having sex with her (temporarily) and for him to teach her "a lesson" by some form of physical punishment.
Can you spot the Muslim wife?
The Islamic Qur'an itself is responsible for cruelty toward Muslim women, both young and old. In short, it likens a woman to a field (or a tilth). This "field" is to be used by a Muslim man as he sees fit. This "model" was set forth by Muhammad himself, and what he said and how he treated women. If a woman does not consent to make love, civil law of western countries consider this as rape, plain and simple. However the Quran does not ask women. It takes into account only the will of the husband.
The Quran in Surah (Chapter) 2:223 says:
Your women are your fields, so go into your fields whichever way you like . . . . (MAS Abdel Haleem, The Qur’an, Oxford UP, 2004)
Christians believe their lives should be modeled after that of the Lord Jesus who spent time teaching women, which broke with the customs of his day (Luke 10:38-42). His respect was demonstrated even toward sinful women who turned to him for compassion (Luke 7:36-39). Jesus, the true prince of peace, crossed racial and cultural barriers to reveal his true identity to a Samaritan woman (John 4:1-42). Jesus healed a woman on the Sabbath and Jesus He freed the woman caught in adultery from being stoned. And, after his resurrection, Jesus honored the female disciples by appearing to them first (Matthew 28:8-10).
Aisha, the most beloved of Muhammad's many wives said to Muslim women: "O womenfolk, if you knew the rights that your husbands have over you, every one of you would wipe the dust from her husband's feet with her face."
This Islamic religion has also managed to enslave women, which the true God would never be part of. If the husband wants to have sex with his wife he can, even by force - which in the west, and in Christian and Jewish tradition, is considered cruelty and rape. Under Egyptian law, Muslims are not allowed to change their religious identities to any other faith, although Christians are free to convert officially to Islam.
O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies. Surah 33:59, The Noble Quran
And speaking of seeing a woman's face: It is no sin before their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their brother's sons, or the sons of their sisters, or their women, or their (female) slaves. Surah 33:55, The Noble Quran
This is not freedom.
A graphic example of fanatical oppressive Muslim dress codes occurred in March 2002 in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. A fire occurred in a school there in which 15 young girls were killed in a fire. During the fire in the school the girls had shed their oppressively hot all-concealing outer garments. Actually preferring the death of these young girls to the transgression of Islamic Law, Saudi Arabian Religious Police (the muttawa) actually battled against police and firemen who where trying to open the doors to free them.
Recommended DVD on Muslim "Justice" and cruelty
This true story takes place in Taliban occupied Afghanistan. But the truth is that the Taliban practiced true unadulterated Islam. Islam's goal is to bring the world a Muslim dominated society with the same rules imposed by murderous Mullah's and Imams like those in Afghanistan. Islam seeks a world full of zombies and slaves who pamper every whim of the mullahs and imams. Funny! Isn't that what Satan wants?
The Islamic fundamentalists known as the "Taliban" unleashed a regime of terror. Its first victims were its own people, particularly women. It closed down girls' schools, dismissed women from government jobs, and enforced sharia laws under which women deemed to be "immoral" are stoned to death, and widows guilty of being adulterous are buried alive.
The DVD "Osama" is not about bin Laden learn about the Qur'an sanctioned depravity that is true Islam The Qur'an/Koran is evil dripping from its pages
A 12-year-old Afghan girl and her mother lose their jobs when the Taliban closes the hospital where they work. The Taliban have also forbidden women to leave their houses without a male "legal companion." With her husband and brother dead, killed in battle, there is no one left to support the family. Without being able to leave the house, the mother is left with nowhere to turn. Feeling that she has no other choice, she disguises her daughter as a boy. Now called 'Osama,' the girl embarks on a terrifying and confusing journey as she tries to keep the Taliban from finding out her true identity.
Golden Globe Winner. 2004 Best Foreign Language Film filmed in Afghanistan
Apostasy is punishable by death in Islam (from the Hadith):
Muhammad said, "Whoever changes his Islamic religion, kill him." Vol. 9:57
A Muslim must not be killed if he kills a non-Muslim.
Muhammad said, " No Muslim should be killed for killing a Kafir" (infidel). Vol. 9:50
The real Truth is that Jesus is waiting to take your burden, to save you, and give you eternal life!
Each person must choose to accept or reject Jesus
"Come to me all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Injil - Matthew 11:28-30).
Jesus said: "I and my Father are one". John 10:30
Jesus said; "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." John 8:24
and He said; "He that believeth not (the He is the Son of God with the power to forgive our sins), shall be damned."
The choice is all of our's. Is there really anything more important to research though? We are talking about the God that is eternal, that created us. (this should take supreme presidence over our material possessions)
Don't take my word and testimonty for it alone - please research all of this for yourself, and simply ask God to show you the "truth and the way."
