Brothers Kept Apart

Christians and Muslims have been kept apart for over 1,300 years, because they were taught that irreconcilable differences exist between their religious beliefs. This has resulted in mutual distrust, persecution, and even wars. I was motivated to read the Qur’an by the events of September 11th, 2001. I wanted to know the teachings in the Qur’an that could convince Muslims to be willing to sacrifice their lives, in order to kill persons who did not appear to be associated with Islam or their conflict. My Christian tradition was the source of some anxiety, since I had been taught that “the Koran” was full of evil, and could cause the reader to be led astray. Even the name “Koran” sounded and appeared ominous. After convincing myself that my only motive for reading the book was to investigate its contents, I commenced reading with some trepidation. I was surprised to find that the Qur’an seemed so familiar, and after reading several different translations, I began to wonder whether Muslims who followed the Qur’an, were part of the community of believers, otherwise called the elect of God. This book is an examination of that thesis. The claim is admittedly shocking for some Christians, and had I heard of such an assertion by anyone before I read the Qur’an, I would have dismissed the claim and would have decided not to devote any effort investigating any evidence that the claimant might have provided. It is for this reason that I shall present what I understand the Qur’an teaches at this point in this book, in the hope that the reader will want to accompany me on this investigative journey. The Qur’an appears to teach that Muslims must believe that Jesus:

• was born of the virgin Mary;
• taught the Gospel;
• performed many miracles, including raising the dead;
• was crucified;
• was raised by God; and
• is the Messiah.

The Qur’an also appears to teach that Muslims must:

• believe in one God who is identified as the only Creator, and the God of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Job, Elisha, David, and the Old Testament Prophets;
• repent and believe in order to receive God’s forgiveness by grace;
• develop and cultivate a personal relationship with the God of Abraham;
• believe the Bible, and copy and distribute it to all nations of the earth without compensation;
• receive guidance from the Holy Spirit;
• resist the temptations from Satan; and
• avoid the condemnation of hell.

I realize that many readers, including Muslims, will not readily believe that the Qur’an actually teaches all of this; however, if you will read further, then we can examine the evidence together, and you can decide for yourself what the Qur’an teaches. If we reach similar conclusions, then perhaps our investigations can lead to some reconciliation between these brothers who have been unnecessarily kept apart for far too long. This book provides compelling evidence to show that there is harmony between the principal teachings of the Bible and the Qur’an. It also exposes the barriers erected by Christian and Islamic religious traditions, which have kept Christian and Muslim brothers apart for the past 1,300 years.