INTRODUCTION
The
Cross Or The Crescent?
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to Dr. Evans Books]
“AS-SALAAM-ALAIKUM”
and “WA-ALAIKUM-AS-SALAAM” are two strange-sounding phrases that
are being uttered by a number of people today who are most sincere in these
utterances, but are unwittingly being led down a path of great religious error.
And while the beauty and meaning (“Peace be unto you”) of these
Arabic words are impressive and intriguing, the religious foundation on which
they are built is without God-ordained support, and is, therefore, false.
For the people of the area where these words originated, the Arabs, have
not had or brought peace, and will not have peace—the “peace that passeth
all understanding”—until they accept the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, our
Lord, and God’s last Messenger to the world.
And the Americans, regardless of ethnic backgrounds, who adopt these
words and try to say them in their original language, will never experience true
peace until they bow in humble submission to Jesus and confess Him to be “...
the only potentate, King of kings and Lord of lords.” It
is for the purpose of sharing this truth about Jesus Christ, as opposed to the
teachings and other adaptations of Mohammed and Islam, with truthseekers who are
still walking in religious error that this book is being written.
The
subject matter of this book was precipitated by four factors. One factor was
that of the need for a simplified thesis, written primarily for the layman, on
Islam as it relates to the Christian religion, since many Christians are
currently being confronted with this seemingly mystical religion and are seeking
Christian responses to its anti-Christian dogma.
The
second precipitating factor was that of the author’s interest in providing an
easy-to-read and evaluative book for the thousands of Muslims who are
unknowingly being led astray by Islam. The author’s interest in secular and
religious history, Islam of which is a blending of both, was the third
influencing factor. And the final factor was that in the author’s preparation
for a public discussion with Imam Wallace D.
Muhammad, the spiritual head of the newly-named Community of Islam in the
West, designed to show the similarities and differences of the Christian and
Islamic religions, which took place on May 5, 1977, the truth of Christianity
was so superior to Islam that the task of sharing it in writing became
imperative. For it was observed by
the writer during his concentrated study of the entire scope of Islam, that the
more one objectively studies the subject in depth, the more fallacious that
religion becomes, and the less he believes it to be genuine.
As shall be revealed in this study, Islam is its own greatest enemy and
destroyer, when it is measured by internal evidences.
And, of course, it is completely obliterated when measured by external
evidences and the truth of God’s eternal Word, the Holy Bible.
The
danger in the religion of Islam is in its subtlety. For on the one hand it emphasizes the unity and supremacy of
God, whom it has named “Allah,” while on the other hand it limits His power.
The most glaring example of Islam’s limitations of God is its teaching that
God (“Allah”) cannot manifest Himself in three ways, as Father, Son and Holy
Ghost, which is the basic truth of the Bible and the very crux of the religion
of Jesus Christ, Christianity. This
study, of course, will point out passages in the Koran, the bible of the
Muslims, that reflect, though unintentionally, the plurality , the Triune
Godhood and the deity of Jesus Christ. For while Mohammed’s purpose in
producing the Koran was to disprove the divine essence of Christ Jesus as the
Son of God ‘-referring to Him as “the son of Mary” throughout, believing
that to accord Christ “Son of God” status was to give “Allah” a partner
in deity—Mohammed actually strengthened the Divine Sonship of Jesus by
handling His life as the most unique One in the Koran.
He even elevates the history and life of Jesus above that of His own,
although he claimed to have been the greatest of all the prophets.
This is understandable, however. Mohammed
could not have been familiar with the Bible, as he most assuredly was, and
conscientiously ignore the thousands of Biblical passages relevant to Jesus
Christ as “God manifested in the flesh.” Thus while attempting to emphasize
monotheism, the oneness of God, as opposed to polytheism, a plurality of gods,
Mohammed had to do something with Jesus as revealed in “The Book,” the
Bible, because of the fact that no prophet in the Bible could be compared to
Him. Therefore, a chapter in this study will include the facts of the gospel of
Christ, preached by Mohammed in the Koran, although he did not intend to do so.
But truth is self-revealing, even in erroneous materials that are designed to
stifle it. As the poet says,
Truth, crushed to the earth, will
rise again;
The eternal years of God are hers;
But error, wounded, writhes in
pain;
And dies among her worshippers.
The
truth of this maxim will be clearly realized as the expose in this book is
developed.
Another
subtle danger in Islam is in its utilization of mystical “parables, symbols
and signs,” applying and misapplying them, as has been done by the
“Bilalian” Muslims in America, in ways that are most convenient for a given
time and for a self-serving purpose. As
will be shown in this book, the adaptation of the mysticism and ritualism of
Islam as an alleviation of the economic and social plight of the black man in
America was the strongest appeal of the “Nation of Islam” from its inception
in the Depression Years of the 1930’s to the Black Revolution of the 1960’s.
With the abandonment of the racial adaptation (on the surface, at least)
by the current leadership, it remains to be seen what will become of the black
version of Islam in America, as well as Islam in general.
And since the theology of the Muslims is not commensurate with its
sociology and psychology, it is certain that its ideology will not withstand the
exposure to the light of God’s true teachings.
Numerous
books have been written about Islam, some attempting to substantiate its claims,
some trying to objectively explain it, and others geared to exposing its
falsity. While most of these works
have some historical and informational value, few of them deal with the
theological antithesis of this religion from a Biblical perspective.
Because of the Bible’s presentation of Jesus being diametrically
opposed to the Koran’s presentation of Him, there can be no “peaceful
co-existence” of Christianity and Islam. It is impossible for both of them to be the religions of God,
because of their contradicting each other and because of the fact that God has
never had two different religions existing at the same time.
And because the salvation of the souls of men is dependent upon knowing
which one is God’s religion for mankind, it is most vital that the truth be
taught on the subject. Thus, the need for a clearly written and documented treatise
on this subject, comparing and contrasting both religions, using the Bible and
the Koran, is most apparent. This
study, therefore, is designed to fulfill that need.
In writing this book, it is
necessary to give definitive, although digested, background information on Islam
and Christianity primarily for the reader who is unfamiliar with either or both
of these religions. There are some
Muslims who are not familiar with the Bible, while there are some Christians and
non-Muslims who are not familiar with the Koran. And there are some Muslims,
non-Muslims, and Christians who are unfamiliar with both books.
Therefore, for the purpose of further study, numerous documented
quotations are included in this work. Unless further noted, the Koranic
quotations are from the translation by A. Yusuf Ali, and the Bible quotations
are from the Authorized King James Version.
The appendix of this book contains the two speeches that were made by the author during his debate with Imam Wallace D. Muhammad. Imam Muhammad would not give permission for his two speeches to be printed, although repeated requests were made through his aides by the author. One would think that Muslims would gladly consent to the publication of their doctrine, if their doctrine be true. And Imam Muhammad’s refusal, by non-response to requests, to permit his speeches in the discussion to be disseminated at no costs to his organization causes one to wonder why.
The
audience was permitted to ask written questions of both speakers following all
speeches. These questions, the author’s verbatim answers, and analysis of Imam
Muhammad’s answers are also included in the appendix for the reader’s
information and evaluation.