I once heard a Beth Moore study on Islam and the
influence of Muslims in the world today. The point was to understand
the issue from a biblical perspective, not to pass judgment, but to
discern truth. Dr. Ergun Caner
and his brother Emir Caner also contributed to the study. Here's some notes from what I found out, and I hope you learn something new...

"The intention of our study today is to be biblical rather than political. Our
biblical understanding, however will lend insight to some of the political aspects
to holy war around the world today. Nothing is happening by surprise..."

Islam is the second largest religion behind Christianity and originates from Abraham's first son Ishmael, born of the Sarah's servant Hagar. Ishmael's
descendants became Arabian nomads or Bedouins, and Ishmael was the leader of them.

In Genesis 25:12-18, the Bible talks about Ishmael's descendants. There verses list the names of the sons of Ishmael. The genealogy of
Ishmael is the exact same genealogy as that of Isaac
(except for the mother). Ishmael had
12 sons, and at this point, Isaac didn't have any sons. Ishmael wanted
to be the son of the promise and no matter how he hard he tried
to earn it, he couldn't. His descendants - Muslims - are still trying to earn the favor of the Father.

Mohammed was born in 570 AD in the city of Mecca. Ishmael settled in Mecca (according to
Islam, at least, and we have nothing to refute it, so it could be true). Mohammed received revelations
starting in about 610 AD from Allah, but they were transmitted through the angel
Gabriel.

Muslims turned Jesus into a
prophet. John
14:16 says, "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another
counselor to be with you forever." In verse 17, it tells you that counselor is the Spirit of Truth - God's Spirit living inside Christians.

But they believe it is Muhammad.
Mormons teach the same thing about who they believe is their prophet! They have
twisted the truth. The word "Islam" actually means submission, or to submit oneself to the law. They are under the law, the written code.

Islam basically equals medieval Mormonism. Think about it - a "prophet" with the final revelation of God, sensual
goings-on in the next life, promises of prosperity, strict adherence to rules and regulations, and several other huge common denominators.

Dr. Ergon Caner was a Muslim. His father had three wives, and Ergon had 14 or 15 brothers and sisters. He lives in the USA, because of his father's
business. Dr. Caner is a leading Christian apologist, but he was raised as a strict Muslim.

"In 51 debates," he once said, "I have never met a Muslim that
believes Allah is the same as Jehovah." They are not the same god! What's interesting is that in political debates, many Muslims will say
they are the same, but in religious debates, they never say this.

Jehovah is the initiator of relationship. Allah is a god that demands submission. With Allah, there is no such thing as a Muslim having a personal
relationship with God. In Islam, there are 99 different names for God, and not one of them is personal. The
closest you will get is a name that means one "at your jugular."

The Islamic conception of God is primarily based on fright, adherence,
submission. Caner's father had to disown him, because otherwise he would have
gotten the death penalty.

Also read yesterday's blog - Ishmael's Hostility and Hope for Muslims