The Qu’ran Part VII
From Part VI
THE QUR’AN AND THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST
The irreconcilable difference between the Bible and the Qur’an, and between Christianity and Islam, is in the issue of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon said, " Leave out the cross and you have killed the religion of Jesus. Atonement by the blood of Jesus is not an arm of Christian truth; it is the heart of it."
Christianity is the final religion in the plan of God for mankind. No other true religion can come after it. God sent Moses and the Jewish prophets to set the foundation for Christianity. The Old Testament, by its offerings, prophecies, types, symbols, and characters was the foundation on which Christianity was built.
Jesus Christ and His crucifixion are the grand subject of the Old Testament. When Christ came and was crucified, the plan of God for the redemption of mankind was completed. This is what Christ proclaimed when he said " it is finished" (John
How can it be accepted that, after this royal building was erected and perfectly completed, a man who came six hundred years later could challenge this grand design, claiming that his religion is the only religion accepted by Allah? On what foundation was his religion built? There are no prophecies, types, symbols, or characters to point to Islam in the whole Bible. But concerning Christianity, we read a massive number of prophecies pointing to Jesus Christ and his crucifixion in the Old Testament.
One chapter of the book of the prophet Isaiah portrays the sufferings of the crucified Christ and how that He would be buried in a rich man's tomb. That chapter was written seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus Christ. The four gospels confirm that the prophecies written in that chapter were fulfilled to the letter.
David, who was a king as well as a prophet, prophesied Christ's crucifixion. This is what David wrote:
For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet (Psalm
David died an honorable death in his palace, but his son according to the flesh, Jesus Christ, died by crucifixion - the only death in which the hands and the feet are pierced.
All the offerings mentioned in the book of Leviticus were a type of Jesus Christ who was to be crucified. The crucified Christ was the burnt offering, the meat offering, the trespass offering, the peace offering, and the sin offering. God was preparing His people through these offerings, prophecies, symbols, and types for the crucifixion of His son Jesus Christ.
The fiery serpent made of brass and lifted up on a pole in the wilderness was a symbol of Christ on the cross. It gave life to those who were bitten by fiery serpents if they looked at it in faith. Jesus referred to that symbol when He said:
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life (John
We have to remember that the brazen serpent was in the shape of the fiery serpent, but with no poison in it. Jesus came in the form of man, yet was born without sin, and lived a sinless life.
The Qur’an Denies the Crucifixion of Christ
With all these solid proofs, which confirm the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, Muhammad, who came six hundred years later, a man who never lived in the land of Israel, who was illiterate, unable to read the prophecies of the true prophets concerning the birth, the life, the death, the burial, the resurrection, the ascension, and the second coming of Jesus Christ, denied in his Qur’an the crucifixion of Christ.
Here are the words of the Qur’an:
That they said [in boast], "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah," but they killed him not, nor crucified him. Only a likeness of that was shown to them. And those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no [certain] knowledge. But only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not (
This verse in the Qur’an which says that someone other than Jesus was crucified is in total contrast with the Bible. The four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are centered around the crucifixion of Christ. If Christ was not crucified, then the New Testament, indeed Christianity as a whole, is null and void.
The three days of the Qur’an
We have to realize that the Qur’an mentions three days in the life of Jesus Christ:
The day of His birth, The day of His death and the day of His resurrection
In Surat Maryam, the Qur’an records that Jesus said:
Peace on me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive (Surat Maryam 19:33 MPT).
It is clear that every day come chronologically one after the other.
The Day of Jesus’ Birth
Christ was born in
The Day of Jesus’ Death
Christ was crucified on the cross for the sin of mankind; that is the day He died. The Muslim clerics have many different interpretations concerning Christ’s death, but they deny his crucifixion.
The Day of Jesus’ Resurrection
Christ was raised from the dead by His own power. he said to the Jews:
Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up... He was speaking of the temple of his body (John
This is the day of His resurrection.
