Differences Between Islam and the Continuing Church of God

By COGwriter

How are Islam and the Continuing Church of God different?

Are there any similarities?

This article which touch on some of the differences and similarities. A video of related interest is titled: Islam: Any Christian Concerns or Similarities?

Summary of Differences and Similarities

Here is a brief listing of some of the differences between Islam and the Continuing Church of God (CCOG):

That being said, here is a brief listing of some similarities.

Neither group believes that what passes for 'mainstream Christianity' is appropriate.

For those interested in details about Christianity, the Continuing Church of God has two free online booklets (Continuing History of the Church of God and Where is the True Christian Church Today?) which explain why the Continuing Church of God best represents original Christianity in the 21st century.

Islam and Jesus

Although the Koran refers to Jews and Christians as "the people of the book," Muslims believe that Jews and Christians distorted the original writings of the Hebrew and Greek scriptures (the Old and New Testaments) and thus the Bible itself is supposedly not as reliable as the Koran.

Why do Muslims NOT accept the deity of Jesus, etc.?

Muslims believe that Christians and Jews distorted the divine message given to Moses and Jesus and that today’s Hebrew scriptures and Christian Bible are flawed, unlike the Quran (Morgan, p. xvi)

The scientific truth is that there are more early manuscripts that support the New Testament than any other piece of ancient literature and this evidence absolutely proves that the New Testament is reliable.

And while it is true that some who profess Christ rely on a few later improper "additions" to the original texts, the fact is that the New Testament itself is reliable and does teach, for example that Jesus was actually crucified and not simply appeared to be as certain Islamic writings teach. The Bible is reliable, and with the major exception of one or two verses falsely added to 1 John by an Orthodox scribe about 1,000 years ago, the overall text in the Bible is reliable (for details Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity?).

Regarding Jesus, perhaps I should mention that Muslims do believe that He will return, it is just that they do not see Him coming as King of Kings and Lord of Lords that the Bible clearly teaches (e.g. Revelation 19:10-16; 17:14).

Here is some of what some in Islam teach about Jesus (thought some details are questionable):

From the Islamic point of view, the belief in the "Son of God" or "God in the flesh" is a blasphemy and kufr (denial of God's Oneness). (Can Muslims Celebrate Christmas? OnIslam. http://www.onislam.net/english/ask-the-scholar/morals-and-manners/customs-and-traditions/174414-can-muslims-celebrate-christmas.html?Traditions= viewed 02/02/15)

Islam sees Jesus as one of five great prophets -- others being Noah, Moses and Abraham -- sent to earth to announce the coming of Mohammed, the final prophet who spread the religion of Islam. It respects Jesus' followers as "people of the book"...

Shiite Muslims, the majority in Iran, believe Jesus will accompany the Imam Mahdi when he reappears in a future apocalypse to save the world...

Shiites believe the Mahdi's reappearance will usher in a new era of peace and harmony.

"We Muslims pray for the 'Return' (of Imam Mahdi) and Jesus is part of the return and the end of time," Talebzadeh said ('Islamic Jesus' hits Iranian movie screens AFP - Jan 13, 2008 http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080113231632.1q3rt654&show_article=1).

I did receive email comments about the above from an Muslim who wrote:

Problem is, the Quran actually doesn't say that at all...Yes, in the Quran it is written that Jesus Christ (peace be with him) only appeared to be crucified but was in reality taken up by God while alive and before he died, so the difference between Biblical and Quranic views of Jesus still stands.

However, the view that Judas was in fact crucified instead of Jesus (peace be with him) is found in Hadith literature and not in the Quran. It might be valid, or it might not (according to Islam) but Muslims do not consider "the Judas instead of Jesus" argument as Quranic truth.

Hopefully, that makes part of the Islamic position a bit more precise as to where some of its beliefs are from--Muslims do not trust the Bible as they believe it has been tampered with.

Do Muslims believe Jesus was the Messiah?

Yes, but not the same way Christians do.

The Quran refers to Jesus 35 times as “Isa ibn Maryam” (Jesus, son of Mary), a phrase occurring only once in the New Testament (Mark 6:3). The fact that he is not called the son of Joseph underscores Islamic agreement with Christians that Mary was a virgin when she conceived Jesus. (Morgan D. Essential Islam: A Comprehensive Guide to Belief and Practice. ABC-CLIO, 2010, p. 43)

The following, example, is from The Koran Interpreted a translation by A. J. Arberry:

That is Jesus, son of Mary, in word of truth, concerning which they are doubting. It is not for God to take a son unto Him. Glory be to Him! (Sura 19:35)

Related to the virgin birth, the following are also from The Koran Interpreted a translation by A. J. Arberry  (Sura chapters are correct, but verses are estimates as they were not completely delineated in the text used):

And mention in the Book Mary when she withdrew from her people to an eastern place, and she took a veil apart from them; then We sent unto her Our Spirit that presented himself to her a man without fault. She said, 'I take refuge in the All-merciful from thee!

If thou fearest God. . . He said, 'I am but a messenger come from thy Lord, to give thee a boy most pure.

She said, 'How shall I have a son whom no mortal has touched, neither have I been unchaste?' He said, 'Even so thy Lord has said: "Easy is that for Me; and that We may appoint him a sign unto men and a mercy from Us; it is a thing decreed.'"

So she conceived him, and withdrew with him to a distant place. And the birthpangs surprised her by the trunk of the palm-tree. (Sura 19:18-21)

And she who guarded her virginity, so We breathed into her of Our spirit and appointed her and her son to be a sign unto all beings. (Sura 21:91)

The context (which I have read) makes it clear that this was a reference to Mary and Jesus. Islam accepts the virgin birth as well as the fact that Jesus performed miracles.

Now, as it turns out, Muslims also do believe that Jesus was the Messiah, but they reject His divinity, execution, and resurrection.

When the angels said, 'Mary, God gives thee good tidings of a Word from Him whose name is Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary; high honoured shall he be in this world and the next, near stationed to God.

He shall speak to men in the cradle, and of age, and righteous he shall be.' (Sura 3:41)

'We slew the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, the Messenger of God' -- yet they did not slay him, neither crucified him, only a likeness of that was shown to them. Those who are at variance concerning him surely are in doubt regarding him; they have no knowledge of him, except the following of surmise; and they slew him not of a certainty -- no indeed; God raised him up to Him; God is All-mighty, All-wise.

There is not one of the People of the Book but will assuredly believe in him before his death, and on the Resurrection Day he will be a witness against them. (Sura 4:157-159)

And We sent Noah, and Abraham, and We appointed the Prophecy and the Book to be among their seed; and some of them are guided, and many of them are ungodly.

Then We sent, following in their footsteps, Our Messengers; and We sent, following, Jesus son of Mary, and gave unto him the Gospel.

And We set in the hearts of those who followed him tenderness and mercy. (Sura 57:27-28)

Muslims tend to believe that Jesus will deny He was raised from the dead to be on the Earth. The Koran uses the term al-Masih, the Arabic term for Messiah (Christ).

Notice also:

They are unbelievers who say, 'God is the Messiah, Mary's son.' For the Messiah said, 'Children of Israel, serve God, my Lord and your Lord. Verily whoso associates with God anything, God shall prohibit him entrance to Paradise, and his refuge shall be the Fire; and wrongdoers shall have no helpers.'

They are unbelievers who say, 'God is the Third of Three. No god is there but One God. If they refrain not from what they say, there shall afflict those of them that disbelieve a painful chastisement.

Will they not turn to God and pray His forgiveness? God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.

The Messiah, son of Mary, was only a Messenger; Messengers before him passed away; his mother was a just woman; they both ate food. Behold, how We make clear the signs to them;
then behold, how they perverted are! (Sura 5:76-79)

Muslims believe that Jesus was the “servant of God,” not the Son of God (p. 46). Essentially, they believe (similar to secular skeptics) that parts of the New Testament were altered and hence reject parts related to Jesus’ divinity.

It also needs to be understood that the majority of Muslims are Sunni (and the majority of Arabs are Sunni Muslims) and do not have quite the same belief as the Shi'ite Muslims regarding Jesus and the Mahdi. (Many of the Shi-ites are Iranian, and those who are Iranian are not Arabic.)

One Sunni Muslim source has predicted that Jesus may return in 2022:

Jesus Christ’s return (coming back) will most likely be in 2022 (End Times Research Center. www.EndTimes2013.com viewed 08/11/12)

That particular year is much too soon (see Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?).

Muslims irrespective of the year, whether they are Shi’ite or Sunni, expect Jesus to return at the time of judgment. Notice what the Koran (Qur'an) teaches:

043.057
YUSUFALI: When (Jesus) the son of Mary is held up as an example, behold, thy people raise a clamour thereat (in ridicule)!
PICKTHAL: And when the son of Mary is quoted as an example, behold! the folk laugh out,  
SHAKIR: And when a description of the son of Marium is given, lo! your people raise a clamor thereat…
043.061
YUSUFALI: And (Jesus) shall be a Sign (for the coming of) the Hour (of Judgment): therefore have no doubt about the (Hour), but follow ye Me: this is a Straight Way. The Qur'an. From chapter 43, known as AZ-ZUKHRUF (ORNAMENTS OF GOLD, LUXURY).  (http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/engagement/resources/texts/muslim/quran/043.qmt.html The Qur'an  viewed 03/22/09 )

So, when Muslims see Jesus return, they should hopefully accept the truth of His coming.

