Through my comparative studies, I've noticed many similarities between christianity and islam. What is even more interesting, is that the actual teachings of islam can be found in the bible. From the way muslims dress, pray, fast, etc, each of them are mentioned within the bible. There are even prophecies of Muhammad(saw). Which leads to the question, if christianity and islam are different religions, then why the strong similarities? Does the bible favor christianity or islam? And why does one choose christianity, rather than islam, despite there being the teachings of islam in the bible?
At the time of Muhammed, there were Jews, Pagans and Nestorian Christians on the Arabian Peninsula. Naturally there would be some overlap in the teachings. When I was growing up, I was taught cherish our similarities and respect our differences. Islam has a great deal in common with Christianity.. but also with Judaism on many levels.
Response: True. Islam is similar with many of the Abrahamic religions because islam was simply a continuation and fulfillment of the teachings of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. However, Judaism is not really derived from the eachings of the Bible like christianity is. Judaism uses the Talmud. Yet those who believe in Christianity derive it's teaching predominately from the bible. Yet if the teachings of islam are in the bible, how and why does one accept christianity over islam?
Judaism seems to be based on the Torah for starters.. the Pentateuch in particular.. which is the first five Books of the Christian Old Testament. Christians see Jesus as the Son of God sent to earth with a message of salvation. (He died for our sins) Islam reveres Jesus as a great prophet, but not as the Son of God or the "Messiah"... I am a Christian by heritage, training and belief... and I don't try to pit Christianity against Islam..
Response: I understand the differences in the religion. But my question is how and why does a person accept christianity after reading the bible when the teachings of islam are there?In other words, to accept christianity based on the bible means to reject the teachings of the bible at the same time, since the teachings of islam are also present. Thus a person who accepts christianity is not following the actual teachings of the bible in its entirety, but only partially.
I have never actually seen any reference to Muhammed in Scripture.. although some say .... Gen.49 1. The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. I simply cannot make the connection. The Bible predates the Koran..
Response: Examples of islam in the bible are: Muhammad (saw) is mentioned by name in the original hebrew manuscripts of the bible still to this day. In the Song of Solomon, 5:16, the name Muhammad has been translated to "all together lovely". 2. Allah is not the arabic word for God. Allah(swt) is the name of God. Ilaha is the arabic word for God. Also, in revelations 19, you will see the word, "Alleluia". In eastern languages, when writing an exclamation, the exclamation comes first. So instead of saying "fire!" it would be "!fire". The "ia" or "ya" as it is pronounced, is an exclamation mark to the word "Alle lu", or "Alle hu". Thus written the correct way, it becomes ya Alle lu, meaning oh Allah praise. Thus the name of Allah is preserved in every bible 'til this day. 3. The way the christians fast today may not be the same as ramadan, but the prophets did fast in the same manner. 4. There are certain prostrations and practices performed in islam when it comes to salaat (prayer). Such as kneeling on the knees, or falling on our faces, and washing before prayer. Each of these are mentioned to be done by the prophets in the bible.Prostrations:Numbers 20:6Psalms 95:6Kings 18:42Joshua 5:14Washing:Exodus 40:31-32Acts 21:265.
I don't think Song of Solomon 5:16 is speaking of Muhammed. Ramadan didn't exist in the Bible. God has many names in many languages as old and older than Arabic. If you want to dispute with a Christian, you are annoying the wrong person. Salaam alaikum
Response: Muhammad's name is actually in the Song of Solomon in the Original Hebrew which you can verify even as we speak. Ramadan did not exist in the Bible, yet neither does the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus or that Jesus is God, yet it is accepted by Christians. Thus islam is very well mentioned in the Bible. I'm only stating the facts, yet you may believe as you wish.
The crucifixion and Resurrection certainly are in the Bible... very clearly and specifically. There is NO room for guessing. The Song of Soloman was love poetry not about religion at all. http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/song.html The principal characters are three: the comely Shulammite girl, her shepherd lover, and King Solomon....
Response: The song of Solomon, whether it is a love story or not, still mentions Muhammad's name in the original Hebrew. As for the resurrection of Jesus, the bible itself states that Jesus was not resurrected in the sign of Jonah Matthew 12. 38-40.
You seem to have your argument backwards. Elecments of Islam are not in the Bible, elements of christianity are in the Quran.
LOLOL.. Jonah didn't spend three days in the belly of a fish.. That's a figurative time out until Jonah decided to obey God. The Book of Jonah is a well-written, comic novella which, through its humor, makes a very decisive point. and should be read accordingly. "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign; but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matt 12:39-40). Its a big mistake to go literal and try to parse the crucifixion and resurrection. You may check the following verses where the length of time between JesusÂ’ death and burial, and his resurrection, is mentioned: Matthew 16:21; 17:23; 20:19; 26:61; 27:40, 64; Mark 9:31; 10:34; 14:58; 15:29; Luke 9:22; 13:32; 18:33; 24:7, 21, 46; John 2:19, 20; Acts 10:40; 1 Corinthians 15:4. In 20 places indefinite expressions such "on the third day he will be raised" are given as the length of time between these events.
