THE SUPERIORITY OF CHRISTIANITY OVER ISLAM

A Research Paper Submitted to

Dr. Brian Moulton
Southern California Seminary



_______________
In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for
Crucial Issues of the 21st-century
_________________



By
Daniel Mullen
November 30, 2004
Box #141



1


CONTENTS
Introduction 2
The Messages of the Quran and of the Bible 2
Mohammadian Make-believe 3
Monumental Differences 4
Structural Differences 4
Style Differences 5
Substance and Message Differences 7
Supremacy of Divine Inspiration 8
A Comparison of Mohammad and Jesus Christ 9
Ministry of Mohammad: A Limited Message 9
Ministry of Jesus: A Living Message 11
Morality of Mohammad 13
Morality of Jesus 14
Miracles of Mohammad 17
Miracles of Jesus 18
Why Religious Pluralism is a Fraud 19
Bibliography 22-23
Appendix 1 24-25



2

THE SUPERIORITY OF CHRISTIANITY OVER ISLAM

Admittedly, the title affirms a conclusion, which may not seem very sensitive in our
politically correct world. However, every question, whether controversial or not, begins with
some presuppositions. Therefore, there is no shame in beginning this subject with the premise
that Christianity is superior to Islam. However, the object of this paper is not limited to the
presentation of one more argument to verbally dismantle the religion of Islam. Rather, a brief
comparison of these two of the "great religions" of the world, will present Christianity's unique
superiority as the answer to all of man's spiritual needs. The fact that the term, "great religions"
is used, illustrates the fallacy that is so often expressed, that Christianity is just one of the world's
religions; it is not any better nor does it offer anything more than the others. By making a brief
analysis of Islam and Christianity, it will be apparent that Christianity's message is one of hope
where Islam offers none, that Christianity's Savior reaches out and touches man, while Islam's
God is far away. Finally, the myth of "equally valid" religions will be debunked. Indeed, while
it is not possible to defeat the institution of Islam here, the grounds for religious pluralism will be
destroyed as Islam will be demonstrated to be a weak pretender as an alternative path to God.
The Messages of the Quran and of the Bible
Islam's only scriptures are a collection of the words attributed to its only prophet,
Mohammad whose ministry spanned a period of 20 - 22 years. His words were passed down
orally for nearly 150 years before being compiled into what is known as the Quran. Such a
large space of time leaves room for considerable error for several reasons:

3
There is no record of Muhammad's words being substantiated by witnesses,
coworkers, or sources outside the Quran such as contemporary Jewish writers or
historians. No one witnessed the angel Gabriel speaking to Mohammad.
There is no claim that the oral tradition used some measure to protect the integrity
and accuracy of Mohammads sayings.
Human memories tend to glamorize the better points of the past and to forget the
negative and there is no reason to believe Muhammad's followers would be any
different.
Mohammadian Make-believe
What Muslims believe today about Mohammad and the Quran does not lineup with the
historical facts regarding the Arab world, the language used at the time, and the inconsistencies
within the Quran itself.
Muhammad's world and the worlds of the historians who subsequently wrote
about him were dramatically different. During Islam's first century alone, a
provincial band of pagan desert tribesmen became the guardians of a vast
international empire of institutional monotheism that teemed with unprecedented
literary and scientific activity. Many contemporary historians argue that one
cannot expect Islam's stories about its own origins -- particularly given the oral
tradition of the early centuries -- to have survived this tremendous social
transformation intact.
1


1
Lester, Toby, What Is the Quran? (Part 3 "For People Who Understand") Executive editor, Atlantic
Unbound, the Atlantic Monthly Web site http://www.derafsh-kaviyani.com.

4
Monumental Differences
In contrast to the brief period in which the Quran could have been written down, the Bible
was written over a period of about 1500 years involving more than 40 different authors.
Statements within the scriptures themselves declare it to be the Word of God more than 2400
times.
2
The Biblical scriptures represent the contributions from writers from all walks of life,
from fishermen to rabbi (Peter and Paul), from poets (David) to political leaders (Moses, David
and Daniel)
3
. The Bible also explains how God used these various human instruments so that He
could present His written revelation to man. For example, in 2 Peter we read that no
prophecy of Scripture is a matter of ones own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by
an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." (2 Peter 1:20-21,
NASB95)
4

Structural Differences
It is important to know how the overall structure of the Bible and the Quran differ greatly.
The Bible is arranged in a chronological/historical sequence, using a logical, plain format, which,
declares the work of God's hand and His expanding self-revelation alongside man's own
historical development throughout. Additionally, specific subjects or teachings are presented
logically and completely without the interruption of unrelated verses, as is often the case in the
Quran.

