Written for the sake of God. I’m not in the habit of mentioning prayers in writing, because I think it is not discrete, however, I will state my objective.

“May God help the truth to shine forth”. This is a hope, because it is a service to any community that a truth is found by it. The truth, whoever it may come through, whoever it may reach, whatever form it may come in, as long as it is understood and can be utilised, is a benefit to those it reaches. So, it is clear that I want the truth to come to other people. I must love for others what I love for myself, in order to be a compassionate person, a servant of God.

Yet, I admit that the Qur’an is a scripture that has come for many purposes- to give good news to believers, to warn disbelievers, and as a reminder, and as a guide, and as a criterion, and that this is not good tidings for all people. For some people, the Qur’an brings them misery (the certified disbeliever will find little joy in the march of God’s law into his society).

For the people of the book, there are a number of elements in the Qur’an’s address, such as a reminder, a corrective, good news of the paradise, a criterion to distinguish right from wrong, and an update of the social codes that God wants his devoted to live by. It also clarifies some of the points of history that have ben debated and about which there are countless theories.

Praise is for God. He knows all things and is the most compassionate and the most merciful. He has let me receive guidance and will judge what I do with it. Likewise each other person. Everyone receives his measure and is judged according to that lot. And the jdugement is fair in all cases.

There are a number of significant sides to the authentification of the Qur’an, and some of these are unique - they are not available in any other revelation or book - while some are not unique, they apply equally to other scriptures and there are criteria that can be used on other claims of revelation.

There are also certain authentifications that are particular to the people of the book. They are relevant only to them. God knows best about all matters.

I’ll try to list the authentification tools that are available and yet I sincerely call you to seek guidance from God about all matters, not to simply trust my judgement and a list that I give you here. Also, not only is a simple list of authentification tools a limited guide, it is also static in many ways while the true relationship between God and any of his creatures may be very dynamic, influenced by parameters of time, faith, trials, travel, family, knowledge, intelligence, nearness to death, political climate, age of a person, and so on - there is no limit to God’s love and ingenuity. Praise be to God.

1. a. the Qur’an says it is from God; b. the Qur’an says the holy spirit set it upon the heart of Muhammad; c. the Qur’an says it is the truth;

2. a. the Qur’an says that if there were any error or inconsistency in it, it would obviously be not from God; b. the Qur’an challenges all of mankind to come up with something as good, even by calling on any other god - the Qur’an itself is a literary miracle;

3. a. the Qur’an contains knowledge of past nations that was unavailable to the prophet Muhammad through any source at that time; b. it also says to ask ‘the people of knowledge’ of from among the people of the book for confirmation of its truth, and it should be noted that many jews and christians have adopted it; c. is also says that the clean hearted, godfearing people from among the people of the book fall down crying when they read the Qur’an and realise what mercy they have received from their Lord;

4. the Qur’an says to look at the signs in the heaven and the earth, and in your own heart, and then see if there is any conflict between its content and the deeper reality of the world at large;

5. the Qur’an says that it is a guide for the godfearing, and that people with hardened hearts or having suffered spiritual death will not be guided by it;

6. a. the Qur’an says to worship God, says that it does not bring a new religion, and in doctrine is identical to former revelations from God;
6. b. the Qur’an commands from its adherents belief in the prophets and holy books of former times;

7. the Qur’an explains the deviations of mankind away from the teachings of former prophets (showing them clearly) and predicts the same thing for this prophet (Muhammad) and explains why these things happen;

8. the Qur’an contains scientific knowledge that was unavailable to all of mankind at the time of its revelation;

9. the Qur’an recommends that a person in doubt about it should find another way to avoid the judgement if he can, another way back to his Lord, and if he can’t, to submit to his Lord;

10. a. the Qur’an prophesies the reduction in territory of disbelievers, which is clear when we look at world demographics and startling when the adoption of the Qur’an as guide is seen in the lands where it is accepted;
10. b. from this information alone it would seem inevitable to a sociologist that this teaching will dominate the world;

11. there are mathematical miracles within the Qur’an, such as frequency of the occurrence of certain pairs of words, and others;

12. many people testify to the truth of the prophet Muhammad as a prophet and it pleasing to adopt its teachings and live by them and die by them, while the Qur’an prophesises this;

13. it can be seen by examination of historical records that he Qur’an is unchanged since the time of revelation, unlike other scriptures, and the Qur’an prophesises this;

14. there is more; the Qur’an says that God is the only knower of all its secrets and that no-one will ever know all its secrets.

So, please try to disprove the Qur’an, and when you’re exhausted, submit your will to the will of God, and have your sins forgiven, and make your way to the paradise where all desires are fulfilled and the face of the Lord is seen. His majesty is beyond our contemplation at this point, but not there.

Praise be to our almighty Lord, who has no son - is not begotten and does not beget - the knower of all things seen and unseen.

Sebastian

Sebastian Reed - 20 November 2008 01:29 PM

Praise be to our almighty Lord, who has no son - is not begotten and does not beget - the knower of all things seen and unseen.

Sebastian

Hi Sebastian,

I believe that we are at an impasse. Because, contrary to what you say is in the Koran, in the New Testament we read this :

John 3:16 (NIV)

16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

( a = Or his only begotten Son )

Acts 4 :8 - 12 declares :

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 He is
“ ‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the capstone.’ 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

And you have written :

6. b. the Qur’an commands from its adherents belief in the prophets and holy books of former times;

If Muslims truly believe that the Bible is a revelation from God, and to be honoured as such, then why don’t they heed what is plainly written for all to understand and respond to ?

