Understanding Islamic Terminology

 Here are some of the key terms of Islam along with some basic definitions.  

Islam-submission to Allah

Muslim-one who submits to Allah

Qur'an-"the recitation", Scripture of Islam

Allah-Arabic name for God

Muhammad-chief prophet of Islam

Hadith-teaching of Muhammad

Surah-chapter of the Qur'an

Sunni-largest group in Islam

Shiite-second largest sect of Islam

Ayatollah-spiritual leader (Shiite) 

Caliph-main leaders of Islam

Imam-leader

Mosque-place of worship

Mecca-birthplace of Muhammad, holiest city

Jihad-holy war

Fatwa-religious decree

Allahu Akbar-God is great

Shirk-unforgivable sin, deny oneness of Allah

Tawhid-refers to oneness of Allah

Sharia-Islamic law

Shahada-confession of Muslims, There is only one God worthy of worship and Muhammad is his prophet

Does The Gospel Of John Predict The Coming Of The Prophet Muhammad?

 Some Muslims believe that in John 14 the reference to Helper, Advocate, or Counselor is a reference to Muhammad.  Of course Christians hold that the Helper is the Holy Spirit.  Muslims believe the text in John has been changed and that it should have "exalted one" instead of Helper.  So they believe the exalted one refers to Muhammad.  There is no evidence that the text in John 14 has been changed, but this is what many Muslims believe.  

(John 14:16-17)"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him.  You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you." (ESV) 

Jesus did not ask the Father to send Muhammad to be with the disciples forever.  In fact the Helper is even referred to as the Spirit of truth.  The world did see and know Muhammad unlike the Holy Spirit.  The disciples in the first century did not know Muhammad and he did not dwell with them because he was not born yet.  One also wonders how Muhammad could be inside the disciples.  

(John 14:26)"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." (ESV) 

This verse directly refers to the Helper as the Holy Spirit.  The Father did not send Muhammad in the name of Jesus to teach the disciples all things or to bring to their remembrance all he said to them.  

Muslims who say the Helper in John 14 refers to Muhammad are practicing terrible and absurd interpretation, reading into the text things that are not there.  Jesus did not predict the coming of a prophet who would supersede him.  There is no greater prophet than Jesus.  Of course Jesus is more than a prophet, he is the Christ, the Son of God. 

What Do Muslims Believe About The Bible?

 Muslims believe the Qur'an is the highest authority and that it has superseded the Bible.  They also believe the Bible has been corrupted or altered by Jews and Christians.  

The Qur'an teaches that the Scriptures of Jews and Christians were revelation from Allah.  It even claims that there were prophecies about Muhammad in these previous revelations of Allah.  Ironically the Qur'an also claims that no one can change revelations from Allah.  

Islam seems to have a serious problem here.  On the one hand Muslims believe Jews and Christians corrupted their Scriptures.  On the other hand the Qur'an says these Scriptures were revelation from Allah and that no one can change his words.  

So if previous revelations from Allah have been corrupted, then Allah is incapable of preserving his words, including those of the Qur'an.  But if no one can change the words of Allah then Jews and Christians did not change or corrupt the Bible.  The Muslim is left living in contradiction and believing falsehood. 

What do Muslims Believe About The Qur'an?

 Muslims believe that the Qur'an is the Word of Allah.  Qur'an means the recitation while the terms Islam and Muslim refer to submission.  The Qur'an is believed to be perfect and eternal.  

Islam teaches that the Qur'an is a series of revelations given by Allah to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel.  The Qur'an is interpreted through the sayings of Muhammad known as the Hadith.  Muslims believe the Bible has been corrupted and has been superseded by the Qur'an.  

The Qur'an is divided into surahs or chapters and it is shorter than the New Testament.  While translations can be used the Qur'an as the Word of Allah is tied to the Arabic language.  Muslims believe the Qur'an should be placed on the highest shelf in the house and that it is disrespectful to write in it. 

A Bible Verse That Refutes Islam And Judaism

Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are all monotheistic religions, that is they all believe in one transcendent God.  Many people believe that all three religions worship the same God, but this is wrong.  

