DEBATE FORMAT: CHRISTIAN VS.

MUSLIM APOLOGETICS

1. Opening Statements (5–10 mins each)

Christian Opening (You):

 Purpose: Set a clear tone of respect and present your foundational

beliefs.

 Include:

o God’s nature (Trinity: One God, three persons)

o The identity and deity of Jesus Christ

o The Bible as God's Word

o The Gospel: salvation by grace through faith in Christ

o Invitation to focus on truth, not attack

Sample Statement:

“As a Christian, I believe that God is one in essence and three in person—
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I believe that Jesus Christ, fully God and fully
man, died for our sins and rose again. I believe the Bible is the inspired
and preserved Word of God. My goal today is not to attack Islam, but to
share the truth as revealed in Christ and supported by Scripture.”

Muslim Opening (Expected):

 Tawheed (absolute monotheism)

 Jesus is a prophet, not divine

 The Qur'an is the final revelation

 Muhammad is the seal of the prophets

2. Main Argument Sections (with responses)

Organize your points by major themes:

I. God’s Nature: Tawheed vs. Trinity

Christian Claim: God is one in being, yet three in persons (Matt. 28:19,
John 1:1–3, John 14:16–17)

Muslim Objection: The Trinity is polytheism.

Response:
  Use analogies carefully (e.g., sun: light, heat, star).

 Clarify ontological unity—not three gods, but one God in three

persons.

 Show OT allusions (Genesis 1:26 “Let us make man…”).

 Emphasize: the Trinity is revealed, not invented.

Scripture:

 Deut 6:4 vs. Matt 28:19

 John 10:30 – "I and the Father are one."

II. Jesus: Prophet or God?

Christian Claim: Jesus is the eternal Son of God (John 1:1, John 20:28,
Col. 2:9)

Muslim Objection: Jesus never said “I am God, worship me.”

Response:

 John 8:58 – “Before Abraham was, I AM.”

 Jesus accepted worship (Matt. 14:33, John 9:38).

 Thomas said “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28) – Jesus didn’t
rebuke him.

 Only God forgives sin—Jesus forgave sin (Mark 2:5–7).

 Jesus is more than a prophet; he is Immanuel—God with us (Matt.

1:23).

III. Bible vs. Qur’an: Preservation and Reliability

Christian Claim: The Bible is historically reliable, preserved, and God’s

true Word.

Muslim Objection: The Bible is corrupted; the Qur’an corrects it.

Response:

 Manuscript evidence: 5,800+ Greek NT manuscripts vs. ~1 early

Qur’an.

 Dead Sea Scrolls support OT integrity.

 Jesus confirmed the Torah and Prophets (Matt. 5:17–18).

  Qur’an (Surah 5:47, 10:94) tells Christians to judge by the Gospel
and seek those who read the previous Scriptures.

Ask:

“If the Bible was corrupted, when and where did that happen? Can you
prove it historically?”

IV. Salvation: Grace vs. Works

Christian Claim: Salvation is by grace through faith, not by works (Eph.

2:8–9, Titus 3:5).

Muslim View: Allah saves based on scales of good and bad deeds.

Response:

 No assurance in Islam—even Muhammad didn’t know his fate (Surah

46:9).

 In Christianity, Jesus paid the full price (John 19:30).

 Gospel = Good News, not good advice.

 Rom. 5:8 – “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Ask:

“Can a just and holy God simply forgive without punishment? Where is the
justice in overlooking sin without atonement?”

3. Cross-Examination (Mutual Questions)

This is where you ask direct but respectful questions.

Questions You Can Ask:

 Why does the Qur’an affirm the Gospel but contradict its core
teachings?

 If Jesus wasn’t crucified, why did early non-Christian historians (e.g.

Tacitus, Josephus) affirm that he was?

 How can you be sure of salvation in Islam?

Be prepared to answer:

 Why do Christians believe God became man?

 Why does God need to die to forgive?

  Isn’t the Trinity a contradiction?

4. Rebuttals

Use this phase to respond to specific claims made by your opponent.

Strategy:

 Be calm, focused, and Scripture-based.

 Correct misrepresentations of your belief.

 Show logical inconsistencies in Islamic claims.

Example:

If the Qur’an claims to affirm the Bible, but disagrees with it, then either
the Bible is false (which contradicts the Qur’an) or the Qur’an
misinterprets the Bible.

5. Closing Statements (3–5 mins)

End with grace and conviction:

 Emphasize God's love and offer of salvation.

 Reaffirm Jesus' identity and resurrection.

 Gently challenge them to seek truth sincerely.

Sample Closing:

“I believe Jesus is the Son of God who died and rose to offer you life—not
religion, but a relationship with the living God. I invite you to read the
Gospels and ask God to show you the truth. If Jesus is truly who He
claimed to be, your eternity depends on how you respond to Him.”

