Thursday, November 11, 2010

SPECIAL CONTRIBUTION:

Islam and Christianity
The Koran vs. The Bible
By IaR (MA)
              
A Comparison of the Christian Scriptures with the Teachings of Muhammad
Islam claims 1/5 of the world population.* Over 80,000 U.S. foreign exchange students are Muslim.
Salam, Muslim Brothers and Sisters, you must be very careful of the Christian missionary by  influencing muslim youngsters to change their mind and faith back to the Book of Bible, whereas this Holy Book of Bible was merely recognized during the time of Jesus was a messenger of God. Now and forever that Mohammad is a messenger of God and Muhammad was not divine but the last of the prophets - the very one predicted in Moses' Islam considers Jesus a prophet just like Moses, Abraham, and Noah. "Jesus is like Adam in the sight of Allah. he created him of dust and then said to him: 'Be,' and he was." (Koran 3:55, 58)


Declaration of The Faith

Islam is monotheistic (Koran 3:64). The first phrase in the Declaration of the Faith states:
"I bear witness that there is no God but the Almighty God and that Mohammad is a messenger of God."[1]
"For God hath said, 'Take not to yourselves two Gods, for He is one God.'" (Sura 16:53; cp. 20:7)
"Verily God will not forgive the union of other gods with Himself." (Sura 4:51)
Islam rejects the concept of the Trinity. The Koran misrepresents the teaching of Christianity regarding the Godhead, claiming Christians believe in "three Gods" - Father, Mother, and Son. (Sura 5:116, 5:73-75; cp. (Koran 5:114)
 In the account of creation recorded in the book of Genesis, God speaks plurally of His own Person. (Genesis 1:26, 27; cp. Genesis 3:22; 11:7; Isaiah 6:3, 8) 

The Christian Scriptures, both New and Old Testaments, teach that the Godhead consists of three persons in one: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Isaiah 11:2 "...the Spirit... the Lord... Him"
Isaiah 42:1 "My Servant... I... My Spirit... upon Him"
Isaiah 48:16 "The Lord God... His Spirit... sent Me"
Isaiah 61:1 "Spirit of the Lord God... upon Me ... the Lord"
Isaiah 63:9 "He...the Angel of His Presence... His Holy Spirit"
Matthew 1:20, 21 "the Lord (the Father)... the Holy Spirit ... Jesus"
Matthew 3:16, 17 "Jesus... the Spirit of God... a Voice from heaven (the Father)"
Matthew 12:18 "I... My Spirit... on Him"
Matthew 22:42, 43 "Christ... the Spirit... Lord (the Father)"
Acts 11:16, 17 "the Lord... the Holy Spirit... God... the Lord Jesus Christ"
Acts 20:21-23 "God... Jesus... the Holy Spirit"
Romans 1:1, 3, 4 "God... His Son, Jesus Christ... the Spirit"
Romans 5:5, 6 "God... the Holy Spirit... Christ"

Muhammad was not divine but the last of the prophets - the very one predicted in Moses' day[2]:

"I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brethren; and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not give heed to My words which he shall speak in My name, I, Myself, will require it of him." (Deuteronomy 18:18, 19)
"Mohammad... is the messenger of God and the Khatam [seal, closure, end, or last] of the prophets..." (Koran 33:40)
"The Prophet Mohammad said to his cousin Ali: 'Thy position from me compares to the position of Aaron from Moses, but there will be no prophet after me.'"[3]
Jesus was not divine, but merely a prophet.
 Jesus claimed to be God. He accepted worship, forgave sins, lived a sinless life, possessed all the attributes of God, and raised himself from the dead.  

