WHY WE NEED TO PRAY FOR OUR NATIONAL ELECTION IN 2024 AND THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY.
What is the National Day of Prayer?
Answer
The National Day of Prayer is a day of religious observance in the United States of America in which people are called upon to pray for their country. The first official day of prayer in the U.S. was in 1775, when the Continental Congress called for the public to fast and pray for the leadership of the Colonies. After that time, Presidents periodically called the nation to pray during times of war or other hardships. In 1952, Conrad Hilton (founder of Hilton Hotels) and Senator Frank Carlson of Kansas, encouraged by Billy Graham, initiated a bill calling for the President to designate one day a year as a National Day of Prayer. In 1952, President Harry Truman signed a joint resolution into law; the original wording reads as follows:
Public Law 82-324: Joint Resolution; National Day of Prayer
To provide for setting aside an appropriate day as a National Day of Prayer
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President shall set aside and proclaim a suitable day each year, other than a Sunday, as a National Day of Prayer, on which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation at churches, in groups, and as individuals. Approved April 17, 1952.
A group of evangelical Christians formed the National Prayer Committee, which later formed the National Day of Prayer Task Force, in 1979. One of their purposes was to encourage Congress to set a specific date for the event. In 1988, Congress chose the first Thursday of each May as the National Day of Prayer, and the bill was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan.
The law states that the President must issue a proclamation calling all people to pray, but it does not stipulate the President’s involvement beyond that. Some Presidents host prayer events at the White House while others do not. The proclamations vary from President George H. W. Bush’s direct appeal to the Bible and the God of the Bible to President Barack Obama’s vague acknowledgements of the inspiring role prayer takes in the various faiths practiced in the U.S.
The National Day of Prayer is controversial, to some people. In 2008, the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) sued the President, his press secretary, the chair of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, and the governor of Wisconsin. The FFRF claimed that the phrasing “turn to God in prayer, at churches” in the 1952 law violated the First Amendment. Although the FFRF dropped the governor and the task force from the suit, a U.S. district judge found the law unconstitutional and urged President Obama to forgo the annual mandate. The 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals threw out the suit, ruling that no one suffered any injury merely because the federal government set aside a day for people to pray if they wanted to.
As early as 2003, the American Humanist Association has called for a “National Day of Reason.” They also believe the National Day of Prayer violates the First Amendment. Although local and state governments have observed the National Day of Reason, a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2015 apparently failed. A second resolution was filed in 2017. The reasons given for a National Day of Reason have mostly to do with limiting the influence of conservative Christian views on government policy, school curriculum, scientific research, and pro-life efforts.
Is the National Day of Prayer biblical? Absolutely. It is biblical for Christians to gather to pray for the wisdom, safety, and guidance of our leaders; to offer thanksgiving for our national blessings; and to seek forgiveness for our national sins. The ecumenical nature of the National Day of Prayer is essential in a republic that values freedom of religion. No one should be coerced to pray in a way that is at odds with his or her faith. The National Day of Prayer Task Force should be free to coordinate events for Christians who wish to participate.
Should a Christian attend a National Day of Prayer event? Personal discretion and a case-by-case evaluation are necessary, especially if the event is ecumenical. If Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and Hindu prayers are offered side by side, then Christians should consider whether their attendance will give countenance to the belief that all religions are equal. Christians must weigh their support of the community against the impact ecumenism will have on their testimony of faith in Christ alone.
We should be thankful that the United States has a National Day of Prayer and that the God of the Bible is so strongly represented. There will likely come a time when this will not be the case. Until then, we should feel free to publicly pray for healing, forgiveness, and guidance for our nation and its leaders. Our influence as Christians in the public sphere is quickly waning, and we should take advantage while we can.
Throughout the Qur'an, Muhammad is consistently shown to be immoral, deceitful, capricious, and in need of Allah’s forgiveness. His weakness and mortality are plainly stated. Not only that, the Qur'an states that Muhammad himself admitted to not having any idea what the will of Allah is. Does this sound like the perfect human and prophet that Islam claims Muhammad to be? Watch as Al Fadi and Brother Sam give example after example from the Quranic scriptures describing the incompetence of Islam’s false prophet in the videos below.
In the night’s stillness, far from the crowd and alone with the thoughts of his heart, a man prays confessing the truth he knows within his soul:
"Oh God, I acknowledge and confess before You, all my sins, please forgive them, as no one can forgive sins except You. Forgive my mistakes, those done intentionally, or out of my ignorance, with or without seriousness. Oh God, forgive my sins and my ignorance, forgive my sins of the past and of the future, which I did openly or secretly. Forgive the wrong I have done, jokingly or seriously. I seek Your protection from all the evil I have done. Wash away my sins, and cleanse my heart, from all the sins as a white garment is cleansed from the filth, and let there be long distance between me and my sins, as You made the East and West far from each other."
That prayer expressed a heart that understood the depth of sin in its soul. It acknowledges a nature within that is bent towards sin. And it reflects the desire to cleanse that depth of sin. We hear in that prayer a man’s struggle with sin. He asks forgiveness for his past and future sins, because he knows that as a normal man, he is going to sin. It is inevitable. He asks for forgiveness for things he has done intentionally, and unintentionally. He asks forgiveness for mistakes and sins, those done intentionally or unintentionally. He knows that the sins he committed are "evil", and confesses that to God. He does not make light of his sins. The sins he committed are "filth" in God’s eyes.
Do you think that this man was a sinner?
PART 1: WAS MUHAMMAD A SINNER?
That prayer was prayed by Muhammad. It is a synthesis of his personal prayers found in Sahih Bukhari Volume 8: #s 335, 379, 407, and 408, [1]. Muhammad knew clearly he was a sinner; thus he makes his confession public. Over and over again he stated he was a sinner. The Quran he spoke identifies him as a sinner. Yet many Muslims today say that Muhammad was not a sinner.
QUESTION: Muhammad said he was a sinner, why do many Muslims contradict Muhammad and say he is not a sinner?
Before addressing that question, let us examine the later Muslim’s argument that he was not a sinner. And, let us examine Quranic / Hadith evidence that Muhammad was a sinner.
Many Muslims believe that Allah gives a special protection to his prophets from being "sinners". In his book, "Muhammad and the Religion of Islam", [2], John Gilchrist does an excellent job in addressing and summarizing this invented Islamic doctrine. It is sometimes called the "isma" doctrine. This book can be found on the web at:
"Throughout the Muslim world today it is generally believed that all of the prophets enjoyed an "isma", a protection against sin, and that they were accordingly sinless. It is one of the anomalies of Islam that this doctrine has been established and maintained against the plain teaching of the Quran and Hadith to the contrary.