2
Foos, Harold D and Patterson, L. Paige, The Revelation, Inspiration, and Inerrancy of the Bible, p. 98,
The Fundamentals For The Twenty-First Century, Kregel Publications, Mal Couch, General Editor.
3
, Josh McDowell. Evidence that Demands a Verdict, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers), p. 16.
4
New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.


5
The Quran is a single book with 114 chapters (or 116 depending on the version
5
-- as there
are more than 20 versions
6
). The Quran has an artificial descending arrangement from the
largest to smallest. The opening chapter or sura has only six verses, then beginning with its
second chapter of 286 verses, entitled The Cow, the arrangement descends in suranic size for
no particular reason, reaching the 114
th
and smallest chapter. The Quran also has very limited
style variation and its total length is slightly less than the New Testament. Each chapter may
loosely refer to the chapter titles topic and uses a very random proverb or declarative style,
making it very difficult to be read or appreciated by an average reader. Several online English
translations can be readily found and its poor readability is confirmed in nearly every chapter.
The University of Michigan is one of the better sites to find the Quran online:
http://www.hti.umich.edu/k/Quran/browse.html
Style Differences
To illustrate this point regarding structure and readability, let us consider what the Quran
itself says about one of its key figures Abraham. In chapter (sura) 14, Abraham is mentioned
in verse [14.35] and the names Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac have been capitalized only to aid
their being found in the text, which follows on page 7. Normally it is not necessary to quote
such a large section from any reference, but in order to give a more correct view, and to avoid
the appearance of taking something out of context, a large section was included:


5
Al-Fadl b. Shadhan is said to have seen a copy of Ubayy's 116 suras (rather than the 114 of Uthman's) in a
village near Basra in the middle of the 3rd century A.H. (10th century C.E.).
6
"Islam: Truth or Myth" web site. http://www.bible.ca/islam/islam-Quran-bible.htm article entitled "The
Bible Is Vastly Superior To The Quran"

6
[14.24] Have you not considered how Allah sets forth a parable of a good word (being)
like a good tree, whose root is firm and whose branches are in heaven,
[14.25] Yielding its fruit in every season by the permission of its Lord? And Allah sets
forth parables for men that they may be mindful.
[14.26] And the parable of an evil word is as an evil tree pulled up from the earth's
surface; it has no stability.
[14.27] Allah confirms those who believe with the sure word in this world's life and in
the hereafter, and Allah causes the unjust to go astray, and Allah does what He pleases.
[14.28] Have you not seen those who have changed Allah's favor for ungratefulness and
made their people to alight into the abode of perdition
[14.29] (Into j hell? They shall enter into it and an evil place it is to settle in.
[14.30] And they set up equals with Allah that they may lead (people) astray from His
path. Say: Enjoy yourselves, for surely your return is to the fire.
[14.31] Say to My servants who believe that they should keep up prayer and spend out of
what We have given them secretly and openly before the coming of the day in which
there shall be no bartering nor mutual befriending.
[14.32] Allah is He Who created the heavens and the earth and sent down water from the
clouds, then brought forth with it fruits as a sustenance for you, and He has made the
ships subservient to you, that they might run their course in the sea by His command, and
He has made the rivers subservient to you.
[14.33] And He has made subservient to you the sun and the moon pursuing their
courses, and He has made subservient to you the night and the day.
[14.34] And He gives you of all that you ask Him; and if you count Allah's favors, you
will not be able to number them; most surely man is very unjust, very ungrateful.
[14.35] And when Ibrahim (ABRAHAM) said: My Lord! make this city secure, and save
me and my sons from worshipping idols:
[14.36] My Lord! surely they have led many men astray; then whoever follows me, he is
surely of me, and whoever disobeys me, Thou surely arc Forgiving, Merciful:
[14.37] O our Lord! surely I have settled a part of my offspring in a valley unproductive
of fruit near Thy Sacred House, our Lord! that they may keep up prayer; therefore make
the hearts of some people yearn towards them and provide them with fruits; haply they
may be grateful:
[14.38] O our Lord! Surely Thou knowest what we hide and what we make public, and
nothing in the earth nor any thing in heaven is hidden from Allah:
[14.39] Praise be to Allah, Who has given me in old age Ismail and Ishaq (ISHMAEL
and ISAAC); most surely my Lord is the Hearer of prayer:
[14.40] My Lord! make me keep up prayer and from my offspring (too), O our Lord, and
accept my prayer:
[14.41] O our Lord! grant me protection and my parents and the believers on the day
when the reckoning shall come to pass!
[14.42] And do not think Allah to be heedless of what the unjust do; He only respites
them to a day on which the eyes shall be fixedly open,
[14.43] Hastening forward, their heads upraised, their eyes not reverting to them and their
hearts vacant.
[14.44] And warn people of the day when the chastisement shall come to them, then
those who were unjust will say: O our Lord! respite us to a near term, (so) we shall

