Mohammed and the Qur’an

by Jannie

Prologue

Consider the short video on YouTube by Dr. David Wood entitled “Who killed Mohammad?” This really must get the attention of any Muslim. The irony is that Dr. David Wood apparently is a member of the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catholic order of priests founded by St Ignatius Loyola, St Francis Xavier, and others in 1534, to do missionary work. The order was zealous in opposing the Reformation. Despite periodic persecution it has retained an important influence in Catholic thought and education. For a brief overview of the Roman Catholic Faith, refer to the meditations “Church part 2” and “The Gospel”.

Dr. Wood also has a video entitled “How Christians can eat pork?” In this video, David Wood convincingly reveals how Dr. Zakir Naik use selective quotations from the Torah (and The Bible) and that this typically is what the ordinary Muslim is unaware of because it has not been independently researched by the ordinary Muslim and instead the Imam’s and Islam leader’s word is taken as fact while it is either a twisted truth or incomplete. For example, Lev 11:7-8 and Dt 14:8 is quoted with the threat of Mt 5:19 (if you break one law, you have broken all); but as usual, Dr. Naik conveniently omits the context purposefully to mislead his followers because Lev 11:4 says you may neither eat camel and Lev 11:6 says eating rabbit is forbidden, so does Dt 14:7; yet Mohammad ate rabbit (Bukhari 2572) and camel (Bukhari 2485), which means that according to Dr. Naik’s insinuation, Mohammad has broken all the laws in the eyes of Allah. The argument Dr. Zakir Naik applies to Christians then again sinks his own prophet, Mohammed! Yet, the followers of Dr. Naik applaud his fake arguments and fail to independently examine and research these facts.

Then, after you have considered these arguments, we can consider what follows in this meditation, as well.

The brief Investigation

Mohammad and the Qur’an vs Jesus Christ’s passion for the lost

The video clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HblEreC3F8I might also be interesting for the Muslim to see.  As for the Catholic faith that this man sadly converted to, see papers such as “Church part 2” or “The Gospel” in www.gospel-truth.co.za. Other videos on Youtube that would prove enlightening, is the series by Dr. Jay and Al Fondi about the search/quest for Mohammed; also books and lectures by Dr. Shady Nasser; all on discoveries concerning gross inaccuracies regarding the city Mecca, the validity of the Qu’ran and other important beliefs the average Muslim holds. The very prophet hood of Mohammed can easily be tested today by scientific proof.  More about this on the next page, so please read on.

It is tragic when, for all of us, what could have been precious people of God, is only the product of a birthplace and culture; when we blindly follow whatever religion we were born into without having really examined it rationally.  How sad to have an unexamined faith; a faith that cannot stand up to reason, but merely shouts slogans with followers who do not believe something because it is true, but because to them their ideas are true because they believe it.  Today millions of rational people have opened up their hearts in honesty and understand that an unexamined faith, with no working [proof, signs] of the Holy Spirit of an Almighty Creator-God and with distrust [unbelief] in what Jesus Christ has said and demonstrated, is a destructive faith.  We need assurance and Truth.

I must ask myself: is my faith just rituals, ceremony and traditions [religion, externalism, my effort to try and obtain favour with God], or is it a personal relationship because of my faith – and certainty – in God Himself and a relationship? Has God already stretched out His hand in grace and righteousness or do we have to earn grace according to a set of values? Do you realize that a system that requires any [own] merit cannot – by definition – be called grace anymore? How can anyone then obtain grace if it cannot – by definition – be earned? Yes, my friend, only if someone has reached out to you in His Perfect Love and earned it [paid for it fully] on your behalf. Then, and only then, if you believe [trust, follow] this Person will you have assurance of being saved by grace. And, for all of us, there is only one such Person – thoroughly documented:  Jesus Christ.  Your life and prayers will then show miraculous results. Your prayers will not be mere monologist chants with some people having lesser stance, but a 24/7/365 relationship showing results of healing and love, wherever you are and whoever you are [equally] whatever the time or place.

God is Love.  Love gives certainty and assurance (grace and righteousness in Jesus Christ), not a system of uncertainty and fear.  Love [God] does not want any soul to be lost and does not want unbelievers killed but saved [to follow Jesus Christ].  This contrast sharply with Allah who is said to have commanded followers to kill “infidels” as unbelievers/non-followers of Islam and to do so qualify the murderer for heaven.  Then this heaven offers wine and polygamy that are regarded sins on earth?

If God lives [is real] and loves you, and you are His child [follower] you should know His voice…  You should have assurance of acceptance, not uncertainty.  No works of man can save anyone from the lost state of mankind since Adam fell.  Human value-systems will only lead to complacency and pride.  In history there was only one who was prophesied to SAVE all who follow Him, to save others by leading them to follow Him, and who declared it Himself and then proved it by overcoming death.  To be a saving faith, it has to offer a certainty, not an uncertain and doubtful set of ritualistic liturgical procedures, ceremonies and rituals; nor command killing.

Just as with other religious systems, the average Muslim has been kept in the dark by Mullahs and Imams who would loose their power if the truth would get out.  But many Muslims today want to be rational in their religion and thus have an open mind to rational discourse. The average Muslim does not know that he has been taught logically erroneous arguments and startling lies.  Why not decide for yourself?

Consider the following:

If you believe the Qur’an that says that Jesus was a Prophet; and then also that a prophet can never lie; you have to decide what to do with what Jesus the Christ has repeatedly said.  Just a few examples are:

  • “…that whosoever believes in Him [Jesus as only Savior], should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only unique Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life…” (John 3:15,16)
  • “… I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man can come to My Father, except by Me…”  (John 14:6)
  • In Matthew 28, Jesus appeared unto His disciples after His resurrection, and He allowed them to worship Him as Lord (v 17); feel the holes in His hands, side and feet; then said “… all power  is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.  Go therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have taught you; and I am with you always…”  (v 18-20)
  • “… if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart a person believes and is so justified [declared righteous, acceptable to God], and with the mouth confesses openly and confirms his salvation…”  (Rom 10:9,10.  This directly from Jesus – see Ephesians 3:3; 2 Timothy 3:16,17; 1 Corinthians 3:9-16)
  • Many did not believe Jesus had been raised from the dead, but He appeared to the eleven apostles themselves , reproving them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they refused to believe all the eye-witnesses that have seen Him after His resurrection, and said to them, “… go into all the world and publish openly the good news [Gospel] to all nations… and these attesting signs will accompany those who believe; in My name they will… lay their hands on the sick and they will get well…”  (Mark 16:14-20).  Contact the author at info@bygracealone.co.za for personal testimony on the reality of, and healings today through Jesus Christ.  His own son has been saved from death, his own wife healed from cancer, and many other (cancer, deafness, etc.)
  • Jesus Christ is over and over said to be the only one Who purchased the salvation of man [that believes HIM] by HIS blood as the Messiah, like that of a sacrificial lamb without blemish or spot (1 Peter 1:19).

The Muslim can refer to the Qur’an, chapter 10 verse 94, and consider this Word of God that is also said to be the Spirit of God,  explicitly mentioned  in The Bible in scriptures such as John 1:1-4,14 and Colossians 1:17-21.  This Word of God is the Creator, not created, and is none other than Jesus Christ Who – unlike Mohammed – rose from the dead, gave Life and is eternally alive and will return.  Thus in the Qur’ans’ own admission far superior than Mohammed.  Refer to the paper “Who is Jesus Christ” on www.gospel-truth.co.ca. if you will.

