In the September 11, 2011 issue of this paper, a reporter quoted a Muslim as saying, “Many people are surprised to learn that Allah means God – the same God of the Bible.” While I am happy that Muslims are willing to openly discuss their religious beliefs, they, like me and others, are obligated to represent their subjects accurately. While it may be true that Muslims believe the “Allah” of Islam to be the same as the “God” of the Bible, this is NOT what the Quran teaches.
According to the Bible, “God” is not merely one person, but an actual state of being. This is the meaning of the term “Godhead” or “Godhood” which is found in Acts 17:29; Romans 1:20 and Colossians 2:9. The Bible repeatedly uses plural pronouns for God (“Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness” – Genesis 1:26; see also Genesis 3:22 and 11:7). “Elohim,” the very common Old Testament word for “God” is PLURAL. According to the Bible, “God” exists in the form of three distinct persons: They are, God, the Father (John 1:1), God, the Son (John 1:1, 14), and God, the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3, 4).
The Quran teaches just the opposite. It teaches that “Allah” is the ONLY person of God, and it condemns the “associating” of other persons of deity with Allah. For example, the Quran says, “Allah forgiveth not the sin of joining partners to him” (4:116; 46, 36). The following passage shows clearly that Allah and God are not the same: The Quran says, “Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) an apostle of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and His apostles. Say not “Trinity” : desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is one Allah. Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son” (4:171). Notice that the Quran says that “Allah” has no son, and it is sinful for one to affirm that he does! Since the “God” of the Bible DOES have a Son (see John 3:16), then it is impossible for the “Allah” of the Quran to be the “God” of the Bible! In fact, the Quran says, “In blasphemy indeed who say that Allah is Christ the son of Mary” (Quran 5:17). So, according to the Quran, one is guilty of blasphemy if he calls Jesus “God.” Of course, Colossians 2:9 says of Jesus that, “In Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead in bodily form.” The Quran tells Muslims to “turn aside from those who join partners with Allah” (Quran 6:106). I could go on and on with such citations, but these will suffice to make the point.
In closing, I have no personal animosity against Muslims, and sincerely hope that such open dialogue will lead to further study.