How did Jerusalem come to be so holy to Moslems?

Some unpleasant truth …(old article but still historic accurate)

When Muhammad established Islam, he introduced a minimum of innovations. He employed the hallowed personages, historic legends and sacred sites of Judaism and Christianity, and even paganism, by Islamizing them. Thus, according to Islam, Abraham was the first Moslem and Jesus and St. John (the sons of Miriam, sister of Moses and Aron) were prophets and guardians of the second heaven. Many Biblical legends ("asatir al-awwalin"), which were familiar to the pagan Arabs before the dawn of Islam, underwent an Islamic conversion, and the Qur’an as well as the Hadith (the Islamic oral tradition), are replete with them. Islamization was practiced on places as well as persons: Mecca and the holy stone - al-Ka'bah - were holy sites of the pre-Islamic pagan Arabs. The Umayyad Mosque in Damascus and the Great Mosque of Istanbul were erected on the sites of Christian-Byzantine churches - two of the better known examples of how Islam treats sanctuaries of other faiths.

Jerusalem, too, underwent the process of Islamization: at first Muhammad attempted to convince the Jews near Medina to join his young community, and, by way of persuasion, established the direction of prayer (kiblah) to be to the north, towards Jerusalem, in keeping with Jewish practice; but after he failed in this attempt he turned against the Jews, killed many of them, and directed the kiblah southward, towards Mecca. Muhammad's abandonment of Jerusalem explains the fact that this city is not mentioned even once in the Qur’an.

After Palestine was occupied by the Moslems, its capital was Ramlah, 30 miles to the west of Jerusalem, signifying that Jerusalem meant nothing to them. Islam rediscovered Jerusalem 50 years after Mohammad's death. In 682 CE, 'Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr rebelled against the Islamic rulers in Damascus, conquered Mecca and prevented pilgrims from reaching Mecca for the Hajj. 'Abd al-Malik, the Umayyad Calif, needed an alternative site for the pilgrimage and settled on Jerusalem which was then under his control. In order to justify this choice, a verse from the Qur’an was chosen (17,1 = sura 17, verse 1) which states (trans. by Majid Fakhri):

"Glory to Him who caused His servant to travel by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque, whose precincts We have blessed, in order to show him some of Our Signs, He is indeed the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing."

The meaning ascribed to this verse (see the commentary in al-Jallalayn) is that "the furthest mosque" (al-masgid al-aqsa) is in Jerusalem and that Mohammad was conveyed there one night (although at that time the journey took three days by camel), on the back of al-Buraq, a magical horse with the head of a woman, wings of an eagle, the tail of a peacock, and hoofs reaching to the horizon. He tethered the horse to the Western Wall of the Temple Mount and from there ascended to the seventh heaven together with the angel Gabriel. On his way he met the prophets of other religions who are the guardians of heaven: Adam, Jesus, St. John, Joseph, Idris (=Seth?), Aaron, Moses and Abraham who accompanied him on his way to Allah and who accepted him as their master. Thus Islam tries to gain legitimacy over other, older religions, by creating a scene in which the former prophets agree to Mohammad's mastery, thus making him Khatam al-Anbiya' ("the Seal of the Prophets"). Not surprisingly, this miraculous account contradicts a number of the tenets of Islam:

- How can a living man of flesh and blood ascend to heaven?
- How can a mythical creature carry a mortal to a real destination?

Questions such as these have caused orthodox Moslem thinkers to conclude that the nocturnal journey was a dream of Mohammad's.

The journey and the ascent serves Islam to "go one better" than the Bible: Moses "only" went up to Mt. Sinai, in the middle of nowhere, and drew close to heaven, whereas Mohammad went all the way up to Allah, and from Jerusalem itself.

What are the difficulties with the belief that the al-Aqsa mosque described in Islamic tradition is located in Jerusalem?

For one, the people of Mecca, who knew Muhammad well, did not believe this story. Only Abu Bakr, (later the first Calif), believed him and thus was called al-Siddiq ("the believer

The second difficulty is that Islamic tradition tells us that al-Aqsa mosque is near Mecca on the Arabian peninsula. This was unequivocally stated in "Kitab al-Maghazi" (Oxford UP, 1966, vol. 3, pp. 958-9), a book by the Moslem historian and geographer al-Waqidi.

