To again show justification for this study, let me remind the readers that there are two thirds as many Mohammedans in the world as there are Roman Catholics and about twice as many Mohammedans as Protestants. Jesus said to take the gospel to every creature and if we are to try to obey his word, we must try to preach to the Moslems of the world also. In order to expedite such teaching, one should make considerable study of the Koran. This is intended as a brief review of a few of the significant teachings of that book which should serve only to introduce the book to those who may be interested, and should warn all Christians against the evil forces of the Mohammedan religion to which such a great portion of the earth's population adhere.

In a previous article we showed a few of the weaknesses of the Koran. In this paper we shall examine a few of the many contradictions between the Koran and the Bible.

1. The Koran says Jesus was not God's Son. "The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, is only a messenger of Allah and His word.... Allah is only one God. Far be it from His glory to have a son" (4:171). "And they say, 'The Beneficient has taken to Himself a son.' Certainly you make an abominable assertion! The heavens may almost be rent thereat, and the earth clave asunder, and the mountains fall down in pieces, that they ascribe a son to the Beneficient! And it is not worthy of the Beneficient that He should take to Himself a son" (19:89-92). "The son of Mary . . . . was naught but a servant on whom We bestowed favor. . . ." (43:59). "We believe in Allah and in that which has been revealed to us, and in that which was revealed to Abraham, and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and in that which was given to Moses and Jesus, and in that which was given to the prophets from the Lord, we do not make any distinction between any of them (2:136). Thus you see that though lip service is given to Jesus, he is considered only as one of the prophets and no higher than any other. But the Bible says there is salvation in no other name than the name of Jesus (Acts 4:12) and Christ said, ". . . no man cometh unto the Father but by me" (Jn. 14:6). For Bible declarations of the sonship of Jesus, see John chapter 14; John 3:16; Rom. 5:10 and I Jn. 4:9 ("In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son . . . . ).

2. The Koran says Jesus did not die-that he was not killed. "And for their saying, 'We have killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of Allah', and they killed him not, nor did they cause his death on the cross, but he was made to appear to them as such . . . . and they killed him not for certain" (4:157). Some commentaries say he only appeared to be dead and others say it was really Judas who was killed and not Jesus. Of course they naturally then deny the resurrection. But the Bible says that Christ died for our sins .... and that he was buried, and that he rose again. . . ." ( I Cor. 15 :3, 4). See also Luke 24:46; Acts 17:3. (Note: Remember that, as we showed in the former article, the Koran claims to agree with and verify the Bible).

3. The Koran teaches that God deliberately leads some astray. "Seest thou him who takes his desire for god, and Allah leaves him in error knowingly" (45:23). "Now surely Allah leaves in error whom He pleases and guides aright whom He pleases . . ." (35:8). But the Bible says that God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34) and that he is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9)

4. The Koran teaches that there will be marriage in heaven (called Paradise). "The dutiful will be surely in Gardens of bliss . . . and we shall join them to pure, beautiful ones" (52:17, 20). "Those who keep their duty are indeed in a secure place . . . . And we shall join them to pure beautiful ones" (44:51, 54) (Note: The Darwood translation says, "We shall wed them to dary-eyed houris" (seductively beautiful women-definition). The Bible says, "For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage" (Mt. 22:30).

5. The Koran sanctions Divorce and remarriage. "So if, he divorces her, she shall not be lawful to him afterwards until she marries another husband. If he (the latter husbandL.D.) divorces her, there is no blame if they (the wife and first husband-L.D.) return to each other" (2:230). "Maybe, his Lord, if he divorce you, will give him in your place wives better than you . . . " (66:5). "And the divorced women should keep themselves in waiting for three courses" (2:228). The Bible says that if a man puts away his wife, except it be for fornication, and marries another, he commits adultery (Mt. 19:9).

6. The Koran encourages polygamy. "If you fear that you cannot do justice to orphans, marry such women as seem good to you, two, or three or four. . ." (4:3). Mohammed had many wives. "0 Prophet, We have made lawful to thee thy wives . . . and those whom thy right hand possesses (slaves L.D.) out of those whom Allah has given thee as prisoners of, war, and the daughters of thy maternal uncle and the daughters of thy maternal aunts . . . and a believing woman, if she gives herself to the Prophet, if the Prophet desires to marry her. It is especially for thee, not for the believers" (33 :50). Believers were to have no more than four wives, but Mohammed had many wives and slave women whom he treated as wives. But the Bible says, "Let every man have his own wife and every wife have her own husband" (I Cor. 7:2).