7
respond to Thy call and follow the apostles. What! did you not swear before (that) there
will be no passing away for you!
7

Substance and Message Differences
This passage is typical throughout the entire Quran. There are no paragraph breaks in
the English translation because nice, tidy paragraphs are difficult to isolate. Solid bodies of
thought are rarely linked to the next in order to create a larger picture or message. This passage
was taken from the fourteenth chapter entitled "Abraham", yet Abraham's name appears only
once in the chapter that bears his name [14.35]. Actually, in the Quran there is very little clear
biographical information about Abraham, their most important patriarch beyond that he settled in
a place that would be called Ka'ba [22.27]. In fact, for Muslims most of the stories about
Abraham come from other sources other than the Quran.
8

The passage cited above mentions many things, yet very poorly describes any particular
person, place or event. People are mentioned even some of the most prominent figures of the
Quran and the Bible, but very little can be understood about these personalities from this texts
content or style. For example, in the first verse [14.24] a reference to "a parable of a good word"
is made and it is quite possibly inspired from Psalm 1:2-3, where we learn that the person who
delights in the law the Lord shall be like a tree planted by rivers of water. If this were the case,
the context of verses [14.24-25] would follow more logically with something about David rather
than Abraham, or an elaboration on the theme of the benefits of God's Law. In any case, these
verses do not have the ring of David's poetry nor of the parables of Jesus (perhaps referring to

7
The Holy Qur'an, translated by M.H. Shakir and published by Tahrike Tarsile Qur'an, Inc., in 1983
URL:http://www.hti.umich.edu/k/Quran/browse.html
8
Kjeilen, Tore "Abraham / Ibrahim" article in the Encyclopaedia of the Orient, Oslo, Norway. First
published Dec 4, 2001. Last modified Sep. 11, 2004. URL: http://lexicorient.com/cgi-bin/eo-direct.pl?abraham.htm

8
Lukes parable of the fig tree, Luke 13:6-9); the text clearly bears the mark of human origin and
not that of Divine thought.
Supremacy of Divine Inspiration
More important, is the question regarding the overarching view of these two primary
sources of doctrine for Islam and Christianity. The Quran does not appear to have a central
theme involving restoration of man's broken relationship with God woven throughout as the
Bible does. The Bible's message is intertwined throughout the Old and New Testaments over its
3500-year history. This is an extremely strong proof of the Bible's unique superiority over the
Quran and all other writings that claim divine origin. No other book has such a complexity of
historical backdrops, with the diversity of human writers, over such a broad span of time, with a
consistent overarching theme. The Bible's contributors generally did not know one another and
most were acquainted only with a very limited portion of the Bible's other writings. Added to
this, the Bible records hundreds of prophecies concerning events, judgments, and most
importantly, the promised Redeemer. In total, there are more than 1800 prophecies in the Old
and New Testaments.
9

How many prophecies does the Quran have? This is one of the greatest ironies of Islam
is that Mohammad is called a prophet and yet there is no specific prophetic record that is, the
foretelling of any future event, followed by its fulfillment sometime later in history. There are
none of the weighty passages speaking of Gods judgment, His righteous anger against Israels
stubbornness prefaced by the words Thus says, the Lord. Such a phrase as: "Thus says, Allah"

9
Payne, J. Barton, Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy (New York: Harper & Row, 1973).

9
does not exist in the Quran. Apparently, Mohammad was unable to exercise this aspect of his
prophetic ministry.
The Bible records more than 300 prophecies alone that are related to the Messiah, the
Savior of Israel and the nations. It has been calculated that the chances for anyone to fulfill
only eight of the Messianic prophecies is next to impossible. The chances would be 1 in 10 to
the 17th power (1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000).
10
Not only so, the accuracy of fulfilled
prophecies in the Bible so far has been 100%! It is absolutely impossible that through the
exercise of human will, anyone could arrange a text as complex as the Bibles collaborated by
numerous historical events and fulfilled prophecy.
A Comparison of Mohammad and Jesus Christ
Islam makes the claim that Mohammad is the most recent, relevant prophet and Jesus was
only one prophet among many. As present day Islam greatly elevates the role of Mohammad, it
ignores the abundance of historical evidence regarding the unsurpassable ministry of Jesus. Can
there be any comparison between the ministry, the morality, the miracles, and the message of
Jesus and the same areas of Mohammads life that justifies any equating of them as comparable
leaders among the history of the worlds religions?
Ministry of Mohammad: A Limited Message
Let us make a brief comparison. Even if one accepts at face value the positive statements
regarding Mohammad's life, his ministry was essentially limited to his teachings regarding the

