Sermon – Sunday 20 December 2015
| Jesus | Mohammed | Identity | Creator – Colossians 1: 16– John 14:6 John 5:18-27 & 10:36, Matt 26:63-64 | Claimed to be a man | Claimed to Be | God & Son of God – John 1:1, 14 | Prophet | Sin | Never – John 8:46 – 2 Cor 5:21– 1 John 3:5 | Declared to be a Sinner – Prayed for Forgiveness. (Quran 40:55, 48:1-2). | Marriage | Jesus Never Married | Many wives. Youngest was 6 and he had sex with her when she was 9 and he was 53 | Prophecy | Fulfilled – Isaiah 9:6 | Muhammad did not fulfill any prophecy except a biblical one about false teachers (Matt. 24:24) | Last Words | Forgiveness – Luke 23:34 | Violence – Quran Chapter 9 | Slavery | No Slaves – 1 Timothy 1:8-10 | Many slaves | Forgiving Sinners | John 8:2-11 – Women Caught – Cast the First Stone | Hurt others | War | Never – Luke 9:56 & Luke 22:52 | Killed many people | Women | Forgave & Encouraged - Col. 3:19 Eph. 5:25 Gal 3:28 1 Pet 3:7 | Muhammad said that women were 1/2 as smart as men (Hadith 3:826, 2:541) and that majority in hell will be women (Had. 1:28, 301, 2:161, 7:124) and that women could be mortgaged. | Prayer | Expression Of Relationship And Communication With A Heavenly Father Matt: 6:5-13 |
taught formalized prayer ritual | Birth | Of a Virgin – Isaiah 7:14 | Not a Virgin Birth | Voice of God | Jesus received and heard the direct voice of God. Mark 1:10-11 | Allegedly an angel |
Muhammad | Jesus | Said Allah does not love
those who reject Islam.
(Qur'an 30:45, 3:32, 22:38) | Said God loves everyone.
(John 3:16) | "I have been commanded to fight
against people till they testify that there
is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad
is the messenger of Allah"
(Muslim 1:33) | "He who lives by the sword
will die by the sword."
(Matthew 26:52) | Stoned women for adultery.
(Muslim 4206) | "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."
(John 8:7) | Permitted stealing from unbelievers.
(Bukhari 44:668, Ibn Ishaq 764) | "Thou shalt not steal."
(Matthew 19:18) | Permitted lying. (battle, reconciliation & between couples)
(Sahih Muslim 6303, Bukhari 49:857) | "Thou shalt not bear false witness."
(Matthew 19:18) | Owned and traded slaves.
(Sahih Muslim 3901) | Neither owned nor traded slaves. | Beheaded 800 Jewish men and boys.
(Abu Dawud 4390) | Beheaded no one. | Murdered those who insulted him.
(Bukhari 56:369, 4:241) | Preached forgiveness.
(Matthew 18:21-22, 5:38) | "If then anyone transgresses
the prohibition against you,
Transgress ye likewise against him"
(Qur'an 2:194) | "If someone strikes you on the right
cheek, turn to him the other also."
(Matthew 5:39) | Jihad in the way of Allah elevates one's position in Paradise by a hundred fold.
(Muslim 4645) | "Blessed are the peacemakers, for
they will be called Sons of God"
(Matthew 5:9) | Married 13 wives and kept sex slaves.
(Bukhari 5:268, Qur'an 33:50) | Was celibate. | Slept with a 9-year-old child.
(Sahih Muslim 3309, Bukhari 58:236) | Did not have sex with children. | Ordered the murder of women.
(Ibn Ishaq 819, 995) | Never harmed a woman. | "O you who believe! Fight those of the
unbelievers who are near to you
and let them find in you hardness."
(Qur'an 9:123) | "Blessed are the meek, for
they shall inherit the earth."
(Matthew 5:5) | Ordered 65 military campaigns
and raids in his last 10 years.
(Ibn Ishaq) | Ordered no military campaigns, nor
offered any approval of war or violence.
| Killed captives taken in battle.
(Ibn Ishaq 451) | Never took captives.
Never killed anyone. | Encouraged his men to rape enslaved women.
(Abu Dawood 2150, Qur'an 4:24) | Never encouraged rape.