In the early centuries of Islam, however, a doctrine founded on popular sentiment and theological presuppositions arose and developed away from the teaching of the Quran and Hadith. It was first formulated in the creed known as the Fiqh Akbar II and it is there stated:
"All the Prophets are exempt from sins, both light and grave, from unbelief and sordid deeds. Yet stumbling and mistakes may happen on their part. Wensinck, "The Muslim Creed, p. 192."
It was not possible to defy the written sources of Islam entirely, however, and so the records of the sins of the prophets in the Quran and Hadith became watered down into "mistakes". Similar euphemisms, such as "acts of forgetfulness", are constantly used by Muslim writers today to account for these misdemeanors which the Scripture and traditions of Islam record.
There are basically two reasons for the rise of this doctrine in Islam. Firstly, the early Muslims soon discovered that the Bible taught plainly that Jesus was the only sinless man that ever lived and, confronted with this evidence, deemed it necessary to invent the fiction that all the prophets — especially Muhammad — were sinless as well. A superiority of Jesus over Muhammad could not be tolerated and, just as miracles were attributed to the figurehead of Islam to give him a status at least equal to that of Jesus, so he was also held to be sinless for the same purpose. Secondly, the doctrine of revelation in Islam holds that the scriptures were dictated directly to the prophets by the intermediary angel (Gabriel) and it was therefore believed that the prophets must have possessed an impeccable character for, if they could not keep themselves from error in their personal lives, how could they be trusted to communicate God’s revelation without error? This latter presupposition led perforce to the conclusion that the prophets must have been sinless."
END OF GILCHRIST QUOTE
In sum, real Islamic writings teach that Muhammad was a sinner. However, later Muslims, ashamed that Muhammad was inferior to Jesus in this regard, made up a doctrine to place Muhammad on equal terms with Christ. This doctrine contradicts what Muhammad taught. And, it should be added, that Muslims believe that God has kept the Quran pure from human corruption through all these centuries, while it was in the hands of sinful humans, then why could he not trust the transmission through sinful human men as well?
B) THE QURANIC EVIDENCE THAT MUHAMMAD WAS A SINNER
The Quran identifies Muhammad as a sinner: 40:55, 48:2, and 47:19:
40:55 Therefore have patience; God’s promise is surely true. Implore forgiveness for your sins, and celebrate the praise of your Lord evening and morning.
48:2 ... so that God may forgive you your past and future sins, and perfect His goodness to you; ...
Below is the Quran 47:19 in five English translations, (NOTE: Muhammad is asking for forgiveness for both himself and his followers).
"Know that there is no deity but God. Implore Him to forgive your sins and to forgive the true believers, men and women. God knows your busy haunts and resting places." Dawood [3]
"So know (O Muhammad) that there is no God save Allah, and ask forgiveness for thy sin and for believing men and believing women. Allah knoweth (both) your place of turmoil and your place of rest." Pickthall [4]
"Know thou therefore that there is no god but God, and ask forgiveness for thy sin, and for the believers, men and women. God knows your going to and fro, and your lodging." Arberry [5]
"Know, then, that there is no god but God; and ask pardon for thy sin, and for believers, both men and women. God knows your busy movements and your final resting places." Rodwell [6]
"Know therefore that there is no god but Allah and ask forgiveness for the fault and for the men and women who believe: for Allah knows how ye move about and how ye dwell in your homes." Ali [7]
END OF QURANIC QUOTES
The Quranic word used in these verses for sin is "dhanb", or "thanb", depending on how one transliterates the word. It is used many times in the Quran. The Hughes Encyclopedic Dictionary of Islam defines the word as "a sin or a crime, or the charge of such", [8].
Clearly the Quran identifies Muhammad as a sinner. It is definitely applied to Muhammad. Since some Muslims argue that Muhammad was not a sinner, they have to resort to re-interpreting the Quranic word, "dhanb". So, what does that word "dhanb" mean in the context of the Quran? We have to address the true meaning of this word — is it "sin", meaning something that God will judge, or is it "fault" defined as meaning something that is very minor and easily excusable by God? To understand the context of the word, we should let the context of how the word is used throughout the Quran speak.
We should let the Quran interpret itself.
I have found the word used about 39 times in the Quran. In some cases it is used without a reference, e.g. 3:31, "Say, "If you love God, follow me. God will love you and forgive your sins…". We have no reference as to what those "sins" consisted.
However, "dhanb" is used many other times with a contextual reference. Here is a significant selection. I present about 22 of them because I want to establish exactly the Quran’s severity of this word. And, I encourage all Muslims to search through their Quran to find an example of Allah lightly treating "dhanb". Study the Quran to find something contrary to the harsh judgment that Allah proscribes to those who commit of "dhanb". I have found none.
SELECTION OF QURANIC VERSES REGARDING "DHANB" OR SIN
3:11 (Their plight will be) no better than that of the people of Pharaoh and their predecessors: they denied Our Signs and Allah called them to account for their sins. For Allah is strict in punishment.
Allah called Pharaoh’s people to account for their sins, and they were punished for their "dhanb".
3:16 (Namely) those who say: "Our Lord! we have indeed believed: forgive us then our sins and save us from the agony of the fire."
Here we see people asking forgiveness for their "dhanb" because without forgiveness of their "dhanb" they will end up in the agony of fire (hell).
5:18 (Both) the Jews and the Christians say: "We are sons of Allah and His beloved." Say: "Why then doth He punish you for your sins? Nay ye are but men,- of the men He hath created: He forgiveth whom He pleaseth and He punisheth whom He pleaseth: and to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between: and unto Him is the final goal (of all)."
Here Muhammad is saying that Christians and Jews are being punished by Allah for the "dhanb". Thus their "dhanb" earns punishment from Allah, not a wink of an eye.
5:49 And this (He commands): Judge thou between them by what Allah hath revealed and follow not their vain desires but beware of them lest they beguile thee from any of that (teaching) which Allah hath sent down to thee. And if they turn away be assured that for some of their crimes it is Allah's purpose to punish them. And truly most men are rebellious.
Here "dhanb" is defined as "crimes". Does any sincere person think that a criminal act is more than just a "mistake"? Of course not. How do you think God views "crimes".
6:6 See they not how many of those before them We did destroy? Generations We had established on the earth in strength such as We have not given to you for whom We poured out rain from the skies in abundance and gave (fertile) streams flowing beneath their (feet): yet for their sins We destroyed them and raised in their wake fresh generations (to succeed them).
God is destroying generations of people for their "dhanb".
7:100 To those who inherit the earth in succession to its (previous) possessors is it not a guiding (lesson) that if We so willed We could punish them (too) for their sins and seal up their hearts so that they could not hear?
Here the implication is that people could be punished by God for their "dhanb". "Dhanb" is worthy of punishment.
