Islam - A Christian Perspective
Notes by Stephen M. Golden from a talk given by

Bill Honsberger - Haven Ministry
Copyright © 2007-02-04, 2021-11-11, 2024-07-01

Table of Contents


Sources


https://havenministry.com/

https://www.answering-islam.org


For additional information on the subject, see

https://www.thereligionofpeace.com

and read

Secrets of the Qur’an by Don Richardson




Intro


A lecture by Bill Honsberger of Haven Ministries


Islam does not mean peace.  


Salaam means peace.  Islam means submission.  You are called to obey.


The countries of India, Nigeria, Kosovo, and many others [Sudan, Somalia, Bosnia…] know Islam is not about peace.  It has never been a peaceful religion.


 


Christianity’s “History of Bloodshed”


“But Christianity also has a history of violence and bloodshed.”  There is bloodshed in the history of Christianity, but it is not the bloodshed of Christianity.


Does not Condone Bloodshed


Christianity does not condone or justify bloodshed, unlike Islam which commands it.


Bloodshed not Commanded by Christianity


The evil done in the name of Christianity should be pinned on the evil men who did the wrong, not on Christianity.  The religion did not command such action—quite the opposite with Islam.


Old Testament: Specific Purpose of Bloodshed


“God commanded the Israelites in the Old Testament to kill.”  True, as a matter of holiness vs. sin, against specific people, at a specific time, for God's specific purpose He commanded it.  God never commanded the Israelites to kill all who disagreed with Israel.  Unlike Islam which decrees death to all who do not follow Allah.


Genesis 15:16

In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure."


Genesis 48:21-22

Then Israel said to Joseph, "I am about to die, but God will be with you and take you back to the land of your fathers. 22 And to you, as one who is over your brothers, I give the ridge of land I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow."


Exodus 23:23-24

My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out. 24 Do not bow down before their gods or worship them or follow their practices. You must demolish them and break their sacred stones to pieces.


Numbers 21:30-31 30

"But we have overthrown them; Heshbon is destroyed all the way to Dibon.  We have demolished them as far as Nophah, which extends to Medeba." 31 So Israel settled in the land of the Amorites.


Deuteronomy 26:17-18 

17 Completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you. 18 Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the LORD your God.


Joshua 7:7,11

7 And Joshua said, "Ah, Sovereign LORD, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us?
...
11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions.


Israel Was Never Allowed to Take Plunder


Israel was never allowed to take plunder or prisoners.  Israel was severely punished on the occasion when they looted.  The Israelites were to enact God's holy judgment only.  There is no mention of holiness in opposition to sin in any of Mohammed's raids, but there was plenty of looting, the spoils of war, and spreading the rule of the “prophet”.  Clearly there was a different purpose in the respective events.


Regression of Islam into Bloodshed


If, as some Muslims like to claim, Islam is third in succession and therefore morally superior to the Jewish and Christian religions, with Judaism being tied to some bloodshed, and Christianity condoning none, why the moral step backward to wholesale killing?


Consider the rejoicing that took place in Islamic countries after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.  They rejoiced that thousands of “innocent” [non-combatant] people were killed.


Death Certificates issued by the Mullahs essentially make it legal to murder another person.  You can go to a Mullah and present your case against another person.  If the Mullah consents, he can issue a death certificate to you, and it is then legal for you to kill that person.


Such decrees have been issued on all Americans as a group. 


Some try to say, “Bin Laden ‘hijacked’ Islam.”  This isn't correct.  He is following true Islamic teaching.  Bin Laden represented Mohammed better than anyone living today.


Qur'an 2:190-191

2:190 Fight in the way of God those who fight you but do not transgress. Indeed. God does not like transgressors.
2:191 And kill them wherever you find them and expel them from wherever they have expelled you, and fitnah [Persecution] is worse than killing. And do not fight them at al-Masjid al- Haram until they fight you there. But if they fight you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.


When Mohammed conquered Mecca, the History books tell us he purified the Ka’bah.  It turns out he “purified” it by killing all those who were not worshipping Allah.


When followers of Islam “cleanse” a city or region, they are not performing a ceremonial rite.  “Cleansing” is the act of killing all who do not follow Allah. 


A Brief History of Islam


Mohammed was very successful in what he did.  He and his band would hire on to protect caravans, or they would raid caravans.  Essentially, they were looters and extortionists.  In a sense, he was a military man.  [In my opinion, he was a brigand leader and an extortionist. -SMG]


In 570 AD He claimed to have started hearing messages.  He would fall on the ground, foaming at the mouth.  He thought he was becoming possessed by a djinn.


He was illiterate so he would have others write down what supposedly was said.