But, for now, consider the following very carefully and honestly:

Mohammad

The integrity of Mohammad is all important.  What do we find in the Hadith? Here follows only a few examples…

  1. Muhammad’s credentials for prophethood

The biggest shock of false prophethood will be revealed by David Wood in the YouTube video entitled “Who killed Mohammad?”. The reader has to see this. Then, superfluously, we can continue…

1.1. The Hadith explains that when the Qur’an refers to the seal of prophethood being upon Mohammad (Surah 33:40), the seal was a large hairy mole on his back. This is found in both Bukhari (vol. 1, no. 189; vol. IV, no. 741) and Muslim (vol. IV, no. 5790, 5793). This mole was the physical proof that Muhammad was a prophet according to Tabari and other later Muslim authorities.  They even claimed that the mole was a fulfilment of such Scriptures as Isaiah 9:6.  This contrasts with Jesus Christ (of Surah 3:34,36; 19:19,20,33) Who performed countless miraculous healings almost 600 years before Mohammad was born, letting lame walk, blind see, deaf hear and even raise the dead – as the sign that Jesus was the Messiah fulfilling over 300 prophecies with astonishing accuracy.  Jesus also accurately foretold His own death, resurrection and world history after His ascension into heaven.  Jesus was prosecuted for blasphemy –  in John 10:36 (Ampl) He said, “… do you say of the One Whom the Father consecrated and dedicated and set apart for Himself and sent into the world, You are blaspheming, because I said, I am the Son of God?”.  In the previous chapter (John 9:35-38), Jesus allowed the man He just healed to worship Him.  Only God can receive worship, right? Only as God, Who cannot lie, can Jesus receive worship, and forgive sins as He did.

1.2. Both the Bukhari and Muslim Hadiths describe what happened to Mohammad when inspiration came upon him – he heard ringing in his ears, fell to the ground, turning red, sweated profusely, made moaning sounds, spit ran from his mouth, etc. While ancient pagans placed a great deal of importance on such things, they were never a part of the Biblical prophets. As a matter of fact, Jesus just plainly stated, for example in John 5:20,21 (Ampl)  “… So Jesus answered them by saying, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you… what the Father does is what the Son does in the same way… Just as the Father raises up the dead and gives them life [makes them live on], even so the Son also gives life…”.   Jesus (and His disciples) drove demons from many possessed people.  Still so today, in the name of Jesus Christ, thousands are healed, delivered and given proof of God’s salvation plan:  Jesus Christ.  Jesus explicitly stated that no one can go to the Father [God], except through Him.  No one can get eternal Life other than accepting [believing, trusting] that the blood of Jesus Christ on His cross paid for all sin of all mankind.  There is no other name anyone can be saved by, except Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).

1.3. Mohammad failed a direct test of his claim to prophethood. Mohammad was asked to explain why a child will look like one parent as apposed to looking like the other. To this he claimed that Gabriel came and gave the inspired answer (Bukhari vol. IV: no. 546).  So, according to Mohammed we are now dealing with revelation and not just his opinion, and he said that the child will look like which parent reaches his or her sexual climax first.  The study of genetics and DNA clearly disproves this idea.

1.4. In the middle of the long verse, Surah 2:282, Mohammed reputedly stated that the witnessing of two women is equal to that of one man. Corroborated in the hadith chapter 12 number 2658, narrated by Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri: The Prophet said, “Isn’t the witness of a woman equal to half of that of a man?” The women said, “Yes.” He said, “This is because of the deficiency of a woman’s mind.” So Islam makes it clear that a woman has deficient intellect compared to men? Well, IQ tests and reliable scientific studies have shown this to be false. Therefore this makes this prophet hood also false.

1.5. Mohammad believed in magic, the evil eye, amulets, omens, spells, etc. He was superstitious about many things and made up weird rules about bathroom duties (Bukhari vol. 1, no. 144; vol. IV, nos. 110,111; vol. VII, nos. 636,648,649,650; Muslim vol. I, no. 458; vol. III, 3 nos. 5424,5427). He was afraid whenever a strong wind blew (Bukhari vol.II, no. 144) and of eclipses (Bukhari vol. II, no. 167).  Jesus, on the other hand calmed storms:  in Mark 4:39 (Ampl): “… And He [Jesus] arose and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, Hush now!  Be still!  And the wind ceased and there was immediately a great calm.”

1.6. The Hadith tells us that Mohammad was at times under magical spells, i.e., bewitched, and told lies and did things while under those spells. (Bukhari vol. IV, nos. 400,49; VII, no. 660; Muslim vol III, no. 5428). Once it is admitted that he told lies and did things while under satanic influence, then the entire Qur’an could be satanic origin.  Later Muslim authorities went even so far as to say that he was at one time inspired by Satan to put some verses into the Qur’an.  They were later removed because they were satanic verses (Surah 53:19,20).

1.7. The Hadith tells us that “Allah made the prophet wealthy through conquests.” (Bukhari III: no. 495), was he in it for money? Some Muslims are ignorant of this Hadith and claim Mohammad was poor [to compare to Jesus Who, by the way, was humble, not destitute].

1.8. Mohammad did not keep the rules he imposed upon others. He had more wives than four (Bukhari vol. I, no. 268) and did not write a will (Bukhari vol. IV, nos. 3,4). Jesus, was the fulfilment of the law as was given by angels of God [of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob] to Moses on Mt. Sinai about 2 000 years before Mohammad was born (Hebrews 2:2; Galatians 3:19; Acts 7:38,53).

1.9. Mohammad commanded that anyone who fell away from Islam should be murdered (Bukhari vol. IV, no. 260; vol. V, no. 630). Volume IX is filled with death threats against apostasy (pgs. 10,11,26,34,45,50,57,341,342). These Hadiths contradict other Hadiths which say that no one ever leaves Islam (Bukhari vol.I, nos. 6,48).  Mohammed was not a man of peace.  Jesus, on the other hand, paid with His blood on the cross for righteousness of all mankind accepting His offer before God the Father.  Jesus provided peace between man and God with His vicarious offer of Himself on that cross at Golgotha.  The sin of mankind was paid for by Jesus Christ, no one else.

1.10. The Hadith reveals Mohammad had to ask forgiveness for sin more than seventy times a day (Bukhari vol. I, nos. 711; 78 vol. V, no. 724). Since Muslims believe that prophets must be sinless, this means Mohammad was not a prophet. Jesus Christ on the other hand forgave sin (Matthew 9:6; 28:18).

1.11. Mohammad was guilty of false prophecies: The 100 yr prophecy in Bukhari vol. I, no. 539; and the end of the world predictions in Bukhari vol. IV, no. 401.

1.12. Mohammad kissed and caressed the idol of black stone set in the wall of the Kabah (Muslim vol. II, no. 2912,2916). This we cannot even imagine Abraham or Jesus do and then command his followers to do so.

1.13. While Muslims claim Mohammad was illiterate to make the Qur’an a miracle, the Hadith records that he could in fact read and write (Bukhari vol. IV, no. 393).

We have to be honest and check for consistency and accuracy without pride and spiritual blindness.

  1. The teachings of Mohammad

Just as the Hadith gives us good reasons to question the integrity of Mohammad, his teachings recorded in the Hadith give us even more reason to doubt he was a prophet.  The following is a brief list of some ten of the strange and absurd teachings of Mohammad.

2.1. Muslims have one intestine while non-Muslims have seven! (Muslim vol.III, no. 5113-5115).

2.2. Adam was 60 cubits tall!  (Bukhari vol. IV, no. 543).  Up to 90 Feet (27 meters)?

2.3. Satan lives in the nose over night.  He can be flushed out if you snort water up and then out the nose (Bukhari vol. IV, no. 516; Muslim vol. I, no. 462).  Is Satan then in everyone’s nose?  Is he omnipresent – seeing that it is always night time somewhere for millions of people on earth?