On the Deity of Jesus Christ 
 
Islam considers Jesus a prophet just like Moses, Abraham, and Noah. [4]  

Mohammad and the Arabs are descendants of Ishmael, which Islam claims Jesus said by their interpretation of Matthew 21:42-44 would supersede the Israelite nation. [5] 

Islam rejects the divinity of Jesus Christ:

"The Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, was no more than Allah's apostle and His Word which He cast to Mary; a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His apostles and do not say: 'Three.' ...Allah is but one God...." (Koran 4:171)
"...Then Allah will say: 'Jesus, the son of Mary, did you ever say to mankind: 'Worship me and my mother as gods beside Allah?'" (Koran 5:114) 
 Jesus was more than a prophet. He is God. (Matthew 17:5; Mark 1:1; Luke 1:35;  Philippians 2:6; Hebrews 1:8; 1 John 4:15)

He claimed to be God:  John 4:26; 8:23; 10:30; 13:13; 14:7-10
He accepted worship:  Matthew 8:2; 9:18; 14:33; 15:25; 18:26; 28:9, 17; Mark 5:6; Luke 24:52; John 5:22, 23; John 9:38
He forgave sins: Matthew 9:6 Mark 2:7
"He was God manifest in the flesh" (1 Timothy 3:16), "for in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." (Colossians 2:9) God was in Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:19), Who is "the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person..." (Hebrews 1:3)

By the names attributed to him in Scripture - "Alpha and Omega," "Immanuel" (meaning, God With Us), "My Lord and my God," "etc. - the deity of Jesus Christ is seen.

Jesus Christ possessed all the attributes of God: omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, immutability, etc. See

God has no sons:

"...Allah forbid that He should have a son." (Koran 4:171)
"It is not meet for God to have children." (Koran 19.92)
"He begets not, nor he is begotten, and there is none like unto him." (Koran 112:3) 
"No son did Allah beget, nor is there any god along with him. [if so] then behold, each god would have taken away what he had created, and some would have lorded it over others! Glory to Allah! from things they attribute to Him." (Koran 23:91)
"And they say, 'The Most Gracious Has betaken a son!' Indeed you have put forth a thing most monstrous! At it the skies are bout to burst, the earth to split asunder, and the mountains to fall down in utter ruin: That they attributed a son to the Most Gracious. For it is not consonant with the majesty of the Most Gracious that He should beget a son. Not one of the beings in the heavens and the earth but must come to the Most Gracious as a servant. He does take an account of them [all], and numbered them exactly, and everyone of them will come to him singly on the day of judgment." (Koran 19:88) 
"And (they) impute falsely, without knowledge, sons and daughters unto Him...How can He have a child when there is no consort for him...?" (Koran 6:101-103)
 The Father declared Jesus to be His Son:

"Thou art my son. This day have I begotten you." (Hebrews 5:5; cp. Psalms 2:7)
Jesus himself claimed to be the Son of God:

Luke 22:70; John 10:36; 19:7 
The angel declared Jesus the Son of God:

"And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and... that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:35)
Even demons confessed Jesus the Son of God:

"And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God." (Mark 3:11; cp. Luke 4:41; 8:28)
Many others professed or addressed Jesus as the Son of God - and were not rebuked for it:

"Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God." (Matthew 14:33)
"Nathanael answered... Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel." (John 1:49)
"She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world." (John 11:27)
"Now when the centurion... saw the earthquake ...they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God." (Matthew 27:54; cp. Mark 15:39)
"And the high priest answered... tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God." (Matthew 26:63)
The gospel writers, inspired by the Holy Spriit, testified of Jesus' Sonship:

"The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (Mark 1:1)
"And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God." (John 1:34)
Jesus' Sonship - his relationship with the Father - was the subject of preaching in the early church:

"... he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God." (Acts 9:20)
Unbelievers  - and Satan himself - challenged Jesus' Sonship:

"...save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross." (Matthew 27:40)
"If thou be the Son of God..." (Matthew 4:3, 6; cp. Luke 4:3, 9)
Confessing Jesus is the Son of God is essential to salvation: 1 John 4:15; cp. Acts 8:37; 1 John 5:5, 10, 12, 13 (See also: John 5:25; 9:35; 11:4; 20:31; Romans 1:4; 2 Corinthians 1:19; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 4:13; Hebrews 4:14; 6:6; 10:29; 1 John 3:8; 5:20; Revelation 2:18)

All who profess the Lordship of Jesus Christ are adopted sons of God: John 1:12; 3:18; Phl 2:15; 1 John 3:1, 2

  Jesus Christ was a created being.

"Jesus is like Adam in the sight of Allah. he created him of dust and then said to him: 'Be,' and he was." (Koran 3:55, 58)
  

Jesus Christ was pre-existent to creation. 

