Jihad to kill or death of God to save Muslims

Having trouble reading this newsletter? Click here to see it in your browser. Jihad to extend Islam or death of  God to save Muslims Christian God loves you with an everlasting love even if you are Muslim or dont believe in Him A former Islamic miltant  is answering questions about Islam and his new faith Jerry Rassamni grew up as militant Muslim fighting against Christians during the Lebanese Civil War. The author of From Jihad to Jesus: An Ex-Militant’s Journey of Faith (Living Ink Books) is no longer a sniper caught in a succession of endless blood feuds or anti-West hatred. A former Islamic militant, Jerry came to see something that some never perceive in a lifetime. “In my Jihad, I came face to face with a frightening discovery: the true human heart. I saw it exposed behind the masks of piety, behind the lies of purity, and behind the sham of godliness, and I beheld the heart of darkness. I saw the evil that belies the human heart, and I was changed by the horror of it.” Rassamni continues, “Subsequently, I dared to question… my religious infrastructure. I had the courage to think freely, unencumbered by my tradition and idealism. I looked, and what I saw changed me forever.” After escaping Lebanon, Rassamni eventually made his way into the United States long before 9/11. The love of Christians gradually melted his hardened heart. Having seen the darkness in his own heart, he began to question his inherited beliefs but found it difficult to consider Christianity. “I thought, ‘me become a Christian? You must be kidding me! Christians ministered to me with their bullets in Lebanon. Furthermore, Christ was a Jew.” His hesitation soon gave way as “I read about a God who loved me so much that He paid the price for my sins, so that I could come before the throne of the Creator of the universe, and call Him Baba” – affectionate word for father in Arabic. Jerry continues: “This revelation rocked my world.” Rassamni soon recognized that hatred is not an attribute of the Almighty but that God is love. Rassamni says, “Cold blooded murder is evil. Love is superior to hatred. Freedom is more precious than suppression. Truth is nobler than plagiarism.” He explains that Islam mercilessly crushes dissent. Although Islam holds 22 percent of the world’s population within its grasp, Rassamni believes that many people follow their faith out of ignorance, fear, or both. Rassamni says: “This book contains my excavation of the truth and emancipation from the shackles of pride and idealism. This journey is not for the faint of heart, nor the automaton, but it is for the bold seeker of truth that burns within oneself and which cannot be silenced, no matter the price.” Rassamni continues, “In our quest for the truth, we must never be afraid to question—for not to question is slavery of the mind on the altar of ignorance. It is the greatest irony that men and women live and die enslaved without ever peering beneath the surface, without looking for the truth. I could have lived and died as a slave to ideas I had cherished much of my life, if like Pilate, I hadn’t take the time to look beneath the surface of those beliefs. Instead, I chose to examine the evidence in search of the truth.” Jerry wrote in the introduction, “I would like to acknowledge the Muslims of the world. I love you from the inner depths of my spirit, and it is for you that I write this book. I have some good news for you. You do not have to spend the rest of your lives fearing the Day of Judgment as I used to. Christ has already atoned for your sins…” About Jerry Rassamni Jerry Rassamni grew up in Lebanon as a Muslim during its bloody Civil War and became a militia fighter at a young age.  Jerry’s heart burned with hatred against his enemies the Maronite (Catholic) militias. After immigrating to the States, Jerry began to study the bible in order to refute it.  Upon examining the scriptures, Jerry was captivated by the love of the God of the Bible who presented Himself not as a distant impersonal God, but as a personal heavenly Father.  Jerry’s heart was subsequently changed as he had a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ. Jerry, who is fluent in four languages, is a frequent speaker on apologetics. Jerry Rassamni said… Below posting is copied over from original Forum of Jerry… It was posted by Clifton… Salaam, Jerry, I see that you have chosen a path and one that is certain to you as it was once to me. God is marvelous isnt He. We need to remember this….God is most high…most important. He created Jesus (PBUH). I used to be a Baptist Christian and never once questioned my faith until September 29th 2001 when I was asked to research Islam and help the congregation know what Islam was truly about….well I found out Brother Jerry. The Islam you beleived in and the one I found were completly different. You werent even a Muslim….you were a Shia. You and I both know that there is a huge difference. Let me ask you this….Alaahaa….what language is this? It is Aramaic. Did you know that the Name of God in Aramaic is the same as it is in Arabic. BishaMillaha….sounds like Bissmillahh….In the name of God…. Remember…worship your creator…not the creation. I would love to read your book brother but am short of funds…Insha Allah I will buy your book soon…. Wasalaam, Clifton 8/02/2006 9:02 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear Clifton, I am delighted that you wrote me. I addressed each of the points you raised below. > Clifton wrote: “You have chosen a path and one that is certain to you as it was once to me.” > Jerry’s Reply: Is this a great country or what? I mean show me a Muslim country where you are free to chose your own path without the fear of death? As you yourself are aware, people who convert to Christianity in Muslim countries are accused of heresy and executed. Islam crushes everything that does not conform to its own image. No wonder Shiites are viewed by Sunnis as a conspiracy aimed to divide Islam, even when Shi’as read from the same Qur’an. Anyone who knows anything about Islam knows that the primary difference between Sunni and Shi’a Islam is a political not a doctrinal one. Shi’as believe that the caliphate should stay in the prophet’s family whereas Sunnis disagree. Despite this fact, some Sunnis as you stated, go so far as to call Shiites non-Muslims because they don’t confirm to the Sunni version of Islam… It’s unfortunate that Islam is so consumed with dictating its own point of view to the masses and enforcing it by the sword. Even today, Christians are not allowed to repair fallen church walls or even paint their churches in Egypt. Muslims who dare convert to Christianity are disinherited, disavowed, sent to mental asylums, or killed… In light of the above, we should never take the freedoms that we have in this country for granted. The irony is that the freedom that we enjoy in the West which you chose to exercise by becoming a Muslim is utterly incompatible with Islam. What’s more is that freedom is a Christian value at its core. I am quite surprised that you wrote of becoming a Muslim post 9/11. From a logical standpoint, 9/11 should have turned you away from Islam as far as the East is from the West, instead of the other way around. What other religion is there on the face of the earth that kills and maims in the name of God? “Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Apostle have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgment of superiority and they are in a state of subjection”. (Surah 9.29) It is difficult to imagine how religion can become a license to hatred, barbarity, and debauchery (see Mark 12:29–31). Though major religions may disagree in their understanding of God, most however, fundamentally understand the Creator as a force of good instead of evil, love instead of hatred, and holiness instead of barbarity. The Holy Bible tells us that “The one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen” (1 John 4:20) and “Whoever does not love does not know God for God is love.”(1 John 4:8) Jesus said “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:43, 44). Compare the latter with the following Qur’anic stance, “And slay them wherever you catch them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out” (Surah 2:191). So if you subscribe to the idea that God is love, pray tell which of the previous commands reflects God. Is it the one to kill one’s enemies or to love them? 9/11 was a crime against humanity. Terrorism does not emanate from God but from his adversary for God is love. So when you tell me that you embraced Islam following 9/11, I am bewildered because 9/11 is about the cavernous darkness that afflicts humanity. That darkness could not possibly find its source in the creator… Blessings, JR 8/02/2006 9:04 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear Clifton, > You wrote: “God created Jesus (PBUH).” > Jerry’s Reply: Muslims have an obligation to read the Bible. According to the Qur’an itself, biblical sources are held in highest esteem and as such, they are esteemed as the yardstick of veracity by which any other message is measured. “But if thou art in doubt (kunta) as to that which we have revealed to thee, ask those who read the Book (The Bible) before thee. Certainly the Truth has come to thee from thy Lord, so be not thou of the doubters” (Surah 10:94). But what does the Bible say concerning the identity of Jesus? The Bible says that Jesus is one with God. If He is one with God, it follows that He was not created. Jesus whom you consider a prophet said “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). Jesus is co-equal, co-eternal with the Father. The prophet Isaiah wrote of Jesus 700 years before Jesus’ birth “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel” [God with us] (Isa. 7:14). Furthermore, Isaiah also wrote of Jesus “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6). Blessings, JR 8/02/2006 9:05 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear Clifton, > You wrote: “You werent even a Muslim….you were a Shia. You and I both know that there is a huge difference.” > Jerry’s Reply: As far as I am concerned, I came from a small sect that is an offshoot of Shi’a Islam, called Druze which developed out of Ismaili Islam – Fātimid Caliphate, in the 10th century. The fact is that I was only a Muslim by name, but I was a fanatic militia fighter full of hate fighting against Christians during the Lebanese Civil War. When I immigrated to the States, I began to study the Bible to intellectually disprove it… In the process, I also began to study Islam and read the Qur’an along with hundreds of references. Instead of disproving the Bible, I was convicted that my sin separates me from a holy God who does not tolerate sin… Claiming the Shi’a are not Muslims is akin to saying that Baptists are not Christians. Beyond that however, the fact is that there are two types of religion in the world, one where people put their trust in themselves, and the other where people put their trust in God. The first is performance-based, the latter is grace-based. Only one religion fits the latter, and that is Christianity. In other words, Islam, Buddhism, Confucism, Judaism, Hinduisim, are all in the same bucket despite their differences. Their adherents believe that they can survive the judgment of God based on their performance. Dr R C Sproul puts it best, “The question raised by historical Judaism is: What human being could possibly survive the perfect judgment of a perfect God? If God is perfectly just, how can I—as an unjust person, with my iniquities—stand that judgment?” If we trust in our human efforts and your own performance to save us, then we haven’t caught a glimpse of the holiness of God. God is so holy and thus He demands nothing short of moral perfection. Have you ever lied? If you have and I am sure you have, then the Bible says that if you have broken the least of the commands, you have broken them all and have become an enemy of God. In other words, it is impossible for you to balance the scales of justice (as you know, Muslims believe that if virtue overweighs sin on the scales of justice and if Allah wills it then, they will go to heaven). This is precisely why God promised us a savior. This savior did for us what we could not do for ourselves. He paid the price for our transgressions –enmity with God. Blessings, JR 8/02/2006 9:06 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear Clifton, > You wrote: “Remember…worship your creator…not the creation.” > Jerry’s Reply: I couldn’t agree with you more that we need to worship the creator instead of the creation. If we trust in our own efforts to save us, we are heeding the words of the Serpent to Eve for inward divinity: ”you will be like God” (Genesis 3:5.) But if we truly understand the seriousness of our sin against the utter holiness of God, and come to the foot of the cross, we would be humbling ourselves and worshipping the creator instead of the creation. .Let’s examine the evidence. Even the Qur’an calls Jesus Messiah (meaning Savior), but it fails to provide any meaning for the word. Let’s go back to the source (The Bible) to understand the meaning of that word. The mission of the Messiah was to bridge the unbridgeable chasm between man’s sinfulness and God’s utter holiness that was wrought by man’s sin. Man’s sin is so great in God’s eyes to where only God Himself was worthy to pay the price of our disobedience. Jesus is found in the Gospel of Matthew asking one of His disciples: “…But who do you say that I am?” And Simon Peter answered and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in Heaven.” (Matthew 16:15-17). This Savior had to be one with God in order to be a savior for if you were dying of thirst and someone wanted to help you, they would have to have water. Likewise, if you need eternal life, the savior would have to have eternal life. Thus the Savior could not be a mere mortal prophet but he had to be divine. I do not lay my trust in the performance of the creation (my works), but instead, I worship the divine Savior who fulfilled all righteousness on my behalf. Blessings, JR 8/02/2006 9:08 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear Clifton, > You wrote: “Alaahaa….what language is this? It is Aramaic. Did you know that the Name of God in Aramaic is the same as it is in Arabic. BishaMillaha….sounds like Bissmillahh….In the name of God….” > Jerry’s Reply: I am not familiar with where you obtained the spelling of Allah as Alaahaa. Please verify your sources. However, let’s examine the name Allah for a moment. Linguists tell us that the Arabic word ilah, was derived from the Aramaic word eloi. If Arabic is a sacred and superior language according to the Qur’an, and if the Qur’an always existed on tablets in heaven as Muslims claim, then is it not curious that the Qur’an would use an inferior language (Aramaic) to denote the Creator? Is the lingua sacra (sacred language) such a wanting language that it does not even have a word to describe the Creator? Thank you for writing me. I appreciate your congeniality, sincerity, and civility. In closing, remember this, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23.) God loves us so much that He made a way to reconcile us unto Him. That way is through the Messiah, the Son of the Living God who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) Perfomance-based religions cannot reconcile us unto God because they do not deal with the problem of sin. Only the grace of God can make us right in His sight. Blessings, JR 8/02/2006 9:09 PM fredrick said… Jerry, thank you for writing this book. I have been preparing for 9+ years for Indonesia, a country with 88% muslim. I am very excited about this informative light, that will help my understanding and also may save a life. Jesus is building His Church. God Bless you and thanks for sharing your testimony. Jn: 17:3 Eternal life is knowing The Father and Son, your brother fredrick 8/12/2006 12:57 PM DJ said… Dear Jerry, I have a muslim colleague of egyptian descent. We have an open and congenial dialog on spiritual matters. I have two questions… First, my friend mentioned something about a “greater Israel” being a large part of the Middle East. Is this a fairly common concept in Islam? If so, what does he mean by this term? Second, any tips on how to present the good news of Jesus in a way that circumvents what he has been taught about Christianity and Christians? We have already discussed the topic of the Triunity of God. Blessings, DJ 10/12/2006 8:41 PM Chiclette said… Hi Jerry, I just purchased your book yesterday at the Christian Bookstore. Currently I’m reading it and I’m very fascinated by it. Such a story so far and I’ll be sure to get back with you on the remainder of the book. I just started reading it. The reason I picked up the book is that I was curious about the religion of Islam and why it is so predominant. Not that I wanted to be Muslim, because I am a Christian and I’ve accepted Christ as my Savior. So I’m very content, happy, and peaceful with Christ guiding my life. Mainly I want to know what the difference is between MUSLIMS and JIHADISTS. Don’t they both read the Quran? The Hadith? I’m still studying but from what I’ve read so far in the Quran is that it is a different god. The god-allah that is worshipped is not the same God of the Bible that we worship. Who we worship is a God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jabob. Yahweh, not allah, is the God of love, peace, and light. I see nothing but darkness and hatred in many of the Quran verses. I was very shocked to see so much hatred written in the Quran. How can people follow such a religion (cult)of hate? It is very sad how mislead people can be. May their eyes forever be opened to what the true Islamic faith really is. One day it will be reavealed to them what spirit they actually worship. Thank you for writing this book and welcome to the family of Christ! For your name is forever written in the Lamb’s Book of Life! With love, Chic33lette 10/14/2006 10:06 AM parallaxer said… Thank you, Jerry, for your eternal work. Just read on Reuters that 38 Muslim experts have found various faults in the Pope’s presentation–I’m hoping you can help the Pope sort it all out. Thank God you know what you’re talking about! 10/14/2006 4:02 PM markedmanner said… Just saw you on Joni lamb today and you were great! I am going through a very revealing time right now in my life and my walk with Jesus. I have this constant desire and burning to want to do something anything to help muslims eyes to be open to the Religion that they are in. I really hope to get your book soon. I dated a muslim girl for 2 years and the biggest regret I have is not sharing her my faith we have since parted ways a short time ago. I was not taking my relationship with Christ serious at the time but now I feel God has used this experience to strenghten me. What suggestions would you have in sharing the Bible with Muslims? One thing I have been trying to figure out is how they say the Bible WAS the word of God! But yet they believe it was corrupted! But then the Quaran turns right around and says the word of God can not be corrupted. Am I misunderstanding this or is this what the Quran says? I have read the Quran cover to cover and I have a great understanding of what Islam teaches. And many muslims I have talked to have even told me “You know more than I do.” Thats the sad thing many of them especially in america of the younger generation dont even know why they believe what they believe! All they know is its what there parents said to believe. Its sad very sad. And I pray everyday for more and more of them for there eyes to be opened. I am very much looking forward to getting your book Jerry please keep up the good work! Here is a link to the posting I had in my blog about the question of the Bible in the Quran. CLICK HERE 10/17/2006 3:51 PM adele said… Hi Jerry I am a born again christian and loves Jesus so much. My sister was a born again believer as well, but converted to Islam about 3years ago after she moved to Dubai.I saw you an the Joni show today and praise God, maybe you can help… I tried ministring to her and here is some of the questions she emailed me. Please could you maybe advise how to answer her? I’ve tried everything and I do have a bit of knowledge from the bible but it’s as if nothing makes sense to her? Thanks Jerry blessings, Adele Questions and Answers Questions: 1. How can you believe that human salvation comes only through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ, when the Bible says that God a) does not like b) never commanded and c) does not accept blood sacrifices? 2. What was the Council of Nicea convened to discuss? What was decided at this convention? 3. Is there anywhere in the Bible where Jesus explains the concept of Trinity? 4. Why can we find a very “human” image of Jesus in the oldest Gospel of Mark (he makes mistakes, forgets, gets angry, is unable to do some things, even describes himself as a PROPHET, etc.,) whereas in the Gospels of John, we get a very powerful, “divine” image of Jesus? 5. Why did Jesus say he came only for the Jews (The “House of Israel?”)? 6. If the Bible is the perfect, holy word of God, how can there be so many contradictions in it, on both minor and major issues? 7. How different were the beliefs of the first community of Christians led by James (half-brother of Jesus) succeeded by Simeon son of Cleopas, and supported by the Apostles John and Peter, from the beliefs and doctrine taught by Paul (“Pauline” doctrine)? 8. Why did this first, emerging community of believers in Jesus Christ (which included the Jewish relatives and household of Jesus himself) accuse Paul of teaching false doctrine, and Paul accuse them of being “deceitful” and “false?” What was their fighting about? 9. Did any other followers of monotheistic prophets preach trinity, such as Ibrahim, Dawud, Jacob, Isaac, Daniel, Isiah, etc? 10. Why did Jesus tell the young man who asked what he must do to get to heaven, that he only had to obey God’s law and give his money to the poor? Why didn’t he explain Trinity here? Or blood sacrifice? 