In this episode I briefly share my journey from Christianity to Islam and the reasons for Islam as being the path to God.
1 Christian background
2 More similarities between Islam and Christianity than differences.
- “… He is God – One. God, the Sustainer. He has no offspring and nor was He born. And there is none comparable to Him.” [Quran 112:1-4]
- “Hear O Israel: The Lord our God – the Lord is one.” [Bible 6:4]
- Jesus said, “The most important (commandment) is this, ‘Hear O Israel. The Lord our God – the Lord is One’.” [Mark 12:29]
- “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above; or on the earth beneath; or in the waters below…” [Exodus 20:4-5]
- “And the Father who sent me has Himself testified concerning me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His form,…” [John 5:37]
3 Rational explanation for God’s existence answered.
- Something can’t come from nothing -. “Were they created by nothing …” [Quran 52:35]
- Creation creating itself is paradoxical – “.. or were they themselves the creators?” [Quran 52:35]
- Infinite regress – “Did they create the heavens and the earth?” [Quran 52:36]
- The universes’ existence is necessitated by a being that is all-powerful, all-knowing, sustaining and self-sustaining.
4 Does the Biblical Jesus fit the necessary criteria as all-powerful, all-knowing and a self-sustaining sustainer?
- Is Jesus all-powerful – “By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgement is just, for I seek not to please myself but Him who sent me.” [John 5:30]
- Is Jesus all-knowing? – “But about that (final) day or hour, no one knows – not even the angels in heaven, but only the Father.” [Matthew 24:36]
- Was Jesus self-sustaining? – He ate, slept, prayed, etc.
5 Comparatively, why the Quran is then from God
- Does it represent God correctly – attesting to all-powerful, all-knowing, self-sustaining.
- Internal validity – no contradictions.
- External validation – consistent with creation, scientific proofs, etc.
- Scientific proof: “Do the disbelievers not realise that the heavens and the earth were joined together, then We separated them and created from water every living thing? Will they not then believe?” [Quran21:30]
- Scientific proof: Female bees – “And your Lord inspired the bees: “Make homes in the mountains, the trees, and in what people constuct.” [Quran 16:68]
- Scientific proof: “Have we not smoothed out the earth and made the mountains as stakes?” [Quran 78:6-7]
- Divinity: Quran as a miracle.
6 Conclusion:
- Prophet Muhammad: consistency in the prophetic narrative.
- Oneness of God
- Worshiping God – submitting to His will: accountability, obedience, sincere deeds, praise/glorification, seeking His pleasure.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 17:03 — 16.2MB)