10
Messianic Prophecies, http://www.thewhyman.jesusanswers.com/custom3.html

10
one transcendent but personal God Allah
11
. Mohammad asserted that God sent prophets to
other nations throughout history, but since each of these in turn failed to reform, those nations
were destroyed. Mohammad was then sent to proclaim his new message which was later
compiled to become what is known as the Quran. Mohammad claimed that this was the last
revealed book and he himself was last of the prophets -- and a prophet whose message canceled
out Judaism and Christianity. The question is, why should the message of hope, forgiveness and
salvation through Jesus be tossed out and replaced with the message from the Quran? The
Quran is supposedly an eternal text written in heaven and given to Mohammad word for
word. It often states that "Allah is great and merciful and willing to forgive" but it never says
how he does this our why he should? It seems that Allah of the Quran has different standards
than Jehovah of the Old Testament.
Where are the Ten Commandments in the Quran? Some Islamic apologists attempt to
say the Quran affirms the Commandments through some of its scattered references
12
.
Nevertheless, they are not plentiful, nor does the Quran anywhere say in so many words that it
supports, confirms, fulfills the Law (see Appendix 1), much less, does it set a higher standard,
thereby giving ground that it replaces the Law and the rest of the canon of Judaic scripture. The
record of sin and failure throughout all of human history testifies to the need of a concise
statement of God's holy standard; it is stated as such and found in an orderly, understandable
fashion -- just as it was given to Moses (Exodus 12: 1-17 & Deuteronomy 5: 6-21). The Lord
Jesus was extremely clear -- he said that he both supported the Law and fulfilled it: Do not

11
Dallal, Ahmad S., "Islam," Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2004
http://encarta.msn.com 1997-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
12
Holy Qur'an Resources on the Internet: The Ten Commandments in the Qur'an URL
http://www.quran.org.uk/ieb_quran_10commandments.htm

11
think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For
truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass
from the Law until all is accomplished. " (Matt. 5:17-18, NASB).

Furthermore, the phrase, "The
Law and the Prophets linked to the word, fulfill is very significant as pointed out by John
McArthur:
The phrase, " "The Law and the Prophets" speaks of the entirety of the Old
Testament scriptures, not the rabbinical interpretations of them." Further, Christ
was declaring, "that He is the fulfillment of the Law in all its aspects. He fulfilled
the moral law by keeping it perfectly. He fulfilled the ceremonial Law by being
the embodiment of everything that the Law's types and symbols pointed to. And
He fulfilled the judicial law by personified in God's perfect justice."
Todays Muslims are now producing very professional web sites with well-written
biographies of Mohammad's life. This is not to say that they are accurate representations
regarding the life of Mohammad but certainly they are much easier reading than any
information one can gather from the Quran or extra-Quranic sources such as the Hadith. The
sample below sounds much more to be a description of Jesus than Mohammad:
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) is the finest example of a perfect man in every
sense of the term. He was a paragon of virtue and is the best exemplar for the
human race. The Almighty distinguished him from all and sundry by instilling
embling (original spelling) in his sublime personality such fine qualities as
modesty, truthfulness, kindness, patience, loyalty, honesty, courage, bravery,
generosity, magnanimity, wisdom and the like. By studying his lofty character
and the amazingly simple life he led with his household, companions, wives and
others. We are apt to learn valuable lessons from his conduct and accordingly
mould our own life-style.
13


13
"Islamic Occasions Network" Web Page entitled, "Truth, Wisdom and Justice" URL:
http://www.ezsoftech.com/islamic/infallible1e.asp#03

12
Typical of the scanty references to Mohammad in the Quran would be verses such as
this: "Certainly you have in the Messenger of Allah an excellent exemplar for him who hopes in
Allah and the latter day and remembers Allah much." [33: 21]
14

Ministry of Jesus: A Living Message
Jesus on the other hand, claimed to be the Son of God, He claimed to be Yahweh, the "I
AM" who existed before Abraham (John 8:58). While Mohammad's death was like the death of
every ordinary man, after two weeks of illness at the age of 62, Christs death was the
culmination of his earthly ministry and included the promise of resurrection. Although some
within the circles of Islam halfway recognize the historicity of Christ's death (it is considered a
failure on the part of the prophet Jesus), the Quran itself teaches that Christ was not crucified:
"They declared 'we have put to death the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the apostle of God'.
They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but they had only his likeness." [4:157]
15