8:52 "(Deeds) after the manner of the people of Pharaoh and of those before them: they rejected the signs of Allah and Allah punished them for their crimes: for Allah is strong and strict in punishment:
Again, people were punished by God for their "dhanb = crimes". Allah is "strong and strict" in dishing out punishment for people’s "dhanb".
8:54 "(Deeds) after the manner of the people of Pharaoh and those before them": they treated as false the signs of their Lord; so We destroyed them for their crimes and We drowned the people of Pharaoh: for they were all oppressors and wrong-doers.
Again, for their "dhanb = crimes" people were destroyed and drowned by God. These people who committed "dhanb" were "oppressors and wrong-doers".
9:102 Others (there are who) have acknowledged their wrong-doings: they have mixed an act that was good with another that was evil. Perhaps Allah will turn unto them (in mercy): for Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.
Ali’s note says: "These were some whose will was weak and succumbed to evil, although there was much good in them ..." Ali calls these "dhanb" evil. Is "evil" the same as a "forgetful mistake"?
12:29 "O Joseph pass this over! (O wife) ask forgiveness for thy sin for truly thou hast been at fault!"
Here we have a women who tried to seduce Joseph, then falsely accused him of trying to sexually molest her, being instructed to ask forgiveness of her "dhanb". Is lying a simple "mistake"? No. It is a sin before man and God.
12:97 They said: "O our father! ask for us forgiveness for our sins for we were truly at fault."
Here we have Joseph’s brothers asking Jacob to ask God to forgive their "dhanb". What was their "dhanb"? They kidnapped Joseph and sold him into slavery. Then they lied about it to their father. Was this a simple "mistake", or a "memory lapse"? No, it was a brutal act, motivated by jealousy.
14:10 Their apostles said: "Is there a doubt about Allah the Creator of the heavens and the earth? It is He Who invites you in order that He may forgive you your sins and give you respite for a term appointed!" They said: "Ah! ye are no more than human like ourselves! Ye wish to turn us away from the (gods) our fathers used to worship: then bring us some clear authority."
Here "dhanb" refers to idolatry. Is idolatry a mere "forgetful" act? And forgiveness of "dhanb" will save them from hellfire. Thus their "dhanb" will send them to hell without forgiveness.
26:14 "And they have a charge of crime against me; and I fear they may slay me."
Here is Moses speaking. He said that he was charged with a "dhanb = crime". What was the crime? Murder. Would any Muslim say that murder is something that God overlooks?
28:78 He said: "This has been given to me because of a certain knowledge which I have." Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him (whole) generations which were superior to him in strength and greater in amount (of riches) they had collected? But the wicked are not called (immediately) to account for their sins.
Here, the reference is to Allah destroying entire generations on account of their "dhanb". Does Allah destroy entire generations because of simple mistakes?
29:40 Each one of them We seized for his crime: of them against some We sent a violent tornado (with showers of stones); some were caught by a (mighty) Blast; some We caused the earth to swallow up; and some We drowned (in the waters): it was not Allah Who injured (or oppressed) them: they injured (and oppressed) their own souls.
Allah says he seized people for their "dhanb = crime". Look at how he punished them: violent tornado, showers of stones, mighty blast, swallowed by the earth, drowned in the water. Aren’t these "dhanb" bad? Does "dhanb" sound like it is something that God ignores? No. Rather, God sternly punishes "dhanb".
40:11, 12 They will say:" Our Lord! twice hast Thou made us without life and twice hast Thou given us Life! Now have we recognized our sins: is there any way out (of this)?" (The answer will be:) "This is because when Allah was invoked as the only (object of worship) ye did reject Faith but when partners were joined to Him ye believed! The command is with Allah Most High Most Great!"
Here people admit their "dhanb = sins". How did allah define their sins? Their "dhanb" was that they joined partners to Allah. This type of sin is called shirk. It is considered by many Muslims to be unforgivable.
40:21 Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were even superior to them in strength and in the traces (they have left) in the land: but Allah did call them to account for their sins and none had they to defend them against Allah.
Allah is judging people for their "dhanb = sins". Look, their "dhanb" was severe enough that they needed defense against Allah, but they had none.
46:31 "O our people hearken to the one who invites (you) to Allah and believe in him: He will forgive you your faults and deliver you from a Penalty Grievous.
Here, Allah may forgive "dhanb = faults" and deliver people from a grievous penalty. So, these "dhanb" warrant a grievous penalty in Allah’s eyes.
61:12 He will forgive you your sins and admit you to Gardens beneath which rivers flow and to beautiful mansions in Gardens of Eternity: that is indeed the supreme achievement.
Here, Allah is going to forgive "dhanb = sins". Afterwards they will be admitted into paradise. The people’s "dhanb" is going to keep them out of paradise unless they are forgiven.
67:11 They will then confess their sins: but far will be (Forgiveness) from the Companions of the Blazing Fire!
People will be confessing their "dhanb = sins" but they will receive no forgiveness for them. Instead, these people are in hell on account of their sins.
91:14 Then they rejected him (as a false prophet) and they hamstrung her. So their Lord on account of their crime obliterated their traces and made them equal (in destruction High and low)!
Here people rejected a prophet as a false prophet and killed a special camel. What did Allah do on account of their "dhanb = crime"? He "obliterated their traces", i.e., Allah totally destroyed them! This was on account of their "dhanb".
*****
Let’s review. "Dhanb" is translated as sin, crime, & fault. How does Allah deal with people who have committed dhanb? Allah -
Obliterates them
Destroyed them
Puts them in hellfire
Gives them a grievous penalty
Calls them to account
Hits them with a violent tornado
Hits them with a mighty blast
Has the earth swallow them up
Drowns them in water
Punishes them
Puts them in the agony of fire
Allah does all this to people who commit "dhanb". Does this sound like something Allah passes over as a minor "stumbling", "mistake", or "act of forgetfulness"?
Of course not! It sounds like Allah is severely punishing people for their "dhanb". It sounds like Allah is really serious about it. Don’t you agree?
And remember, Muhammad committed "dhanb". Muhammad was told to ask forgiveness for his "dhanb". And Muhammad taught in the Quran that forgiveness of "dhanb" was required to get into Paradise. Otherwise, a person with unforgiven "dhanb" ends up in hell.
Earlier I synthesized portions from Muhammad’s prayers, recorded in Bukhari’s Hadith. Here are the four Hadith in full.
