Clay Center, Kansas - After I finished my message as a guest speaker in a local church, the service continued with a special fundraising event. During that time, a Muslim politician and his wife entered the church and came up to the platform to make a donation. Afterwards, the husband turned toward the congregation and stated, “We worship the same God.”
Is that true? Do Christians and Muslims worship the same God? The question is relevant due to the rise of Islam in the United States. The Muslim population has increased over 100% since the year 2000, growing from around 2 million to 4 million with nearly 3,000 mosques in all 50 states.
In English we use the name “God.” In Hebrew, the main name for God is “Elohim”. In Greek, it is “Theos,” and in Arabic the name for God is “Allah.” Islam’s sacred text, the Qur’an (Quran or Koran), was originally written in Arabic and uses the term Allah for God. Is the God of the Bible and the Qur’an the same?
Many around the world have heard the statement, “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger.” This is called the 'Shahada”, the most sacred statement in Islam. It must be confessed for someone to convert to Islam, is recited in daily prayers and is rooted in the teachings of the Qur’an.
The first part of this statement of faith “There is no god but Allah,” is at odds with the God of the Bible. The Scriptures say, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” (Deuteronomy 6:4) It seems similar on the surface as Islam, but in Christianity, God’s oneness is represented in three forms. God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit. One God, one person in three forms. This is a core Christian doctrine called “The Trinity.” The religion of Islam denies this. Why is this such an important distinction? Because it affects Jesus. To deny the Trinitarian view of God, is to deny the deity of Christ.
The Qur’an acknowledges Jesus and respects Him as a messager of Allah but writes that He was created by God as a human being, “Indeed, the example of Jesus in the sight of Allah is like that of Adam. He created him from dust, then said to him, “Be!” And he was!” (3:59) Since Islam views Jesus as a creation of God, the religion strongly rejects the deity of Christ. The Qur’an says, “God has never ascribed to Himself any son, and there is no other god beside Him.” (23:91) The Bible correctly speaks of Jesus, where He said of Himself, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) For those who doubted He was the Son of God, He provided evidence through His miracles, signs, wonders and teachings. The greatest sign was His suffering and death upon the cross. His followers then took His body down from the cross and buried Him in the grave like any other person. However, three days later the tombstone was rolled away and His grave was found empty. Jesus had risen from the dead like He predicted in advance.
Why did He do all those signs and wonders, and rise from the dead? He did it that we might be forgiven of our sins and have a relationship with Him. The Qur’an does not speak of God as being knowable or having love for all people. This, however, is a central message of the Christian faith.
Though Christianity and Islam are not compatible, the Lord God sends the good news of Jesus to all the world, including Muslims, as an expression of His goodness and love for them.
A prayer for you - Lord God, I pray that you will grant me an understanding of the Islamic religion to love and dialogue with Muslims. I pray as well that you will grant Muslims an understanding of Jesus through His miracles and teachings, that they might know the reason for His death and resurrection. In Jesus’ name. Amen.