Religious Confusion -- Part 1

NOTE: On May 7th I travelled to Los Angeles for a much enjoyed visit with my elder sister. It had been my intention to publish messages 39 and 40 from her computer but had not anticipated her not having Microsoft Word to make this possible. I apologize to those few of you who may have wondered at my absence. Above all else, it is my hope that the words of this blogsite are meant for you to read.


Within the religion of Islam there are many differing thoughts, teachings, and ideals; but this diversity is often surpassed by the confusion found within the confines of nominal Christianity. This in no way suggests that the Islam of today teaches the unerring truths of God -- far from it! But it does suggest that a more perfect understanding of Muslim beliefs may help us to better understand the hatred which followers of radical Islam seem to have for everything Christian.

It would be foolish to believe that anyone may understand the truths and mysteries of God simply because they have access to a Bible. It would be equally foolish to believe that others may understand Islam simply because they have access to a Koran. Nevertheless, these are the books we must turn to if we are to even hope for a more perfect understanding -- it is then up to the individual to search for whatever he or she believes is truth according to that which the Spirit of God may direct them.

The message presented in this two-part series in no way suggests the correctness of Islam over Christianity; in fact, what I hope to show is that just as nominal Christianity has misunderstood and misrepresented the teachings of God as they are recorded in the Bible, so has nominal Islam misunderstood and misrepresented the teachings of Mohammad, as they are recorded in the Koran.

Whether you are Christian or Muslim; whether you believe the teachings of the Bible or of the Koran; I challenge you to consider the thoughts which follow and then to “search the Scriptures” whether what I suggest is or is not true. I would also suggest that you go to the “Archives” of this blogsite and read “Words of the Prophet” and “Clear Proofs of Mohammad” -- these messages were published September 29th 2006 and March 16th 2007 respectively. In them I try to prepare the way for those Christians who desire to have at least a rudimentary understanding of Islam; and offer a digest of some of the many surprises I discovered from my own in-depth study of the Koran.

This rather lengthy preamble would be incomplete if I did not try to impress upon you this final thought: whether you read that which I have written about the teachings of Mohammad, or whether you read the words someone else may have written; nothing can take the place of that which the followers of Islam claim to be Mohammad’s actual words. Therefore, as you study this very important subject be sure you have access to at least one version of the Koran, placing each and every passage carefully within its own scriptural context. You should also have an open Bible by your side with an Exhaustive Concordance so you can diligently “search the Scriptures” whether these things are so.

The Bible and the Koran

Do yourself a favor: do not reject the words of the Koran simply because some man has told you that Islam is anathema to the teachings of God. I readily admit the book of the Koran can be one of the most difficult books to read and to understand; however, there are many surprises waiting for those Christians who with open minds would study the teachings of Mohammad and then “search the Scriptures” to more perfectly understand.

Please understand that I am a Christian. I believe the Bible is a compilation of the words of God as they were given to men of old and passed down to us for our instruction and edification. To the people of Islam, the book of the Koran is a compilation of the words of Mohammad as they were given to him from God through the Angel Gabriel. But note this: “The Prophet Mohammad did not write the book we know as the Koran!”

Several years passed following the death of Mohammad before his followers compiled what they remembered, or had recorded of his teachings. From this “compilation of Mohammad’s recitations” they produced the book known by the Arabic name “Qur’an” (Anglicized to “Koran”); it is this book of the Qur’an which has been passed down to the Muslims of today for their edification.

Sura 2.87 And most certainly We gave Musa [Moses] the Book and We sent apostles after him one after another; and We gave Isa, the son of Marium [Jesus, the son of Mary], clear arguments and strengthened him with the holy spirit, What! Whenever then an apostle came to you with that which your souls did not desire, you were insolent so you called some liars and some you slew.

Throughout the Koran you will find constant references to “a Book” or “the Book” or to “followers of the Book.” If you place these passages in their literal context and study them very carefully, you will find there can be little doubt Mohammad was speaking of that which we have come to know as the Bible. More specific references are made to the “Taurat” (the Torah) the Hebrew name for the Mosaic Law, the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament; or as Mohammad refers to it in the previously quoted Sura 2.87 “And most certainly We gave Musa [Moses] the Book.”

Sura 5.46 “And We sent after them in their footsteps Isa, son of Marium [Jesus, son of Mary], verifying what was before him of the Taurat [the Torah] and We gave him the Injeel [the teachings of Jesus] in which was guidance and light, and verifying what was before it of Taurat [of the Torah] and a guidance and an admonition for those who guard (against evil).”