Never enslaved women. | Demanded captured slaves and
a fifth of all other loot taken in war.
(Qur'an 8:41) | "The Son of Man came not
to be served, but to serve."
(Matthew 20:28) | Was never tortured, but tortured others.
(Muslim 4131, Ibn Ishaq 436, 595, 734, 764) | Suffered torture, but never tortured anyone. | "And fight them until there is no more persecution and religion is only for Allah"
(Qur'an 8:39) | "Love your enemies and pray
for those who persecute you"
(Matthew 5:44) | Blessed the brutal murder of a half-blind man
(al-Tabari 1440) | Healed a blind man
(Mark 8:28) | Ordered a slave to build the very pulpit
from which he preached Islam.
(Bukhari 47:743) | Washed his disciples feet.
(John 13:5) | What are the Greatest Commandments?
"Belief in Allah and Jihad in His cause"
(Muslim 1:149) | What are the Greatest Commandments?
"Love God and love thy neighbor as thyself."
(Matthew 22:34-40) | Demanded the protection of armed bodyguards, even in a house of worship
(Qur'an 4:102) | Chastised anyone attempting
to defend him with force.
(John 18:10-12) | Died fat and wealthy from what was
taken from others in war or
demanded from others in tribute. | Demanded nothing for himself.
Died without possessions. | Advocated crucifying others.
(Qur'an 5:33, Muslim 16:4131) | Was crucified himself. | According to his followers:
Had others give their lives for him.
(Sahih Muslim 4413) | According to his followers:
Gave his life for others.
(John 18:11 and elsewhere) |
The Qur'an | The Bible | External sources (the Hadith and Sira) necessary for translating the Qur'an | Historical context contained
within the text of the Bible | Must know Arabic in order to "fully understand" the Qur'an (according to Muslim apologists) | Universal. Can be translated into other languages without excessive commentary. | Chronological progression of the
Quran is from peace to violence. | Chronological progression of the
Bible is from violence to peace. | The words 'torture' and 'punishment' appear six
times more often in the Quran than in the New Testament. | The word 'love' appears five times more often in the New Testament than in the Qur'an, | Contains not a single original moral value. | The 'Sermon on the Mount' and others. | Suffering is an excuse for violent revenge
and establishment of Islam by force "And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution [of Muslims] is worse than slaughter [of non-believers]...and fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah."
(Qur'an 2:191) | Suffering builds character "We also rejoice in our sufferings,
because we know that suffering
produces perseverance; perseverance,
character; and character, hope"
(Romans 5:4) | Emphasis on this World "And Allah has made you heirs to their land
and their dwellings and their property"
(Qur'an 33:27) | Emphasis on the Next "Mine is not a kingdom of this world"
(John 18:36, see also Luke 14:33) | Kill, convert or subjugate Christians and Jews.
(Qur'an 9:29) | Share one's faith with gentleness and respect.
(1 Peter 3:15) | Martyrs as Killers
"Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain"
(Qur'an 9:111) | Martyrs as Martyrs
"As it is written, For thy sake we are
killed all the day long; we are
counted as sheep for the slaughter"
(Romans 8:36) | Killing Apostates
"They but wish that ye should reject Faith, as they do, and thus be on the same footing (as they): But take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah (From what is forbidden). But if they turn renegades, seize them and slay them wherever ye find them"
(Qur'an 4:89, also Bukhari 52:260, 83:37...) | Letting God Judge Apostates
"For we know Him that has said,
'Vengeance belongs unto me, I will
recompense,' says the Lord. And again,
'The Lord shall judge his people'"
(Hebrews 10:25-30) | Punishment "Let not compassion move you
from carrying out God's law..."
(Qur'an 24:2) | Mercy "Love is patient. Love is kind...
It keeps no record of wrongs"
(1 Corinthians 13:4-5) | Charity and Non-Believers Mercy toward fellow Muslims - ruthlessness toward unbelievers. Muslims are warned not to befriend those outside the faith. They must even ensure that their charity tithe (zakat)
stays within their own identity group.
(Qur'an 48:29, 3:28, Sharia) | Charity and Non-Believers Christians are specifically told that even
those who hate them are entitled to
kindness and charity. They should be loved
and cared for as surely as any fellow believer.
