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©FOUNDATION
A MAGAZINE OF BIBLICAL FUNDAMENTALISM
Dennis W. Costella, Editor; Karel Beyer, Production Manager; Matt
Costella,
Copy Editor
M.H. Reynolds, Jr. (1919-1997), Founding Editor
Islam in the Light of Scripture
by Pastor Karel Beyer
©FOUNDATION Magazine, Sept - Oct 1998
[Mr. Karel Beyer is on the staff
of FOUNDATION Magazine and on the pastoral staff of .]
Simply defined,
"religion" is a specific system of
belief and worship that involves a code of ethics and philosophy. One of the fastest
growing religions today is the oppressive belief of Islam, or Mohammedanism. The first
prophet of Islam was the charismatic leader Mohammed, who founded the religion around A.D.
622. Although it had a somewhat unstable beginning, Islam has grown dramatically through
the years. There are over 1 billion Muslims worldwide today, and this number is
increasing, with mosques (temples or churches) going up virtually daily in the Western
world. According to a July 20, 1998, U.S. News & World Report article, the number of
Muslims in the United States is now greater than that of Christian Scientists,
Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mennonites, Quakers, Seventh-day Adventists and Unitarians
combined.
The purpose of this study on Islam is not to disparage
those who participate in this religion but to show from Scripture the true nature and
dangers of Mohammedanism, both to its followers and to its dissenters. Christians must be
aware that while some of the teachings of Islam come from the Bible, the Muslim religion
actually combines portions of the Word of God with the man-made doctrines found in the
Koran, the holy book of Islam. Furthermore, one must realize that leaving this religion
can potentially cost a Muslim his life, for Islam is an unforgiving and uncompromising
system, even though it may outwardly appear to be quite accommodating.
Islam’s intolerance of other religions demonstrates
itself in a disturbingly violent manner. The Chicago Tribune carried this report on July
24, 1998: "The [United States] State Department condemned the hanging of an Iranian
man who, it said, had been charged with converting to the Baha’i faith from Islam.
Spokesman James Rubin said Thursday there was no evidence Ruhollah Rowhani was accorded
due process of law before being executed Tuesday." Furthermore, a July 15, 1998, news
summary article from ReligionToday.com, an online religious news service, reported:
"‘A Muslim leader had his 15-year-old son killed for converting to Christ. The
emir in a North Africa nation had his son publicly beheaded before the boy’s mother
and entire village,’ the Christian Information network said." Many other such
events could be cited to show the fate accorded those who denounce the religion of Islam
in Muslim-dominated countries. Today, Islam’s image in the Western world is a far cry
from the emotionalism, fanaticism and violence that characterized it years ago in the
Middle East (e.g. the overthrow of the Shah of Iran by the radicals). Today its approach
appears to combine intellectualism and generosity; however, as the above articles reveal,
in principle, Islam is still as uncompromising and fearful as it has ever been.
Islam Today
Many different sects exist within the religious system of
Islam. An offshoot of the Sunni, the largest single Islamic sect, is the Wahhabi Muslims
of Saudi Arabia. The second largest group is the Shiite Muslims, found primarily in Iran.
The split between these groups stems from the early days of Islam in which a confiict
arose as to who would take over Mohammed’s position as Caliph, the spiritual and
temporal leader of all Muslims. One of the more recently formed groups is the Nation of
Islam, an organization founded by Wallace Fard. In general, most Muslims consider the
group’s teachings to be heretical. Under the leadership of Louis Farrakhan, the
Nation of Islam has caused havoc in prisons and kindled violence and racism in the inner
cities of the United States. Congressman Charles Rangel of Harlem stated, "The hatred
spewed by Louis Farrakhan is scurrilous and intolerable." Black racism is just as
dangerous and evil as white supremacism. Many of those who embrace the racism perpetuated
by Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam accept several additional doctrines that are not
adhered to by the rest of the Islamic community.
Even though Islam parades itself as a harmless,
non-confrontational, non-violent religion in the Unites States today, it is a key player
in an ongoing international conflict because of its claims to some historical sites in the
Middle East. For instance, the Muslims claim that they should have the sole claim to the
Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, where Mohammed is said to have supposedly ascended into
Heaven. However, that landmark stands upon the foundation of Solomon’s temple, thus,
one among many contentions exists with the Jews.