While Jesus was still ministering and teaching His disciples, Jesus spoke to them
concerning His death, He said that was for this purpose He came into the world (John 12:27). In
addition to predicting His death, Jesus predicted His resurrection -- and that He would rise on the
third day. The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief
priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day. " (Luke 9:22, NAS)
16

What prophecies did Mohammad make? Did Mohammad speak concerning his death
and resurrection? For those who claim that Jesus body was simply stolen, this question has
been so adequately treated both in the scriptures and with extra biblical evidence, that the

14
The Holy Qur'an, translated by M.H. Shakir
15
ibid.

13
resurrection of Christ is considered one of the most established and well-documented events of
human history. The fact that Jesus rose is one of the great catalysts of the Christian faith. Jesus
didnt merely die for us, but conquered death for us. The empty tomb is the message that He
lives! Josh McDowell citing Professor E.H. Day writes:
"In that empty tomb Christendom as always discerned an important witness to the
reasonableness of belief. Christians have never doubted that as a matter of fact it was
found empty on the third day; the Gospel narratives agree in emphasizing it; it (the
burden of proof)... rests not on those who hold the tradition, but upon those who either
deny that the tomb was found empty, or explain the absence of the Lord's body by some
rationalistic theory."
17

Jesus, the only begotten Son of God held the unique ministry as the Lamb of God, to take
away the sins of the world. He is also the High Priest His ministry was the complete answer to
man's need, satisfying God's standard of righteousness. Mohammad was not qualified to be
considered a prophet based on the standards of the Old Testament; his teachings as they have
been recorded in the Quran are difficult to understand and at best, they represent the culture and
concepts of the Arab community of his day.
18
Mohammad died just like every other man and
saved no one.
Morality of Mohammad
If we could find some extraordinarily pious life in the example of Mohammad, perhaps
there would be some redeeming aspect of his biography that would make his life more

16
New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update.
17
McDowell, Josh. Evidence That Demands a Verdict. Volume I. San Bernardino, CA. Here's Life
Publishers, Inc. 1979 Campus Crusade for Christ, Inc. pg 226
18
For an example of the prevalent worldview of Mohammed's day, the Quran teaches that men were
turned into apes because they broke the Sabbath. This was a popular legend at that time (Quran 2:65; 7:163-166).
(Islam: Truth or Myth" web site. http://www.bible.ca/islam/islam-Quran-bible.htm)

14
significant and relevant as an example for us to follow. However, there is nothing recorded in
history regarding his life nor in the Quran to indicate an exemplary and holy life, much less, one
worthy of comparing to the life of Christ Jesus.
According to the Quran, a Muslim man is permitted to marry up to four wives not
counting concubines [Quran 4:3]. However, Mohammad certainly married more often than this.
Some biographies refer to him having nine wives while others refer to thirteen wives (not
counting concubines). Conveniently, the Quran seems to open an exception for the prophet in
[33:50] where the matter is left quite open as to the number of wives he could have. Once,
Mohammad took Mary, the Coptic slave girl to bed while Hafsa, one of Mohammad's other
wives was away. This angered all the wives creating a very unpleasant situation, where he had
to endure the harshest words from his much loved, Aisha and ended up staying with the
Christian slave girl for an entire month. This resulted in Mohammad receiving a vision that
was recorded in sura 66:1, "O Prophet, why forbiddest thou what God has made lawful to thee,
seeking the good pleasure of thy wives?"
19
Even so, it is difficult to understand how Muslims
can reconcile the actions of their prophet when the Quran also refers to the commandment to not
commit adultery [17:33] (see Appendix 1). Reportedly, his preferred wife was Aisha, with
whom a marriage contract was made when she was only seven years old, "and she was taken to
his house as a bride when she was nine, along with her dolls."
20
Aisha was 44 years younger
than Mohammad, and when he died she was only 18.

19
Smith, Joseph. Mohammed. Apologetic paper-May 1995, referring to sources from Mizanu'l Haqq, pg.
330 and Mishkat II, pgs.680-681).
20
Smith, Joseph. Mohammed. Citing Sahih Muslim (pg.716).

