Are Allah and God the Same?

The Quran makes three bold statements: “Our God and your God is one.” (Surah 29:46); “The Quran confirms the Scriptures that came before it.” (Surah 5:48); “If [the Quran] had not come from God they could have surely found in it many contradictions.” (Surah 4:82)  These claims have become the bases for the formation of numerous interfaith alliances among Muslims, Christians, and Jews.  They also explain the reluctance of many non-Muslims to criticize the Islamic religion.

But these claims fall apart when one actually compares the text of the Bible with that of the Quran.  Here are the most compelling evidences that Allah cannot be the same as the God of the Bible:

Outright lies in the Quran:

1. Muhammad was foretold in the Bible (Surah 7:157). See Deuteronomy 18:18 written about 2,000 years before Muhammad, and John 14:16 where the Greek word paracletos (comforter) is confused with pariklutos (praised one.)
2. The Torah and the Gospel promise Paradise to those who kill and are killed for the sake of Allah. (Surah 9:111). Jesus in fact said, “Those who live by the sword will die by the sword.” (Matthew 26:52)

Treatment of Non-Believers:

Bible:   “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 6:44)

Quran:  “Believers, take neither Jews nor Christians for your friends.” (Surah 5:51) “Believers, make war on the infidels who dwell around you. Deal firmly with them.” (Surah 9:123)

Truth or Falsehood:

Bible:  [Jesus said,] “If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples; you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31)

Quran:  “Believers, do not ask questions about things which, if made known to you, would only pain you. . . .Other men inquired about them before you, only to disbelieve them thereafter.” (Surah 5:101)

Misunderstanding the “Trinity” (How can the Quran condemn the Christian Trinity, when it misunderstands its very nature?):

Bible:  “ . . . baptize them in the name of the Father [God], the Son [Jesus], and the Holy Spirit. . . “  (Matthew 28:19)

Quran:  [Implies that the Trinity is God, Jesus, and Mary in Surahs 4:171 and 5:116.]

Is Jesus the Son of God?

Bible:  “And a voice came from heaven, “You are my own dear Son. I am pleased with you.” (Luke 3:22)

Quran:  “How should [God] have a son when He had no consort [wife]? (Surah 6:101) Compare that with Surah 3:59, where God said “Be” and Jesus was created.

Marriage to Daughter-in-Law  (Muhammad lusted after and married his adopted son’s wife – Zainab.):

Bible:  “Do not have intercourse with your daughter-in-law.” (Leviticus 18:15)

Quran:  “. . . it should become legitimate for true believers to wed the wives of their adopted sons if they divorced them. God’s will must needs be done.” (Surah 33:37)

Adultery:

Bible:  “Do not commit adultery.” (Deuteronomy 5:18)

Quran:  (Authorizes sex with slaves and those who are paid for sex [mutah] per Surahs 4:24 and 5:18)

Wife beating:

Bible:  “Men ought to love their wives just as they love their own bodies.” (Ephesians 5:28) “Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.” (Colossians 3:19)

Quran:  “As for those [women] from whom you fear disobedience, admonish them and send them to beds apart and beat them.” (Surah 4:34)

Attributes of Paradise:

Bible:   In the presence of God (Matthew 5:8)

Not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace (Romans 14:17)

They will be like angels in heaven and will not marry (Matthew 22:30)

Quran: Rivers of wine (Surah 47:15)

Dark-eyed houris (sex partners), chaste as hidden pearls (Surah 56:17)

God’s Goal for Mankind:

Bible:  “[God] wants everyone to be saved and to come to know the truth.” (I Timothy 2:4) “[God] does not want anyone to be destroyed.” (2 Peter 3:9)

Quran: “He sends astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. But you will certainly be called to account for what you used to do.” (Surah 16:93) “We have predestined for Hell many jinn (spirits) and many men.” (Surah 7:179)

Assurance of Salvation:

Bible:  “. .  everyone who believes in [Jesus Christ] may not die but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Quran:  [Paradise is assured only for those who “slay and are slain” for the cause of God] Surah 9:111   The Quran instructed Muhammad to say, “.  .  I do not know what will be done with me or you.” (Surah 46:9)  He also admitted in a hadith, “I have nothing which can avail you against Allah (Sahih Muslim, Book 1,  Number 401)

Purification:

Bible:  [Jesus said,] “You hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look fine on the outside but are full of bones and decaying corpses on the inside. In the same way, on the outside you appear good to everybody, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and sins.” (Matthew 23:27-28)  “Who can ascend to the hill of the LORD? Or who shall stand in His holy place?  He that hath clean hands and a pure heart. . . “  (Psalm 24:3-4)

Quran: “Believers, when you rise to pray wash your faces and your hands as far as the elbow, and wipe your heads and your feet to the ankle. . .  if you can find no water, take some clean sand and rub your hands and faces with it. (Surah 5:6)

Which religion practices Idolatry?

Bible: “. . . we pull down every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Hadith:  Regarding the Black Stone lodged in the Kaaba in Mecca, Umar, Muhammad’s companion and the second Caliph, said, “I know that you are only a stone which can neither bring benefit nor cause harm. Were it not that I had seen the Prophet kiss you, I would not have kissed you.” (Al-Bukhari Vol. 2, Book 26, Number 675)  Kissing the Black Stone remains a part of the Hajj ritual.

Is Allah just another word for the God of the Bible?

Arabic Bibles and some foreign translations of the Bible use “Allah” as the term for God. This is because the term is familiar to former Muslims. However, the written name is not as significant as the nature of deity it refers to.  The God of the Bible is universal, whereas the Allah of the Quran is a localized god – the god of the Kaaba.

Bible: “So there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, between slaves and free men, between men and women, you are all one in union with Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)  Jesus rejected any geographic orientation in the worship of God in John 4:23.

Quran: “Let them worship the Lord of this House. . . .” (Surah 106:3)  “Say: I am bidden to serve the Lord of this City, which he made sacred.”  (Surah 27:91)   Muslims are instructed to pray towards Mecca and the Kaaba in Surah 2:150.

Recommended further reading:

“Allah is he God” by P. Newton and M. Rafiqul Haqq. --  http://www.answering-islam.org/Authors/Newton/allah.html

“Who is this Allah?” by G.J.O. Moshay, 2008, Chick Publications

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