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The Facts on Islam
John Ankerberg and John Weldon’s popular Facts On books (more than 800,000 copies sold) have new covers and updated material! Known for their extensive research and Bible knowledge, the authors offer readers the essential facts they need to evaluate and discuss today’s issues. The concise, easy–to–follow information helps The user–friendly, question–and–answer format of this series gives readers the flexibility to explore the subject fully or look up specific teachings. Readers will discover the specific beliefs of Islam, whether Allah is the God of the Bible, what Islam teaches about Jesus, information about the Koran, and the religious duties required of all Muslims.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
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About the author
John Ankerberg
199 books20 followersJohn F. Ankerberg (born Dec 1945) is the host of a nationally syndicated evangelical Christian television talk show. The show is broadcast from Chattanooga, Tennessee via satellite and highlights contemporary Christian viewpoints and debates among well known Christian scholars.
Ankerberg holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Luther Rice Seminary and is an ordained Baptist minister. He is the author or co-author of numerous books including Darwin's Leap of Faith: Exposing the False Religion of Evolution (Harvest House, 1998), and The Secret Teachings of the Masonic Lodge: A Christian Perspective (Moody, 1990).
He is married and has one daughter.
Ankerberg holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Luther Rice Seminary and is an ordained Baptist minister. He is the author or co-author of numerous books including Darwin's Leap of Faith: Exposing the False Religion of Evolution (Harvest House, 1998), and The Secret Teachings of the Masonic Lodge: A Christian Perspective (Moody, 1990).
He is married and has one daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 15, 2022
I don’t mean to offend anyone, but as a Muslim myself, most of the “facts” in this book were mostly opinions. They added the five pillars, which I am grateful for, but they also brought in a lot about Christ (probably because the authors are BOTH Christian, writing a book about a religion they don’t practice). In one of the chapters, the book said that Allah is a God about power and not love. Seriously? When did ANYONE say that Allah didn’t love his servants? Allah loves everyone and especially loves it when they follow the five pillars. Overall, this booklet gave about 4-5 good facts on Muslims/Islam, but also were more biased and liked leaning towards the Christian/Jesus side of the book. I would recommend reading a book actually answering questions about Islam and not whether Muslims believed in Jesus for the whole booklet. Actually, just read a Muslim information book written by someone is actually Muslim. Maybe it will give you more perspective.
May 9, 2024
A POST-9/11 COMPARISON AND CONTRAST OF ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY
John Ankerberg (born 1945) is an ordained Baptist minister who hosts a weekly Christian TV program. John Weldon (1948-2014) and Ankerberg collaborated on a number of other books.
They wrote in the Preface to this 2001 book, “Things changed for everyone on September 11, 2001: Terrorism and radical Islam bloodied American soil in a way that will never be forgotten… Americans wanted answers. What motivated people to do such terrifically evil things? Why do so many Muslims hate the U.S.? What is this talk of a heavenly Paradise being guaranteed to murderers who kill innocent people?... what does Islam believe about ‘jihad,’ or ‘holy war,’ and was this related to the horror of September 11?... In this book we will supply the answers to these important questions---and more… we need to take a searching and honest look at the religion of Islam---its history, its beliefs, its Bible, and its religious teachings. This will then help us to determine in what ways Islam is and isn’t involved in the current critical world events and the struggle against terrorism.” (Pg. 7-8, 11)
They point out, “Millions of Muslims, even Arab Muslims do not hate America; in fact, they respect and envy America… However, this is not the case with Israel. At best, there is a strong resentment of that nation. This is because of what many Arab Muslims teach about the land of Palestine---that Allah has decreed it to the Muslims. Large numbers even of moderate Arab Muslims see Israel as a thief and an inevitable enemy. Further, these moderates are increasingly susceptible to the influence of the powerful minority of Islamic extremists.” (Pg. 18)
They explain, “Why is the U.S.---indeed, the entire West---a target for Muslim radicals? Muslim fundamentalism-radicalism is often said to be the result of economic, political, or social grievances. While true in part, this is an oversimplification that fails to understand the forces operating within Islam. Poverty can’t explain Muslim terrorism because the same or worse conditions for Christians in Brazil or Mexico have not resulted in their engaging in international acts of terror. Nor is the Arab-Jewish conflict in Israel the root of the problem. Anti-American hatred exists---even the killing of Christians occurs---in countries and cultures far removed from the Middle East conflict, such as the Sudan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria. Furthermore, ‘jihad’ is aimed primarily at America and the West, not Israel.” (Pg. 21)