    Genesis 1:26; 3:22; 11:7 ("...us...our...our...")
    Proverbs 8:22-36
    Isaiah 48:12, 16
    Micah 5:2
    John 1:1-3,10; 3:13; 6:62; 8:35, 58; 17:5, 24
    Romans 11:36
    1 Corinthians 8:6
    Ephesians 3:9
    Philippians 2:5
    Colossians 1:15-19
    Hebrews 1:2
    Revelation 3:14

The virgin birth:
Islam and Christianity agree that Jesus miraculously was born of a virgin.
(Koran 19:16-26; Isaiah 7:14)

On Salvation
 
Islam rejects the doctrine of original sin[6].

Mohammad said, "Every human being is born in a state of a pure nature; but through the influence of his parents, he may become non-Moslem." [7]
"Whoever goes aright, for his own soul he goes aright; and whoever goes astray, to his own detriment he goes astray. And no bearer of a burden bears another's burden..." (Koran 53:38)
"...no soul earns (evil) but against itself. Nor does a bearer of a burden bear the burden of another." (Koran 6:165)
"So whoever does an atom's weight of good will se it and whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it." (Koran 99:7, 8)
 The Bible teaches man is born into sin.

By Adam's sin (Genesis 3), death spread to all mankind: Genesi 5:3 with 1:24, 25; Psalms 51:5; Romans 5:12, 14).
None is born without the mark of sin upon his soul; "all have sinned." (2 Chronicles 6:36; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:10, 12, 23; 5:12, 14; 11:32; Ephesians 2:3; 1 John 1;10)

Salvation comes only through Allah. Only those who obey Allah and Mohammed his prophet can enter into Heaven: 

"If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (Submission to Allah), Never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost ." (Koran 3:85; cp. 5:10; 25:68)
Those who "believe not in Allah and His Messenger, He has prepared, for those who reject Allah, a Blazing Fire!" (Koran 48:13)
 Salvation comes only through Jesus Christ:

"Neither is there salvation in any other [than Jesus]: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)
Also see:  John 8:24; 14:6; 10:1-2, 9; Acts 4:12; Revelation 5:1-9; 1 John 2:22, 23; Isaiah 43:11; Hosea 13:4; 1 Timothy 2:5

Islam denies the crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus never died: 

"They denied the truth and uttered a monstrous falsehood against Mary. They declared: 'We have put to death the Messiah Jesus the son of Mary the apostle of Allah.' They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but they thought they did... They have no knowledge thereof but the pursuit of a conjecture; they slew him not for certain, but God took him up to Himself." (Koran 4:154-158)
 Jesus died and rose again. 

"Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him." (Romans 6:9)
"And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (Philippians 2:8)
"For where a testament [is], there must also of necessity be the death of the testator." (Hebrews 9:16)
Also see: Luke 18:33; 24:20; John 11:13; 12:33; Acts 2:24; 22:20; Romans 5:10; 1 Corinthians 11:26; 15:19, 20, 22; Hebrews 2:14; etc.

Salvation must be earned: 

By good works:

"Every man's actions have we hung around his neck, and on the last day shall be laid before him a wide-open book." (Koran 17:13)
By almsgiving[22]:

"Lend to God a good loan." (Surah 73:20)
"...the Koran regularly enjoins the giving of alms (zakah), as the outward sign of piety and means of salvation... an obligatory contribution... to be exacted from all who, whether voluntarily or under constraint, enter into the brotherhood of Islam; but it is not a tax. Rather is it to be regarded as a loan made to God... Free-will offerings are also a means of expiating offences..."[8] 
The root meaning of the word Zakat (almsgiving) is "to purify."[23] Surah 9:103 says: "Take of their wealth an offering to purify them and cleanse them thereby."
The only sure way to make it to heaven is for a Muslim to die in a jihad ("holy war"). 
  

Salvation comes only by faith, through grace:

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2:8, 9)
"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight... being justified freely by his grace... Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? Nay; but by the law of faith.. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." (Romans 3:20, 24, 27, 28)
"Now to him that worketh is the reward nor reckoned of grace, but of debt.... Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works.... Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace..." (Romans 4:4, 6, 16)

On divine providence:

"...so whoever is willing, he may take a path to his Lord. And you do not will unless God wills..." (Koran 76:29, 30)
"Thou causest to err thereby whomever Thou pleasest and guidest whomever Thou pleasest..." (Koran 7:155)
 Man has free will.