According to al-Waqidi, there were two "masjeds" (places of prayer) in al-Gi'ranah, a village between Mecca and Ta'if, one was "the closer mosque" (al-masjid al-adana) and the other was "the further mosque" (al-masjid al-aqsa), and Muhammad would pray there when he went out of town.

This description by al-Waqidi which is supported by a chain of authorities (isnad), was not "convenient" for the Islamic propaganda of the 7th century. In order to establish a basis for the awareness of the "holiness" of Jerusalem in Islam, the Califs of the Ummayad dynasty invented many "traditions" upholding the value of Jerusalem (known as "fadha'il bayt al-Maqdis"), which would justify pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the faithful Moslems. Thus was al-Masjid al-Aqsa "transported" to Jerusalem. It should be noted that Saladin also adopted the myth of al-Aqsa and those "traditions" in order to recruit and inflame the Moslem warriors against the Crusaders in the 12th century. Another aim of the Islamization of Jerusalem was to undermine the legitimacy of the older religions, Judaism and Christianity, which consider Jerusalem to be a holy city. Islam is presented as the only legitimate religion, destined to replace the other two, because they had changed and distorted the Word of God, each in its turn. (ghyyarou wa-baddalou. On the alleged forgeries of the Holy Scriptures, made by Jews and Christians, see the third chapter of: M. J. Kister, "haddithu 'an bani isra'il wa-la haraja", IOS 2 (1972), pp. 215-239. Kister quotes dozens of Islamic sources).

Though Judaism and Christianity can exist side by side in Jerusalem, Islam regards both of them as betrayals of Allah and his teachings, and has always done, and will continue to do, all in its power to expel both of them from this city. It is interesting to note that this expulsion is retroactive: The Islamic broadcasters of the Palestinian radio stations consistently make it a point to claim that the Jews never had a temple on the Temple Mount and certainly not two temples. (Where, then, according to them, did Jesus preach?) Arafat, himself a secular person (ask the Hamas!), is doing today exactly what the Califs of the Umayyad dynasty did 1300 years ago: he is marshalling the holiness of Jerusalem to serve his political ends. He must not give control of Jerusalem over to the Jews since according to Islam they are impure and the wrath of Allah is upon them (al-maghdhoub 'alayhim; Qur’an 1,7, see al-Jalalayn and other commentaries; note that verse numbers may differ slightly in the various editions of the Qur’an).

The Jews are the sons of monkeys and pigs (5,60). (For the idea that Jews are related to pigs and monkeys see, for example, Musnad al-Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, (Beirut 1969) vol. 3, p. 241. See also pages 348, 395, 397, 421, and vol. 6, p. 135.). The Jews are those who distorted the holy writings which were revealed to them (2,73; 3,72) and denied God's signs (3,63). Since they violated the covenant with their God (4,154), He cursed them (5,16) and they are forever the inheritors of hell (3,112).

So how can Arafat abandon Jerusalem to the Jews? The Palestinian media these days are full of messages of Jihad, calling to broaden the national-political war between Israel and the Palestinians into a religious-Islamic war between the Jews and the Moslems. READ THEIR LIPS: for them Christianity is no better than Judaism, since both "forfeited" their right to rule over Jerusalem. Only Islam - Din al-Haqq ("the Religion of Truth") has this right, and forever. (shaykh 'Ikrima Sabri, the mufti of Jerusalem, in Friday's khutbah 4 weeks ago, "Sawt falastin", the PA official radio). Since the holiness of Jerusalem to Islam has always been, and still is no more than a politically motivated holiness, Arafat would be putting his political head on the block should he give it up. Must Judaism and Christianity defer to myths related in Islamic texts or envisioned in Mohammad's dreams, long after Jerusalem was established as the ancient, true centre of these two religions which preceded Islam? Should UN forces be sent to the Middle East just because Arafat decided to recycle the political problems of the Umayyads 1250 years after the curtain came down on their role in history?

