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Tasmanian Anglican

November 2002

 

 

 

 

 

Islam is hard to ignore.

by Sam Green

 

 

Muslims are as keen to promote their religion as Christians are. God willing, this article gives some of the basics about the Qur'an so you may know how to share the Gospel with Muslim friends.

Muhammad (c. 570-632 AD) is Islam's main prophet. He claimed that the angel Gabriel gave him words from God to recite. The Qur'an is the record of what Muhammad recited.

The modern Qur'an contains 114 suras (chapters) divided into ayat (verses). The numbering of the verses differs between Qur'ans so care is needed when finding a reference. Christians very often wrongly assume that the Qur'an has the same place in the Muslim life as the Bible does for the Christian, but the Qur'an is only one source of information about God and how to live.

The other essential source is The Hadiths, the reports of lives of Muhammad and his companions. Many Islamic beliefs and practices are not in the Qur'an but from the Hadith. When a Muslim invites you to accept Islam it means accepting a lot more than the Qur'an.

Muhammad lived among Christians and Jews and was aware of their scriptures and practices and to some degree modelled his own life upon these. Ibn Abbas reported that 'Allah's Messenger liked to conform his behaviour to the People of the Book in matters in which he received no command (from God)'. (Sahih Muslim: vol 4, hadith 5768, p.1248)

Originally Muhammad prayed facing Jerusalem. In the Qur'an he mentions many Biblical prophets, though often inaccurately, and fully accepted the Bible, instructing his followers to do likewise:

'We believe in Allah, and in what has been revealed . . . Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the Prophets.' (Qur'an 3:84)

Should we accept Muhammad as a prophet?

The Bible commands us to test prophets (1 John 4:1). Muhammad's prophecy, the Qur'an, makes two easily testable claims: 1. it confirms the teaching of the Bible, 2. Muhammad is foretold in the Bible.

1. Does the Qur'an confirm the Bible?

No, The Qur'an says that Jesus did not die on the cross and was only a prophet. This is the main point where the Qur'an contradicts the Bible. Old Testament prophets foretold the death of Christ and the New Testament clearly records it.

2. Is Muhammad foretold in the Bible?

No. The two main verses that Muslims refer to are Deuteronomy 18:18 and John 14:16. The first of these is God's promise to raise up a prophet like Moses. The New Testament says Jesus is this prophet (Acts 3:22). A prophet like Moses should speak the same message as Moses: Muhammad does not. Neither is John 14:16 about Muhammad: when read in context it is clearly about the Holy Spirit.

How has Islam historically coped with this failure of the Qur'an?

Some Muslims have rewritten the Gospel to make it agree with the Qur'an. In two new gospels Jesus is made to agree with the Qur'an. Also, Muslims accuse the Bible of being corrupted and this is meant to explain why the Qur'an does not now confirm the Bible. A Christian will need to know the evidence for the reliability of the Bible. All of the early Qur'ans were burned to standardise one version: today there are four different versions in use!

Muslims say they accept all the prophets; but they do not. In rejecting the Bible they ignore what the prophets have written and only listen to what Muhammad says about them. Encourage them to read the Old Testament prophecies about Jesus' death and resurrection.

When it comes to evangelising a Muslim love them as you would anyone else. Do not offend. There are all types of Muslims from nominal to well trained zealots. Just talk to them.

Some resources

Correspondence course 'Word of Life' (PO Box 5099, Kingsdene, NSW 2118, www.word.org.uk). Invite your Muslim friend to do the course with you; they are generally keen.

http://answering-islam.org/Green will give you most of the answers you need. For more information on many of the issues I have raised please contact me. email: seg@bigpond.com

Sam Green was mentioned in Letters in the Tasmanian Anglican (September 2002). The edited article above was originally written for the AFES national magazine.