The Kaaba

Why We Believe

14. The Islamic Dilemma

"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." (Galatians 1:8)

It is not Islamophobic to bring up the Islamic Dilemma. Islam is one of the fastest growing cults in the world (mainly by birth} with a system of rules and worldview incompatible with western democracy.

The argument for the Islamic Dilemma can be stated:

    1. The Qur’an affirms the inspiration, preservation, and authority of the Jewish and Christian scriptures.
    2. The Qur’an, however, contradicts these scriptures on key doctrines (such as the nature of God, the deity of Christ, and salvation).
    3. This produces a dilemma:
    • (a) If the Bible is reliable, Islam is false because it contradicts it, and (b) If the Bible is corrupted, Islam is false because the Qur’an affirms its truth and preservation.1

We must point Moslems to Sura 29:46. The Qur’an claims to be a continuation of the same revelation as the Torah and Gospels, and that Allah and the God of the Bible are one and the same.2 However, this is just not the case. The New Testament teaches doctrines contrary to Islam, including that God is a Father and has a Son.

An example from the New Testament claiming God is a Father and has a Son is 1 John 2:22-23.3 Islam rejects both the Father and the Son: God is not a father (Sura 37:152) and does not have a son (Sura 4:171; 10:68; 19:35; 23:91). Other biblical doctrines contrary to Islam include: (a) God is a Trinity (Matthew 28:18-20), (b) The Son entered creation as Jesus (John 1:1-14) (c) Jesus died on a cross for our sins (Mark 10:32-34. 45), and (d) Jesus rose from the dead (Luke 24).

The Qur’an denies all of this, so the Muslim cannot say that he believes the Bible is revelation as the Qur’an or that Allah and Yahweh are the same. The Muslim must reject the Bible because the Bible contradicts the Qur’an.

To counter this inconsistency, Moslems will claim that the current Torah and Gospels were changed (corrupted) and so Christians were misguided to believe in the Trinity, Jesus as Godman, Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the dead. That would mean that the Torah and Gospels spoken of in the Qur’an are not the same as the Torah and Gospels of today. This presents a problem: If the Torah and Gospels come from Allah (Sura 3:3-4),4 how could they be changed (corrupted) because the Qur’an says that the words of Allah cannot be changed, (Sura 18:27).

Also, the Torah in the presence of Jesus (before me/before my hands) “will be verified” (Sura 3:50) which would mean that the Torah at the time of Jesus was not corrupted according to the Qur’an.5 In addition, scholars today believe that the New Testament today is fundamentally the same as the original. (cf. New Testament Textual Criticism, Page One)

Some Moslems will point to Jeremiah the prophet to affirm that the Torah has been corrupted. "'How can you say, "We are wise, for we have the law of the LORD," when actually the lying pen of the scribes has handled it falsely? The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped. Since they have rejected the word of the LORD, what kind of wisdom do they have? (Jeremiah 8:8-9 NIV)

Jeremiah is referring to commentaries on Torah (which were taken by these scribes as authoritative) not any corruption of the Torah. We know this because later in Jeremiah, the prophet affirms the Torah:

Say to them, 'This is what the LORD says: If you do not listen to me and follow my law, which I have set before you, and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again and again (though you have not listened), then I will make this house like Shiloh and this city a curse among all the nations of the earth.'" (Jeremiah 26:4-6 NIV).

We can see that there has been no corruption of the Torah and Gospels. What we have now is the same as what was available at the time of Mohammed and when they were originally written.

“And say, “I am truly sent with a clear warning”— a warning˺ like what We sent to those who divided (shredded)˹the Scriptures˺, who ˹now˺ accept parts of the Qur’an, rejecting others.” Sura 15:89-91

“But here you are, killing each other and expelling some of your people from their homes, aiding one another in sin and aggression; and when those ˹expelled˺ come to you as captives, you still ransom them—though expelling them was unlawful for you.1 Do you believe in some of the Scripture and reject the rest? Is there any reward for those who do so among you other than disgrace in this worldly life and being subjected to the harshest punishment on the Day of Judgment? For Allah is never unaware of what you do.” Sura 2:85

The Qur’an says you cannot just believe in parts of the Bible (previous revelation). You need to accept all of it. In short: However one looks at it, if the Bible is wrong, than Islam is false and if the Bible is correct than Islam is false.6

Notes
1Boshoff, Rudolph P. The Islamic Dilemma: A Scholarly Breakdown https://adlucem.co/quran/the-islamic-dilemma-a-scholarly-breakdown-by-rudolph-p-boshoff/
2 “Do not argue with the People of the Book unless gracefully, except with those of them who act wrongfully. And say, “We believe in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to you. Our God and your God is ˹only˺ One. And to Him we ˹fully˺ submit.” (Sura 29:46)
3 “Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist--denying the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.” (1 John 2:22-23 NIV)
4Sura 3:3-4 The Quran claims that the Torah and Gospels were revealed by Allah.
5 “And I will confirm the Torah revealed before me and legalize some of what had been forbidden to you. I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so be mindful of Allah and obey me.” Sura 3:50
6Woods, David. The Quran, the Bible, and the Islamic Dilemma https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNAS0aaViM4