I lived in the Middle East for two years, studied Arabic and even read parts of the Quran. With just my curious casual reading of of the Quran I discovered that I knew the content better than the Muslims whom I spent time with there. For example, they knew generally well known facts about Islam like four wives, but not the conditions required to allow that. Just like churches contain real and false believers so does Islam.
While I liked most of the people I encountered and had many pleasant experiences, I found the Middle East was not a great place to call home for a westerner. During Ramadan I was out walking in the heat and I was scolded by a complete stranger for taking a drink of juice. My face was beet red and I really needed a drink and it just didn’t matter to this self righteous guy. They expected non Muslims to conform to their standards.
You see works are what get you to Heaven in Islam. Do the five pillars! (Profession of faith, pray, give alms, fast and do a hadj.) There is forgiveness of sin, but better get busy if you want to go to Heaven.
Although the Quran has some good ideas and true stories (plagiarized from the Bible), you have to look at the book and religion as a whole. Sorry Muslim friends, I respect you but Islam is a counterfeit religion just like Mormonism and Jehovah’s Witness.
The Quran has scientific inaccuracies in it. That’s a huge problem because if it’s the word of God, why is God wrong? The Bible predicted heliocentric solar system in days when that was not the acceptable notion. It was laughable because that was not the “fact” that was known at that time.
Quran historical problems:
- https://jamesattebury.wordpress.com/2018/04/21/historical-errors-in-the-quran/
- https://www.gotquestions.org/errors-Quran.html
- https://www.billionbibles.org/sharia/errors-in-quran.html
Then there is a fruit problem. The most devoted followers commit terrible crimes in the name of their false god. The “religion of peace” televises their murders. The most devoted followers of Islam are devoid of love, joy, peace, kindness and goodness. That isn’t the biggest problem though.
Denial of the deity of Christ is the biggest issue. There are contradictory statements regarding people of the book (Christians and Jews), but the final result is anti Semitic. Since it’s inception Islam has had mainly a convert or die approach to Judaism and Christianity. Satan has always been behind anti-Semitism and was behind Pharoah in ancient Egypt, Haman in ancient Persia, Hitler in Germany and now today behind radical Islam.
So when you see Hamas attack Israel, Satan is behind it. He has been after Israel since there was an Israel and will pursue Israel during the great tribulation. They will say it’s about land, but they can’t see what is going on in the spiritual world. If Hamas could see who was pulling their own strings, they would be horrified. It’s a great deception.
Islam has been around since the sixth century, but its practices have been around much longer! The god of Islam is not the god of Jews and Christians. Allah has roots in the pagan god Al-lat. Pagans prayed five times a day towards Mecca. Read about the black stone pagans kissed here: https://wikiislam.net/wiki/Pagan_Origins_of_Islam.
When I was in the Middle East there came to my attention a young woman who was pregnant and unwed. Law enforcement locked up the woman to protect her from her family. Honor killing is still practiced to this day in Muslim countries. All the suspected fathers had to be dna tested to establish paternity and the winner was obligated to marry the woman. There is no room for grace, mercy and forgiveness in that world view – only the execution of justice. Justice is taken up by human hands and that is arrogant and uncalled for.
It’s sad that such a shame that devoted people worship the wrong god and will not go to Heaven. Pray for the Muslims in your area to come to a saving knowledge of Christ. The good news is the fastest growing church is in a Muslim country. God loves every person with unconditional love, and he wants all to come to repentance and be restored to relationship with him.
Following Jesus 