Islam – Submission to What God?

Did you know that Jesus loves Muslims? It’s true! There have been numerous reports of Jesus appearing to Muslims in their dreams, directing them to a Christian believer who can tell them that Jesus loves them (see, e.g., Tom Doyle, Dreams and Visions: Is Jesus Awakening the Muslim World?) What if Jesus were to send your Muslim neighbor to you? Would you be able to answer his or her questions about Jesus? Jesus’ call to you is to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15.)

Let’s begin by a brief look at what your Muslim neighbor has been taught about God and about his or her faith.

According to Muslims, the angel Gabriel appeared to Muhammad and over the course of 23 years revealed the words of Allah to him. These were written down and became the Qur’an, the Muslim Holy Book.

According to the Qur’an:

“He is Allah—there is no god worthy of worship except Him: Knower of the seen and unseen. He is the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.

He is Allah—there is no god except Him: the King, the Most Holy, the All-Perfect, the Source of Serenity, the Watcher of all, the Almighty, the Supreme in Might, the Majestic. Glorified is Allah far above what they associate with Him in worship!

He is Allah: the Creator, the Inventor, the Shaper. He alone has the Most Beautiful Names. Whatever is in the heavens and the earth constantly glorifies Him. And He is the Almighty, All-Wise.[1]

Allah is strictly one. There is no trinity for Muslims. In fact, accepting that Jesus is the Son of God (and equal with the Father, as Christians believe), is one of the highest forms of sin. (Sura 5:73, “They do blaspheme who say God is one of three in a Trinity: for there is no god except One Allah.”) Further, Muslims believe that the Christian Trinity consists of three gods, the Father, Mary, and the Son.

Muslims do accept Jesus as a prophet, along with Adam, Moses, Abraham, David, etc. But they deny His divinity, they deny He died on the cross, and certainly do not accept that His death is in any way necessary for salvation.

The life of a Muslim is one of obedience to the Five Pillars of Islam. Obedience does not guarantee “salvation,” or a future with Allah, but such a future is certainly not possible apart from complete obedience. These Pillars are:

• Shahada: verbal repetition of the confession, “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet.”
• Salat: obligatory prayers made in Arabic five times a day. The prayers must be preceded by ritual washings, the head must be covered, they must pray facing Mecca, and they must maintain proper body posture.
• Swam: Muslims must fast (from food, drinks, and sexual relations) during daylight hours during Ramadan, the ninth month of the lunar calendar.
• Zakat: Muslims are required to pay 2.5% of their wealth for the poor and oppressed.
• Hajj: Every Muslims is expected to make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime.

In their book, The Facts on Islam, Ankerberg, Weldon, and Burroughs explain the Muslim idea of salvation:

“Salvation in Islam is centered upon the works done by each individual. The list of good works necessary to enter heaven is long and includes that he or she 1) accept only the Muslim God Allah and his prophet Muhammad, 2) do good works and all that is required of him or her by Allah (the Pillars of Islam), and 3) be predestined to heaven by Allah’s favor.”[2]

Most Muslims believe that Allah will weigh all their good and bad deeds performed throughout their lifetime. If the good deeds outweigh the bad, Allah may choose to be merciful. But such mercy is not guaranteed.

There is only one “guarantee” of a future in paradise. Apparently one who dies as a “martyr” in an act of jihad will be rewarded by Allah, and given special status and rewards by Allah. Sura 3:157 says, “And if you are killed, or die, in God’s cause, then forgiveness from God and mercy are far better than all that they could amass (in this life).” Muhammad, who apparently died of natural causes, was not party to this special privilege.

Watchman Fellowship makes an interesting observation in their profile on Islam. This should be an encouragement and a starting point for you should you have the opportunity to share your faith with a Muslim:

“All Muslims should be encouraged to read and believe the Gospel (injil) as preserved in the New Testament. In the Qur’an, all true followers of God are admonished to follow and obey the commands of Jesus (3:50-52). To follow Jesus’ commands, one must study His teachings to know what they are but the commands of Jesus are not recorded in the Qur’an. The New Testament preserves the teachings and commands of Jesus in the four Gospels which contain firsthand accounts written within the lifetime of the historical events they record. The Qur’an itself affirms that the Bible is God’s word and suggests that the message of the Qur’an should be validated by comparing it with the Gospel teachings of Jesus previously ‘revealed’ to the Christians who are called ‘the people of the gospel’ (Qur’an 5:46-49. See also 6:91 and 21:105). This message of Jesus is that He is the Son of God (Matt. 16:13-17). He claimed to be one with the Father and to be God (John 10:30-33). If Jesus was a prophet of God, one should believe in His prophecies, including His prophecy of His own death and resurrection for the sins of the world (Mark 8:31).”[3]

You can learn more about the difference between Islam and Christianity in this Side by Side article. Check our online catalog for books and video series related to Islam for more information about what Muslims believe, and how you can share your faith with them in a meaningful way.

[1] Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran, www.previous.quran.com/59

[2] John Ankerberg, John Weldon and Dillon Burroughs, The Facts on Islam (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1992/2008), p. 20.

[3] https://www.watchman.org/profiles/pdf/islamprofile.pdf, emphases added.