2.4. Mohammad forbid the game of chess (Muslim vol. IV, no. 5612).

2.5. People turn into rats, pigs and monkeys (Bukhari vol. IV, nos. 524,627; Muslim vol. IV, no. 7135).  Abraham’s father was turned into an animal (Bukhari vol. IV, no. 569).

2.6. Mohammad was a dog hater.  He thought that angels could not enter a house if a dog was there and that black dogs were devils.  Thus he ordered dogs to be killed and forbid the selling of dogs (Bukhari vol. IV, nos. 539, 540; Muslim vol. I, nos. 551,552; vol. II, nos. 3803,3829).

2.7. If you lift up your eyes towards heaven while praying, your eyes will be snatched out!  (Muslim vol. III, nos. 862-863).

2.8. One wing of a fly has poison but the other wing has the antidote to it (Bukhari vol. IV, no. 537).

2.9. We should drink camel urine as a medicine (Bukhari vol. I, no. 234).

2.10. Fevers are from the fire of hell and can be cooled by water (Bukhari vol. IV, nos. 483, 486).

The text of the Qur’an.

Who wrote the Qur’an?  On what materials?  Who put the Qur’an together?  Were others putting together their own Qur’ans? Were they contradictory? What happened to all the other Qur’ans?  The Hadith gives us the following answers:

From Bukhari vol. VI, no. 509 we learn the following:

Mohammad did not collect the fragments of the Qur’an to make them into a manuscript.

Some of the companions of Mohammad were killed in battle and whatever Surahs they had memorized died with them.  Abu Bakr asked Zaid to collect the fragments of the Qur’an and arrange them into a manuscript.  Zaid hesitated because the task was harder than sifting through an entire mountain.  The task was difficult because of

  • the fragile nature of the fragments: palm leaves, stones, bones, etc.
  • the faulty memories of men (vol. VI, no. 527)
  • the false claims of men (vol. VI, no. 523)
  • conflicting versions of the Qur’an (vol. VI, no. 510,514,523)
  • contradictory orders of the surahs (vol. VI, nos. 515,518)
  • God caused verses to be abrogated or forgotten (vol. IV, nos. 57,62,69,299,293; VI, nos. 510,511,527)
  • Muhammad himself forgot and missed various parts of the Qur’an (vol. VI, no. 558,562).

Even after the manuscript was put together, they found that they had missed some verses (Bukhari vol. IV, no. 62; no. 510).   They tried to burn all the other Qur’anic fragments and manuscript (VI, no. 510).  Uthman is usually credited for making the present text (vol. I, no. 63; vol. IV, no. 709; vol. VI, nos. 507,510).  It is clear that the text of the Qur’an was not perfect and that conflicts arose which made it necessary to make one uniform text.  That Uthman tried to burn all the other Qur’ans is clear.  Yet, there are thousands of variant readings and there remain controversies about verses such as the one about stoning which were omitted by mistake.

Contradictions  and variant readings in the Hadith

One problem all Muslims face is that there are contradictions in the Hadith, conflicting readings and abrogations of Hadiths (Bukhari vol. I, nos. 42,47,74,78,80,81,86,102,107,112,159 vs 160,161,179,180; vol. III, nos.159,161; Muslim vol. I, nos. 682,685,689,699; vol. II, nos. 2547,2548).  The footnote on Bukhari vol.III, no. 159 says, “Hadith no. 159 contradicts the Hadith of Al-Hassan”.  Evidently Allah was not capable of preserving a perfect text of the Hadith.  On what grounds can we assume that the Qur’an was kept perfect?

The inspiration of the Qur’an

The mistakes in the Qur’an are well known.  There are over a hundred such problems.  The following is a few of the more glaring problems.   We are not talking about conflicts with theories but brute facts.  If this is the infallible word of God, the following should not be present, yet they are.

  1. Theological errors. The Qur’an is mistaken about what Christians and Jews believe (Surah 5:73,75; 9:30)
  2. Historical mistakes. The Samaritans (Surah 20:85,97), Alexander the Great, etc.
  3. Grammatical errors. Arabic scholars point out errors in Surahs 2:177,192;3:59; 4:162; 5:69; 7:160; 13:28; 20:66; 63:10, etc.
  4. Linguistical errors. Even though the Qur’an claims to be pure Arabic (12:2; 13:37; 16:105; 41:44; 42:7), it has foreign words.
  5. Scientific errors. Factual errors can be physically examined.  We are not talking about scientific theories vs the Qur’an, but hard evidence that can be checked out.  Surah XVIII (Kahf) vs. 85-86 says, “he [Zul-qarnain] followed, until he reached the setting of the sun.  He found it set in a spring of murky water.   This refers to Alexander the Great (Yusuf Ali’s appendix in his translation of the Qur’an).  According to this Surah, Alexander travelled west until he found what happened to the sun at night.  It went down into and under the murky waters of a pond until covered by water, then darkness fell upon the earth.  Early Muslims thought this was a divine answer as to why nights are dark.  Today, this embarrassment is ignored and dismissed as poetry.  But this passage is not a poem – it cannot be dismissed as figurative language or a poetic license, it is part of a historical narrative which relates several historical incidences in the life of Alexander the Great.  This mistake was based on the erroneous assumption that the earth was flat.  The authors of the Qur’an did not know that the earth was a sphere revolving around the sun.  Are you prepared to defend the Qur’an in this passage?  The sun either sets in a pond or it does not.  There is only one place you can turn for the absolute Truth:  Jesus Christ  [the Person] is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  Another scientific error in the Qur’an:  mountains never shake (Surah 16:15; 21:31; 31:10; 78:6,7; 88:19).  Come on, be real and think about the facts.  God gave you an intellect for a good reason.
  6. Moral errors. Muhammad justifying the taking of his daughter-in-law (Surah 33:36,38).
  7. Mathematical errors. Did creation take six days (Surahs 7:51; 10:3) or eight days (Surah 41:9,10,12)?
  8. Chronological errors. Puts Muslim vocabulary in the mouth of patriarch, prophets, etc (Surah 2:129133; 7:124,126,etc.).  The words did not exist in Hebrew or Arabic at that time.
  9. Biblical errors. The convolution of names, places, events and times.  Couldn’t even get the name of Jesus right.  He was the Son of God Who died for our sins on the cross and rose again three days later to pay for and prove eternal Life of those accepting Him as Savior, according to the Bible.  The Qur’an contradicts this –  more than 700 years later, with no proof to the contrary.    How can sex outside a marriage and drunkenness – that is sin on earth – be part of heaven?  Jesus taught that no sex [or anything sensual] exist in heaven as no perpetuation is required for people saved and already enjoying eternal life through Him [the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross].  Think about it!
  10. Political errors. Commands Jihad – against apostates and non-Muslims (Surah 4:91; 5:33; 9:5).

Conclusion.  The Hadith and the Qur’an stand or fall together.  The facts are clear that they are not from God and are false works. The Qu’ran didn’t come from Mohammed at all. In fact, the very earliest Qu’rans which have been handed down through the centuries were first written in the 8th century, and continued to proliferate for another 200 years until in the 15th century a total of 30 different Qu’rans existed in the Muslim world. No wonder they finally had to choose just one amongst them, the Hafs text in 1924, so that they could have one official Qu’ran.  But that was chosen less than 100 years ago.

So much for believing that the Qu’ran was an eternal and uncreated book, revealed to just one man.  It turns out that we’ve been told a lie.