They state, “Muslims believe that by striving to please God and by doing good works, they will hopefully gain entrance to heaven through personal merit. The Quran clearly teaches that salvation is achieved on the basis of meritorious good works and personal righteousness… Islam teaches that on the Day of Judgment one’s good and evil deeds will be weighted on a scale…” (Pg. 28)
They assert, “The Quran emphasizes that it contains no contradictions. In Sura 4:84 Allah challenges men, ‘…If it had not come from Allah, they could have surely found in it many contradictions.’ If Allah does not contradict himself, then everything that has purportedly ‘come down from him’ (the Bible, the Quran) must be in agreement. The Muslim must believe in the doctrinal unity of the books of Allah---the Bible… and the Quran. But we have just seen they conflict. Muslims counter this by asserting that the Bible’s text is corrupted, but without supplying any credible evidence to back their claims. Even so, the Quran contains contradictions within its own pages. For example, in Sura 11 it teaches that one of Noah’s sons … ‘was drowned’ in the Flood. The Quran contradicts this statement in Sura 21, where it declares that ‘we saved him [Noah] and ALL his kinfolk from the great calamity…’” (Pg. 40)
They argue that Sura 2:100 “may serve the Muslim as a rationale for contradictions between the Quran and the Bible or the Quran and itself, but nowhere in the Quran does Allah identify those verses he has apparently repealed. In Sura 3:6 the Quran agrees that its ambiguous parts are incapable of interpretation, and only Allah knows their meaning… We are told that the ‘precise’… verses are the ‘foundation’ … of the Quran. If so, one could assume that Muslims would rarely disagree as to the interpretation of the clear parts. This is not what we find historically or today. Muslims have not identified which are the ‘precise’ or ‘clear’ parts and which are the ‘ambiguous’ parts.” (Pg. 51-52)
About whether Muslims are tolerant, they state, “One wishes this were true. One hopes that most Muslims, especially in America, are tolerant of other faiths. However, considered globally, the legislative application of Islam, is often another matter. When a Muslim state… has universally applied Islamic law to the nation, life can become difficult for non-Muslims. Whatever good exists in Islam… tolerance for other religions does not appear to be one of its stronger points, as least as far as Islamic government are concerned… Westerners need to understand that Muslim nations in general have no concept of ‘separation of church and state, and that even in moderate… states, Islamic law can still be applied forcefully, even fully, as in Saudi Arabia. Church and state are one, and the religion of Islam, through ‘sharia,’ or Islamic law, dominates all aspects of society. Thus, there are no independent ‘human rights’ as recognized in the West; all individual rights are subject to the priorities of Islamic law. Islam … requires that everything be subject to it.” (Pg. 66-67)
They acknowledge, “It is important to emphasize again that Muslim radicals do not represent the majority of Muslims… however, in certain ways Islam does lend support to the radicals’ cause, and this is an important part of the problem… The question is, how did the violent minority emerge on the stage of history in which we now stand? As author Salman Rushdie, under a global death sentence for writing ‘The Satanic Verses’ … suggested, ‘There needs to be a thorough examination, by Muslims everywhere, of why it is that the faith they love breeds so many violent mutant strains. If the West needs to understand its Unabombers and McVeighs, Islam needs to face up to its Bin Ladens.’” (Pg. 88-89)
They explain, “radicals such as Osama Bin laden believe they are restoring ‘true’ Islam… the radicals believe that by returning to the historical roots of Arab and Muslim greatness---a greatness to be restored by the unification of all Arab states under ‘pure’ Islam---Islam will rise to its true destiny… these things are what radicals have seized on, and unfortunately, as we know, they are persuading moderates… [Moderates’] interpretations may be softer---for example, the ‘war’ is personal and internal, and it is possible to have a successful ‘land of Islam’ in a country even though Muslims remain in minority. But … even though the radicals do not completely represent true Islam today, they do have a basis in Islamic history for their beliefs.” (Pg. 104)
They conclude, “On September 11, it became much more difficult for Muslims to live in America. Christians can show heartfelt acts of compassion, understanding, and assistance that will reflect the love of Jesus Christ for Muslims and for others. Perhaps by stressing common cultural concerns, Christians and Muslims may find a door opened to a frank discussion of their differing religious beliefs. Muslims in the West, much like Christians, are often frustrated with the culture in which they live. Given the Western worldview of materialism, secularism, and relativism, and its moral failings as seen in the crime and divorce rates, mass abortion, pornography, and other ills, both Muslims and Christians can find common ground on which to discuss the larger issues of their religions.” (Pg. 113)
Although this booklet was probably somewhat ‘rushed into print’ after 9/11, it will be of keen interest to Christians seeking a brief explanation and comparison of Islam and Christianity.