8.335: Narrated Shaddad bin 'Aus:The Prophet said, "The most superior way of asking for forgiveness from Allah is:
'Allahumma anta Rabbi la ilaha illa anta. Khalaqtani wa ana 'abduka, wa ana 'ala 'ahdika wa Wa'dika mastata'tu abu'u Laka bi ni 'matika wa abu'u Laka bidhanbi; faghfirli fa'innahu la yaghfiru-dh-dhunuba ill a ant a. A'uidhu bika min sharri ma sana'tu.' If somebody recites this invocation during the night, and if he should die then, he will go to Paradise (or he will be from the people of Paradise). And if he recites it in the morning, and if he should die on the same day, he will have the same fate."
The Arabic is translated as:
"Oh Allah! You are my Lord. None has the right to be worshiped but You. You created me, and I am your slave, and I am faithful to my covenant and my promise as much as I can. I acknowledge before You , all the blessings You have bestowed upon me and confess to You all my sins, so please forgive them, as no one can forgive sins except You. And I seek refuge in You from all the evil I have done."
8.379: Narrated 'Aisha:
The Prophet used to say, "O Allah! I seek refuge with You from laziness and geriatric old age, from all kinds of sins and from being in debt; from the affliction of the Fire and from the punishment of the Fire and from the evil of the affliction of wealth; and I seek refuge with You from the affliction of poverty, and I seek refuge with You from the affliction of Al-Masih Ad-Dajjal. O Allah! Wash away my sins with the water of snow and hail, and cleanse my heart from all the sins as a white garment is cleansed from the filth, and let there be a long distance between me and my sins, as You made East and West far from each other."
8.407: Narrated Abu Musa: The Prophet used to invoke Allah with the following invocation: 'Rabbi-ghfir-li Khati 'ati wa jahli wa israfi fi amri kullihi, wa ma anta a'lamu bihi minni. Allahumma ighfirli khatayaya wa 'amdi, wa jahli wa jiddi, wa kullu dhalika'indi. Allahumma ighrifli ma qaddamtu wa ma akhartu wa ma asrartu wa ma a'lantu. Anta-l-muqaddimu wa anta-l-mu'akh-khiru, wa anta 'ala kulli shai'in qadir.'
The Arabic is translated as:
"O my Lord! Forgive my sins and my ignorance and my exceeding the limits of righteousness in all my deeds and what you know better than I. O Allah. Forgive my mistakes, those done intentionally or out of my ignorance or without or with seriousness, and I confess that all such mistakes are done by me. O Allah! Forgive my sins of the past and of the future with I did openly or secretly. You are the One Who makes the things go before and You are the One Who delays them, and You are the Omnipotent."
8.408: Narrated Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari: The Prophet used to invoke Allah, saying, "Allahumma ighfirli khati'ati wa jahli wa israfi fi amri, wa ma anta a-'lamu bihi minni. Allahumma ighfirli hazali wa jiddi wa khata'i wa amdi, wa kullu dhalika 'indi."
The Arabic is translated as:
"O Allah! Forgive my mistakes and my ignorance and my exceeding the limit (boundaries) of righteousness in my deeds; and forgive whatever You know better than I. O Allah! Forgive the wrong I have done jokingly or seriously, and forgive my accidental and intentional errors, all that is present in me."
In these prayers, Muhammad uses a different word for sin. Instead of using "dhanb", he uses the root word "khati’a".
The Encyclopedia of Islam [9] defines Khati’a as:
"Moral lapse, sin, a synonym of dhanb. The root means "to fail, stumble", "make a mistake", "of an archer whose arrow misses the target".
In his prayers, Muhammad acknowledges a whole spectrum of sin: evil, mistakes, ignorance, wrong, accidental errors, intentional errors, past and future sins, and filth. These are not simple "mistakes", these are offensive sins in the context of his prayers.
Muhammad acknowledged he was a sinner. Don’t Muhammad’s prayers for forgiveness establish the fact that he knew how severe his sins were? He knew Allah punishes sin, and that is why he was always pleading for forgiveness from Allah. Muhammad didn’t want to burn in hell for his crimes.
And, Muhammad did believe and fear he was going to suffer:
Sahih Muslim, [10], Book 4, Number 1212:
Narrated Aisha:
"The Prophet entered my house when a Jewess was with me and she was saying: Do you know that you would be put to trial in the grave? The Messenger of Allah trembled (on hearing this) and said: It is the Jews only who would be put to trial. Aisha said: We passed some nights and then the Messenger of Allah said: Do you know that it has been revealed to me: "You would be put to trial in the grave"? Aisha said: I heard the Messenger of Allah seeking refuge from the torment of the grave after this."
Allah "revealed" to Muhammad he would be put to trial in the grave. Muhammad constantly prayed for refuge from his upcoming torment. Why? If Muhammad were so pure and innocent, why would Allah be tormenting him in the grave? Muhammad was aware of his sins, and thus, he prayed for forgiveness.
What were some of Muhammad’s sins? Examine his actions and judge accordingly. As I’ve read the Islamic source material, i.e., the Quran, Hadith, and Sira, I have come across some shocking deeds. Few Muslims know about these actions. However, they are all recorded in the source materials. These materials were all written by devout Muslims, who wanted to tell to the truth to the best of their ability.
LIST OF SOME OF MUHAMMAD’S SINS
Here is a listing of some of Muhammad’s sins:
1) The torturing and killing of a man just to get money:
2) Allowing female slaves to be raped:
3) Ordering the murder of a women who opposed him:
4) Ordering the murder of slave girls who had mocked him:
5) Speaking Satan’s words as God’s words:
All of these sins were committed by Muhammad. No wonder he prayed for forgiveness. The truth was deep in his heart.
Muhammad admitted he was a sinner. He called his sins "filth" and "evil". However, later Muslims invented an un-Islamic teaching that Muhammad was not a sinner. They did this primarily to elevate Muhammad to a level near equal to Jesus. Muhammad wa a sinner in the truest sense of the word. Even in his own theology his sins warranted God’s punishment unless they were forgiven.
Both Islam and Christianity teach that Jesus was not a sinner. In the Bible, it is explicitly stated that Jesus had no sin.
FROM THE BIBLE
Heb 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.
2 Cor 5:20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
1 Peter 2:22 "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth."
1John 3:4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.
FROM THE QURAN AND HADITH
The Quran teaches that when Gabriel appeared to Mary to announce Christ’s birth, Gabriel said in Chapter 19:19:
"He said: "Nay I am only a messenger from thy Lord (to announce) to thee the gift of a holy son."
The word in Arabic for "holy" is zakiyya, a word with the root meaning "purity". This form of the word principally means "innocent, pure, clean, faultless".
The Sahih Hadith also state that Jesus does not admit sin:
Bukhari Vol. 6, #236
... 'So they will go to Jesus and say, 'O Jesus! You are Allah's Apostle and His Word which He sent to Mary, and a superior soul created by Him, and you talked to the people while still young in the cradle. Please intercede for us with your Lord. Don't you see in what state we are?' Jesus will say. 'My Lord has today become angry as He has never become before nor will ever become thereafter.' Jesus will not mention any sin ...
