Let's do a little exploration
of Islam and Judeo-Christian teachings for
ourselves. The best place I know to find out about
anything, especially religion, is to look at its own
writings. You see, unlike the politicians and,
unfortunately, most of what passes for the church
these days, I believe that people are intelligent
enough to arrive at their own conclusions when they
know the facts. Of course, with the pressures of
day-to-day life, it seems that there is little time
left over to examine with a critical eye what our
news media and preachers are telling us regarding
religious beliefs. So, I've done a little research
of my own that I would like to share with you.
Now there are no doubt some
that will read what is below and accuse me of being
intellectually lazy, of pulling verses out of
context. What I invite you to do is to go to the
Koran and see for yourself if I have been
disingenuous or not. That is why I've included the
Koranic sura (chapter) and verse, and chapter and
verse from the King James Bible. There are additions
in brackets for comments as needed. Those in
parentheses were included from the electronic
version of the Koran at
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/k/koran/.
What follows is certainly not
a comprehensive list, but is intended to give the
reader a brief overview only.
From the
Koran: A benign approach to Christians, Jews, and
Sabians
2:62, 5.69 Surely those who
believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians,
and the Sabians [another group of Abrahamic
monotheists], whoever believes in Allah and the Last
Day and does good, they shall have their reward from
their Lord, and there is no fear in them, nor shall
they grieve.
From the
Koran: A hostile approach to Christians and Jews
2:120 And the Jews will not
be pleased with you, not the Christians until you
follow their religion. Say: Surely Allah's guidance,
that is, the (true) guidance. And if you follow
their desires after the knowledge that has come to
you, you shall have no guardian from Allah, nor any
helper.
2:135 And they say, Be Jews
or Christians, you will be on the right course. Say:
Nay (we follow) the religion of Ibrahim, the Hanif
[monotheists], and he was not one of the
polytheists. [Muslims consider Christians
polytheists because of the belief in the Trinity.]
3:67-69 Ibrahim was not a Jew
or a Christian but he was upright, a Muslim, and he
was not one of the polytheists. Most surely the
nearest of people to Ibrahim are those who followed
him and this Prophet and those who believe and Allah
is the guardian of believers. A party of followers
of the Book desire that they should lead you astray,
and they lead not astray but themselves, and do not
perceive. [Ibrahim - Abraham actually lived
thousands of years before Mohammad and the advent of
Islam in the Seventh century A.D.]
5:51 O you who believe! Do
not take the Jews or Christians for friends; they
are friends of each other; and whoever among you
takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of
them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.
9: 5 So when the sacred
months have passed away, then slay the idolaters
whenever you find them, and take them captives and
besiege them and lie in wait for them in every
ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and
pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them;
surely Allah is forgiving, merciful. [The only final
options for non-Muslims: Conversion or death.
Subjugation is also allowed, but only until either
of the first two options can be carried out.]
9:30 And the Jews say: Uzair
[possibly Ezra] is the son of Allah; and they
Christians say: The Messiah [Jesus] is the son of
Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they
imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before;
may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away!
From the
Bible concerning the Jews:
Deuteronomy 7:7-8 The LORD
did not set his love upon you, nor choose you,
because ye were more in number than any people; for
ye were the fewest of all people: But because the
LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath
which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD
brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you
out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of
Pharaoh king of Egypt.
From the
Bible concerning Christians:
Matthew 28:16-20 Then the
eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a
mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when
they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All
power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye
therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with
you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
The Koran:
Going to heaven
3:157 And if you are slain in
the way of Allah or you die certainly forgiveness
from Allah and mercy is better than what they amass.
[Martyrdom for the cause of Islam guarantees
paradise.]
The Bible:
Going to heaven
John 14:5-6 Thomas saith unto
him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how
can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the
way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the
Father, but by me. [Faith in Jesus is the ONLY WAY
to heaven.]
The Koran:
Dealing with those who turn from Islam
4:88-89 What is the matter
with you, then, that you have become two parties
about the hypocrites, while Allah has made them
return (to unbelief) for what they have earned? Do
you wish to guide him whom Allah has caused to err?
And whomsoever Allah causes to err, you shall by no
means find a way for him. They desire that you
should disbelieve as they have disbelieved, so that
you might be alike; therefore take not from among
them friends until they fly (their homes) on Allah's
way; but if they turn back, then seize them and kill
them wherever you find them, and take not from among
them a friend or helper.
4:115 And whoever acts
hostilely to the Apostle after that guidance has
become manifest to him, and follows other than the
way of the believers, we will turn him to that to
which he has (himself) turned and make him enter
hell; and it is an evil resort.
The Bible:
Dealing with those who never believe or turn from
belief in Jesus
2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not
unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what
fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
and what communion hath light with darkness? [This
means that a Christian should not knowingly "hook
their star" to someone is not a believer –
especially, in my view, someone determined to remain
that way.]
Titus 3:10-11 A
man that is an heretick [heretic] after the first
and second admonition reject; Knowing
that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth,
being condemned of himself. [If a nominal Christian
is believing, or worse, preaching error, it is up to
another Christian who does follow the Bible to point
out the error. If that person - or church, for that
matter - still refuses to accept Scriptural
teaching, then it is time to move on.]
Romans 12:19 Dearly
beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give
place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is
mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. [God can and
will take care of those who refuse him. It is not up
to us to retaliate for him. I am not however
advocating a position of pacifism here. As James
said: Resist the devil, and he will flee from you –
James 4:7. Evil that is not confronted generally
becomes successful.]
Conclusion
I hope this clears up the
confusion over what the Koran and the Bible actually
have to say on the subjects above. As you can
readily see, there is a vast difference between the
teachings of the Bible and the Koran in the areas
explored above. As you read through this article and
examine the evidence for yourself, I hope you will
decide for yourself if you’re finding the
information given to you by the media – or from the
pulpit – is in any way accurate or not. If you find
it is not, perhaps now would be an excellent time to
pass on that discovery to others – while we still
have time!