Notice more that Islam teaches related to this:

'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-'As (May Allah be pleased with them) said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Dajjal (the Antichrist) will appear in my Ummah and he will stay in the world for forty. I do not know whether this will be forty days or forty months or forty years. Allah will then send (Prophet) 'Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). 'Isa will pursue him and slaughter him. ( 19 The Book of Miscellaneous ahadith of Significant Values. http://sunnah.com/riyadussaliheen/19/3 accessed 08/02/16)

Abu Hurairah (ra) narrated, "The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: 'There is no prophet between me and him, that is, 'Isa, peace be upon him. He will descend (to the earth). When you see him, recognise him: a man of medium height, reddish fair, wearing two light yellow garments, looking as if drops were falling down from his head though it will not be wet. He will fight the people for the cause of Islam. He will break the cross, kill the pig, and abolish the jizyah. Allah will cause to perish all religions except Islam. He will destroy the Dajjal and will live on the earth for forty years and then he will die. The Muslims will pray over him.'" (Abu Dawud) (Cited in Yahya H. Jesus will return. 22 September 2010. http://www.quranandscience.com/discover-islam/embracing-islam/islam-christianity/253-jesus-will-return accessed 08/02/16)

Here is another version of the Hadith:

Jami at Tarmidhi-Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet(s.a.w) said: “By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! Ibn Mariam shall soon descend among you, judging justly. He shall break the cross, kill the pig, remove the Jizyah, and wealth will be so bountiful that there will be none to accept it.”

Notice the following view of it:

The real interpretation of this special aspect is that the Messiah on arriving in this world will crush under his feet all the glory of the religion of the cross ... (Zahnister M. The Mission and Death of Jesus in Islam and Christianity. Orbis Books, 2015)

Jami at Tarmidhi-Abu Hurairah also narrated that the Prophet(s.a.w) said related to this pig removal, etc.:

At his hand, God will destroy the Messiah of error, the deceiver ... (As cited in Zahnister M. The Mission and Death of Jesus in Islam and Christianity. Orbis Books, 2015)

The Bible tells of the Antichrist being with the Beast, and the Beast will have power for 42 months. The Bible also shows that Jesus (often called the son of Maryam in Islam) will get the Beast and False Prophet (the Antichrist) tossed into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:19-20).

Notice also the following:

We believe that Jesus peace be upon him will come down to earth toward the end of the world time to fight the army of Satan which will be mostly from the "bad" Jews or "Zionist Jews" as we call them today, and the deceived from the Polytheist Christians or the Trinitarian Christians and the Pagan Polytheists such as Hindus, Buddhists, etc....  Some Jews and many Christians will be among the good and blessed who will fight with Jesus' side.  The army of Satan will be lead by a person who will claim to be Jesus Christ himself.  The Muslims will call him the Dajjal or the Deceiver.  The real Jesus' army will fight the Dajjal's army and defeat him.  The empire of Israel will fall, and the religion of Islam will prevail. (What do Muslims believe about the end of the world and Jesus' part in it? http://www.answering-christianity.com/que5.htm accessed 05/09/17)

While Islam will not prevail, Jesus will return and the Trinitarians and polytheists and pagans will fight against Him (cf. Revelation 19).

Sunni Muslims do believe that Jesus will return and usher in a glorious era:

The Sunni believe that after the al-Mahdi comes, Jesus will return to earth to fight the forces of evil led by al-Dajjal, the Great Charlatan or Antichrist. The forces of good will prevail, and Jesus will rule the world for an undisclosed period of time, after which he will die and be buried alongside Muhammad in Medina. (Morgan, p. 48)

During the "beginning of sorrows" (Mark 13:5-8), the Bible tells of a leader from the predominantly Islamic lands, called the King of the South (Daniel 11:40) in North Africa and the Middle East rising up. After what looks to be the start (Daniel 11:39) of the “Great Tribulation” (Matthew 24:21), this King of the South will fight against the ‘King of the North” (Daniel 11:40-43) called the “Beast” in Revelation 13. The King of the North will win, but this Beast will be destroyed when Jesus returns (Revelation 19:16-20). Jesus will then establish the millennial kingdom and reign for 1000 years (Revelation 20:6). Islam agrees with most of this (the time period not a defined), but believes that Islam will then reign supreme. Christians believe that Islam will essentially be gone by then.

So, when Muslims see Jesus return, they should hopefully accept the truth of His coming.

For more on Jesus, including some Islamic comments, check out the article Jesus: The Son of God and Saviour.

The Trinity

Muslims correctly recognize that the "trinity" was not the belief of early Christians:

The concept of the Trinity, that “God” consists of three persons, who are all “gods” themselves, specifi - cally “God” the Father, “God” the Son, and “God” the Holy Spirit, is the pillar of pagan Christian theology. But it was not always so. Actually, one finds a historic disconnect between the beliefs, on this issue, of the Eastern Church of the Levant and Byzantium and those of the Western Church of Rome, the latter supporting the pagan concept of human divinity and the former making a clear separation between god and man. Break the Cross. Dabiq, issue 15, Shawal 1437, 31 July 2016, p. 51)

While the above came from a radical portion of Islam, the conclusion that early Christians did not believe God was a trinity is correct. That idea got adopted by the Greco-Romans at the Council of Constantinople in 381 A.D. and was never accepted by real Christians in the true Church of God (see Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity?).

Hajj and the Feast of Tabernacles

Both Islam and the Continuing Church of God have what could be described as a pilgrimage holiday

Here is some information about the Hajj:

The Hajj (/hædʒ/;[1] Arabic: حج‎ Ḥaǧǧ "pilgrimage") is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, and a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey, and can support their family during their absence. ...

The Hajj is associated with the life of Islamic prophet Muhammad from the 7th century, but the ritual of pilgrimage to Mecca is considered by Muslims to stretch back thousands of years to the time of Abraham. During Hajj, pilgrims join processions of hundreds of thousands of people, who simultaneously converge on Mecca for the week of the Hajj, and perform a series of rituals: each person walks counter-clockwise seven times around the Ka'aba (the cube-shaped building and the direction of prayer for the Muslims), runs back and forth between the hills of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah, drinks from the Zamzam Well, goes to the plains of Mount Arafat to stand in vigil, spends a night in the plain of Muzdalifa, and performs symbolic stoning of the devil by throwing stones at three pillars. The pilgrims then shave their heads, perform a ritual of animal sacrifice, and celebrate the three day global festival of Eid al-Adha. (Hajj. Wikipedia, accessed 09/24/15)

It should be noted that the Bible nowhere indicates that Abraham threw rocks at the devil or that God's people were to practice throwing rocks at the devil. It perhaps should be added that many deaths have occurred during the Hajj. Over 1400 in 1990 and over 700 in 2015. The 're-enactment' done at the Hajj is NOT from the Bible.

While the Bible does not enjoin the Hajj, it does enjoin the Feast of Tabernacles:

33 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 34 "Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the Lord. 35 On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it. 36 For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it. 37 'These are the feasts of the Lord which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to the Lord, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, everything on its day — 38 besides the Sabbaths of the Lord, besides your gifts, besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the Lord. 39 'Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the feast of the Lord for seven days; on the first day there shall be a sabbath-rest, and on the eighth day a sabbath-rest. 40 And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. 41 You shall keep it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths, 43 that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.'" (Leviticus 23:33-43)

22 "You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year. 23 And you shall eat before the Lord your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always. 24 But if the journey is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, or if the place where the Lord your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, when the Lord your God has blessed you, 25 then you shall exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place which the Lord your God chooses. 26 And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires; you shall eat there before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household. 27 You shall not forsake the Levite who is within your gates, for he has no part nor inheritance with you. (Deuteronomy 14:22-27

Christians have interpreted the statement about dwelling in booths to include temporary dwellings (see also Christians are to Be Strangers and Pilgrims?), hence most stay in hotels, motels, or tents to observe it today (the idea that palm branch dwellings are not the only option which is consistent with Leviticus 23:43 for Christians per Hebrews 9:11-15; 13:10). And Christians observe it on the same days that the Jews celebrate Sukkot (which is based on the same verses in the Hebrew Bible). It is not a violent time nor are massive deaths associated with it. Jesus and early Christians kept the Feast of Tabernacles (for details see The Feast of Tabernacles: A Time for Christians?).

We in the Continuing Church of God continue to keep it today. Like Christians of old, we believe its observances helps picture the millennial kingdom of God.

As a 'pilgrimage' festival, Christians who are capable travel to Feast of Tabernacles' sites all over the world to observe it. Here is a link which contains: Feast of Tabernacles' Sites for 2016 from the Continuing Church of God.