In most nations where Islam is the predominant religion,
Muslims have their own police force, and anyone who does not participate in public worship
at the time of prayer is severely beaten or incarcerated. Islamic governments regularly
terrorize their people under the banner of their religion. The making of an Islamic state
is often achieved by force and sometimes through ethnic cleansing, as was the case in the
Balkans. A March 23, 1998, Chicago Tribune report clearly brought to light the following
fact: "The International Committee of the Red Cross said on Wednesday that more than
18,000 Bosnians were still missing three years after the 1992-95 war and that political
indifference was hampering the search. The Red Cross said it had received 19,943 queries
from families tracking missing relatives but the authorities in Bosnia’s autonomous
Muslim-Croat federation and Serb republic had so far solved only 1,800 cases." In the
Sudan and Nigeria, and especially in North Africa, this same ethnic cleansing occurs under
the name of a holy war, also called jihad, and is fought against the "infidels"
that comprise any population that is non-Muslim, regardless of creed.
Also common in Islamic culture is the brutality of family
members towards a relative who has embraced a different religion. Even the killing of such
a one is not uncommon, but rather it is considered a virtue that is pleasing to the
prophet and to Allah.
Even the United Nations is powerless against the inhumane
brutality in Islamic countries that have not abolished the slave trade. Appalling stories
are flowing out of the Sudan and surrounding countries. A July 1998 Sudan News and Views
article by Dr. Yasin Miheisi stated: "According to Deng, the slave raiders were
Islamic militias stationed in Babanussa, a town in western Kordofan. He claimed that they
were holding 50,000 Dinka children captive and sometimes sent intermediaries to inform
villagers that they should bring cattle to exchange for their children. Deng said that the
UN should send a fact-finding mission to the area to ‘investigate the abuses being
committed against children, which included forced Islamization.’ ‘Some of our
children are taken as slaves and sent to Quranic schools in Djibouti, Mauritania, Gabon,
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Libya,’ he charged."
Under "Islamic law" (Shariah), slavery is legal.
Sadly, this issue is basically ignored in the United States. Few, if any, American
leaders—Islamic or Christian, black or white—raise their voices against the
atrocities of these religious zealots. The fighting is considered interracial
faction-fighting simply because blacks are warring against other blacks. In reality, it is
religious persecution, with Muslims persecuting and enslaving non-Muslims.
The Culture of Islam
To accept Islam (and thus submit to Allah), one must
embrace a culture that strictly adheres to the sayings of the prophet Mohammed (Hadith),
which consist, among other things, of the following "rules for living":
- Language—According to Muslims, Arabic
is the only language of heaven (though ironically, the Koran contains certain foreign
words that are Hebrew, Greek and Persian).
- Dress—The traditional Arab dress
(Ihran) must be worn at certain festivities and rituals, especially when one embarks on
the final stages of his hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca—a journey that should happen at
least once in a Muslim’s lifetime.
- Food and preparation (Halal)—As with
Judaism, pork is forbidden. Only certain foods can be eaten, and they must be prepared in
the prescribed way.
- Marriage—The Koran states that the
husband can beat his rebellious wife to keep her in subjection. "Men are in charge of
women, because Allah hath made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend
of their property (for the support of women). So good women are the obedient, guarding in
secret that which Allah hath guarded. As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish
them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge them" (Sura, 4:34). Most Islamic
women are not permitted to travel freely or even possess a passport in Islamic states
(Jordan is the only nation that is more lenient).
- Financial practices—Giving alms is
commanded (Zakat). Also, a Muslim is not permitted to charge interest on loans to any
other Muslim, but usury is permissible if the loan is made to an "infidel dog."
- Worship—Islamic worship consists of
praying five times a day on a rug as one kneels toward Mecca, fasting in the month of
Ramadan (or the "hot month") and designating Friday as the day of worship.
- Doctrine—One must obey the Koran and
its teachings concerning any matter of doctrine. It is the final word in any matter, even
if evidence to the contrary can prove a different course of action. The Koran supersedes
everything, even the Bible.
- Figural representations are absolutely forbidden.