Source: Dr. Mordechai Kedar, Lecturer Dept. of Arabic Bar-Ilan University
http://www.islamreview.com/articles/howdidjerusalemprint.htm

IHS

By Their Fruits You Shall Know Them

The Dissimilarities Between Islam And Christianity By Jim Croft

In their attempts to lure people from Christian backgrounds into the web of Islam, Muslim activists often claim that there are significant similarities between Islam and Christianity. They assert that Islam completes that which is lacking in Christianity by establishing Mohammed as the superior successor of Jesus Christ as God's final messenger, prophet, and apostle to the world.

The purpose of this article is to unveil the reality that these assertions are gross distortions of the truth. This will be demonstrated by examining the dissimilarities between the respective fruit that has been produced by the two religions. Jesus said that objective observations of the fruit within the lives of prophets and their followers was the criterion for discerning whether a spiritual leader was a true or a false prophet. He compared them to fruit trees, stating that a good tree would bring forth good fruit and that a bad tree would bring forth bad fruit (Matt. 7:15-20).

Our exploration will prove conclusively that there is a vast disparity in the quality of fruit that has been produced by the two religions. At the onset it is crucial that the reader understand that the viewpoints that are expressed in this article are built upon three interrelated premises.

First, there is a subtle, yet viable, correlation between a nation's prominent religion and that nation's potential to produce a long-term fertile environment for the good of its people and the welfare of the global community of mankind. In this context, a country under the predominant influence of a good religion will have equitable laws and provide educational and economic opportunities for all of its citizens. When a nation's psyche has been imprinted by a corrupt religion, it will have unjust laws and fail to produce diverse opportunities for its people.

The second premise is that there is a significant difference in the teachings of Islam when it comes to aspirations for political power over nations and that of Christianity's New Testament. The goal of Islam is to transform every nation into a holy nation by subjugation to Islamic Law. In nations where this goal has been realized, it has diminished the nation's potential to bless its people and make meaningful contributions to the global community. The teachings of the New Testament, Jesus, and His apostles do not concur with Islam's aspirations for global domination. The Bible does not imply that every person on earth will become a Christian. Within Christianity, the collective born-again believers of every nationality are God's holy nation. They are sprinkled as salt among the people groups of the planet. As the salt of the earth they have three functions. They present the Gospel message to all in hopes that many might willing accept the revelation of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. They accentuate the flavour of that which is productive in the systems of this world. As preserving agents they prevent the corrupting influences of Satan and sin from totally destroying the earth and mankind.

Christians are to bless the world in these functions until Christ returns, destroys all evil, and establishes His global millennial reign. Islam's concept of how God's rule is to be established over the entire world is incompatible with that of Christianity. Within Islam it is the Muslim's responsibility to do it by any means possible, including war. The biblical concept is that Christians will win as many people as they can through love before Christ raptures all the converted from the earth. Then Jesus and His heavenly warriors will declare war on the rebellious and be victorious over them. Subsequently, Christ will return with His people and set up His millennial kingdom.

The third and final premise is that membership in an unfruitful religion does not necessitate that a person is inherently evil. There are many good Muslims that have immigrated to Western democracies in the pursuit of political freedom and financial opportunity. The majority of these are sweet, productive people that would have languished had they remained in Islamic-controlled environments. They are free to prosper because they do not have religious legalisms governing their pursuits. There are good and bad Christians just as there are good and bad Muslims. The difference is that Christians that commit unbecoming acts do not have the backing of their Founder and the Bible to support their behavior. Muslims that commit similar sins can often point to the example of Islam's founder, Mohammed, to legitimatize their actions.

With this foundation laid, we will begin the article.

The Apostleship Of Christ Vs The Apostleship of Mohammed -

Contemporary Christians, like those of the first century church, are responsible to examine the claims of those that claim apostleship (Rev. 2:2). The biblical signs of a true apostle are perseverance and miracles (2 Cor. 12:12). Anyone that does not have ample evidence of these two graces is lying about being an apostle. Mohammed was definitely a deceived deceiver.

Jesus and His apostles performed many miraculous cures (Act 10:38, Acts 3:1-8, Rom. 15:18-19). There are no historical accounts of Mohammed and the subsequent leaders of Islam performing miracles.