15
Morality of Jesus
Obviously then, it is rather unnecessary to make a comparison between Jesus and
Mohammad in terms of their respective morality, but this is what the followers of Islam and
those who defend religious pluralism claim to have done. The world is asked to accept the
doctrine that Jesus is just a good man, one of the great prophets sent by God, but one is not
really asked to examine the lives of these false heroes in a side-by-side comparison with the
irreproachable life of Jesus.
Those who refuse to acknowledge the divinity of Christ, attempt to do so by making a
case for His humanity. They say that Jesus was tempted, that He was capable of sinning, and
that He actually did -- just like every other man. However, there is no document of any historical
value that has ever supported such a claim. The Bible makes a different claim. In both the Old
and New Testaments, it is clear that Jesus was the sinless Lamb of God. In Isaiah chapter 53, we
find one of the great messianic passages of the Old Testament referring to the suffering of our
Lord in the crucifixion on account of the mans sins:
"Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we
ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was
pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The
chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.
All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But
the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. He was oppressed and
He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to
slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open
His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His
generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For
the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? His grave was
assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He
had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth. " (Isaiah 53:4-9,
NASB95)
21


21
New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.

16
Could Isaiah have known that he was referring to the future Messiah nearly 700 years
before the His birth? How could he have imagined or thought of any person who could suffer
under such circumstances and yet not open his mouth? The very minimum any man would do
under such intense suffering would be to sin with his mouth, but with Jesus not even this was the
case. Again, we see such profound evidence pointing to the great superiority of both
Christianitys central figure, the person of Jesus, and the Scriptures that prophesied concerning
Him.
Apparently, the apostle Peter was also deeply touched by the verses of Isaiah. He saw
firsthand how Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate, how He was humiliated and scourged,
and then endured the agony of crucifixion. No doubt, Peter also remembered with profound
sadness how it was with his own mouth that he denied the Lord three times just as Jesus had
predicted. Thus, we find in the New Testament, scriptures that refer to the fulfillment of Isaiah's
prophecy:
"Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was
reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed
himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own
body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by
whose stripes ye were healed. " (1 Peter 2:22-24, KJV)
22

Moreover, was it not Isaiah himself who said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I
am a man of unclean lips... For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts "? (Isaiah 6:5)
These passages are cited to illustrate the highest standard morality that was expressed in
Jesus Christ. These verses also eloquently serve to show how the Old the New Testament
scriptures speak of things that cannot spring forth from the imagination of a man but must be

22
The Holy Bible : King James Version. Electronic edition of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized
Version. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995.

17
revealed by God's Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21). With the mouth various kinds of sin are so
easily committed -- unrighteous anger, blasphemy, lies etc. yet Jesus was not guilty of the
slightest faux pas. Furthermore, it would seem that sins of this nature would be the easiest to
accuse Jesus of by those who are interested in creating trumped charges, especially when there
were so many of the Jews looking for an opportunity to trap him (Matthew 22:15). Apparently,
it was difficult even to create plausible lies with which to accuse him. Dr. Charles C. Ryrie, in
his chapter, "The Sinlessness of Christ", makes an excellent case pointing out that Jesus was
acknowledged as innocent eleven times by various persons, including Pontius Pilate, Herod
Antipas, the repentant thief, and the Roman centurion. Especially interesting to note, "there is no
record that our Lord ever offered a single sacrifice, though He frequented the temple. This
silence speaks of the fact that He did not need to do so since He was without sin."
23

Miracles of Mohammad
Regarding Mohammeds miracles, it is reasonable to say that he performed none because
this is the record of the Quran, and in Mohammed's own words, he states that he is an ordinary
man, who was not able to do so. The Quran refers to some dialogues between Mohammed and
unbelievers where miraculous signs are sought so that they could believe in him:
"They (also) said: "Allah took our promise not to believe in a messenger unless He showed us a
sacrifice consumed by Fire (From heaven)." Say: "There came to you messengers before me,
with clear Signs and even with what ye ask for: why then did ye slay them, if ye speak the
truth?" if you are truthful?" [3:138].
24


23
Ryrie, Charles C. Basic Theology. Chicago, Moody Press. Chapter 45, The Sinlessness of Christ, pg. 305
24
The Holy Qur'an, translated by M.H. Shakir

18
In a dialogue somewhat reminiscent of Moses and the children of Israel, we find another
instance where Mohammed refers to his inability to perform miracles: "They say: We shall not
believe in thee, until thou cause a spring to gush forth for us from the earth " [17: 90]
25
. In
response to this Mohammed exclaimed: "Glory to my Lord! Am I aught but a man - a
messenger?" [17: 93]
26
.
Miracles of Jesus
With Jesus, the question of miracles is entirely different. Jesus ministry included many
great miracles and there is a total absence of sources contemporary to Christ refuting the facts of
His miracles. Indeed, John concludes his gospel by saying: "There are also many other things
that Jesus did, which, if they were written one by one the world itself could not contain the
books that could be written" (John 21:25).
In a sense, there is some legitimacy to the question of the unbelievers in Mohammed's
day. As the Old Testament often illustrated, miracles were a very strong proof that a man was a
prophet sent by God. The miracles of Jesus do more than that. They showed His deity in that
they showed His power over all things. For example, Jesus showed His omnipotence by
demonstrating His power over the elements of nature by calming the storm (John 6:16-21). On
another occasion, when He healed the nobleman's son from a distance (John 4:46-54), Jesus
showed us His omnipresence and power over space. Jesus demonstrated His power over
incurable physical conditions when He healed the man who had been blind since birth (John
9:1-41), and His power over death by raising Lazarus (John 11:1-44). Thus, with these last two

25
ibid.
26
ibid.