- The new convert’s name is to be changed to an Islamic
equivalent.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line regarding the religion of Islam is that it
embodies "another gospel" (Gal.1:6, 7), and thus, our Lord declares it
"accursed" (v. 8). Bible believers must be prepared to present the true gospel
of salvation to Muslims, desiring their deliverance from this evil darkness. A
Christian’s weapons can only consist of the "truth once delivered unto the
saints"—he must know the Scriptures and be prepared to use them when confronted
with arguments that seem to sound right but contradict the absolute standard of the Word
of God, the Bible.
The message that must be given to Muslims is that they,
like all men, are sinners who are alienated from an all-holy God. Every man, regardless of
race or ethnicity, is naturally at enmity with God. Psalm 14:2-4 says, "The Lord
looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did
understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy:
there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge?
who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord" (see also Eph.
2:1-3). There is nothing man can do to merit God’s favor (Isa. 64:6; Rom. 3:12,
19-20). Titus 3:5 says, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but
according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the
Holy Ghost." While man was a lost sinner and unable to effect his own salvation, God
did all that was required to reconcile mankind to Himself.
God the Father sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to bare
our sin. Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood as the sacrifice for sin. He then rose
bodily from the dead and now is with the Father in heaven. Believing this testimony and
wholly trusting Jesus Christ for salvation is all that is necessary to be saved (1 Cor.
15:1-9; Col. 1:12-22). "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1).
What Is The False Gospel of Islam?
The "gospel of Islam" is something quite
different from the Gospel message of salvation found in the Bible. Like many modern cults,
Islam claims to revere the writings of all the prophets. Yet, Muslims unequivocally
subjugate the Scriptures to the "prophecy" of Mohammed, even though this
prophecy came approximately 500 years after the completion of the canon of Scripture. In
his book Introduction to Islam (Columbus: Ahmadiyya Association for the Propagation of
Islam, 1993), Dr. Zahid Aziz, a prominent Muslim author, answers the question, "What
does one have to do in order to become a Muslim?" The answer: "A person becomes
a Muslim by declaring in public an oath known as the Kalima Shahada. The Kalima contains
the two basic points a Muslim has to believe: that there is only one God—Allah, and
that the Holy Prophet Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger to mankind" (Aziz 3).
A leaflet prepared by the Institute of Islamic Information
and Education titled "Introducing Islam to Non-Muslims" states, "Mohammed
is the very last Prophet of God to mankind. He is the final Messenger of God. His message
was and is still to the Christians, the Jews and the rest of mankind. He was sent to those
religious people to inform them about the true mission of Jesus, Moses, David, Jacob,
Isaac, and Abraham." The leaflet continues, "Mohammed is considered to be the
summation and the culmination of all the prophets and messengers that came before him. He
purified the previous messages from adulteration and completed the Message of God for all
humanity. He was entrusted with the power of explaining, interpreting and living the
teachings of the Koran."
Believers must recognize that Joseph Smith (Mormonism),
Charles T. Russell (Jehovah’s Witnesses), Mary Baker Eddy (Christian Science) and
Ellen G. White (Seventh Day Adventism) have all claimed that same transcendent authority.
As with all of the aforementioned, Mohammed gave his followers wicked doctrines that have
plunged many into the outer darkness of eternal torment.
One of the many insidious doctrines of Islam is the
rejection of the doctrine of imputation. The leaflet "Introducing Islam to
Non-Muslims" explains, "Muslims believe that people are born free of sin. It is
only after they reach the age of puberty and it is only after they commit sins that they
are to be charged for their mistakes. No one is responsible for or can take the
responsibility for the sins of others."
First, this doctrine denies the Biblical teaching that all
mankind sinned in Adam, that is, Adam’s sin has been imputed to the whole human race
(Rom. 5:12-14). Second, this is a denial of the Biblical teaching that the sin of man is
imputed to Christ, that is, Christ became the world’s sinbearer on Calvary’s
Cross (2 Cor. 5:21). Third, this is a denial of the Biblical teaching that the
righteousness of God is imputed to men when they believe the Gospel, that is, believers
possess the righteousness of God when they are saved. "For he hath made him to be sin
for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (cf.
Rom. 5:15-19). By denying these truths, which are fundamental to the Gospel of salvation
by grace through faith alone, Islam has laid the groundwork for a "gospel" of
self-righteousness and salvation by works.