The secular approach

Modern scholars such as Crook, Crone, Wansbrough, Rippin, etc. are giving totally different origins of Islam and the Qur’an.  Once you put aside the Qur’an and the Hadith, you begin to see that Islam created the Qur’an instead of the Qur’an creating Islam.   Islam created a mythological Muhammad who is nothing like the historical Muhammad, if that was his true name.  The Qur’an had multiple authors from various locations who combined different legends and materials to make the stories found in it.  It took 150-200 years for the Qur’an to appear.  Mohammad never saw the present Qur’an and would disown it if shown it.  He is not the source of it.  The following explains the contradictions and mistakes in it.  The time line is as follows:

570 AD [Anno Domini, meaning “the year of our Lord” – Jesus Christ]………      Muhammad’s birth

610 AD…………………………………  Muhammad’s call to prophethood

632 AD…………………………………  Muhammad’s death

650 AD ………………………………..  Calif Uthman

691 AD…………………………………  Dome of the Rock

700-800 AD……………………………. Legends and myths

800 AD…………………………………  Traditions, 700 000 Hadiths; 850 Bukhari’s Hadith

923 AD……………………………….    Tabiri’s commentary

  1. No references to Mohammad as a prophet have been found in contemporary literature, rock inscriptions or coins.
  2. No manuscripts of the Qur’an exist before 150-200 years after Muhammad. This allows opportunity for myths and legends to arise.
  3. The claim that Uthman compiled the Qur’an has no evidence to support it.
  4. The claim that two “original” Uthman Qur’ans can be seen at Topkapi, turkey and in Tashkent, Russia – is false. The manuscripts are in the Kufic script which did not exist in the 7th
  5. The present text of Qur’an came from multiple authors using erroneous legends, myths, and stories. It has many additions, deletions, variant readings, and no primary source materials to support it.  It is thus a corrupt text and cannot be trusted to tell us what Mohammad really taught or did, or that he existed.
  6. The text and stories of the Hadith are as corrupt as the Qur’an. Where is the evidence to support its claims??

 

How the Qur’an came to be

Modern scholars using sound principles of literary analysis have determined that the Qur’an did not come from Mohammad.  He did not recite it and actually never saw a copy of it.  It was not put together until nearly one hundred and fifty years after Mohammad’s death.

This has come as quite a shock to Muslims.  According to the legends, myths, and stories found in the Hadith, the Qur’an was written in heaven by Allah on a large stone tablet.  The angel Gabriel brought it down and Muhammad recited it verbally but did not write any of it down.  It was Muhammad’s companions who wrote down what he recited.  After his death, it was gathered together and compiled by Calif Uthman.

The insurmountable problem that Muslims face is that they do not have a shred of paperary evidence from the 7th and 8th century to back up any of their claims.  For example, if Uthman compiled the Qur’an as the Hadith claims (Bukhari 1:63; IV:709; VI:507,510), where is the manuscript evidence for this?  Why have no Qur’ans survived from that period?  Why was it over a hundred years before we find even a scrap of the Qur’an?  Muslims are also guilty of circular reasoning when they paper the Qur’an by the Hadith and then paper the Hadith by the Qur’an!  Meanwhile there is no paperary evidence to back up either the Qur’an or the Hadith.  Both are fraudulent as to authorship and date.

The Qur’an was invented in order to give spiritual unity to the vast empire created by Arab conquests.  By borrowing liberally from the legends, myths and religious traditions of pagans, Jews, Christians, Hindus, and Persians, they created one religion to rule over all its citizens.  Thus the Qur’an was the product of multiple authors who contributed stories and legends from their own cultural and religious background.  The sources of these stories have been well papered by many scholars.

The burden of proof is now clearly on the Muslims.  They must supply scholars with the paperary evidence to support their theories on the origins of the Qur’an and the Hadith.  Until they do, we cannot believe in the inspiration of either one.

How different is the situation with the New Testament.  The manuscript evidence for it begins twenty years after the crucifixion of Christ.  There are thousands (in excess of 60 000) of Greek, Latin, Syriac and Coptic texts which paper the reliability of the New Testament.  The same holds true for the history of Jesus of Nazareth – more than enough paperary evidence exist of His life from the first century Jewish, pagan, and Christian manuscripts.  This is in sharp contrast to the life of Mohammad.  We find no references to Mohammad as a prophet until 150 years after his death.  No one ever found even the smallest fragment of the Qur’an from the 7th century.  Much what is said must be dismissed as fiction.

Common logical fallacies made by Muslims

The fallacy of false assumptions. In logic as well as law, “historical precedent” means that the burden of proof rests on those who set forth new theories and not on those whose ideas have already been verified.  The old tests the new.  The already established authority judges any new claims to authority.  Since Islam came centuries after Christianity, Islam has the burden of proof and not Christianity [that is already proven].  The Bible tests and judges the Qur’an.  When the two contradict each other, the Bible must logically be given first place as the older [and proven] authority.  The Qur’an is in error until it proves itself.

Arguing in a circle.  If you have already assumed in your premise what you are going to state in your conclusion, then you have ended where you began and proven nothing.  Examples:

proving Allah by the Qur’an and then proving the Qur’an by Allah

proving Muhammad by the Qur’an and then proving the Qur’an by Muhammad

Proving Islam by the Qur’an and then proving the Qur’an by Islam.

False analogy.   Comparing two things as if they are parallel when they are not really the same at all.  Examples:

Many Muslims erroneously assume that Muslims and Christians share the same concepts of God, revelation, inspiration, textual preservation, the Bible, prophet hood, biblical history, conversion, etc.  Because a false analogy is drawn between Islam and Christianity, some Muslims think that any argument which refutes the Qur’an will likewise refute the Bible; any argument which refutes Muhammad will also refute Jesus Christ, etc.  For example, many Muslims claim that Mohammad and all prophets were sinless.  They even deny that Abraham was an idol worshipper.  Thus when a Christian points out all the wicked things that Mohammad did (mass murder, child abuse, lying, etc.), The Muslims will say, “If you are right, then you must also reject your biblical prophets for doing wicket things as well.”

The root problem is that the Muslim concept of prophet hood is not the same as the Christian concept of prophet hood.  The Bible teaches and has shown how prophets had sin like anyone else – except Jesus, Who had no sin.  The Bible teaches that there is salvation in and through no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by and in which we must be saved.  His name is Jesus (“Savior” in Hebrew), and His title is Christ (“Anointed”, or “Messiah”).  See Philippians 2:9-10.

Thus while Islam is refuted by the sins of Mohammad, Christianity is not jeopardized at all.  The Muslim is guilty of setting up a false analogy.  In other words, flipping evidence against Mohammad and the Qur’an around and applying it to the Bible, Jesus or the Trinity as if Islam and Christianity either stand or fall together, is a false analogy.  Islam can be false while Christianity is true at the same time.  They do not stand or fall together, they are diametrically opposed.

The fallacy of irrelevance.   When you introduce issues which have no logical bearing on the subject under discussion, you are using irrelevant arguments.  Examples are –

When Muslims say the Qur’an is the word of God because the text has been preserved perfectly.  This argument is erroneous for two reasons:

Factually, the text of the Qur’an has not been preserved perfectly. The text has additions, deletions, conflicting manuscripts, and variant readings like other ancient writings.

Logically, it is irrelevant whether the text of the Qur’an has been preserved perfectly because preservation does not logically imply divine inspiration. A secular book can be perfectly copied.

When Muslims attack the character and motives of anyone who reveals problems in Islam, they are using irrelevant arguments. Character is not necessarily the determining factor or indication that someone is telling the truth.  “Good” people can lie, and bad people can tell the truth.  To try and counter with slogans such as “dishonest”, “racist”, “liar”, etc., is not only committing a logical fallacy but also revealing inability to intellectually defend his beliefs.

