August 03, 2020

The Path of Islam

17 minutes

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.

...more

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By Muslim Central

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