The Bible teaches that salvation is not a reward and that
heaven is the eternal abode of those who have received Christ. Islam, on the other hand,
teaches that salvation is a reward for a life of relative piety and righteousness. The
Koran states, "Then those whose scales are heavy, they are successful. And those
whose scales are light are those who lose their souls, in hell abiding" (Sura,
23:102, 103). In fact, Muslims are encouraged to "vie one with another for
forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth,
prepared for those who ward off (evil)" (Sura, 3:133).
From these denials of fundamental Biblical teachings and
the establishment of a religion of self-righteousness follows the Islamic repudiation of
the Savior. The following belief is so important to Islam that it was printed in bold type
in the leaflet "Prophethood in Islam": "The Quranic account of Jesus
emphatically rejects the concept of his ‘Divinity’ and ‘Divine
Sonship….’" Furthermore, the Institute of Islamic Information and Education
publishes a leaflet entitled "Is Jesus Really God?" In it they totally reject
the biblical teaching that Jesus is God manifest in the flesh. In Aziz’s book
Introduction to Islam, he clearly says Islam "rejects the Christian doctrine that God
is unable to forgive sins unless He punishes someone, and so He sent His ‘son’
to suffer the punishment for the sins of all humanity. Moreover, a son is needed to take
the place of the father when the father dies, and clearly this cannot apply if God is
perfect." He then adds, "Islam refutes the idea that any human being, however
great, was a ‘manifestation’ of God on earth, or a Divine incarnate"
(Aziz
9).
Nevertheless, the Word of God is plain: "God was
manifest in the flesh" (1 Tim. 3:16). Jesus is the self-existent I AM (Jn. 8:58), the
Creator Who dwelt as a man among men (Jn. 1:1-3, 14). Jesus Christ is the Forgiver of sin
(Lk. 5:20-21). In short, God the Son and the God the Father are One (Jn. 10:30). The Lord
Jesus Christ said to the religious leaders of His day who rejected His deity, "If ye
believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins" (Jn. 8:24). Islam unashamedly
rejects these truths that comprise the Gospel. While many people today say that Christians
and Muslims worship the same God, the Lord says, "Whosoever transgresseth, and
abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, HATH NOT GOD" (2 Jn. 9). An even greater
condemnation is pronounced by God in 2 John 7: "For many deceivers are entered into
the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and
an antichrist."
Islam denies the doctrine of the deity of Christ. Not only
is it deceptive, but it is an "antichrist" religion. This is "another
gospel," and it is under God’s curse. Mohammedanism purports to be "the way
of peace," but the end of Islam is the way of death. Bible believers must not yield
on these eternally important points of doctrine merely because the followers of Islam
claim to esteem the patriarchs and the prophets. The Christian is responsible not just to
proclaim the Truth, but also to cry out against the error of any false religion.
God’s people must be aware of the fact that many
so-called Christians are willing to compromise the Truth of God’s Word in the attempt
to "build bridges" with various religions. As Islam asserts itself in the area
of religious dialogue, men and women who claim to represent Christianity are quickly
building the credibility of Islam as a viable way to God. Rather than witnessing to these
lost souls, ecumenical leaders are encouraging Christians to search for common ground with
Muslims. Instead of exposing the errors of Islam, Christians are told to search for the
truth in Islam. Thus, Islam is gaining a respectability that is leading many astray. For
example, a September 22, 1998, Ecumenical News International (ENI) wire story carried the
headline: "Christian Theologians Urged To Recognize Mohammed as a Prophet."
Also, July 31, 1998, ENI headline read: "Christians and Muslims in Zimbabwe Seek Ways
of Cooperation." This article clearly revealed that religious cooperation was the
goal of a Zimbabwe interfaith gathering. Finally, a July 28, 1998, ENI article reported
that many worldwide Anglican leaders at the 1998 Lambeth Conference announced that
Christians "did not need to convert Muslims to Christianity."