When confronted with the pagan origins of the Qur’an, some Muslims defend the Qur’an by typically answering, “So what! Did you Christians not get Christmas from the pagans?”  This argument is erroneous for several reasons –

It is a false analogy to parallel the pagan origins of the rites commanded in the Qur’an with the present day holidays nowhere commanded in the Bible. What most modern day Christians do erroneously on December 25th on their own account has no logical bearing on what the Qur’an commands Muslims to do (for example the pilgrimage, etc.).

It is irrelevant that some Christians choose to celebrate the birth of Christ. Since the Bible nowhere commands it, it is a matter of personal freedom.  But Muslims are commanded in the Qur’an to believe and practice many things that came from pagans of that day.

The Muslim by using this argument is actually admitting that the Qur’an was not “sent down” but fabricated from pagan sources. This means he has become an unbeliever (Surah 25:4-6).

Some Muslims argue that the Qur’an is the word of God because it contains some historically or scientific accurate statements. This argument is irrelevant. Just because a book is correct on some point does not mean it is divinely inspired.  You cannot take the attributes of a part and apply it to the whole.  A book can be a mixture of false and true statements.  It is a logical fallacy to argue the entire Qur’an is true if it contains one true statement.  When a Muslim argues that history or science “proves” the Qur’an, this actually means that history and science can likewise refute the Qur’an.  If the Qur’an contains just one historical or scientific error, it can therefore not be the word of God – verification/falsification goes together.

The present meaning of a word is often irrelevant to what it meant in ancient times. The word “Allah” is a good example.  When confronted by the historical evidence that the word was used by pagan Arabs in pre-Islamic times to refer to a high god who supposedly was married to the sun-goddess and had three daughters, some Muslims will quote dictionaries, encyclopaedias, etc. to prove (sic) that “Allah means God”.  Thus they are using modern day definitions to define what a word had meant over a thousand years ago!  What “Allah” means now has no bearing on what it meant before Mohammad. Other words that have changed meanings are “gay” and “apocalypse”.

The fallacy of equivocation. If we assume that everyone has the same definition of such words as God, Jesus, revelation, inspiration, prophet, miracle, etc., we are committing a very simple logical fallacy.

When we say, “Christians and Muslims worship the same God”, we are committing a fallacy of equivocation. While Christians worship the Triune God of Father, Son and Holy Spirit; Muslims worship a unitarian deity.  Obviously they are worshipping a different god.

When a Muslim says “we believe in Jesus too”, it is a gross fallacy of equivocation. The “Jesus” of the Qur’an is not the Jesus of the Bible!  Islam preaches another “Jesus” (2 Cor 11:4).  The Jesus of the Bible is God the Son Who gave His Life on the cross for the sin of all in the world who accept that vicarious offer.  This Jesus delivers you [inside, your mind] from sin, guilt, bondages, legalism, violence, etc.  But the “Jesus” of the Qur’an is not God the Son and he did not save anyone on the cross.  Thus it is erroneous for Muslims to tell Christians they believe in Jesus too.  You cannot accept Jesus of Nazareth, but reject His teachings and revelations about the kingdom of God.  The “believe” the Bible talks about, is not a mere intellectual cognition of an historical fact; but to unconditionally trust Him [the teachings and promises of Jesus Christ], rely on Him, and cling to Him in absolute obedience [submission].  Jesus said that seeing Him, is seeing God the Father, rejecting Him [as Son of God], is rejecting God the Father (John 5:23,26; 8:19,23-58; 14:6,7).

When Muslims assumes that Christians have the same concept of revelation as Muslims, it is a fallacy of equivocation. According to Islam, the Qur’an was written in heaven by Allah and has no earthly sources; this threatens the inspiration of the Qur’an.  On the other hand, the Bible does not claim that it dropped out of heaven one day.  It openly quotes from earthly sources, and uses pre-existing sources without any difficulty whatsoever.  Thus, while the Qur’an is threatened by historical sources, the Bible is actually confirmed by them.  In excess of 3 880 astonishing prophecies in the Bible [up to 3 500 years ago] have been fulfilled already with amazing accuracy.

When a Muslim thinks the word “Allah” has only one meaning: “the one, true, universal God”, he is assuming a fallacy.  The word “allah” has many meanings.

It can be used as a generic term like the English word “God”. Thus it can be linguistically applied to any god or goddess regardless if a true or false god is in view (ex. The “Allahs” of Hinduism).

The nation of Islam uses it to refer to Wallace Dodd Ford, Elijah Muhammad, and Louis Farrakhan as “Allah” and teaches that all black people are “Allahs”.

It has been used by some Christians in Arabic speaking countries as a generic name for the Holy Trinity.

It was used in pre-Islamic times by pagan Arabs to refer to the moon-god who was the father of al-Lat, al-Uzza and Manat (three daughters, no son).

It is used by Muslims to refer to their god.

Islam and Christianity do not worship the same God.

The fallacy of force. The Qur’an commands Muslims to wage war against non-Muslims and apostates (Surah 5:33; 9:5,29).  Some Muslims use a false analogy to answer this point by saying, “well, what about the crusades?  You Christians use violence just like Muslims”.  It is logically erroneous to set up a parallel between Muslims killing people in obedience to the Qur’an and between Christians killing people in disobedience to the Bible.  While the Qur’an commands Jihad, the New Testament forbids it.  Understand also, that deeds of terrorism, like setting of bombs that kill innocent bystanders are not the way God – as the Giver of Life, healing and Love – can want us to operate.  Jesus Christ teaches to love your enemies, not kill anyone they might love to inflict hurt on them.  Jesus healed the ear of the guard that came to arrest Him [for blasphemy, saying He is the Son of God], after one of His disciples had cut of his ear.  Wars are tragic results of blindly running after false and manipulative religious systems or power-drunk leaders or ending up in a place of disobedience to the one and only true Triune God – but reaping what we have sowed [as humankind].

 Just by the way, the Roman Catholics killed at least 50 million Protestant Christians for rejecting the authority of the pope as higher than that of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Head of His church. The Roman Catholic “crusades” were not Christian, but Roman Catholic endeavours for power.

The Fallacy of confusing questions of fact with questions of relevance. Whether something is factually true is totally different from the issue of whether you feel it is relevant.  Example:

When a Christian says some of the beliefs of the Qur’an came from pre-Islamic Arab paganism, The Muslim will deny it at first.  But as more evidence is given, The Muslim often argues, “So what!  Didn’t you Christians get Christmas from the pagans?”  The Muslim has now committed three fallacies –

The “So what!” argument is dealing with the issue of relevance, not fact. “So what!” is actually a statement acknowledging the pagan origins of Islam!

The Muslim has also committed the fallacy of equivocation, the Bible is not threatened by historical sources, but freely refers to them and even quotes them (Acts 17:28). But the Qur’an denies that it has any earthly historical sources (Surah 25:4-6).

He also committed the fallacy of false analogy. The Bible and the Qur’an are two totally different books.  The inspiration of the Bible does not depend upon the fate of the Qur’an because what Muslims claim for the Qur’an is not what Christians claim for the Bible.

Phonic fallacies. The phonic sound of a word should not be used to twist its meaning.  Example:

Some Muslims try to prove that the word “Allah” is in the Greek New Testament because of the Greek word alla. But while the word is pronounced “alla”, it only means “but” in Greek.  It has absolutely nothing to do with the Arabic “Allah”.

Some Muslims have claimed that the word “Allah” is in the Bible word “allelujah”. They then mispronounce the word as “Allah-lujah”, but “allelujah” is not a compound Arabic word with “Allah” being the first part of the word.  It is a Hebrew word with the name of God being “Jah” [JHVH, or JeHoVaH or Jahweh] and the verb “alle” meaning “praise to”.  So “allelujah” means “praise to Jahweh”.  The Arabic word “Allah” is not in the word “allelujah” at all, not even remotely.