11. How can Jesus be the literal and only “son of God” when many prophets are said to be sons of God in the Bible? 12. Can we really say that Jesus was the literal son, offspring of God Almighty, just because he didn’t have a physical father? The Bible says that others, such as Adam (Genesis 1:1) and Melchis’edec, King of Salem (Hebrews 7:3), did not have fathers, either. 13. Just because Jesus was a “Messiah,” or “Annointed One” in Hebrew, does that mean he was more than an “Annointed” Prophet of God? Especially since David and Cyrus are also mentioned as “Messiahs” in the Bible? (Pslams 2:2, Isaiah 45:1). 14. Similarly, just because Jesus is described as a “Savior,” does that mean he came to do more than teach and lead the wrongdoers back to the straight path (thereby playing a part in “saving” them from hellfire?) Especially since many others, such as Jehoahaz, are described as “Saviors” in the Bible? (II Kings 13:5, Nehemiah 9:27, Obadiah 21). 10/18/2006 8:10 AM Jerry Rassamni said… Brother Fredrick, Thank you brother for loving the Muslims. God loves them with a burning intensity. He made them in His own image. He gave them a gift. His Name is Jesus. ” ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ Acts 2:17-21 NIV Praise God that His word does not return void. The Lord Jesus has been appearing in Indonesia and the rest of the Muslim world (as per Acts 2:17 above). Lives are being changed for His glory. May God bless you brother for answering the call to take the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth. May The Lord Jesus bless you for loving the Muslims for they are precious in God’s sight. Blessings, JR 10/19/2006 9:48 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear DJ, Thank you for having a heart for the Muslims. The term Greater Israel finds its roots in the God’s Covenant with Abraham. “18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates- 19 the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.” Genesis 15:18-21 That would translate into all of modern-day Israel (including occupied territories), Jordan, Lebanon, most of Syria, Iraq, and Kuwait, and parts of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey. Concerning how to present the good news to a Muslim, remember, you are not there to win arguments, for you can never shove the gospel down anyone’s throat, but to present the truth in love. I would focus on two topics, man’s condition, and the personhood of Jesus Christ. In doing so, I would ask questions… Concerning man’s condition, if Adam did not lose his innocence in the garden, and if his relationship with God was not broken, then why wasn’t he repatriated into paradise? If Adam’s sin did not have lasting consequences, then why did death, illness, and disease enter into the world and become integral parts of the human existence? And if man was indeed born in Fitrah (a pure state), then why aren’t Adam’s descendants born in the garden until they commit a guilty deed? The answers to the above questions are clear. Adam’s sin had lasting consequences on humanity. Why even the Qur’an recognizes that sin is an integral part of human nature and that all humans are captive to its power: “And I call not myself sinless; surely (man’s) self is wont to command evil, except those on whom my Lord has mercy” (Surah 12:53). But if people are captive to sin, doesn’t that mean that sin is an integral part of the human nature, contrary to Islamic beliefs? nly Father. I would like to emphasize that the majority of Muslims are peace-loving as they want the same things that we want out of life, such as liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is only a small fundamentalist fringe that is Sin separates us from a Holy God. As a result, all people are going to hell, until they first recognize that they are beggars in the site of a Holy God… We must first recognize that we are sinners like our Father Adam. We can’t just ignore our sin. Islam offers man a manual on how to live but it does not deal with the problem of sin… Secondly, I would focus on Jesus in the Qur’an. If Islam’s prophet is reputed to have prayed 70 times a day for Allah to forgive his sins, having been the Seal of the Prophets (greatest) then how do you reconcile that a so called lesser prophet – Jesus- was sinless even according to the Qur’an (Surah 19:19)? Who is sinless but God Himself? How can we deny God the prerogative to pay the price for our transgressions and restore our broken fellowship with Him? By sending Jesus to pay the price for our sins, God was simply exercising his prerogative to love us. Because He loved humankind, He did for the human what the human could never do for himself – atone for His sin. Blessings, JR 10/19/2006 10:54 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear Chiclette, Thank you sister for your words of encouragement. Please understand that the majority of Muslims are secular Muslims. They are Muslims by culture and by name only. If the majority of Muslims followed the hard line commands of the Qur’an and the Ahadith, then we would not have a single moment of peace for the Ahadith command Islamic world domination, according to Islam’s prophet. Following is precisely the Hadith that Osama Bin Laden quoted on the heels of 9/11: I have been ordered [by Allah] to fight against the people until they testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah’s Apostle, and offer the prayers perfectly and give the obligatory charity, so if they perform that, then they save their lives and property from me except for Islamic laws and then their reckoning [accounts] will be done by Allah (vol. 1; bk. 2; no. 24). We have to show them the love of God. We have to be Christ with skin on and show them that there is a better way. We have to show them that cold-blooded murder is evil, that God is love, that love is superior to hatred, that freedom is more precious than suppression. We have to begin living the gospels and let our light shine. We have to pray for those who hate us. Please pray for the dear Muslims that the veil would be lifted from their eyes: “3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:3-4) Blessings, JR 10/19/2006 11:18 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Re: Pope’s Remarks- Dear parallaxer, Blessings to you. Let me begin by saying that God loves the Muslims so much that He made them in His own image. He longs for them to come to know Him not as a distant impersonal god but as a personal heave bent on the destruction of the West – a small fringe that unfortunately made its voice heard throughout the world. What is indeed troubling, however, is that this fundamentalist fringe gets its war cry from “holy writings”. Case in point, below is the Ahadith that Ben Ladden quoted upon the heels of 9/11: “And peace be upon our Prophet, Muhammad Bin-’Abdallah, (Islam’s prophet) who said ‘I have been sent with the sword between my hands to ensure that no one but Allah is worshipped, Allah who put my livelihood under the shadow of my spear and who inflicts humiliation and scorn on those who disobey my orders.’ (Text of Fatwah by Ben Laden urging jihad against Americans. Published in Al-Quds al-’Arabi, 23 February 1998.) The irony of ironies is that the indignation by Muslims to the Pope’s remarks of equating Islam with violence was expressed by violence. Churches were vandalized and burned in Palestine, and a nun and her bodyguard were killed in Somalia. There was anger on Muslim streets, demonstrations, and effigy burnings. Ironically, all these violent outbursts were an attempt to protest the very notion Islam is violent. It is no secret that some abominations were also committed in the name of Christ over the years. Jesus however addressed this dilemma when He told us that many will come to Him on the Day of Judgment and say: “Lord…”, but He will tell them “Depart from Me, ye workers of iniquity, for I never knew you.” As Christians, Christ commanded us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us. Jesus taught us in the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9) But where are the peacemakers in Islam? The pervading sense of justice in Islam is that it is unacceptable that someone should exercise freedom of speech, but it perfectly acceptable to vandalize and burn churches and to kill the innocent. Thus, in Islam there’s a sense of self-righteousness – of looking into the speck in your brother’s eye but ignoring the log in your own eye. A recent internet statement by the Mujahideen Shura Council in Basra, Iraq stated: “We shall break the cross and spill the wine. … Allah will (help) Muslims to conquer Rome. … Allah enable us to slit their throats, and make their money and descendants the bounty of the mujahideen.” What manner of psychosis is this? Are slitting throats, annexing riches, and enslaving people in the name of Allah peaceful expressions? The above statement along with the worldwide reaction by Muslims confirmed what the Pope was criticizing that Islam and violence are tightly coupled. Despite the above, some speak of Islam as a religion of peace. Try explaining that to the family of the deceased nun and to the countless families who saw their churches burn up by “non-violent” Muslims. Try explaining that to the families of the victims of 9/11. Try explaining that to the victims of rape in Sudan at the hands of the Muslim Janjaweed militias. The Pope apologized for the sake of peace, but that was not enough for some Muslims. But where are the apologies for burning his effigies, for killing the innocent, for burning churches? Where are the apologies for the families of the 9/11 victims? Where are the apologies for the beheadings of Christians in Iraq and Afghanistan? Where are the apologies for the suicide bombers who killed the innocent by sacrificig themselves on the altar of darkness to guarantee themselves a place in the Muslim heaven? Where are the apologies for Christians who are treated like third class citizens in Muslim countries? Where are those apologies? There weren’t any apologies for those crimes, and there will never be any. Why? Because Islam doesn’t offer apologies. It is above apologies. It has a sense of self-righeousness. It is autocratic, oppressive, and violent. It holds double standards. It kills the innocent, and cloaks that under “surrendering to Allah.” It has suicide jihadists and calls that a ticket to heaven. It kills children in 9/11 and calls that a righteous act. It slits throats in the name of Allah and calls that an expression of praise. Jesus said: “… If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” Matthew 6:23 10/24/2006 9:54 PM JUDAH PERERAS said… I just watched Joni this morning & i was so blessed to see two former Muslims who now have great relation with Jesus. I am from the Philippines & I am very familiar about how the Muslims live because their are a lot of Muslims in our country. I wish your book will be available here(Phil)in the major bookstores so i can read it. I pray that your book will usher a way to reach out the millions of Muslims who refused to acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God. May you, Walie Shoebat, & Ellie Davidian be used in big & great ways in the vineyard of the Lord. If the Lord wills it, try to explore travelling and visiting our country, Philippines. God bless you more & more and in every way! 10/28/2006 6:08 AM JUDAH PERERAS said… I was so blessed after watching Joni over Daystar this morning. Praise Jesus for the lives of three born-again christians who to my mind are very brave & determined in declaring their faith. I pray that more & more Muslims will have personal encounter with Jesus Christ & experience for themselves His true “agape” love & true peace. Congratulations to Jerry, Walid & Ellie, may God use all three of you in great & wonderful ways! 10/28/2006 6:15 AM DJ said… Dear Bro. Jerry. Thanks for the answers to my questions. Blessings, DJ 10/29/2006 6:36 PM oncewaslost said… Hello, I am a Baptist Christian, i gave my life to Jesus Easter Friday 2006. And the strange thing is, it was the questions that a muslim asked me that made me search. My ex whom i loved very much, turned to Islam, and asked me questions about Jesus (as I was from a Christian family).Two chapters that made me stop and think are John Chapter – where Jesus talks of how he knows his sheep and gives them eternal life and they shall never perish”. Also ties in with Ezekial chapter 34 (written around 550 BC). Isaiah chapter 9 (ritten around 700BC) refers to the son born to us as “Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”. I encourage you to read the Revelation chapter 22 verses 12 to 21. Also, Jesus cannot be mereley a prophet, he prophecised his own death and resurrection, he also claimed to forgive sins and have authority over all thing on heaven, on earth and below the earth. No prophet would ever dare to claim that. He also answere when asked “I am” when asked by the Jews if He was the One. The words “I am” back then were reserved for God and God only, and no one dared to use them…. so why did Jesus? I thankyou Jerry for your book, I have yet to read it but I pray you will continue grow into Christ – I thank God for you. Theres is a quote by Max Lucado which says “One Friday – six hours – and the angels were silent” 11/01/2006 12:35 AM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear Markedmanner, Thank you for your encouragement and support. Early Muslims believed that the Qur’an matched the stories of the Bible. In fact, there’s a Qur’anic verse that states: “But if thou art in doubt as to that which we have revealed to thee, ask those who read the Book (the Bible) before thee. Certainly the Truth has come to thee from thy Lord, so be not thou of the doubters” (Surah 10:94). And, Say: O People of the Book, you follow no good ‘til you observe the Torah and the Gospels and that which is revealed to you from your Lord. And surely that which has been revealed to thee from thy Lord will make many of them increase in inordinacy and disbelief; so grieve not for the disbelieving people. (Surah 5:68) However, as Muslims were exposed to un-heretical forms of Christianity, they learned that the Qur’an does not match the Bible. This led them to come with the theory of Ta’rif that claims that the Bible used to match the Qur’an, however, it was later corrupted. Muslims however, fail to produce a single iota of evidence to support their claims. If the Bible was corrupted, then when and where did all the Christians in the world secretly convene to coordinate this big hoax? Furthermore, if the Bible was corrupted, that would undermine the very character of Allah. For if Allah is omnipotent, then why could he not protect his word from corruption? I ask you, which comes first, the authentic currency or the counterfeit? It is historical dishonesty to claim that the Bible was corrupted when you have 20k copies of the Bible in the British Natural Museum which are consistent with today’s Bible. The only reason that Muslims attack the veracity of the Bible is to deflect attention from the quandaries and predicaments in defending their own scriptures. As I state in my book, “The Muslim assertion that the Qur’an revealed to Islam’s prophet is eternal and that it survived unchanged through the centuries is a proverbial house of cards.” Case in point, the caliph Othman was called the tearer of the books because the Muslim masses asserted “He found the Qur’ans many and left one; he tore up the Book” It is a historical fact that Muslims do not deny that Uthman had all the other versions of the Qur’an burned. Also, ample evidence that the Qur’an has evolved prompted the caliph Al Ma’mun (AD 786–833) to issue his famous edict denying the eternal existence of the Qur’an. In fact, Al Ma’mun ridiculed the idea that the Qur’an was uncreated. Concerning how to relate to Muslims, we must love them into the kingdom. God loves them and wants them to come to know Him intimately. We must love them unconditionally and build bridges of trust with them. Let them see the light of God through you. Love them regardless of whether they love you or hate you. Once you have a venue for open dialogue, engage in a dialogue based on facts, not emotions where every word has to supported by references. Below are some suggestions regarding some topics. If Islam came from the Creator, why would it embrace pagan, animistic practices, such as kissing a black stone, encircling the Ka’aba on pilgrimages, or making the Ka’aba, a pagan relic, the object of prayer? Islam brought nothing new to the theatre of religion, but only amalgamated bits and pieces from heretical sources of Christianity, Sabeanism (worshipped the heavenly hosts (stars), local custom beliefs such as the hajj, Muslims do not question the Qur’an, otherwise, they will begin to question why a book which they claim to be divinely inspired is filled with contradictions (3% of the Qur’an is openly acknowledged to have abrogated -cancelled- and replaced by later revelations. If Allah is omnipotent, then why didn’t he issue the better revelations in the first place? The very notion of abrogation casts shadows on the majesty and stability of God. The Qur’an doesn’t stand up to the most basic standards of critical analysis. The Qur’an claims that Christians worship three gods, and that they believe that the trinity consists of God, Mary, and Jesus, and that God had sexual relations with Mary to get Jesus. This my friend is nothing short of blasphemy. Any Christian child in kindergarten can correct these false assertions. All one needs to do to correct the Qur’an is to pick up a Bible to find out that God is one, that Mary is not featured in the Trinity, and that God does not have sexual relations. Christians never subscribe to these heretical beliefs. The Qur’an is clearly misguided. The trinity consists of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (Mary does not feature in the Trinity – so the Qur’an is clearly wrong). Also, the triune nature of God affirms monotheism. God is one. He is self-sufficient. He reveals Himself in three natures. In the same way that man is body, mind, and soul, yet he is one man, God is also, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, yet He is one God. If God did not reveal Himself in three natures, He would not be self-sufficient, for He would have a need outside of Himself for communion. In His Name, Jerry Rassamni 12/03/2006 12:56 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dearest Adele, I appreciate your heart and burden for your sister. I will address your questions one at a time… There’s a famous 19th century painting by William Holman Hunt titled “The Light of the World”. It is the classic picture of Jesus, standing in a garden, gently reaching out to knock on a closed wooden door. The message seems to be clear: Jesus wants to come into our hearts. The doctrine Hunt portrays so successfully is summarized in Revelation 3:20, “Behold! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.” Someone walked up to Hunt and told him that there was an error in the painting as the door did not have a door handle on the outside. But this was no mistake, as God is a gentleman who does not force the truth on us if we are unwilling to receive it. Jesus does not force Himself unto our hearts, but he patiently knocks at the door of our hearts waiting for us to open the door from the inside and let Him in. I will pray with you that your sister will have a hunger for the truth. She has to be willing and open to the truth. If she wants to know the truth, then she has nothing to lose by asking God to reveal the truth to her. Hunt painted that closed door as a symbol of a “closed mind” that needed to be opened to Jesus’ redemptive message, and to the salvation that Jesus offers. The greatest ministry you will have with your sister is to love her unconditionally, whether she is a Muslim or a Christian. Love her because God loves her so much that He created her in His own image. Love her into the Kingdom of God. Let her see the light of God through you. Now I will attempt to answer the questions your precious sister posed, and I pray that she is asking in pursuit of the truth. 