Jesus and His apostles persevered by maintaining meek and forgiving attitudes in the midst of hostility. Jesus and Stephen, while in their death traumas, forgave their cruel executioners (Lk. 23:24, Acts 7:20). Even though the Apostle Paul suffered numerous floggings and imprisonments at the hand of the Jews, his persevering love for them inspired him to state that he would exchange his own salvation for theirs (Rom. 9:3-4). When Mohammed's new movement encountered resistance, he mutated from being the "peaceful prophet of Mecca" into "the vindictively hostile warrior of Medina". On his deathbed he called for the expulsion of all Jews from the Arabian Peninsula.

Jesus was non-violent, and He forbade His apostles to react with violence against agitators (Matt. 5:39). When Peter severed a soldier's ear with a sword in the garden, Jesus healed the man and commanded Peter to put away his sword (Matt. 26:51-52). Biblically, subsequent to the resurrection of Christ, not one of His apostles or those of the Church advocated violence as a means to spread the Gospel. History records that millions of Christians have been persecuted and martyred without lifting a hand to defend their lives. The Epistles emphatically state that anyone that is a brawler, is given to outbursts of anger, or retaliates with violence is disqualified from spiritual leadership (1 Tim. 3:3, Titus 1:7). Mohammed was a warrior that took lives to spread his message. Through the centuries, and to this day, thousands of Islam's clerics have incited violence for the cause of Jihad.

The Mandate for Moral Purity Within Christianity Vs The Liberty For Debaucheries Within Islam -

Within Christianity, spiritual leaders are required to be joined to one wife in marriage (1 Tim 3:2). Not so in Islam. Contemporary Muslims are allowed up to 4 wives. Mohammed had 11 wives and an unknown number of concubines. He married one hapless girl when she was 6 years old and consummated the sexual relationship when she was only 9 (and still a virgin according to Islamic Sources).

Fornication is a scriptural term that covers every form of deviate sexual activity from adultery through sodomy. For conscientious Christians, fornication is not an option (1 Cor. 6:9). Those that persist in any form of sexual immorality risk spending eternity in hell (Rev. 21:8). Islam is far different. Men that give their lives for Jihad are promised 70 virgins in paradise. Supposedly, each girl's virginity is miraculously restored after each sexual encounter. In addition, beautiful young boys are available as sex objects for the warriors in heaven.

A man that was guilty of committing fornication with his father's wife was excommunicated from the church at Corinth until his repentance was complete (1 Cor. 5:1, 2 Cor. 2:6-8). In contrast, Mohammed seduced and married his son's wife. On another occasion, he learned that a fellow Muslim had freed a slave boy that had been used in paedophile activities. Mohammed recaptured the boy and sold him to another man. In 2002, a 12-year-old Pakistani boy was convicted of the crime of walking with un-chaperoned girls. As a punishment, the Islamic elders of his village sentenced his 15-year-old sister to be gang-raped by five men. The press reported that this was not an isolated incident for Pakistan.

Health And Education Within Christendom Vs That Within Islam -

In this section we will look at the cumulative infant mortality, literacy, and life expectancy rates in 5 prominent Christian nations and 5 prominent Islamic nations. The Christian countries will be America, England, France, Germany, and Switzerland. The Muslim states will be Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. The statistics are taken from Time Almanac 2001 and various Websites.

	Christian Nations	Islamic Nations
Infant mortality rates	5.14 deaths in 1,000 births	78.62 deaths in 1,000 births
Literacy rates	98.6%	46.8%
Life expectancy	77.8 years	57.9 years

Industrial, Scientific, And Technological Advances In Christian Nations Vs Those from Islamic States -

Without question Christian nations lead the world in making contributions for the good of mankind. The major medical advances, mechanical inventions, industrial innovations and cutting-edge business technologies have all been birthed in the heart of the Christian world. The Nobel Prize has been awarded to hundreds of Christians and Jews. In its history only 6 recipients have been from Muslim-controlled nations. Most of these Islamic recipients were privileged with educations in Western democracies. Though Islam claims to have led the world in the arts and sciences from 700-1200AD, there was a curious cessation of their leadership after the eleventh century. Religious persecutions, wars, and harsh environments cannot be blamed. Every Christian nation has experienced the same and risen above the adversities. During the past 800 years not one major contribution to the welfare of mankind has been birthed in an Islamic state without the assistance of Christian education and technology. The oil would still be in the ground if the Westernized world had not pointed the way to the Islamic OPEC nations.