Unlike the Hajj, the Feast of Tabernacles is a time of peace, is in the Bible, and helps picture the coming Kingdom of God.

Valentine's Day and Other Pagan Holidays

As mentioned earlier, the Continuing Church of God and the Muslims condemn pagan holidays, like Valentine's Day.

Valentine’s Day is banned in Saudi Arabia and discouraged in other Islam-dominated lands. But, some still observe it in the Islamic-dominated lands; this is why some have taken steps to reduce the influence of this essentially pagan holiday.

Look at some of what the Muslims say about Valentine's Day:

ISTANBUL: The Mufti’s Office in the Black Sea province of Rize has sent mosques in the city a text condemning Valentine’s Day, which will be read by imams during their Friday sermon.

The special day falls on Friday this year, the Muslim holy day and the day on which imams give weekly sermons to the community. The text sent by the Mufti’s Office explains that there is no Valentine’s Day in Islam.

“In our religious ideology, there is no Valentine’s Day, because you cannot assign a day for love. The love for which a day is assigned is a lost treasure. The best gift to our dear spouses is our heart, full of love and loyalty. The most beautiful bouquet is a warm heart and a smiling face,” the sermon stated.

“In a world where betrayal and violence have been rising, how much is the fictional Valentine’s Day worth?” it added.  http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/rize-muftis-office-to-condemn-valentines-day-in-friday-speech-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=61771&NewsCatID=393 January 29, 2014

Celebrating the Valentine Day is not permissible because: Firstly, it is an innovated holiday that has no basis in the Sharee`ah...Christians were aware of the Pagan roots of Valentine's Day. The way the Christians adopted St. Valentine's Day should be a lesson for Muslims. In fact, the failure to fully separate Valentine's Day from its pagan roots explains why Islamic scholars and a number of Muslims avoid adopting traditions of non-Muslims, even though they could possibly be Islamicized...We should avoid anything associated with pagan immoral practices -...- Islam does not encourage flirting or suggestions of romantic relationships before marriage - Love between families, friends and married people does not need to be celebrated on a day with such un-Islamic origins (Ruling on Celebrating Valentine's Day. http://www.contactpakistan.com/news/news144.htm, January 31, 2004).

What is the ruling on Valentine’s Day?...Firstly: Valentine’s Day is a jaahili Roman festival, which continued to be celebrated until after the Romans became Christian. This festival became connected with the saint known as Valentine who was sentenced to death on 14 February 270 CE. The kuffaar still celebrate this festival, during which immorality and evil are practised widely...Secondly: It is not permissible for a Muslim to celebrate any of the festivals of the kuffaar, because festivals come under the heading of shar’i issues which are to be based on the sound texts...Partially joining in, at the very least, is disobedience and sin...it is not permissible to celebrate the festivals of the ignorant and the mushrikeen (polytheists). (fatwa No. 73007. What is the ruling on Valentine’s Day? http://islamqa.info/en/ref/73007 viewed 02/04/12)

Terengganu PAS deputy publicity chief Azman Shapawi Abd Rani said any celebration must be completely stopped as it could lead to immoral activities “between men and women without any legal ties.”

“PAS will take action to discourage Muslims from celebrating Valentine’s Day as it goes against their morality,” he said...

The Fatwa Committee of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs had in 2005 decreed that celebrating Valentine’s Day was forbidden in Islam as it could lead to moral decadence. (PAS to go on campaign to discourage Muslims from celebrating Valentine’s Day. The Star, February 1, 2013. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/2/1/nation/12656262&sec=nation)

Muslims also are not to celebrate Christmas:

Muslims have their own identity. In order to keep this identity, Muslim scholars said that Muslims must not celebrate Christmas or holidays of non-Muslims. ...

Explaining the reasons why Muslims don’t celebrate and believe in Christmas, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:

Christmas was a pagan custom which was adopted into Christianity; it has nothing to do with reverence and love of Jesus, the mighty Messenger of Allah that we Muslims hold in the highest regard and respect. If Jesus were to come today, whether or not he would identify himself with those who celebrate Christmas is a question one should ask seriously. (Can Muslims Celebrate Christmas? OnIslam. http://www.onislam.net/english/ask-the-scholar/morals-and-manners/customs-and-traditions/174414-can-muslims-celebrate-christmas.html?Traditions= viewed 02/02/15)

Many trappings of Christmas are pagan and Jesus would not be observing them.

Christmas and New Year celebrations are events where both pagan rituals and capitalist drives are intertwined, the head of Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate Mehmet Görmez said in a statement... “What I will most object to as the religious affairs head is the Christmas consumer economy that causes cultural and identity-related erosion in children,” Görmez said...

“I see mass parties and celebrations similar to a form of revenge people take on the time phenomenon,” Görmez said. “Especially [celebrating] with drinking, gambling and lotteries… it is impossible to approve of such things.” http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/christmas-new-year-is-pagan-and-capitalist-says-turkeys-top-cleric.aspx?pageID=238&nID=37691&NewsCatID=393

We in the Continuing Church of God refrain from the celebration of pagan holidays, including those that the mainstream claims are Christian. For more details, see also Valentine's Day: Its Real Origins, Should You Observe God's Holy Days or Demonic Holidays?, and What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days? and Is January 1st a Date for Christians Celebrate?

Islam and War

Islam has long been a warring religion. Yet, it was not Islam that started the Crusades, but the Roman Catholics, with support of the Eastern Orthodox.

However, it should be noted that even Roman Catholic scholars, historians, and their early saints, realized that early Christians were opposed to warfare (see Military Service and the Churches of God: Do Real Christians Participate in Carnal Warfare or Encourage Violence?). We in the Continuing Church of God continue the beliefs and practices of the New Testament church and do not participate in carnal warfare.

Here is something from the Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God:

NOT OF THIS WORLD

Jesus taught, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). John the Baptist taught, “Do violence to no man” (Luke 3:14, KJV). Historically, those of the Church of God have considered military service as wrong for its members. From Revolutionary War times to the Civil War and to present, countries like the United States have tended to have had provisions to exempt Church of God members and congregants from military participation because of conscientious objections. Early Christians did not participate in military warfare nor watch violent sports.

Anyway, the Greco-Roman faiths that began the Crusades do not hold to true Christianity (see also Where is the True Christian Church Today?).

Various ones claiming Islam encourage war, deceit, and terrorism. Here is something from the Islamic State's publication Dabiq:

Jihād in this era is an obligation upon each and every Muslim as numerous lands of the Muslims have been usurped by the kuffār and numerous parties of apostasy have arisen therein. Until all these lands are retaken, cleansed of apostates, and ruled by the Sharī’ah, the obligation does not drop. ... Allah said, {And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know [but] whom Allah knows} [Al-Anfāl: 60].(The Murtadd Brotherhood. Dabiq, issue 14, Islamic year 1437--October 2016, p. 36)

'Jihad' supposedly means 'holy war.'

Yes, the Islamic State is extreme. Let us now notice some items from the Qur'an:

003.151
YUSUFALI: Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined companions with Allah, for which He had sent no authority: their abode will be the Fire: And evil is the home of the wrong-doers!
PICKTHAL: We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve because they ascribe unto Allah partners, for which no warrant hath been revealed. Their habitation is the Fire, and hapless the abode of the wrong-doers.
SHAKIR: We will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve, because they set up with Allah that for which He has sent down no authority, and their abode is the fire, and evil is the abode of the unjust. (The Qur'an Translations of the Qur'an, Surah 3: AL-E-IMRAN (THE FAMILY OF 'IMRAN, THE HOUSE OF 'IMRAN). Center for Muslim-Jewish Engagement. retrieved from http://www.usc.edu/org/cmje/religious-texts/quran/verses/003-qmt.php#003.151 12/04/15)

008.012
YUSUFALI: Remember thy Lord inspired the angels (with the message): "I am with you: give firmness to the Believers: I will instil terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers: smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them."
PICKTHAL: When thy Lord inspired the angels, (saying): I am with you. So make those who believe stand firm. I will throw fear into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Then smite the necks and smite of them each finger.
SHAKIR: When your Lord revealed to the angels: I am with you, therefore make firm those who believe. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them. (The Qur'an Translations of the Qur'an, Surah 8: AL-ANFAL (SPOILS OF WAR, BOOTY). Center for Muslim-Jewish Engagement. retrieved from http://www.usc.edu/org/cmje/religious-texts/quran/verses/008-qmt.php#008.012 12/04/15)

033.026
YUSUFALI: And Allah turned back the Unbelievers for (all) their fury: no advantage did they gain; and enough is Allah for the believers in their fight. And Allah is full of Strength, able to enforce His Will.
PICKTHAL: And Allah repulsed the disbelievers in their wrath; they gained no good. Allah averted their attack from the believers. Allah is ever Strong, Mighty.
SHAKIR: And Allah turned back the unbelievers in their rage; they did not obtain any advantage, and Allah sufficed the believers in fighting; and Allah is Strong, Mighty.