Notice the following verse as offered by two of the most noted translators of the Koran:

Sura 2.97 (by YUSUFALI): “Say: Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel -- for he brings down the (revelation) to thy heart by Allah's will, a confirmation of what went before, and guidance and glad tidings for those who believe...”

Sura 2.97 (by PICKTHAL): “Say (O Muhammad, to mankind): Who is an enemy to Gabriel! For he it is who hath revealed (this Scripture) to thy heart by Allah's leave, confirming that which was (revealed) before it, and a guidance and glad tidings to believers...”

It is the teaching of Islam that God revealed His truths to the Prophet Mohammad by revelation through the angel Gabriel. If you do nothing more than carefully study these three verses (i.e. Sura 2.87; Sura 5.46; and Sura 2.97) I believe you will gain a vitally important insight into the teachings of Mohammad.

From my own study of the Koran, I have come to accept that Mohammad was following the path of an apostle of God to his own Arabic speaking peoples; just as he understood Moses and Jesus and many other prophets and apostles had done before him to their own nations and peoples. I believe the message Mohammad preached was according to his understanding of Holy Scripture -- that is to say: the Old Testament as it was recorded and preserved by the Patriarchs; and the New Testament as it was recorded and available to the world at that time.

Sura 26.191 to 197 “And most surely your Lord is Mighty, the Merciful. And most surely this is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds. The Faithful Spirit has descended with it, upon your heart that you may be of the warners in plain Arabic language. And most surely the same is in the scriptures of the ancients. Is it not a sign to them that the learned men of the Israelites know it?

That which Christianity has come to know as the New Testament of the Bible is referred to in the Koran as the “Injeel” (Arabic: “good news”). Mohammad explains the “Injeel” as the good news (Old English: “gospel”) teachings of Jesus. He even refers to these teachings as “verifying what was before him [before Jesus] of the Taurat [the Torah].” However, according to the teaching of present-day Islam, that which Christianity has come to accept as the Old and New Testaments are false records of that which God originally inspired to be written.

Sura 10.37 “And this Quran is not such as could be forged by those besides Allah, but it is a verification of that which is before it and a clear explanation of the book, there is no doubt in it, from the Lord of the worlds.”

When we see the diversity of interpretations offered in almost limitless versions and publications of the Bible, (not to mention the countless contradictory books written about the Bible), we may find reason to forgive those who would condemn all Scripture as heresy. And yet, from the Exhaustive Concordances of the Bible the ardent searcher may gain an understanding of each and every word of Scripture as those words were originally inspired to be written; from this, he or she may still find accuracy and truth as the Spirit of God may lead them.

Sura 2.136 “Say: We believe in Allah and (in) that which had been revealed to us, and (in) that which was revealed to Ibrahim [Abraham] and Ismail [Ishmael] and Ishaq [Isaac] and Yaqoub [Jacob/Israel] and the tribes, and (in) that which was given to Musa [Moses] and Isa [Jesus], and (in) that which was given to the prophets from their Lord, we do not make any distinction between any of them, and to Him do we submit.

I am the LORD your God

Exodus 20:1-3 “And God spoke all these words, saying: ‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me.’”

It is the teaching of Islam that “There is no god but God, and Mohammad is His prophet.” Within nominal Christianity you will find little argument with the belief that there is no god but God; however, the one true God of Christianity usually refers specifically to God the Father. Christianity teaches the deification of Jesus as the Son of God and Islam sees this as anathema to the belief in One God. Add to this the somewhat nebulous individual referred to as either “God the Holy Spirit” or “God the Holy Ghost” and you may begin to appreciate why Islam believes the Christian doctrine of the Trinity offends their belief in the One True God.

Sura 4.171 “O followers of the Book! do not exceed the limits in your religion, and do not speak (lies) against Allah, but (speak) the truth; the Messiah, Isa son of Marium [the Christ, Jesus son of Mary] is only an apostle of Allah and His Word which He communicated to Marium and a spirit from Him; believe therefore in Allah and His apostles, and say not, Three. Desist, it is better for you; Allah is only one God; far be it from His glory that He should have a son, whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is His, and Allah is sufficient for a Protector.”

The Trinity of today’s nominal Christian teaching consists of God the Father; Jesus the Son of God; and God the Holy Spirit (sometimes referred to as the Holy Ghost.) That there are three parts to one individual seems to be a constant to this teaching; and yet each of the three seems to have a definite individuality. During his earthly ministry, Jesus prayed to His Father many times; and although he is quoted as saying that if we have seen him, we have seen the Father, to equate this with Jesus and the Father being one and the same person is to say the least tenuous -- and to say the worst, foolishness!

Sura 5.73: Certainly they disbelieve who say: Surely Allah is the third (person) of the three, and there is no god but the one God, and if they desist not from what they say, a painful chastisement shall befall those among them who disbelieve.