Therefore, original Islam taught that Jesus had no sin. However, as stated earlier, later Muslims could not tolerate Muhammad’s inferiority and thus made up a doctrine that put Muhammad on par with Christ.
In "Muslim Studies", Vol. 2, p. 346, I. Goldziher wrote:
"An unconscious tendency prevailed to draw a picture of Muhammad that should not be inferior to the Christian picture of Jesus."
This doctrine is actually contrary to Muhammad’s words in the Quran.
THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE OF SIN AND SINNER
Another quote from Gilchrist’s book sheds a deeper light on the issue:
It is important to note, before proceeding, that the "sinlessness" of the prophets in Islam implies only a protection from errors of judgement in action and character. It is to be distinguished from the Biblical doctrine which holds that true sinlessness not only means a freedom from wrong doing but an actual state of heart, soul and mind that reflects all the goodness of God’s holiness, love and righteousness. Those who have "sinned" are also those who have "fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) and who have not attained to his righteousness.
"The impeccability of Muhammad has a different basis than the sinlessness of Jesus. Muhammad’s impeccability is asserted for the purpose of establishing the validity of his revelation. Jesus’ sinlessness is the corollary of the affirmation of his divinity and also of the Christian conception of the true nature of man. Prophetic protection, or, "impeccability" (‘ismah), is a postulate of the reason in respect of revelation rather than a definition of the quality of Muhammad’s person. (Thomson, "Muhammad: His Life and Person", "The Muslim World", Vol. 34, p. 115."
The only sinlessness known to Christianity is sinless perfection and it decrees that all who do not possess the righteousness of God are automatically counted as sinners. On the contrary Islam knows only a human nature which by instinct is prone to error. It knows nothing of fallen human nature which needs to be redeemed and made regenerate. Its concept of sinlessness is therefore confined purely to a preservation from deliberate error and wrongdoing — it does not require a corresponding positive possession of the image of the holy character of God in the soul. Thus it allows for so called "mistakes" and "acts of forgetfulness". (Gilchrist, op cit, page 275).
END OF GILCHRIST QUOTE
REFLECTION — WHAT KIND OF SINNER WAS MUHAMMAD?
Islam teaches that men do not have a fallen nature, but a nature that leans toward sin. Christians believe that man has a fallen nature. Jesus even stated that men were intrinsically evil:
Matthew 7:9 "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Paul later added more detail on the fallen nature within at war with God’s will:
"For the good I want to do, I do not, but the evil I do not want to do, I do" ... "But I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members." Romans 7:19, 23.
Christians believe that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God - Romans 3:23. We have experienced a battle within our souls, the flesh versus the spirit, this sinful bent fighting against submitting to God’s will.
Now, examine Muhammad’s prayer:
"Oh God, I acknowledge and confess before You, all my sins, please forgive them, as no one can forgive sins except You. Forgive my mistakes, those done intentionally, or out of my ignorance, with or without seriousness. Oh God, forgive my sins and my ignorance, forgive my sins of the past and of the future, which I did openly or secretly. Forgive the wrong I have done, jokingly or seriously. I seek Your protection from all the evil I have done. Wash away my sins, and cleanse my heart, from all the sins as a white garment is cleansed from the filth, and let there be long distance between me and my sins, as You made the East and West far from each other.
Do his requests for forgiveness indicate that he had a fallen, corrupted nature? Here he was, praying as often as he could for forgiveness — why? His prayer is not the prayer of a man who had a few marginal "lapses". His prayer was one of a fearful, concerned man — a man who identified his sins as "filth" and "evil". He eventually believed that he would suffer in the grave to pay for his sins. He prayed because he was conscious of the sinful nature operating within him. Even if he did not articulate having a "sinful nature", we see the evidence of his sinful nature existing in his prayer. It was operating within him, and he wanted to deal with it. It was a nature that was with him all his years of self appointed prophethood. He knew that even in his future, he was going to sin - he asks God to forgive his future sins, and makes up a verse that God was going to do so - (48:1, 2). Deep down, he intuitively knew he was a sinner at heart, and he wanted forgiveness.
PART 2 CONCLUSION: MUHAMMAD HAD A SINFUL NATURE AS ALL MEN HAVE SINFUL NATURES
According to Christian and Islamic teachings, Jesus was pure and sinless. Although the religions' teachings on the sinful nature of man differ, a close examination of Muhammad’s actions and personal prayers, show that he fits precisely the Christian definition of "sinner".
Salvation is only through Jesus Christ. Muhammad did not know this. Instead of finding true forgiveness, deep in his heart, Muhammad lived in fear of his upcoming torment in the grave. Left on his own, with outside spiritual forces driving him, Muhammad concocted a bizarre religion, filled with various rituals, superstitions, and violence, all in an attempt to please a God he did not know.
Pray this prayer:
"Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner. I know there is a depth of sin in my soul. Please forgive my sins. I know they are evil in Your sight. I believe that You died for my sins. I believe that You were raised from the dead. I ask You to come into my heart, to cleanse me from my sins, to receive me. I receive Your love for me, You are God’s unique Son, and I choose to put my faith in You, and obey You."
BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] "Sahih Bukhari", translated into English by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan, at the Islamic University in Medina, published by Kitab Bhavan, New Delhi, India.
[2] "Muhammad and the Religion of Islam", by John Gilchrist, page 273, published by Jesus to the Muslims, Durban, South Africa. It can be found on the web at:
Providing an intimate view into a loving Muslim home, Qureshi shares how he developed a passion for Islam before discovering, almost against his will, evidence that Jesus rose from the dead and claimed to be God. Unable to deny the arguments but not wanting to deny his family, Qureshi struggled with an inner turmoil that will challenge Christians, Muslims, and all those who are interested in two of the world's greatest religions and the quest for truth.
Qureshi--with great courage and intimacy--wrote this book with three major purposes in mind:
To tear down walls between two of the world's major religions by giving non-Muslim readers an insider's perspective into a Muslim's heart and mind.
To equip the reader with facts and knowledge, showing the strength of the case for the gospel contrasted with the case for Islam.
To portray the immense inner struggle of Muslims grappling with the gospel, including all the sacrifices and doubts that rise up along the way.
Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus is more than the memoir of a man's pursuit of answers to the most important issues of life and faith. Ultimately, it's the story about the transformative grace and mercy of the one true God.
The most common Muslim objection to the Christian doctrine of the Trinity is simply that Christians are bad at math. Supposedly, Christians believe that 1+1+1=1. But is this really what Christians believe? And can we apply the same objection to Islamic theology? Below David Wood investigates.