19
miracles, Jesus shows that He has the power over life and death which only the Creator would
have.
Once again, the superiority of Christianity is demonstrated through the powerful
testimony of the Bible. In the matter of miracles, Jesus fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies
and His miracles played an important role demonstrating who He is and the validity of the
scriptures. For example, a brief glance at only two miracles recorded in Matthew 9: 5-7 of the
paralytic, and the two blind men 9:27-30 as foretold in Isaiah, shows how they were powerfully
fulfilled by Jesus and clearly indicate His divine power:
"In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and
darkness the eyes of the blind will see." Isaiah 29:18
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Isaiah 35:
5, 6
Why Religious Pluralism is a Fraud
Thus far, it has been demonstrated that Islams Scriptures are inferior in historical
accuracy as well as in structure, style, and substance, It was shown that Islams messenger,
Mohammed had an extremely limited ministry in terms of the content of his message and its
scope. His personal life did not match the standard of holiness exemplified by the Bibles
prophets. The research here also revealed that his life and ministry lacked the evidence of a true
prophet because he did not bring a prophetic message or display the empowered anointing often
associated with Old Testament prophets. If one examines the real substance of the Islamic
religion, it may be concluded that it is a faith without a method; yet, it expresses the hope that
somehow by following the prophet one can earn the approval of Allah. Yet even in terms of

20
methodology and practice, it not easy to understand from the Quran what a man must do to
find favor with the Creator thereby guaranteeing eternal life.
Therefore, religious pluralism is a fraudulent idea. It is illogical to put these two
religions next to each other and to come to the conclusion that I can follow Mohammad or
Christ, and it doesnt make any difference; Ill get to the same place! Even to a Muslim this is
an insult to his intelligence as Islam also claims to be exclusively the right way the only way to
Allah. It is precisely this claim and Islams recent aims to expand throughout the world, that
have brought much media attention and the analysis of this paper. The results of the research
have been staggering. It is absolutely incredible that Islam ever gained such a foothold in the
first place. It is a religion that has been sold by the value of its title and cover, but no one has
read the book.
If an agnostic, or an unbeliever were to consider the comparison of these two religions
made thus far, it would be illogical for him to conclude that Islam and Christianity are equal.
Through this one comparison alone, the entire concept of religious pluralism cannot logically
stand up. In terms of options, one must concede the logical possibility of complete rejection of
the Messiah, the scriptures that foretold of His coming, and the record of His life and ministry.
Nevertheless, this cannot logically lead to the conclusion that both are valid. One might be
tempted to say: Both are invalid as an intellectual game to justify rejecting Christ, but such a
position does not negate the historical and textual superiority of the Scriptures, as well as the
content of its greater message of redemption through faith in the unique Savior, Christ Jesus. Nor
does it negate the unique claims of Christianitys founder. Jesus fulfilled what was prophesied
about Him. He did what He said He would do even He rose from the dead and He was
uniquely able to do so because He is Who he said He is.

21





In Jesus own words, He said:

I am the way,
and the truth, and the life;
no one comes to the Father
but through Me." (J ohn 14:6)

22
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lester, Toby, What Is the Quran? (Part 3 "For People Who Understand") Executive
editor, Atlantic Unbound, the Atlantic Monthly Web site http://www.derafsh-kaviyani.com
Foos, Harold D and Patterson, L. Paige, The Revelation, Inspiration, and Inerrancy of the
Bible, The Fundamentals For The Twenty-First Century, Kregel Publications, Mal Couch,
General Editor.
McDowell, Josh. Evidence that Demands a Verdict, Nashville, Thomas Nelson
Publishers.
New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation,
1995
Islam: Truth or Myth. web site. http://www.bible.ca/islam/islam-Quran-bible.htm article
entitled "The Bible Is Vastly Superior To The Quran"
The Holy Qur'an, translated by M.H. Shakir and published by Tahrike Tarsile Qur'an,
Inc., in 1983 URL:http://www.hti.umich.edu/k/Quran/browse.html
Kjeilen, Tore "Abraham / Ibrahim" article in the Encyclopaedia of the Orient, Oslo,
Norway. Dec 4, 2001.
Payne, J. Barton, Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy (New York: Harper & Row, 1973).
Messianic Prophecies, http://www.thewhyman.jesusanswers.com/custom3.html
Dallal, Ahmad S., "Islam," Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2004
http://encarta.msn.com 1997-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Holy Qur'an Resources on the Internet: The Ten Commandments in the Qur'an URL
http://www.quran.org.uk/ieb_quran_10commandments.htm
Islamic Occasions Network" Web Page entitled, "Truth, Wisdom and Justice" URL:
http://www.ezsoftech.com/islamic/infallible1e.asp#03
Islamic Occasions Network" Web Page entitled, "Truth, Wisdom and Justice" URL:
http://www.ezsoftech.com/islamic/infallible1e.asp#03