By His triumphant resurrection He was declared to be the everlasting Son of God. The apostle Paul says concerning this fact:
Christ our Lord who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of Holiness, by the resurrection from the dead (Romans 1:3 NKJ)
The death of Jesus on the cross of Calvary was a necessity to glorify God and redeem mankind.
The apostle Paul summed up the central theme of Christianity in the following words:
Redemption that is in Christ Jesus;... to demonstrate his righteousness... that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans
Christianity does not proclaim a God who is a despotic dictator who forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills without any basis of justice, but a God who is a just God, and who is also the justifier.
The only logical solution for the problem of sin is the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. The sinless and perfect Savior died to redeem sinful and wretched men.
Eye Witnesses tot he Crucifixion
The apostle Peter declared tot he Jews who lived at the time of the crucifixion of Christ:
Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it (Acts 2:22-24).
The apostle John, who was an eye witness of the crucifixion of Christ recorded:
Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced (John
Thomas, one of the disciples, put his finger in the pierced hands of the risen Christ, and cried out:
My Lord and my God (John
These words were not an exclamation but a confession.
More than five hundred people saw the risen Christ (I Corinthians 15:6).
All of the events of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ were "according to the scriptures" and fulfilled Old Testament prophecies tot he letter (I Corinthians 15:1-4). All of the witnesses of these events - many of whom were martyred because of their testimonies - are more than sufficient to confirm the truth about the crucifixion of Christ.
More importantly, the crucifixion of Christ was foreordained before the foundation of the world:
… knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you (I Peter
If Muhammad and his Qur’an deny the crucifixion of Christ, then we have to apply to Muhammad the words of the apostle Peter:
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of (2 Peter:1, 2).
TESTING THE TRUTHFULNESS OF THE QUR’AN
The First Test Is The Test Of True Source Of Inspiration
The Bible is the absolute standard in this area. When God called Moses to be the founder of Judaism he spoke to him directly:
And to Moses Allah spoke direct (
There are many instances mentioned in the Torah where it is said, " The Lord spoke to Moses." Thirty-five times we read in the book of Leviticus "And the Lord spoke to Moses." The line of communication never stopped between God and Moses, since he was called to be a prophet, and in every move Moses followed God's directions.
God confirmed His call to Moses with miracles. When Moses erected the tabernacle of meeting, and Aaron offered the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering, we read how God demonstrated His glory to authenticate Moses' prophethood:
And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting, and came out and blessed the people. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people, and fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces (Leviticus
Now we come to Muhammad. His call came by the spirit who met him at the
Muhammad suffered greatly every time he received a revelation from that spirit.
Al-Imam (cleric) Al-Bukhary quoted Aisha, Muhammad's wife, when she said:
Harith Ibn Hesham asked the messenger of Allah: "Messenger of Allah, how do you receive the revelation?' "Sometimes it comes to me like a ringing bell, and this is the hardest. When he leaves me I remember what he said" Muhammad answered. Then he continued, "Sometimes the angel appears to me as a man, he speaks to me and I remember what he said." Aisha said, "I saw him when revelation comes down to him, sweat covers his forehead in the very cold day."
Imam Ahmad cited Abdallah Ibn Omar, who asked Muhammad, "Do you feel the revelation?" "I hear ringing, then I stay silent. Every time the spirit came with revelation I thought I would die," Muhammad answered.
Ibn Saad quoted Aisha when she said:
When revelation comes down to Muhammad, he submerged his head in water, his face turns pale, he feels that he is very cold and he sweats with large drops of sweating (Al-Helal Magazine, December 1970, page 73).
Allah did not speak to Muhammad directly, only the spirit of unknown origin did.
Moreover, when Muhammad entered Makkah victoriously, and cast out all of the idols from the Kaaba, God did not reveal His glory there as he revealed it in the Tabernacle of Meeting. No sign of God's presence was felt in the Kaaba.