Field-Tested Responses to Five Common MUSLIM OBJECTIONS
Article ID: JAF1364 | By: David Wood
This article first appeared in Christian Research Journal, volume 36, number 04 (2013). For further information or to subscribe to the Christian Research Journal go to: http://www.equip.org/christian-research-journal/
SYNOPSIS
Christians are commanded to “make disciples of all the nations” (Matt. 28:19). Because Muslims make up more than a fifth of the world’s population, obeying the Great Commission entails presenting the gospel to Muslims. Yet the message of Islam contradicts the teachings of Christ on several key doctrines, so Muslims understandably have important objections to Christianity. Nevertheless, because apologetics in America and Europe has placed far more emphasis on atheism than it has on Islam, many Christians know little about Islam and do not feel equipped to engage Muslims in dialogue. It should be encouraging to learn, however, that successfully defending the gospel against Muslim objections is a rather easy skill to develop. Islam requires Muslims to agree with Christian doctrine in ways that Muslims themselves are often unaware of. These points of obligatory theological agreement can be brought to the surface and used to undermine or block nearly all Muslim objections to the gospel. Moreover, due to Islam’s insistence on (a) belief in Jesus as a messenger of God and (b) belief in Christian Scripture as a revelation from God, Muslims have relatively few criticisms they can raise. Challenges to the historical reliability of the Gospels, the deity of Christ, the Incarnation, the justice of Jesus’ payment for sins, and the practical implications of Christian doctrine should therefore be viewed as excellent opportunities to share the gospel, rather than as threats to the gospel. Christian apologetics in the West frequently is geared toward refuting atheism and other skeptical positions. Believers who search for a philosophical or historical defense of the gospel will therefore find no shortage of books and videos on God’s existence, Jesus’ resurrection, and the problem of evil. Yet Christians are increasingly being confronted by an ideology that poses no objections to the existence of God or to the reality of miracles, one that sees no conflict between human suffering and the goodness of our Creator. I am referring, of course, to Islam. Muslims agree with Christians that the world is the product of an all-powerful, all-knowing, perfectly good Being who has sent numerous prophets to mankind and who will eventually judge the world. Concerning Jesus, Muslims acknowledge that He was born of a virgin, that He performed numerous miracles, and that He is the Messiah. Despite such significant accord, however, the message of Islam attacks the very core of the gospel by denying Jesus’ sacrificial death and divine nature. Christians who discuss the gospel with Muslims often make a crucial mistake: they answer a Muslim the same way they would answer an atheist who raised a similar objection. But Muslims are not atheists, and their reasons for criticizing the gospel are usually completely different from those of atheists. Moreover, Muslims have certain theological commitments that can actually help the Christian undermine criticisms. By familiarizing ourselves with a simple approach to dealing with Islamic challenges, we can clear away a good deal of rubble on our way to a careful presentation of Jesus’ message. In this article, we will examine five common Muslim objections to Christianity. Since these are the standard talking points for Muslims when they hear the gospel, Christians have an excellent opportunity to prepare our responses before challenges are ever raised.
“THE GOSPEL HAS BEEN CORRUPTED”
One of Islam’s “Six Articles of Faith” requires Muslims to believe not only in the Qur’an, but also in the scriptures revealed prior to the Qur’an, including the Gospel given to Christians (where “Gospel” refers to a book, rather than to a message1). Nevertheless, since the Gospel contradicts Muhammad’s message on several fundamental doctrines, Muslims have been forced to claim that the Gospel has been corrupted. Any Christian who witnesses to Muslims will be told repeatedly that the scriptures we possess, while possibly retaining some truth, have been hopelessly altered. Due to a strong emphasis on textual criticism in the Christian tradition, it is quite natural for apologists to defend the New Testament by pointing to early manuscripts. Yet when the charge of corruption comes from a Muslim, we must remember that the charge has nothing to do with manuscript evidence. Providing manuscript evidence to our Muslim friends will likely miss the true source of the objection—namely, the Gospel contradicting the Qur’an. Imagine the surprise of a Muslim critic when we inform him that, in claiming the Gospel has been corrupted, Muslims themselves are contradicting the Qur’an! Contrary to popular Muslim assertions, the Qur’an affirms the inspiration, preservation, and authority of the Gospel we possess. By drawing the Muslim’s attention to the Qur’an’s position on Christian Scripture, we strike at the root of his objection and help him see the internal incoherence of Islam.
Inspiration of the Gospel
The Qur’an declares that the Gospel was revealed as “a guidance for the people”: “He has revealed to you the Book with truth, verifying that which is before it, and He revealed the Torah and the Gospel aforetime, a guidance for the people, and He sent the Qur’an” (3:3–4, Shakir2). Hence, no informed Muslim would ever deny the inspiration of the Gospel. Yet Muslims frequently insist that the Gospel was significantly altered sometime after it was revealed, a claim that conflicts with numerous passages in the Qur’an.
Preservation of the Gospel
According to the Qur’an, Christians were still reading the Gospel during Muhammad’s time (seventh century AD), for they supposedly found predictions about him somewhere in the text: “Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find mentioned in their own (Scriptures)—in the Law and the Gospel—…it is they who will prosper” (7:157, Ali3). Even more interestingly, when Muhammad experienced some kind of doubts about his revelations, Allah commanded him in the Qur’an to go to the “People of the Book” (an Islamic title for Christians and Jews) for confirmation of his message: “But if you [i.e., Muhammad] are in doubt as to what We have revealed to you, ask those who read the Book before you; certainly the truth has come to you from your Lord, therefore you should not be of the disputers” (10:94, Shakir). How could Muhammad seek confirmation from people who had been reading the “Book” unless they still had it with them? The Qur’an goes further, maintaining that no one can corrupt Allah’s revelations: “And recite what has been revealed to you of the Book of your Lord, there is none who can alter His words; and you shall not find any refuge besides Him” (18:27, Shakir). If no one can alter Allah’s words, and Allah revealed the Gospel, then the Gospel cannot be altered.
Authority of the Gospel
Not surprisingly, since the Qur’an affirms the inspiration and preservation of the Gospel, Christians are ordered to judge by what we read in our own scriptures: “Let the people of the Gospel judge by what Allah hath revealed therein. If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) those who rebel“ (5:47, Ali). Needless to say, Christians cannot obey this command if we no longer posses the Gospel. The Qur’an goes so far as to say that we have no ground to stand on without the Torah and the Gospel: “Say: ‘O People of the Book! Ye have no ground to stand upon unless ye stand fast by the Law, the Gospel, and all the revelation that has come to you from your Lord’” (5:68, Ali). Why would the Qur’an say that we must “stand fast” by the Gospel if the Gospel is no longer available? Muslim objections to the authority of the Gospel are in obvious conflict with clear statements in the Qur’an. Hence, if the Gospel has been corrupted (as Muslims insist), we can only conclude that the Qur’an is wrong when it claims (1) that the Gospel was still available in Muhammad’s time, (2) that no one can alter Allah’s words, and (3) that Christians must “judge by” and “stand fast by” the Gospel. If Muslims do not want to undermine the authority of their own book, they must abandon claims of Gospel corruption.