(Mark 10:25-37) | The Qur'an explicitly instructs
men to beat disobedient wives.
(Qur'an 4:34, Sahih Muslim 2127) | "Husbands, love your wives and
do not be harsh with them."
(No permission to beat women)
(Colossians 3:19) | Explicitly allows Muslim men to rape their female slaves, even those already married.
(Qur'an 4:24, 70:29-30, 23:5-6...) | Tells masters and slaves to serve
each other as if serving God.
(Ephesians 6:7-9) | Muhammad is the messenger
of Allah. And those who are with him
are ruthless to the unbelievers"
(Qur'an 48:29) | "Do good to them that hate you"
(Luke 6:27) | Allah wills those that stray and are lost
(Qur'an 16:93) | God wants all people saved
(1 Timothy 2:4) | Warns Against Questioning Faith.
(Qur'an 5:101-102) | Welcomes Intellectual Challenge.
(1 Peter 3:15) | Violence as Virtue "Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye
dislike it. But it is possible that ye
dislike a thing which is good for you, and
that ye love a thing which is bad for you.
But Allah knoweth, and ye know not."
(Qur'an 2:216) | Violence as Sin "Do not take revenge, my friends, but
leave room for God's wrath, for it is written:
'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord. On the contrary: 'If your enemy
is hungry, feed him... '"
(Romans 12:19-20) | Judging "Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites! Be harsh with them..."
(Qur'an 9:73) | Judge Not "For when you pass judgment on another person, you condemn yourself..."
(Romans 2:1) | Taking wealth from others "Allah promiseth you much
booty that ye will capture..."
(Qur'an 48:20) | Working for and giving wealth to others "The thief must no longer steal but must
work hard and do what is good with his
own hands, so that he might have
something to give to the needy."
(Ephesians 4:28) | Calls down Allah's curse on Christians
and those of other religions.
(Qur'an 9:30) | Calls down God's blessing on
those who curse Christians.
(Matthew 5:44) | Arrogance & Privilege "Ye are the best of peoples,
evolved for mankind"
(Qur'an 3:110) | Humility & Servitude "If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all."
(Mark 9:35) | "O you who believe! do not take My
enemy and your enemy for friends:
Would you offer them love while they deny what has come to you of the truth?
(Qur'an 60:1) | "Love your enemies..."
(Luke 6:27) |
Differences
1) Their Sin:
Firstly, Jesus, according to the Biblical record, was sinless whilst Mohammad, according to the Koranic record, was sinful. In Mecca Muhammad received a command about his sin:
“Then have patience (O Muhammad). Lo! the promise of Allah is true. And ask forgiveness of thy sin and hymn the praise of thy Lord at fall of night and in the early hours.”(Surah 40:55)
2) Their tombs:
It is a historical fact that Jesus’ tomb was found to be empty by some of his women followers, as the Austrian scholar Jacob Kremer notes: “By far most exegetes hold firmly to the reliability of the biblical statements concerning the empty tomb.”
Yet Muhammad’s body is still in his grave. Although Muslims may claim that his soul has gone to heaven none to my knowledge claims that his tomb is empty or that he was bodily raised like Jesus.
3) Their deaths:
According to the Biblical and Koranic records respectively Jesus died for the sins of the world whilst Muhammad died from poisoning.
4) Their dealing with sexual sins:
In Surah 24:2 Mohammad says:
“The fornicatress and the fornicator, flog each of them with a hundred stripes. Let not pity withhold you in their case, in a punishment prescribed by Allah, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. And let a party of the believers witness their punishment. [This punishment is for unmarried persons guilty of the above crime (illegal sex), but if married persons commit it (illegal sex), the punishment is to stone them to death, according to Allah’s law.”
Muhammad as portrayed within the Koran and within the Hadiths paints a rather brutal scene, yet we see a vast difference with Jesus. Firstly, Jesus explains why there are vices such as adultery. In the Sermon on the Mount, regarding the sins of adultery and lust, he says:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matt. 5:27-28)
5) Their Violence:
Jesus sets a very high standard for his followers to emulate if they are to “take up his cross and follow” him (Matthew 16:24). When Jesus was interrogated by the authorities he says:
“My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” (John 18:36)
Muhammad paints for us an altogether different picture as, which the Koran attests to, he committed assassinations, as well as threatened to murder over ten people. These threats stemmed from the fact these people offended him in some way, some, for example, wrote satirical poems about him. In Surah 33:60-61 Muhammad says:
“If the hypocrites, the sick of heart, and those who spread lies in the city [Medina] do not desist, We shall arouse you [Prophet] against them, and then they will only be your neighbors in this city for a short while. They will be rejected wherever they are found, and then seized and killed.”
