Introduction

Previously in a past work environment, I went about my normal work day when a co-worker asked; do you like hip-hop? I replied saying no. He then asked, why not? Again I replied because hip-hop has nothing for me, I don’t enjoy it, it’s all talk of money, cursing etc. Then he asked what music do you like? I replied hymns because they glorify God. That was our first encounter.

Another day as we worked he approached me again asking about my faith which lead to the question about being a good person. I asked if he thinks he’s a good person? He replied yes. I said many people believe they’re good people, I too once thought the same not any more.

Romans 3:10 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:”

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

Then sharing why I disagree that he’s not a good person, and with a passing statement I said, I don’t place my trust in religion; I place my trust in God. Religion teaches self-righteous I gave an example saying, Muslims believe they’re self-righteous because of what they do. He then said to me “I’m Muslim”. And so started the one year dialogue between two co-workers a Muslim and Christian.

Islam’s early origins

Islam started when Muhammad after weeks of going into a cave to pray claimed to be visited from the angel Gabriel and revealed that he the “last prophet” in the year early 600’s. He began preaching to others in his home city of Mecca looking to recruit followers friends and family to spread his religion. After trying for 12 years he failed in gaining followers, only those who were immediate friends and family converted to Islam.

Afterwards, he decided to travel to Medina which was at the time the Jewish business centre of Arabia. He thought that if he could get the Jews to accept and believe in his religion it would give him religious status, then, in turn, would give him more recognition among his own people.

Muhammad having this thought in mind borrowed a lot from the Old Testament (Torah) in order to make his religion more appealing to the Jewish people thereby persuading them to believe in Islam. Hence the reason why there are similarities between Judaism and Islam such as refraining from eating pork (pig), praying a 5 times a day, fasting on Yom Kippur (Jews) and Ramadan (Muslims) etc.

That said let us take a close look between the God of the Bible who Christians and Jews worship and see if the Muslim god is the same? In order to get an accurate comparison, we’ll have to look at both the Bible and the Quran to see what’s the truth.

Ephesians 5:11 “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”

God of the Bible the same as god of the Quran?

Can the Muslim god and the Christian God be the same? As we look into the scriptures we quickly see that there are major contradictions between the two. As we compare the nature, character, and doctrines of each. Also the practices of their believers we’ll be able to come to a better understanding as to why they are vastly different.

The Nature of God

Muslims: believe there’s one God, who is not a trinity. The Islamic view of God is called strict Monotheism (Quran 112:1).

Christians: believe there’s one God, who exists in three distinct persons (Godhead or The Trinity): Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).

Deuteronomy 6:4 “…Hear Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one.”

Matthew 28:19 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”

Does God Send All To Hell?

Muslims: believe that according to surah 19:70–72, everyone will enter into hell, that includes Muslims and their god will then bring out the god-fearing:

Christians: believe that only unbelievers, those who aren’t born again will go into hell for all eternity.

Revelation 21:8 “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

The True Teachings of Islam

When a non-Muslim confronts a Muslim about the teachings of Islam, the Muslim always claims “Islam is a religion of peace”. Although the majority of moderate Muslims may be peaceful people, but we’re speaking of the system or the religion of Islam and it’s teachings.

Apart from the first 13 years that Muhammad claimed to be a “prophet”, you don’t have any history of Islam devoid of violence. The moment Muhammad was able to gather enough followers he began battles at a rate of nine battles per year until his death. And then afterwards Muslims conquered one-third of the known world, this is called the Muslim caliphate.

A caliphate is an Islamic state under the leadership of an Islamic steward with the title of caliph, a person considered the successor to Muhammad and leader of the entire ummah. The medieval period saw three major caliphates succeeded each other, the last being the Ottoman Caliphate (Ottoman Empire).

Muslims are taught to fight and kill the infidels. If a Muslim converts to another faith they’re told to kill him. They also say it’s alright to kill Jews, Christians and homosexuals; and believe thieves should have their arms and legs cut off. Muslims want sharia law implemented throughout the world and are told not to have anything to do with the kaffir (disbeliever).

Here are some of their teachings from the Quran:

Surah 9:5 “And when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, let them [go] on their way. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.”

Surah 2:191 “And kill them wherever you overtake them and expel them from wherever they have expelled you, and fitnah is worse than killing. And do not fight them at al-Masjid al- Haram until they fight you there. But if they fight you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.”

Surah 5:33 “Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment,”

Surah 9:29 “Fight against those who believe not in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah (tax) with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.”