Like Christianity, Islam is monotheistic, yet it denies basic Christian doctrines like the Trinity, the deity of Christ, Jesus\u2019 death and resurrection, and salvation by grace through faith.<\/p>\n
Muhammad\u2019s encounters with heretical Christian sects, and the lack of a Bible in Arabic in his lifetime, no doubt contributed to his faulty understanding of the Christian faith.<\/p>\n
But two lesser-known teachings based on the Qur\u2019an are equally disturbing. Christians should understand them in order to more effectively evangelize our Muslim friends.<\/p>\n
Taqiyya<\/strong> For all practical purposes, however, the doctrine has been expanded to encourage any deceit that advances Islam. Qur\u2019anic scholar Al-Tabari explains, \u201cIf you [Muslims] are under their [infidels\u2019] authority, fearing for yourselves, behave loyally to them, with your tongue, while harboring inner animosity for them. \u2026 Allah has forbidden believers from being friendly or on intimate terms with the infidels in place of believers \u2013 except when infidels are above them [in authority].\u201d<\/p>\n This helps explain the existence of \u201csleeper cells\u201d in non-Muslim countries. Bent on the overthrow of the U.S., for example, some Muslims fully integrate into American culture, becoming our neighbors and friends \u2013 all the while plotting to kill us.<\/p>\n This is not to accuse all Muslims \u2013 or even most Muslims \u2013 of deceitfulness, but it warns us to be on guard against Muslims who, like false teachers in Christianity, are all too eager to tickle our ears as long as it advances their agenda.<\/p>\n In contrast, the Bible instructs Christians to be truthful at all times, even in the face of persecution, so that the name of Jesus \u2013 the Way, the Truth, and the Life \u2013 is honored. Paul exhorts Christians to \u201cspeak the truth, each one to his neighbor\u201d (Eph. 4:25). Peter urges us to \u201cput away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and slander\u201d (1 Pet. 2:1).<\/p>\n And martyred saints in heaven are commended, not because they deceived others to save their own skin, but because \u201cthey did not love their lives in the face of death\u201d (Rev. 12:11).<\/p>\n Abrogation<\/strong> Interestingly, the doctrine of abrogation applies to the Qur\u2019an itself, thus protecting the Qur\u2019an from numerous contradictions. Since the Qur\u2019an was recorded over many years, Muslims claim that passages written more recently abrogate previous passages.<\/p>\n Christian apologist Ron Rhodes writes, \u201cWhat this means is that Allah is not bound to his revelations. If he wants, he is free to bring new revelation that contradicts former revelation. If need be, Allah is free to rescind earlier revelations and bring about entirely new and different ones.\u201d<\/p>\n For example, early passages in the Qur\u2019an ordered Muslims to pray toward Jerusalem. But after the Jews rejected Muhammad and his teachings, he received new revelation directing prayers toward Mecca. And while some Muslims today quote earlier passages in the Qur\u2019an instructing them to treat Jews and Christians with respect, later passages promote violence against \u201cinfidels.\u201d The law of abrogation requires that the later verses be obeyed.<\/p>\n In contrast, the Bible is unchanging because God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is holy, not capricious. Further, the manuscript evidence clearly shows that the Bible we hold in our hands today is the same one the Holy Spirit breathed out in ancient times. It has not been corrupted, as Muslims claim.<\/p>\n Islam is a religion of conquest. Muslims are commanded to bring the whole world into submission to Allah by any means necessary \u2013 persuasion, compulsion, deceit or violence. In contrast, Christianity is the true religion of peace, offering sinful people a restored relationship with their offended God through the sacrifice of His Son. God establishes His kingdom in the hearts of willing followers and forces no one to worship Him against their will.<\/p>\n Therefore, in sharing the gospel, Christians are never justified in acting deceitfully or violently.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Like Christianity, Islam is monotheistic, yet it denies basic Christian doctrines like the Trinity, the deity of Christ, Jesus\u2019 death and resurrection, and salvation by grace through faith. Muhammad\u2019s encounters with heretical Christian sects, and the lack of a Bible in Arabic in his lifetime, no doubt contributed to his faulty understanding of the Christian […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":11936,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":"","_wpscp_schedule_draft_date":"","_wpscp_schedule_republish_date":"","_wpscppro_advance_schedule":false,"_wpscppro_advance_schedule_date":"","_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_selected_social_profile":[]},"categories":[35,5,8,10,18,28,30],"tags":[197],"yoast_head":"\n
\n\u201cTaqiyya\u201d is a doctrine of deception. It empowers Muslims to deny their faith or commit otherwise illegal or blasphemous acts while they are at risk of persecution. It was developed to protect Shi\u2019ite Muslims, who usually were in the minority and under pressure from rival Sunnis.<\/p>\n
\n“Abrogation\u201d involves the annulling of a former law by a new law (Sura 16:101). Therefore, the Qur\u2019an, because it was written after the Bible, abrogates, or overrides, Scripture \u2013 particularly where the Bible and the Qur\u2019an contradict one another.<\/p>\n