"Whosoever will, let him drink freely of the river of life" (Revelation 22:17; cp. John 3:15, 16; etc.)


 On Eternal Judgment
  
On Paradise:

Those who kill or are killed by unbelievers will return to the garden of Paradise (Koran 9:111), where they will enjoy many lustful pleasures - sex with virgins, pleasant food and drink, etc.:

"They shall recline on jeweled couches face to face, and there shall wait on them immortal youths with bowls and ewers and a cup of purest wine... with fruits of their own choice and flesh of fowls that they relish. And theirs shall be the dark-eyes houris (celestial virgins), chaste as hidden pearls: a guerdon for their deeds." (Koran 56:15)
"pure beautiful ones... goodly things, beautiful ones, pure ones confined to the pavilions that man has not touched them before..." (Koran 56:54, 67-71)
 On Heaven:

Those who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and submitted their lives to his Lordship will enjoy eternal bliss in heaven, where there will be no pain or sorrow, no disease or death.

On Hell:

"Those who invoke a god other than Allah not only should meet punishment in this world but the Penalty on the Day of Judgment will be doubled to them, and they will dwell therein in ignominy." (Koran 25:68)
"Non-believers will go to hell and will drink boiling water" (14:17).
"...the unbelievers... shall have a great punishment in world hereafter" (Koran 5:34).
"We shall say: 'Lay hold of him and bind him. Burn him in the fire of Hell, then fasten him with a chain seventy cubits long. For he did not believe in Allah, the Most High...'" (Koran 69:28)
"Would that you knew what the fire of Hell is like! It leaves nothing, it spares no one; it burns the skins of men. It is guarded by nineteen keepers." (Koran 74:19)
 On Hell:

Those who reject Jesus Christ will suffer eternal torments in hell.

On Creation
  
The Genesis account should not be taken literally, as it contains discrepancies.[9] The earth is billions of years old. 

Creation took eight days, it says in Surah 41:9, 10, 12. Surah 10:3, however, states creation took six days.
 A literal interpretation of Scripture indicates the earth is only a few thousand years old.

God created the universe in six days and rested on the seventh day. (Genesis 1:1 to 2:2)

The universe was produced by a "big bang" (Koran 21:30), produced by a kind of gas.[10] (Koran 41:11)

The Koran states God created every living thing from water.[11  (Koran 21:30; 24:45)
 "In the beginning, God" (Genesis 1:1) alone existed.

God spoke the universe into existence by a word.

Genesis 1:20-21, 24 "And God said... and it was so." (Cp. Psalm 148:5

The Creator did not rest: "We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in six days, nor did any sense of weariness touch us." (Koran 50:38) 
 God rested on the seventh day: "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed." (Exodus 31:17).

On The Word of God 

One of the 5 tenets to which Muslims must adhere is a belief in the 4 inspired books - the Torah (5 books of Moses), Zabur (the psalms), lnjil (the gospel), and Koran. The Christian Scriptures are incomplete without the Koran.[12] 

In addition to the Koran, Muslims look to the Sunna (sayings of Muhammad), for inspiration. This collection is called the Hadith. [13]
 Adding to God's Word has serious consequences. (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; Proverbs 30:6; Revelation 22:18)

On authorship and inspiration:

The Koran claims divine authorship and inspiration:

"This is indeed a Qur'an most honourable, a Book well-guarded... a Revelation from the Lord of the Worlds." (Koran 56:77-80)
"This Qur'an is not such as can be produced by anyone other than God." (10:37)
The Koran contains no human words[14]:

"No prophet except Mohammad has claimed that his book contains the very words of God. Moses... conveyed the heavenly message by his own words... not the very words of God.... Jesus spoke the truth which he received, but he spoke in his own words. The Bible, at best, is considered a dialogue between God and man." [15]   
 On authorship and inspiration:

The New Testament undeniably declares the inspiration of the Old Testament (the contents of which the Koran denies): 

