Answering Islam: The Crescent in Light of the Cross

Norman Geisler is one of America's leading Christian apologists. He is also one of the most prolific, with well over sixty titles to his name. In this volume he teams up with a former Muslin to present one of the most detailed, scholarly and up-to-date-assessments of Islam yet offered by the Christianity community.Answering Islam is a thorough examination of the major teachings and beliefs of Islam. The book is comprised of three main sections. The first deals with the various core teachings of Islam: the Koran, the place of Muhammed, the Muslim's view of man and salvation, and the doctrine of God (Allah).A number of issues are dealt with in these opening chapters, including the place of prophets in Islam, the Muslim concept of creation, the place of Christ in Islamic thinking, and the nature of eschatology in Islam. Were the book to finish here, the reader would have been treated to a wealth of information and insight into Muslim beliefs.But the second section takes us much further, offering an in-depth Christian assessment of some of these doctrines. Three subjects are given extensive treatment: the nature of Islamic monotheism, the person of Muhammed, and the claims of the Koran.Concerning strict Muslim monotheism, a number of issues are covered. The unity of Allah is closely examined, as is the notion of divine sovereignty. The authors show that Allah lacks the personal, loving nature which the God of Judeo-Christian beliefs presents. Instead Allah is seen as harsh, authoritarian and utterly transcendent. Muslims know nothing of the personal intimacy which Christians have with their Lord. Yes, the God of the Bible is transcendent, but he is also immanent as well, making him one to both fear and love simultaneously.And the utterly deterministic nature of Allah makes any concept of personal freedom and responsibility difficult to maintain in orthodox Islam. The extreme fatalism and strict determinism found in Islam result in a master-slave relationship, instead of the close friendship which Christians can enjoy with their God.The chapter on Muhammed is equally revealing and incisive. The authors carefully assess his character, his claims to miracles, and his concept of prophethood. And the chapter on the Koran looks at its claims to being divinely inspired. But the supporting credentials are just not there, argue the authors.Finally, the third major section of the book offers a positive defense of key Christian doctrines: the deity of Christ, the Trinity, salvation, and Biblical authority. As these are main stumbling blocks for Muslims, the authors present a detailed defense of these biblical concepts, interacting with Muslim misunderstandings along the way.On top of all this, there are 6 extensive appendices on such issues as Muslim religious practices, Muslim sects and movements, and Muslim attacks on the New Testament. But most readers will race to Appendix 5, "Islam and Violence".In the wake of September 11, many will want to know if Muslim

If you as a Christian are looking for a good book to help you discuss differences of belief with a Muslim friend, then look no more! This volume is an excellent summary by a noted Christian apologist. It is a great start on understanding Islamic beliefs from a Christian perspective.It must be understood from the outset that this book has a definite Christian bias. It is not likely to be warmly accepted by Muslims, nor is that kind of reception its intent. This volume is a Christian apologetic work, summarizing Islam, identifying weaknesses in its major beliefs, then elaborating on the ways in which Christianity is superior to it.Geisler and Saleeb (a former Muslim) begin by describing the Islamic positions on monotheism, creation, prophets, Muhammad, the Quran, and the end of time. They then move to responding from a Christian viewpoint to these positions. The subjects of monotheism, Muhammad, and the Quran are given particular attention.Geisler and Saleeb conclude the main body of their work with a defense of the Bible, the deity of Jesus, the trinity, and the substitutionary death of Christ. Four helpful appendices are included. They describe Muslim sects, religious practices, the Gospel of Barnabas, and Islamic objections to the authority of the New Testament.For a Christian wanting to share his faith relationally with a Muslim friend, this volume is the one to buy!

Answering Islam does not pretend to be a text book on Islam. It is, however, a reply to the claims and charges typically made against and on Christianity by Islam, as its title suggests. In that department, we from the muslim far-east feel that this Book is great, par-excellance! Both Geisler and Abdul Saleeb have simply exercised their "right of reply" to answer the typical muslim claims against Christianity and the Gospel, much of which have no basis in fact whatsoever or have them in sheer ignorance in the face of the facts. Abdul Saleeb, being a former muslim does provide valid and valuable insights into his former religion-Islam. Both writers deserve a round of applause for exercising the right to reply and answer, and this Book itself deserves More than five Gold stars for addressing the Topic in such a lucid and eye-opening way. Yet this will be evident only to those who read it with an open mind.

Answering Islam is a decent,scholarly and level-headed rejoinder to the typical,twisted claims and bald accusations frequently put forward by Islam on Christianity. That this book is wonderfully level-headed,practically free of polemical anti-islamic wild accusations stands in stark contrast with comparable material circulating around the popular muslim press in a large part of the muslim world eg.Deedat(but already fully refuted by Gilchrist). Instead, two men have put their heads together, one a reputable scholar and the other, someone who has left Islam for the light of Christianity, to reply to some of the false claims and charges brought by muslims. The previous charge of mis-interpretations cuts both ways. Islam has very, very frequently misunderstood and misinterpreted the Gospel and Jesus Christ's teachings extremely arrogantly, blindly and foolishly. Now, That is the height of ignorance. Thats what Geisler and Abdul Saleeb have addressed in both an open and objective way with "Answering Islam", in the most gentlemenly of ways and yet keeping the straight talk un-muddied with malicious slurs and emotional polemics-something which I have difficulty saying about similar muslim writings. Get this book and study it, regardless of what the detractors want to say-it is worth your last cent, then also browse through Dr.William Campbell's "The Quran and the Bible in the light of History and Science"