By Dr. Jason Lisle
(taken from article The Bible vs. Other Holy Books)
The Quran also fails the test of consistency with the Bible. Islam is monotheistic but specifically denies the Trinity (Surah 4:171), and denies that Jesus is God (Surah 9:31, 23:91), in contrast to Scripture (e.g. Hebrews 1:8-12, John 20:28). The Quran endorses much of the Bible including the Gospel (Surah 3:3,48,65, 57:27). But it also contradicts the Gospel in claiming that Jesus was not actually crucified (Surah 4:157). Without the crucifixion and resurrection, there is no Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:12-19).
According to Scripture, Jesus is the Son of God (e.g. Matthew 16:16-17, 26:63-64; Mark 9:7; Luke 1:35, 22:70; John 1:24, 3:16; Romans 1:4,9, 5:10, 8:3, Hebrews 1:8; 2 Peter 1:17). This is the uniform teaching of Scripture. Is the Quran consistent with this previous revelation? No. The Quran specifically denies that God could have a son. Surah 23:91 states, “No son did Allah begat, nor is there any god along with Him:…” In Surah 4:171 the Quran states, “For Allah is One God: Glory be to Him; Far Exalted is He above having a son.”
These facts demonstrate that the Quran cannot be part of God’s Word, since it both affirms and denies the Bible. By the law of non-contradiction, anything that simultaneously affirms what it denies is necessarily false. The Bible requires that additional revelation must be consistent with previous revelation. The Quran is not. The Quran bears every evidence of being the opinions of one man.
Mohammed had been exposed somewhat to Christianity, but his misunderstandings of it are revealed in the Quran. For example, the Quran mistakenly identifies Mary (the mother of Jesus) as the sister of Aaron (and Moses) and daughter of Imran (Surah 19:27-28, 66:12). It seems that Mohammed had confused Mary with Miriam, who lived 1400 years earlier (Exodus 15:20). God would not make such a mistake, and therefore the Quran cannot be part of His Word. It is not consistent with the Bible.
As another example, the Quran not only explicitly denies the Trinity, but misunderstands the Trinity. The Trinity affirms that there is only one God (who exists in three persons). Yet, Mohammad apparently believed that Christians (“People of the Book”) actually believed in three Gods, that the Trinity meant that Jesus is a different God from the Father.
This misunderstanding is revealed in Surah 4:171 which states, “O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Nor say of Allah aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was no more than an apostle of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a Spirit proceeding from Him: So believe in Allah and His apostles. Say not ‘Trinity’: desist: It will be better for you: For Allah is One God: Glory be to Him: Far Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs.”
But no Christian believes in three Gods. Christianity is a monotheistic Faith. Mohammad clearly misunderstood the Trinity, and was criticizing his misunderstanding of the Christian position. God would not make such a mistake. Note that the Quran specifically denies the divine nature of Jesus in this passage, saying that Christ was “no more than an apostle of Allah.” Again in Surah 9:30 the Quran states, “…the Christians call Christ the Son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; In this they imitate what the Unbelievers of old used to say. Allah’s curse be on them: How they are deluded away from the Truth!” Yet the Bible affirms the deity of Jesus throughout (John 1:1-3, 8:58, 20:28; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 1:8-12; 1 Timothy 1:2).