🧠 TIPS FOR CHRISTIAN DEBATERS

 Be humble and respectful (1 Peter 3:15)

 Know your Scripture well

 Anticipate common Muslim arguments: textual corruption, Trinity

denial, Jesus as only a prophet

 Don’t mock Islam—focus on proclaiming Christ

 Keep returning to Jesus’ identity and the resurrection

Would you like a printable version of this format, or tailored arguments for
a specific topic (e.g. "Was Jesus crucified?" or "Is Muhammad foretold in
the Bible")?

TOPIC: Is the Qur’an Authentically the Word of God?

🔹 Muslim Claim:

The Qur’an is the literal, unaltered Word of God (Allah), revealed to

Muhammad in perfect Arabic, preserved without error since the 7th
century.

🔹 Christian Response Framework:

1. The Qur’an Was Not Compiled During Muhammad’s Lifetime

🧾 Key Points:

 Muhammad did not leave a written Qur’an.

 After his death in 632 AD, followers disagreed on which verses to

include.

 The Qur’an was compiled under Caliph Uthman (~20 years after
Muhammad died).

 Uthman burned other versions to standardize one version—why

burn God’s Word?

📖 Historical Sources:

 Sahih al-Bukhari (Vol. 6, Book 61, Hadith 510–512): Talks about

Uthman collecting the Qur’an and burning other copies.

 Islamic scholars admit early variant readings existed (e.g., Hafs

vs. Warsh, Ibn Masud’s version).

❓Ask Muslims:

If the Qur’an was perfectly preserved, why did Uthman have to destroy
other versions?

2. Variant Readings and Versions Exist

🧾 Key Points:

 There are multiple Qur’anic readings (Qira'at) with word-for-

word and sometimes meaning-changing differences.
  The Hafs version is used in most of the Muslim world today, but
Warsh is used in parts of Africa. They differ in words and grammar.

⚠️Example:

Surah 2:184

 Hafs: "a ransom of feeding a poor person"

 Warsh: "a ransom of feeding poor people"

❓Ask:

How can the Qur’an be unchangeable if different versions are still read
today?

3. No Original Manuscript (Codex) from Muhammad’s Time Exists

🧾 Key Points:

 The earliest known Qur’ans (e.g., the Sanaa Manuscript in Yemen)

show corrections, erasures, and palimpsests (text written over
earlier text).

 These manuscripts contradict the claim of a perfectly preserved

text.

🔍 Reference:

 The Sanaa manuscript (dated to the 7th–8th century) includes

variants from today’s Qur’an.

 Academic studies (e.g., by Gerd Puin) confirm textual evolution.

4. Logical Inconsistencies in the Qur’an

🧾 Key Points:

 Internal contradictions (e.g., creation in 6 days vs. 8 days — Surah

7:54 vs. Surah 41:9–12).

 Historical errors:

o Haman in Egypt with Pharaoh (Surah 28:6)—but Haman is a

Persian name from the book of Esther.

o Alexander the Great (Dhul-Qarnayn) sees the sun setting in a

muddy spring (Surah 18:86).

❓Ask:
How can a perfect book from God contain historical and logical errors?

5. Borrowed Stories from Jewish and Christian Traditions

🧾 Key Points:

 Many stories in the Qur’an are altered versions of Jewish Midrash

and Christian apocryphal texts.

 These were not part of inspired Scripture, yet appear in the

Qur’an (e.g., Jesus speaking as a baby—also in the Arabic Infancy
Gospel).

❓Ask:

Why does the Qur’an include material from non-biblical, legendary Jewish
and Christian sources?

6. The Qur’an Affirms the Bible but Contradicts It

🧾 Key Points:

 Qur’an affirms the Torah, Psalms, and Gospel (Surah 3:3, 5:47,
10:94).

 Yet it contradicts core biblical doctrines like Jesus' divinity and

crucifixion.

 If the Bible was corrupted, the Qur’an gives no historical proof

and commands Christians to follow it.

❓Ask:

If God’s Word cannot be changed (Surah 6:34), and the Bible is His Word,
why do Muslims claim it is corrupted?

 The Qur’an was compiled after Muhammad with human

intervention.

 It contains textual variants, borrowed stories, and historical

contradictions.

 Its affirmation of the Bible while contradicting it is logically

inconsistent.

 Therefore, it cannot be the final, perfect revelation of God.

Here are some notable apocryphal (non-canonical) Jewish and Christian
texts that the Qur’an appears to borrow or reflect stories from,
often with clear parallels in wording or theme—despite these texts not
being part of the Bible and widely regarded as legends or fabrications by
both Jews and Christians.