Christian Mercy Missions Vs Islam's Brand Of Benevolence -

Whenever and wherever tragedy strikes, organizations founded on the teachings of Christ respond with acts of compassionate mercy. Christian organizations never use religion, race, or past political animosities as excuses to deter them from mercy missions. Christian nations help rebuild the nations that have been at war with them. Islam is far different. How often do you hear about Islamic states rushing to aid the victims of natural disasters in non-Muslim countries? Is there any record of Iraq lifting a finger to rebuild Kuwait after they devastated it in 1991? The answers to the preceding questions are, "you don't" and "none"! The truth is, Islam simply does not foster compassionate hearts of mercy for anyone other than Muslims. In fact, it is rare to see Muslim nations giving aid to the unfortunate of any nation, including their own. The Islamic brand of benevolence prompted Saudi Arabia and Iraq to reward the families of Palestinian homicide bombers with financial gifts. If given the opportunity, Christian organizations would gladly assist the bereaved financially and offer them counseling to prevent them from encouraging their remaining children to kill themselves and innocent people.

If one uses the criteria of good or corrupt fruit for assessing the value of a religion, Islam does not earn a favourable report. One would be hard pressed to cite objective examples of nations or people that are experiencing ongoing tangible benefits for following Mohammed and the Qur’an.

There are 3 points wherein Christianity and Islam are similar. They both originated in the Middle East, have Holy books, and encourage devotion to one God. Beyond these there are far more dissimilarities than there are similarities between the two religions. Any objective assessor would conclude that when it comes to long-term good fruit, if measured and weighed beside Christianity, Islam is found sorely lacking.

Jim Croft's book, The Muslim Masquerade, is available for $7.00 (postage paid) through JCM, 8130 Glades Rd. #327, Boca Raton, FL 33434. His teaching newsletter, In Search of Truth, may be obtained by contacting him via e-mail:

jcroft8942@adelphia.net

Source: http://www.islamreview.com/articles/theirfruits.shtml

IHS

God of Christianity vs. Allah of Islam

An interesting comparison …

Both Christians and Muslims share belief in a sovereign Deity who is one, heavenly, spiritual, the creator of heaven and earth and the judge of all mankind. Christians call Him " God" and Muslims call Him "Allah". One may thus presume that the attributes of God and Allah are the same. A careful examination of the matter, however, will prove that it is not exactly so.

Muslim activists in the West have been using the tactic of claiming that they worship the same god as the Christians in order to gain legitimacy and acceptance. They have been using the name "God" in place of "Allah" in many translations of the Qur’an.

There is nothing new under the sun! This reminds us of what happened 14 centuries ago. When Mohammed started preaching his new religion in Mecca he was conciliatory and appeasing to Christians. He told them:

"We believe in What has been sent down to us and sent down to you, our God is the same as your God." Surah 29:46.

Compare this with what happened later, in Medina, after Mohammed gained strength. Allah then tells him to :

"Fight those who believe not in God nor the last day...Nor acknowledge the religion of truth (Islam), (even if they are) of the people of the Book, until they pay Jizya (tribute tax) with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued". Surah 9:29

However, the attributes of "God of Christianity" and "Allah of Islam" are quite different. God of the Bible is loving and personal, Allah, on the other hands, is wrathful and non-personal.

THE GOD OF CHRISTIANITY

Christianity believes in a one triune God, while Islam rejects this concept as blasphemous.

"They do blaspheme who say Allah is one of three in a Trinity, for there is no god except One Alah". Surah 5:73

The reason behind Islam's rejection of the concept of the triune God is a misunderstanding of the real meaning behind it. It seems that Islam's understanding of the Trinity was derived from a Christian heresy which existed in Arabia at the time of Mohammed.

This heresy taught a trinity consisting of God the Father, God the Mother (the Virgin Mary), and God the Son (Jesus). The Qur’an says:

"And behold! God will say: O Jesus the son of Mary didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah? He (Jesus) will say: Glory to thee, never could I say what I had no right (to say)". Surah 5:116

Christians, in fact, believe in one God who has made Himself manifest in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus declared this doctrine when He instructed His disciples, saying:

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost". Matthew 28:19 & 20

The Father

Islam doesn't know the loving Fatherhood of God. That intimate relationship with God is foreign to Islam and condemned by the Qur’an.

