God of The Bible Doesn't Teach Jihad

Submitted by Wayne (United States), Sep 8, 2006 at 23:19

Dear Mr. Rizwwan,

There is no doubt that text out of context is no text and words are defined by how they are used within the context. However, I have quoted to you passages throughout the Quran showing the principle of jihad to be different than what you believe it to be. Not only that, but the very history of Islam, starting with the Prophet Mohammed when he moved to Medina, teaches the principle of jihad. If Islam is a religion of peace as you say it is, then how do you explain jihad being perpetrated throughout the world today by terrorists claiming to be Muslim?

You see, the Allah of the Quran is NOT the God of the Bible. Still, Islam claims that Allah is the same God who was revealed in the Bible. Logically, doesn't this imply in the positive sense that the concept of God set forth in the Quran will correspond in all points to the concept of God found in the Bible? However, this also implies in the negative sense that if the Bible and the Quran have differing views of God, then Islam's claim is false. I believe this issue can only be decided by a comparison of the two documents in question. It shouldn't be decided on the basis of religious bias on any side, but by a fair reading of the texts of both books.

Again, when we compare the attributes of God as found in the Bible with the attributes of Allah found in the Quran, it is rather obvious that these two are NOT the same God. It is my understanding, and as a matter of historical record, that Christian and Muslim scholars have been arguing over who has the true view of God ever since Islam arose as a religion. It seems obvious to me that the biblical view of God cannot be reduced to that of Allah any more than Allah can be reduced to the biblical God. Why? Because the historical background concerning the origin and meaning of the Arabian "Allah" reveals that Allah can't be the God of the biblical patriarchs, the Jews or the Christians. Allah is merely a revamped and magnified Arabian pagan moon deity. Here is why I believe this:

A bit of research reveals that the word "Allah" comes from the compound Arabic word, al-ilah. Al is the definite article "the" and ilah is an Arabic word for ‘god." It is not a foreign word. It is not even the Syriac word for God. It is pure Arabic. Interestingly enough, neither is "Allah" a Hebrew or Greek word for God as found in the Bible. Allah is a purely Arabic term used in reference to an Arabian deity. Where did I get this? Hastings Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics which states: "Allah" is a proper name, applicable only to their [Arabs'] peculiar God. Then according to the Encyclopedia of Religion: "Allah" is a pre-Islamic name…corresponding to the Babylonian Bel.

If you find the above hard to believe that Allah was a pagan name for a peculiar pagan Arabian deity in pre-Islamic times, perhaps the following citations may be helpful:

"Allah is found…in Arabic inscriptions prior to Islam" (Encyclopedia Britannica)

"The Arabs, before the time of Mohammed, accepted and worshipped, after a fashion, a supreme god called allah" (Encyclopedia of Islam, ed. Houtsma)

"Allah was known to the pre-Islamic Arabs; he was one of the Meccan deities (Encyclopedia of Islam, ed. Gibb).

"Ilah…appears in pre-Islamic poetry…By frequency of usage, al-ilah was contracted to allah, frequently attested to in pre-Islamic poetry (Encyclopedia of Islam, ed. Lewis).

"The name Allah goes back before Muhammed" (Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend)

"The origin of this (Allah) goes back to pre-Muslim times. Allah is not a common name meaning "God" (or a "god"), and the Muslim must use another word or form if he wishes to indicate any other than his own peculiar deity" (Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics).

So perhaps you can see, Mr. Rizwwan, why I believe that Allah is not just another name for the God of the Bible. Also, when you compare the attributes of Allah in the Quran with the attributes of the God of the Bible, there are just too many differences to be the one and the same God. If you would be interested in learning about some of those differences, just let me know.

Again I repeat, the God of the Bible does NOT teach the principles of jihad as taught in the Quran.

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