Matthew 1:22; 2:15; 3:3; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 21:4; 22:42; Mark 12:36; Acts 1:16; 4:25; 28:25; 1 Peter 1:10-11; 2 Peter 1:21


On inerrancy:

Islam claims the Koran is without contradiction:

"Do they not ponder on the Qur'an? Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much discrepancy." (Sura 4:82)


Islam denies that any words of the Koran have been altered.[16] However, the Koran contains many textual variants. (It's not in its original form.) 
 On inerrancy:

The Bible is without error:

Isaiah 34:16; 55:10-11; Psalms 119:96, 128, 160; 138:2; Matthew 5:18; Luke 16:17; John 10:35; 1 Peter 1:23-25

The Koran will never perish:

"Certainly we have revealed the Reminder (the Koran), and we shall preserve it." (Koran 15:9)
"It (the Koran) is an invincible book. Falsehood does not invade it neither from before it nor from behind it, a revelation from a a Mighty, Praised." (Koran 41:41, 42)
 The Written Word of God, the Bible, is eternal:

Psalms 119:89; Isaiah 30:8; 40:8; Jeremiah 36:22-23, 27-28, 32; Matthew 5:17-18; 24:35; Luke 21:33; 1 Peter 1:23-25


On Murder, Violence, War & Oppression
  
On Murder and Violence:

Islam both allows and forbids murder and violence, depending on who is the recipient of the act.

Allowed:

"Make war on them until idolatry is no more and Allah's religion reigns supreme." (Koran 8:37)
The Koran instructs not to make friendship with Jews and Christians (Koran 5:51) but to war against them: "When the Sacred Months are over, kill those who ascribe partners to God wheresoever ye find them; seize them, encompass them, and ambush them; then if they repent and observe prayer and pay the alms, let them go their way (Koran 4:5). "Fight against those who believe not in God nor in the Last Day, who... refuse allegiance to the True Faith from among those who have received the Book, until they humbly pay tribute out of hand." (Koran 9:29) Note: These verses distinguish between warfare against pagans, and against Jews and Christians.[17]
"...kill the disbelievers wherever we find them" (Koran 2:191); "fight and slay the Pagans, seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem" (Koran 9:5); "murder them and treat them harshly" (Koran 9:123).
"Seize ye him, and bind ye him, And burn ye him in the Blazing Fire. Further, make him march in a chain, whereof the length is seventy cubits! This was he that would not believe in Allah Most High. And would not encourage the feeding of the indigent! So no friend hath he here this Day. Nor hath he any food except the corruption from the washing of wounds, Which none do eat but those in sin." (Koran 69:30-37)
"Strike off the heads of the disbelievers"; and after making a "wide slaughter among them, carefully tie up the remaining captives" (Koran 47:4). 
"Instill terror into the hearts of the unbelievers"; "smite above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them" (Koran 8:12; cp. 8:60).
"O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites, and be stern against them. Their abode is Hell - an evil refuge indeed" (Koran 9:73). 
"slay or crucify or cut the hands and feet of the unbelievers, that they be expelled from the land with disgrace..." (Koran 5:34).
"for them (the unbelievers) garments of fire shall be cut and there shall be poured over their heads boiling water whereby whatever is in their bowels and skin shall be dissolved and they will be punished with hooked iron rods" (Koran 22:19-22)
Forbidden:

"And slay not the soul which God has forbidden except for the just cause..." (Koran 17:33)
"...If anyone killed a person not in retaliation for murder or to spread mischief in the land, it would be as if he killed the whole of mankind. And if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the whole of mankind" (Surah Al-Maaida 5:32)
"Fight for the sake of Allah those that fight against you, but do not attack them first. Allah does not love the aggressors." (Koran 2:190)
"…when it is said to them; 'Make not mischief on the Earth', they say; 'We are only peace makers'. Indeed they are the ones who make mischief, but they perceive it not" (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:11-12)
The Prophet Mohamad said to his army before going to a fight "Depart in the name of Allah, and by his help. And kill not any old man nor young boy nor child, nor woman, But be good doers for Allah loves those who do good. (Hadeeth)
 On Murder:

Forbidden:

"Thou shalt not kill (murder)."  (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17)
"...murders... they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:21) 
"...no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." (1 John 3:15)
"...murderers... shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." (Revelation 21:8)
"For without [are] dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters..." (Revelation 22:15)
Jesus and Paul both reiterated the Old Testament prohibition against murder:

"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment." (Matthew 5:21)
"...Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill...." (Romans 13:9)
Murder is listed right alongside sins like sorcery, fornication, robbery.

"Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings..." (Galatians 5:21) 
"Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts." (Revelation 9:21)
"...murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars..." (Revelation 21:8)

On Violence:

God destroyed the earth with a flood because of the extent violence had spread:

"...the earth was filled with violence... Then God said to Noah, 'The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence... behold, I am about to destroy them...'" (Genesis 6:13).
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven..." (Matthew 5:43, 45)

Oppression of the innocent is condemned throughout Scripture:

Allah himself is really the one slaying them:

"It is not us who slay them but Allah, in order that He might test the Believers by a gracious trial from Himself." (Koran 8:17; cp. Surah Al-Baqarah 2:190)
Allah "will punish them by our hands..." (Koran 9:14).
 
Jihad is mandatory.

"Unless we go forth, (for Jihad) He will punish us with a grievous penalty, and put others in our place" (Koran 9:38-39). 
"And what is the matter with you that you do not fight in the cause of Allah and for those weak, ill treated and oppressed among men, women and children whose only cry is; 'Our Lord, rescue us from this town whose people are oppressors..." (Surah An-Nisa 4:75)
"Believers, when you encounter the armies of the infidels do not turn your backs to them in flight. If anyone on that day turns his back to them, except it be for tactical reasons, or to join another band he shall incur the wrath of Allah and Hell shall be his home: an evil fate." (Koran 8:12-17)
 
"The recompense for an injury is an injury equal thereto (in degree): but if a person forgives and make reconciliation his reward is due from Allah: For (Allah) loves not those who do wrong." (Koran 42:40)
 "You have heard it said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you, do not resist him who is evil; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Matthew 5:38, 39)"

It is acceptable to break treaties and obligations with pagans and make war on them whenever strong enough to do so (Koran 9:3). Treachery and lying are forbidden. (Matthew 5:33-37) Better to suffer wrong than not to keep one's word. (Proverbs)

On the Treatment of Women
  
Men have authority over women. (Koran 2:228)

In the home:

"Men have authority over women because Allah has made the one superior to the others, and because they spend their wealth to maintain them." (Koran 4:34)
"Mothers shall suckle their children two years completely, for such as desire to fulfill the suckling....But if the couple desire by mutual consent and consultation to wean, then it is no fault in them." (Koran 2:233)
Women who disobey their husband will go to hell. (Koran 66:10).
"Thou mayest decline for the present whom thou wilt of them, and thou mayest take to thy bed her whom thou wilt, and whomsoever thou shalt long for of those thou shalt have before neglected; and this shall not be a crime in thee. Thus will it be easier to give them the desire of their eyes... and to satisfy them with what thou shalt accord to each of them." (Koran 33:51)
In society:

Women do not have equal right to their inheritance (Koran 4:11-12) Women receive half of the male share for an equivalent degree of kinship.[24]
Women who disobey should be beaten:

"Good women are obedient.... As for those from whom you fear disobedience, admonish them and send them to beds apart and beat them. Then if they obey you, take no further action against them." (Koran 4:34)
 Spiritually, there is neither male nor female in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)

In the home, Scripture outlines the divinely established order.

Husbands are responsible to maintain proper order and government in the family. (1 Timothy 3:4, 5, 12; Titus 1:6) The husband's primary obligation is to love his wife: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for her... So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church..." (Ephesians 5:28, 29; cp. Colossians 3:19; 1 Peter 3:7)
Wives are exhorted to respect and obey their husband: "Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord." (Colossians 3:18; cp. 1 Corinthians 11:3, 8, 9; Ephesians 5:22-24, 33; 1 Timothy 2:11, 12; Titus 2:3-5; 1 Peter 3:1, 2, 5, 6)
A woman who knows her husband loves her - having her best interests in mind - has no problem submitting to him.