The same error is found in the Muslim argument that the word “Baca” (Ps 84:6) really means “Mecca”. The valley of Baca is in northern Israel (Palestine).

Some Muslims have tried to go from “Amen” to “Ahmed” to “Mohammed”! Such nonsense is beyond belief.  The question arises why such Muslims feel such a ridiculous forcing of meaning would be necessary…  as if they desperately try to elevate a highly manipulative culture (political system) to the realm of a religion to get it “justified”…

Along the same line, should Muslims then take heed to what happened to Korah (Num 16:1-35), and wonder how they can have a [what sounds like] “Koran” (Qur’an).

“Red Herring” arguments. When a Muslim is asked to defend the Qur’an, and turns around attacking the Bible, the Trinity, the deity of Christ, the [Roman Catholic] crusades (not realizing that Roman Catholics also killed 50 million Christian Protestants and have grossly false teachings), and so on, the Muslim is introducing irrelevant issues that have no logical bearing on the truthfulness of Islam.  This is an attempt to divert attention from Islam to other issues.  Furthermore, he is assuming that if he can refute the Bible, the Qur’an wins by default.  If he can refute the Trinity, then Allah wins by default.  But this is logically erroneous.  You cannot prove your position by refuting someone else’s position – both could be wrong.  Muslims must prove their own book.  Honesty is required to prove Truth.

Straw man arguments. When you put a false argument into the mouth of your opponent and then proceed to knock it down, you have only created a “straw man” argument [for your own mind].  Muslims sometimes either misunderstand or deliberately misquote the arguments Christians give them.  Example:  Some people have built a “straw man” argument that claims what Christians teach, namely that “the Qur’an teaches that Allah is the moon-god and that Muslims knowingly believe in and worship this moon-god and his daughters”.  Then they proceed to knock down this “straw man” argument and claim victory.

The truth is however, that Christians did not say such nonsense.  What Christians point out is that while the Qur’an claims that Allah is God and Muslims think they are worshipping the one true God, in reality they are worshipping a false god preached by a false prophet according to a false book.

 

Conclusion

The average Muslim has been deceived by Muslim apologists who use such logical fallacies without regard to reason, fact or honesty.  The religion of Islam was born out of Arab cultural imperialism and is rooted in a racist attitude that all things Arab are good while all things non-Arab are evil.  Until this is understood, the true nature of Islam cannot be grasped.  This is why western dress, food, hairstyles, etc. are zealously denounced by the Mullahs and Imams as satanic.   Blue jeans, for example, are not really condemned because they are immoral but because they are non-Arab.  The truthfulness of this observation is easily demonstrated by Islam’s demand that one bow in prayer in the direction of Arabia (Mecca) and make a pilgrimage to Arabia (Mecca).  So where is Allah?  Is he only in Mecca (Arabia)? Are there any witnesses to his power?  Christians have millions of papered miracles that happened in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.  The religion of Islam is Arabian paganism and culture raised to divine law and imposed upon conquered nations.  Human privileges (Ezekial 21:27) are not honoured by the shackles of Islam.

But there are many Muslims who want to be rational in their religion and thus see that their arguments are based on logical fallacies.  They are actually open to the wonderful news that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Who paid for our sins and righteousness on the cross.  Only Jesus Christ could and did accomplish what no man could.  Ask Him into your heart right now.  Expect a miracle.  He will reveal Himself to you in your heart.  Feel and experience His magnificent Love and forgiveness.  His grace [unmerited favour] is beyond our understanding.  Experience for yourself the healing and resurrection power of the living God of Old Covenantal Abraham, Isaac and Jacob Who can now be your Father but only in the Name and authority of Jesus Christ (John 1:12,13) – just accept His Son Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord right now!  Then His Spirit within you can make you cry to Him: “Abba Father!” (Your Real Father in heaven).

Are you shocked and perhaps angered when facts of history and science reveal these fallacies?  Yes!  But can mere denial or angry threats refute the fact that Islam is nothing more than a modern version of an ancient pagan religion?  That millions of Muslims have been deceived?  Millions of professing “Christians” have also been deceived by grossly distorted false teachings as well!  Most “Christians” today run around with false concepts about God and Jesus Christ.  This is a fact.

 

Where did Allah come from?

Muslims worship a god by the name of Allah.  They also give him ninety-nine other names.  The question is who or what is he?  Where did the Muslims derive their ideas of Allah’s nature and attributes?

The historical source of Islam

Historians, linguists, and archaeologists have dug into this question for over a century.  Various archaeological digs in Arabia and throughout the Middle East have uncovered the answer:  Islam is a modern version of the ancient fertility religion of the moon god.  Once this is grasped, the rise and history of Islam becomes clear.  Does the average Muslim know the real evidence about this fact?  Probably not.

The Arab conquests were made possible because the central powers in the Middle East had exhausted themselves in wars against each other.  They were not able to fight off wave after wave of Arab armies which subdued entire nations with merciless slaughter, rape and plunder.

Anthropologists have recorded how the Arabs destroyed the cultural heritage of any nation which fell under their sword.  Who were these Arabs?  Obviously not Christians because they destroyed churches and murdered priests wherever they went (Just like the Roman Catholic Church that murdered over 50 million Protestants for rejecting the Pope, basically, as a god); obviously not Jews because they persecuted Jews without pity.   Jews worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Christians worship God the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Holy Spirit as One and the same true God.  The hate of these Arab people is seen today in their hatred of Israel and the many wars and acts of terrorism waged against Jews and Christians alike throughout the world.   If they were not Christians or Jews, who were they?  They were pagans who worshipped pagan gods, one of which was called Allah, and followed pagan rites which were practiced in Arabia long before the religion of Islam was formed – a verifiable fact.

Arabs worship a different deity called Allah who has no son.  Since this opposes the revelation of the Bible that one God revealed Himself in three Persons, it does not take a Ph.D. to see that Islam did not come from the Bible.  It is not the religion of the Biblical prophets, apostles or Jesus of Nazareth Who is Son of Man, Son of God.

Islam’s moon-god was always the dominant religion of Arabia.  The moon god was worshipped by praying toward Mecca several times a day, making an annual pilgrimage to the Kabah which was a temple of the moon god, running around the Kabah seven times, caressing an idol of a black stone set in the wall of the Kabah, running between two hills, making animal sacrifices, gathering on Fridays for prayers, giving alms to the poor, etc.  These were pagan rites practiced by Arabs long before Mohammad was born.  And what religion today practices those same pagan rites of the moon god?  Islam!  This explains why the crescent moon is the symbol of Islam, placed on top of mosques and minarets and displayed on flags, hats, rugs amulets and even jewellery.  Every time you see the Muslim symbol of a crescent moon, you are seeing the ancient symbol of the moon god.

Above, a photograph of an image excavated showing Allah sitting on a throne with a crescent moon on his chest. [The moon-god Allah in the archaeology of the Middle East, by Dr. A. Morey, p. 6].

History proves that before Islam came into existence, the Sabeans in Arabia worshiped the moon god who married the sun goddess, who gave birth to three goddesses.  They were called Al-lat, Al-uzza and Manat.  They later became idols and were worshipped throughout that part of the world as “daughters of Allah”.  That moon god was called Allah.  He was just one of 360 idols in the Kabah in Mecca.  The crescent moon is everywhere in Islam – even Ramadan begins and ends with the crescent moon.  In the 1950’s a major temple to the moon-god Allah was excavated at Hazor in Palestine.  Two idols of this moon-god were found, named Allah, proving Allah was a pre-Islamic pagan deity. See left, this photograph of Allah sitting on a throne with a crescent moon on his chest. [The moon-god Allah in the archaeology of the Middle East, by Dr. A. Morey, p. 6].

