Who are Muslims and what do they believe?
Muhammad--believed to be the final prophet after Abraham, Moses, the biblical prophets, and Jesus--began a one-god religion, Islam, in opposition to the polytheistic Arab culture. Islam spread rapidly and is, today, the predominant religion of all Arab countries and parts of Africa.
Salvation is dependent on man, not God, and because of that, the Koran, God's Word revealed to Muhammad, is highly memorized and revered as it is the means by which a person learns what God requires of him. God (Allah) lends His guidance and offers salvation to those who deserve it. This is why so many Muslims are willing to prove their devotion and loyalty even unto death, because that will assure their salvation.
There are five pillars of Islam. These five pillars are the Muslims acts of worship to Allah.
1. A Muslim must recite the basic creed, "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is His prophet."
2. He must recite prayers praising Allah five times a day while facing Mecca where, it is believed, Allah revealed the Koran to Muhammad.
3. He must give money to the poor.
4. He must fast for one month every year.
5. He must make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in his lifetime.
There are many reasons why the Islam faith is contrary to the Bible. The most important reasons are that Muslims do not believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, sent to free the world from the bondage and the penalty of sin. They do not believe that salvation is a free gift to all who believe. Instead of revering the words of Jesus, they hold to the words of Muhammad, whom was never prophesied about or spoken of in the Bible.
It all comes down to this: John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." And, Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith-and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast."