(1 John 2:23) "No one who denies the Son has the Father.  Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also."  (ESV) 

Islam rejects the very notion that God could have a son.  It is considered to be blasphemy by Muslims.  In Islam Allah is not a father.  Muslims consider Jesus to be a prophet but not the Son of God or Messiah.  The Qur'an seems to be confused about the Christian doctrine of the Trinity referring to it as God, Jesus, and Mary.  One wonders how Allah could get this wrong.  

Judaism also does not believe Jesus is the Messiah or Son of God.  They believe Christians are worshiping more than one God.  Unfortunately many Jewish people believe Christianity is not a Jewish thing, thinking instead that Judaism must be their religion.  Orthodox Judaism expects a messiah who is not divine.  Judaism worships the same God as Christianity in name only.  

Since Islam and Judaism deny the Son they do not have the Father.  They do not truly know or worship God.  The correct doctrine of God is trinitarian monotheism.  There is one God in three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).  There are three persons of one essence.  All three members of the Trinity are co-equal, co-eternal, and equally divine.  In order to be right with God and get to heaven one must confess Jesus is the Christ (Messiah), the Son of God. Islam and Judaism are false religions that lead people to hell.  

 

The Bible And Reincarnation

The concept of reincarnation is taught in Eastern religions such as Hinduism and has even gained popularity in the West.  It is not uncommon to hear people in the Western world talking about good and bad karma.  But what does the Bible teach about reincarnation? 

(Hebrews 9:27) "And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,"  (ESV) 

This verse clearly refutes the idea of reincarnation.  A person lives one life and after that comes judgment.  The idea of karma is also refuted by this verse.  Karma is a sort of law of cause and effect where a person reaps in this life what he has sown in a previous life.  In Hinduism the problem is ignorance of one's own divinity.  The solution is to break free from the cycle of karma and reincarnation and to merge into the great oneness (Brahman).  

The real problem we have is that we are all sinners who stand guilty before a holy God.  Because of our sin we are under God's wrath and on the road to hell.  But God sent his only, unique Son to save his people from their sins.  Jesus died on the cross to pay for the sins of his people and was resurrected victorious over sin and death.  Christ takes our sin on himself and his righteousness is credited to us.  Jesus is the only way to heaven.  We must respond with repentance and faith in Christ alone for salvation.  

Hebrews 9:27 and the entire Bible refute the idea of reincarnation.  So concepts such as reincarnation and karma must be rejected as false teaching from a false religion, Hinduism.  We must hold to the teaching of the Bible which is the Word of God.   

Do All Religions Worship The Same God?

We hear much today about interfaith alliances.  There are often interfaith prayer services between people of different religions.  Some believe that all religions are basically the same, all leading to the same God.  But are we actually worshiping the same God or a different God?  Let's take a look at some different religions and see what is the reality of the situation. 

Christianity
Christianity holds to trinitarian monotheism (1 God, 3 Persons).  Christians believe that God is three persons of one essence, this is not a contradiction.  If we said there were three persons of one person that would be a contradiction.  The trinity is comprised of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Christians hold that God is infinite and personal with all three members of the trinity being equal and eternal.  Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah, the one and only, unique Son of God. 

Mormonism 
Mormons hold to polytheism (belief in many gods).  They believe that God was once a man who became God.  They believe that this God had a God and that God had a God an so on.  They believe that Jesus is not the one and only unique Son of God.  They believe he received god-hood at his resurrection.  They also believe that Mormon men may become gods themselves.  

Judaism 
Judaism is monotheistic believing in one God. They reject the trinity.  Judaism also rejects Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God. It see Rabbinical Judaism as the fulfillment of the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible instead of New Testament Christianity.    

Islam
Islam is also monotheistic believing in one God, Allah.  It rejects the trinity also.  Allah is not a Father but instead is more like a master to slaves.  Islam rejects Jesus as the Son of God believing that Allah could not have a son.  Islam see Jesus as a prophet but Muhammad as the greatest prophet.  

Buddhism
Buddhism holds to what is basically atheism.  Buddha did not emphasize gods.  In Buddhism one ceases suffering by entering into non existence or the great nothing.  This pain free state is known as nirvana.  