As time went on, they started filling-in the empty and incoherent places in these writings.  They became sharply focused against Christians and Jews.


In 622 AD the Muslim “flight” out of Mecca occurred.  In reality, they were run out.  He was having all his dissenters killed.  The others living there did not approve.  They were chased up to Medina. 


From 622 to 630 AD he led many campaigns to kill others.


Mohammed was poisoned by his Jewish slave cook after he started the wholesale killing of Jews.  [Mohammed died in 632.]


Two factions of Islam split over who would be the next “Mohammed.”


Sunni 85% Iraq and others


Shiites 15% Iran and southern Iraq


Sunni – believed the leader should be decided by blood line


Shiite – wanted to select a leader from among themselves


Within 20 years of Mohammed’s death Islam conquered the Greek army.


Then they took on the Persians, then Palestine, then Northern Africa.


In 711 AD, they conquered Spain.


Finally, they were stopped in middle Europe 100 years after Mohammed's death.


In Constantinople, they killed nearly everyone in the city.


It's important to note that most Muslims are not Arabs.


In 1917, the Ottoman Empire falls.  The British run Egypt.  This really angered the Muslims.  “We have fallen in the eyes of Allah.”  “Allah is not pleased with us.”  They hold this view even today.


In 1948 United Nations gave Israel their land.  On the day it was finalized, Nations of Islam immediately attacked. 


Israeli State Today


Before Palestine was called Palestine, it was known as Judea because the Jews inhabited it.  Before that it was the Land of Israel because Israel inhabited it.  Before that, it was known as Canaan because the Canaanites inhabited it. 


Note: Canaan has nothing to do with Cain, the son of Adam, as some try to claim today.  The origin of the name Canaan comes from the name of one of Ham’s sons, Canaan.


Todays “Palestinians” are in no way related to Canaanites.  The Roman conquerors changed the name to Palestine.  Therefore, one could say the original “Palestinians” are the Jews.  They occupied it from before the time it was first called Palestine until Islam took the land from them.  Abraham was in the land five hundred years before the conquest of Canaan, and the Canaanites who occupied it at the conquest were either evicted, annihilated, or assimilated.


That land included Gaza, the West Bank, and the land known as Jordan. 


The people referred to as Palestinian Arabs were always a minority in that area.  They were not ousted by the Jews in 1948, but rather encouraged to leave by their brethren [Arabs of neighboring states] who were preparing to invade and conquer the state of Israel that was being established by the UN.


The idea was that after the neighboring Arabs conquered the new state of Israel, they would give it to these “refugees” as their own. 


As soon as the Israeli state became official, the surrounding Arab nations attacked.  Israel defended itself and won overwhelmingly.  Israel claimed the lands they conquered in this defense, and rightly so.  In the spirit of peace-making, they have given many of these lands back: the Gaza Strip, The West Bank, etc.


After more than 50 years, the Arab states have refused to integrate these “refugees” into their own countries or offer them citizenship.  Their plan was to keep the people in the refugee camps in poverty, in spite of the millions of dollars given to them by Israel and the United States, to attempt to bring condemnation on Israel by pointing the finger at them.


Any peace treaty signed by Muslims is worthless because any land that was once under the “will of Allah” that is no longer under the “will of Allah” is a shame to Allah and must be reclaimed.


Islam has always been a violent, aggressive religion.


The Islamic world today is looking for a military leader to take over the world.


Giving Islam a parcel of land will not resolve anything.


Islam’s Holy books


The Qur’an is internally contradictory.   


There is a lot of talk about Jesus [Issa] in the Qur’an.   Virtually all of it contradicts what the Bible says about Him.


The Hadiths are companion books to the Qur’an.  Hadiths are writings by various mullahs of Islam and are considered equal to the Qur’an in authority.  They contain the rules of how a Muslim must live.  It is very strong against unbelievers.  One thing to ask a Muslim is “Do you accept the Hadiths?” 


The 5 Pillars of Islam


1. There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet.

2. Alms to poor.  But it's interesting how they often define ‘the poor’.  The groups that financed the September 11 attacks qualified as ‘the poor’.

3. Pray toward Mecca 3 or 5 times a day (depending on the sect: Sunni or Shiite).

4. Fast of Ramadan - means no food, water, or sex during the day.  But at night, it's party time.

5. The Hajj is a carryover from earlier pagan religions into Islam.  It is for Muslim males only.  However, most Muslim men will never make it.  Only 2 million are allowed per year.  At that rate, it would take over 200 years for all the current Muslim males to do the Hajj.  This does not include any others reaching the age of manhood, or new converts.


