Christian Traps for Muslims

The Islamic Herald ^ | The Islamic Herald, April 1996 | by Macksood Aftab Managing Editor of The Islamic Herald

[vannrox]

Part 1: Faith and Works

One of the basic arguments raised by non-Muslims, especially Christians, against Islam concerns the concept of salvation. They say that in Christianity, one is saved by faith, whereas in Islam one must earn their salvation through good deeds.


Unfortunately, many Muslims fall into the trap of defending the position imposed on them by these non-Muslims. This then provides the Christians with a basis for their entire Jesus-Father-Crucifixion-Salvation framework. They then go on to argue that salvation is a gift from God that cannot be earned. But if the true Islamic concept is made clear, the Christian has no basis to attack Islam. Many times, Muslims fail to realize that the Islamic concept of salvation is not based upon good deeds, but is based primarily upon faith. In the dozens of times Allah (SWT) talks in the Quran about salvation, he always states, "Those who believe and do good deeds."


Belief is always mentioned before deeds or works. When one converts to Islam, one does not do it by doing some good work but rather through realizing and believing that there is but one God and Muhammed (SAW) is his last messenger. Non-Muslims may perform good works as well, but what sets them apart from Muslims is their lack of iman, or belief. The reason that the good works of the non-believers are worthless in the hereafter is because of their disbelief. Unless a person's iman or aqeedah is not correct, all his good deeds are worthless.

One of the more popular hadiths of the Prophet (SAW) states, "All actions are based upon intentions," implying that the purpose, intent, or iman behind your action is what you get rewarded for; the actual action is really a consequence of the belief.

Another hadith states, "A man came to the Prophet (SAW) and asked, 'When will the day of judgment come?' The Prophet (SAW) replied, 'What have you prepared for the judgment day that you are so concerned for it?' He replied, 'I do not have any good deeds in my account, but I do have one thing: I love Allah and His Messenger (SAW).' The Prophet (SAW) then said, 'In that case, do not worry; you will be with those whom you love.'" (Agreed Upon).


This hadith also confirms the Islamic position of placing aqeedah and belief before actions. For example, Allah (SWT) says in various parts of the Quran, "The believers you will find praying..." He does not say the people who are praying are believers. It is the belief that brings about the action, but the converse is not always true. Another hadith of the Prophet (SAW) states, "Unless one loves Allah and Allah's Messenger more than one's own self his iman is not complete."

Part 2: The Bible

Another misunderstanding Muslims often fall into concerns the Bible. Christian missionaries in almost every discussion of the Quran assert that the Quran asks Muslims to believe in the Bible as a revelation of God. Many Muslims tend to fall into this trap by saying that "we believe in the Bible as revealed book."


Once the Muslim accepts this fact, the evangelist can point out that the Bible contradicts the Quran and that since the Bible has precedence over the Quran and since Muslims are required to believe in it, it therefore logically follows that the Bible is right and the Quran is wrong. But the Quran says no such thing.

There is no reference to the Bible in the Quran whatsoever. The Quran mentions the Taurat and the Injil. The Taurat is the book given to prophet Moses. This is not the equivalent of the Torah/Pentateuch of the Jews and Christians, since much of it was not written by prophet Moses. And the Taurat is definitely not the Old Testament since the OT includes dozens of books attributed to other prophets before Jesus.


The Injil is translated as the Gospel revealed to prophet Jesus. This is not the New Testament. The New Testament is a collection of 4 biographies of Christ, 27 epistles of St. Paul, and other books on the lives and adventures on the followers of Christ. There is no record of a book revealed to Jesus. Perhaps the closest to it are the words of Jesus himself, which constitues less than 10% of the NT. Therefore to say that Christians changed the Bible is an inaccurate statement, and can cause trouble in a discussion, because the Christian can then ask questions such as: Who changed the Bible? When exactly was it changed? How do you know it was changed if you don't have a copy of the original?

The Bible, or at least the New Testament, cannot be an altered copy of the Injil because it is a completely different book. In fact, the original Bible or New Testament (the very first one) did not correspond to the Injil, Taurat, or Zabur in the first place. It doesn't matter how unreliably it was transmitted; the Bible does not correspond to the Quranic Injil.

It is not that the Christians have changed the original, but rather they have the wrong book, altogether. The words of Christ are possibly the closest thing to the Injil. The recently discovered Gospel of Thomas, which is nothing but a list of sayings of Jesus, is even closer to the Islamic concept of Injil. Therefore, it should be kept in mind in discussion with Christians that the Bible has not been changed, but rather the original documents chosen as the word of God were incorrect.