The Muslims say Jesus was a prophet, a good man.  They claim to commend His teachings, but they reject Him as God and Saviour.  This is totally illogical – You cannot admire His teachings and actions and then reject His claim to be the Son of God sent to save the world – that is what He teaches!

So now you see that all Muslims have been betrayed: the truth is that Allah is not God, Mohammad was no prophet and the Koran is not the Word of God.  But there is a real God in heaven Who loves all Muslims [too] and wants them to know the Truth:  Jesus Christ.  God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are three Persons of one Godhead revealed to explain one magnificent true God.  Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the living God, created the universe – including Mohammad – Revelation 4:11, John 1:1-5,14!

Does the average Muslim know that he is worshipping a moon god?  No, probably not.  Dear Muslim friend, instead of worshipping a false god, you should worship the living God of the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles and us.  This one true God is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Read the New Testament (starting with John) for it is the true Word of God.  It was established long before Islam.  The date the whole world regard as accurate for any legal document is based on Jesus Christ, not Mohammed.

The Triune Godhead:  Father, Son and Holy Spirit

The vocabulary associated with the doctrine of the Trinity is a difficulty to many of us.  The phrase “three Persons, One substance” is not exactly illuminating!  The meditation “Trinity” by this author expands on this subject.

The theologian who may be argued to be responsible for the development of the distinctive Trinitarian terminology is Tertullian.  According to one analysis, Tertullian was responsible for coining 509 new nouns, 284 new adjectives, and 161 new verbs in Latin Three of these were Trinitas, Persona, and Substantia.  Tertullian introduced the Latin word Persona to translate the Greek word hypostasis.  This became translated as “person” into English.  The term persona literally means “a mask”, such as was worn by an actor in a Roman drama.  At that time, actors wore masks to allow the audiences to understand which of the different characters in the drama they were playing.  The term persona thus came to have a developed meaning along the lines of “the role that someone is playing”.  It is quite possible that Tertullian wanted his readers to understand the idea of “One substance, three Persons”  [Substantia express the idea of a fundamental unity]. Just remember that God is transcendent and not limited by form or time. He is not three separate gods, but one God as explained in the meditation “Trinity” on this website.

Tertullian’s explanation of the Trinity is that God, as the Creator, Sustainer, Righteousness, Love, Grace, etc. is too complex for us to explain with our language [vocabulary], so He chose to reveal Himself to us in a similar way as those Roman actors did to their audiences.

Imagine one God using “see-through-masks” [Persons], in this complex process of His creation, to show us Who [in what manner He] is working in His “economy of salvation” (“economy” = how He works to save and redeem willing people appropriating the offer made by His Son, sent by Him for this purpose:  to be the Light/everlasting Life of the world that illuminates every person, and give authority of all that receive Him to be called children of God but thus only through Jesus Christ).  Imagine a “see-through” mask, to show a Creator-Father as a Provider; then another “see-through” mask to show a Savior Son, your Friend Who demonstrated God inside a Perfect Man Who would reconcile man again with a Righteous Father-God as our representative; and then another “see-through” mask to show the Holy Spirit, the omnipresent Personal Counsellor, Teacher, Guide inside all reborn children of God [everywhere]… so one God [Spirit] is seen behind all three persons – distinct, but one.  The whole Bible through all of its history, since the creation, showed a Triune God, but the revelation was only understood [imparted] when Jesus started to reveal Truths never previously understood correctly by mankind.

The questions in life that truly matter are remarkably few and can be answered by these words Jesus spoke [in Matthew 11:28]: “Come to Me…”  Our Lord’s words are not “follow these rules and rituals”, but “come to Me”.  Look at the stubbornness of your heart.  You would rather attempt anything than trust in and rely on Him that can really change you so you want to cease experiencing sin? For this you must come to Jesus only.  Jesus Christ makes Himself the test so you can determine your genuineness.  “… and I will give you rest”.  He will sustain you.  Jesus will set you free – not to be unruly but free from that old sinful nature.  Jesus Christ becomes your righteousness before God, and His resurrection power in you will give you eternal life.  Jesus said that our tradition makes the Word of God to no effect (Mark 7:13; 12:24).  Why?  Because God is Love; and Love never manipulates!  Think about it, will you, friend?

Isaac and Ishmael – two covenants

Ishmael was the child of the Egyptian maid Hagar and Abraham.  Sarai (later Sarah) talked her husband Abram (later Abraham), into this deed because she was barren at the time.  In Genesis 16 the account is given:  the Angel of the Lord (Jesus Himself pre-incarnate) appeared to Hagar after she became contemptible towards Sarai and eventually fled from Sarai’s dealings with her.  The Lord told Hagar to go back and humbly submit to Sarai (Gen 16:9); also making the prophecy that Ishmael will be “as a wild ass among men; his hand will be against every man and every man’s hand against him, and he will live to the east and on the borders of all his kinsman” (Gen 16:12).  Nothing can be more descriptive of the wondering, lawless, freebooting life of many Arabs than this.  From the beginning to the present day they have kept their independence, and are a living monument of God’s providential care and an incontestable argument of the truth of divine revelation.  Had the books of Moses no other proof of their divine origin, the account of Ishmael and the prophecy concerning his descendants during a period of nearly 4 000 years would be sufficient.  To attempt to refute it would be a most ridiculous presumption and folly.

In MKJV The Bible, Galatians 4:21-31 read as follows:

:21 Tell me, those desiring to be under Law, do you not hear the Law?
:22 For it is written: Abraham had two sons, the one out of the slave-woman, and one out of the free woman.
:23 But, indeed, he out of the slave-woman has been born according to flesh, and he out of the free woman through the promise;
:24 which things are being allegorized; for these are the two covenants, one indeed from Mount Sinai bringing forth to slavery, which is Hagar.
:25 For Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to Jerusalem which now is, and is in slavery with her children.
:26 But the Jerusalem from above is free, who is the mother of us all.
:27 For it is written, “Rejoice, barren one not bearing; break forth and shout, you not travailing; for more are the children of the desolate than she having the husband.”
:28 But brothers, we, like Isaac, are children of promise.
:29 But then even as he born according to flesh persecuted him born according to the Spirit, so it is also now.
:30 But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave-woman and her son; for in no way shall the son of the slave-woman inherit with the son of the free woman.” (Gen 21:10)
:31 Then, brothers, we are not children of a slave-woman, but of the free woman

The “We” above, refers to those re-born in the Holy Spirit  (John 3:3; 14:6).  Romans 8:14 states that only those that are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  John 1:12-13 states,  “But as many as received Him [Jesus Christ], He [God The Father] gave to them authority to become the children of God, to those who believe on His name, who were born, not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but were born of God.”