1. How can you believe that human salvation comes only through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ, when the Bible says that God a) does not like b) never commanded and c) does not accept blood sacrifices? Dear one, Your statement is akin to denying gravity. It is painfully clear that you have not read the Bible. You can’t claim to have read the Bible while saying that God does not like, never commanded, and does not accept human sacrifices. This is brainwashing as the Bible is all about redemption by blood. God commanded it since the very beginning with Adam. He commanded it in the Holy temple in Jerusalem. And He foretold through the prophets that the Messiah was going to deliver mankind through his blood sacrifice on the cross. The mission of the Messiah was to be the innocent Lamb of God whose blood is shed for our salvation. Therefore, it is no surprise that the Bible contains 342 references to the “blood,” the last of which refers to the second coming of Jesus in the book of Revelation: And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. . . . He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. (Rev. 19:11–13) Even though the Qur’an borrowed liberally from the Bible –as well as many heretical sources-, it misunderstood the purpose of the biblical Scriptures. This is evident by the absence of the mention of blood as the instrument of redemption in the Qur’an. God said in His holy word, “Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:22). God confirmed time after time that sin can never be washed away without the shedding of blood. Blood was the seal of the covenant (Gen. 15:9–21; Heb. 9:11–14). Blood ratified every covenant of God. The very word, covenant, means “to cut.” We see that although the Qur’an adopted most of its stories from the Bible, it nevertheless left out the instrument of redemption that the God of the Bible requires. When Adam and Eve sinned against God in the Garden, what did God do? He shed the blood of an innocent animal and took its skin to cover their shame (Genesis 3:21). Adam and Eve understood that innocent blood had to be shed for the remission of sin. God also promised Eve that the Messiah will come through her and that he will be crush the head of Satan (win the ultimate victory) but that the devil will strike him (shed his blood on the cross). Years later when Cain -Adam and Eve’s son- offered God grains instead, Cain did not want to follow God’s ways and cover his sins with innocent blood. He pridefully said to himself, “I have a better way than God.” Adam and Eve must have told Cain a thousand times what God did to that innocent animal when they sinned against Him, but Cain was becoming prideful, so God told him “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” (Genesis 4:7) Instead of offering a blood sacrifice as God commands, Cain offered the fruit of the ground. But in doing so, he sinned against the Lord and ended up murdering his brother Able. Many years later, God commanded Abraham to take the son of the promise, Isaac to Mount Moriah to sacrifice him on the very site on which the Temple will later be built. As they advanced, Isaac asked his father Abraham: “I see the fire and the wood but where is the lamb for the offering?” Abraham answered prophetically: “God Himself will provide the lamb.” As Abraham was about to slay his son, God commanded him not to. This was a test, a test of obedience for Abraham. “And Abraham called the name of that place The Lord will provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.” (Genesis 22:14). Although Isaac was the intended sacrifice, but God “provided” a sacrifice in his place. Centuries later when John the Baptist first saw Jesus, he said: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” God confirmed it and said audibly: “Behold, My son with whom I am well pleased, listen to Him.” Then when the age of the Messiah dawned, on that same mountain came the cross, by which, as Abraham prophesied, God Himself provided the Lamb of God as the final sacrifice for the sins of humanity. This time however, it was not a ram that was coerced into being sacrificed, but it was the Messiah who laid His life willingly in the greatest manifestation of unconditional love the world has or will ever see. It was a love story, revealing a love that only God is capable of. It was the crescendo of passion in its purest form. It was unadulterated grace that was foretold from the day of the Garden of Eden, and reaffirmed by the Almighty time and time again. In the days of Moses, during the plagues in Egypt, the only way the first-born of the Israelites were saved from death was to have blood on their doors. God instituted the Passover, by commanding each household to take a lamb without blemish and slaughter it. They were to take some of the blood to mark their door posts in the form of a cross (top of beam, and sides) “The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.” (Exodus 12:13) Later, “Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.” (Ex 24:8) Also, God commanded Moses to “Take some of the bull’s blood and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and pour out the rest of it at the base of the altar.” (Ex 29:12) When God gave Moses the requirements for building the altar of incense, he commanded the nation of Israel that: “Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering for the generations to come. It is most holy to the Lord.” Ex 30:10 However, the problem with the above sacrificial system which God gave Moses, was that it had to be repeated every year. Blood had to be shed year after year in the Temple for the remission of sin. This is why God promised that the blood of the Messiah would be sufficient for the remission of sin. In other words, the blood of the Messiah was not temporal but eternal, since the Messiah was eternal. Jesus was crucified on the Day of Atonement, the same day that the Israelites sacrificed an innocent lamb, and on the same mountain where Abraham prophesied that God will provide the lamb. Jesus is the Lamb of God who came for the salvation of mankind, past, present, and future. So you see, the Old Testament is all about the blood and how blood is required for the remission of sin, but since the blood of animals was not sufficient for the removal of sin, the sacrifices had to continue. God however promised us that the Messiah will appear and that His blood will be the propitiation of our sin once and for all. Dear one, please ask God to reveal the truth to you. You have nothing to lose. If you ask God for the truth, He will not mislead you. In His Name, Jerry Rassamni 12/03/2006 4:14 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Brother Judah, Thank you for your encouragement. I have spoken in the States to a few Philipino congregations. I love your zeal and passion for the Lord. Praise Jesus indeed. Continue onward telling the world that God loves them and that they don’t have to fear the Day of Judgment but they can have lay their trust in Jesus and have the assurance of eternal life. Your brother in Christ, Jerry Rassamni 12/03/2006 4:27 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear DJ, It is my privelege to be of service. May the joy of the Lord be your strength. Your brother in Christ, Jerry Rassamni 12/03/2006 4:30 PM selina said… Hi Jerry, I just saw you on Joni on daystar, I am a born again christian and I have a friend that I care deeply about that is a muslim. I have tried to tell him about Jesus and he is just not hearing me. When we first met, he didnt want to hear anything about Jesus but 3 years later he is at least open to talk. He wants me to talk to someone in Islam at the mosque, and then he said he would go to church with me to talk with someone about Jesus.I need someone that was a muslim and now is born again to help me. I already know the truth and I am saved so I have been praying to find someone to help me to talk to him that knows where he is coming from. Since you were Muslim I hope that you can help me with this. I really truley and deeply want him saved. I cry all the time for his salvation because I dont want him to perish. And even if we cant be togther ( I refuse to convert to muslim so he wont marry me) we are still close friends. Will you help me? or help me find someone in Denver that can help? 12/13/2006 2:24 PM Shawn said… Dear Jerry, I am the Director of Campus Life and Bible teacher at a private Christian school near Tyler Texas. I was wondering if you were near Tyler and how much you charge to address students in a chapel setting? Also, in Bible 11 we study the world’s five major religions and I was wondering if you would be willing to address my students on Islam. 12/14/2006 6:12 AM mrclearskies said… Jerry, Happy New Year! I was walking through my living room and heard a familiar voice on Daystar; turned around and saw your face. I said, “Aahhh!” and sat down to watch with ‘big D’. Looking at the posts, I see we are a little late in catching the show. It’s cool that it is still airing! I would like to see the whole thing (We came in on the last part of it). I just wanted to say hello and let you know how neat it was to see you on T.V. I went and grabbed your book to find this site to comment. It is an honor to know you. May God bless you for sharing your personal testimony with the world and being a light to so many that are in the dark! God bless your wife and family for backing you! Have a great year filled with abundant blessings from our loving Heavenly Father! He is so good & faithful! C-U-Soon in SS at FCC. Love in Christ, M & D 1/05/2007 7:09 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear oncewaslost, I love your login name. Like u, I 2 oncewaslost, but thank the Lord that I like u, am lost no longer. Who can fathom the intensity of God’s love and grace toward us? Praise God for you and welcome into an eternity with God. It is awesome when people seek the truth like you and I did, because the truth will set them free. The travesty however, is that many people are content with their inherited beliefs and have no desire to know the truth. Those will be in for a rude awakening on the Day of Judgment because they made themselves into gods in their own eyes, and trusted in their own efforts to save them, instead of trusting in God. Hence, their lot will be in the lake of fire. C.S. Lewis wrote “A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things that Jesus said wouldn’t be a great moral teacher…” In other words, he would either be a lunatic or His claims that He is one with God would be true. Muslims call Jesus the Messiah but they claim that He is not the Son of God. In other words, they call Jesus the Messiah in name but not in action. The Old Testament is full of prophetic declarations regarding the Messiah, Immanuel (God with us), the Great Deliverer and the work he was to accomplish. He is the Savior of men (Hebrews 5:4; Isa. 11:2-4; 49:6; John 5:37; Acts 2:22). But in order to save men from their iniquity, He could not be a mere prophet, but He had to be one with God. Our sin is a direct assault against God’s holiness, therefore, only God could forgive our sin. Jesus did on the cross exactly what God told us that the Messiah, the Son of God would do. In closing, Jesus gave us many evidential miracles that He is one with God “Even though you do not believe Me, believe the evidence of the miracles, that you may learn and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father” ( John 10:38). Blessings to you in the Name of our Lord, JR 1/07/2007 2:03 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear selina, I would love to do anything I can to assist. I have also spoken with a local contact in Denver and am waiting to hear back from him. Please check my website in another week or so, at that time, I will incorporate the ability for you to leave me a private message with your contact information. I spoke with a Muslim friend recently who read my book. He told me that although he may disagree with me on some issues in my book but that one theme permeated every chapter in my book and that is “LOVE”. He spoke with such wisdom and insight when he proceeded to tell me that in Islam, they don’t turn the other cheek. I was surprised at his honesty, because he put his finger right on the difference between Muslims and “true” Christians. What makes us different is that in the same way that God loves us with such an incomprehensible love, we are also called to love unconditionally. We weep for the souls of men, even for our enemies. We pray for those who persecute us because they too were made in God’s own image, and it is God’s will for none to perish. Jesus spoke concerning His followers: “… by their fruit you will recognize them.” (Matthew 7:20 (NIV)) Jesus proceeded to say: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21 (NIV)) What is that fruit that Jesus spoke of? Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV) tells us that: “… the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, Against such things there is no law.” What is so different about Jesus? It is His love. We need to be marked by selfless love, a love that doesn’t have a hidden agenda, a love that loves without expecting anything in return, a love that looks at the world through the eyes of the Spirit not through the eyes of the flesh, a love that recognizes that the battle is not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12), but it is a battle for the souls of men. Thus, the greatest testimony is not to shove the gospel down anyone’s throat, but for you to let the light of God shine through you. It is for you to be Jesus with skin on to those around you. “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16 (NIV)) We are called to love people into the kingdom. A dear Muslim I deeply care about was recently discussing the Qur’anic verses I included in my book. In his defense for Islam, he stated Islam was a religion of peace but that there’s a time and place for Muslims to carry the sword. “Precisely”, I replied. “That’s it. Don’t you see? There is no time or place that Christ calls us to carry the sword, but we are to be like lambs among wolves. By their fruit you shall recognize them…” Is there any question therefore that Jesus is unique in His call for unconditional love? Guess what? The truth is also unique. There could not be multiple ways to God, for truth does not have multiple flavors like Haagen Daaz ice cream, but truth remains constant, unchanging, unyielding, and resolute. Likewise, Jesus made no apologies for the truth. He told His disciples: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 (NIV)) In closing, I would like to encourage you not to even entertain the thought of yoking yourself with an unbeliever: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (2 Corinthians 6:14:16 (NIV)) Continue to reflect God’s light. I will stand in the gap with you and pray for the Lord to open your friend’s eyes to the gospel of the glory of God which is in Christ Jesus. Your fellow servant in Christ, JR 1/07/2007 5:16 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear Shawn, I would love the opportunity to address your students on Islam. I will be revising the website to allow you to send me a private message with your contact information. Please check the website again in another week for this new feature. Meanwhile, stay safe in the Lord. In His Name, JR 1/07/2007 5:46 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear M & D, God is awesome, isn’t He? We should have been relegated to the depths of hell but for His grace. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Thank you for your encouragement. Please send my warmest regards to “big D”. May God’s favor rest upon you and your loved ones during this year. May it be a year of blessing upon blessing. From the Lord comes deliverance. May His blessings be continually upon His people. In Him, JR 1/07/2007 6:47 PM rob litzinger said… Hi, I was wondering how to get in touch with you for speaking engagements. Do you ever come out to California?? You can email at Rob@churchforlife.com Thanks, Rob 1/10/2007 4:01 PM HannahvP said… Hello Jerry, If you were interested in spreading the gospel amoung Muslim people what tracts or articles do you feel would have the biggest impact. What areas of faith would you be inclined to focus on? Hannah 3/16/2007 9:55 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Greetings to all in the Name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, As you can see we revamped the website and anyone can now send me a private email by going into contact info and clicking my name from there. http://www.fromjihadtojesus.com/contact.htm We have also added a booking tab on the website should anyone like to contact me for speaking engagements. http://www.fromjihadtojesus.com/booking.htm Blessings, JR 3/26/2007 9:58 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear Hannah, Thank you for asking about effective tracts to communicate the gospel to Muslims. I am in the process of finalizing some tracts by the end of this week. I am not sure how long it will take the press to get them printed. Once they are complete -probably in one month’s time- I will post a link on my website and blog. Meanwhile, I would encourage you to check out Dr. Pat Cate’s Tract titled For My Muslim Friend. It is found at the following link: http://shop3.gospelcom.net/epages/atsdirect.storefront/4608945500b590db272245579e7b068d/Product/View/31078 I would also encourage you to visit the Resouces tab I have on my website: http://www.FromJihadToJesus.com The most important thing to focus on is to love them unconditionally and to let them see God’s light through you. Pray and fast that the Holy Spirit would open their eyes to the Gospel of the Glory of God which is in Christ Jesus. The second most important thing is to make them recognize their sin, and perceive their fallen nature. Only once they recognize their sin and how their sin separates them from a Holy God will they recognize their desperate need for a Savior. (Please see the Resources tab on my website for more on this) Thank you for loving the Muslims like Christ loves them. Your brother in Christ, JR 3/26/2007 10:11 PM DerikErik said… Hi Jerry Rassamni, I think you are a blessing to Christians and Muslims alike. I think it is important for each person to determine for themselves what the truth is and should do their own research into the Bible and the Qur’an. I think open dialogue between different faiths and people will eventually lead people to the truth. I am a Christian and I just have a couple questions regarding Islam that have risen due to my own research into the faith to learn how so many people believe that it is the ultimate word of God. 1)Is it true that Muslims believe the Qur’an is perfect only as read in the original Arabic? If its the word of God, why can’t it be successfully translated into any language? 2)Jesus(Isa) was holy, sinless, the Word of God and performed miracles whereas Muhammad was told to repent for his sins? How then can Muhammad possibly intercede for other sinners? Dosen’t the Qur’an back up the Bible when it says Jesus was the Word of God: John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” 3)What is the plan of salvation in the Qur’an? It seems highly unlikely that God would give the Jews instructions for animal sacrifices to be made to atone for sin in the Old Testament and not have a plan to resolve the issue. Why wait almost 600 yrs after the Temple was destroyed for Muhammad to bring the “final revelation” which doesn’t solve mankind’s condition? I would be very thankful if you would answer these questions. I know you are on the right track because God is Holy and so is his law, and transgressors of his law must be punished or there must be an atonement. That sacrifice of Jesus Christ made us right again with God. Peace be with you, Derik 4/08/2007 9:06 PM Dupa Jasia said… .. .. … 4/11/2007 11:26 AM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear Dupa Jasia, Please repost your question or comment as it did not post properly. For His Glory, Jerry Rassamni 4/12/2007 10:24 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear Derik (aka derikerik), Thank you so much for writing me. Please find the below answers to your questions. Question 1) Is it true that Muslims believe the Qur’an is perfect only as read in the original Arabic? If its the word of God, why can’t it be successfully translated into any language? Jerry’s Answer: Muslims believe that the modern copy of the Arabic Qur’an is identical to one in heaven since Allah does not allow his word to be altered. They frown on translating the Qur’an as they fear that it might be altered in the process. Thus, Muslims all over the world are only allowed to worship in the language of Arabic. Consequently, eighty-seven percent of Muslims who are non-Arabs are forced to read the Qur’an and pray in a language (Arabic) they do not understand. Thus it is easy to observe that instead of worship being a sincere expression of praise from the heart, it becomes a meaningless repetitive ritual. Is it a surprise then, that Muslims view God as unknowable? In Islam, there’s no intimacy with God. There’s the formality of worship, but the stark absence of a relationship. It is worthwhile noting that Muslims attack the Bible, by claiming that it has been changed over the years. They boast however that the Qur’an is unchanged since it is still being read during worship in the original language of Arabic. They believe that the Qur’an revealed by Islam’s prophet and which was written down in part during his life was identical to a Qur’an that always existed in Arabic on a preserved tablet in heaven. Let me show you how absurd this claim is. The greatest sin to a Muslim is the sin of shirk (polytheism – to associate anyone or anything with God). But if the Qur’an always existed on tablets in heaven, that risks duality with God. It means that God is not the only one who is eternal, thus the sin of shirk is at play. When the people of the world built the Tower of Babel, they rebelled against God. In essence, instead of trusting in God, they trusted in their own might, and their own accomplishments. They wanted to make themselves –not God- a name in the earth. At that time, all people spoke the same language, so God confused their languages as they began speaking in different tongues. Islam wants to take people back to a single language. It wants to take people back to the Tower of Babel, where instead of people putting their trust in God, they trust in their own hands to save them. If I may paraphrase that: “God I don’t need you. I have Me.” You do recall when the serpent deceived Eve in the garden, he told her “you will be like god”. Therefore, it is not surprising that Islam mocks the concept of grace. They do not believe that they require a savior, but that they are their own saviors. Muslims believe that the Qur’an is meant to only be read in Arabic, as though God is unable to express himself in other languages. To Muslims, Arabic becomes the lingua sacra (sacred language), but if Arabic is such a superior language having always existed in heaven, then why does the Qur’an contain numerous non-Arabic words? The Qur’an borrows a rich religious vocabulary from Ethiopic and Syriac sources, such as Jewish and Persian religious terms including Allah, Qur’an, Furqan, Salawat, Jahannam, Janna, Firdaus, Zakat, Deen, etc. In stark contrast to the Qur’an, the Bible was written in three different languages and has been translated to almost every language in the world. God wrote the Bible as a love letter to reach the whole world. The God of the Bible desires an intimate relationship with each of us. Even though the Bible has been translated to almost every known language in the world, no one can cast shadows on its integrity. Today, there are over twenty thousand ancient copies in the British Natural Museum that are identical to our modern Bibles. So God did not mean his Word to be unintelligible to us, but He wanted us to be able to enjoy it, understand it, and accept and believe in its promises. Question 2) Jesus(Isa) was holy, sinless, the