On Morals


Muhammad, who himself had 11 wives[19], allowed marriage of up to four wives. (Koran 33:51)  

"Of women who seem good in your eyes, marry but two, or three, or four; and if ye still fear ye shall not act equitably, then one only."
Islam also allows sexual intercourse with one's slave maids and as many 'captive' women as one desires (Koran 4:3) - even if those women are married.

Part of the Koran, however, states that fornication and adultery are sin:

"And go not nigh to fornication; surely it is an obscenity. And evil is the way." (Koran 17:32)
 Adultery and fornication are forbidden. (Genesis 20:9; Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18; 23:17, 18; Leviticus 18:20; 2 Samuel 13:12; Matthew 5:27; 14:34; 19:18; Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20; Romans 13:9; 1 Corinthians 6:15; 10:8; James 2:11)

Sexual immorality is exceedingly "evil" and "wicked." (Genesis 39:9; Leviticus 19:29; Deuteronomy 22:22-24; 1 Samuel 2:22-23; 1 Corinthians 5:13) It greatly displeases God (Hosea 4:1-2, 11) and provokes Him to anger (Numbers 25:1, 3; Ezekiel 16:26; Colossians 3:5-6). God hates it. (Proverbs 22:14) "For this is a heinous crime" (Job 31:1, 9-12), "villainy" (Jeremiah 29:22-23) and filthiness (Revelation 17:4). "They know not the light" but "are in the terrors of the shadow of death" (Job 24:15-17). It is "the way of hell;" "the dead are there" (Proverbs 7:27; 9:13-18).

The words of anyone who defends such "unfruitful works of darkness" (Ephesians 5:3, 11-12) are "contrary to sound doctrine" (1 Timothy 1:9-10).

Gambling and drunkenness are prohibited:

"O you who believe, intoxicants and games of chance... are only an uncleanness, the devil's work; so shun it, that you may succeed. The devil desires only to create enmity and hatred among you by means of intoxicants and games of chance, and to prevent you from the remembrance of God and from prayer. So will you obey this prohibition?" (Koran 5:90, 91)
Gambling and drunkenness are forbidden:

On Prayer, Fasting & Worship

 Islam Teaches...

Muslims must recite prayers in praise of Allah five times daily while facing Mecca, the city where Allah revealed the Koran to Muhammad. Prayer must be performed at prescribed hours and in a definite pattern of word and posture.

"Whichever way you depart, face toward the Holy Mosque: and wherever you are, face toward it, so that men will have no cause to reproach you, except the evil-doers among them." (Koran 2:150)
"Believers, do not approach your prayers when you are drunk, but wait till you can grasp the meaning of your words..." (Koran 2:4:43)
Every Muslim - at least "he who can find a way thither" (Surah 3:97) - must make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in his/her life: "Fulfill the pilgrimage and the visitation unto God." (Surah 2:196-197)
 Christianity presents prayer, fasting and worship as arising totally without compulsion or obligation, but wholly from the heart. See the following links:

Fasting is required of every Muslim for one month per year. This fast is complete abstinence, during daylight hours, from all food, drink, tobacco and sexual intercourse. [17]
 Fasting is to be done in a manner of humility and secrecy.

Matthew 6:16-18 "Moreover when ye fast, be not as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret..."

Luke 18:9-14 "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray... The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are... I fast twice in the week, I give tithes... And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to this house justified rather than

the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

Abdul Hamid Farid writes that "The Messenger of God used to teach the Muslims, when they set out toward graves, to say, "Peace be to you, O ye of the believers and Muslims dwelling in these abodes! ...We beg of God safety for us and for you ...May God forgive us and you!..."[20]

"(Once) the Prophet of God passed by (certain graves of Al-Madinah. Turning his face toward them, he said, "Peace be to you, O ye dwellers of these tombs! May God forgive us and you! Ye are our forerunners and we are at your heels."[20]

Farid also writes: "Ayeshah said that whenever it was her night with the Messenger of God, she noticed that he would set out, in the last watch of the night, toward Baqi and (there) he would say: "Peace be to you, O ye of the party of believers dwelling in these abodes! That which was promised unto you for the morrow hath reached you. Ye were given respite. And behold, if God will, we shall met you. O God! Forgive Thou these inmates of Baqi-al-Gharqad [the burial ground at Al-Madinah. WalLahu’alam
 

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