"(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, you are but men of the men He has created". Surah 5:18

On the other hand, the concept of God being our heavenly Father is at the core of the Christian faith. Jesus taught His disciples to pray, saying:

"Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name..." Matthew 6:9

The relationship between Jesus the Son and God the Father is exhibited on the Cross. We see Jesus addressing God as the Father:

"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34
"Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." Luke 23:46

The New Testament is full of references to God as the Father of all believers.

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God... Behold, now are we the sons of God." 1 John 3: 1 & 2

The Son

Islam cannot accept the role of Jesus as the Son of God.

"O People of the book! Commit no excess in your religion: nor say of Allah aught but truth, Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) an apostle of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him. So believe in Allah and His apostles. Say not 'Trinity': desist! It will be better for you. For Allah is One Allah. Glory be to Him: (Far exalted is He) above having a son." Surah 4:171

Nor does Islam accept the deity of Jesus

"In blasphemy indeed are those that say that Allah is Christ the son of Mary. Say: who then hath the least power against Allah if His will were to destroy Christ the son of Mary, his mother, and all - everyone that is on earth? For to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is in between... For Allah hath power over all things." Surah 5:17

The God of Islam possesses all power over all things, including the power to erase sin if He so desires and when He so desires. This is completely different from the God of Christianity who is just and merciful, and who must work within the plan of salvation, to satisfy both His mercy and justice. The plan cannot be carried out without the sacrifice of Jesus, the Son of God, on the cross, on our behalf, in order to pay the penalty of our transgression.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

The love of God towards sinners is against the spirit of Islam. Islam vehemently rejects the crucifixion of Jesus.

"That they said (in boast), . We killed Christ Jesus, the Son of Mary. ,,,but they killed him not, nor crucified him." Surah 4:157

The Holy Spirit

Islam looks upon the Holy Spirit as a created spirit the same as an angel. In many instances the Qur’an uses the name "Holy Spirit" to mean an angel. In the story of the birth of Jesus, the Qur’an states that God has sent to Mary "His Spirit" (meaning the Angel Gabriel) to announce to her the news that she was chosen to be the mother of Jesus.

"Then We (God) sent to her Our Angel (in the original: Our spirit), and he appeared before her as a man in all respects." Surah 19:17

The Spirit of God (as the Angel Gabriel) was also the one who allegedly carried the message of the Qur’an to Mohammed.

"Say the Holy Spirit (The Angel Gabriel) has brought the revelation from thy Lord in truth." Surah 16:102

Because Muslims do not recognize the Holy Spirit, they cannot accept the Lordship of Jesus.

"No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." 1 Corinthians 12:3

And because Muslims don't have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them, they don't have the assurance of salvation.

"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God, and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ." Romans 8:16 & 17

THE "ALLAH" OF ISLAM

In theory Allah in the Qur’an has 99 names or attributes such as: Omniscient, Omnipotent, Sublime, Living, Everlasting, Holy, Light, Creator, Powerful...etc. In reality, however, the Qur’an paints a picture of Allah that in many ways resembles Mohammed's own personality. Whatever Mohammed wanted, Allah wanted for him. However Mohammed reacted, Allah reacted for him. Aisha, (one of Mohammed's 13 wives) was quoted as saying to Mohammed scornfully:

"O Allah's Apostle, I do not see but that your Lord hurries in pleasing you." Al-Bukhari Vol 7:48

Here are just a few examples: When Abu Lahab criticized Mohammed, telling him, . Perish you, Mohammed! Did you invite us here for this?. , Allah immediately sends down Surah 111 to condemn both Abu Lahab and his wife.

"Perish the hands of the Father of Flane (Abu Lahab). Burnt soon will he be in fire of blazing flame. His wife shall carry the wood as fuel."

When Al Walid Ibn Almoghira and Omaya Ibn Khalaf mocked Mohammed and boasted of their wealth, Allah sends down Surah 104 rebuking them.

"Woe to every (kind of) scandal-monger and backbiter who pileth up wealth and layeth it by, thinking that wealth would make last forever. He will be sure to be thrown into the fire (of the wrath) of Allah kindled (to a blaze)."

