Harmony between the Bible and the Qur'an

[BrotherSka]

Hi Everyone:

I believe the Bible, and uncompromisingly so, having studied it for the past 30 years. However, I now find myself in a quandary. Eight years ago, I read the Qur’an and found that there is harmony between the principal teachings of the Bible and the Qur’an, without compromising any teaching or damaging the integrity of any verse in either book.

I know that this claim may seem utterly ridiculous. Had anyone even suggested such a thing to me 8 years ago, I probably would not have wasted any effort in examining any evidence that the claimant might have provided. Therefore, I am very sympathetic everyone who prejudges the claim as fanciful, and even dangerous. Nevertheless, I stake my 20-year professional reputation on the integrity of the research.

I refused to publish the work for 7 years because I fear the Lord, and did not want to send any error into the Body of Christ. I am also fully aware of the consequences of misleading others, and have no intention of doing so. I published the work this year after 7 years of rigorous critical review and am happy to discuss the claim here. Does anyone here believe that there is harmony between the principal teachings of the Bible and the Qur’an? If not, then why not?

Yours in Christ,
Walter

[Kelp]

Well, you wouldn't be the first to think that. Good luck convincing Muslims of it though.

Doesn't the Quran say plainly that Jesus was never crucified though? Seems like a pretty big gap right there.

[popaface]

Hi Everyone:

I believe the Bible, and uncompromisingly so, having studied it for the past 30 years. However, I now find myself in a quandary. Eight years ago, I read the Qur’an and found that there is harmony between the principal teachings of the Bible and the Qur’an, without compromising any teaching or damaging the integrity of any verse in either book.

I know that this claim may seem utterly ridiculous. Had anyone even suggested such a thing to me 8 years ago, I probably would not have wasted any effort in examining any evidence that the claimant might have provided. Therefore, I am very sympathetic everyone who prejudges the claim as fanciful, and even dangerous. Nevertheless, I stake my 20-year professional reputation on the integrity of the research.

I refused to publish the work for 7 years because I fear the Lord, and did not want to send any error into the Body of Christ. I am also fully aware of the consequences of misleading others, and have no intention of doing so. I published the work this year after 7 years of rigorous critical review and am happy to discuss the claim here. Does anyone here believe that there is harmony between the principal teachings of the Bible and the Qur’an? If not, then why not?

Yours in Christ,
Walter

Of course there is going to be commonalities between the Tanakh, Christian Bible and the Qu'ran. They are collections of distinctly ancient Middle Eastern religious scriptures.They share myths and practices and they probably have a great deal in common when it comes to understanding God. But they also have some great differences as well and I think that those differences need to be admired as well. I actually met a very nice Sunni Muslim the other night in a Taxi, we talked about religion and he had some great insight into religious extremism and tolerance. I think that these sorts of conversations need to happen a lot more often, particularly between these three: Jews, Christians and Muslims, there are a lot of misunderstandings.

Allan

[BrotherSka]

Well, you wouldn't be the first to think that. Good luck convincing Muslims of it though.

Doesn't the Quran say plainly that Jesus was never crucified though? Seems like a pretty big gap right there.

Hi Kelp:

I am also trying to reason with Muslims.

Regarding Jesus’ crucifixion, the Qur’an does not state that Jesus was not crucified, only that He was not crucified by the Jews. This is consistent with the Bible, the historical record, and the rest of the Qur’an.

Regards.

[BrotherSka]

Of course there is going to be commonalities between the Tanakh, Christian Bible and the Qu'ran. They are collections of distinctly ancient Middle Eastern religious scriptures.They share myths and practices and they probably have a great deal in common when it comes to understanding God. But they also have some great differences as well and I think that those differences need to be admired as well. I actually met a very nice Sunni Muslim the other night in a Taxi, we talked about religion and he had some great insight into religious extremism and tolerance. I think that these sorts of conversations need to happen a lot more often, particularly between these three: Jews, Christians and Muslims, there are a lot of misunderstandings.

Allan

Hi Allan:

More than half of the Earth’s population claims to be either Christian or Muslim. While both profess to worship the same God, few Christians will read the Qur’an, few Muslims will read the Qur’an, and fewer of them will believe what is written in the other’s religious text. Yet each side continues to criticize what they think the other believes, rather than what is in the other’s religious text. Therefore, Christians and Muslime

Having studied both books and found harmony between their principal teachings, I believe that Christians and Muslims have been kept apart by their religious leaders who have convinced their adherents that irreconcilable differences exist between both books. I have found this assertion to be false.

You note that there are differences. Please provide some principal ones, for I was unable to find them.

Regards,
Walter.

[Kelp]

Hi Kelp:

I am also trying to reason with Muslims.

Regarding Jesus’ crucifixion, the Qur’an does not state that Jesus was not crucified, only that He was not crucified by the Jews. This is consistent with the Bible, the historical record, and the rest of the Qur’an.

Regards.

No, the Bible blames the Jewish leaders (2 Thes 2:14-15) in concert with the Romans. (John 19)

If Jewish was not killed that day, then who killed Him, when, and where? Are you saying He came back down from Heaven and the Bible and the Qur'an are talking about two different Passion episodes?

ETA: Although I haven't gotten around to reading it personally, many intelligent Christians on this site have read the Qur'an.

[Jedidiah]

ETA: Although I haven't gotten around to reading it personally, many intelligent Christians on this site have read the Qur'an.