While "Christians" are patting themselves on the
back for their "open-mindedness," Muslims are spreading their false religious
propaganda under the cover of "dialogue." Muslims believe that all mankind must
subject themselves to the teachings of the Koran in order to experience peace and
blessing. They will not compromise that belief. Muslims believe that the doctrine of the
Incarnation of God is blasphemy. They will not compromise on that point. Muslims believe
that Mohammed is the prophet who fully revealed the final truth. They are wholly persuaded
in this conviction. Muslims are "devoted to their ideals… and uncompromising
with falsehood" (Moral System of Islam). Christians must realize that only the
glorious, liberating light of the one true Gospel is able to break through such darkness.
Although Muslims profess "to respect all those who
are faithful and God-conscious people," it is their contention that the one true
religion is Islam. Muslims trace the "true religion" from Abraham through
Ishmael, but the Bible absolutely contradicts this notion. Genesis 17:15-21 makes it clear
that God rejected Ishmael, confirming the covenant blessings—including the
fulfillment of the true religion—to Isaac alone. In Genesis 21 Hagar and Ishmael are
cast out of Abraham’s house with the sanction of God: "Let it not be grievous in
thy sight" (v. 12).
Galatians chapter three addresses the subject of true
religion and directly references the events of Genesis 17 and 21. Galatians 3:8 says,
"And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith,
preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be
blessed." The promise of salvation for Jew and Gentile was prophesied to come through
the seed of Abraham. Verse 16 clearly relates the true religion, the only Gospel, to the
promise made to Abraham in Genesis 17:15-21: "Now to Abraham and his seed were the
promises made. [God] saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed,
which is Christ." The Gospel preached to Abraham was the Gospel of Christ delivered
through Isaac, not the gospel of Islam delivered through Ishmael.
Although many Muslims claim Islam is a religion of peace
and tolerance, it is, in fact, characterized by instability and religious bigotry. Muslims
vigorously oppose any disrespect or criticism of their religion or their
"prophet." However, as Christians, it is our duty to stand for the Gospel and
against all other gospels. Islam has rejected the essential teachings of the Word of God.
Mohammed brought a message from a false spirit that totally opposes the Gospel of grace.
The message of Islam is a curse, not a blessing. Islam is being presented as a practical,
modern religion, though it holds its adherents in spiritual bondage. Christians must be
diligent to witness to—not dialogue with—Muslims. This is God’s way of
presenting the glorious light of the Gospel. There is only one true religion. It was
prophesied in the Garden of Eden, typified in the days of Noah, confirmed to Abraham and
Isaac and realized in Jesus Christ alone.
-Karel Beyer
FACING FACTS:
WE ARE ALL GUILTY BEFORE GOD
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not
one." --Romans 3:10
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of
God." --Romans 3:23
NONE CAN ENTER HEAVEN WITH THIS
SIN
"And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing
that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are
written in the Lamb's book of life." --Revelation 21:27
ALL WHO DIE IN THEIR SIN WILL
SUFFER ETERNALLY
"And whosoever was not found written in the book of
life was cast into the lake of fire." --Revelation 20:15
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT OUR
SIN?
Can church membership, church ordinances,or
good works save us? NO! God says these cannot save from the penalty of sin!
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but
according to His mercy He saved us" --Titus 3:5
"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no
flesh be justified in His sight" --Romans 3:20
"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our
righteousnesses are as filthy rags" --Isaiah 64:6
"God ...now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in rightousness by
that man whom he hath ordained [Jesus Christ]; whereof he that given assurance unto all
men, in that he hath raised him from the dead" --Acts 17:30, 31
WHAT MUST WE DO TO BE SAVED?
Believe that Christ died to pay the penalty for
sin and rose again bodily from the grave.
"For when we were yet without strength, in due time
Christ died for the ungodly. --Romans 5:6
"But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."--Romans 5:8
"In whom we have redemption through His blood, the
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace."--Ephesians 1:7
Trust (believe) in Jesus Christ as the risen
Saviour and Lord today!
"To Him [Jesus Christ] give all the prophets witness,
that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission [forgiveness] of
sins."--Acts 10:43
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My
Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into
condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." --John 5:24
"But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to
become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name."--John 1:12
"Who [the Lord Jesus Christ] was delivered for our
offences, and was raised again for our justification." --Romans 4:25
Salvation is a free gift given to anyone
who acknowledges his lost hopeless condition as a sinner, and, by faith, accepts the Lord
Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour. Trust Christ now!
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