Salvation and paradise are hopeless for them.  The keeping of the five pillars is out of their reach.  The typical Muslim has no chance of attaining Paradise.


People are desperate to have a good relationship with God.  In Islam, you're in trouble.


Allah is a Judge, deceiver, and liar.


The Qur’an tells us he will send a faithful one to torment, and an unfaithful one to paradise at his will without reason.


(S=Sura)


Makara -

schemer or deceiver


S.3:54

the best of schemers


S.8:30


S.14:4

Allah leads astray


There is no atonement, or forgiveness.  It's a salvation by works, and they're unattainable works at that.


But there is one chance: Jihad.  Jihad serves the place of a sixth pillar that overrides the other five.  If you die killing infidels, you are guaranteed entrance into paradise in which...


100 perpetual virgins [72 by some accounts] wait on you hand and foot.


Passages which talk about Jihad or the benefit of Jihad:

Q 47:8      rewarded

Q 4:74,76 rewarded

Q 4:95-96 rewarded

Q 9:5        slay idolaters

Q 5:34-35 put to death

Q 8:39      make war

Q 8:65      rouse to arms

Q 9:29      fight …until they are utterly subdued

Q 9:73      make war on the unbelievers


And many others.


Sura al-Ma’ida 5:9

kill all who leave Islam to accept Christ.


When Iran attacked Iraq, to clear the mine fields, Iraqi Muslims forced their children to walk through the mine fields, holding hands, side by side.  Parents of the children considered this as a way to get their children into heaven.


Who is Allah?


He is not the God of the Bible.


You can know nothing about Allah.


You cannot have a relationship with him.


Recognizing the reality of Jesus’ impact on the world, they thought it necessary to co-opt Him into their religion.


Issa (Jesus) was declared to be ‘a Muslim prophet.’  They say the Apostle Paul screwed it all up.  “He is not the Son of God.”  Associating anything ‘created’ with God is the greatest sin.  “He [Jesus] was not crucified.”


Ask a Muslim, “Do you think you are better than Abraham?”  Why was sacrifice necessary for Abraham and not for you?  Abraham had to sacrifice to atone for sin.  Why don't you do it?  Who has done it for you?


The Distinction Between Islam and Christianity


Here is the most profound distinction between Christianity and Islam:


Matthew 5:43-48

5:43 "You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
5:44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
5:45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
5:46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
5:47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.


Islam says to kill your enemies.  This is the greatest distinction between Christianity and Islam.  Compare their successors (Christ's and Mohammed’s).  Did they kill or save?


We must model forgiveness.  We must be people who love Muslims.  Jesus Christ died for Osama Bin Laden.


There is an old Jewish prayer: May the Children of Ishmael worship the God of our fathers.


We should pray:

May they know the God who wants a relationship with them and that they don't have to kill themselves to receive their reward.


Women in Islam?


To the Muslim world, the US is a Christian country.  (Even though we know it is pagan.)  What TV shows did we send them?


Dallas, Bay Watch, and so on.  […and now The Simpsons]


Do Muslims respect women?  No.  American women they marry are “rent-a-whores.”  They have temporary marriages just so they can rape women—even half-hour marriages.


They are allowed 4 wives.  But the American wives they “marry” don't count.


It is bragged that Mohammed could have sex with all his wives and other women that they captured in one night.  It is recorded that Mohamed had sex with a 9 year old “wife” named Aisha.


Mohammed and Muslims


Mohammed was an evil man.  A cut-throat brigand.


Most Muslims know very little about their own religion.  [Indeed, most Christians know very little about their own religion.  Many “Christian” leaders know little about their own religion. –SMG]


Muslim factions don't even like each other.  If the US were taken out of the way, the next target for Bin Laden would be Egypt and Saudi Arabia because they represent "corruption and debauchery."


They say Adam built the Kaaba and that everyone in the Old Testament is Muslim.


What happens to women when they die?


There is no mention of them.  Perhaps they become one of the perpetual virgins.


Arafat’s goal was to get all the land back.  His goal was to get rid of all the Jews.  This was established before Israel was given its land.


Some Muslims say they are eagerly awaiting the return of Christ.  “When Jesus returns, he will kill all the Jews and Christians.”


Islam is the fastest growing religion, not because of converts, but because of the birth rate of the people.


Many say Christianity is for whites and Islam is for people of color.  However, Mohammed was white, and said many disparaging things about Blacks.  Many Muslims have black slaves even today.


Mohammed prayed for forgiveness of sins.  Muslims say Mohammed had no sin.  This is inconsistent.


Qur’an never mentions the word “Jerusalem.”  Yet Muslims try to claim it as one of their holy places.  They say Mohammed ascended to Allah from there.