6) Their confrontation with Satan:
Sayyid Abul A’La Maududi, a well-known Islamic commentator, says that the hadiths on Muhammad’s bewitchment, and influences from magic, are evident: “As far as the historical aspect is concerned, the incident of the Holy Prophet’s being affected by magic is absolutely confirmed.” According to the Hadith traditions Muhammad was negatively affected by magic.
On the hand Jesus exercised a great authority over powers of darkness, as well as took Satan head on. In Luke 4:33-35 we read on Jesus’ encounter with a demon:
“In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, “Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God! “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.”
7) Their religious freedom:
Jesus says: “If anyone comes after [follows] me” . . . (Matthew 17:24). Jesus let people decide for themselves, if they refuse to follow him then so be it. The word “if” implies freedom in choosing to either accept the way of Jesus or to reject it. Unlike Muhammad there was no army or power that tried to force people to believe.
Whereas Muhammad forcefully imposes his will, we read in Surah 9:5:
“Then, when the months made unlawful for fighting expire, kill the mushriks [polytheists] wherever you find them, and seize them, and besiege them, and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they repent, establish Salat [prayer five times a day] and pay the Zakat dues [charity tax], then let them go their way.” (Maududi, The Meaning of the Qur’an, vol. 2, p. 175; insertions mine).
8) Muhammad said that Allah does not love those who reject Islam (Koran 30:45, 3:32, 22:38), whereas Jesus said that God loves everyone whether they believe in him or not (John 3:16). The Christian God is all loving and is unconditional in his love, whereas Allah’s love is strictly conditional.
9) Jesus condemned stealing: “Thou shall not steal” (Matthew 19:18), whereas Muhammad permitted stealing from unbelievers: “The people felt hungry and captured some camels and sheep (as booty)” (Bukhari 44:668).
10) Muhammad permits lying (Sahih Muslim 6303, Bukhari 49:857) whilst Jesus does not: “Thou shalt not bear false witness” (Matthew 19:18).
11) Jesus never owned slavers, or traded them, whereas Muhammad did: “Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: Sell him to me” (Sahih Muslim 3901).
12) Whereas Jesus preached forgiveness (Matthew 18:21-22, 5:38), Muhammad did not. We saw above that he assassinated those who mocked or ridiculed him.
13) Muhammad taught revenge: “If then anyone transgresses the prohibition against you, Transgress ye likewise against him” (Koran 2:194), whereas Jesus did not: “If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matthew 5:39).
14) Their personal and private relationships differed greatly. Jesus was celibate, whereas Muhammad Married 13 wives and kept sex slaves (Bukhari 5:268, Koran 33:50).
15) Muhammad had sex with a nine year old (Bukhari 5:268, Koran 33:50) whereas Jesus never had sex with children.
16) The peace factor of their teachings were staunchly antithetical, according to Muhammad jihad in the way of Allah elevates one’s position in Paradise by a hundredfold (Muslim 4645), whereas Jesus says: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called Sons of God” (Matthew 5:9).
17) Their approaches to women was different. Jesus forgave prostitutes, and even had women followers. However, Muhammad murdered women (Ibn Ishaq 819, 995).
18) Jesus never commanded or ordered combat campaigns or war on unbelievers, whereas Muhammad order at least 65 such campaigns in the final ten years of his life (Ibn Ishaq).
19) In those final years Muhammad killed many captives in battle: “Then a man drew his sword and cut off his son’s foot so that he fell down and Umayya [the boy’s father] let out a cry such as I have never heard… They hewed them to pieces with their swords until they were dead.” (Ibn Ishaq 451, Ishaq/Hisham 449), whereas Jesus never captured or killed anyone.
20) Jesus never enslaved women or ever raped them, whereas Muhammad did (Abu Dawood 2150, Koran 4:24). |