John Ankerberg (born 1945) is an ordained Baptist minister who hosts a weekly Christian TV program. John Weldon (1948-2014) and Ankerberg collaborated on a number of other books.
They wrote in the Preface to this 2001 book, “Things changed for everyone on September 11, 2001: Terrorism and radical Islam bloodied American soil in a way that will never be forgotten… Americans wanted answers. What motivated people to do such terrifically evil things? Why do so many Muslims hate the U.S.? What is this talk of a heavenly Paradise being guaranteed to murderers who kill innocent people?... what does Islam believe about ‘jihad,’ or ‘holy war,’ and was this related to the horror of September 11?... In this book we will supply the answers to these important questions---and more… we need to take a searching and honest look at the religion of Islam---its history, its beliefs, its Bible, and its religious teachings. This will then help us to determine in what ways Islam is and isn’t involved in the current critical world events and the struggle against terrorism.” (Pg. 7-8, 11)
They point out, “Millions of Muslims, even Arab Muslims do not hate America; in fact, they respect and envy America… However, this is not the case with Israel. At best, there is a strong resentment of that nation. This is because of what many Arab Muslims teach about the land of Palestine---that Allah has decreed it to the Muslims. Large numbers even of moderate Arab Muslims see Israel as a thief and an inevitable enemy. Further, these moderates are increasingly susceptible to the influence of the powerful minority of Islamic extremists.” (Pg. 18)
They explain, “Why is the U.S.---indeed, the entire West---a target for Muslim radicals? Muslim fundamentalism-radicalism is often said to be the result of economic, political, or social grievances. While true in part, this is an oversimplification that fails to understand the forces operating within Islam. Poverty can’t explain Muslim terrorism because the same or worse conditions for Christians in Brazil or Mexico have not resulted in their engaging in international acts of terror. Nor is the Arab-Jewish conflict in Israel the root of the problem. Anti-American hatred exists---even the killing of Christians occurs---in countries and cultures far removed from the Middle East conflict, such as the Sudan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria. Furthermore, ‘jihad’ is aimed primarily at America and the West, not Israel.” (Pg. 21)
They state, “Muslims believe that by striving to please God and by doing good works, they will hopefully gain entrance to heaven through personal merit. The Quran clearly teaches that salvation is achieved on the basis of meritorious good works and personal righteousness… Islam teaches that on the Day of Judgment one’s good and evil deeds will be weighted on a scale…” (Pg. 28)
They assert, “The Quran emphasizes that it contains no contradictions. In Sura 4:84 Allah challenges men, ‘…If it had not come from Allah, they could have surely found in it many contradictions.’ If Allah does not contradict himself, then everything that has purportedly ‘come down from him’ (the Bible, the Quran) must be in agreement. The Muslim must believe in the doctrinal unity of the books of Allah---the Bible… and the Quran. But we have just seen they conflict. Muslims counter this by asserting that the Bible’s text is corrupted, but without supplying any credible evidence to back their claims. Even so, the Quran contains contradictions within its own pages. For example, in Sura 11 it teaches that one of Noah’s sons … ‘was drowned’ in the Flood. The Quran contradicts this statement in Sura 21, where it declares that ‘we saved him [Noah] and ALL his kinfolk from the great calamity…’” (Pg. 40)
They argue that Sura 2:100 “may serve the Muslim as a rationale for contradictions between the Quran and the Bible or the Quran and itself, but nowhere in the Quran does Allah identify those verses he has apparently repealed. In Sura 3:6 the Quran agrees that its ambiguous parts are incapable of interpretation, and only Allah knows their meaning… We are told that the ‘precise’… verses are the ‘foundation’ … of the Quran. If so, one could assume that Muslims would rarely disagree as to the interpretation of the clear parts. This is not what we find historically or today. Muslims have not identified which are the ‘precise’ or ‘clear’ parts and which are the ‘ambiguous’ parts.” (Pg. 51-52)