I am not one to endlessly argue points. My position is simply that : God said it, I believe it and that settles it.

Cheers, Kevin

Praise be to God.

Reply to Kevin. Muslims do not believe the Bible to be a revelation from God. The Bible is not mentioned in the Qur’an. The ‘Injil’, translated as ‘Gospel’ refers to a revelation that almighty God gave to Jesus, it doesn’t refer to a compilation that was written by other people. The Injil was written by God, not witnesses. The Gospel of God that Jesus knew is not the Bible that you read.

The Qur’an is not a compilation of the reports of witnesses of the life of prophet Muhammad. The Qur’an is a word-for-word revelation, authored by almighty God, and delivered to Muhammad by the help of the angel Gabriel. Muhammad was not its author, not its protagonist, and not permitted to tamper with it in any way.

Prasie be to God.

Hey Sebastian

What is your view on the 13 year old girl who was stoned to death a few weeks ago?

cheers

John

Sebastian Reed - 20 November 2008 02:21 PM

Muslims do not believe the Bible to be a revelation from God.

The following article says differently. I will just post the summary - and the link if you want to read the full document :

SUMMARY

Muhammad believed the Scriptures of the People of the Book, to be God’s word.  His words recorded in the Quran testify to this.  Those Scriptures existed in the hands of the Christians and Jews in the Hijaz before and during Muhammad’s life.  Thus, the Quran clearly teaches that the Bible is the Word of God.  Since Muhammad testified to the integrity, validity, and authenticity of the Bible, I conclude that Muhammad was not a prophet of God.  Muhammad’s teachings are self-contradictory.  God did not reveal or inspire those blatant contradictions found in the Quran.  Muhammad’s ignorance allowed him to make contradictory statements.  However, his ignorance is no excuse, no justification, no ground, for people today to continue to follow his error.


Jesus taught that false prophets would come into the world and mislead people:  Matthew 24:11 “and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people”

Muhammad was one of those false prophets and he has misled many.

Muhammad and the Bible

Sebastian,

I doubt that there would be much value in rehashing on this website detailed answers to your questions which are provided quite well in a number of other places. In particular I draw your attention to the website Answering Islam and especially the page on the Quran.  I was interested, for example, to learn that there are in fact a number of textual variants and editions of the Quran, despite your point 2.

I have read the Quran (in an ‘interpretation’ or translation, admittedly) and do not find it to be so profound as you suggest - especially in giving insight into God’s character and his dealings with humans. I was also very interested to hear the rejection of the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus (Quran 5:72-73) stated more than 600 years after the writings of the new Testament affirm Jesus’ divinity and teach us about the Trinity.

It seems to me that you are a devout seeker of the truth. I encourage you to read the New Testament and to see the differences in teaching for yourself and I pray that God may help you to know the truth that gives true freedom.

So, the Koran is true because the Koran says that its true.

The Book of Mormon says the same thing about itself, Sebastian?  Why don’t you believe the Book of Mormon.

(I make this comparison because there are some obvious similarities in how Mohammed and Joseph Smith claim to have received divine revelation).

Praise be to God. I’ve posted the information. Those who are seeking guidance will be guided and those who are seeking other than that will have what they seek. Bear witness that I submit to God.

Sebastian Reed - 20 November 2008 06:58 PM

Praise be to God. I’ve posted the information. Those who are seeking guidance will be guided and those who are seeking other than that will have what they seek. Bear witness that I submit to God.

So, in other words, you have no real response to the serious questions that have been asked of you, do you ?  You were never interested in ‘dialogue’ - just to try to ‘convert’ us to the unswerving way of Islam ?

What is your response to our claim that “Jesus is Lord” ?

But how do you know the Bible is true and that the books in it are the Word of God, Alan?

Do you follow the Mormon idea about the Book of Mormon that a spiritual experience as an answer to prayer will tell you of its truth?

I know that the Bible is true because Christ established not a religion of the Book, like Muhammed but a teaching and living Church , stamped with infallibility...which tells me that it is true and infallible.

“ Go ye therefore into all the world, teaching and baptizing ......and lo I am with you even unto the end of the age. “

Praise is for God. A reply to Kevin. Kevin, please point me to the serious question and I’ll do my best to find you a serious reply. God knows best.

I know that the Bile is true because Christ established not a religion of the Book, like Muhammed but a teaching and living Church , stampred with infallibility...who tells me that it is true and infallible.

Sebastian Reed - 21 November 2008 06:06 AM

Praise is for God. A reply to Kevin. Kevin, please point me to the serious question and I’ll do my best to find you a serious reply. God knows best.

What is your response to Christians’ claim that “Jesus is Lord” ?

The Qur’an is not a compilation of the reports of witnesses of the life of prophet Muhammad. The Qur’an is a word-for-word revelation, authored by almighty God, and delivered to Muhammad by the help of the angel Gabriel. Muhammad was not its author, not its protagonist, and not permitted to tamper with it in any way.

Exactly the reason I will not accept the Q’uran as a revelation from God. It came through one man and is therefore suspect!

I don’t want to sidetrack this posting....but Jesus told the Church , “ he that hears you hears me”...the Apostolic quorum was the nucleus of the new israel..hence the choice of twelve.

So when the church speaks definitively..you hear Jesus...who is God.

Back to Islamic discussion please.........