A Theological and Textual Critique of Islamic Claims Concerning Biblical Faith

A Theological and Textual Critique of Islamic Claims Concerning Biblical Faith

By Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute

Introduction

Islamic theology frequently asserts continuity with the Judeo-Christian tradition by claiming that Allah is identical to the God of the Bible and that Jesus, Moses, and the biblical prophets were fundamentally “Muslims.” This claim is presented as an appeal to shared monotheism. However, upon closer theological, textual, and historical examination, this assertion raises serious doctrinal and logical problems. This paper argues that such claims reflect not genuine theological continuity, but rather an apologetic strategy aimed at resolving internal tensions within Islamic doctrine—particularly concerning Muhammad’s prophetic authority, the nature of revelation, and the content and coherence of the Qur’an itself.

---

1. The Islamic Claim of Continuity with Biblical Theology

Islam insists that it is not a new religion but a “restoration” of the original faith of Abraham. Consequently, Muslims often argue that Jesus was a Muslim, the Gospel was Islamic in substance, and that the Bible—when “properly understood”—leads to Islam. Yet this claim collapses under scrutiny.

Biblical theology defines God not merely by numerical oneness but by revealed character, covenantal relationship, and self-disclosure in history. The God of the Bible is known by His covenantal name (YHWH), His redemptive acts, His moral consistency, and ultimately His incarnation in Christ (John 1:1–14; Hebrews 1:1–3). Allah, as presented in the Qur’an, lacks covenantal intimacy, denies divine fatherhood, rejects incarnation, and explicitly repudiates the crucifixion and resurrection—the very center of biblical revelation (Qur’an 4:157; 5:72).

Thus, the claim that Allah and the God of the Bible are identical is not a neutral monotheistic statement but a theological redefinition that contradicts core biblical doctrines.

---

2. Jesus in Islam vs. Jesus in the Bible

Islamic theology attempts to appropriate Jesus while simultaneously stripping Him of His essential identity. In the Bible, Jesus is:

• The eternal Word made flesh (John 1:1–3, 14)

• The Son who uniquely reveals the Father (Matthew 11:27)

• The crucified and risen Lord for the salvation of humanity (1 Corinthians 15:1–4)

In Islam, however, Jesus is reduced to a non-crucified prophet who denies His own divinity and redemptive mission. This portrayal is not derived from historical evidence or early Christian testimony but from later Qur’anic negation. To call this Jesus a “Muslim” is an anachronism that empties the biblical Jesus of His identity and mission.

---

3. The Qur’an and the Problem of Coherence

A significant theological issue lies in the Qur’an’s structure and content. Unlike the Bible, which presents a progressive, covenantal narrative unfolding across centuries, the Qur’an is characterized by:

• Fragmented storytelling

• Repetitive yet incomplete narratives

• Reliance on extra-Qur’anic traditions (Hadith) to explain essential doctrines

• Borrowed elements from Jewish, Christian, and apocryphal sources without narrative continuity

This raises questions about the Qur’an’s claim to be a “clear book” (Qur’an 12:1), since its theological clarity depends heavily on later interpretive traditions. By contrast, biblical revelation interprets itself through a coherent redemptive-historical framework.

---

4. Moses, Covenant, and the Rejection of Foreign Deities

Biblical theology repeatedly warns Israel against adopting foreign conceptions of God that contradict Yahweh’s revealed nature (Deuteronomy 13; Isaiah 44). The biblical God is not merely a sovereign ruler but a covenant-making, self-giving, morally consistent Redeemer. Any later theological system that denies God’s redemptive self-disclosure, rejects His covenantal promises, and replaces grace with legalism cannot be considered a continuation of biblical faith, regardless of shared terminology.

---

5. Worship: Spirit and Truth vs. Ritual Formalism

Jesus taught that true worship is rooted in Spirit and truth, emerging from transformed hearts rather than external performance (John 4:23–24). Biblical worship flows from relationship, regeneration, and understanding of God’s character.

Islamic worship, by contrast, is primarily ritualistic and legal in nature, emphasizing outward conformity over inward transformation. While discipline and order are not inherently problematic, when ritual replaces relational knowledge of God, worship becomes performative rather than redemptive.

---

Conclusion

The Islamic effort to claim the Bible, Jesus, and the God of Scripture as inherently Islamic does not arise from theological continuity but from doctrinal necessity. Islam requires biblical validation while simultaneously denying the Bible’s central message. This internal contradiction exposes a fundamental tension within Islamic theology.

Christian theology, grounded in Scripture, history, and coherent revelation, affirms that the God of the Bible cannot be redefined without losing His identity. Attempts to appropriate biblical figures while rejecting their message ultimately undermine the credibility of such claims.

The Christian faith does not fear comparison or examination; it invites it. Truth withstands scrutiny. Theological imitation without doctrinal consistency, however, only magnifies the very tensions it seeks to conceal.

---