📚 Apocryphal Texts Reflected in the Qur’an

1. The Infancy Gospel of Thomas (2nd Century AD)

➡️Qur’anic Parallel: Jesus creating birds from clay

 Infancy Gospel of Thomas (Greek Text A, ch. 2):

"Jesus molded 12 sparrows out of clay... He clapped his hands and cried to
the sparrows: 'Go!' And the sparrows took flight..."

 Qur’an (Surah 3:49):

“...I create for you out of clay the likeness of a bird. Then I breathe into it
and it becomes a bird by Allah’s permission…”

🔍 Problem: This miracle is not in the Bible, but only found in a rejected
apocryphal text from centuries after Christ.

2. The Arabic Infancy Gospel (likely 6th Century)

➡️Qur’anic Parallel: Jesus speaking from the cradle

 Arabic Infancy Gospel (ch. 1–2):

“Jesus spoke, and said, ‘I am Jesus, the Son of God, the Word…’”

 Qur’an (Surah 19:29–30):

“…He [Jesus] said: ‘I am indeed a servant of Allah. He has given me the

Scripture and made me a prophet…’”

🔍 Problem: The canonical gospels do not include infant speech. The

Arabic Infancy Gospel was never considered inspired.

3. The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew

➡️Qur’anic Parallel: Mary feeding from a palm tree during childbirth

 Pseudo-Matthew (ch. 20):

“…Then Mary, seeing the palm, said to Joseph: ‘I wish I could rest a little in
its shade, and eat some of its fruit.’ And lo, the palm lowered itself…”

 Qur’an (Surah 19:22–26):

“...She cried out... [a voice said] ‘Shake the trunk of the palm tree... it will
drop fresh dates upon you.’”

🔍 Problem: This account of Mary under the palm tree during Jesus' birth
does not appear in any biblical text.

4. The Testament of Abraham (1st–2nd Century Jewish Apocrypha)

➡️Qur’anic Parallel: Weighing of deeds on scales

 Testament of Abraham (Recension A, ch. 12–14):

Describes souls being judged with a scale; righteous enter Paradise;

wicked go to punishment.

 Qur’an (Surah 101:6–9):

“Then as for one whose scales are heavy [with good deeds], he will be in a
pleasant life. But as for one whose scales are light, his refuge will be an
abyss.”

🔍 Problem: The scale imagery is not found in the Torah or Gospel but in
Jewish apocalyptic folklore.

5. The Talmud / Midrash (Rabbinic commentaries and oral

traditions)

➡️Qur’anic Parallel: Cain and Abel with the burial by a raven

 Talmud / Midrash (Genesis Rabbah 22:8):

After Cain kills Abel, he doesn’t know how to bury him. He sees a raven
burying its mate, so he does the same.

 Qur’an (Surah 5:31):

“Then Allah sent a raven scratching the ground to show him how to hide
the disgrace of his brother…”

🔍 Problem: This is from Jewish oral tradition, not Scripture.

❗ Why This Matters

The Qur’an claims to be the direct and eternal Word of God, yet it
includes content from folklore, late apocrypha, and man-made
legends that originated long after the events they describe.

As Christians, we affirm:

 The Bible was written by eyewitnesses or those closely associated

with them.

 Apocryphal texts were rejected for being unreliable, false, or

theologically inconsistent.

 God does not confuse His Word with later uninspired myths.

6. The Cave of Treasures (Syriac Christian Text, ~3rd–4th Century)

➡️Qur’anic Parallel: Adam and Eve’s fall and weeping on earth

 Cave of Treasures: Describes Adam and Eve's fall, weeping for 40

days, and longing to return to Paradise.

 Qur’an (Surah 2:36–37; 7:23–25): Adam and Eve disobey, are

sent to earth, ask forgiveness, and are told to live there temporarily.

🔍 Note: Though similar to Genesis, the tone, additions, and order in the
Qur’an often align more closely with the Cave of Treasures than the
Hebrew Bible.

7. The Gospel of Barnabas (Medieval Forgery, likely 14th–16th

Century)

➡️Qur’anic Parallel: Jesus not crucified, Judas crucified in his place

 Gospel of Barnabas: Claims Jesus was not crucified, but taken to

heaven and someone else (Judas) was made to look like him.

 Qur’an (Surah 4:157–158):

“They did not kill him, nor crucify him, but it appeared so to them…”

🔍 Problem: All early Christian sources affirm the crucifixion; Barnabas is

widely recognized as a fraudulent, late forgery with Islamic elements.
8. The Legends of the Jews (compiled by Louis Ginzberg, based on
Midrash)

➡️Qur’anic Parallel: Solomon talking to animals and commanding jinn

 Jewish Midrashic Legends: Describe Solomon’s magical control

over animals, spirits (shedim), and wind.