Word of God and performed miracles whereas Muhammad was told to repent for his sins? How then can Muhammad possibly intercede for other sinners? Doesn’t the Qur’an back up the Bible when it says Jesus was the Word of God: John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Jerry’s answer: According to the tradition (Ahadith), Islam’s prophet prayed seventy times a day for God to forgive his sins. In fact, it is said that the last words out of his mouth was to ask God to forgive his sins and grant him entrance into paradise. Yet, Muslims trust their prophet to intercede for them. It is interesting to note that the whole Qur’an claims that only Jesus Christ is sinless (Surah 19:19). But if Jesus is sinless, and we know that only God is sinless, that would imply that Jesus Christ is God, for only God is sinless. The Qur’an even calls Jesus, a Word from God. Sunnis even believe that Jesus is the Messiah. I will let the above facts speak for themselves in addressing your question… Question 3) What is the plan of salvation in the Qur’an? It seems highly unlikely that God would give the Jews instructions for animal sacrifices to be made to atone for sin in the Old Testament and not have a plan to resolve the issue. Why wait almost 600 yrs after the Temple was destroyed for Muhammad to bring the “final revelation” which doesn’t solve mankind’s condition? Jerry’s answer: The plan of salvation in the Qur’an goes like this. Each person is to follow the pillars of religion and amass good deeds. Muslims believe that their deeds will be weighed on the great scales of justice on the Day of Judgment, and if their good deeds overweigh their bad deeds, then they will go to heaven, otherwise hell. Ultimately however, they believe that Allah has mercy upon whom he chooses – as though arbitrarily. The Qur’an itself only promises heaven to those who die in the cause of Jihad – those who spill blood. In stark contrast, Jesus died for his enemies. He told us that there is no greater love than this, for one to lay his life for another. Islam on the other hand, commands its followers to kill their enemies. I ask you which is superior, love or hatred? Jesus said: “This is my command: Love one another” (John 15:17). If someone claims to know God, yet they have hate in their hearts, they deceive themselves for they know not God, for God is love. If we disagree with Muslims on the plan of salvation, then logic dictates that we cannot both be on the right path, one of us must be in error. If our viewpoints are mutually exclusive, then one of us has to be wrong. Truth is indivisible. The old adage goes: If it’s new it’s not true for truth is eternal. So let us reason together. When Adam and Eve sinned against God in the Garden, God promised them that He will send them a Savior who will suffer to atone for the sins of mankind. The entire Old Testament is all about the coming Messiah who will atone for the sins of mankind. The entire New Testament is the story of how the Messiah came and paid the ultimate price for us so that our broken fellowship with God which we enjoyed in the Garden may once again be restored. God’s holiness demands that sin must be punished as it is an offense against the very holiness of God. Since man is finite, he cannot pay for an infinite offense against God. This is why humans require an infinite Savior. The savior had to be divine –one with God- otherwise, He could not pay for an infinite crime against God’s holiness. Islam provided man with a manual on how to live, but it ignored the cancer of sin which ate at man’s soul. Since God is love, He made a way to redeem us unto Himself when there was no human way. That way is through our beloved Savior, Jesus Christ, the one who never sinned nor ever lifted a sword, the one who said: “Who can convict me of sin?” Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s love and promises to a fallen humanity. This Jesus loves Muslims too, and He died for them. Please love them as God loves them. Tell them that God loves them, He sent His Son to die on the cross for them. For His Glory, Jerry Rassamni 4/13/2007 12:46 PM jump4jesus said… Jerry,I am almost done with the book. I can’t put it down. As a Christian I wanted to hear from someone who lived it and now knows the truth. I learned things I didn’t know and feel better prepared to be able to talk to a muslim about Jesus. This is the best book I have read next to the Bible. I am in the Nazarene Church and we are big in Missions. I have shared it with several people in our church. We have a large samoli population in Columbus ohio the need reached. I want to do my part also. Thank you for writing a book that was easy to read and understand for someone who doesn’t know alot about a Islam. I have more compasion for them now and understanding. If you don’t understand how do you change the world around you? Maybe you should send the book the every member of congress! Yes, even the White House! Love and prayers Vada 4/25/2007 11:03 AM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear Jump4Jesus, Thank you for your encouragement. Jesus died for the Muslims Too. He loves them with an everlasting love, and He wants them to experience His grace. I am afraid that Christians who dislike or hate Muslims do not understand grace. They don’t understand that all of us fall short of God’s glory and that it is only by the blood of the Lamb of God that we are saved, not by anything that we do or earn for God is no respecter of persons. God’s love doesn’t leave anybody out, not even Usama. In fact, we are all Usamas in God’s eyes, for the Bible tells us that if we have broken the least of the commands, we have broken them all and have become enemies of God. God hates the sin, but O how He loves the sinner. It is His will that none will perish. The Apostle Paul was an Usama of his day, terrorizing Christians but God changed his heart. Paul ended up writing two thirds of the New Testament and preaching the gospel to the gentiles. God is the God of miracles. He can change the heart. Our Lord spoke of the last days and told us in Matthew 24 that “12…the love of most will grow cold, 13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” I weep for those in the church whose love has grown cold for they grieve the Holy Spirit. You see it is love that separates the wheat from the chaff. Verse 14 continues: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” You see, Jesus wants us to share the gospel with Muslims. In fact, by not loving Muslims and by not preaching the gospel to them, we are dishonoring Jesus and delaying His return. Our calling is to be Christ with skin on. Our calling is to love our enemies, to pray for those who persecute us. Revelation 12:11 describes those who overcame the beast in the Last Days: “11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” We are on loan to this world from a different kingdom. We must not become too comfortable here lest we forsake our calling: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37 Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” (Matt 8) Keep the faith and pray and weep with me for the soul of Usama as well as every Muslim on the face of this earth. For His Glory, Jerry Rassamni 5/04/2007 8:05 PM Schlaftius said… Jerry, I also believe that you are another Maronite or Greek Orthodox Lebanese recruited by the evangelists to attack Islam and muslims. I hardly ever hear hate from ex-Christians in Islam for Christians or Christianity. This is because Islam taught them love and to use their minds, not to turn to hate and lies. I have met many lebanese maronites and egyptian copts posing as former muslims in the chats, blogs and forums, becoming little mascots for the rightwing evangelical hate campaign launched against not only muslims, but hindus, buddhists, jews and even catholics. 6/03/2007 5:53 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear Schlaftius, I really appreciate hearing from you. Thank you for writing me. I am anxious to hear about you. I am interested in hearing about your nationality and your own journey of faith. Please tell me if you were born into Islam or if you converted, if so when… You stated that I was a Maronite or Greek Orthodox recruited by evangelists to attack Islam and Muslims yet you did not offer a single shred of evidence to that effect. E. B. White wrote, “Prejudice is a great time saver. You can form opinions without having to get the facts.” Frankly, I have noticed a disturbing pattern that most Muslims follow when debating Christians. They attack the person instead of debating in the arena of facts. Dear friend, please be aware that I did not use a pseudonym when writing the book because I have nothing to hide. Therefore, the burden of proof is on you to please substantiate your opinions with hard evidence. Show me a single member of my family who is Maronite or Greek Orthodox. The fact is that when I was in the Lebanese Civil war I fought against Christians and I did not become a Christian until October 2, 1988 and was baptized in the faith on October 9, 1988. I was the first known member of my extended family to ever become a Christian. Furthermore, I am not aware of which blogs or forums you were referring to where Christians pose as ex-Muslims, but once again, I urge to please use facts instead of advancing blind emotional claims. You stated that I was advancing hate. I would encourage to read my book so that you would get a feel for my heart. I have nothing but love and compassion toward the Muslims of the world. There’s no hate in my heart toward them. In fact, in the book’s introduction, I stated the following: “I would like to acknowledge the Muslims of the world. I love you from the inner depths of my spirit.” Also, whenever I have book signings, I always write the following on the bottom of every book: “God loves Muslims too” or “Jesus died for Muslims too.” Whenever I speak or am interviewed, I always admonish Christians for not loving Muslims enough. Once again, I wish you would read the book so that you have the facts at your disposal. I am a great advocate of promoting love, peace, and dialogue between Christians and Muslims. I tell the truth, that only a small fundamentalist fringe is bent on the destruction of the West, but that most Muslims want the same things that every red blooded American wants, which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I rebuke Christians who hate and demonize Muslims, because if they don’t have love in their hearts then they don’t know Christ. In fact, after 9/11 I went to the local mosque with several people from my church to reach out to Muslims, to show them that we loved them, and that we did not hold the average Muslim responsible for the heinous crimes of 9/11. I tell Christians everywhere I go that we need to build bridges with Muslims. We need to build relationships with them and show them that we love them unconditionally. I must acknowledge however that “some” -I emphasize “some”- Christians have not learned to love Muslims for the twin towers are still burning in their minds; as a result, they hold all Muslims responsible; but I beg you not to confuse me with them. My calling is to remind Christians that God is love and that we are called to love even our enemies – Please don’t take that as a suggestion that all Muslims are our enemies. You stated that I advance lies… There’s no question that Islam teaches charity. Most Muslims are great neighbors. They are good friends and very hospitable. However, a major distinction between Islam and Christianity is that when Jihadists engage in terrorism, they are following the commands of the Qur’an. I offer the following Qur’anic surahs (verses) as facts in support of this claim:  FIGHT THEM, Allah will punish them by your hands and bring them to disgrace, and assist you against them and heal the hearts of a believing people. (Qur’an Surah 9:14)  And KILL THEM wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they drove you out, and persecution is severer than slaughter, and do not fight with them at the Sacred Mosque until they fight with you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them; such is the recompense of the unbelievers. (Surah 2.191)  FIGHT THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE IN ALLAH, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Apostle have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgment of superiority and they are in a state of subjection. (9.29)  You who believe, FIGHT THOSE OF THE UNBELIEVERS who are near to you and let them find in you hardness; and know that Allah is with those who guard (against evil). (9.123)  Surely ALLAH LOVES THOSE WHO FIGHT in His way in ranks as if they were a firm and compact wall. (61.4)  The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His apostle and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that THEY SHOULD BE MURDERED OR CRUCIFIED OR THEIR HANDS AND THEIR FEET SHOULD BE CUT OFF ON OPPOSITE SIDES or they should be imprisoned; this shall be as a disgrace for them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement. (5.33) The above is a far cry from Jesus exhortation in Matthew 5: 38″You have heard that it was said, ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.’ 39″But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40″If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. 41″Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42″Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. 43″You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ 44″But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46″For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47″If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48″Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Again, I am thrilled that you wrote me. Although we may disagree on issues, but I appreciate your civility. Please be assured that I will continue my mission to extend bridges of relationships between Christians and Muslims. In Christ’s Love, Jerry Rassamni 6/09/2007 11:40 AM God is Love said… This is a quick message to Clifton, if he still visits this blog and reads it…Dear Clifton, all I can say as an Arab who read the Koran as it is, and not the soft language in which it is translated, I say that obviously whatever Islam you followed is a beautified non-existent religion. Muslims in America lie about their religion, and use biblical notions to make believe that they are Islamic notions. Islam is a religion of hatred, killing, looting, revenge and animosity. The Allah of Islam is so biased and so mean, that He decides who he shows the right path to. People have no say in it. He teaches his people to loot, rape and kill the non-believers, and to love and protect ONLY the believers. I advise you before it is too late to simply read the entire Koran, especially Al-Anfal, Al-Baqarah, Al-Tawbah [ironically means repentance when it is loaded with criminal instructions] and Al-Nisa. Trust me my dear friend, you are in the wrong path. I know a few Christians who converted to Islam and back, including my own husband. Now, all of these people have deeper faith in Christ, and you will too, if you simply read the Koran, and read Jerry’s book becasue he summs it up for you and helps you understand the Islam that you obviously know nothing about. However, I too wonder, what makes a Christian convert after 9/11? I don’t mean to be rude, but something must be wrong in the minds of those people who saw where Islam leads and yet go after it.. but I am not a psychatrist…I cannot answer this. In the meantime I will pray for you. May God bless you and may Christ fill your heart.. and remember my dear friend, Mohammed is long gone and buried under the ground, and Jesus lives in triumph in heaven, even according to your newly acquired religion… now, who do you submit your heart and soul to? the sinner and the dust, or to our Perfect Lord and God? 6/27/2007 4:26 PM Nini said… Dear Jerry, How long have you been studying Islam? And with whom? It seems to me your opinion on Islam re anger and hatred is mainly based on the Islam that you knew when you were a militia. That you claim Islam dictates its view by “enforcing it by the sword” is so much and so commonly misunderstood. If you say not one of Allah’s 99 names means “love”, I suggest you carefully study the meaning of “Ar-Rahman”, “Ar-Rahim”, “Al_Ghaffar”, “Al_Ghafur”, “Al-Mujib”, “Al-Wadud”, “Al-Waliy”, “At-Tawwab”, to name a few. May peace be with you. 7/16/2007 10:03 PM Nini said… Dear Jerry, I must also add that claiming that Islam is all about attaining Allah’s pleasure through violence and hatred is as ignorant as claiming that Christianity is all about achieving salvation through suffering and self-mutilation. I have also noticed that you have not answered all of adele’s sister’s questions. 7/16/2007 11:48 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear Nini, I am delighted that you wrote me. I have always asserted that the majority of Muslims are peace-loving people who want the same things out of life that every red-blooded American wants. In fact, your civility is case in point of the above, as you do not appear to have hatred in your heart, but love and compassion. My read of you is that you see the creator as He is: a force of love. I would not dare impugn your motives, or the motives of any peace-loving Muslim. I know that there are many Muslims who were disgusted by the evils of 9/11. It seems that you might be one of those. You see, my mission is not to demonize Muslims, but I call upon Christians everywhere I speak to love Muslims. I exhort Christians to seek to understand them, reach out to them, and pray for them instead of hating, demonizing or fearing them. I have always said that the majority of Muslims do not subscribe to the call of Jihad which is found in the Qur’an. Arnold Glascow wrote: “The fewer the facts, the stronger the opinion.” I wish you that you would read my book to get a sense of my heart and to better understand my views, research, and conclusions so that misunderstandings do not arise. With the basics out of way, let us please reason together: What motivated the hijackers of 9/11 to commit their heinous crime against humanity? What motivated them to kill innocent men, women, and children? What motivated them to paint with such vivid flames on the skyline the evil which lurks in man’s heart? The answer to the above question is the fatwa which their leader Usama Bin Laden issued in 1998 where he quotes the Qur’an: “But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the pagans wherever ye find them, seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war)” (Surah 9:5). Ben Laden continued: “And peace be upon our Prophet, Muhammad Bin-‘Abdallah, who said: I have been sent with the sword between my hands to ensure that no one but Allah is worshipped, Allah who put my livelihood under the shadow of my spear and who inflicts humiliation and scorn on those who disobey my orders.”1 Such hatred, such evil, such wickedness, and such revolting vileness and malevolence of the perpetrators of 9/11, could not possibly find their origin in the creator. Those hijackers believed that they were serving God with their evil deeds and they backed up their assertions with the Qur’an. The biblical prophet Isaiah wrote: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” (Isaiah 5:20 NIV) Please compare the words of Jesus with Surah 9:5 listed above: “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:43, 44 – emphasis mine). You quoted some of the 99 excellent names of Allah in the Qur’an. Please ponder with me one of those names which you did not cite: “Al Da-rr.” It means the Distressor, the Harmer. Are we to believe that the creator is the author and promoter of the evil and malevolence which the haters of 9/11 committed in full obedience to the Qur’an? Dear Nini, I know that you do not ascribe hatred to the creator. I have always said that it is a small fringe in Islam who is bent on the destruction of the West. I know that you do not believe that the creator is a force of evil and malevolence. I believe that you see the creator as a force of love and that you have love in your heart not hatred. But, in light of the above, would you at least be open to the possibility that the attackers of 9/11 drew upon the Qur’an to motivate and justify their evil deeds? If so, what does that imply to you regarding the Qur’an? Furthermore, what are your thoughts regarding the crime of 9/11? Do you still believe that man is basically good even though he is capable of such overwhelming evil? Also, do you believe that the creator is the author of such hatred and malevolence? 