Hinduism
Hinduism has both polytheism (many gods) and pantheism (God is all, all is God).  Most Hindus consider Brahman the most important god.  In Hinduism one must realize his own divinity.  Through breaking out of the cycle of karma and reincarnation, Hindus believe they can merge into the great oneness.  

After this brief overview it should be obvious that all religions are not the same and do not worship the same God.  If Christianity is true then all other religions by necessity are false because they contradict each other.  Jesus cannot be God and not God. It has to be one or the other. Jesus is the only way to heaven or he is not. It should also be pointed out that in Christianity salvation is by God's grace through faith in Christ alone.  It is the work of God and not man.  In all other religions it is all about what you do to earn or achieve your salvation.


Christians cannot join together with people of different religions and worship with them. The one, true God, the God of the Bible will accept no rivals.  He alone is worthy of worship and praise.       

Islam And Jesus

Muslims believe the Koran is a book from God or Allah.  They believe it has eternally existed and is without error.  They believe the angel Gabriel revealed the Koran to Muhammad their prophet.  The Koran even mentions Jesus.  

The Koran teaches the virgin birth of Jesus, but denies that he is the Son of God.  Muslims do not believe that God could have a son.  There seems to be a misunderstanding of this doctrine in Islam.  They seem to think that God having a Son means that there had to be male/female relations.  Christians do not believe that.  Islam denies the doctrine of the Trinity as well.  Muslims hold to a unitarian monotheism, believing Allah alone is God.  Christians hold to trinitarian monotheism, believing God is three persons of one essence.  The Koran mistakenly lists the Trinity as God, Jesus, and Mary.  The Trinity is actually God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  There was an obvious misunderstanding of basic Christian doctrine by the writer of the Koran.  It is also interesting to note that it gets Mary mixed up with Miriam the sister of Moses.  Muslims also believe that Jesus was not crucified.  They believe that someone else took his place on the cross, maybe Judas Iscariot.  Since Muslims do not believe in the crucifixion of Jesus they also do not believe in the resurrection of Jesus.  

Muslims believe that Jesus was a great prophet.  They believe there was a line of prophets (Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad).  They believe Muhammad was the final prophet and the messenger of Allah.  Islam holds that the Old and New Testaments were corrupted by the "People of the Book", that is Jews and Christians.  Though they do believe the Old and New Testament were from Allah.  Muslims believe that Deuteronomy 18:18 speaking of a prophet to come is referring to Muhammad.  But the prophet spoken of in the passage is obviously fulfilled by Jesus.  Islam also holds that John 14-16 is speaking of Muhammad but it is obviously talking about the Holy Spirit.  

Islam believes in a salvation by works.  A person must earn his way to heaven and he cannot be sure of his salvation.  Islam rejects the belief that Christians hold in the atoning death of Christ on the cross.  

The Bible teaches that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah.  It teaches that Jesus came to save his people from their sins.  Christians believe that Jesus lived a perfect life without sin, died on the cross taking the sins of his people on himself, and was resurrected proving he was God.  The Bible teaches that salvation is by God's grace through faith in Christ alone.  Christians can have assurance of their salvation because of what Christ has done.  

Muslims believe the Koran is from God but the evidence says it is not.  It is obvious the author does not know or understand the basic beliefs of Christians.  Surely Allah would be able to get the beliefs of Christians right.  The evidence also does not support the corruption of the Bible theory of Islam.  Surely Allah could have prevented it's corruption.  And if Allah allowed it to be corrupted, what would prevent the Koran from being corrupted?  The Koran also denies the crucifixion of Jesus. This goes against the views of almost all historians.  It is attested to by non Christian sources such as Josephus (the Jewish historian), and Tacitus (the Roman Historian).  Even radical, liberal scholars do not doubt the historical fact of the crucifixion of Jesus.  

The author of the Koran was most likely Muhammad himself.  He seemed to have little knowledge and understanding of Christianity. It is also interesting to note that Muhammad himself had doubts that the Koran was really from God.  Muhammad was not a true prophet and the Koran is not the word of God.  Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and the Bible is the Word of God without error.