What are the differences between Islam and Christianity?

Today, most people prefer to talk about the similarities between Christianity and Islam, rather than stir the pot and create more conflict. However, understanding the basic tenants of Islam and how they compare with the truths of the Bible, is very important! You may be surprised to find out how different they really are! But, by comparing the apostles creed to the main teachings of Islam, you will see a stark difference!

WHAT DO MUSLIMS BELIEVE ABOUT JESUS?

Apostles Creed: “We believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord…”

Muslims Believe: Jesus Christ is not the Son of God, but one of Allah’s creatures, like every other man. They believe that even though Christians call Jesus the “Son of God“, that one day, Jesus will affirm to Allah, that he had never claimed to be God. According to Islamic teachings, Jesus is a completely normal human being, and Allah gave to him the honor to be one of his greatest prophets.

WHAT DO MUSLIMS BELIEVE ABOUT GOD THE FATHER?

Apostles Creed: “We believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.”

Muslims believe:  Allah is no father, to call him “father“ is absolute blasphemy.

“He has never had offspring, nor was He born. And there is none comparable to Him.” Quran 112:3+4

Unlike the loving picture of God the Father, Allah is portrayed as an absolute ruler who does whatever he wants, unpredictable, and unaccountable. One of the sayings of Mohammed reads: “He is the king of the worlds and men are his slaves. Can a slave ask his master why he does this or that?” Allah can reward the wicked with his paradise and punish the devout with his hell.

WHAT DO MUSLIMS BELIEVE ABOUT THE RESURRECTION?

Apostles Creed: “he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again” 

Muslims believe: “Jesus was not killed or crucified. That’s why he was not buried and he is never risen. Allah saved him by a trick from crucifixion and then lifted him up to himself.”

Koranic commentaries describe in detail how Allah saved Jesus from death and took him to "heaven". This had happened the same evening when the Jews tried to arrest Jesus. First the Jews mistook a disciple for Jesus and took him away. Then "the Holy Spirit" came and took Jesus to heaven through an opening in the roof. Unlike Mohammed, Jesus did not die, but is alive. According to Islamic teachings, he is in "heaven". The proof of Jesus' stay in "heaven" is the "ascension" of Mohammed. During this "journey", Mohammed met Jesus on the second floor of heaven, which proves that Jesus is alive and in heaven.

WHAT DO MUSLIMS BELIEVE ABOUT THE RETURN OF JESUS? 

Apostles Creed: he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.



Muslims believe: “Jesus will come again to give victory to Islam. He will fight Christianity, invite all people to accept Islam and start a mass killing of all Jews.”

Mohammed says: "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, surely (Jesus,) the son of Mary will soon descend amongst you and will judge mankind justly (as a Just Ruler); he will break the Cross and kill the pigs…“

At his Second Coming, Jesus will also invite all people, including Christians, to accept Islam. Allah will then destroy all religious communities except Muslims.

WHAT DO MUSLIMS BELIEVE ABOUT FORGIVENESS?

Apostles Creed: The forgiveness of sins…

Muslims believe: No one can know if and whom Allah forgives.

Allah can forgive Muslims all their sins except the biggest sin in Islam: to believe that Allah has a son. They mean Jesus Christ. No one can know if and whom Allah forgives. Very often we read in the Koran: “He forgives whoever He wills, and punishes whoever He wills."

Mohammed alone received the promise from Allah that Allah had forgiven him for his earlier and “later sins”. Nevertheless, Mohammed begged Allah to forgive him and be merciful 100 times a day until his death. If Muslims avoid big sins such as murdering a Muslim, committing sodomy or fleeing the battlefield, Allah can forgive them for the small sins such as cheating, false oath, defamation, and so on.

Despite claims that “Muslims and Christians” serve the same God, we can see the reality is drastically different! For more than 100 years Call of Hope has been sharing the Good News of freedom and forgiveness in Jesus to Muslims all across the world. To learn more about how to reach Muslims in your own community, please read When you meet a Muslim or join us through prayer, giving and more!