033.026
YUSUFALI: And those of the People of the Book who aided them - Allah did take them down from their strongholds and cast terror into their hearts. (So that) some ye slew, and some ye made prisoners.
PICKTHAL: And He brought those of the People of the Scripture who supported them down from their strongholds, and cast panic into their hearts. Some ye slew, and ye made captive some.
SHAKIR: And He drove down those of the followers of the Book who backed them from their fortresses and He cast awe into their hearts; some you killed and you took captive another part. (The Qur'an Translations of the Qur'an, Surah 33: AL-AHZAB (THE CLANS, THE COALITION,THE COMBINED FORCES). Center for Muslim-Jewish Engagement. retrieved from http://www.usc.edu/org/cmje/religious-texts/quran/verses/033-qmt.php#033.060 12/04/15)

Consider also the following from the Qur'an:

033.060
YUSUFALI: Truly, if the Hypocrites, and those in whose hearts is a disease, and those who stir up sedition in the City, desist not, We shall certainly stir thee up against them: Then will they not be able to stay in it as thy neighbours for any length of time:
PICKTHAL: If the hypocrites, and those in whose hearts is a disease, and the alarmists in the city do not cease, We verily shall urge thee on against them, then they will be your neighbours in it but a little while.
SHAKIR: If the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease and the agitators in the city do not desist, We shall most certainly set you over them, then they shall not be your neighbors in it but for a little while;

033.061
YUSUFALI: They shall have a curse on them: whenever they are found, they shall be seized and slain (without mercy).
PICKTHAL: Accursed, they will be seized wherever found and slain with a (fierce) slaughter.
SHAKIR: Cursed: wherever they are found they shall be seized and murdered, a (horrible) murdering. (The Qur'an Translations of the Qur'an, Surah 33: AL-AHZAB (THE CLANS, THE COALITION,THE COMBINED FORCES). University of Southern California. Center for Muslim-Jewish Engagement. retrieved from http://www.usc.edu/org/cmje/religious-texts/quran/verses/033-qmt.php#033.060 12/04/15)

The above seems to suggest that you act like ordinary neighbors for a time and then react against them.

Notice the following Islamic teachings related to deceit and terror from the Bukhari:

Bukhari 3,49,857 Muhammad said, “A man who brings peace to the people by making up good words or by saying nice things, though untrue, does not lie.”

Bukhari 4,52,267 Muhammad cried out, “Jihad is deceit.”

Bukhari 5,59,369 Bin Maslama volunteered to kill an enemy for Muhammad, then said, “Give me permission to deceive him with lies so that my plot will succeed.” Muhammad replied, “You may speak falsely to him.”

Bukhari 8,78,618 Abu Bakr, the prophet Muhammad’s closest friend and adviser and first convert to Islam, said, “If I make a pledge and later discover a more worthy pledge, then I will take the better action and make amends for my earlier promise.” (As published in Boone P. The Muslim principle that makes nuke deal suicide. World Net Daily, August 5, 2015. http://www.wnd.com/2015/08/the-muslim-principle-that-makes-nuke-deal-suicide/#SVDge7POtwWRlxHB.99)

Bukhari 4,52:220, Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "I have been sent with the shortest expressions bearing the widest meanings, and I have been made victorious with terror (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Book 52: Fighting for the Cause of Allah (Jihaad). University of Southern California. Center for Muslim-Jewish Engagement. retrieved from http://www.usc.edu/org/cmje/religious-texts/hadith/bukhari/052-sbt.php#004.052.220 12/04/15)

Murder and bearing false witness are wrong and in violation of the Ten Commandments (see also The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil).

Here is a report about the Bukhari:

These prophetic traditions, or hadith, were collected by the Persian Muslim scholar Muhammad al-Bukhari, after being transmitted orally for generations. Sunni Muslims view this as one of the three most trusted collections of hadith along with Sahih Muslim and Muwatta Imam Malik. (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī . Wikipedia, accessed 12/03/15)

In other words, trusted collections of Islamic written traditions says that Muslims should lie and kill.  A video of related interest may be Terrorism, Christianity, and Islam.

Bearing false witness is wrong and a violation of the Ten Commandments (see also the free online book The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast).

Notice also the following claims:

June 28, 2017

A new video produced by the American Truth Project exposes Islam’s practice of taqiyya, which allows deceit to promote the goals of Islam.

“Lying is absolutely not only allowed under Shariah, it is also advised,” Cyrus said. “There are many different types of lies that are allowed, but there is only one type that is actually advised.”

That type is taqiyya. It has a long-standing tradition in Islam going all the way back to Muhammad.

“[Taqiyya] is referred to in Quran, it’s referred to in hadith, in Sunna, and also in what’s known as fatwah,” Cyrus said.

Taqiyya is allowed under a few different circumstances. First, a Muslim is allowed to lie about being a Muslim if his life is in danger.

But no one can disparage Allah or Muhammad.

Also, you can lie about another Muslim if his life is in danger, saying that he is not a Muslim.

One can lie about Islam “if you are trying to convert a non-Muslim to Islam,” Cyrus said. “You are allowed to change the meaning behind a verse or word of Allah to something that would be more sugar-coated or more accepted. You are allowed to lie about the meaning behind the verse of the Quran.”

This could allow Muslims to deceive non-believers about the proper interpretation of, for example, the Quranic verses calling for violent jihad and the death of the infidel.

Even more frightening is the use of taqiyya. Cyrus stated that “you are allowed, and always forgiven, for using taqiyya … if you are trying to conquer a land to further Islamization.” http://www.wnd.com/2017/06/muslims-strategy-for-conquest-deception/

Various ones in Islam sometimes employ deceit as a tactic.

This is not to say that Roman Catholics, Protestants, and the Eastern Orthodox do not employ deceit in war or in other ways. But I simply wanted to point out that we in the Continuing Church of God (which is NOT Roman Catholic, Protestants, nor Eastern Orthodox) cannot condone bearing false witness and also do not participate in carnal warfare.

Let let me hasten to add that my personal experiences with Muslims have all basically been favorable.

For more on terrorism, check out the article Why Terrorism? Is Terrorism Prophesied?

Islam and 'Rewards'

Some who claim Islam have bizarre and non-biblical motivations for many, including its 'martyrs',

Suicide bombers tend to be delusional males that falsely believe that Allah will reward them in paradise for their horrific and cowardly acts. Notice the following:

The most prominent reward that Palestinian Martyrs are repeatedly promised are the 72 Dark-Eyed Virgins in Paradise. A Palestinian religious leader explained that this is authentic Islam, whose purpose is to “fill Muslims with desire for Paradise”:

"He [Muhammad] said (in a Hadith, Islamic tradition):

‘[There is] a palace of pearls in Paradise and in it seventy courts of ruby... And in each court [there are] seventy houses of green emerald stone. In every house, seventy beds. On every bed, seventy mattresses of every color and on every mattress a woman.’ (Hadith)

The writing of the Prophet [Muhammad in this Hadith]... is intended to fill Muslims with desire for Paradise... to be worthy of it, because only three dwell there: Prophets, Righteous and Shahids (Martyrs for Allah)."

[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Jan. 2, 2004]  http://palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=565 accessed 10/10/15

If they can make it to heaven, one of the rewards all Muslims are promised is 72 virgins. The number of virgins is not specified in Quran, it comes from a quotation of Muhammad recorded in one of the lesser known Hadith. ("Hadith" is an Arabic word meaning traditions. After Muhammad's death, several collections of his deeds and sayings were assembled. These collections are called Hadith and form the second most authoritative document is Islam, right after the Quran.)

VIRGINS (Houris):

Mohammed knew that sex would sell very well among the group of his followers who were motivated to fight battles by the promise of sex slaves and booty.

But wait, Allah is all merciful! He gives the wives the rare honour of watching their husbands deflower those 72 Houris (virgins) and 28 young pre-pubescent boys.

The specific Hadith in which the number of virgins is specified is Hadith Al-Tirmidhi in the Book of Sunah (volume IV, chapters on The Features of Paradise as described by the Messenger of Allah, chapter 21, About the Smallest Reward for the People of Paradise. The same hadith is also quoted by Ibn Kathir in his Quranic commentary (Tafsir) of Surah Al-Rahman:

"The Prophet Muhammad was heard saying: 'The smallest reward for the people of paradise is an abode where there are 80,000 servants and 72 wives, over which stands a dome decorated with pearls, aquamarine, and ruby, as wide as the distance from Al-Jabiyah [a Damascus suburb] to Sana'a [Yemen]."

(QURAN 37:40-4 : "In the Gardens of Paradise, Facing one another on thrones, Round them will be passed a cup of pure wine; White, delicious to the drinkers, Neither they will have any kind of hurt, abdominal pain, headache, or sin, nor will they suffer intoxication from it. And with them will be chaste females, restraining their glances, with wide and beautiful eyes."

(QURAN 44:51-55): "Verily! The righteous will be in Paradise. Among Gardens and Springs; Dressed in fine silk and also in thick silk, facing each other, and We shall marry them to Houris with wide, lovely eyes."