Ibn Hesham recorded that the prophet stood there to display the Muslims' armies with all their banners. Abu-Sufian the Amowite and Al-Abaas, the prophet's uncle, stood to watch the parade.
"The Kingdom of your nephew Muhammad became so great today" Abu-Sufian said to Al-Abaas. "It is the prophethood, not the Kingship, Abu-Sufian," Al-Abaas "As to prophethood, I still have my reservations concerning it," Abu-Sufian answered (Islamic Caliphate, page 103).
There were great doubts in the hearts of many in
Also mention in the book Idris: He was a man of truth [and sincerity], and a prophet. And we raised him to lofty station (
Ahmad Bahgat recorded on page 164 of his book, The Prophets of Allah:
Legends say that Idris is Osiris the hero of the ancient Egyptian legend.
Idris is the Arabic pronunciation of Osiris. The Reader's Digest Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary defines "Osiris" on page 1203:
The ancient Egyptian god of the underworld In Egyptian mythology the god who was ruler and judge in the underworld and the brother and consort of
The Qur’an declares that Idris, or Osiris, who was the ancient Egyptian god of the underworld, is:
... a man of truth [and sincerity], and a prophet. And We [Allah] raised him to lofty station (
Amazing!!
Is Osiris the god of the underworld, or a prophet? With such an error, could the Qur’an be the inspired word of the true God?
Another person was mentioned in the Qur’an and commentators have no idea who he was. His name is Zul-Kifl and he is mentioned in
And remember Ismail, Idris, and Zul-Kifl, all [men] of constancy and patience.
Who is Zul-Kifl? Nobody knows! That is contrary to what is written in the Bible:
For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope (Romans 15:4 NKJ).
But the Qur’an recorded things with no benefit for its readers.
The Story of Joseph in the Qur’an is Distorted
We have to remember that Christianity is the extension of Judaism and is founded on the Old Testament. The stories of the Old Testament are referred to but are not repeated in the New Testament because together they are one book "The Bible." The New Testament is a continuation of the Old Testament.
The Qur’an, however, is not the extension of the Bible and is not consistent with the Bible. Therefore, Islam cannot not be accepted as God's final religion for mankind. The Qur’an repeats the biblical stories of Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Jesus and others and it does so with significant distortion. We see this clearly from the conflicting story of Joseph in the Bible and the Qur’an.
In the Bible we read how Potiphar's wife tried to seduce Joseph to lie with her, and how Joseph refused to commit such a gross sin. The biblical story describes a young man who felt the presence of God with him who, by the grace of God, refused to lie with his master's wife. The two conflicting stories are recorded on these pages for the reader to discern which one is true inspiration.
The Bible story:
Now it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast longing eyes on Joseph and she said, "Lie with me." But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"
So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her. But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, that she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me." But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside, and so it was, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled outside, that she called to the men of her house and spoke to them, saying, "See, he has brought in to us a Hebrew to mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. And it happened, when he heard that I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me, and fled and went outside."
So she kept his garment with her until his master came home. Then she spoke to him with words like these, saying, "The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me; so it happened, as I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me and fled outside."
So it was, when his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, saying, "Your servant did to me after this manner," that his anger was aroused.
Then Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison (Genesis 39:7-20 NKJ).
Now, the distorted story in the Qur’an:
Ladies, said in the city: "The wife of the [great] Aziz is seeking to seduce her slave. Truly hath he inspired her with violent love: we see she is evidently going astray.
When she heard of their malicious talk, she sent for them and prepared a banquet for them: she gave each of them a knife: and she said [to Joseph], "Come out before them." When they saw him, they did extol him, and [in their amazement] cut their hands: they said, "Allah preserve us! no mortal is this! This is none other than a noble angel!"
