Friday, August 26, 2016Jesus Rose from the Tomb!
Today, Jesus is alive, but Prophet Muhammad has been dead for a long time. There is a profound difference between Muhammad and Jesus: Muhammad is dead, but Jesus lives today and will live forever and ever.
Prophet Muhammad was born around 570 CE in the city of Mecca and died at the age of approximately 62 on June 8, 632, in Medina, present-day Saudi Arabia, where his tomb remains. In summary, Muhammad died, was buried, and his remains are still in his grave today.
In contrast, Jesus was born around four years before the common era. He died on the cross around the age of 30 in Jerusalem. His body was placed in a tomb, but its current location is irrelevant, because God raised Him from the dead after three days! Forty days later, God took Him up to heaven, where He sits at the right hand of God on the throne.
Jesus is alive today and will never die again! This is the fundamental difference between Muhammad and Jesus. Muhammad is dead, but Jesus lives today, eternally and forever.
The Apostle John recounts:
“When I saw Him (Jesus), I fell at His feet as though dead. But He laid His right hand on me and said, ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.’” (Revelation 1:17-18)
Here, Jesus claims that He is the First and the Last, implying that no one will come after Him. Therefore, the Islamic claim that Muhammad is the last prophet is erroneous, because no one comes after Jesus. He is the Alpha and the Omega—the Unique One.
Comparing Jesus and Christianity with Muhammad and Islam
| Jesus / Christianity | Muhammad / Islam |
|---|---|
| Jesus’ birth and life were foretold by over 300 prophecies. | Muhammad’s birth was not prophesied by any scriptures. |
| Jesus’ birth was miraculous, as even the Qur’an affirms. | Muhammad was born like any ordinary man. |
| According to Hebrews 4:15, Jesus “was tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.” He lived a sinless life. | Muhammad was a sinner like all other humans. He lied, deceived, broke promises, and engaged in sexual immorality. The Qur’an never claims Muhammad was sinless. |
| Jesus performed miracles, which were recognized even by his Jewish opponents (although they accused him of doing so by Satan’s power). These miracles affirmed his divine claims. | Muhammad did not perform miracles, except for his claim of receiving the Qur’an as a revelation. There is little to substantiate this claim outside of his own words. |
| Jesus is God. | Muhammad was an ordinary man. |
| Jesus lived out his teachings, exemplifying his doctrine in his own life, especially love. | Muhammad preached and taught, but often failed to live up to his own teachings. |
| Jesus committed no evil acts. | Muhammad engaged in violence, killed his enemies, raided caravans, and plundered Bedouin tribes, taking spoils of war. |
| Jesus never used violence to persuade anyone to follow his teachings. He said, for example, in John 7:17, “Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” | Muhammad often used violence to force people to become Muslims. Even the Qur’an speaks of violence against unbelievers. |
| Jesus taught his disciples about love and truth. Nowhere in the Gospels did he instruct his followers to harm, kill, or rob anyone. | Muhammad taught his followers to kill and rob in his name. |
| Jesus was pure in thought, word, and deed. | Muhammad had up to twenty wives and concubines, the youngest being nine years old. |
| Jesus died for the sins of others. | Muhammad died for his own sins, as any other human being. |
| Jesus died for us. | Muhammad killed others for his own benefit. |
| Jesus foretold his own death and resurrection. | Muhammad died suddenly and unexpectedly, with little preparation for his followers. |
| Jesus rose from the dead, witnessed by many throughout the Bible. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:6, “Then he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.” | Muhammad’s body decayed and remains in his tomb. Though there are later legends of Muhammad’s ascension, neither the Qur’an nor early Islamic traditions affirm this. |
| Jesus never contradicted himself. | Muhammad frequently changed his statements, sometimes praising Jews, other times condemning them. In the so-called “Satanic Verses” (later removed from the Qur’an), Muhammad momentarily affirmed the worship of Allah’s three daughters, then retracted it, becoming even more vehement against Christian claims about the Son of God. |
The Bible versus the Qur’an
The Bible consists of 66 books, written by about 40 different authors over several millennia. These writers came from every walk of life, from kings like David and Solomon to simple shepherds like Amos. Despite their vast differences in time, culture, and status, the Bible presents a unified message—God’s character, and what is right and wrong, is consistently clear throughout. Among these 66 books, there are hundreds of prophecies, including about 300 specifically concerning Jesus, which were fulfilled in detail in his life. There are also prophecies about Israel and neighboring nations such as Assyria, Babylon, and Persia, many of which have come to pass.
All this serves as strong evidence of the Bible’s divine origin. As it says, “…for prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:21) Without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, it is difficult to imagine how these diverse books could fit together so seamlessly, like pieces of a puzzle.
The Qur’an, on the other hand, was written by one man over his lifetime. It contains no specific prophecies that can be verified. While it sometimes claims to affirm the Bible, it often contradicts or rejects key elements of the biblical narrative.
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