(QURAN 52: 17-20): "Verily, for those who fear Allah there will be Gardens in Paradise, filled with Delight. Enjoying in that which their Lord has bestowed on them, and the fact that their Lord saved them from the torment of the blazing Fire. The Lord will say: ‘Eat and drink with happiness because of what you used to do’. They will recline with ease on thrones arranged in ranks. And We shall marry them to Houris with wide lovely eyes."

(QURAN 55:54-59): "Reclining upon the couches lined with silk brocade, and the fruits of the Gardens will be near at hand. Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you deny? Wherein will be those houris, restraining their glances upon their husbands, whom no man or jinn has opened their hymens with sexual intercourse before. Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you deny? In beauty they are like rubies and coral. Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you deny?"

(QURAN 55:70-77): "Therein gardens will be fair wives good and beautiful; Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you deny? Houris restrained in pavilions; Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you deny? Whom no man has opened their hymens with sexual intercourse before. Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you deny? Reclining on green cushions and rich beautiful mattresses. Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you deny?"

(QURAN 56:37-40): "...We created the houris and made them virgins, loving companions for those on the right hand…."

(QURAN 78:31-34): "As for the righteous, they shall surely triumph. Theirs shall be gardens and vineyards, and high-bosomed virgins for companions: a truly overflowing cup."

Two points need to be noted. First, there is no mention anywhere in the Quran of the actual number of virgins available in paradise, and second, the dark-eyed damsels are available for all Muslims, not just martyrs. It is in the Islamic Traditions that we find the 72 virgins in heaven specified: in a Hadith (Islamic Tradition) collected by Al-Tirmidhi (died 892 AD) in the Book of Sunan (volume IV, chapters on The Features of Paradise as described by the Messenger of Allah [Prophet Muhammad], chapter 21, About the Smallest Reward for the People of Paradise, (Hadith 2687). The same hadith is also quoted by Ibn Kathir (died 1373 CE ) in his Quranic commentary (Tafsir) of Surah Al-Rahman (55), verse 72: "The Prophet Muhammad was heard saying: 'The smallest reward for the people of paradise is an abode where there are 80,000 servants and 72 wives, over which stands a dome decorated with pearls, aquamarine, and ruby, as wide as the distance from Al-Jabiyyah [a Damascus suburb] to Sana'a [Yemen]'."

An Hamas spokesman correctly uses the word martyr (shahid) and not suicide bomber, since those who blow themselves up almost daily in Israel and those who died on September 11 were dying in the noblest of all causes, Jihad, which is an incumbent religious duty, established in the Quran and in the Traditions as a divine institution, and enjoined for the purpose of advancing Islam. While suicide is forbidden, martyrdom is everywhere praised, welcomed, and urged: "By the Being in Whose Hand is my life, I love that I should be killed in the way of Allah; then I should be brought back to life and be killed again in His way..."; "The Prophet said, 'Nobody who enters Paradise will ever like to return to this world even if he were offered everything, except the martyr who will desire to return to this world and be killed 10 times for the sake of the great honour that has been bestowed upon him'." [Sahih Muslim, chapters 781, 782, The Merit of Jihad and the Merit of Martyrdom.]   http://www.albatrus.org/english/religions/islam/72virgins_and_boys.htm accessed 10/10/15

Of course, sexual immorality (see also The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast), and homosexuality are wrong (see also The Bible Condemns Homosexuality).

The Bible condemns the actions of terrorists (cf. Revelation 21:8; 22:14-15)--though all will have an opportunity for salvation.  Jesus, Himself (who Islam claims was from God) taught that marriage was only to involve one man and one woman (Matthew 19:5).

As far as rewards, we in the Continuing Church of God teach that being part of the coming Kingdom of God is the reward for God's people. Sex per se, as Jesus confirmed, is not part of it:

34 Jesus answered and said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. (Luke 20:34-36)

If all of those of Islam would believe the Bible (as well as the Greco-Roman-Protestants), they would not have as many odd and improper teachings.

Representing Jihad or Preaching the Kingdom of God

There is a major focus differnce between many of Islam and the Continuing Church of God.

According to some, the focus of Islam is jihad:

June 24, 2017

Chris Gaubatz, author of the book “Muslim Mafia: Inside the Secret Underworld That’s Conspiring to Islamize America,” … has valuable insider information on the conversion process, having learned all that he knows from actual Islamic sources.

“Everything that I have learned about Islam has come from Islamic scholars,” he said in the interview. “That’s how I learned about Islam, from going to the mosque and studying how a Muslim would study.”

With this knowledge, Gaubatz is able to share disturbing insights into the Islamic way of life.

“One hundred percent of authoritative Shariah mandates jihad until the entire planet is subjugated under Shariah. Jihad is one hundred percent defined as warfare against non-Muslims,” he said.

“Now when I say warfare, I don’t just mean people who are shooting people and blowing things up. While that is horrific and barbaric, that is just one aspect of the war. From a Muslim perspective, from a Shariah perspective, jihad is total warfare. So that’s going to encompass propaganda, media manipulation, political influence operations, subversion, treason, espionage, interfaith dialogue, and yes, the kinetic aspect of the war, the physical aspect of the war, which we normally associate with jihad.”

Jihad, whether through physical violence or more subtle tactics, is the duty of every Muslim, he explains.

“I am not saying that there are not good people that are Muslims,’ Gaubatz declared. “I am saying that when we see good people that are Muslims it is in spite of Shariah, in spite of Islam that they are good people, not because of it.”

Gaubatz calls this spread of Islam through anything but outright terrorism and warfare “civilizational jihad.”

And any Muslim you’ve ever met could be practicing “civilizational jihad,” even those who seem nice or who condemn “extremism.”

“Shariah obliges, not allows but obliges, a Muslim to lie to advance the jihad,” Gaubatz stated. “Just because someone is friendly with you, and they’re a Muslim, and they smile, doesn’t mean that they are not a part of the jihad in some form or fashion.”

Many Islamic organizations in America participate in this “civilizational jihad.” He pointed to evidence from the Holy Land Foundation trial, which dealt with American organizations sending funds to the terrorist group Hamas in the Middle East, which linked the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) to the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist political group with ties to terrorism. ICNA promotes Islam through TV ads and billboards, promoting tolerance for Muslims throughout the U.S.

Another such group is CAIR, Gaubatz’s old employer. Founded in 1994, CAIR is a non-profit whose mission is “to enhance understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding,” according to their website. However, many believe that their objectives are far more nefarious.

Gaubatz is among them. During his time at CAIR, he saw first-hand ties to notorious terrorist groups.

“They were discussing whether or not they needed to work with al-Qaida, specifically Osama Bin-Ladin,” he revealed. “They’re discussing in their meetings, behind closed doors, working with al-Qaida.”

He said later that “they are Hamas doing business as CAIR.” http://www.wnd.com/2017/06/cair-infiltrator-beware-of-smiling-muslims/

The faithful in the Continuing Church of God focus on proclamation of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

This does NOT involve deceit, terrorism, or military action, but getting materials in multiple languages and spreading the truth (see also Preparing for the 'Short Work' and The Famine of the Word and Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work?).

Islam's Persecution of Other Faiths

While what the Church of Rome has done through the Inquisition (see The Spanish Inquisition and Early Protestant Persecutions), Crusades, and other persecutions should be condemned by any who truly believe the Bible (see also Persecutions by Church and State). Sadly, we have seem some associated with Islam often encouraging violent persecution.

Notice the following report:

September 18, 2015

the Quran, the perverted equivalent of our Bible, teaches in chapter and verse that all infidels, meaning we Christians, Jews and others such as Hindus, must be eliminated from this earth as Allah, their false god, wants.

Here are just a few passages:

“Prepare against them whatever force you are able to muster, and strings of horses, striking fear into the enemy of God and your enemy, and others besides them.”

“Fight and slay the Pagans wherever you find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem [of war]. … The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter.”

As a result, anyone who practices Islam is required to adhere to these strictures. This means that all true Muslims have at a minimum a latent disdain if not hatred, like Obama, for our Judeo-Christian roots, even if they will not admit it. In effect, this helps explain why the overwhelming majority of Muslims rarely speak out against acts of terrorism, domestically and overseas, and why Obama himself has steadfastly throughout his presidency refused to link the theology of Islam generally to terrorism. (As published in Klayman L. All candidates must answer Muslim question. World Net Daily, September 18, 2015. http://www.wnd.com/2015/09/all-candidates-must-answer-muslim-question/#SUpluzgulPR3l1xZ.99)

Although not all Muslims act in accordance with the Q'uran, those that do feel justified to commit horrific acts of violence.

On July 31, 2016, Voice of America reported the following:

The Islamic State (IS) is inciting supporters to mount more attacks on Christians just days after two of the terror group’s sympathizers slit the throat of an 85-year-old French priest as he was celebrating Mass — a killing French officials fear was a deliberate tactic to provoke a Christian backlash in France against Muslims.