She said: "There before you is the man about whom ye did blame me! I did seek to seduce him from His [true] self but he did firmly save himself guiltless!...And now, if he doth not my bidding, he shall certainly be cast into prison, and [what is more] be of the company of the vilest!" (
Another distortion concerns life in the eternal state. Jesus said:
For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven (Matthew
The Qur’an declares:
As to the Righteous, they will be in gardens, and in happiness. They will recline [with ease] upon couches arranged in ranks, and We shall wed them to maidens with beautiful big and lustrous eyes (
Other examples of the distorted biblical stories written in the Qur’an are the story of Noah (Surat Al-Ankabut 29:14, Surat Al-Tahrim 66:10); and the story of Abraham where the Qur’an says that he was ordered to sacrifice Ishmael, not Isaac (Surat Al-Saffat 37:100-107).
These distorted stories and teachings are far from being God's inspired word.
Any discerning reader has the right to question the source of the Qur’an's revelations.
Muhammad Used the Qur’an to Solve his Own Problems and to Satisfy His Own Desires
It is clear from the following examples that Muhammad used the revelations of the Qur’an to solve his own problems and satisfy his carnal desires.
1. Muhammad lusted after Zainab, his daughter-in-law, and desired to marry her, so a revelation came to him from his Allah saying:
Then when Zaid [Muhammad's adopted son] had dissolved [his marriage] with her [with Zainab, his daughter-in-law] We joined her in marriage to thee (
2. Aisha, the youngest of Muhammad's wives, conspired with his other wives against him because he had sex with Mary, the Coptic slave, in the bed of his wife Hafsa, daughter of Omar. Muhammad refused to share their beds for one month. Then the following revelation came to threaten them:
When the Prophet disclosed a matter in confidence to one of his consorts, and she then divulged it [to another], and Allah made it known to him, he confirmed part thereof and passed over a part. Then when he told her thereof, she said, "Who told thee this?" He said, "He told me Who is the Knower, the Aware."
If ye two turn in repentance to Allah, your hearts are indeed so inclined; but if ye back up each other against him, truly Allah is his Protector, and Gabriel, and [every] Righteous one among those who believe and furthermore, the angels will back [him] up.
It may be, if he divorced you [all], that Allah will give him in exchange consorts better than you - who submit [their wills], who believe, who are devout; who turn to Allah in repentance, who worship [in humility], who fast - previously married or virgins (Surat Al-Tahrim 66:3-5).
Muhammad's wives were scared. They repented. The revelation did what Muhammad wanted and he came back to them. (The full story is in the book, The Wives of the Prophet, pages 100-104.)
3. Muhammad's wives asked his permission to adorn themselves, and wanted him to raise their allowance, so the following revelation came to threaten them:
O Prophet! say to thy consorts: "If it be that ye desire the life of this world, and its glitter - then come! I will provide for your enjoyment and set you free in a handsome manner (
This meant that he would give them money and divorce them. The sword of divorce was always ready to threaten Muhammad's wives and subdue them in the name of Allah.
4. Muhammad was afraid that his wives would be seduced by other men, so a revelation came to him to order his wives as well as other Muslim women to wear a veil:
O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons [when out of doors]: That is most convenient, that they should be known [as such] and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (
Another verse was given to Muhammad's wives:
O ye wives of the Prophet! Ye are not like any other women. If ye keep your duty [to Allah], then be not soft of speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease aspire [to you], but utter customary speech (
5. Muhammad was afraid that his wives might commit lewdness hind his back, especially since some of them were much younger than him, so the following revelation came to threaten them and instill terror in their hearts:
O ye, wives of the Prophet! Whosoever of you committeth manifest lewdness, the punishment for her will be doubled, and that is easy for Allah (
The question is: if Muhammad's godly example and the teachings the Qur’an had an influence on the wives of Muhammad, to keep them honest and pure, why would such a threat be needed?