 Qur’an (Surah 27:16–18; 34:12–14): Solomon speaks to ants,

commands birds, jinn, and wind.

🔍 Problem: The biblical record shows Solomon as wise, but not magical.
These embellishments come from later Jewish legends, not Scripture.

9. The Protoevangelium of James (2nd Century Christian

Apocrypha)

➡️Qur’anic Parallel: Mary’s upbringing in the temple

 Protoevangelium of James (ch. 7–8): Mary is raised in the

temple from age 3, fed by angels.

 Qur’an (Surah 3:35–37): Mary is dedicated to the temple and

miraculously provided for.

🔍 Note: While the canonical Bible is silent about Mary's childhood, this
legend fits precisely with the Qur'anic narrative—suggesting borrowing.

10. The Life of Adam and Eve (Apocalypse of Moses) (~1st

Century Jewish Apocrypha)

➡️Qur’anic Parallel: Satan refusing to bow to Adam

 Life of Adam and Eve: Satan refuses to worship Adam and is cast
down.

 Qur’an (Surah 7:11–12; 15:28–31): Allah commands angels to

bow to Adam; Iblis refuses out of pride.

🔍 Problem: The Bible says only God is to be worshipped—this whole

scene is absent from Genesis but found in Jewish mystical texts.

11. Second Targum of Esther (Jewish Aramaic Paraphrase)

➡️Qur’anic Parallel: Haman as Pharaoh’s official

  Targum of Esther: A later Jewish commentary that blends Haman
with other historical figures.

 Qur’an (Surah 28:6; 29:39; 40:24): Haman appears as a minister

of Pharaoh in Egypt—an anachronism.

🔍 Problem: Historically, Haman served under King Xerxes in Persia—

1,000 years after Pharaoh and Moses. This mistake is likely from
oral Jewish legends, not inspired Scripture.

🚨 Summary: Why This Matters

If the Qur’an is eternally preserved and directly from God, why does
it:

 Mirror late apocryphal legends, many of which are demonstrably

false, ahistorical, or mythological?

 Rely on oral traditions circulating in Arabia and not first-century

or earlier Scripture?

 Show no awareness of canon boundaries between Scripture and

legend?

🔥 Debate Questions You Can Ask

1. Why does the Qur’an contain exact stories from apocryphal texts
that were rejected by both Jews and Christians?

2. Can a book inspired by God include fables and mistakes from

earlier legends?

3. If the Qur’an was revealed in the 7th century, but these stories
already existed before, how do you explain the direction of
influence?

1. The Crucifixion Denial

✅ Islam denies the crucifixion of Jesus (Qur'an 4:157)

🔍 All historical records (Christian, Jewish, Roman) affirm it happened. Even
skeptical historians agree.

📖 Qur’an 4:157:

“They did not kill him, nor crucify him, but it appeared so to them…”
🧠 Ask: “Why does the Qur’an deny a historically established event when
even non-Christians affirm it?”

2. False Prophecies in the Qur’an

✅ The Qur’an makes predictions that didn’t come true.

🔍 Example: Surah 30:2–4 predicts the Romans will defeat the Persians
within 3 to 9 years (bidhʿ sinīn). Some debate the dating.

But more crucially:

 Surah 54:1 claims the moon was split in Muhammad’s time.

📖 Qur’an 54:1:

“The Hour has come near, and the moon has split.”

🔍 No record from Roman, Persian, Indian, Chinese, or African astronomers

exists for a visible global lunar split.

🧠 Ask: “Why did no one else in the world record such a cosmic miracle if it
truly happened?”

3. The Doctrine of Abrogation (Naskh)

✅ The Qur’an allows cancelling previous verses by later ones.

📖 Qur’an 2:106:

“Whatever verse We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring one

better than it or similar to it.”

🔍 This contradicts God’s immutability (Malachi 3:6; Psalm 119:89).

🧠 Ask: “Why would an all-knowing God change His eternal Word?”

4. Theological Errors in the Qur’an

✅ The Qur’an misunderstands basic Christian theology.

 Claims Christians believe in a Trinity of God, Jesus, and Mary.

📖 Surah 5:116:

“Did you say to people, ‘Take me and my mother as gods besides Allah’?”

🔍 Christians have never believed Mary is part of the Trinity.

🧠 Ask: “How can the Qur’an be divine if it misrepresents Christian belief?”

5. Moral Failings of Muhammad

✅ Muhammad’s actions contradict Christian and even basic moral values:

 Polygamy (11+ wives), including Aisha, married at 6,

consummated at 9 (Sahih Bukhari 5133).