When Mohammed fell in love with Zaynab, wife of his adopted son (Zaid), God approved of divorcing her from Zaid and joined her in marriage to Mohammed: -

"Then, when Zaid had dissolved (his marriage) with her We joined her in marriage to thee, in order that there might be no difficulty to the believers in marriage to wives of their adopted sons." Surah 33:37

When Mohammed's wives demanded higher allowances out of the booty taken from the massacred Banu Qorayza Jewish tribe, God settled it by telling the wives to either be content with their present allowance or face divorce. (See Surah 33:28 & 29)

When Hafsa caught Mohammed, in her bed, making love to his concubine Mariya, Mohammed tried to please angry Hafsa by promising her that he will stay away from Mariya. At this point Allah intervenes in Mohammed's behalf: -

"O Prophet why holdest thou to be forbidden that which God has made lawful to thee? Thou seekest to please thy consorts. But Allah is oft forgiving, most merciful." Surah 66:1

The next time you attend one of those "bridge-building" meetings, where a panel of a Catholic priest, a Protestant minister, a Jewish rabbi and a Muslim sheik, hold hands in solidarity declaring that they all worship the same God, remember these differences! That bridge they are building is a one way bridge, leading only towards Islam.

21.9.09

Nothing in Common
Still comparing…

Islam, in the West, is fighting its battle of acceptance and legitimacy. Muslim activists are working fervently trying to improve Islam's image. Their goal is to create an environment in which Islam can be easily propagated. Their tool is as old as Islam itself, but they have just rediscovered it. This tool is telling Christians that Islam and Christianity have a lot in common. They cite Islam's belief in the Bible, God, Jesus, Mary, the prophets, the day of judgment and Paradise. This tactic is not new to Islam. Fourteen centuries ago, Mohammed, the prophet of Islam, used it when he started preaching his new religion in Mecca. At the beginning when Mohammed was weak, he was conciliatory and appeasing to Christians. He told them,

"We believe in what has been sent down to us (The Qur’an), and sent down to you (The Bible). Our God is the same as your God." Surah 29:46.

Later, in Medina, after Mohammed became strong, all this changed. Allah, allegedly, tells him then, "Fight people of the Book (Christians and Jews) who do not accept the religion of the truth (Islam) until they pay tribute by hand, being inferior." Surah 9:29
The fact is that the differences between Christianity and Islam are very deep, and irreconcilable. The space limitation will enable us to list just a few.

Our God is not their Allah

Our God is a loving Father, who, along with the Son and the Holy Spirit, is One God.

To Muslims, the concept of a triune God is a blasphemy. " They do blaspheme who say God is one of three..., for there is no God except one God." Surah 5:73

Allah of Islam is changeable. "Our revelations we abrogate or cause to be forgotten, we substitute (with) something better or similar. Knowest thou not that God (Allah) hath power over all things." Surah 2:106

Allah of Islam is temperamental.
"If we had so willed, we could certainly have brought every soul its true guidance, but the word from me will come true "I will fill Hell with Jinns (demons) and men all together." Surah 32:13

Allah of Islam is a deceiver.
"They plot and plan, and God, too plans, but the best of planners (deceivers) is God." Surah 8:30

Allah of Islam is frightening.
"It is God whom ye should more justly fear, if you believe." Surah 9:13

Our Jesus is not their Isa

Our Jesus is the Son of God who died on the Cross to save the whole world. (In the Qur’an Jesus ' name is Isa. )

Isa is a created human being.
"The similitude of Isa before God is as that of Adam; He created him from dust, Then said to him: "Be" : And he was." Surah 3:59

Isa is just an apostle.
"O people of the book (Christians) commit no excess in your religion: nor say of God aught but truth, Christ Isa the son of Mary was (No more than) an apostle of God." Surah 4: 171

Isa was not crucified.
"That they said (in boast) "we killed Christ Isa, the son of Mary"...but they killed him not, nor crucified him." Surah 4:157

Isa will return to earth to destroy the Cross.
" The hour will not be established until the son of Mary (Jesus) descends amongst you as a just ruler, he will break the Cross.." Hadith vol. 3:656

Our Holy Spirit is not their Angel Gabriel

Our Holy Spirit is the third person in the Godhead. His work is to comfort, convict, regenerate, guide, give power and bring forth fruit.