23
The Holy Bible : King James Version. Electronic edition of the 1769 edition of the 1611
Authorized Version. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995.
Ryrie, Charles C. Basic Theology. Chicago, Moody Press. Chapter 45, The Sinlessness
of Christ, pg. 305



























24
APPENDIX I
The Ten Commandments in the Qur'an
1

The Ten Commandments
(Exo12: 1-17 & Deut. 5: 6-21)
Confirmation in the Qur'an
(Chapter: Verse)

1.

Thou shall not take any god except one
God.

1.
"There is no other god beside GOD,"(47:19)
He is the one God; there is no other god
beside Him. ......(28:70)


2.


Thou shall make no image of God.


2.
There is nothing that equals (like) Him.
(42:11)
No visions can encompass Him, but He
encompasses all visions. He is the
Compassionate, the Cognizant.(6:103)
"My Lord, make this a peaceful land, and
protect me and my children from worshiping
idols. (14:35)

3.

Thou shall not use God's name in vain.

3.
Do not subject GOD's name to your casual
swearing, that you may appear righteous,
pious, or to attain credibility among the
people. (2:224)

4.

Thou shall honor thy mother and father.

4.
....and your parents shall be honored. As long
as one or both of them live, you shall never
say to them, "Uff" (the slightest gesture of
annoyance), nor shall you shout at them; you
shall treat them amicably. (17:23)

5.

Thou shall not steal.

5.
The thief, male or female, you shall mark
their hands as a punishment for their crime,
and to serve as an example from GOD. GOD
is Almighty, Most Wise. (5:38 - 39)

6.

Thou shall not lie or give false testimony.

6.
..... incur GOD's condemnation upon him, if
he was lying. (24:7)
Do not withhold any testimony by
concealing what you had witnessed. Anyone
who withholds a testimony is sinful at heart.
(2:283)
O you who believe, you shall be absolutely
equitable, and observe GOD, when you serve
as witnesses, even against yourselves, or
your parents, or your relatives. Whether the
accused is rich or poor, GOD takes care of

1
Holy Qur'an Resources on the Internet: The Ten Commandments in the Qur'an URL
http://www.quran.org.uk/ieb_quran_10commandments.htm


25
both. Therefore, do not be biased by your
personal wishes. If you deviate or disregard
(this commandment), then GOD is fully
Cognizant of everything you do.(4:135)


7.


Thou shall not kill.


7.
....anyone who murders any person who had
not committed murder or horrendous crimes,
it shall be as if he murdered all the people.
(5:32)
"You shall not kill any person - for God has
made life sacred - except in the course of
justice. If one is killed unjustly, then we give
his heir authority to enforce justice. Thus, he
shall not exceed the limits in avenging the
murder, he will be helped."(17:33)

8.

Thou shall not commit adultery.


8.

You shall not commit adultery; it is a gross
sin, and an evil behaviour. (17:32)


9.

Thou shall not covet thy neighbour's wife or
possessions.

9.
You shall regard the parents, the relatives,
the orphans, the poor, the related neighbor,
the unrelated neighbor, the close associate,
the traveling alien, and your servants. (4:36)
And do not covet what we bestowed upon
any other people. Such are temporary
ornaments of this life, whereby we put them
to the test. What your Lord provides for you
is far better, and everlasting.(20:131)

10.

Thou shall keep the Sabbath holy.

10.

*the Sabbath was relinquished with the
revelation of the Qur'an. We are told in the
Quran that the Sabbath was only decreed for
the Jews. (16:124)
God, however ,ordered us to make every
effort and drop all businesses to attend the
congregational (Friday)prayer. The
Submitters may tend to their business during
the rest of the day. O you who believe, when
the Congregational Prayer (Salat Al-
Jumu`ah) is announced on Friday, you shall
hasten to the commemoration of GOD, and
drop all business. . (62:9)