1. http://www.fas.org/irp/world/para/docs/980223-fatwa.htm 7/29/2007 7:54 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear Nini, With regards to your comment about “claiming that Islam is all about attaining Allah’s pleasure through violence and hatred”, I never claimed that all Muslims ascribe to that set of doctrinal beliefs. Many Muslims such are you see Islam as a religion of peace. I dare not impugn your motives. All I’m saying is that the evil perpetrators of 9/11 read the same Qur’an you read and arrived at a different conclusion. Would you not agree that the Qur’an certainly leaves that possibility open? Sorry that I dropped the ball regarding sister Adele’s questions. I promise to answer her questions gradually… Please return and check for those answers. In Christ’s Love, JR 7/29/2007 8:12 PM Jerry Rassamni said… As promised, please find the answer to question # 2 from Sister Adele. Question: # 2. What was the Council of Nicea convened to discuss? What was decided at this convention? Answer: There were two councils of Nicea, the first was held in 325 AD, and the second is 787 AD. The First Council of Nicea is the most famous as it is best known for its formulation of the Nicene Creed (Universal Christian statement of faith). This council was convened by Emperor Constantine in order to resolve disagreements in the Church of Alexandria over the nature of Jesus in relationship to the Father (Trinity). Arius (the father of the Arian controversy) argued that Jesus was of similar substance to the Father. On the other hand, St. Alexander (Athanasius) of Alexandria who was famous for citing the Scriptures as having divine authority with final say in resolving all doctrinal issues, argued from the Bible that Jesus was of the same substance of the Father. The council overwhelmingly decided against the heretical teachings of the Arians. Of the estimated 250-318 attendees, all but 2 voted against Arius. The Council established the divinity and the equality of the Son to the Father and issued the following Biblical universal statement of faith: “We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten of his Father, of the substance of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance, with the Father. By whom all things were made, both which be in heaven and in earth. Who for us men and for our salvation came down [from heaven] and was incarnate and was made man. He suffered and the third day he rose again, and ascended into heaven. And he shall come again to judge both the quick and the dead. And [we believe] in the Holy Ghost. And whosoever shall say that there was a time when the Son of God was not, or that before he was begotten he was not, or that he was made of things that were not, or that he is of a different substance or essence [from the Father] or that he is a creature, or subject to change or conversion–all that so say, the Catholic and Apostolic Church anathematizes them.” Again, the vote was not a close call, but it was definitive. Of the 250-317 bishops who attended, all but two bishops accepted the above universal statement of faith confirming that Jesus is one with the Father. Blessings, Jerry Rassamni 8/01/2007 9:37 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Sister Adele asked (Question #3): Is there anywhere in the Bible where Jesus explains the concept of Trinity? Answer: Let us examine some pivotal times during Jesus’ ministry to find the answer to your question. Jesus began His ministry by going into a synagogue and reading the following from the book of Isaiah (Isaiah 61:1): “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me…” (Luke 4:18) When the Jews heard this, they were furious with Jesus because He was claiming to be the long awaited Messiah who is one with God – the very one who is anointed with the Holy Spirit of God. In essence, Jesus was claiming to be the one of whom the prophet Isaiah wrote: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall rest on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) See also Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel (meaning God with us)”. Therefore, the Jews whose hearts were hardened threw Jesus out of the city. During Jesus’ ministry, Philip asked him: “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (John 14:8-9) At the conclusion of Jesus’ ministry, after He rose from the dead, His last words to His disciples before His ascension to heaven were as follows: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” (Matthew 28:18-19 NIV). Everything is Jesus’ birth, ministry, death, and resurrection pointed to His identity as one with God, as one filled with the Spirit of God. In fact, this is so essential to Jesus’ mission that he said: “Unless you believe that I am He (the Father), you shall die in your sins” (John 8:24 NASB). The fact is that there is only one way to the Father and it is through the Son. One cannot grasp the intensity of this revelation with their carnal minds, but this revelation can only come from God through His Holy Spirit. If you hunger for the truth, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth to you, and He will. You have nothing to lose but eternal life to gain. In Christ’s Love, Jerry Rassamni 8/01/2007 11:19 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Sister Adele asked (Question #4): “Why can we find a very “human” image of Jesus in the oldest Gospel of Mark (he makes mistakes, forgets, gets angry, is unable to do some things, even describes himself as a PROPHET, etc.,) whereas in the Gospels of John, we get a very powerful, “divine” image of Jesus?” Answer: I was relating to my attorney the other day, how different people view the world through their vantage points. Case in point, if you have five eye witnesses to an accident, each will describe the accident differently depending on their vantage points (e.g. the angle from which they observed the accident.) My attorney who also studied psychology told me that he once ran an experiment with a sample of five individuals in a college lab. He had them watch a movie of an accident together. They all had to describe what they saw in writing. The fact is that all five people described the accident differently. Their description of what actually occurred was influenced by their respective knowledge banks and their unique perspectives. Does that prove that they didn’t observe the same accident, that the accident never occurred, or that their rendition was erroneous??? Nonsense… The four Gospels tell the story of the Life of Jesus, but they do it from four different points of view. This is because they were written by different people and each writer wanted to tell the story from their own perspective, each with a different emphasis in mind: Take Matthew for instance. He was a Jewish tax collector wanted to prove to prove that Jesus is the Messiah, the eternal king. Mark was not one of the 12 disciples. He was a missionary who wanted to present the person, work, and teachings of Jesus. Luke was a gentile physician who wanted to present Christ as the perfect human and savior John whom Jesus called Son of Thunder wanted to prove conclusively that Jesus is the Son of God and that all who believe in Him will have eternal life. These authors are approaching the same story from different angles to accomplish different purposes, but it is important to point out that not one gospel contradicts the other. You mentioned that Jesus got angry. That is absolutely true. It was a righteous anger that doesn’t strip Him of His divinity but on the contrary, it confirms His divinity. You see, He told the money changers whom He threw out of the Temple: “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ (Mt 21:13) In fact, it was a direct quote from God in the Book of Jeremiah: “Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” says the Lord.” (Jer 7:11) However, I am baffled and confused to read your charges that Jesus made mistakes, had memory lapses, or was unable to do certain things. I am clueless where those assertions are coming from as you did not advance a single iota of evidence. It’s like me saying that the earth is square but not offering any evidence to back it up. Please clarify… In Christ’s Love, Jerry Rassamni 8/02/2007 12:33 AM Jerry Rassamni said… Sister Adele asked (Question #5): “Why did Jesus say he came only for the Jews (The “House of Israel?”)?” Answer: If you have the most awesome news of your life, whom would you tell first, your own family or strangers? Of course, you would tell your family first. Once you’ve told them, then you would proceed to tell others. Similarly, as a Jew, Jesus came first to the Jews, then to the gentiles (non Jews). The Bible tells us “He (Jesus) came unto his own (the Jews), and his own received him not. But as many (Jews and gentiles) as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (1 John 11:13 KJV) Thus Jesus didn’t come only for the Jews, but He had to go to them first. God told Abraham, that through his seed, he would bless the whole world. Jesus was the long awaited Messiah – the fulfillment of that very promise. Before you learned how to run, there was a natural progression that you had go through. First, you had to learn how to crawl, then stand up, then walk, and then you were ready to learn how to run. But just because you did not come running out of the womb does not mean that you were not made to run. The same goes for food. You were not ready for solid food when you came out of the womb, but you became ready for it after you followed a natural progression. But does that mean that you were incompatible with solid food? Heavens no… There was an inherent sequence, an innate chain of successive events that had to take place. We accept that as a natural order of life. But if physical life has a prescribed order, then why should spiritual life be any different? The natural order was for the Messiah to come for the Jews first since God’s plan was for the Jews were to become God’s ambassadors to the world. This is why when Jesus first sent out his disciples in Matthew 10:5, He told them specifically to not go near the gentiles or enter any towns of the Samaritans. Go rather, He said “to the lost sheep of Israel…” However, Jesus’ last words to His disciples before he ascended to heaven were: ”Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19) Thus, in the appointed time, Jesus used a different scope for His ministry. Now that Jesus was resurrected, the promise which God made to Abraham that through his seed He would bless the whole world was now coming into fruition, hence, Jesus used the word “nations” (all people). The Good News (the Gospel) was now to be shared with the entire world. When someone is leaving, their last words mark the essence of their existence. I remember the words of my mother to me on her death bed. She said to me: “I love you.” And I know that her whole life was a testimony of her love to me. So when Jesus commanded His followers to share the good news with the entire world, it wasn’t simply an after-thought, but a premeditated path that God had established long ago and revealed ever so eloquently in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (NKJV) In His Love, Jerry Rassamni 8/02/2007 11:14 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Sister Adele asked (Question #6): “If the Bible is the perfect, holy word of God, how can there be so many contradictions in it, on both minor and major issues?” Answer: If you were to make a similar statement in a court of law, one can imagine how the opposing counsel would mechanically take off their glasses, stand up, and blurt out: “Objection your honor, hearsay.” The moral of this word picture is that one cannot justifiably state assertions as facts without offering the validating information. My name is Jerry Rassamni. I spent two years of my life looking, searching, and yearning to find those contradictions. I found none… I began reading the Bible in order to disprove it. I was on a quest to refute the Bible because I was taught to believe that it was corrupted. I wanted to have my arguments ready for Christians regarding why their faith was futile. I read the Bible cover to cover twice in an attempt to expose and invalidate it, but instead, I found it to be the perfect Word of God. There’s not a single blemish in it. It is God’s love letter to humankind. It spoke to me. It convicted me of my sin and of my desperate need for a divine Savior. It transformed me from a wolf to a lamb. The Word of God took my heart of stone and gave me a heart of flesh. The 66 different books of the Bible were written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit by 40 different authors from all walks of life, in three languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek), and in three continents (Asia, Africa, and Europe), to different audiences in differing forms (history, law, poetry, prose, prophecy, letters), over the span of 1600 years. Some of the authors were kings. Some were shepherds, farmers, tent-makers, physicians, fishermen, priests, or philosophers. Although these works were written independently, in different languages, by people holding different occupations, and across different centuries, yet they show an amazing congruency and never contradict each other! The Bible is a cohesive and unified book. This amazing congruency, cohesiveness, and unity are a miracle. The only possible explanation of that miracle is that the Bible was wholly inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. Islam has 99 excellent names of Allah, but the God of the Bible is much more powerful. He has a single arrow in His quiver. It is love. Everything in the Bible revolves around this single arrow. It is the prism that unlocks the mysteries of God. It is the code that unlocks the bible from Genesis to Revelation. It is the single force that explains the crucifixion and the resurrection. It is what moves the heart and hand of God. It is the power that explains the pain that Jesus endured on the cross. It is the very imprint in the hearts and actions of “true” Christ followers. Now, please explain to me why the Qur’an which purportedly is written on tablets in heaven and again purportedly revealed by the angel Gabriel is riddled with imperfections, plagiarism, scientific errors, grammatical errors, historical errors, textual errors, pagan influences, discrepancies, fallacies, and abrogations. These are not unjustified assertions as I have painstakingly documented the evidence in my book: “From Jihad to Jesus” in the chapter: Is the Qur’an the word of God. If you are truly seeking the truth, I would encourage you to get a copy of my manuscript, and examine the evidence at hand. In His Love, JR 8/08/2007 12:00 AM Lola said… Dear brother Jerry, It amazes me to no end when you claim that the Bible never contradict each other. And your claim that Quran is “riddled with imperfections, plagiarism, scientific errors, grammatical errors, historical errors, textual errors, pagan influences, discrepancies, fallacies, and abrogations” can be easily be answered by any scholar who studies the sciences of the Quran. As regards one of the names of Allah : “Al Da-rr.” (the Distressor, the Harmer), the explanation is simple. While Allah is the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate etc., those transgressors who incur Allah’s wrath and did not seek Allah’s forgiveness until they died may be subjected to Allah’s punishment. That does not make Allah “bad” or “evil”, Instead, it shows that Allah is Just and All-Powerful. Furthermore, if Islam were a creation of someone’s fancy, why would the person who wrote it not try to make it sound more “attractive” by saying God is only about forgiveness, love, compassion, mercy etc. Why would instead Islam describe Allah as a “Distressor/Harmer”? If a person wants to sell a thing or an idea, one would only say the good things about it, wouldnt he? Instead, Islam tells the truth abt the “characteristics” of Allah i.e. Allah encompasses everything and all the powers on Earth, in Heaven, Hell, and everything beyond. The reason is because is Islam is not a creation of Man. If you say that Christians believe that everything in the Bible revolves around a “single arrow” i.e. LOVE, how do you explain the concept of punishment and Hell in the Bible? And how do you explain the Christian ritual of “self-purification” out of infliction of pain on oneself? And like most people, I simply cannot comprehend the concept that God would punish/sacrifice his “son” out of an act of love. Such concept does not make any sense at all to men of reason. That, however, must be contrasted to Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh) who was willing to sacrifice his son, Prophet Ismaail (pbuh). Both of them were only obeying the commands of the Supreme. In the end, however, Allah showed his Mercy by replacing the sacrifice with a lamb. I’m sure that you are aware that Islam does not condone its believers to inflict harm on themselves or any other people without a just cause. The Quran also clearly explains what are “just causes” to inflict harm on other people for eg. the punishment for killing of an innocent man. Even so, the weight of evidence to enable punishment be inflicted on the alleged murderer is very heavy that it leaves no room of doubt that the alleged perpertrator is indeed guilty. 8/15/2007 7:45 PM bilalabdullah1 said… i was once a christian who became muslim when i was 45 years old ….i became muslim after reading the truth that the quran revealed to my heart and mind……i find it amazing how one can go against everything the bible says and go from worshipping the creator to worshipping a man..read the old testament to get a idea of gods nature……and see for yourself that jesus was not god them and is not a god now……you will not find one word jesus said in the old testament…….and jesus said himself and summed up the whole issue ….when he said hear oh israel the lord your god is one 9/08/2007 10:54 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear Lola, I appreciate your reply. Please take a look at below examples of imperfections, plagiarism, scientific errors, grammatical errors, historical errors, textual errors, pagan influences, discrepancies, fallacies, and abrogations in the Qur’an: • Imperfections: The Qur’an seems to be confused regarding the length of a day for Allah. Surah 22:47 states: “A Day with Allah is as a thousand years of what ye reckon.” (see also surah 32:5), whereas surah 70:4 clearly states: “The angels and the spirit ascend unto him in a Day the measure whereof is (as) fifty thousand years.” • Plagiarism: Since the Qur’an borrows seventy percent of its themes and stories from the Bible, this prompted many scholars to assert that the Qur’an is nothing more than a counterfeit of the Bible. However, the Bible is not the only source of the Qur’an, for the Qur’an borrowed four verses and inserted them unchanged from Imraul Qais, one of the most expressive of ancient Arab poets. It was the custom of poets and orators to hang their compositions upon the Ka’aba, so when Qais’s daughter heard Fatimah, the prophet’s daughter recite verses from Qais’s poem as though she was reciting from the Qur’an, Qais’s daughter immediately demanded to know how her father’s verses had become part of a divine revelation (the Qur’an) that is purported to be on eternal stone tablets in heaven. Qais’s daughter was subsequently put to death for daring to speak up. (Source: Muir, Apology of Al Kindy, 68) • Scientific errors: the Qur’an speaks of Alexander the Great traveling West until he reached the setting place of the sun and found that it sets in a muddy spring (Surah 18:86). This statement has puzzled Muslim commentators over the years who dig themselves in deeper by trying to expound the text in question. (Source: Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia, 625, 6) • Grammatical errors: the Palestinian Islamist scholar, Anis Shorrosh, expounds on the poor grammatical structure of the Qur’an by providing the following examples: In Surah 2:177, the word Sabireen should have been Sabiroon; in Surah 7:160, the words Ithnata ‘ashrata asbata should have been Ithnani ‘ashara Sibtan, etc. (Source: Anis Shorrosh, Islam Revealed: A Christian Arab’s View of Islam (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1988), 199-200) • Historical errors: Alphonse Mingana wrote concerning the historical errors in the Qur’an: “Who then will not be astonished to learn that in the Qur’an, Miriam, the sister of Aaron, is confounded with the Virgin Mary? (Surah Al-’Imran 3:35–37) and that Haman is given as minister of Pharaoh, instead of Ahasuerus? (Suratual-Qasas, 28:38). (Source: The Origins of the Qur’an, 79, edited by Ibn Waraq, “Transmission of the Qur’an,” by Alphonse Mingana) • Textual errors: The inscriptions in blue and gold mosaic on the dome of the Rock, Islam’s third holiest shrine that decorate the inner and outer faces of the octagonal arcade and the copper plaques on the exterior faces of the lintels over the inner doors of both the eastern and northern entrances consist of Qur’anic passages that are divergent from the modern Qur’an, particularly the inscriptions on the copper plaques. (Source: The Quest for the Historical Mohammad, ed. Ibn Warraq (Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 2000, 128) • Pagan influences: One would be hard pressed to presume that Islam is the true way to God, because God does not need to borrow rituals, traditions, and holy sites from paganism. Al Kindy wrote to his Muslim friend who invited him to a pilgrimage in Mecca: “Knowest thou not that the same is practiced of the Sun-worshippers and Brahmas in India at the present day? They make the circuit of their idol temples, with just these ceremonies, shaved . . . or with the dress they call Ihram. . . . Such is the origin of these idolatrous customs. Thou well knowest that the Arabs practiced them from the foundation of the Ka’aba, and thy master [the prophet Muhammad] continued the same. . . .Thus, that which ye perform in nothing differs from the idolatrous ceremonies of the Sun-worshippers and idolaters of India.” (Source: Muir, Apology of Al Kindy, 92–93.) • Discrepancies: The Caliph Omar was adamant that the stoning verse was dropped from the Qur’an as well as the ordinance of temporary marriage. In addition, Obey Ibn Kaab mentioned two suras that are no longer extant: Al Kanut and Al Witr. These missing suras and ayats are the x factor substantiating that many hands changed the revelations to suit their purposes. In summary, Al Kindy pointedly asks: “Are such, now, the conditions of a Revelation sent down from heaven?” (Muir, Apology of Al Kindy pp 75-78). • Fallacies: Surah 2:261 claims that every ear of corn has 100 grains. This is false claim which has not been proven scientifically. Also, we learn in Surah 27:18 of the talking ant during the reign of King Solomon. This is clearly a scientific fallacy regarding nature since ants communicate with scents and not words.