Response: To the contrary, islam preceeds christianity. The religion og the prophets in the bible is islam. Islam means "submission to the will of Allah (God)", which is exacty what every prophet did.
Response: To the contrary, it is a fabrication to not take the verse literal. Words are to be taken literally, unless suggested otherwise. Nothing in the verse states to take it any way other than literally, nor can you prove otherwise. Thus the sign of Jonah remains as evidence from the bible itself that Jesus did not die on the cross. The sign clearly states that Jesus was to be in the earth like Jonah was in the whale. Jonah was alive and never died. Thus Jesus was alive and never died. So the bible itself shows that Jesus did not die on the cross.
LOLOL.. wrong. Do you even know what a comic novella is? Jonah is NOT history.. Its a teaching narrative..
Response: If Jonah is not a part of history, then your bible would say so. Your bible does not. Thus it is you who is in error, supported by your own bible.
Response: Yet both history and science literature is didactic literature. And from the didactic literature of the Bible, we see that Jesus was not crucufied and islam is mentioned in the bible.
Matthew 27:32-44 the crucifixion John 19:17-22 Jesus bears his cross John 19:23-27 the women at the cross John 19:28-30 Jesus dies on the cross John 19:31-37 Jesus' pierced side John 19:38-42 Jesus' burial John 20:1-10 the empty tomb Luke 23:32-43 Crucified as King Luke 23:44-49 Jesus' death Luke 23:50-56 Jesus' burial Luke 24:1-12 He has risen! Mark 15:21-32 Jesus crucified Mark 15:33-41 Jesus' death Mark 15:42-47 Jesus' burial Mark 16:1-13 empty tomb & resurrection
Response: Contradicted by: 1. Jesus provides a sign that he will not die (Matthew 12:38-40). 2. No where in the entire bible does any disciple state that Jesus was resurrected, but that he was ALIVE. 3. Jesus eats broiled fish and honeycomb to prove that he was the same man and not resurrected to the disciples (Luke 24: 38-42). 4. All of the disciples forsook Jesus and fled, thus were not eyewitnesses to the crucifixion (Mark 14:50). 5. Jesus says to Mary that he has not yet ascended after the alleged crucifixion, demonstrating that he did not die (John 20:17).
Looks like you are cutting and pasting from a Muslim website, but don't really understand what you are reading. Are you looking to convert someone or are you just playing.. my religion is better than yours?
Response: Why would it look like I'm cutting and pasting from a website? Just because a muslim knows the bible does not mean that they are cutting and pasting. The relevant question to ask is whether you have any justification or logic behing your reasoning, or are you simply playing the "my religion is right because it is " game.
I think you know a particular, limited argument backed by select verses.. Its clear to any Christian that you don't know the Bible.. and I don't mean that as an insult to you at all. Here's what Christians believe... We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end. And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And we believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. (Your efforts to dispute what our scripture means to us would be like me trying to convince you that the Koran is wrong.. and that you should believe what I tell you it means. Good luck with that.. )
Margot could you elaborate on the trinity a bit? i will make it easier and ask you some typical questions if you don't mind, that way i can maybe understand better: 1] did God die when jesus died at the cross? if so who ran the universe during that time? 2] why God has to come down to earth? what is it about heavens that God allmighty can not see or hear, rule things or grasp prayers or control situations on earth that he had to come down and experience this event? 3] do you think that worshiping a man or a woman is idolatry? 4] if God the creator of heavens and the earth is not beyond all matter, doesnt that make him like... us, or anything in the universe? i mean a part of creation? what is then the source of the matter if He himself is matter? 5] i heard a christian say once that "God is so high that he couldn't have a book "word by word " on his own, that's why bible is the interpretation of the revelation by man. and that's why he couldn't accept qur'an". if this is the case; how come God can actually come down to earth and gets crucified by his servants, that He created? Doesn't that make him lower than simply sending a book made with the words he created and for the people he created? 6] have you heard about other nations/tribes who idolized their leaders, pioneers or prophets? does that make a christian think that "maybe i might be doing the same mistake"? 7] angel gabriel is a part of trinity, i guess. wouldn't be easier if God was one, gabriel was the one who carries the message, and jesus was God's mighty prophet? and everything worshiped and submitted to that God? why parts of the revelation has to be mingled in one? aren't they valuable enough or functional when they are seperate entities? 8] lastly, when jesus says on the cross "why have you forsaken me?" who is he addressing to? i don't mean to offend you, i'm just curious if you guys have a reasoning behind it or is it just called the mystery of trinity and you either believe or reject? regards.