The latest issue of IS’s online magazine Dabiq, widely read by supporters and sympathizers, focuses on the theme of “Break the Cross.” In a series of interviews, foreign fighters who have converted from Christianity are used as mouthpieces to urge supporters in the West to destroy “arrogant Christian disbelievers.” They exhort Muslims to “pray for Allah’s curse to be upon the liars.” …

Pope singled out as target

Pope Francis, as well as Orthodox and Coptic church leaders, is among those singled as targets in the 15th issue of Dabiq, released Sunday. IS propagandists mock the Pope, saying the Pontiff only condemned the mass shooting at a LGBT nightclub in Orlando “because he comes from long line of boy rapists.” …

Fighter Abu Sa’d al-Trinidadi, a former Christian from Trinidad and Tobago, references recent terror attacks in the West and urges supporters in a Dabiq interview to “follow the example of the lions in France and Belgium, the example of the blessed couple in California, and the examples of the knights in Orlando and Nice.”

He tells IS supporters in the West that they have the “ability to terrify the disbelievers in their own homes and make their streets run with their blood.” He adds Christians are legitimate targets “due to their mere disbelief,” adding, “for this reason, amongst others, the Islamic State leadership emphasized the importance not to differentiate between disbelieving soldiers and their so-called ‘civilians.’” http://www.voanews.com/content/islamic-state-tries-to-trigger-war-of-religions-in-west/3444092.html

Here is another report:

In the 15th issue of the digital Islamic State magazine “Dabiq,” ISIS explains its ideology in recent terror attacks and promises more attacks against Westerners before the 16th issue is released. There appears to be no timetable for the magazine’s publication, however. http://heavy.com/news/2016/07/isis-islamic-state-dabiq-1437-shawwal-15-issue-edition-orlando-nice-ansbach-france-germany-pdf/

Having never read Dabiq before, I decided to read over a 2016 issue (Dabiq, issue 15, Shawal 1437, 31 July 2016).

Here is how its Forward article starts out on page 4:

“Do they not see that they are tried once or twice every year? Yet they turn not in repentance, and they take no heed?” (At-Tawbah 126).

After the attacks in Orlando (USA), Dhaka (Bangladesh), Magnanville, Nice, and Normandy (France), and Würzburg and Ansbach (Germany) led to the martyrdom of twelve soldiers of the Caliphate and the deaths and injuries of more than six hundred Crusaders, one would expect the cross-worshipers and democratic pagans of the West to pause and contemplate the reasons behind the animosity and enmity held by Muslims for Westerners and even take heed and consider repentance by abandoning their infidelity and accepting Islam. But the fever and delusion caused by sin, superstition, and secularism have numbed what is left of their minds and senses. Their hedonic addictions and heathenish doctrines have enslaved them to false gods including their clergy, their legislatures, and their lusts.

Muslims call Greco-Roman ‘Christians’ “Crusaders” as this was a term for the Roman and Eastern Orthodox Catholic soldiers who fought against them in the so-called “Crusades.” “Crusader” means “cross bearer.” The Catholic soldiers were called this because they had crosses painted on their shields. While the old Crusades are past, many in Islam still call the Greco-Roman Catholics as well as the Protestants “Crusaders” and pagans because of their use/veneration of crosses as well as the idols and icons found in Roman and Eastern Orthodox Catholic church buildings.

The Forward article also warned:

Between the release of this issue of Dabiq and the next slaughter to be executed against them by the hidden soldiers of the Caliphate – who are ordered to attack without delay – the Crusaders can read into why Muslims hate and fight them, why pagan Christians should break their crosses, why liberalist secularists should return to the fitrah (natural human disposition), and why skeptical atheists should recognize their Creator and submit to Him.

Before getting to more about why the Islamic State says it hates pagan ‘Christians,’ let me state that early Christians did NOT use nor venerate crosses (for proof see What is the Origin of the Cross as a ‘Christian’ Symbol?), neither did they have the type of idols or icons that are found in the Roman and Eastern Orthodox Catholic church buildings (for details see What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons?).

On page 7, the Forward article has the following:

Where is your servitude to Him? Where is your respect of what He loves? Where is the residue of sound intellect, which would immediately reject the superstitious beliefs of Trinity and atonement through the crucifixion of Jesus? Where is your humility before the Almighty? Do you insist upon abandoning the fitrah and succumbing to the misguidance of your forefathers, as Allah c described the infidels of the past, saying, “And similarly, We did not send before you any warner into a city except that its affluent said, ‘Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and indeed we will follow in their footsteps’” (Az-Zukhruf 23)?

We call you to reflect on these questions as the bloodthirsty knights of the Caliphate continue to wage their war of just terror against you. And have no doubt that the war will only end with the black flag of Tawhid (Islamic monotheism) fluttering over Constantinople and Rome, and that is not difficult for Allah…

It may be of interest to note that early Christians did NOT believe in the trinity–this was something that was not even formally accepted by the Roman and Eastern Orthodox Catholics until the Council of Constantinople in 381 A.D.

That being said, having “bloodthirsty knights of the Caliphate” to wage their war of terror is certainly wrong. Instead it is an indictment against the so-called Islamic State itself. Consider what Jesus said:

31 If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:31)

34 Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.  35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.  36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. (John 8:34-36)

44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. (John 8:44)

Now, Satan, like the Islamic State, mixes truth with error–that can deceive people (e.g. 1 Timothy 2:4). And that is what the Islamic State is also doing. If people would repent and properly accept the truth it would set them free–they would not even want to be considered as ‘bloodthirsty.’ But because they deny the truth they become slaves to sin and Satan’s influence.

On pages 20 and 25, in a different article titled The Fitrah of Mankind, Dabiq states:

The pagan Christians for ages had adopted a religion of contradictions at war with the fitrah …

Morality and society for them now were purely relative concepts having no foundation or basis except in what is dictated by financial interest and sexual instinct. Criminals were looked upon as being helpless, misunderstood individuals. The role of man and woman was mixed up, as was the responsibility father and mother had towards daughter and son. Woman need not be a mother, a wife, or a maiden, but rather, she should work like man, rule like man, and have intercourse like an animal, without being conscious of her Lord watching both her and her heinous partner in crime.

The deviance carried on until the so-called “Brave New World” of America and Western Europe began legalizing marijuana, bestiality, transgenderism, sodomy, pornography, feminism, and other evils, allowing the Christian pagans of Europe, America, and Australia to break the crime record of every disbelieving nation to precede them in history, including that of Sodom and Gomorrah. …

Thereafter, the pagan Christians contradict themselves and the fitrah once more. They claim that Jesus’ mother is the “Mother of God,” while portraying her in a humble manner, both in her demeanor and garments. However, they encourage the Western woman to be everything opposite to Mary. The Western woman is encouraged to compete with men in the workplace, to display of her body what no man ever displays, and to be more promiscuous than any prostitute has ever been. There is no resemblance in the Western woman to what is found in Mary, just as there is no resemblance in the Western man to what is found in Jesus the Messiah of humility, religiosity, and chastity.

“Fitrah” basically means common sense/natural law. Basically, the Islamic State is pointing out that the Greco-Roman-Protestants tend to have a view about Mary being modest, yet encourage women to be the opposite. The West certainly does have a massive problem with sexual immorality including pornography (see Pornography: A scourge on society). Pointing out hypocrisy is one of the Islamic States’ recruiting methods.

On page 30, begins an article titled Why We Hate You & Why We Fight You. Here are some quotes from it:

Shortly following the blessed attack on a sodomite, Crusader nightclub by the mujahid Omar Mateen  , American politicians were quick to jump into the spotlight and denounce the shooting, declaring it a hate crime, an act of terrorism, and an act of sense – less violence. A hate crime? Yes. Muslims undoubted – ly hate liberalist sodomites, as does anyone else with any shred of their fitrah (inborn human nature) still intact. An act of terrorism? Most definitely. Muslims have been commanded to terrorize the disbelieving enemies of Allah.

There are Islamic writings that encourage terrorism. That being said, I do not believe that the group calling itself the Islamic State will end up controlling the Middle East and North Africa–this will be a different coalition–one led by the final King of the South (Daniel 11:40-43).

Despite this, Pope Francis claims that Islam is not a religion of war:

08/01/16

“I do not believe it is right to identify Islam with violence,” said Pope Francis. “This is not right, and it is not true. I don’t like to speak about Islamic violence. There are violent Catholics! If I speak of Islamic violence, I must speak of Catholic violence.”

Bizarre.

Of course there are violent Catholics. But when a bomb goes off in a café in Israel or a terrorist shoots up a café in Paris, we don’t think for one minute that the perpetrator is a Catholic.

That’s because Islamic terrorist acts are not only a reality, they have become the norm throughout the entire world.