6. Muhammad was annoyed by those who used to enter his houses without permission, and was afraid that they might seduce his wives, so the following revelation came to him:
O ye who believe! Enter not the Prophet's houses, until leave is given you, for a meal, [and then] not [so early as] to wait for its preparation: but when ye are invited, enter; and when ye have taken your meal, disperse, without seeking familiar talk. Such [behavior] annoys the Prophet he is shy to dismiss you, but Allah is not shy [to tell you] the truth. And when ye ask [his ladies] for anything ye want, ask them from before a screen: that makes for greater purity for your hearts and for theirs. Nor is it right for you that ye should annoy Allah's Messenger, or that ye should marry his widows after him at any time. Truly such a thing is in Allah's sight an enormity (
7. Muhammad was annoyed by those who called him from behind his apartments, so he needed a revelation to stop them from doing it.
Those who shout out to thee from without the inner apartments - most of them lack understanding. If only they had patience until thou couldst come out to them, it would be best for them: but Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (
8. To motivate his followers to pay alms to him, that he would pray for them or meet them in private for counsel, Muhammad needed a revelation. The revelation came in the following words:
Of their wealth take alms, that so thou mightest purify and sanctify them; and pray on their behalf. Verily thy prayers are a source of security for them: And Allah is One Who heareth and knoweth (
Incidentally, the reader may ask how Muhammad, who is himself a sinner, can purify and sanctify his followers, something only God can do.
O ye who believe! When ye hold conference with the messenger, offer an alms before your conference. That is better and purer for you. But if ye cannot find [the wherewithal] then lo! (
Muhammad's prayers and counsel cost Muslims their money.
9. When Muhammad went to Al-Madina, he commanded the Muslims to pray toward
The fools among the people will say "What hath turned them from the Qiblah [the direction to which the Muslims must turn when they pray] to which they were used?" Say: To Allah belong both East and West: He guideth whom He will to a way that is straight. We see the turning of thy face [for guidance] to the heavens: now shall we turn thee to a Qibla that shall please thee. Turn then thy face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque: Wherever ye are, turn your faces in that direction (
We must not forget that the sacred mosque, the Kaaba, was full of idols at that time.
10. When Abu-Bakr suggested to Muhammad to take ransom from the prisoners of war at the battle of Badr and free them, Omar suggested that the prisoners of that war should all be killed. Now Muhammad needed a revelation to justify Omar's suggestion since it was against any code of war. The revelation came as follows:
It is not for any Prophet to have captives until he hath made slaughter in the land. Ye desire the lure of this world and Allah desireth [for you] the Hereafter, and Allah is Mighty Wise. . (
11. According to Muhammad, Allah had commanded that a man could marry up to four women at any one time:
Marry women of your choice, two, or three, or four (
Four women were not enough for Muhammad, so he needed special permission from Allah to marry any number of women he wished. The revelation came as follows:
O Prophet! We have made lawful to thee thy wives to whom thou has paid their dowers; and those whom thy right hand possesses out of the captives of war whom Allah has assigned to thee; and daughters of thy paternal uncles and aunts, and daughters of thy maternal uncles and aunts, who migrated with thee; and any believing woman who gives herself to the Prophet if the Prophet wishes to wed her - this only for thee, and not for the believers [at large]; we know what we have appointed for them as to their wives and the captives whom their right hands possess - in order that there should be no difficulty for thee. (
12. To instill terror in the hearts of his enemies, revelations came to say:
The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world and heavy punishment is theirs in the hereafter (Surat Al-Maidah 5:33).
Remember thy Lord inspired the angels [with the message] "I am with you: give firmness to the Believers: I will instill terror into the hearts of the infidels [literal translation] smite them above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them" (
All the verses we mentioned, indicate how in the name of Allah, Muhammad got everything he wanted. Many of the suras are concerning Muhammad and directed to him. It has no meaning to the 20th century person; no application to his life.
Moreover, we sense in these verses a sadistic behavior toward those who oppose Muhammad. Many verses of the Qur’an were revealed to solve Muhammad's problems and satisfy his desires.
Source: http://www.thespiritofislam.com/books/imk/index.html
Continues on Part VIII
IHS
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