7. Killing of Opponents of Moslim religion is sanctioned in the Koran. In 33:60, 61 of the hypocrites we are told, "Accursed, wherever they are found they will be seized and slain." Of the same ones in 4:89 we read, ". . . seize them and kill them wherever you find them. . . ." In 4:104, we read, "Be not weak hearted in pursuit of the enemy" (Note: Darwood's translation says, "Pursue your enemy relentlessly.") Mohammed himself led many wars. The Bible says, "Love your enemies" (Lk. 6:27) and "overcome evil with good" (Rom. 12:21).

8. The Koran upholds slavery. "And he who kills a believer by mistake should free a believing slave" (4:92). Paul admonished Philemon to receive a former slave as a free man (Phil. 16).

9. The Koran claims that the Bible did not teach clearly of one God. In chapter 38 when describing those who believed the Scriptures, verses 5 and 7 say, ("Make he the gods a single God? Surely this is a strange thing .... We never heard of this in the former faith." But Isa. 44:6 says, beside me there is no God."

10. The Koran teaches that good works purify from sin. "Who gives his wealth, purifying himself" (92:18). "He will call you to account for making deliberate o,aths; so its expiation is the feeding of ten poor men . . . or their clothing, or the freeing of a neck" (5:89). The Bible says we are saved by God's grace (Eph. 2.8) and that it is the blood of Christ that cleanses us (I Jn. 1 :7).

11. The Koran says unbelievers will welcome the hour of doom and believers will dread it. In discussing severe chastisement and what it calls "the Hour," the Koran says, "Those who believe not in it would hasten it on, and those who believe are in fear from it. . ." (42:18).) The Bible says, "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is (Jer. 17:7) and "Rejoicing in hope (Rom. 12:12). See also, Titus 2:13; Tit. 1:2; Heb. 6:18, 19.

12. The Koran authorizes the keeping of sacred months. "Surely the number of months with Allah is twelve months . . . . of these four are sacred" (9:36). The New Testament says, "Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years, I am afraid of you lest I have, bestowed upon you labor in vain" (Gal. 4:10, 11).

13. The Koran teaches "believers' to put away unbelieving wives. "And hold not to the ties of marriage of disbelieving women." (60:10). The Bible says, "If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away" (I Cor. 7:12).

14. The Koran claims Jesus promised that Mohammed would come. "And when Jesus, son of Mary said: '0 children of Israel, surely I am the messenger of Allah to you, verifying that which is before me of the Torah (Old Testament-L.D.) and giving the good news of a Messenger who will come after me, his name being Ahmad" (61:6). The Commentary explains that the name "Ahmad" is a more perfect translation of the word, "Parclete," which is translated in the New Testament (in. 14:26) as "Comforter." However, the Bible believer knows that Jesus promised to send the Comforter to the Apostles and to them alone (Read John chapters 13, 14, 15 & 16). Notice that Jesus says they would bear witness of him after the Comforter had come (in. 15: 26, 27). Notice also that the Comforter would "bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (in. 14:26). But Mohammed was born 570 years after Christ's birth and it is certain that Jesus did not say anything unto him and therefore could not remind him of any thing previously said. Anyway, the Bible plainly says that the Comforter is the Holy Spirit (Jn. 14:26).

These are only a few of the statements found in the Koran that completely contradict the Bible, yet it is often boldly asserted that the Koran agrees with the Bible and verifies it. We cannot believe both books. An honest study of both books will prove the Bible true and the Koran false. Paul said, "But though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed" (Gal. 1:8). See also Rev. 22:18:19; 2 Jn. 9; Jude 3.

The Koran actually promises nothing more than a home for human beings in some future state where there will be fleshly pleasures and where sensual appetites and passions will be completely satisfied. The Bible, on the other hand, promises a heavenly home with God and with Jesus and with all redeemed souls where there will be no sin, sickness, sorrow or physical passion to be satisfied, but where immortal spirits, united with their changed and immortal bodies, will worship God forever and forever. See I Cor. 15:35-54; 1 Thess. 4:1318; Rev. 21:1-7.

Truth Magazine, V:4, pp. 16-18
January 1961