About whether Muslims are tolerant, they state, “One wishes this were true. One hopes that most Muslims, especially in America, are tolerant of other faiths. However, considered globally, the legislative application of Islam, is often another matter. When a Muslim state… has universally applied Islamic law to the nation, life can become difficult for non-Muslims. Whatever good exists in Islam… tolerance for other religions does not appear to be one of its stronger points, as least as far as Islamic government are concerned… Westerners need to understand that Muslim nations in general have no concept of ‘separation of church and state, and that even in moderate… states, Islamic law can still be applied forcefully, even fully, as in Saudi Arabia. Church and state are one, and the religion of Islam, through ‘sharia,’ or Islamic law, dominates all aspects of society. Thus, there are no independent ‘human rights’ as recognized in the West; all individual rights are subject to the priorities of Islamic law. Islam … requires that everything be subject to it.” (Pg. 66-67)
They acknowledge, “It is important to emphasize again that Muslim radicals do not represent the majority of Muslims… however, in certain ways Islam does lend support to the radicals’ cause, and this is an important part of the problem… The question is, how did the violent minority emerge on the stage of history in which we now stand? As author Salman Rushdie, under a global death sentence for writing ‘The Satanic Verses’ … suggested, ‘There needs to be a thorough examination, by Muslims everywhere, of why it is that the faith they love breeds so many violent mutant strains. If the West needs to understand its Unabombers and McVeighs, Islam needs to face up to its Bin Ladens.’” (Pg. 88-89)
They explain, “radicals such as Osama Bin laden believe they are restoring ‘true’ Islam… the radicals believe that by returning to the historical roots of Arab and Muslim greatness---a greatness to be restored by the unification of all Arab states under ‘pure’ Islam---Islam will rise to its true destiny… these things are what radicals have seized on, and unfortunately, as we know, they are persuading moderates… [Moderates’] interpretations may be softer---for example, the ‘war’ is personal and internal, and it is possible to have a successful ‘land of Islam’ in a country even though Muslims remain in minority. But … even though the radicals do not completely represent true Islam today, they do have a basis in Islamic history for their beliefs.” (Pg. 104)
They conclude, “On September 11, it became much more difficult for Muslims to live in America. Christians can show heartfelt acts of compassion, understanding, and assistance that will reflect the love of Jesus Christ for Muslims and for others. Perhaps by stressing common cultural concerns, Christians and Muslims may find a door opened to a frank discussion of their differing religious beliefs. Muslims in the West, much like Christians, are often frustrated with the culture in which they live. Given the Western worldview of materialism, secularism, and relativism, and its moral failings as seen in the crime and divorce rates, mass abortion, pornography, and other ills, both Muslims and Christians can find common ground on which to discuss the larger issues of their religions.” (Pg. 113)
Although this booklet was probably somewhat ‘rushed into print’ after 9/11, it will be of keen interest to Christians seeking a brief explanation and comparison of Islam and Christianity.
May 30, 2020
Clear, presents good examples from both the Quran and the Bible.
A bit outdated but found it very informative
A bit outdated but found it very informative
March 8, 2017
The facts are there, yes. But this book is written by two Christian men, it was bound to be a bit biased. I wish the book was simply a breakdown of the religion for those who do not know, rather than an attempt to bring people to Christ -- there are better ways to do that.
February 12, 2016
While short, this booklet is packed with information that is particularly relevant today. A must-read for anyone who wants to understand the truth about the differences between Islam and Christianity.
January 6, 2008
Not exactly an objective study (the authors are Christian apologists), but a pretty good little reference, nonetheless.
November 20, 2015
finished this in one day - my day off - glad i read it, but that is about it
May 12, 2016
The book is written fast and can be read fast. One feature I especially liked was the letter in the end of the book.
October 29, 2020
this is the worst book on Islam i’ve ever read. full of prejudiced and wrong answers.
August 19, 2016
Убойная книга с классными аргументами об исламе! Бог прав и Библия права...
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews