What Do Muslims Believe?

Introduction

Don’t all religions lead to God?

Don’t Islam and Christianity basically teach the same thing?

Is atheism true? Does God even exist?

Don’t God and Science contradict?

How do I know the Bible is true? Aren’t all religious books basically the same?

How can I be sure Christianity is even true?

These are fantastic questions!

I get so excited when someone asks a good question like these, because when you ask questions and actually take the time to look for the truth, you will be so much better off -

Not only will you know more, which is great.... but your faith in Jesus can increase… and you will know answers to questions that can HELP you share that faith with those around you.

Over the next few weeks, we will be looking for answers to some of these questions and more.

We have a lot of things in store for this series, so you do not want to miss any of this

But as we begin to talk about the answers to these kinds of deep questions, remember this...

Deep questions require deep answers.

For many of you, the questions you are asking are great questions, but they’ll come from a very confused person, in a 60 second Tiktok...

You can make a WHOLE lot of creatively FALSE statements in 60 seconds… that can take a while to correct, or to show that they are wrong.

Think of it like this… Someone can commit a crime in seconds.... but it can take weeks in court to show that they are guilty.

Even if it is 100% true that this person committed a crime… there might even be a video of the person committing the crime!.... it can still take weeks and even longer to show that they did it.

Another thing to always remember whether on social media, or in school… when someone makes a claim, ask yourself (or them, nicely) - “Why should I believe that?”

And if they give you a reason, keep asking that question, “what evidence is there for me to believe this?” keep digging down, and what you will find is that much of what people believe has no foundation, no basis in reality or truth.

I don’t know about you.... but I desperately want to believe what is TRUE.

And I am claiming to you - and what Christians believe - and part of what it means to be a Christian.... is believing that Christianity is TRUE.

3 of the most important claims and beliefs of Christianity are that

1) Jesus is God the Son, coming to earth as a human

2) Jesus died on the cross for our sins

3) That Jesus rose from the dead

So if someone comes along and says, for example, that those 3 things did not happen… they would be saying that Christianity is false.

So tonight, and in every week of this series… we are talking about what is TRUE and what is FALSE...

And why should you believe one thing is TRUE, and why another is FALSE.

When something is TRUE, it can withstand the storm on criticism… When something is FALSE, it will collapse when examined and tested.

It is all about the foundation… is something built on the bedrock of the truth, or is it built on the shift sands of lies, deception, or even just incorrect beliefs.

Jesus spoke about the importance of a good foundation in relation to how if we follow Him, build our life on the TRUTH of who He is, than our lives will withstand under pressure… and those who do not build their life on the TRUTH of Jesus... will not withstand the pressure.

Matthew 7:24-27 - NLT

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

Lies and other falsehoods are not based on the bedrock of truth and anyone who builds their house or beliefs on what is false.... when you dig into them, they will always collapse… but something that is true, with a firm foundation can easily withstand being dug into.

We will be doing this for the month or so, but tonight, we are talking about a topic that is being promoted by quite a few people on Tiktok, and I get a lot of good questions about - and that is Islam.

We are going to take a look at Islam and what Muslims believe, and whether or not Christians and Muslims believe the same thing, and if not, can they both somehow be true, and if not… which one is true?

This is not in anyway going to be Islamophobic… or muslim bashing… we believe that every person in the world is valuable to God, but we all can be wrong… even if we are sincerely wrong.

But each person in the world is so valuable in fact that God wants to save them from their sin, and the things they believe that harm them, and then to bring them into a relationship with Jesus.

So the reason we are talking about this is because it is so important that you KNOW and BELIEVE the truth, and ultimately we also want Muslims to know and believe the truth too because we care about them.

PRAY

What do Muslims believe

I have spent the last couple months digging into Islam, trying to read for myself their holy books, just trying to make sure I was going to teach this right tonight.

I could spend WEEKS breaking this down, but I only have one short night… so I am already disappointed about how much I am going to have to leave out.

But… I am going to give you my best summary of what where Islam came from, what Islam teaches in comparison to Christianity, and why it is false.

Timeline -

Islam is a religion that was founded in 610 AD, by a man named Mohammad who claimed to be a prophet of God.

He claimed that God had made him his special messenger and had begun to give him a divine revelation - which would eventually be called the Quran

Mohammad claimed that his message was dictated to him by God, and this message was building on other previous messages God dictated to 1) Moses (which we have in parts of the OT) and to 2) Jesus (which we would have in the Gospels).

Here is a quote from a modern Muslim source, WhyIslam.org about how they view the Quran....:

“It is the last testament in a series of divine revelations from God. It comprises the unaltered and direct words of God, revealed through the Angel Gibrael, to the final Prophet, Muhammad (pbuh)1 some 1400 years ago. Islam is a continuation of the teachings of previous Prophets, such as Noah, Abraham, David, Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them all), some of whom were also given divine books. Muslims believe that the key message brought by all Prophets was the same...”

(show illustration)

We will look at why this is a major problem in few minutes - so keep paying attention.

Another thing that the Quran teaches is that Muhammad is their highest moral example (Qur’an 33:21)

That Mohammad had the final authority (along with Allah) in all decisions (Qur’an 33:36).

Also, according to the Qur’an (4:65), a person can have no faith without unquestioningly accepting Muhammad’s judgments.

We’ll look at the problems with viewing Mohammad like this later as well.

The Quran, like any effective false religion or belief… has elements of truth in it.

For example, the Quran talks sometimes of God being merciful… this is true. It says that people should seek God… this is also true.

The same is true for every other religion in the world… there are some things that are true.

Every lie, every deception ever believed by anyone was because there was SOME truth in it, maybe even a lot of truth in it.

We see in the Bible where Satan will quote true scripture, then twist it.

Thats how a good lie is told… its MOSTLY true, except where it isn’t true - that is where the BIG problems lies.

Let’s start looking at some of the problems with Islam, especially in ways it differs from Christianity.

Problem #1: No Foundation

Islam has no solid foundation as to why we should believe it.

Mohammad gives reasons in the Quran as to why it should be accepted, but to be honest… they aren’t good reasons anyone should believe anything.

Mohammad talks about reason and evidence ALL THE TIME… but it’s evidence like this:

the Qur’ān was [first] bestowed from on high as a guidance unto man and a self-evident proof of that guidance, and as the standard by which to discern the true from the false.

2nd Surah 185

The Quran is the evidence of itself.... this is called circular reasoning.

“It is true because I say it is true” - no evidence is offered to show that that Mohammad was sent from God or that his teachings were from God.

Just believe because I said so

That is NOT a reason to believe anyone, period, unless you already know and trust them - then that means they have given you good reason to believe them.

Compare this to Jesus who said

John 5: 31-40 NLT

31 “If I were to testify on my own behalf, my testimony would not be valid. 32 But someone else is also testifying about me, and I assure you that everything he says about me is true.

(talks about John the Baptist pointing people to Jesus) and he continues

The Father gave me these works to accomplish, and they prove that he sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has testified about me himself.

(So Jesus does these miracles as more evidence )

You have never heard his voice or seen him face to face, 38 and you do not have his message in your hearts, because you do not believe me—the one he sent to you.

39 “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! 40 Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.

And the scriptures Jesus says, if you read them, you’ll see that they ALSO point to Him.

He said look around! Look in the Bible, look at the miracles, look at John the baptist, look at the evidence and you will see that what Jesus is claiming is TRUE.

John 14: 11 NIV

11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

Jesus told His followers to believe because of the evidence,

Mohammad said believe the Quran because the Quran said so.

You weren’t allow to question the Quran or Mohammad either, if you did you were gaslit into thinking something was spiritually wrong with YOU for asking WHY you should believe him:

2nd Surah 140

“Do you know more than God does? And who could be more wicked than he who suppresses a testimony given to him by God?

So if you don’t just blindly believe Mohammad, you are said to be claiming to know more than God does and you’re a wicked person.

This stuff is all over the Quran, like almost every page.

If you don’t blindly accept Mohammad and the Quran,

2 Surah 279

for if you do it not, then know that you are at war with God and His Apostle.

And there are so many threats for not blindly believing Mohammad and the Quran, for example.

2nd Surah 39

but those who are bent on denying the truth and giving the lie to Our messages – they are destined for the fire, and therein shall they abide.

These are major red flags and basic abusive manipulation tactics.

Mohammad is taking the reality of .....

Problem #2: Historically False

The Quran is historically false, and I will only focus on one and the most important historical inaccuracy of all - which was that Jesus did not die on the cross, or even die at all.

Mohammad made this claim about Jesus in the Quran, for example:

4th Surah 157

However, they did not slay him, and neither did they crucify him, but it only seemed to them [as if it had been] so;609 and, verily, those who hold conflicting views thereon are indeed confused, having no [real] knowledge thereof, and following mere conjecture. For, of a certainty, they did not slay him: (158) nay, God exalted him unto Himself610 – and God is indeed almighty, wise. (159) Yet there is not one of the followers of earlier revelation who does not, at the moment of his death, grasp the truth about Jesus;

This is a MASSIVE problem.

Historians - Christian and non-christian alike, unanimously agree that Jesus was crucified and died because there is so much evidence of this.

Sure, non believers will reject that he rose from the dead, but everyone believes he was crucified.‌

There are so many early sources that report this - within the lifetime of the eyewitnesses

Mohammad lived 600 years after all this stuff happened!

So everyone got it wrong… all the eyewitnesses… all the disciples, the roman soldiers, the writers of the gospels, the apostles, Roman historian Tacitus, Jewish historian Josephus, and others…

Everyone was wrong, but Mohammad, 600 years later, he got it right? And what evidence does he give us that he got it right? Nothing.

That is not how history works.

Just another claims by the Quran and Mohammad without evidence or any reason to believe.

Problem #3: Mohammad’s Life & Teachings Contradict Jesus in almost EVERY way

Islam is theologically false, according to itself.

There are holes all over it.

Remember how we talked about how one of the main premises, which means one of the key ideas of Islam is that Mohammad is giving a revelation that is building on Moses, and then Jesus - and all the revelations are equal...

2nd Surah 120

and that which has been vouchsafed to Moses and Jesus, and that which has been vouchsafed to all the [other] prophets by their Sustainer: we make no distinction between any of them.

According to the Quran, Jesus was just as inspired as Mohammad -

2 Surah 252

And We vouchsafed unto Jesus, the son of Mary, all evidence of the truth, and strengthened him with holy inspiration.

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But there is an obvious problem here, and that is the Quran contradicts Jesus over, and over, and over.

The Quran even contradicts itself, about the bible, I can’t even get into all of it.

The way many Islamic teachers explain this problem, is that they argue that all the other writings were corrupted in certain parts, just some of the parts… just the parts that Mohammad contradicts of course.

So apparently everyone else was wrong, again.... except Mohammad… so what evidence do you have to support this Mohammad?

The Quran… thats the evidence. Literally the most unsatisfying reason of all time.

Because Mohammad says so, everyone else was wrong.

Since that isn't evidence, let’s look at just a few of the teachings that I found that contradict Jesus and the NT.

JUST A FEW… we don’t have all night

1. You can make up for some of your sins with good deeds

2 Surah 271

If you do deeds of charity openly, it is well; but if you bestow it upon the needy in secret, it will be even better for you, and it will atone for some of your bad deeds.

---- We can’t ever atone for our sins, only Jesus can do that

another contradiction

2. Harsh punishment for sexual sin

‌24 Surah 2

AS FOR the adulteress and the adulterer – flog each of them with a hundred stripes, and let not compassion with them keep you from [carrying out] this law of God,

He says… Don’t let compassion stop you from flogging people caught in sin…

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Versus

Jesus had mercy on sexual sinners ALL THE TIME - just read the gospels, it is everywhere. Jesus says show mercy, Mohammad says NO MERCY

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3. husbands… beat your wives if they get out of line

‌4th Surah 34

And as for those women whose ill-will you have reason to fear, admonish them; then leave them alone in bed; then beat them.

Yes, that is what it says and what it means. I read muslim commentaries on this, and thats the move… beat your wife.

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Compare this with the NT, which was endorsed by Jesus and says things like this

Colossians 3:19 ESV

Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.

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Ephesians 5: 25-29 ESV

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church

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Another contradiction… The Quran teaches

4. Eye for an Eye - if someone kills one of ours, we kill one of theirs

2nd Surah 178

O YOU who have attained to faith! Just retribution is ordained for you in cases of killing: the free for the free, and the slave for the slave, and the woman for the woman.

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Versus

Matthew 5: 38-42 ESV

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Next contradiction… the Quran teaches to

5. Fight your religious enemies, Christians and Jews because they do not accept Mohammad and the Quran

9th Surah 29

fight against those who – despite having been vouchsafed revelation [aforetime]1223 – do not [truly] believe either in God or the Last Day, and do not consider forbidden that which God and His Apostle have forbidden,1224 and do not follow the religion of truth [which God has enjoined upon them],1225 till they [agree to] pay the exemption tax with a willing hand, after having been humbled [in war].

Fight Christians and Jews in war, unless they pay an exemption tax… then its OK. How convenient.

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Versus

Jesus who said something so completely different:

Matthew 5:43-45 ESV

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven

And the Quran gives no reason to trust Mohammads 600 years too late story - which is historically inaccurate and theologically contradictory everywhere.

Another major problematic thing that the Quran teaches, which leads to the next point… is that Muhammad is considered the highest moral example (Surah 33:21)

That Mohammad had the final authority (along with Allah) in all decisions (Surah 33:36).

Also, according to the Qur’an (Surah 4:65), a person can have no faith without unquestioningly accepting Muhammad’s judgments.

One of Mohammads teachings was that women should give more money, because hell was mainly filled with women because they were deficient in intelligence and religion (ie. following Islam perfectly because apparently women can’t pray on their periods… who knew?)

‌ Sahih al-Bukhari 304

"O women! Give alms, as I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of Hell-fire were you (women)." They asked, "Why is it so, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ?" He replied, "You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you. A cautious sensible man could be led astray by some of you." The women asked, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! What is deficient in our intelligence and religion?" He said, "Is not the evidence of two women equal to the witness of one man?" They replied in the affirmative. He said, "This is the deficiency in her intelligence. Isn't it true that a woman can neither pray nor fast during her menses?" The women replied in the affirmative. He said, "This is the deficiency in her religion."

Obviously, Jesus never taught anything like this… and neither did any one in the NT.

Major red flag.... Mohammad said in the Quran that men could have 4 wives… but he could have 9

Permission to take his sons wife 33:37

And speaking of the number 9....

One of his wives was 6, consummated at 9

Sahih al-Bukhari 3896—Narrated Hisham’s father: Khadija died three years before the Prophet departed to Al-Madina. He stayed there for two years or so and then he wrote the marriage (wedding) contract with Aishah when she was a girl of six years of age, and he consummated that marriage when she was nine years old.

Sahih al-Bukhari 5158—Narrated Urwa: The Prophet wrote the (marriage contract) with Aisha while she was six years old and consummated his marriage with her while she was nine years old and she remained with him for nine years (i.e. till his death).

Sahih Muslim 3310—Aisha reported: Allah’s Apostle married me when I was six years old, and I was admitted to his house when I was nine years old.

Sahih Muslim 3311—Aisha reported that Allah’s Apostle married her when she was seven years old, and she was taken to his house as a bride when she was nine, and her dolls were with her; and when he (the Holy Prophet) died she was eighteen years old.

Sunan Abu Dawud 2116—Aishah said: The Apostle of Allah married me when I was seven years old. (The narrator Sulaiman said: Or six years.) He had intercourse with me when I was nine years old.

There is A LOT more - we don’t have time.... BUT the biggest theological difference is that the Quran teaches, as we mentioned already...

Jesus did not die on the cross

He did not rise from the dead

And worst of all, that Jesus is not God

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Main reason why Islam is false

It is theologically inaccurate

It is historically inaccurate

It is a massive book of contradictions

Loaded with claims with no evidence

Fundamentally contradicts itself when Jesus clearly taught against what Mohammad taught...

Mohammad was not a prophet, he was a false prophet. They kind of false prophet Jesus warned about.

Jesus gave us directions to His house.... Matthew 7: 13-16 ESV

13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits.

Shaka Interview

Now.... its time for something special.

Tell us about you - where are you from?

Small group questions

What stood out to you about the message? Did anything stand out to you about Shaka’s story?

Why is it false to believe all religions are the same?

Jesus gave us directions to His house and told us other roads will not lead there. Why is this offensive to many?