Yesterday after noon, as our young adults were meeting for their monthly bbq, a question came up about gaining a greater understanding about what other world religions believe. Some of the examples were, Buddhist, Hindus, and even Roman Catholics. The conclusion by our young adults was simple if we do not know the root of their religion, then it's more difficult to ask the leading questions to help them conceder having a relationship with Christ.

With that in mind, I did a little searching and found an article written by Joel Mark Solliday writing for CrossWalk Magazine.

His subject was, "The bible and the Koran, What's the Difference?"

Here are a few things that Joel said.

"The Bible is more diverse than the Koran in form, purpose, place, time and nature. Over 40 different inspired authors and/or editors wrote it from a wide variety of places and cultures over a period of 1,000 to 1,600 years. It represents the mores, idioms and thought-patterns of many cultures from the beginning of recorded history to the formation of our western calendars (about AD 100). It spans the Bronze and Iron ages and encompasses the Sumerian, Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek and Roman empires. It was originally written in at least three different languages and contains books of law, historical narratives, treaties, wisdom sayings, songs, hymns, poetry, prophecy, genealogies, gospels, sermons, parables, prayers and personal and public letters.


The Koran, by contrast, is claimed by its admirers to have been a recitation of God’s truth only in Arabic to one man (Muhammad; reputed to be illiterate) in 7th century Arabia. It conveys deep religious devotion to one Sovereign God and it has long been effective in unifying its readers around that devotion and the mission it inspires."

The following passages (rather randomly selected) are better understood in their own context. Yet, the comparisons below are instructive to the generalization just above.

Koran: “The unbelievers are your sworn enemies.” Women; Sura 4:101.

Bible: “’Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor." Exodus 32:27, NIV.

Koran: “Believers, make war on the infidels who dwell around you. Deal harshly with them.” Repentance; Sura 9:123.

Bible: “How blessed will be the one who seizes and dashes your little ones against the rock.” Psalm 137:9, NASB.

Koran: “Mohammed is Allah’s apostle. Those who follow him are ruthless to the unbelievers but merciful to one another." Victory; Sura 48:29.

Bible: “For it was the Lord himself who hardened their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the Lord had commanded Moses.” Joshua 11:20, NIV.

Koran: “When you meet the unbelievers, smite their necks then, when you have made wide slaughter among them, tie fast the bonds; then set them free, either by grace or ransom, till the war lays down its load.” Women; Sura 4:47.

Bible: “Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’” 1 Samuel 15:3

The Bible claims that believers are adopted into God’s family. It pictures a God with various powerful emotions ("[God’s] heart was filled with pain" Genesis 6:6). In the Koran, people are allowed to be Allah’s servants but not his children. Frankly, the Koran speaks a lot more about the pain Allah will inflict than the pain he will feel.

Muslims respect Jesus as one of Allah’s prophets, one of 25 listed in the Koran. But they do not believe Jesus died at the crucifixion nor do they see Him as God in the flesh. They cannot relate to Isaiah 53 -- "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering. . . . pierced for our transgressions . . ." Meekness and weakness are not qualities their prophets exude.

Finally, for Muslims, redemption requires men to wise up and follow Allah’s guidance in the Koran to distinguish good from evil. Sincerity and good works bring salvation. Sura 21:47 says; “We shall set up just scales on the Day of Resurrection... Actions as small as a grain of mustard seed shall be weighed out. Our reckoning shall suffice.”

The New Testament speaks of redemption through the blood of Christ, shed for the remission of our sins. No scales, just nails through the hands and feet of God’s Son.