I must admit to having a less than perfect understanding of the Trinity -- nor do I wish to have a more perfect understanding of that which I believe to be a flawed interpretation of Scripture. I doubt if there could be a more confusing doctrine in an already confused and confusing set of pseudo-Christian doctrines. My own understanding of the Trinity has never been able to get past the fact that in the Bible, the Almighty God is consistently referred to as God the Father of Jesus; and yet, which of the “Three” fathered Jesus?

Matthew 1:18 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together -- she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.”

Whereas the Christian doctrine of the Trinity is anathema to the followers of Islam, it should be understood that in the days of Mohammad the “Three” were identified as God the Father; Jesus the Son of God; and Mary the Mother of Jesus. Regrettably, some of today’s Christian teaching does deify Mary as the mother of God; this is a teaching which only further confuses an already confusing doctrine. In the days of Mohammad, that which had become known as Christianity had spread to the Middle-East from the Church in Rome; and to this day the deification of Mary is one of the principal doctrines of this Church. As far as the doctrine of the Trinity is concerned, it is unclear in my mind how the deification of Mary fits in with the teaching of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost -- and once again, I’m not sure I even want to know.

Sura 5.116 “And behold! Allah will say: ‘O Jesus the son of Mary! Did you say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah?’ He [Jesus] will say: ‘Glory to You! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, you would indeed have known it. You know what is in my heart, You I know not what is in Thine. For You know in full all that is hidden.’”

It is my profound belief that there is no god but God; but in the original inspired texts the Hebrew word translated “God” is not recorded in the singular sense. From a study of the uni-plural meaning of that Hebrew word we may understand that it is used in the sense of a “family” -- and so I believe it should be understood. In whatever way the doctrine of a Holy Trinity may be explained, I want you to clearly understand that I do not accept this as a true teaching of the Bible!

Sura 6.101 “Wonderful Originator of the heavens and the earth! How could He have a son when He has no consort, and He (Himself) created everything, and He is the Knower of all things?”

The man we have come to know as Jesus constantly referred to the Almighty God as his Father. We are taught through his words to the disciples that when we pray we should refer to God as Our Father; and at the time of his baptism the Bible records the words of God as He spoke directly to the newly baptized Jesus: “You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.”

Sura 18.4 to 5 “And warn those who say: Allah has taken a son. They have no knowledge of it, nor had their fathers; a grievous word it is that comes out of their mouths; they speak nothing but a lie.”

Mohammed did not believe that Jesus (or anyone) should ever be referred to as a child of God; throughout his dissertations he denies such a thing is even possible and for most of professing Christianity there is likewise little depth to the understanding of this question. Since this is neither the time nor the place for such an important discussion, I shall simply ask these questions: “If God wanted to raise up for Himself a son, could He do it? Is there any man, even one so revered by his followers as the Prophet Mohammed, who would dare tell the Almighty and Everlasting God that He cannot take to Himself a son?”

Sura 19.88 to 19.92 “And they say: ‘The Beneficent God has taken (to Himself) a son.’ Certainly you have made an abominable assertion. The heavens may almost be rent thereat, and the earth cleave asunder, and the mountains fall down in pieces, that they ascribe a son to the Beneficent God. And it is not worthy of the Beneficent God that He should take (to Himself) a son.”

Who is this man that would tell the Almighty God of Creation He is not worthy if He should take to Himself a son? Take care with your condemnations O man -- do not overstep the limits of your religion which God has placed upon you! That which God should choose to do is for God alone to determine! As for myself, I shall repeat what I have said so many times before and will surely say again: “There is no god but God -- and Jesus is His Son!”

Post Script: A better understanding of Islam may help bridge the widening gap between Muslim and Christian; but such is not the principal reason for this blogsite. Those who shall be given positions of importance in the soon-coming Kingdom of God will be required to offer both understanding and compassion to those who have embraced Islam in this lifetime; such compassion can only derive from a more perfect understanding of the words and the will of God. When the Messiah returns to gather together his brethren from the four corners of the Earth, he will begin to more perfectly prepare each of them for the positions of governance they will assume in their Father’s Kingdom. Each of us as individuals must prepare for that Day of our Lord; each of us as individuals must do everything we can to make ourselves ready -- as a people prepared for their Lord.

Note: There is much more which needs to be said on this very important subject. How does Islam view the veneration of idols and icons so prevalent within certain cultures of professing Christianity? What does Islam teach about man’s use of God’s name; or his obedience to God’s laws; or even the acceptance of God’s governance? Next week I hope to touch on at least some of these questions as we conclude this discussion with the posting of “Religious Confusion -- Part 2.”