 Raidings & executions of Jewish tribes like Banu Qurayza.

 Sex with slave women (Surah 33:50; 70:30).

🧠 Ask: “Is this the moral model for all humanity?”

6. Contradictions in the Qur’an

✅ The Qur’an contains internal contradictions.

Examples:

 Creation in 6 days vs. 8 days

o Surah 7:54 – 6 days

o Surah 41:9–12 – if you add the days, it gives 8.

 No compulsion in religion vs. commands to fight unbelievers:

o Surah 2:256 – “No compulsion in religion”

o Surah 9:5 – “Slay the idolaters wherever you find them…”

🧠 Ask: “Can a perfect book contain contradictions or inconsistencies?”

7. Lack of Historical Witnesses to Qur'anic Events

✅ Many stories in the Qur’an (e.g., Jesus speaking in the cradle, Pharaoh
building towers with Haman in Egypt, Mary’s birth in the temple) are
unattested in any credible history.

🧠 Ask: “Why do these stories only appear in the Qur’an but nowhere in
reliable history?”

8. The Problem of Arabic Exclusivity

✅ Islam claims the Qur’an cannot be translated without losing its divinity.

🧠 Ask: “Why would the eternal Word of God be bound to a single language
(Arabic), making it inaccessible to most of the world?”
Compare to Christianity: The Bible is translated into thousands of
languages, and Jesus spoke Aramaic, not Greek—yet His message
transcends language.

9. The Transmission of the Qur’an

✅ The Qur’an is claimed to be perfectly preserved, yet:

 Early Qur’ans (Sana’a manuscripts) show variant readings.

 Uthman’s burning of other versions (Hadiths confirm this)

shows editorial control, not divine preservation.

📖 Sahih al-Bukhari 4987:

Uthman ordered burning of all other Qur’ans except his version.

🧠 Ask: “If God promised to preserve His word, why were multiple versions
burned?”

10. Salvation in Islam vs. Christianity

✅ In Islam, salvation is by works and Allah’s unpredictable will (Surah

4:48). In Christianity, it's by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8–9).

🧠 Ask: “How can you be sure of paradise in Islam? Can you ever have
assurance?”

🔥 Final Strategy: Questions, Not Just Claims

Always debate respectfully, using questions like:

 “How do you know the Qur’an is divine?”

 “Do you believe the Bible was corrupted? When? Where’s the
evidence?”

 “Why would Allah deny Jesus’ death if it’s historically undeniable?”

 “Why does the Qur’an contain stories from false gospels?”

 “Can God contradict Himself or change His mind?”

11. The Qur'an’s Use of Pre-Islamic Pagan Practices

✅ Many Islamic rituals come from pre-Islamic paganism, not divine

revelation.
  Black Stone in Kaaba: Venerated before Islam by pagan Arabs.

 Tawaf (circumambulating the Kaaba) was already a pagan

practice.

 Al-Lat, Al-Uzza, and Manat (Surah 53:19–20) were pre-Islamic

Arabian goddesses.

🔍 The Satanic Verses Incident:

 Early Islamic sources (al-Tabari, Ibn Sa’d) claim Muhammad once

spoke verses honoring these pagan deities—later claimed to be from
Satan and abrogated.

🧠 Ask: “How could a true prophet momentarily speak words from Satan
and later say they were from God?”

12. Scientific Errors in the Qur’an

✅ The Qur’an makes scientifically incorrect claims:

A. Embryology (Surah 23:14):

“We created the drop into a clot (‘alaqah’), then the clot into a lump, then
bones, and then clothed bones with flesh…”

🔍 This does not align with modern embryology (flesh forms alongside
bones, not after).

B. Sunset in a Muddy Spring (Surah 18:86):

Dhu’l-Qarnayn “found it [the sun] setting in a muddy spring.”

🧠 Ask: “Is this poetic or literal? If literal, how can the sun set in a spring?”

C. Seven Earths/Heavens (Surah 65:12):

“Allah created seven heavens and of the earth the like thereof…”

🔍 There is no geological evidence for seven Earths stacked like the

heavens.

13. Contradictions in God’s Nature in Islam

✅ Islam teaches Allah is unknowable and wholly transcendent (Surah

112), yet also arbitrary and capricious:

 He forgives whom He wills, punishes whom He wills—even without

justice (Surah 5:40).
Contrast with Christianity:

“God is love… faithful and just to forgive…” (1 John 4:8, 1:9)

🧠 Ask: “Can an unjust or unpredictable god be trustworthy or worthy of

worship?”