“WHERE DID JESUS SAY, ‘I AM GOD’?”
Since Muslims cannot reject our scriptures without rejecting the Qur’an as well, they can only deny Christian doctrine by maintaining that our scriptures don’t actually teach what we believe. This is an especially common approach in discussions about the deity of Christ. Muslims around the world have been trained to ask Christians: “Where did Jesus claim to be God?” Many apologetics books include analyses of Jesus’ statements about His divine nature. Yet Muslims typically try to reinterpret these statements so that they line up with the Islamic view of Jesus. However, there is a helpful tool that can block such reinterpretations. According to both the Bible and the Qur’an, only God can truly make certain claims, and an Islamic prophet would never utter such claims. For instance, God alone can correctly state that He created the universe. While a mere human being is able say the words, “I created the universe,” the statement would be false coming from anyone other than God. Hence, if Jesus said things that can only truly be said by God, we must conclude that Jesus claimed to be God. Let us consider Jesus’ words in the light of the Qur’an and the Old Testament.
God’s Glory
The Qur’an tells Muslims that “whatever is in the heavens and the earth declares the glory of Allah” (57:1, Shakir). Similarly, in the Old Testament, God says that He will not share His glory with anyone: “I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another” (Isa. 42:8).4 Yet Jesus claimed that He had glory with the Father before the world was created: “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” (John 17:5). How can this be seen as anything other than a claim to deity?
The Final Judge
In Joel 3, God declares that the nations will be gathered and that He “will sit to judge all the surrounding nations” (v. 12). In Psalm 9:7–8, David says that “the LORD abides forever; He has established His throne for judgment, and He will judge the world in righteousness.” The Qur’an maintains that Allah will judge the world, rewarding believers and punishing unbelievers: “The kingdom on that day shall be Allah’s; He will judge between them; so those who believe and do good will be in gardens of bliss. And (as for) those who disbelieve in and reject Our communications, these it is who shall have a disgraceful chastisement” (22:56–57, Shakir). So why, we may wonder, would Jesus tell His followers that He will be the final judge of all people? “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats” (Matt. 25:31–32). Jesus goes on to say that He will admit certain people to heaven and cast others into hell. Isn’t this something only God can do?
The Resurrection
The Bible and the Qur’an agree that God will eventually raise the dead. “The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up” (1 Sam. 2:6). “Allah shall raise up those who are in the graves” (Qur’an 22:7, Shakir). Since God will raise the dead at the resurrection, why would a mere prophet tell His followers that He will resurrect the dead? Jesus said: “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.” (John 5:25–29)5
Further Evidence
No one who understands Jesus’ words can seriously maintain that He viewed Himself as a mere prophet. Indeed, again and again in the Gospels, we find Jesus saying things that would be blasphemy coming from anyone other than God. In Mark 2:28, Jesus calls Himself the “Lord of the Sabbath.” He claims that He has an absolutely unique relationship with the Father (Matt. 11:27), that He can answer prayers (John 14:13–14), that He is present wherever His followers are gathered (Matt. 18:20), that He has “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matt. 28:18), and that He is with His followers forever (Matt. 28:20). He even makes the startling declaration that “all things that the Father has are Mine” (John 16:15). According to Jesus, all people must honor Him just as we honor the Father: “’For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him’” (John 5:21–23). Since one of the ways we honor the Father is by worshiping Him, it should come as no surprise that Jesus’ followers worshiped Him on numerous occasions. The Gospel tells us that Jesus was worshiped throughout His life: shortly after His birth (Matt. 2:11), during His ministry (Matt. 14:33; John 9:38), after His resurrection (Matt. 28:17), and after His ascension (Luke 24:52). Thomas even addressed Him as “my Lord and my God” (John 20:28). The Jesus of the Gospel bears little resemblance to the Jesus of the Qur’an. But since the Qur’an affirms the authority of the Gospel, it is Muslims, rather than Christians, who have a theological problem with Jesus’ claims.
“HOW CAN GOD DIE?”
Another Muslim objection to Jesus’ deity is based not on His claims, but on a supposed incoherence in the Christian message. On a superficial level, we can see the Muslim’s point. Christians believe that Jesus is God. But God is eternal; He has no beginning and no end. Jesus, on the other hand, was born in Bethlehem and died on the cross (at least, according to Christianity). So if Jesus is God, then God died on the cross. What sense does it make to say that God died? A correct theological response to this challenge would involve a discussion of the Incarnation and include some exegesis of John 1:1–14, Philippians 2:5–11, and related passages. However, even the most careful and accurate presentation of the doctrine of the Incarnation will not persuade the Muslim that the Christian position makes sense, for he has been trained all his life to regard our position as illogical and absurd. Fortunately, there is a simple way both to help the Muslim understand the Incarnation and to convince him to drop his criticisms of it. According to Islamic theology, the Qur’an is Allah’s eternal Word. Indeed, Muslims who suggest that the Qur’an had a beginning are regarded as heretics, for the Qur’an is said to be uncreated and incorruptible. But think about the problem such a view raises. I open a copy of the Qur’an and I find that it has a publication date. Since it is made of paper, glue, and ink, it will eventually fall apart. Not long ago, a man named Terry Jones caused an international uproar by burning a copy of the Qur’an. Here we may be forgiven for asking our Muslim friends, “How can the uncreated Word of Allah have a publication date? How can something made of paper, glue, and ink be incorruptible? How can something eternal be burned?” The correct response to these questions (even though the Muslim has probably never considered the issue) is that, according to Islam, the Qur’an has two natures. As Allah’s eternal Word, it was not created and cannot be destroyed. Yet when Allah’s Word enters our world, it takes on a physical nature made of paper, glue, and ink. From an Islamic perspective, a person may destroy the physical nature of the Qur’an, but this would have no impact whatsoever on the eternal nature of the Qur’an. After drawing the Muslim’s attention to the teachings of his own religion, the ground is now clear to declare that he has no basis for saying that the Christian doctrine of the Incarnation is illogical, for Islam requires him to believe something analogous. If Christians are foolish for believing that “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1), and that “the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us” (v. 14), then Muslims would be every bit as foolish for believing that Allah’s eternal Word became a physical book. Just as Muslims would never say that Allah’s eternal Word ceases to exist when someone burns a Qur’an, Christians would not say that Jesus’ divine nature ceased to exist when He died on a cross. The Muslim objection falls apart.