(Source: http://www.bibleandscience.com/science/quran.htm) • Abrogation: The Qur’an asserts: “There is no changing the Words of Allah” (Surah 10:64, see also surahs 6:34, and 6:15). The Qur’an however, openly acknowledges and defends the fact that some Qur’anic verses have been abrogated (changed): “Nothing of our revelation (even a single verse) do we abrogate or cause be forgotten, but we bring (in place) one better or the like thereof.” (Surah 2:106, see also Surah 16:101). Does the change in the word of Allah mean that Allah is nor omniscient nor holy? With regards to the names of Allah, the Qur’an appears to waffle on whether Allah forgives everything. Surah 4:110 reads “If any one does evil or wrongs his own soul but afterwards seeks Allah’s forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.” However, Surah 4:137 contradicts the earlier Surah regarding Allah’s forgiveness: “Those who believe, then reject faith, then believe (again) and (again) reject faith, and go on increasing in unbelief,- Allah will not forgive them nor guide them nor guide them on the way.” Furthermore, you claim that the Qur’an was not created by man. Ample evidence that the Qur’an has evolved and been standardized overtime prompted the caliph Al Ma’mun (AD 786–833) to issue his famous edict denying the eternal existence of the Qur’an (Source: William Muir, The Apology of Al Kindy (London: Tract Committee, 1887), 27). In fact, Al Ma’mun ridiculed the idea that the Qur’an was uncreated (Source: Samy Tanagho, Glad News! God Loves You, My Muslim Friend (Waynesboro, GA: Authentic Media, 2003), 99.) You asked me to explain the concept of punishment and Hell in the Bible if God is love. The fact is that God desires that none perish but that all come to know Him. Yes God is love, but God is also holy. He cannot allow un-holiness in His presence. He made a way for all to come to know him by the blood of His son Jesus Christ (Yasu’ al Massih), my blessed Lord and Savior. If we accept the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, then our sins are thrown in a sea of forgetfulness and will never be brought up against us again. But the sins of those who reject God’s gift of eternal life are an offense to God’s holiness. They cannot stand in His presence. Their lot will be the lake of fire. The Bible presents us with a God who is consumed with His love for humanity. The Messiah is the very expression of God’s love to us. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). In stark contrast, the Qur’an presents us with a god who is closer than our jugular veins as though ready to cut our veins and inflict the final punishment (Surah 50:16). You asked me about the Christian ritual of “self-purification” – inflicting pain on oneself. Heh??? Let’s separate fact from fiction: I certainly do not do this nor do I know of any Christian who does. This is a heretical not a Christian concept. Let’s be clear about this: I am not saved by anything I do. I am saved by what my savior did for me on the cross. You stated “I simply cannot comprehend the concept that God would punish/sacrifice his “son” out of an act of love.” Al Bukhari stated that the prophet Muhammad believed that animal sacrifice was a divinely appointed instrument to receive God’s acceptance. Why then do Muslims balk at the idea that the innocent can die for the guilty when their own customs, traditions, and prophet encourage it? Muslims find that Abraham’s intended sacrifice on Mount Moriah was a random incident without meaning. They do not understand that this was a foreshadowing of God sacrificing His own Son on a cross on that same mountain for the salvation of the world? We cannot redeem ourselves before a holy God. But because of His love, God made a way to redeem us. We can take that gift of salvation or snub our noses at it. The choice is ours to make. You wrote “The Quran also clearly explains what are “just causes” to inflict harm on other people for eg. the punishment for killing of an innocent man.” Interestingly enough however, when Muslim extremists inflame the West with their terror rhetoric, they do so in faithfulness and obedience to their prophet who said that even stones will aid in the jihadists’ quest. Hadeeth Sahih Bukhari, vol. 4; bk. 52; no. 176 reads: “Allah’s Apostle said, ‘You [Muslims] will fight with the Jews ‘til some of them will hide behind stones. The stones will [betray them] saying, ‘O ‘Abdullah (i.e., slave of Allah)! There is a Jew hiding behind me; so kill him’”… This is precisely about killing innocent men, because of their religion. What is the just cause for killing any Jew you find? This blood-thirsty hatred does not come from God for God is love. Thank God that most Muslims do not follow the hard line interpretation of the Qur’an and Adadeeth. Lola, I am thrilled that you wrote me. Sorry it took me a while to write you back. God loves you Lola. He gave you a gift. His name is Jesus. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you if He is the true Son of God. You have nothing to lose but an eternity in heaven to gain. Blessings, JR 11/14/2007 1:38 AM Lola said… Dear Brother Jerry, Thank you for your reply. Verily I believe that God loves me. And I believe in Jesus. I believe that God is the One and Only and He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; and there is none like unto Him. And I believe in Jesus @ Isa a.s. is God’s messenger. His son? Impossible. All the best & good luck. 11/20/2007 8:35 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear Lola, Of course God loves you my dear. Anyone who says otherwise is a liar and the truth is not in him. The dilemma is that even though God loves the sinners, but He hates the sin. God loves us all and desires for none of us to perish, therefore, He made a way to cleanse us from our sin so that we may be with Him and enjoy His love forever: “For God so loved the world (all humankind) that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) God is so holy to where our sin is so great and offensive in His sight. You see, we are finite beings, but our sin offends the Infinite (God) – said differently, although we are finite beings, our sin however has infinite ramifications. Since I am finite -with a beginning and an end,- I cannot operate in the realm of the infinite; only the infinite can do that. Thankfully, the Infinite chose to intervene on my behalf since I was helpless. He chose to pay a price I could not afford so that I can enjoy the fellowship with Him that my father Adam enjoyed with Him before sin entered into the world. If I accept the gift of forgiveness of sin and restored fellowship which God gave me –the intervention of the infinite on behalf of the helpless finite-, then nothing can separate me from the love of God: “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 However, if I snub my nose to God’s gift of eternal life, then I would be getting the just penalty for eternally offending the infinite: eternal separation from God’s love. I agree with you that God is one. To say otherwise is blasphemy. There is but one God according to the Holy Scriptures: “Hear O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord” (Deuteronomy 6:4). Muslims have a misconception that Christians believe there are three gods. The fact is that Christians do not believe that God is: 1+1+1=3, but that He is 1x1x1=1 which means that there is only one God, and this one God chooses to manifest Himself in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This is how the infinite chooses to manifest Himself, three but one – in the same way that my mind, my body, and my soul are three but one. You see, if my soul was gone, and I was being kept alive artificially with machines breathing on my behalf, I would not be whole. It is painfully obvious that I need my mind, body, and soul to co-exist and work together in order to be complete. Those are representations of who I am, yet, I am not three persons, I am one person, part visible and part invisible. In the same way that God the Father and His Holy Spirit are invisible, but God the Son manifests Himself in a visible form. Let us put away the heresy that God the Son is begotten. He is eternal since He is one with God the Father. In fact, Jesus chided His disciple Philip for his naïveté: “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (John 14:9) Jesus, the Son of God is one with the Father: “I (Jesus) and the Father are one.” (John 10:30-33). Jesus accepted Thomas designation of Him (Jesus) as God: “My Lord and my God.” (John 20:28). Jesus did not need to correct Thomas because Thomas hit the nail on the head. Jesus, the Son of God is one with the Father. He is God. There is indeed none like Him. He is not begotten as He always existed as one with the Father. He does not partake in crass animalistic behavior to beget as Arabian pagans believed. He is holy, omnipotent, omnipotent, and omnipresent. He creates with His Word. You say you believe in Jesus. Unfortunately Lola you do not believe in the real Jesus but in a fictional Jesus. The Jesus you believe in does not save. However, the Jesus I believe in, is one I worship as my God, my Lord, and Savior. The Jesus of the Bible whom I believe in is not a mere man as the Qur’an made him to be, but He is the very representation of God, very God of very God, and one with God. He is the “I am” and the self-existent one. The Jesus I worship is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Adam and Eve in the Garden that He would send the Messiah to ultimately win the battle against sin and redeem mankind unto God. All the Biblical prophecies and roads lead to Jesus as the perfect Lamb of God, who is the very essence of God’s love and grace. You see, although Islam adopted seventy percent of the Qur’an from the Bible, yet it omitted God’s love and grace. Islam reinvented Jesus by alleging that Jesus never claimed to be the Son of God, that He is not one with God, and that He did not die on the cross. Islam reinvented Jesus since it did not understand the intensity of God’s love toward a fallen humanity. Thus, you called Jesus Messiah, but you do not acknowledge the meaning of that word as savior. Despite this however, three things stand out in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ in the Qur’an:  His birth. He was born of a virgin even according to the Qur’an (Surah 19.20-21)  His life. He was sinless even according to the Qur’an (Surah 19:19).  His death. The grave could not contain Him, even according to the Qur’an (Surah 19:33) Although Muslims kept some elements of the truth regarding Jesus but you did not keep the whole truth. Having only a part of the truth is akin to putting a drop of cyanide in a glass of water, the whole glass becomes poisoned. I hope and pray Lola, that you earnestly ask Jesus to reveal Himself to you. If you ask Him from your heart by faith, He will do it. You have nothing to lose but an eternity with God to gain. For Christ’s Glory, JR 12/30/2007 10:47 PM Deepak.T said… Your Testimony is wonderful. Keep sharing your testimony which can touch millions of muslims. I am praying everyday for muslims to know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. 1/14/2008 10:15 AM Jerry Rassamni said… Brother Deepak, Thank you for the encouragement and for praying for Muslims. God loves them. They are precious in His sight. Jesus died for them too. I also pray for them daily that they will know God not as a distant impersonal God but as a personal heavenly Father. I know in my spirit that the day is coming when the Lord will pour out His Spirit upon them. Glory be to God, Jerry Rassamni 1/14/2008 6:32 PM dantheman1172 said… hello sir i heard your testimony at second baptist church katy campus on I 10 april 6th 2008 i am curious sir if you still follow some parts of islam that can be reconciled with christianity?? also im wondering if you ran across these websites?? http://www.torahofmessiah.com http://www.biblesabbath.org i wish you well and i hope you bring more muslims into the fathers kingdom. 4/06/2008 1:30 PM Maurice Werner said… Jerry: I heard you today at Second Baptist (9:30 service) and was deeply touched by your faith and the amazing journey you went through to get to this point in your life. Welcome, welcome, welcome!! I also heard about you being unequally yoked at the beginning of your marriage. I am presently unequally yoked in my marriage; my wife is agnostic. I pray most days that our Lord Jesus Christ will show her the way since I fear I will not be with her after this life on earth. She thinks Allah, God, Jesus, Buddha, are all the same and that people made up “religion”. If I try to gently explain the difference, she refuses to listen and asks me to stop, therefore, I stay quiet for months until I get fired up the next time around when I feel a teachable moment has allowed me to speak again. We are expecting a baby boy this mid May. Maybe that will be the turning point, I don’t know. Please say a prayer for Claudia, I would so much appreciate it. In Christ’s name, God bless you. Maurice 4/06/2008 2:28 PM David said… I saw you at Second Baptist yesterday and felt your testimony was moving, absolutely facinating and inspirational. I wish you safety and God’s Blessings. 4/07/2008 12:05 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear dantheman1172, I was quite honored to speak at Second. I firmly beleive that Dr. Young is a gift to our generation. Concerning your question, I was a secular Muslim, not a practicing one. But, I cannot think of any parts of Islam that can be reconciled with Christianity since Islam is legalistic whereas Christianity is grace-based. In other words, when Muslims follow the pillars of their religion, they perform them as a duty -such as praying five times a day- but when a Christian follows the teachings of Christ, they do so out of love not obligation. The one cultural trait I admire in general about Muslims however, is their dedication and zeal for their faith. You observe that zeal and dedication when Muslims accept Christ. They count the cost of following Him as they are often persecuted for their newfound faith whereas some Christians in the West sometimes take their faith for granted since they are not faced with persecution for following Christ. I was not familiar with the websites you mentioned. I firmly believe in the Holy Trinity. Yeshua is the Hebrew name of Jesus. The Bible teaches that Yeshua is one with G-d (o ommited as a sign of reverence). As far as the Sabbath is concerned, if you legislate the Sabbath as a day of rest, you get into legalism… However, if one feels convicted by the H-ly Spirit to observe the Sabbath, they are free to do on their own without a mandate by the church. If there’s a mandate, one veers away from grace and enters the arena of legalism. Concerning Muslims coming into faith in Christ, only the H-ly Spirit can draw them, and He is doing so all over the world. Yeshua died for Muslims too and He loves them greatly as He also loves Jews and all gentiles. Thank you for writing me. May Adonai bless you and keep you… For His Glory, Jerry Rassamni 4/07/2008 9:10 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear brother Maurice, I was quite honored and thrilled to speak at Second. It truly felt like a home coming to us. Thank you for welcoming me. It warms my heart. Jennifer learned early on that it’s pointless to shove one’s faith down someone else’s throat. My advice to you is not to bother with the apologetics for now, as that will come later. The greatest apologetics is to be Christ with skin on. Therefore, love Claudia unconditionally. Let her see the light of G-d in you. Go out of your way to love and honor her. If you use the apologetics with her now, you would be trying to convert her with the flesh. Only the Holy Spirit was draw her to G-d. Be the hands and feet of Christ. Be Christ with skin on to her, and pray and fast for her salvation. Be innocent as a lamb before her that your light will shine and she will then glorify our Father who is in heaven. I can’t promise that Claudia will come to know Christ overnight as it might take 11 years as it did with my mother, or one week as it did with my brother. Simply trust the L-rd, be obedient, beleive, and above all never lose hope. For His Glory, Jerry Rassamni 4/07/2008 9:33 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear David, Thank you for the encouragement. G-d is awesome, isn’t He? To Him be the glory, praise and honor. Thank you for blessing me. I pray that the L-rd will bless you with fruitfulness all the days of your life. For Christ’s Glory, Jerry Rassamni 4/07/2008 9:36 PM Judi25 said… Brother Jerry I have only just “stumbled” across you and I praise the Lord for your work. I have been walking with the Lord for 7 years after 35 years of searching, including 6 years of living a Muslim life. While I was enriched by the people of many cultures I met while a Muslim my heart still yearned for the truth. Now I know why I stepped that path, in order to make me learn from those xperiences. God Bless you. I look forward to reading your book and to hear more about you. Yours in Christ Judi 8/06/2008 8:59 AM Jerry Rassamni said… Dearest Judi, Praise the L-rd that He opened your eyes to His Glory, and that you are now a daughter of the King of Kings, and L-rd of L-rds. Hallelujah… G-d loves every Muslim – as well as every non-Muslim in the world – so intensely that words cannot describe it. G-d’s love doesn’t leave anybody out!!! Many Muslims around the world are hungering for the truth, and as a result, Yeshua (Jesus’ Hebrew name) is answering the call and appearing to them in visions and dreams. The Lord is opening their eyes to the Gospel of His glory since the time of the end is near. These are very strategic times in the kingdom of G-d. G-d loves Muslims dearly. He made them in His own image. He longs for them to call Him Baba (Daddy in Arabic). He longs for them to accept His free gift of eternal life so that they can spend eternity with Him in heaven. I encourage every Muslim to ask Yeshua that if He were truly the Son of G-d, to reveal Himself to them. He will do it. They have nothing to lose but eternity in heaven to gain. Thank you Judi for blessing and encouraging me with your story. Your love and compassion shine through your words. Please continue to pray for a great outpouring of the H-ly Spirit on Muslims around the world so that one and all, they will come to know Him in Spirit and in truth. Amen. In Yeshua’s Refining Love, Jerry Rassamni 8/06/2008 8:52 PM Lost Boys of Sudan said… Hi Jerry, This is Wael, Imtiaz’s friend. Imtiaz is always updating me on your conversations and just recently sent me your BIO on Youtube. I wanted to thank you for taking the initiative to mentor my friend in his early stages of Christianity. I’ve also read your reply to CLifton. I have to agree that you are very knowledgable about Islam and Christianity and it was a pleasure meeting you in TX. 11/15/2008 7:56 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear Wael, Great to hear from you. Imtiaz is such a blessing to my heart. I believe the L-rd has great plans for his life. I feel honored to play a part in his life as he seeks to draw closer to the face of the L-rd. Thank you for being Christ with skin on. In His Love, Jerry Rassamni 11/21/2008 5:19 PM Lola said… Dear Jerry, please check this out:- http://www.alislam.org/library/books/revelation/part_4_section_5.html 1/18/2009 6:53 PM Safiah said… Even within the four canonical Gospels there are numerous passages which cast doubt on the divinity of Jesus and therefore on the concept of Trinity which presupposes it. There are at least twenty instances where Jesus prays. See Matthew 14:23, 19:13, 26:39, 27:46, 26:42-44; Mark 1:35, 6:46, 14:35-36; Luke 3:21, 5:16, 6:12, 9:18, 9:28, 11:1-4, 22:41; John 14:16, 17:1, 17:9, 17:11, 17:15. If Jesus were himself divine, i.e. God, to whom is he praying and why? Consider also these passages: Matthew 26:39 Jesus and God had different wills. Matthew 19:16-17, Mark 10:17-18 and Luke 18:18-19. Jesus denied divinity by distinguishing between himself and God. Luke 7:16, 13:33, 24:19; John 4:19 Jesus was regarded by his disciples and other contemporaries as a prophet. They do not acclaim him as an incarnation of God or the Son of God. 1/18/2009 7:23 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dearest Saphia, Thank you so much for writing me. I feel honored to hear for you. In order to answer your questions, I must first provide a backdrop. When Adam and Eve lived in the Garden, they enjoyed perfect communion with God. However, death was set in motion after they sinned against God by eating from the forbidden tree. Sin brings death. Adam and Eve died spiritually at the exact moment of disobedience, and physical death was set in motion. The process of decay had begun in their bodies. With every breath, they were inching closer to physical death. The Bible tells us that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Adam and Eve deserved to die physically on the spot because of their sin against God. However, because of His great mercy and grace, God substituted an innocent animal in their place. After the animal was killed, God clothed Adam and Eve with its skin (Gen 3:21). In essence, Adam and Eve had a substitute die in their place. They knew that sin required the shedding of blood. This sacrifice did not undo their sin as they were now purged from the Garden. This animal sacrifice only offered a temporary protection from death. Death is the penalty of sin. Adam eventually did die physically (Genesis 5:5). As Adam’s descendants, we also suffer the same fate. The Bible teaches us that Adam’s sin brought death upon all humankind (Romans 5:12). This explains why we no longer live in the Garden in perfect communion with God as in the days before sin entered into the world. However, when God substituted an innocent temporary animal in the place of Adam and Eve, He spoke of another sacrifice in due time who would undo the damage Adam’s sin wrought upon mankind (Gen 3:15). This sacrifice would enable the Spirit of man to be born again so that man could commune with God. Also the sacrifice would remove the sting of death in due time. This substitutionary sacrifice is the Savior of mankind, the Messiah. In order for this sacrifice to permanently undo the damage, not merely temporarily as in the case of the animal in Gen 3:21, the sacrificial Lamb (The Messiah) had to possess certain characteristics. Since God is infinite, our sin against Him is not restricted to our limited lifespan but it is an infinite sin against His holiness. Therefore, the Messiah had to be eternal, having no beginning nor end. Also, the sacrifice had to be without blemish, in other words, perfect. It is easy to see that God alone meets the above criteria. In addition to the above, in order for the dead (us) to be raised, Christ had to be raised from the dead. 20. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21. For since death came through a man (Adam), the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man (Christ). 22. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. (1 Corinthians 15:20-23 NIV) By virtue of His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, Christ will remove the sting of death from those who repent from their sins and receive His free gift of eternal life: 51. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed– 52. in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 55. “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 56. The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:51-57 NIV) Now that I laid the foundation, I can begin to answer your questions. In order to answer the question regarding why and to whom Jesus prayed since He is divine, we must first understand the Trinity and the incarnation. Trinity means Tri-Unity. It goes beyond reason but not against reason. It asserts that (a) there’s one God, (b) God reveals Himself in three distinct persons (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit). In spite of his strong teachings regarding the deity of Christ (Col 2:9), the apostle Paul was adamant that there’s only one God (1 Cor 8:6a). Each of the members of the Holy Trinity is mentioned in distinction from the others and each has special functions. “The Father planned salvation (John 3:16, Eph 1:4); the Son accomplished it on the cross (John 17:4; 19:30; Heb 1:1-2), and at the resurrection (Rom 4:25; 1 Cro 15:1-6), and the Holy Spirit applies it to the lives of the believers (John 3:5; Eph 4:30; Titus 3:5-7).” (Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics, Norman Geisler, p 731). The Trinity does not assert that there are three natures in one nature, but there are three persons in one essence. It is interesting to note that this concept of a plurality within a unity is not foreign to Islam. As you know, most Muslims believe the Qur’an to be uncreated and eternal. In other words, they believe that there is something other than God that is nonetheless one with God in essential characteristics. Islamic misunderstanding of the Trinity is encouraged by the gross errors in the Qur’an itself regarding the Trinity. Surah 5:119 claims that Christians worship The Father, the Son, and Mary – Jesus’ mother. This could not be further from the truth. The Qur’an is clearly flawed as it misunderstands the basic fundamentals of the Trinity. The Trinity consists of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Mary, the mother of Jesus does not feature in the Trinity. Furthermore, Christians worship one God not three; God is one in essence. Regarding why Jesus was praying and to whom He prayed, the doctrine of the incarnation states that Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, added to Himself a human nature and became a man without losing His divine nature. Let me ask you a question: Can you live on the moon? The answer is clearly: no. You can’t live on the moon because you are limited in power. Your body has limitations and requires oxygen to survive. Now let me ask a slightly different question: Can God take on a human body and live on earth? Your answer has to be yes; for if your answer were no, that would mean that you are placing limitations on God’s power. We know that a God who is limited in power is not a god at all, for God is omnipotent which means that nothing is too difficult for Him. Therefore, we cannot deny the divine His prerogative to wear a human suit. We cannot without intellectual embarrassment, impose our own limitations on the divine. We the creation cannot with intellectual integrity restrict the creator by limiting His powers. To do so, would be for the finite to dictate to and rule the infinite instead of the other way around. Jesus is completely human, but He also has a divine nature. The Bible tells us that Jesus is God in flesh, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…..and the word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1,14). Also, “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form” (Col. 2:9). Jesus, therefore, has two natures. He is both God and man. Jesus condescended Himself and lived among us as a man without losing His divine essence. In doing so, God related to mankind in the most personal way. Jesus came to die on the cross for us as a suffering servant in order to restore our broken relationship with God. No one else would do. Dr. R. C. Sprowl writes that Jesus willingly cloaked his glory under the veil of this human nature that he took upon himself. He did not stop being divine in order to become human. Dr. Sprowl points out that in the Transfiguration, (Matthew 17:1-13), we see the invisible divine nature break through and become visible, and Jesus is transfigured before the eyes of his disciples. Jesus concealed that glory for the most part however. As a man, Jesus needed to pray. When He was praying, he was not praying to Himself, but to God the Father. Jesus prayed to provide us with a pattern of how a righteous person should live. As a man, Jesus also prayed for the same reasons we pray save repentance and confession of sin since He had no sin. Here are some instances when Jesus prayed: Jesus who took on a human nature became subject to temptation, so He prayed when tempted by Satan (Matt 4:1ff). He prayed for the needs of others (Matt 19:13; Luke 22:32; John 17:11, 15, 24; Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25). He prayed when He experienced grief, distress, and trouble, (Matt 24:36-38; Mark 14:32-34). He prayed to thank God for His provision (Luke 11:2; 22:17, 19; John 17:3, 11, 25). He prayed to ask God to forgive men who sinned against him, (Luke 22:34). Also, He prayed to entrust himself to his Father’s care, (Luke 23:46). It is a gross error to state that Jesus had a different will than the Father when He prayed for the cup of suffering to be taken away from Him (Matthew 26:39). Again, Jesus willingly took on a human nature and came as a suffering servant to pay for our transgressions so that our relationships with God may be restored. John MacArthur calls Jesus Christ, the God-Man–one hundred percent God, and one hundred percent man. From his human nature, Jesus cried out to God for deliverance from the suffering He was about to undergo for the sake of humanity, but then willingly goes to the cross that awaits Him. Therefore, Jesus did not resist the will of the Father. Jesus is the perfect example of humanity. In the following passages (Matthew 19:16-17, Mark 10:17-18 and Luke 18:18-19), Jesus never denied His divinity. He simply probed the man regarding what he was saying. Jesus uses the word “good” in John 10:14, when He calls Himself the good shepherd. We know that no one except God is good. Jesus calls Himself good. Therefore, Jesus is God. Jesus was adamant that He was one with God and that anyone who has seen Him has seen the Father (John 14:9). Jesus was referred to at times as a prophet, but He was also much more than a prophet; He was acclaimed as God: He is worshiped (Matt. 2:2,11; 14:33; 28:9) He was called Son of God (Mark 1:1) He was called God (John 20:28; Heb. 1:8) He gives eternal life (John 20:28) He knew all things (John 21:17) He is prayed to (Acts 7:59; 1 Cor. 1:2) The fullness of deity dwells in Him (Col. 2:9) He is sinless (1 Pet. 2:22; Heb. 4:15) Thank you again for writing me Saphia. Never forget that God loves you, and He desires a personal relationship with you through His Son Jesus Christ. In Christ’s Love, Jerry Rassamni 1/28/2009 4:38 AM Safiah said… Dear Jerry, You said:- “As a man, Jesus needed to pray. When He was praying, he was not praying to Himself, but to God the Father” — Honestly, Jerry. You’re totally contradicting yourself there. You said the Trinity consists of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, and that there is one God not three; and that God is one in essence. So basically you’re saying, simply put, that God which is One would appear in three forms as aforementioned. Yet “God in human form” prays to “God the Father”??? Why would God in one form pray to himself in another form? I could not see an ounce of logic in that. You also said: “Jesus was referred to at times as a prophet, but He was also much more than a prophet; He was acclaimed as God” — Why would he be referred to as a PROPHET in the bible at all? This is clearly one of the flaws of the bible. You tried to cover up that gross discrepancy by saying that God is much more than a prophet; he is God. But you cannot reconcile between the two. A prophet is a prophet i.e a messenger. A prophet does not and cannot fit into any of the categories you mentioned — Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Regarding God as son, why was there a need for God to be a man when previously He sent prophets? Furthermore, when Jesus was crucified (as believed by Christians), he only had 12 followers. So, God was Jesus and yet he only managed to convince 12 people? “Jesus willingly took on a human nature and came as a suffering servant to pay for our transgressions so that our relationships with God may be restored.” Where, oh where is the logic in God having to sacrifice himself in human form for the sake of human beings? To pay for human transgressions?? That would be un-God-ly behavior. I was born Christian. One of my real problems with Christianity is the role of Jesus. After I have found Islam, I know I’ve found a true religion. I’m not trying to revert you to Islam nor will you be successful in converting me back into Christianity. “Lakum deenukum wa li yadeen”. However, I do feel a pang of sadness for you for leaving such an amazing faith. Goodbye & Godbless. 1/29/2009 7:35 AM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear Saphia, Thank you once again for writing me. For readability, I will address each of the points you brought up in a separate blog entry. You stated: “Why would God in one form pray to himself in another form? I could not see an ounce of logic in that.” As I stated earlier, Jesus came as fully divine and fully human. He condescended Himself as a human being in order to identify with us and pay the price for our sin. As a human being, He experienced human struggles and temptations but never sinned. Praying to God the Father was His lifeline. It brought Him joy, peace, and comfort to be in constant communion with God the Father. Praying kept Him focused on His divine mission. It brought Him comfort and strength for the journey. Furthermore, by constantly praying to the Father, Jesus was also teaching His followers to develop an intimate relationship with God. I heard a few people refer to Islam as the religion of logic. We are predictable creatures who think and live within the confines of our logic. The travesty however, is that even though our entire lifespan from the cradle to the grave is nothing more than a microscopic dot on the timeline of eternity; yet in your finite mind and limited logic, you are attempting to fit God who is eternal into a human-made box. To you, the message of the cross, the breadth and length of God’s love, the message of Jesus the Son of God praying to the God the Father is utter foolishness, because your own logic cannot comprehend it: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18). Truth is eternal or infinite. The carnal mind in finite. The finite can never comprehend the infinite: “Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: For they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them…” (ASV 1Cor 2:14) And again, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He that takes the wise in their craftiness; and again, The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise that they are in vain.” (1 Cor 3:19) However, if you truly desire to know the truth, then ask God and He will reveal it to you through His Holy Spirit. Such truths of eternal essence cannot be grasped by the carnal mind but can only be revealed by the Holy Spirit of God. Secure In His Love, Jerry Rassamni 2/15/2009 11:31 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dearest Saphia, You stated: “A prophet does not and cannot fit into any of the categories you mentioned — Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Jerry’s reply: In Judaism, a prophet is as a person who is chosen by God and who speaks as a formal representative of God. Furthermore, the intention of the prophet’s message is to draw people closer to God. Jesus condescended Himself and came as a human being but without losing His divine essence. As a human being He met the above criteria of a prophet. Jesus is one with God; to call Him a prophet does not take away from or negate His divinity. Please take a look at the following instances in the Bible regarding the divinity of Jesus. Jesus is called: > God (Isaiah 40:9; John 20:28; 1 John 5:20; Romans 9:5) > The Most Holy (Daniel 9:24) > The Holy One (Luke 4:34; Acts 3:14; Revelation 3:7) > The Image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4) > Immanuel (meaning God with us) (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23) > Lord God Almighty (Revelation 15:3) > Lord of Glory (1 Corinthian 2:8) > Lord of Lords (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:16) > Maker and preserver of all things (John 1:3,10; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2,10; Revelation 4:11) > Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6) Same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8) As you can plainly see, the above does not refer to Jesus as only a prophet but also as God Himself. Jesus is one with God, but He chose to come as a human being to identify with us and pay the price for our rebellion against God. In His Grip, Jerry Rassamni 2/15/2009 11:48 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dearest Saphia, You stated: “Regarding God as son, why was there a need for God to be a man when previously He sent prophets?” Jerry’ reply: Mankind deserved death after sin entered the human race through Adam. However, in His mercy and grace, God sent Jesus as a human being to die in our stead and to restore our broken relationship with God – only if we accept His free gift of eternal life. The prophets could not not atone for man’s sin and restore man’s relationship with God. This is why, God promised Adam in the very beginning that He would send the Messiah. It is interesting to note that since Jesus restored mankind’s broken relationship with God, He is called the last Adam. In essence, Jesus restored what Adam broke. In Him, Jerry Rassamni 2/15/2009 11:55 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dearest Saphia, You wrote: “Furthermore, when Jesus was crucified (as believed by Christians), he only had 12 followers. So, God was Jesus and yet he only managed to convince 12 people?” Jerry’s reply: Please do not confuse the term followers with disciples. Rabbis such as Gamaliel would choose Talmudim (students) that they could personally train. Jesus chose the twelve as His Talmudim. Biblical history tells us that Talmudim would walk behind the rabbis and follow them wherever they would go as they wanted to hear their every word. Hence, the following Jewish saying: “May you be covered in the Dust of Your Rabbi!” Hence, followers are the ones who heard Jesus and believed in His message, but the twelve are the ones who were always covered in the dust of Jesus as He walked in the Judean desert. In His Love, Jerry Rassamni 2/16/2009 12:00 AM Jerry Rassamni said… Dearest Saphia, You wrote: “Where, oh where is the logic in God having to sacrifice himself in human form for the sake of human beings? To pay for human transgressions?? That would be un-God-ly behavior.” Jerry’s reply: Please take a look at the following scripture: “For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. (1 Corinthians 1:21-25) Forever His, Jerry Rassamni 2/16/2009 12:03 AM Jerry Rassamni said… Dearest Saphia, You wrote: “After I have found Islam, I know I’ve found a true religion.” Jerry’s reply: Please take a look at my above blog to Lola dated on 11/14/2007. I was considerate enough to address each of the points which you raised. Please provide me with the same courtesy and address the blaring examples I provided of imperfections, plagiarism, scientific errors, grammatical errors, historical errors, textual errors, pagan influences, discrepancies, fallacies, and abrogations in the Qur’an. Dearest Saphia, if all you seek is a religion, that you certainly found one in Islam, but if you seek eternal life and a relationship with the Living God, then seek Jesus because He is the way, the truth, and the life. In Him, Jerry Rassamni 2/16/2009 12:07 AM Jerry Rassamni said… Dearest Saphia, You wrote: “I’m not trying to revert you to Islam nor will you be successful in converting me back into Christianity…” Jerry’s reply: “I cannot convert you into a religion nor am I trying to. I simply would love for you to develop a relationship with the Living God who loved us so much that He sent His Son to die on the cross for us. In order to understand God, you must first understand that love defines Him. Furthermore, the Bible tells us “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.“ (John 4:24 KJV). Only the Holy Spirit can make you see the light, but you have to want to know the truth. Simply ask God to reveal the truth to you and He will if you ask from the heart. I thank you for writing me dear Saphia. How I pray that you will hunger for, seek and find the truth so that you will no longer fear the Day of Judgment when Jesus judges the whole world. In Jesus’ Love, Jerry Rassamni 2/16/2009 12:11 AM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear Ruth, Thank you for your email. As per your request, here’s a practical line of questions to ask your Muslim friend: 1. How come the Qur’an claims in Surah 22:47 that the length of Allah’s day is a thousand years, yet in Surah 70:4, it claims that it is 50k years? Which is it? Does it bother you that the Qur’an is confused and contradictory? Why not? 2. If the Qur’an comes from tablets in heaven, then why did the Qur’an borrow four verses about the moon and insert them unchanged from Imraul Qais, one of the most expressive of ancient Arab poets? 3. Can you please explain how and where the sun sets in a muddy spring (Surah 18:86)? 4. If the Qur’an is written on tablets in heaven in perfect Arabic, then why does it contain grammatical errors in Surah 2:177 by using the word Sabireen instead of Sabiroon; and in Surah 7:160, the words Ithnata ‘ashrata asbata instead of Ithnani ‘ashara Sibtan? 5. If the Qur’an in uncreated having always existed on tablets in heaven, then doesn’t that mean that the great sin of shirk is at play here – meaning that Allah has a co-eternal partner? 6. If the Qur’an always existed in heaven and remains unchanged by man, then what prompted the Caliph Omar -the leader of the Islamic Ummah- to adamantly state that the stoning verse was dropped from the Qur’an as well as the ordinance of temporary marriage? 7. Also, if the Qur’an remains unchanged, what about the two suras that Obey Ibn Kaab mentioned that are no longer extant: Al Kanut and Al Witr? 8. Why did the Caliph A Ma’mun (AD 786–833) -the leader of the Islamic Ummah- ridicule the idea that the Qur’an was uncreated? 9. Do you actually believe that every ear of corn has 100 grains as per Surah 2:261? How come science is unable to prove that? 10. Does Allah change his word or not? The Qur’an asserts: “There is no changing the Words of Allah” (Surah 10:64, see also surahs 6:34, and 6:15). The Qur’an however, openly acknowledges and defends the fact that some Qur’anic verses have been abrogated (changed): “Nothing of our revelation (even a single verse) do we abrogate or cause be forgotten, but we bring (in place) one better or the like thereof.” (Surah 2:106, see also Surah 16:101). Does the change in the word of Allah mean that Allah is nor omniscient nor holy? 11. If Allah is all-knowing, then why doesn’t he give the better revelation in the first place instead of having to correct himself later (surahs 2:106 and 16:101)? 12. Does Allah forgive everything or does he not? Surah 4:110 reads “If any one does evil or wrongs his own soul but afterwards seeks Allah’s forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.” However, Surah 4:137 contradicts the earlier Surah regarding Allah’s forgiveness: “Those who believe, then reject faith, then believe (again) and (again) reject faith, and go on increasing in unbelief,- Allah will not forgive them nor guide them nor guide them on the way.” In Christ’s Love, Jerry Rassamni 3/03/2009 10:56 PM 1146593 said… I would like your help with a problem I have but I don’t want to display it here. Is there any way we could contact each other some other way? 4/21/2009 9:45 AM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear 1146593, Please write me at jr@fromjihadtojesus.com Blessings, JR 4/21/2009 11:17 AM reyna said… Hi Jerry I have read your website and about your book i would love to get it. I am a Christian Convert from Islam and of course my family still being Mulsim I sometimes still question if I have done the right thing. But you are right its all out of fear and I just want someone to re assure me about my decision. 4/26/2009 9:13 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear Reyna, I am thrilled you wrote me. Welcome to the family of God. Angels are dancing and rejoicing over you. If you accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior from your heart of hearts, then your name is in the Lamb’s Book of Life and you are now a member of God’s family. You now have an intimate relationship with the creator of the universe and can call him Baba (Daddy in Arabic). It also means that you are now a temple of God as the Holy Spirit of God lives on the inside of you. Furthermore, it means that you should no longer fear the Day of Judgment like you used to as you now have the assurance of eternal life. There’s a spiritual battle taking place over you. The prince of this world (Satan) wants to plant fear, doubt, and anxiety in your heart and mind in order to pull you out of the light into darkness. He wants to pull you from a life of victory into a life of defeat. The decision of the outcome of this spiritual battle is strictly in your hands free and clear. God does not force people to enter heaven, but the decision is strictly yours to make, otherwise, heaven will no longer be heaven but a prison. You cannot afford to waffle on this issue or be double-minded in that regard. Christ did not waffle when He took your punishment on the cross in order for you to have eternal life. The Christian walk is not easy and is not for the faint of heart. The world will come against you when you are God’s. It will make fun of you and threaten you. It may even kill you. In fact, early believers were fed to lions. Believers today are being killed and persecuted for their faith in Christ. Christ asked us to bear our crosses. The good news however is that there’s a crown hidden behind the trials and tribulations believers go through. This life is nothing but an invisible dot on the timeline of eternity. Be faithful to Him, run and finish the race. Win the prize, persevere, be an overcomer, and He will say of you: “Well done, though good and faithful servant.” I live and die to hear those words. Pray for God to help remove the seeds of fear and doubt and to bless you with the peace of God which surpasses human understanding. Pray also for you to bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV) I will be praying for you dear sister, as well as for your family to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18 NIV) In His perfect love, Jerry Rassamni 4/26/2009 11:45 PM Reyna said… Thank you so much for writing me back what a great inspiration your words are to me. I thank you for your kind words and prayer for me and my family. I feel like they are not getting far in life and stuck just because of the fact that they have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that God will show them the way like he showed me. Jerry I was convinced that Jesus was lord when I had a dream of his blood flowing though me yes…I dreamed that his blood was gushing from my hands and feet as it did when he got crucified then I heard a voice saying this is proof to you that Jesus was crucified and died on the cross that was the most amazing moment in my life. Then the voice said watch and see how Jesus is going to heal you. I woke up feeling healed, like a new person then after that dream I got Baptised and the church scheduled my baptism on my birthday without them knowing that is was my birthday that day. I know that Jesus was talking to my family though me too but they seem to be afraid. Thank you so much 5/11/2009 8:56 PM Jerry Rassamni said… My dear sister Reyna, What a blessing you are to my heart. God is speaking to us and to our people in visions and dreams just as He promised: “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.” Acts 2:17 NIV Jesus is appearing to Muslims all over the world and bringing them out of darkness into light. As you know, Muslims believe that Jesus is simply a prophet, but Jesus is the very Word of God come alive. Here’s the interpretation of your dream: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”. (Galatians 2:20 NIV) You my dear sister have been purchased with a price, with the blood of the Lamb of God on a Roman cross. The sad truth is that Muslims refuse God’s grace are deceived into believing that they could become gods in their own eyes and attain righteousness simply by following religious pillars. But the Word of the Lord says that we are saved by grace alone – grace is a gift we can never earn: “I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” (Galatians 2:21) We however, who are the recipients of such amazing grace are called to lead lives of holiness, not in order to fulfill the law for He already fulfilled the law on our behalf, but as a song of praise to Him: “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.” (Galatians 5:24 NIV) Lines are being drawn between the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:31-46). The sheep follow the will of the shepherd; the goats follow their own will: “Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:20-21 NIV) The Lord gave me a dream recently. In the dream, He gave me a key. It was an ancient key. I was so happy that I now had the key, and I woke up very excited. Everything was going to be okay for the key was in my hand: “I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.” (Isaiah 22:22 NIV) The Lord is wanting us to exercise our authority in the kingdom. Everything is under His feet. He is the author and finisher of our faith. He made us fellow heirs with Him by His grace. He wants to fight the battle of faith and call things that are not as though they are. When I awoke, I asked the Lord, Lord: “But what is the key?” Then everywhere I turned, everyone I spoke to, and every sermon I heard was about the following verse: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33 NIV) We are to be the salt of the earth. If the salt loses its saltiness, it is good for nothing. We are to keep our eyes on our savior, and let our lives be beautiful songs of praise to Him even when things are falling apart around us – even when our prayers are not being answered in our own timing. We are to live by faith not by sight: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ” (Philippians 4:6-7 NAS) We are to love those who hate us, to pray for those who persecute us. They are persecuting Him: “As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Romans 8:36) We are to repent of our hatred toward anyone,especially the Jews, God’s chosen people whom we were taught to hate, and through whom, came the prophets of old and most importantly, the Messiah (our Jewish Savior). “10.Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11.Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12.For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13.Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14.Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15.and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16.In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17.Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18.And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. 19.Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.” (Ephesians 6:10-19 NIV) In His Love, Jerry Rassamni 5/14/2009 12:40 PM Reyna said… Dear Jerry Thank you so much may GOD be with you always you are a blessing it is no accident that I found your website it was indeed God’s plan. I hope you talk to you soon. God bless you always:) 5/14/2009 3:44 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear sister Reyna, Please write me at jr@fromjihadtojesus.com as I need to ask you something. In Him, Jerry Rassamni 5/14/2009 6:18 PM ruthie said… reyna If you want to talk to a Christain sister, email me at ruth.cog@msn.com 6/05/2009 9:52 PM Deen said… Only email id you have given. What about your phone no? where do you put up? How can i meet you? No info other than mail id? Is it Fake ? 7/23/2009 2:48 PM Jerry Rassamni said… Hello Deen, I feel honored that you wrote me. I just replied to the private email you sent me and I look forward to our continued dialogue. I have great news for you. God loves you and He sent His Son to die on the cross for you so that you can have eternal life. In His Love, Jerry Rassamni 7/26/2009 10:41 PM Matt Adonii said… hi Jerry, i was really amazed at how God changed and protected your life tremendously. really awesome. i was fascinated with your story. why? i was really seeking for advice at how i can minister muslim people in the middle east becasue the Lord is putting this burden in my heart since then and it was just stirred up again just this month as i was praying for God’s direction. by the way, i am a pastor of a pentecostal church here in the Philippines and part of the team who would plan to form a prayer tower in the middle east for the love of the ishmaelites people. can you be my adviser in regards with because i was really naive in regards as to how i could minister to muslim people. what i have presently is that, i have a burden and love for the muslim people. here’s my email and number +6329237006783. i am very serious about this and very much interested to hear from u. by the i am a young filipino pastor. God bless you and your family my brother. looking forward to hearing your response. much prayers and supplication, Pastor Vic 9/16/2009 9:01 AM Matt Adonii said… Hi Jerry, if you have a skype account, how i wish i could talk and ask you some questions in regards with my burden at hand. thank you so much Pastor Vic 9/16/2009 9:14 AM Jerry Rassamni said… Dear Pastor Vic, I pray all is well. Please write me to my personal email: jr@fromjihadtojesus.com and we’ll take it from there. I look forward to speaking with you. In His Love, Jerry Rassamni 9/17/2009 11:25 AM Watch video films of Jerry here: http://www.arabworld.ning.com (in videos) “We ought not to be embarrassed about appreciating the truth and obtaining it wherever it comes from, even if it comes from races distant and nations different from us. Nothing should be dearer to the seeker of truth than the truth itself, and there is no deterioration of the truth, nor belittling either of one who speaks it or conveys it” Al-Kindi (Alkindus 801-873AD), Muslim Arab philosopher, mathematician, astronomer, physician, and musician. Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. Amen. Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi “Just the Facts Ma’am” – A comparison between Jesus and Muhammad The following is a contrast between the diverse dogmas of Islam and Christianity. Category Jesus Muhammad Birth Born of a virgin even according to Qur’an. Born around 4 BC in Bethlehem. Jesus Christ’s (the Messiah’s) birth and coming were foretold in 333 prophecies in the Bible, hundreds of years prior to His birth. Of these prophecies, 456 specific details of His life are given. God gave the Old Testament to the Jews so they would recognize the coming of the Messiah, the Savior of the world. Jesus fulfilled all prophecies foretold of the Messiah in minute detail, during His birth, miracles, crucifixion, death, and resurrection. The angels announced His birth to the shepherds. John the Baptist (the forerunner) announced His coming. The angel Gabriel announced His birth to Zechariah, Mary, and Joseph. The Magi came from the East with gifts to worship Him. Born of Aminah Born around AD 570 in Mecca. There are no prophecies concerning the coming of Islam’s prophet. Islam’s prophet did not have a forerunner. His coming was not anticipated. He simply claimed to be a messenger of God. The Messiah “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel” [God with us] (Isa. 7:14, written around 700 years before Christ). “And the angel [Gabriel] said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.’  And Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’  And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God’ (Luke 1:30–33). “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him” (John 1:17, 18). “And a voice came out of the heavens: ‘You are My beloved Son, in YOu I [God] am well-pleased” (Mark 1:11). “You are My Son, Today I [God] have begotten You” (Ps. 2:7). “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). “I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed” (Dan. 7:13, 14, written centuries before Christ. “I [God] will also make You a light of the nations so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Isa. 49:6), written centuries before Christ. “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6, written around 700 years before Christ). “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5). “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). “My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me” (John 8:16). “We gave Jesus the son of Mary clear (signs) and strengthened him with the holy spirit” (Surah 2:87). “Behold! The angels said:  ‘O Mary! Allah gives you glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name is Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honor in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah; He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. And he shall be (of the company) of the righteous” (Surah 3:45, 46). “We (God) sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Law that had come before him: We sent him the Gospel: therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law that had come before him: a guidance and an admonition to those who fear Allah”  (Surah 5:46). Allah did not confirm Muhammad’s ministry in a public manifestation. “Christ the son of Mary was no more than a Messenger” (Surah 5:75a). “(I have come to you), to attest the Law which was before me. And to make lawful to you part of what was (before) forbidden to you; I have come to you with a Sign from your Lord. So fear Allah and obey me” (Surah 3:50). “To you, We (God) sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it” (Surah 5:48). “And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in Him before his death; and on the Day of Judgment He will be a witness against them” (Surah 4:159). The Prophet Muhammad There is no mention of another prophet after the Messiah; on the contrary, the Bible concludes with these stern and uncompromising words: “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophesy of this book: if any one adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book” (Rev. 22:18). “Allah and His Angels send blessings on the prophet: O you that believe! You send blessings on him, and salute him with all respect” (Surah 33:56). Titles Door to heaven Eternal life Judge of the living and dead Messiah (Savior) Prince of Peace Word of God King Eternal First and Last Bread of Life Immortal God An Apostle A Messenger Son of Abd Allah A Preacher Prophet with the Sword A Warner Evangelist Seal of the Prophets The Prophet of Islam Mortal Man Marriage Never married or had relations with any woman. Married 15 women, including the then seven-year-old Ayisha Worldly desires and riches Jesus was not of this world nor did he have worldly desires or riches. He said in Matthew 8:20, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” The prophet Muhammad was poor but became well-to-do upon marrying Khadija, his first wife who was fifteen years his senior. He also profited from the booties of war. Ayisha, the youngest of the prophet’s wives, used to say that the prophet loved three things: women, scents, and foods. During his wars, the prophet claimed 15 percent of the booty. Great Prayers Jesus taught His followers to pray in this way: “Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed  be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen  (Matt. 6:9–13). This prayer is called the “Fatiha,” or the opening of the Qur’an, which is its first chapter: “In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds; Most Gracious, Most Merciful; Master of the Day of Judgment. You do we worship, and Your aid do we seek. Show us the straight way. The way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who do not go astray” (Surah 1). Miracles Miraculous birth of Jesus by a virgin as God promised (even acknowledged by the Qur’an). Jesus healed the sick, the blind, and the paralytic, walked on water, rebuked the storms, raised the dead, rose from the dead just as He promised, and as it was foretold by the prophets of old. He appeared to over 500 followers following the resurrection. He performed countless other miracles. Was lifted up into heaven in front of His disciples forty days after His resurrection. The prophet Muhammad claimed that the Qur’an is the Muslim miracle, and issued a challenge in Surah 2:23 for unbelievers to produce a similar Surah to what is in the Qur’an. War & Peace Never lifted a sword. “Then Jesus said to him: ‘Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword’” (Matt. 26:52). “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God (Matt. 5:9). “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:43, 44). “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the prophets” (Matt. 7:12). “Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two” (Matt. 5:41). “You have heard that it was said, ‘an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I [Jesus] say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also” (Matt. 5:39, 40). “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you” (John 14:27). “Behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves” (Luke 10:3). “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:15). “You have heard that it was said, ‘you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:43–48). Proselytized with the sword in sixty-six recorded battles. “Therefore, when you meet the unbelievers (in fight), smite at their necks; at length until you have thoroughly subdued them, bind a bond firmly (on them)” (Surah 47:4). “Fighting is prescribed for you, and you dislike it. But it is possible that you dislike a thing which is good for you, and that you love a thing which is bad for you. But  Allah knows and you know not”  (Surah 2:216). “And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression” (Surah 2:193a). “Allah only forbids you, with regard to those who fight you for (your) Faith, and drive you out of your homes, and support (others) in driving you out, from turning to them (for friendship and protection). It is such as turn to them (in those circumstances), that do wrong” (Surah 60:9). “And slay them wherever you catch them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out” (Surah 2:191). “We ordained therein for them: ‘Life for life, eye for eye, nose for nose, ear for ear, tooth for tooth, and wounds equal for equal.’  But if anyone remits the retaliation by way of charity, it is an act of atonement for himself. And if any fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah has revealed, they are (no better than) wrong-doers” (Surah 5:45). “Let those fight in the cause of Allah who sell the life of this world for the Hereafter. To him who fights in the cause of Allah, whether slain or gets victory — soon shall We give him a reward of great (value)” (Surah 4:74). “Fight and slay the Pagans wherever you find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war)” (Surah 9:5). “Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah does not love transgressors” (Surah 2:190). “The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter” (Surah 5:33). Enemies Loved his enemies Killed his enemies Kingdom Kingdom not of this world Established an earthly empire Law vs. grace While Jesus was teaching at the temple, the Pharisees brought before Him a woman caught in adultery, and they inquired of Jesus what they should do in order to test Him and find grounds to accuse Him. They reminded Him that the Law of Moses calls for the stoning of such women. This was a classic trap. The Law is formal: it calls for stoning. Jesus did not contradict the law nor approve of the sin. On the one hand, He is scornful of the accusers, who are filled with pride, and says to them: “Let him who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”  And He watched them leave in silence. On the other hand, Jesus calls sin sin and evil evil when he told the woman to sin no more (John 8:1–11). Implication:  Mercy is dispensed resulting in grace, which forgives. Jesus taught His followers in Matthew 7:1 not to judge, lest they be judged. In the Muslim tradition, there is also an incident when an adulteress is brought before the prophet Muhammed as he was in the oasis of Khaybar. Sonic Jews brought before him a woman caught in the act of adultery. They asked him what they should do, so he called for a copy of the Torah. Since the Torah formally stated that the adulteress should be stoned, he ordered her to be stoned. In Islam, obedience to the Law comes before everything. Implication: Judgment is unre-lenting, resulting in the Law which stones. Foremost Command-ment “One of the scribes came and . . . asked Him, ‘What commandment is the foremost of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The foremost is, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is One Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.”  The second is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these’” (Mark 12:28–31). “Say: He is Allah, the One and Only; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begets not, nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him” (Surah 112:1–4). Salvation “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me’” (John 14:6). “Those who believe (in the Qur’an), and those who follow the Jewish (Scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians, and who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve” (Surah 2:62). Death Condemned no one to death Died in Jerusalem at age of 33 by crucifixion Arose from the dead on the third day as prophesied and appeared to hundreds of witnesses Condemned many to death Died in Medina at age 62, due to pneumonia and poisoning Lingers in his grave Last words Jesus never asked for forgiveness for His sins for He was perfect. But one of His last statements on the cross was to forgive those who crucified Him: “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Jesus’ last words on the cross fulfilled a prophesy from Psalm 31:5 when He said: “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit” (Luke 23:46). The last words of the prophet Muhammad in a whisper were, “Lord grant me pardon; eternity, in Paradise! Pardon. The blessed companionship on high.” Second coming Jesus’ second coming is revealed in both the Bible and the Qur’an. He will come to judge (John 5:25, 27). “And (Jesus) shall be a Sign (for the coming of) the Hour (of Judgment); therefore have no doubt about the (Hour), but you follow Me: This is a straight Way.” (Surah 53:61) http://www.arabworld.ning.com http://www.arabkingdom.wordpress.com Contact me here: anaalmaas@maghreb.cc  or fadlofallah@gmail.com