14. The Qur’an’s Dependence on Oral Legends

✅ Scholars have shown the Qur’an absorbed:

 Talmudic Jewish tales

 Gnostic Christian fables

 Syriac homilies

 Hindu and Zoroastrian influence (concepts of paradise, hell,

judgment)

🔍 Example: Surah 18 – the Sleepers of the Cave = Based on a Syriac

Christian legend “The Seven Sleepers of Ephesus.”

🧠 Ask: “Why does a supposedly divine revelation rely on recycled

legends?”

15. Islam’s Changing Qibla (Direction of Prayer)

✅ Early Muslims prayed toward Jerusalem, not Mecca (Surah 2:144).

🧠 Ask: “Why did God change the Qibla if Mecca was always the holiest
place?”

🔍 Early mosques (like in Petra, Jordan) actually point northwest, not

toward Mecca—suggesting the original Qibla was not Mecca.

16. Islam’s View of the Bible as Corrupted Is Baseless

✅ Muslims claim the Bible was corrupted, but:

 The Qur’an itself affirms the Torah and Gospel multiple times:

o Surah 3:3 – “He revealed the Torah and the Gospel…”

o Surah 5:47 – “Let the people of the Gospel judge by what Allah
has revealed therein…”

🔍 No early Qur’anic text mentions a “corruption” of the Bible before

Muhammad.
🧠 Ask: “If the Gospel was corrupted, when? Where’s the proof? And why
does the Qur’an affirm it?”

17. No Miracles by Muhammad

✅ Unlike Jesus, Muhammad performed no verifiable miracles—despite

Qur’an claims of past prophets doing so.

 Surah 17:90–93 records people asking for miracles, but Muhammad

declines, saying he is only a “warner.”

🧠 Ask: “Why should we follow a prophet who offered no divine sign or

miracle?”

18. The Qur’an’s Structure Lacks Coherence

✅ The Qur’an is not chronological or thematic.

 It jumps abruptly between topics with no narrative arc.

 Scholars (e.g., John Wansbrough) argue that it lacks organic unity

compared to the Bible.

🧠 Ask: “Why would a perfect book lack logical order or structure?”

19. Textual Variants in the Qur’an

✅ Muslim scholars now acknowledge different Ahruf (versions) and

Qira’at (readings) of the Qur’an.

 Ibn Mas’ud and Ubayy ibn Ka’b had different surahs and verses in
their copies.

 Hafs version (most common today) was standardized by

Egyptian government in 1924—not by divine act.

🧠 Ask: “If the Qur’an is ‘unchanged’, why were versions different and some
verses omitted?”

20. Islam's View of Women

✅ The Qur’an gives women inferior status:

 Polygyny (Surah 4:3)

 Men are ‘a degree’ above women (Surah 2:228)

  Beating disobedient wives (Surah 4:34)

 Women’s testimony is worth half a man’s (Surah 2:282)

🧠 Ask: “Can a truly just God treat men and women unequally in worth and
testimony?”

🟩 1. “Where did Jesus say ‘I am God, worship me’?”

Muslim Argument:
Jesus never claimed to be God explicitly, so Christians invented His
divinity.

Rebuttal:

✅ Jesus did claim divinity—clearly and repeatedly—but in a Jewish

context.

John 8:58 — “Before Abraham was, I AM.”

➤ He used the divine name of Yahweh (Exodus 3:14). The Jews tried to
stone Him for blasphemy—a reaction they would not have had if He
meant something lesser.

✅ John 10:30 — “I and the Father are one.”

Again, the Jews pick up stones (v. 33): “because you, a mere man, claim
to be God.”

🧠 Ask: Why did Jesus' audience accuse Him of blasphemy if He never

claimed divinity?

🟩 2. “The Bible is corrupted. Where is the original gospel?”

Muslim Argument:
The Injil (Gospel) revealed to Jesus is lost. The New Testament is not that
Injil.

Rebuttal:

✅ The Qur’an never claims the Bible was corrupted in text, only possibly
misunderstood or misapplied:

 Surah 5:47 — “Let the People of the Gospel judge by what Allah has
revealed therein.”

 Surah 10:94 — “If you are in doubt… ask those who have been
reading the Book before you.”
✅ There is no historical record of Bible corruption before or after
Muhammad.

 We have complete manuscripts from before Islam (e.g., Codex

Vaticanus, 4th century).

 Gospel message remained the same.

🧠 Ask: Why would Allah ask Christians to refer to a “corrupted” text in

Surah 5:47?

🟩 3. “Jesus never died—he was raised without crucifixion!”

Muslim Argument:
Surah 4:157 — “They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but it was
made to appear to them.”

Rebuttal:

✅ All early historical sources agree Jesus was crucified:

 Roman historian Tacitus, Jewish historian Josephus, and early

Christian writings (Paul’s epistles, 1st century) affirm the crucifixion.