And remember that one must read the Qur'an in the original language to have any authority to discuss it with Muslims.

[Kelp]

And not just any Arabic, the medieval Qura'ish (spelling?) dialect.

[barnasha]

Hi Everyone:

I believe the Bible, and uncompromisingly so, having studied it for the past 30 years. However, I now find myself in a quandary. Eight years ago, I read the Qur’an and found that there is harmony between the principal teachings of the Bible and the Qur’an, without compromising any teaching or damaging the integrity of any verse in either book.

I know that this claim may seem utterly ridiculous. Had anyone even suggested such a thing to me 8 years ago, I probably would not have wasted any effort in examining any evidence that the claimant might have provided. Therefore, I am very sympathetic everyone who prejudges the claim as fanciful, and even dangerous. Nevertheless, I stake my 20-year professional reputation on the integrity of the research.

I refused to publish the work for 7 years because I fear the Lord, and did not want to send any error into the Body of Christ. I am also fully aware of the consequences of misleading others, and have no intention of doing so. I published the work this year after 7 years of rigorous critical review and am happy to discuss the claim here. Does anyone here believe that there is harmony between the principal teachings of the Bible and the Qur’an? If not, then why not?

Yours in Christ,
Walter

of course... The bible is a manual of Islam, it has all the teachings of the prophets.

[Bill the Cat]

The Bible declares that Jesus is God. The Qu'ran does not.

[shunyadragon]

Hi Everyone:

I believe the Bible, and uncompromisingly so, having studied it for the past 30 years. However, I now find myself in a quandary. Eight years ago, I read the Qur’an and found that there is harmony between the principal teachings of the Bible and the Qur’an, without compromising any teaching or damaging the integrity of any verse in either book.

I know that this claim may seem utterly ridiculous. Had anyone even suggested such a thing to me 8 years ago, I probably would not have wasted any effort in examining any evidence that the claimant might have provided. Therefore, I am very sympathetic everyone who prejudges the claim as fanciful, and even dangerous. Nevertheless, I stake my 20-year professional reputation on the integrity of the research.

I refused to publish the work for 7 years because I fear the Lord, and did not want to send any error into the Body of Christ. I am also fully aware of the consequences of misleading others, and have no intention of doing so. I published the work this year after 7 years of rigorous critical review and am happy to discuss the claim here. Does anyone here believe that there is harmony between the principal teachings of the Bible and the Qur’an? If not, then why not?

Yours in Christ,
Walter

I believe the Bible and the Quran are in harmony, but not the same, as with the Torah and the NT, these books reflect the human record of what they believed at the times they wrote the books.

From the perspective of each religion, yes they are different, and Jews believe the NT is irreconcilably different from the Torah, and Christians believe the Quran is irreconcilably different from the Bible, but in reality the Quran is closer to the Torah than the NT.

[DesertBerean]

You note that there are differences. Please provide some principal ones, for I was unable to find them.

Regards,
Walter.

Well...for starters, the Bible says Jesus is God. The Quran does not.

[popaface]

Hi Allan:

More than half of the Earth’s population claims to be either Christian or Muslim. While both profess to worship the same God, few Christians will read the Qur’an, few Muslims will read the Qur’an, and fewer of them will believe what is written in the other’s religious text. Yet each side continues to criticize what they think the other believes, rather than what is in the other’s religious text. Therefore, Christians and Muslime

Having studied both books and found harmony between their principal teachings, I believe that Christians and Muslims have been kept apart by their religious leaders who have convinced their adherents that irreconcilable differences exist between both books. I have found this assertion to be false.

You note that there are differences. Please provide some principal ones, for I was unable to find them.

Regards,
Walter.

First and foremost, unlike most people here (seemingly), I love difference, I respect difference and I want to know difference. Difference is not a bad thing, it is something to be admired and studied in its richness.

There are differences between Christianities and Islams just as there are differences between a Christianity and another Christianity. The main ones are that no Islams hold faith in a Triune God and one cannot be an orthodox Christian without proclaiming the Apostolic Creed. Also no Islams believe that Jesus was crucified, (although I would argue that religious language in this department needs to be understood much more figuratively), Islams hold belief in Jesus as prophet ascended to heaven who will return at the end of time. Perhaps we should understand the Islamic "Jesus" as another figure to the Christian "Jesus".

Allan

[barnasha]

Well...for starters, the Bible says Jesus is God. The Quran does not.

not true.

Bible says Jesus is a man.
Bible says God is not a man.

neither a messiah (aka Christ) nor golden calf is a god which you can worship without breaking the first commandment which Jesus taught to his people.

There are differences between Christianities and Islams just as there are differences between a Christianity and another Christianity. The main ones are that no Islams hold faith in a Triune God and one cannot be an orthodox Christian without proclaiming the Apostolic Creed.

yes but all those are strongly European traditions which arose after the books of the bible... we are talking about bible and quran

[BrotherSka]

Hi Kelp:

I am also trying to reason with Muslims.

Regarding Jesus’ crucifixion, the Qur’an does not state that Jesus was not crucified, only that He was not crucified by the Jews. This is consistent with the Bible, the historical record, and the rest of the Qur’an.

Regards.

Hi Kelp:

Please note that the scriptures are clear. While the Jewish leaders delivered Jesus to Pilate, Jesus was crucified by the Romans.

So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified. Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison. (Mark 15:15,16)

And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him. (Mark 15: 20)

The Qur’an confirms that Jesus was not crucified by the Jews.

Regards.