Denying it’s true doesn’t change reality. http://www.wnd.com/2016/08/are-pope-khan-right-about-islam/#ZFC1sLkrvz5Du1XO.99

Here is something from a different article in Dabiq titled In the Words of Our Enemy on pp. 75-76:

Francis continues to hide behind a deceptive veil of “good will,” covering his actual intentions of pacifying the Muslim nation. This is exemplified in Francis’ statement that “our respect for true follow – ers of Islam should lead us to avoid hateful generalizations, for authentic Islam and the proper reading of the Quran are opposed to every form of violence” (The Joy of the Gospel). Part of this approach to subdue Muslims through appeasement involves coordinating with the infamous Ash’ari Sufi institute, al-Azhar University, false – ly attributed to being representative of Sunni Muslims worldwide. This method is an attempt to justify deviating claims that the Muslim nation has no central authority – as in a caliphate – but is rather “managed” in some way by scholars at universities. …

While previous popes spoke against Islam due to the actual reality they faced, based on mutual enmity between the pagan Christians and monotheistic Muslims, recent popes – and especially Pope Francis – have attempted to paint a picture of heartwarming friend – ship, seeking to steer Muslim masses away from the obligation of waging jihad against disbelief. …

This is all part of a plan to demilitarize Islam or, to put it more correctly, to remove the clearly Quran- and Sunnah-based duty of waging jihad against pagans until all the world is ruled by the Shari’ah.

Pope Francis has an interfaith agenda (see Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction?). The Islamic State is opposed to this, but Islam will, for a time, accept a version of it.

Because of prophecies such as 1 Thessalonians 2:9-12 and Revelation 13:4,8, I believe that the Muslims will, for a short time only, enter into an agreement with the Europeans (Daniel 9:27; 11:17; Psalm 83:4-8), temporarily worship the Beast (Revelation 13:8), then rebel against the Beast power (Daniel 11:40) and be eliminated as a force (Daniel 11:40-43; Ezekiel 30:2-8).(cf. Revelation 13:4,8; Daniel 11:40).

Getting back to the article titled Why We Hate You & Why We Fight You, it give six reasons why. Here is the first in it on page 31:

1. We hate you, first and foremost, because you are disbelievers; you reject the oneness of Allah – whether you realize it or not – by making partners for Him in worship, you blaspheme against Him, claiming that He has a son, you fabricate lies against His prophets and messengers, and you indulge in all manner of devilish practices.

But the prophets DID teach that God would have a son. Notice what the prophet Isaiah was inspired to write:

6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Notice what the Psalmist prophesied:

6 “Yet I have set My King
On My holy hill of Zion.”

7 “I will declare the decree:
The Lord has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You. (Psalms 2:6-7)

Jesus was begotten to be the Christ:

10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-12)

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

Muslims supposedly believe the Old and New Testaments–though they claim that they were altered. Yet, there would be no reason that the Jews would have altered a prophecy in Isaiah to point to a Son being born who is called the ‘Mighty God’ as that would support views of Christians. Nor would they have altered the Psalms for the same reason.

It is NOT a lie to point to Jesus as the Son of God, and His arrival was prophesied (see also Jesus: The Son of God and Saviour).

The Islamic State should not hate Christians for believing what the Bible teaches about Jesus. But that is part of its wrong reasoning.

Getting back to the list in Why We Hate You & Why We Fight You, here is the second reason from it on pages 31-32:

2. We hate you because your secular, liberal societies permit the very things that Allah has prohibited while banning many of the things He has permitted, a matter that doesn’t concern you because you Christian disbelief and paganism separate between religion and state, thereby granting supreme authority to your whims and desires via the legislators you vote into power. In doing so, you desire to rob Allah of His right to be obeyed and you wish to usurp that right for yourselves. “Legislation is not but for Allah” (Yusuf 40). Your secular liberalism has led you to tolerate and even support “gay rights,” to allow alcohol, drugs, fornication, gambling, and usury to become widespread, and to encourage the people to mock those who denounce these filthy sins and vices. As such, we wage war against you to stop you from spreading your disbelief and debauchery – your secularism and nationalism, your perverted liberal values, your Christianity and atheism – and all the depravity and corruption they entail.

The Islamic State is correct that Western societies should not promote pornography, fornication, “gay rights,” and other vices.

Yet, instead of engaging in a terroristic war, those in the Islamic State should heed the words of Jesus:

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,  45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?  48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48)

If those in the Islamic State think that Allah is the God of Abraham, which they claim, then they should heed Jesus’ words.

Getting back to the list in Why We Hate You & Why We Fight You, here is the third reason from it on page 32:

3. In the case of the atheist fringe, we hate you and wage war against you because you disbelieve in the existence of your Lord and Creator. You witness the extraordinarily complex makeup of created beings, and the astonishing and inexplicably precise physical laws that govern the entire universe, but insist that they all came about through randomness and that one should be faulted, mocked, and ostracized for recognizing that the astonishing signs we witness day after day are the creation of the Wise, All-Knowing Creator and not the result of accidental occurrence.

The writer is correct that atheists should be able to tell that there was a Creator.   This is confirmed in the New Testament:

20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man — and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. (Romans 1:20-23)

The atheists view of how life got here is in severe scientific error (see Is God’s Existence Logical? and Is Evolution Probable or Impossible or Is God’s Existence Logical? Part II).

Getting back to the list in Why We Hate You & Why We Fight You, here is the fourth reason from it on page 32:

4. We hate you for your crimes against Islam and wage war against you to punish you for your transgressions against our religion. As long as your subjects continue to mock our faith, insult the prophets of Allah – including Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad  – burn the Quran, and openly vilify the laws of the Shari’ah, we will continue to retaliate, not with slogans and placards, but with bullets and knives.

We in the Continuing Church of God do not mock Noah, Abraham, Moses, or Jesus. And while we do not accept Muhammad as God’s prophet, we do not go around publicly mocking him.

Yet, the Islamic State vilifies faith in Jesus and takes violent actions against those who claim to accept biblical teachings about Him.

Getting back to the list in Why We Hate You & Why We Fight You, here are the fifth and sixth reasons from it on page 32, and something from page 33 (bolding mine):

5. We hate you for your crimes against the Muslims; your drones and fighter jets bomb, kill, and maim our people around the world, and your puppets in the usurped lands of the Muslims oppress, torture, and wage war against anyone who calls to the truth. As such, we fight you to stop you from killing our men, women, and children, to liberate those of them whom you imprison and torture, and to take revenge for the countless Muslims who’ve suffered as a result of your deeds.

6. We hate you for invading our lands and fight you to repel you and drive you out. As long as there is an inch of territory left for us to reclaim, jihad will continue to be a personal obligation on every single Muslim. …

we will never stop hating you until you embrace Islam

The Islamic State considers that Islam is a religion of war.

But Christians know that Jesus came to be the “Prince of Peace.” Twice the Bible uses the expression “gospel of peace” (Romans 10:15; Ephesians 6:15).

While the Islamic State, and other Muslims, believe that “Christians” are a warring people, the biblical reality is that Christians were never supposed to be.  Nor, have real Christians been so throughout history (see Military Service and the Churches of God: Do Real Christians Participate in Carnal Warfare or Encourage Violence?).

Furthermore, the Bible says:

8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (1 John 4:8-11)

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:16-17)

True Christianity is based on love (see The Philadelphia Remnant: It’s All About Love). Hate is not the way.  All who embrace selfish hate need to repent.

Overall, the 15th edition of Dabiq is a slick and hate-filled publication. It is slick in that it looks fancy and is written (or at least edited) by someone who understands the English language.

While it does sometimes properly identify some of the problems with the West and its wrong approaches to religion, it turns to hate and terror, instead of prayer, love, and the Kingdom of God as the solutions to humanities’ ills.

It is sad that the Islamic State has influenced many to go the way of murder and hate, instead of the way of love and peace.

A video of related interest is titled: Why does the Islamic State kill and terrorize?

Mary and Fatima

Muslims tend to believe that there were four perfect women.

One, was Jesus' mother Mary, and the other was Muhammad's favorite daughter Fatima.

It perhaps should be pointed out that the name of the town in Portugal came from a Muslim princess who married a Roman Catholic--and she got her name from that of Muhammad's favorite daughter.

Related to the apparition that appeared in Fatima in 1917, some Muslims insist that it was Fatima herself who appeared. Roman Catholics tend to believe it was Jesus' mother Mary.

However, it was neither and the apparition itself only called itself the "Lady' and pointed to heaven.

Now there is also the name Lady of Heaven. That is what many Muslims call Muhammad's daughter Fatima and that is a name Roman Catholics have assigned to their version of Jesus' Mother Mary.

Let me state that there is a tie between Fatima, Islam, and Roman Catholicism and that tie looks to be a factor in the coming TEMPORARY unity that there will be between a changed Roman Catholic faith and many adherents to Islam.

Seven Year Deal

There is a belief in Islam that there will be a seven-year deal involving Israel and the Roman Catholics, similar to the one of Daniel 9:27:

Rasaullah [Muhammed] said: "There will be four peace agreements between you and the Romans [Christians].  The fourth agreement will be mediated through a person who will be the progeny of Hadrat Haroon [Honorable Aaron -- Moses' brother] and will be upheld for seven years (Richardson J. Antichrist: Islam's Awaited Messiah. Pleasant Word, 2006, p. 48)

The above sounds similar to the seven year (one week in biblical language) agreement discussed in Daniel 9:27 that involves a "prince" who appears to be the one the Bible warns will become the King of the North and apparently the nation of Israel. It certainly would make sense that there would be Muslim representation in a peace deal.