Still, Ishmael was the first person mentioned in the Bible whom God named before his birth (Gen 16:11).  Others were: Isaac (Gen 17:19); Josiah (1 Kings 13:2); Solomon (1 Chronicles 22:9); Jesus (Matthew 1:21); and John the Baptist (Luke 1:13).  Later the Lord (Jesus pre-incarnate) appeared to Abraham promising him and Sarah [now beyond the childbearing age] a wonder-child as the one through whom the promised Messiah will be born [sent] into the world – Genesis 18.  So it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondmaid born according to the flesh and had an ordinary birth; and one by the free woman who was born in fulfilment of God’s promise [Genesis 16:15; 21:2,9].  This represents two covenants.  One covenant originated from mount Sinai in Arabia [where the Law, a set of rules, was given to reveal attempts at self-righteousness – not as a means to salvation – Galatians 3:19; Romans 3:20] and stands for Hagar that bears [children destined] for slavery [bondage by external laws and rules, as for Jews as well!].  But the Jerusalem above (the Messianic kingdom of Jesus Christ) is born supernatural and is free by virtue of promise by God.  Just as at that time the child [of ordinary birth] born according to the flesh despised and persecuted him [who was born remarkably according to prophecy and the working of the Holy Spirit], so is it now also.  Note that Jesus was born of a virgin [no seed of a man, thus of God as the angel said in Luke 1:26-50] and fulfilled over 300 prophecies in amazing detail.  He brought hope and deliverance from [desire to] sin and guilt, He healed thousands [lame, deaf, blind, cripples, even raised the dead].  To this day this happens when done in the name of Jesus Christ as Lord – proof that Jesus really did raise from that grave and sent the Holy Spirit (the “Comforter” of John 14:26) to indwell those that accept His offer.  Jesus Christ alone gives us eternal life – outside of time that was created for us in this life.  Jesus died on that cross for all who want to be saved by His blood.  Jesus Christ that rose from the dead and demonstrated eternal life in a resurrected body.  Jesus showed how to be saved and be co-heirs of the Seed of Abraham (Jesus Christ) and so heirs of God’s blessings and promises to Abraham (not Moses; not Jews; or self).  Jesus is the Name above all names, and is the Truth that sets you free.  Those before the cross of Jesus Christ had to believe God that His plan was to send a Savior that would pay for all our sin; and those since His vicarious and sacrificial price paid on that cross at Golgotha have to believe that He [Jesus Christ] was in fact this Savior that has paid with His Blood as The Lamb of God.

That empty grave, and hundreds of eyewitnesses over forty days [after His resurrection] that were all prepared to die affirming Jesus as the risen Lord, must tell you something.  As you study those prophecies fulfilled, and the miracles, they all [even stronger considered collectively] testify that Jesus Christ is exactly Who He said He was: The Savior-God Who came as a Man to set free those who follow Him, on behalf of mankind.  The “sign” is the power of Jesus Christ.  Those who choose to love Him back that loved us while we were still His enemies.  For greater love has no one, than to give his life for someone else [especially while they hate Him].  You either accept all about Him, or nothing at all – nothing in between and nothing else.  Jesus Christ is Lord.  No other gods, including man’s idea, can stand before Him.  None of your works can make you right with God – just accepting Jesus as your substitute can.

If, for example, you have ever lied, or have taken anything without permission (even an idea or credit), or looked at someone with lustful thoughts, Jesus taught that you are guilty and can not acquit yourself [that your thoughts really determine who you are].  “Sorry” does not cut it, as the sin has to be paid for under the law of sin and death [God is the Source of righteousness].  But Jesus Christ paid for all our sins.  God is love.  Jesus came (was sent, born) more than 600 years before Mohammed into this world [but exist eternally, and is not created, but creates] and Jesus healed thousands, and Jesus killed no one (even when one of His disciples chopped off one of the official’s ears that came to illegally arrest Him, Jesus instructed Simon to put away his sword, and then healed that man’s ear!).  Jesus teaches His followers to forgive enemies [as He forgives us].  Jesus gave woman status back and uplifted the downtrodden and oppressed – His followers today do the same.  Jesus helped [and still helps] all in need, whoever they are [even enemies], where ever you are – His followers do the same today.  Think of all the disaster relief and organizations globally that love and help any one in need before politicians and the religious get there…

All religions in the world follow external rules, traditions and rituals – except one faith.  Only Christianity believes that we can approach God the Father – as we are – on the basis of what HE did through Jesus Christ.  That He made atonement for us -because He loves us [He made us!].  That He [Jesus Christ] then sent the Holy Spirit of God [His sinless Life through Whom He is omniscient and omnipresent] to indwell any one who accepts the blood-sacrifice Jesus Christ paid on that cross at Golgotha that is the only way to obtain righteousness before God the Father.  Not a pope or a Mohammed or oneself. No [corrupted and flawed] works of our own. The choice is yours.  He gave you a free will because this is the ultimate proof of true love (He did not make robots).  He showed His love for you in a most public, humiliating and auspicious way when we all still hated [rejected] Him.  So, what will you do with your choice regarding Him?  Will you Love Him back?…

So, how can you be saved from your sinful self and your own sinful thoughts and grow into an ever-increasing, continual, personal relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ?  Recognize that Satan has deceived you.  Admit that you are a sinner in need of a Savior.  Repent [realize your utter unworthiness and helplessness to save yourself, turn your back on sin], and ask Jesus into your heart right now.  Trust Jesus Christ as your Savior right now, and be changed forever – He will never leave you nor forsake you nor leave you without support [especially fellow believers in Christ] – Hebrews 13:5.

This is the biggest decision of your life!  It promises you everlasting life. It cost Him His so that you can live, at last you will know the Truth and be with your [real] loving Father for all eternity.  If you did this, you have just begun a wonderful life with Jesus Christ – His Spirit inside of you. I am proud of you!

Read your Bible [try the New Kings James version, or the Amplified Bible, or the NIV] every day to get to know God [Christ] better.  Start with the gospel of John in the New Testament.  You cannot exhaust [get all revelations of] the Bible in a 100 years.  You will discover it is one, progressive, unfolding, revelation of God [of Jesus Christ, to you].  Be baptized, worship, enjoy fellowship with Christians in an assembly where Christ is preached and the Bible is the final authority and Holy Spirit manifests [show Himself in signs and miracles].  See the subjects on www.gospel-truth.co.za called “Evolution” and “The Flood” as well as other creation evidence websites for the truth about God’s creation that is NOT millions of years old, but about 6 000 years, with the creation being made by God in six literal days, no “gaps” – just as it is written in the [original] Bible.  A creation evidence website that will give you a definitive scientific evidence that should debunk evolution once for all in www.trueorigin.org.  Others are http://www.creationism.org/ackerman/; www.creationevidence.org; www.answersingenesis.org;  and so on. For more about God’s grace and righteousness and His salvation through Jesus Christ, see the other papers by this author on www. gospel-truth.co.za, perhaps starting with the paper “Who is Jesus Christ?”.

Tell others about Jesus Christ.  Be blessed, my friend and enjoy your eternal life…

With Love:  Jesus, your Savior, God-Friend, and elder Brother [making you a child of God].

 

A few New Testament “sacred secrets” revealed by Jesus Christ:

 The mystery of the kingdom of God – Mark 4:11; Luke 12:32; 17:21

The mystery of His will – Ephesians 1:9,10; John 6:39,40; 1 Pet 2:4-10

The mystery of Christ and His Church – Ephesians 1:22,23; 2:18-22; 4:12; 5:32[:31 – the marriage is a prophetic image to the world with a Bride, a Church, taking on the Name, the nature and character of the Bridegroom:  Jesus Christ]; Colossians 1:24; 1Peter 2:5; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 John 4:16

The mystery of the gospel – Ephesians 6:19

The mystery of Christ in you – Colossians 1:26,27; 4:3

The mystery of God – Colossians 2:2; Revelation 10:7

The mystery of iniquity – 2 Thessalonians 2:7

The mystery of the faith – 1 Timothy 3:9

The mystery of godliness – 1 Timothy 3:16

The mystery of the seven stars – Revelation 1:20

The mystery of Babylon the great – Revelation 17:5-7

The mystery of death, resurrection – 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 5:23; 1 Corinthians 15

And so on…

Peace and joy to you in Jesus Christ, the only One Who’s right it is (Ezekial 21:27)

The Name above all other names, to whom every knee shall bow (also Mohammed, Philippians 2:9-10)

The only Mediator between man and God (1 Timothy 2:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:9)

The Way and Truth and Life, no one goes to God the Father except through Jesus Christ (John 14:6)

For God so loved the world that He gave His only unique Son Jesus Christ, that whosoever believes [trust, follow, cling to] Him, will not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

Amen.