More on what Islam promises and a criticism of a commonly held Christian belief

Peace,

I would like to quickly discuss 2 things today. The first is regarding the comments of Dr. Banister on the goals of Islam and the Quran being more focused on getting to heaven in contrast to God himself being the ultimate goal. The second is regarding what some consider to be Islam's fake morality.

Without question, Islam has made God and a relationship with him to be the ultimate desire. You can read the whole Quran, which God himself has dictated directly. You do not find this claim in any other religious book, nor does any other book claim to be so. There is a feature of the Quran which is called by 99 attributes or names that God has given himself. God states that his mercy perfuses into ALL things and that his anger is only directed towards a group. For example this verse reveals that without question:

Al-Araf Verse 156 reads:
وَاكْتُبْ لَنَا فِي هَـذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدْنَـا إِلَيْكَ قَالَ عَذَابِي أُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنْ أَشَاء وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَـاةَ وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِآيَاتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ {156

"Grant us well-being in this life and in the life hereafter for we have turned ourselves to You." The Lord replied, "My torment only afflicts those whom I want to punish, but My mercy encompasses all things. I shall grant mercy to those who maintain piety, pay their religious tax, and those who have faith in Our revelations."(translated by Sarwar)

Another claim that Christians use in their evangelism is to criticize Islam for its penal code stating that it does not represent Islam changing a person's heart, from which then the person will do good. However, it is not hard to find among the gospels something much more radical than worldly punishment. For example,
 in Matthew 18:9 it states:

"And if your eye causes your downfall, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, rather than to have two eyes and be thrown into hellfire!"

So much for the change of heart being the driving force for Christians to be good, in contrast to Muslims who are commanded to purify their intentions for the sake of God alone.

It is really that simple. One of the themes I want to keep revisiting is that one of the reasons that shows the truth of Islam is how weak and desperate the arguments againsst it are by even the most talented apologists. More later...