However, the Bible shows that this deal will be broken (Daniel 9:27; see also The 'Peace Deal' of Daniel 9:27) and the King of the North will invade Jerusalem (Daniel 11:31) and ultimately the King of the South (Daniel 11:40-43). Notice that this too, however, seems to be consistent with some Islamic prophecy:

5 General anarchy and bloodshed, that no Arab household will be spared from it 6 Then a life of peace as a result of a peace agreement between you and the Banil Asfaar (Romans) which they will break and attack you with a force consisting of eighty flags and under each flag will be an army of twelve thousand men.  (Ibn Zubair Ali, Mohammed Ali. The minor signs of Last Days from: The Signs of Qiyamah. http://www.islamawareness.net/Prophecies/minor.html viewed 08/11/12).

We in the Continuing Church of God believe that the Bible tells of a similar seven-year peace deal that will be violated per Daniel 9:27, 11:31, 11:40-43 (see also The 'Peace Deal' of Daniel 9:27).

Here is something else along those lines:

{Muslim} Adnan Oktar, a media personality and prolific author, about what Islam expects to happen as the world grinds down to the last days. …

There are bad djinn and good djinn, with the good djinn being Muslim.

“Yes the Mahdi will communicate with the djinns,” Oktar says in the film. “Mahdi is the leader of both djinns and men. Muslim djinns, djinns that believe in God, will assist the Muslims in making Muslims prevail throughout the world.”

Oktar goes on to explain that the Mahdi will rule for seven years, which eerily resembles the reign of another character that the Bible warns Christians to beware of in the last days. (Hohmann L. Popular Muslim personality: 'Jesus Christ is among us' New documentary sheds light on Islamic views about end times. World Net Daily, October 26, 2014. http://www.wnd.com/2014/10/popular-muslim-personality-jesus-christ-is-among-us/#Llx0l0MmRdAXVu5w.99  viewed 10/27/14)

Notice also:

The last days, as described in Islam, are marked by the figures of Gog and Magog (Juj wa Jajuj), the Mahdi, the Antichrist (Dajjal), and Jesus...Gog and Magog, representing the forces of chaos, have been kept at bay...At the end of time, chaos will break through the wall of Divinely imposed order, and the world will succumb to "outer darkness". At the same time, it is believed, there will be a countercurrent, or a brief return to the state of spiritual lucidity and primordial integrity that obtained at the dawn of time. This is the reign of the Mahdi, the "rightly guided one"...

The reign of the Mahdi will be followed by that of the Antichrist... once the Antichrist has led away his followers, Jesus will then come to destroy the Antichrist in the closing moments of the cosmic drama. (Glasse C. New Encyclopedia of Islam: A Revised Edition of the Concise Encyclopedia of Islam, 3rd edition, 2008, pp. 143, 316).

'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-'As (May Allah be pleased with them) said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Dajjal (the Antichrist) will appear in my Ummah and he will stay in the world for forty. I do not know whether this will be forty days or forty months or forty years. Allah will then send (Prophet) 'Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). 'Isa will pursue him and slaughter him. ( 19 The Book of Miscellaneous ahadith of Significant Values. http://sunnah.com/riyadussaliheen/19/3 accessed 08/02/16)

Abu Hurairah (ra) narrated, "The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: 'There is no prophet between me and him, that is, 'Isa, peace be upon him. He will descend (to the earth). When you see him, recognise him: a man of medium height, reddish fair, wearing two light yellow garments, looking as if drops were falling down from his head though it will not be wet. He will fight the people for the cause of Islam. He will break the cross, kill the pig, and abolish the jizyah. Allah will cause to perish all religions except Islam. He will destroy the Dajjal and will live on the earth for forty years and then he will die. The Muslims will pray over him.'" (Abu Dawud) (Cited in Yahya H. Jesus will return. 22 September 2010. http://www.quranandscience.com/discover-islam/embracing-islam/islam-christianity/253-jesus-will-return accessed 08/02/16)

Some in Islam seem to essentially understand that the reign of the Beast and Antichrist will happen after the Mahdi's death. Now this is true, for the Arab lands. However, the Beast (King of the North) will rule in Europe and in some of the American lands, though, prior to his reign over Arab lands as the Great Tribulation begins with Daniel 11:39, and not Daniel 11:40 when the Kings of the North and South fight.

The time of the 'Mahdi' is the time that Islam believes it will be rising up. This is consistent with the prophesied rise of the King of the South in Daniel 11:27, 40. Because of this rise, most will not pay attention enough to the deal.

Notice, further above, that the Muslims have Jesus coming after the tribulation and eliminating the final Antichrist--that, too, is consistent with scripture. While Jesus would get rid of the idolatrous use of crosses, He will not promote Islam.

Islam and Palestine

Many would be surprised to realize that the area of Palestine is not mentioned in the Koran. Thus, not all Muslims believe that they are to acquire Jerusalem. Notice the following:

Sheikh Ahmad Adwan, who introduces himself as a Muslim scholar who lives in Jordan, said on his personal Facebook page that there is no such thing as “Palestine” in the Koran. Allah has assigned the Holy Land to the Children of Israel until the Day of Judgment (Koran, Sura 5 – “The Sura of the Table”, Verse 21), and “We made the Children of Israel the inheritors (of the land)” (Koran, Sura 26 – “The Sura of the Poets”, Verse 59).

“I say to those who distort their Lord’s book, the Koran: From where did you bring the name Palestine, you liars, you accursed, when Allah has already named it “The Holy Land” and bequeathed it to the Children of Israel until the Day of Judgment. There is no such thing as ‘Palestine’ in the Koran. Your demand for the Land of Israel is a falsehood and it constitutes an attack on the Koran, on the Jews and their land. Therefore you won’t succeed, and Allah will fail you and humiliate you, because Allah is the one who will protect them (i.e. the Jews).”

The sheikh added: “The Palestinians are the killers of children, the elderly and women. They attack the Jews and then they use those (children, the elderly and women) as human shields and hide behind them, without mercy for their children as if they weren’t their own children, in order to tell the public opinion that the Jews intended to kill them. This is exactly what I saw with my own two eyes in the 70’s, when they attacked the Jordanian army, which sheltered and protected them. Instead of thanking it (the Jordanian army), they brought their children forward to (face) the Jordanian army, in order to make the world believe that the army kills their children. This is their habit and custom, their viciousness, their having hearts of stones towards their children, and their lying to public opinion, in order to get its support.”

It is worth mentioning, that the above mentioned sheikh visited Israel and met Jewish religious scholars. The “Israel in Arabic” site conducted an interview with him, in which he said that the reason for his openness towards the Jewish people “comes from my acknowledgment of their sovereignty on their land and my belief in the Koran, which told us and emphasized this in many places, like His (Allah’s) saying ”Oh People (i.e the Children of Israel), enter the Holy Land which Allah has assigned unto you” (Koran, Sura 5 – “The Sura of the Table”, Verse 21), and His saying “We made the Children of Israel the inheritors (of the land)” (Koran, Sura 26 – “The Sura of the Poets”, Verse 59) and many other verses.

He (Adwan) added: “(The Jews) are peaceful people who love peace, who are not hostile and are not aggressors, but if they are attacked, they defend themselves while causing as little damage to the attackers as possible. It is an honor for them that Allah has chosen them over the worlds – meaning over the people and the Jinns until the Day of Judgment. I made the reasons for Allah’s choice clear in my books and pamphlets. When Allah chose them, He didn’t do so out of politeness, and He wasn’t unjust other peoples, it is just that they (the Jews) deserved this.” (Cohen E. Jordanian Sheikh: ‘There is no “Palestine” in the Koran. Allah gave Israel to the Jews.’ Jews News, August 15, 2014. http://www.jewsnews.co.il/2014/08/15/jordanian-sheikh-there-is-no-palestine-in-the-koran-allah-gave-israel-to-the-jews/ viewed 09/24/14)

Of course, just as many people who claim to be Christian believe as doctrines positions contrary to the Bible, Islam has similar issues.

We in the Continuing Church of God believe that the Bible teaches that God gave the children of Israel Jerusalem and Palestine and that ultimately the holy city, New Jerusalem, will come to earth from heaven (Revelation 21:2).

Biblical prophecy, however teaches that certain lands now under control of the nation of Israel will end up under Palestinian dominance (see Gaza and the Palestinians in Bible Prophecy).

Anyway, this article is a brief summary of certain differences and similarities. More details are expected to be added in the future.

A video of related interest is titled: Islam: Any Christian Concerns or Similarities?

Thiel B. Differences Between Islam and the Continuing Church of God. http://www.cogwriter.com/islam.htm 2015/2016/2017/2018 /2022 /2024 0209

Back to home page