✅ The Qur’an was written 600 years later without eyewitnesses.

 Islam adopts a Gnostic heresy (Docetism), not rooted in history.

🧠 Ask: Why trust a 7th-century source over multiple 1st-century

eyewitnesses—Christian, Jewish, and Roman?

🟩 4. “Jesus was only a prophet, like Muhammad. He never claimed

more.”

Muslim Argument:
Jesus did miracles by permission of God, not as God Himself.

Rebuttal:

✅ Jesus forgave sins (Mark 2:5–7) — something only God can do.

✅ He accepted worship (Matthew 14:33, 28:17; John 9:38) — prophets

always reject worship (Revelation 22:9).

✅ Jesus said:

John 14:6 — “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through me.”
🧠 Ask: Would a mere prophet allow others to worship him and claim to be
the only way to God?

🟩 5. “If Christianity is true, why did Jesus pray to God?”

Muslim Argument:
If Jesus is God, why does He pray? Is He praying to Himself?

Rebuttal:

✅ Jesus is fully God and fully man (Philippians 2:6–8). As man, He

submitted to the Father—showing us how to pray.

✅ Jesus’ prayers reflect Trinitarian unity, not separation:

John 17:5 — “Father, glorify me… with the glory I had with you before the
world began.”

🧠 Ask: Does praying as a human negate one’s divine nature? If so, why do
Muslims believe Muhammad prayed? Was he not a prophet?

🟩 6. “How can God become a man? Isn’t that blasphemy?”

Muslim Argument:
God is too holy to take on human form.

Rebuttal:

✅ God can do all things consistent with His nature. Taking on flesh is
not corruption—it’s condescension out of love.

✅ Even in the Qur’an, Allah speaks through fire (Surah 27:8), and creates
from dust—so why limit God?

✅ In the Bible:

John 1:14 — “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”

🧠 Ask: If God is almighty, can He not enter His creation if He chooses?

🟩 7. “The Trinity is illogical. 1+1+1 ≠ 1.”

Muslim Argument:
The Trinity is polytheism disguised.

Rebuttal:
✅ The Trinity is not three gods, but one Being in three Persons—not
mathematical parts, but relational Persons.

✅ Think of dimensions:

 1 triangle = 3 corners

 1 family = father, mother, child

 1 God = Father, Son, Spirit

✅ The Bible never teaches tritheism:

Deuteronomy 6:4 — “The LORD is One.”

Matthew 28:19 — “Baptizing in the name [singular] of the Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit.”

🧠 Ask: Do you believe God’s nature is beyond full human comprehension?

If so, why reject the Trinity for being mysterious?

🟩 8. “The Qur’an is perfect and unchanged—unlike your Bible.”

Muslim Argument:
The Qur’an has no contradictions or variants.

Rebuttal:

✅ There are at least 7 Qira’at (readings), and early Qur’ans differed:

 Ibn Mas’ud omitted Surah 1 and Surah 113–114.

 Ubayy’s codex included extra surahs.

 Uthman had to burn variant Qur’ans to enforce one version.

✅ Even Islamic scholars (e.g., Yasir Qadhi) admit “holes in the

narrative.”

🧠 Ask: If the Qur’an is unchanged, why were early companions using

different versions?

🟩 9. “Muhammad is the final prophet. Why don’t you accept him?”

Muslim Argument:
The Bible foretold Muhammad’s coming (Deut 18:18, John 14:16).

Rebuttal:

✅ Deut 18:18 refers to a Jewish prophet, not an Arab (see Deut 18:15–
22). Jesus fulfilled it perfectly.
✅ John 14:16 speaks of the Holy Spirit, not a man:

 Spirit “will be in you” (v. 17)

 “He will be with you forever” (v. 16)

 “The world cannot see Him” — not fitting a man like Muhammad

🧠 Ask: If Muhammad was predicted, why is he never clearly named or

described in the Bible like Jesus was?

🟩 10. “How can God die? If Jesus died, who was ruling the
universe?”

Muslim Argument:
God is eternal—He cannot die. Jesus’ death disproves His divinity.

Rebuttal:

✅ Christians do not believe God ceased to exist. Jesus, in His human

nature, experienced death.

His divine nature is immortal (1 Timothy 1:17).

✅ Think of it like this: A king can remove his crown and still remain
king. Jesus took on mortality to defeat death.

John 10:18 — “No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down… and take
it up again.”

🧠 Ask: Do you believe God is powerful enough to experience death and

conquer it—if it saves humanity?

🟩 11. “Why didn’t Jesus write the Bible Himself like Muhammad
with the Qur’an?”

Muslim Argument:
If Jesus was God, why didn’t He leave a written book?

