new church life: jan uary/february 2016
Muslims believe that man cannot see God in this life, as Moses was not
permitted to see God (Quran 7:143), but that they will be able to see Him in
heaven on the Day of Resurrection.
Does the name Allah originate from pre-Islamic idol worship?
The Arabic word Allah (the God) is closely related to the Scriptural
Hebrew El, Elohim and Eloah, and to the Scriptural Aramaic Elah, used in the
book of Daniel. Other Semitic words for God are thousands of years old, and
undoubtedly came from the Ancient Church:
“This Noachian or Ancient Church was diffused throughout Asia . . . and also into
Arabia.” (Coronis 39)
Arab Christians were using the word Allah for God before the rise of
Islam.
Is the Quran to some extent based on the Old and New Testaments, as the
Writings say?
“The religious principle with the Mohammedans was in some respect taken from the
Word of both Testaments.” (Apocalypse Explained 1177; see also Divine Providence
25)
“He has sent down the Book to you with truth, confirming what came before it. And
He sent down the Torah and the Gospel.” (Quran 3:3)
The God of the Quran is the God of Aaron, Abraham, Adam, Caleb,
David, Eber, Elijah, Elishah, Enoch, Ezekiel, Isaac, Ishmael, Jethro, Jesus, Job,
John the Baptist, Jonah, Joseph, Joshua, Lot, Mary, Moses, Noah, Samuel,
Saul, Solomon, the Sons of Jacob, Terah and Zechariah. Not exactly a foreign,
idolatrous god, from a Judeo-Christian perspective.
There is no question that God as portrayed in the Quran would not fit in
with New Church doctrine: He is Most Merciful to those who worship Him
alone, and burns in hell fire for all eternity those who worship anyone but
Him. But to say that He is not the God of the Old Testament seems wrong.
The God of the Quran in fact appears to be a consummate example of God
presented in the Old Testament.
4. Are the Heavenly Doctrines correct in stating that from the Quran
Muslims acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God?
“The Mohammedan religion acknowledges the Lord as the Son of God.” (Divine
Providence 255)
Does the Quran agree?
“ . . . and the Christians say, The Messiah is the son of God! That is the saying in their
mouths; they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. The curse of Allah be
upon them! How they are turned away from the truth!” (9:30-33; see also 19:88 and
19:92)
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