The Holy Spirit in Islam is an angel.
"Then we (Allah) sent to her (Mary) our Angel (our spirit), and he (Angel Gabriel) appeared before her as a man in all respects." Surah 19:17

"Say the Holy Spirit (the Angel Gabriel) has brought the revelation (the Qur’an) from thy Lord in Truth." Surah 16:102

Our Ethics are not their Sharia

Christian ethics are based on love, forgiveness, equality, tolerance and free-choice.

Islam teaches revenge."
If any one transgress the prohibition against you, transgress likewise against him." Surah 2:194

Islam does not treat women and men as equal.
"To the male a portion equal to that of two females." Surah 4:11

Islam allows men to beat their wives.
"... As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them, refuse to share their beds, beat them ." Surah 4:34

Islam imposes harsh punishment on wrongdoers.

A thief is punished by the amputation of hands. Surah 5:38
A drunk is punished by 80 lashes. Hadith vol. 8:770
An adulterer is punished by 100 lashes. Surah 24:2

Islam must be imposed by force, if necessary.

"And fight them on, until there is no more tumult (seduction) or oppression, and there prevail justice, and faith in God (and the religion becomes Islam)." Surah 2:193

Apostasy from Islam is punishable by death.
"Whoever changes his (Islamic) religion, kill him." Hadith vol. 9:57

Our Salvation is not their straight path

Our Salvation is guaranteed by the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on our behalf, on the Cross.

In Islam there is no Original Sin, and no need for the Cross; Allah, the all powerful, has the supreme authority to punish or to forgive whomever He pleaseth, whenever He pleaseth.
"He (Allah) forgiveth whom He pleaseth, and punisheth whom He pleaseth, for God has power over all things." Surah 2:284

In Islam good deeds cancel bad deeds.
"For those things that are good remove those that are evil." Surah 11:114

The only assurance a Muslim has of going to Paradise is through fighting for the cause of spreading Islam (Jihad), and being martyred in the process.
"And if you are slain, or die in the way of Allah, forgiveness and mercy from Allah are far better than all they could amass." Surah 3:157

Our Heaven is not their Paradise

In Christianity Heaven's pleasures are pleasures of spirit, pleasures of purity.

In Islam Paradise is the place where a Muslim will be reclining, eating meats and delicious fruits, drinking exquisite wines, and engaging in sex with beautiful women (and perpetually young beautiful boys "Wildan or Ghilman", according to some Muslim theologians).
"As to the righteous, they will be in gardens and in happiness (to them will be said:) "Eat and drink ye, with profit and health, because of your (good) deeds "They will recline (with ease) on thrones (of dignity) arranged in ranks; and we shall join (marry) them to companions with beautiful big and lustrous eyes... And we shall bestow on them, of fruit and meat, anything they desire. They shall there exchange, one another, a cup free of frivolity, free of all taint of ill. Round about them youth (handsome) as pearls well-guarded." Surah 52:17, 19, 20 & 22-24

Dear Christian Brother/Sister

There is a new trend, these days, among well-meaning Christians, that calls for understanding, making dialogue and building bridges between Christianity and Islam. These words may sound good, but unfortunately, in many cases they have been wrongly applied. True understanding occurs when we try to know both the attractive side of Islam and the ugly side. True dialogue occurs when we listen to them and we insist they listen to us. True bridge-building occurs when the bridges we build with them go both ways. True love occurs when we tell them they are wrong if we know that they are wrong. Muslims' message to Christians in the West, these days," We have a lot in common, we are similar, accept us, listen to us..." It is a ploy, don't believe it; they use it only to spread their religion. After they gain the upper hand, Muslims' message will be, "We have nothing in common with you, you are infidels who worship three gods, and follow a corrupt Bible. You are dhimmis who must accept Islam or pay jizya (penalty tax) for being Christians..." Then, there would be no understanding between Muslims and Christians, no dialogues, and no bridges.... Don't let Muslims deceive you into believing that Islam is a legitimate extension of Christianity. The Bible makes it clear that, "last of all," God the Father sent His Son Jesus (Matthew 21:37), and that the Bible is God's last revelation (Revelation 22:18). Jesus warns, "There shall arise false prophets, that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."l Matthew 24:24

Source: www.islamreview.com/articles

IHS