[vannrox]

Hum... Read...

[2banana]

Christian Traps for Muslims

I thought this might be along the lines of "When setting up a linear ambush, make sure you initiate with your most casualty producing weapon..."

[Ciexyz]

I must disagree. According to my belief system, "All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, so that the man who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17 Today's English Version)

[MarineDad]

They say that in Christianity, one is saved by faith, whereas in Islam one must earn their salvation through good deeds...

Hmm...if they keep performing their latest version of "good deeds", there's gonna be one helluva lot of "salvaged" MooseLimbs around the world very soon. Good!

[LurkedLongEnough]

Therefore, it should be kept in mind in discussion with Christians that the Bible has not been changed, but rather the original documents chosen as the word of God were incorrect.

You forgot the last sentence: "And if those pesky infidels persist in their folly, duke it out until they have no blood left."

[oline]

That's what I was thinking....

When one converts to Islam, one does not do it by doing some good work...

No, it seems one usually does it because they've gone to prison...

[John O]

Another hadith states, "A man came to the Prophet (SAW) and asked, 'When will the day of judgment come?' The Prophet (SAW) replied, 'What have you prepared for the judgment day that you are so concerned for it?' He replied, 'I do not have any good deeds in my account, but I do have one thing: I love Allah and His Messenger (SAW).' The Prophet (SAW) then said, 'In that case, do not worry; you will be with those whom you love.'" (Agreed Upon).

Unfortunately if you follow mohammed you'll be with those whom you love in hell. And if you follow the koran exactly, as you should to be a good moslem, you'll get there a lot sooner

God Save America (Please)

[John O]

I thought this might be along the lines of "When setting up a linear ambush, make sure you initiate with your most casualty producing weapon..."

I wonder if there's a limit or do we get to bag as many as we want?

GSA(P)

[Palmetto]

When one converts to Islam, one does not do it by doing some good work

So true in so many ways....

[FateAmenableToChange]

I thought this might be along the lines of "When setting up a linear ambush, make sure you initiate with your most casualty producing weapon..."

"Just remember - You can use det-cord to lay mark out your interlocking fields of fire. Also, all those nasties left afterwards, if placed in the bottom of a hanging planter, will yield fabulous bouquets later in the season." From: The Martha Stewart Field Ambush Decorations Manual

[monday]

"I thought this might be along the lines of "When setting up a linear ambush, make sure you initiate with your most casualty producing weapon..."

Me too. Very disappointing.

[Mr. Jeeves]

There is no reference to the Bible in the Quran whatsoever.

I suppose that says it all.

[Tennessee_Bob]

Bump for later reading.

[RaceBannon]

Muslims do not believe that Jesus died on the cross, either. Show me in the Koran where it says Jesus died and was resurrected, and I'll back off! :-)

[rudypoot]

"He replied, 'I do not have any good deeds in my account, but I do have one thing: I love Allah and His Messenger (SAW).' The Prophet (SAW) then said, 'In that case, do not worry; you will be with those whom you love.'"

Yeah, but that Muhammud left out the details about being surrounded by fire and brimstone for you actions. He never said anything about heaven.

"...the purpose, intent, or iman behind your action is what you get rewarded for; the actual action is really a consequence of the belief."

The bible also says, "you shall know them by their deeds".

[ppaul]

- There is no reference to the Bible in the Quran whatsoever.
- I suppose that says it all.

Touche'!

I'll take the recommendations of these guys over those of Macksood Aftab anyday.....

Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible. -- George Washington

The highest glory of the American Revolution was this; it connected, in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity. -- John Quincy Adams

It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ! For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here. -- Patrick Henry

We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God. -- James Madison, chief architect of the Constitution

The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scripture ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws. All the miseries and evil men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery, and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible. -- Noah Webster

Providence has given our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as privilege and interest, of a Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers. -- John Jay, first Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court

A Bible and a newspaper in every house, a good school in every district--all studied and appreciated as they merit--are the principle support of virtue, morality, and civil liberty. -- Benjamin Franklin; March 1778

[ppaul]

- There is no reference to the Bible in the Quran whatsoever.

Nor was it ever mentioned by any of our founding fathers as an indispensible support of our liberties.

[Cobra Scott]

"The Gospel of Thomas is a proven forgery"

There is more than one version, one of which, as you state, was a forgery and a very poor one.

The text is referring to the version found at the Naq Hamadi. It is also part of a basis for a new Christian bible, currently called "Q", an overt reference to the Q document that may or may not exist.

[ppaul]

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