Rebuttal:

✅ Jesus didn’t come to write a book. He came to die, rise, and build His
Church. He commissioned eyewitnesses to record His life (John 14:26,
Luke 1:1–4).

✅ Moses also didn’t write every word in the Torah—others recorded events
under divine inspiration.
✅ Even in the Qur’an, Muhammad’s scribes wrote for him (Zayd ibn Thabit,
etc.).

🧠 Ask: If Muhammad didn’t personally write the Qur’an either, why expect
that of Jesus?

🟩 12. “If Jesus is the Son of God, does that mean God had sex with
Mary?”

Muslim Argument:
This idea sounds offensive and blasphemous.

Rebuttal:

✅ Christians do not believe in a physical, sexual act.

“Son of God” refers to divine nature and relationship, not literal

procreation.

✅ Luke 1:35 — “The Holy Spirit will come upon you… the child will be
called the Son of God.”

✅ Even the Qur’an calls Jesus “His Word and Spirit from Him” (Surah
4:171). That’s a title far beyond a normal prophet.

🧠 Ask: If the Qur’an calls Jesus “Word of God” and “Spirit from Him,”
doesn’t that suggest something unique about Him?

🟩 13. “Why are there so many contradictions in your Bible?”

Muslim Argument:
Different Gospels say different things. That proves error.

Rebuttal:

✅ Variations in eyewitness accounts do not equal contradictions—they

reflect authenticity:

Just like four witnesses to a car crash may give different angles, the
Gospels complement each other.

✅ The core message never changes:

 Jesus lived sinlessly,

 died on the cross,

 rose again.
✅ Also, the Qur’an itself has narrative differences, especially with the
Bible (e.g., Pharaoh’s magicians believing in Moses in Surah 7 but not in
Exodus).

🧠 Ask: Do multiple perspectives strengthen or weaken credibility? Why is

this standard not applied to the Qur’an?

🟩 14. “Why do Christians eat pork and drink alcohol?”

Muslim Argument:
Jesus was a Jew. Jews avoided pork. Why don’t you?

Rebuttal:

✅ The dietary laws were fulfilled and ended with Christ:

Mark 7:19 — “Jesus declared all foods clean.”

Acts 10 — God shows Peter a vision that Gentiles are clean, and so is
food.

✅ Christianity is not about rituals—but about spiritual rebirth (Romans

14:17).

🧠 Ask: Isn’t what comes out of a man more important than what goes in
(Mark 7:20–23)?

🟩 15. “Why are there so many denominations in Christianity?”

Muslim Argument:
If Christianity is true, why is it so divided?

Rebuttal:

✅ Diversity in non-essential doctrines (baptism, worship styles, etc.)

does not equal disunity in the Gospel.

✅ All major Christian groups agree on:

 the divinity of Jesus,

 His death and resurrection,

 salvation by grace.

✅ Islam also has divisions (Sunni, Shia, Ahmadiyya, Sufi, etc.).

🧠 Ask: Should human division negate divine truth? Does Muslim division
invalidate Islam?
🟩 16. “Why does the Bible call Jesus the ‘Son of Man’ more than
‘Son of God’?”

Muslim Argument:
This proves He’s human only.

Rebuttal:

✅ “Son of Man” is a Messianic divine title from Daniel 7:13–14—a

figure who comes in the clouds to receive eternal dominion.

✅ Jesus applied it to Himself over 80 times to show He was the divine

Messiah who would judge the world.

🧠 Ask: Have you read Daniel 7? Who else fits the Son of Man description
except Jesus?

🟩 17. “Jesus’ mission failed. The Jews rejected Him.”

Muslim Argument:
If He was God, why didn’t He succeed?

Rebuttal:

✅ Jesus' mission was not to rule politically, but to offer salvation

through His death and resurrection.

✅ Isaiah 53 prophesied the Messiah would be rejected, pierced, and

crushed, yet His death would justify many.

✅ Jesus succeeded by rising from the dead—conquering sin and death.

🧠 Ask: Isn’t God’s greatest victory found not in worldly power, but in
redeeming lost souls?

🟩 18. “If God can forgive sin, why does someone have to die?”

Muslim Argument:
God should just forgive—without blood.

Rebuttal:

✅ Forgiveness without justice is unholy. A righteous God must punish sin.

✅ Hebrews 9:22 — “Without the shedding of blood, there is no

forgiveness.”

✅ Jesus is both the Just and the Justifier (Romans 3:26).

🧠 Ask: Can a judge let a murderer go free without a penalty? Would that
be just?

💬 Final Bonus Tip: The “Three Test” Question

Ask your Muslim friend to consider this sincerely:

“If Jesus fulfilled ancient prophecy, performed divine miracles, rose from
the dead, and claimed to be God… what more evidence would you need?”