Sam continues his on-going series, which contrasts the Judeo-Christian Bible with the Islamic Koran on a variety of topics. He aims the beam of the Biblical laser on the Koran to expose, to reveal what it really says. See his previous articles here.
Muhammad and his adversaries
Muhammad writes of his adversaries, not just for his contemporaries, but for all time. It seems that he had, and identifies three adversaries that he and his followers had to deal with. In the Koran Muhammad gives clear instructions on dealing with his enemies. These enemies fall into three major groups: Jews, Idolaters, and Christians.
Luke 12:4,5 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. Jesus.
THE KORANIC ACCOUNT
You will find the most outspoken of men in their dislike against believers are the Jews and the Idolaters. The closest in friendliness toward the believers are those who call themselves Christians. That is because there are priests and monks scattered in with them. They are also free from pride (Surah 5:82).
The retribution for those who make war against Allah and his Prophet and disseminate mischief in the land shall be killed or crucified or have their hands and feet cut off on alternate sides or be banished from the land. They shall be dishonored in this world and severely chastised after their life on earth is done. With the exception of those who repent before you punish them. You must know that Allah is forgiving and merciful (Surah 5:33,34).
Those who do not believe are those who claim: “Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary” (Surah 5:72).
Those who do not believe are those who claim: “Allah is one of three.” There is only one Allah. If they do not refrain from such speech those who do not believe shall be severely punished (Surah 5:73).
The only true religion in Allah’s eyes is Islam (Surah 3:19).
Those who do not believe shall be severely punished while those who accept the true Faith and perform good works shall be forgiven and richly rewarded (Surah 35:7).
Prophet, war against those who do not believe and the hypocrites, and treat them severely. Hell shall be their home and evil their fate (Surah 66:9).
Battle with them until idolatry ceases to exist and the religion of Allah rules unchallenged (Surah 2:193).
He, Who is sovereign over the heavens and the earth, Who has begotten no children, and Who has no partner in his sovereignty. He has created everything, and established it all in its proper place (Surah 25:2).
Declare: Allah, He is One: Eternal. On Him all depend. He begets no one, nor is He begotten. There is none like unto Him (Surah 112:1-4).
People say: “Allah has begotten a son.” Nonsense, He is self-sufficient. All that is in heaven and earth belongs to Him. You have no right to make such a statement. Do you speak against Allah what you know nothing about (Surah 10:68)?
COMMENTARY ON THE KORANIC ACCOUNT
The ones Muhammad considered his enemies are those who did not believe his theology. Basic in the teaching of Islam is that God, Allah the Arabic word for God, is one person and definitely not a trinity of persons. Those that believe in the trinity and that believe Jesus is God are called unbelievers, infidels, polytheists, idolaters, and disbelievers. Christians and Jews are referred to in many derogatory ways and are considered worthy of death. They are counted as enemies of Allah, Islam, and the blessed Prophet.
Because Allah is allegedly merciful, people are given a chance to renounce whatever they believe and become Muslims. If they choose not to convert to Islam, most often they are murdered. You can expect this to happen wherever they control the power.
According to the Koran, Allah has no children and most surely has not begotten any. There is no one else of equal stature.
Form the Koran’s point of view a believer is one who believes that Jesus is not the Son of God, nor is He divine. The unbeliever, idolater, and infidel or whatever description is used is the one who believes Jesus is the Son of God. This belief Islam wants to eliminate from the earth. No appeasement is possible.
THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT
Matthew 10:32,33 - Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 16:13-16 - When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Matthew 16:17,18 - And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Matthew 16:19 - And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
COMMENTARY ON THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT
Jesus wants people to confess Him before other men and women. The confession is that Jesus is the Son of God and that we as believers have a personal relationship with Him. This was the confession of Peter when he said Jesus is: “The Son of the living God.”
This was revealed to Peter by God the Father and He will reveal it to you as well if you so desire. You can pray and ask Him and read and study the scripture.
Jesus said that upon this confession He would build his body of believers (the church) who are often called Christians. He said that the gates of hell would not succeed in defeating it. “Gates of hell” are the various systems of thought that bring a person into hell.
People, who do not believe in Jesus, think of Him only as a good man or a prophet and not as the Son of God and therefore divine. People who do not believe also do not believe in the trinity. That is, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit yet one God. One way to think about it is that a husband and wife are two people yet one flesh.
Jesus gave to his followers the keys of the kingdom of heaven. What Jesus said to Peter comes down through the years to each believer today. Jesus said what you bind on earth is bound in heaven and what you lose on earth is loosed in heaven. We as Christians have authority in the name of Jesus to bind Satan and his demons today. God will back up our word with His power. This makes what we say very important.
COMPARING & CONTRASTING THE KORAN WITH SCRIPTURE
The theology of Islam as found in the Koran for the most part is opposite that of the Holy Bible yet they use some of the same terminology.
An example is the word ‘believer.’ It is the same word in both Islam as in Christianity but the meaning of the word is changed. One believes that Jesus is God the other does not. [ The modern day liberal was not the first to bastardize the meaning of words. – gregjaye ]
The term monotheism is different. In Islam there is one person called God yet there are at least two angels that are raised to a God-like status in the use of the term ‘We.’ The term, ‘We,’ is capitalized. thus indicating deity. Yet angels are created beings. From the Holy Bible one learns that monotheism refers to one God existing as three persons. each one of Whom is referred to as God.
The confession of Islam is that Jesus is not the Son of God, while the confession of the Holy Bible and Christians is that Jesus is the Son of God. In fact, it is upon this confession and Jesus, Himself, said, that He will build His church. Moreover the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Islam is but one of the many gates of hell attacking the church of Jesus Christ.
They will not prevail because the greatest adversary to Muhammad, his god, and Islam is the God of the Holy Bible. The Christian is given authority to bind the activities of Islam on earth and all the other gates of hell as well.
CONCLUSION
Apparently Islam is on the attack against anyone who does not agree with their concept of God and follow their customs as outlined in the Koran. The adversaries of Muhammad are people of any diverse or different theology through the ages. Anyone not acting or thinking within the parameters of the Koran is considered the enemy of Muhammad and of Allah, and therefore subject to severe punishment by the followers of Muhammad.
Jesus said that His followers are to confess Him before men which would include Muslims. They are not to be afraid for their lives for they have eternal life.
If you desire or seek eternal life, you must believe that Jesus is God in flesh, that He received the wrath of God for your sins, and that He rose from the dead. You can repent of your sins right now and invite Jesus into your heart and life. A sample prayer is, “Lord Jesus Christ forgive me of my sins and come into my heart.”
REFERENCES
The Koran passages are a paraphrase of several English translations.
The Koran, translated by N.J. Dawood: A Penguin Classic
The Qur’an, translated by M.H. Shakir: Tahrike Tarsile Qur’an, Inc.
The Holy Qur’an, translated by Maulana Muhammad Ali: Ahmadiyya Anjumann Isha’at Lahore Inc. U.S.A.
The Koran, translated by Marmaduke Pickethall: Everyman’s Library
The Holy Bible is the King James translation of 1611 from the WORD program by Tom Hills with the New Creations Ministries