“IT WOULD BE UNJUST TO PUNISH ONE MAN FOR THE SINS OF ANOTHER”
It’s one thing to say that the Incarnation is a coherent doctrine; it’s quite another to say that Jesus actually died for our sins. Muslims frequently maintain that God’s justice would never allow Him to punish a person for the misdeeds of another. “After all,” Muslims say, “it wouldn’t make sense to punish an innocent baby for the crimes of a murderer. So how could Jesus die for sins that other people committed?” The Qur’an seemingly agrees with this objection, declaring that no “bearer of burden” can take another person’s burden (of sin) away from him: “Say: What! Shall I seek a Lord other than Allah? And He is the Lord of all things; and no soul earns (evil) but against itself, and no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another” (6:164, Shakir). Hence, Muslims believe that justice is on their side, and that the Christian view is immoral. Unfortunately for them, a more thorough reading of Islam’s most trusted sources unveils a horrifying picture of divine justice. Although the Qur’an does say that no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another, the Qur’an is utterly inconsistent on this point. In fact, the Qur’an contradicts itself within the space of two verses, claiming at first that unbelievers will not bear the burdens of others, and then immediately saying the opposite: “And those who disbelieve say to those who believe: Follow our path and we will bear your wrongs. And never shall they be the bearers of any of their wrongs; most surely they are liars. And most certainly they shall carry their own burdens, and other burdens with their own burdens, and most certainly they shall be questioned on the resurrection day as to what they forged” (29:12–13, Shakir). While the Qur’an leaves open the matter of unbelievers bearing the burdens of others, Muhammad filled in the details for his followers. According to Muhammad, Allah will punish Christians and Jews for the sins of Muslims so that Muslims may enter Paradise. Consider two passages: Allah’s Messenger said: When it will be the Day of Resurrection Allah would deliver to every Muslim a Jew or a Christian and say: That is your rescue from Hell-Fire.6 Allah’s Messenger said: On the Day of Resurrection, my Ummah (nation) will be gathered into three groups. One sort will enter Paradise without rendering an account (of their deeds). Another sort will be reckoned an easy account and admitted into Paradise. Yet another sort will come bearing on their backs heaps of sins like great mountains. Allah will ask the angels though He knows best about them: Who are these people? They will reply: They are humble slaves of yours. He will say: Unload the sins from them and put the same over the Jews and Christians: then let the humble slaves get into Paradise by virtue of My Mercy.7 The difference between Christianity and Islam, then, isn’t that one teaches substitutionary atonement while the other doesn’t. Rather, the difference is that one teaches that Jesus voluntarily accepted the penalty for sins, while the other claims that Jews and Christians will suffer involuntarily for the sins of Muslims. Another important difference can be seen in the quotation from 6:164. Notice that the verse doesn’t say that no one can bear the burden of another. It says that no bearer of burden (i.e., no one who already has a burden of sin) shall bear another’s burden. But Christianity doesn’t claim that someone with a burden of sin died for the sins of the world. Jesus was sinless, and therefore had no burden. Amazingly, the Christian doctrine of atonement suits the Qur’an better than Muhammad’s did!
“SINCE JESUS DIED FOR YOUR SINS, CAN’T YOU SIN ALL YOU WANT?”
A final objection concerns the implications of our belief in Jesus’ sacrificial death. Many Muslims hold that the Christian doctrine of atonement promotes immorality in society. If Jesus died for our sins, as the Gospel proclaims, doesn’t this mean we are free to sin? Isn’t the Islamic view of salvation, according to which people will be punished for their own sins, a better deterrent to immorality and criminal activity? We have already seen one problem with this challenge: Islam simply doesn’t teach that everyone will be punished for their own sins. According to Muhammad, instead of punishing Muslims who have committed “heaps of sins like great mountains,” Allah will admit them to Paradise and will send Jews and Christians to hell in their place. Wouldn’t this imply that Muslims can sin all they want? Hence, if substitutionary atonement suggests an open invitation for Christians to sin, it would do the same for Muslims. However, this objection to Christianity is grounded in sheer misrepresentation. The New Testament doesn’t tell us that Jesus died simply to save us from the penalty of sin, but also to save us from the controlling power of sin (see Romans 6). The apostle John even declared that a person who claims to know Christ but doesn’t obey His teachings “is a liar” (1 John 2:4). Notice also that the Muslim argument is based on a twisted view of morality, according to which the only reason to obey God is the promise of rewards in Paradise. Since we view salvation as a gift (so the argument goes), Christians no longer have an incentive to be good. But Christians completely reject such a warped moral system.8We go to heaven because of Christ’s work; we obey God because we love Him and are empowered to serve Him. The idea that Christians are free to sin because Christ died for us is therefore both perverse and explicitly condemned in Scripture. I will leave it to Muslims to explain how Muhammad’s claim that Allah can punish Jews and Christians for the sins of Muslims does not constitute a license to sin.
ASSESSMENT
Any Christian who presents the gospel to Muslims will encounter these five criticisms repeatedly, and this prevalence has two important implications—one negative and the other positive. On the negative side, if Muslims are raising the same objections over and over, they are apparently not getting persuasive answers to their objections. On the positive side, since Muslims tend to rely on a relatively small number of challenges, Christians needn’t feel overwhelmed in preparing responses. As we have seen, if a Muslim objects to the source of Christian doctrine by claiming that the Gospel has been corrupted, his objection fails because the Qur’an requires belief in the Gospel. If he denies the message of the Gospel—namely, that God entered creation as Jesus of Nazareth in order to die for sins—his denial fails because Jesus made claims that, according to the Qur’an, only God can truly make. If he criticizes the coherence of Christianity by maintaining that God cannot die, his criticism fails because it would undermine his own beliefs about the Qur’an. If he challenges the justice of Christianity by charging that God would be immoral if He punished one person for the sins of another, his challenge fails because Muhammad told his followers that Allah would punish Jews and Christians for the sins of Muslims. If he objects to the practicality of Christianity by claiming that Jesus’ sacrifice would open the door to unbridled sin, his objection fails both because it distorts the Christian message and because the same reasoning would apply to Islam (albeit far more accurately). There are, of course, many other ways to respond to these challenges (e.g., by presenting evidence for the textual reliability of the New Testament, historical evidence for Jesus’ death, etc.). This article isn’t meant to exhaust the possibilities, but to add effective tools to the apologist’s work belt. By combining traditional lines of argumentation with responses that address the self-refuting nature of Muslim criticisms, the Christian will have a more powerful and comprehensive apologetic response to Islam. David Wood is the host of ABN’s live talk show “Jesus or Muhammad?” He has participated in more than thirty moderated public debates with Muslims in the United States and Great Britain.
