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Curious Muslim Gets Answer From the Bible


We recently received an interesting email from a soul winner, Kristina. She was out witnessing when an Iraqi college student named Zainab began talking with her about the differences between Christianity and Islam.

In the discussion, Zainab said she thought that two Bible verses proved that Jesus was not God. Kristina was not sure about the best way to answer, so they agreed to continue the discussion on WhatsApp. After some research, Kristina was able to provide Zainab with an answer.

You might get asked a similar question. Here is a way to answer Zainab’s question:

Zainab’s Question: Read Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34. Jesus cries out in these verses saying, ‘My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?’ This is when Jesus, peace be upon him, was on the cross, and he thought he was being abandoned by God. So, he cried out these words, seeking [God’s] help and mercy. If [Jesus] was God himself, he wouldn’t need to cry for help.

Answer: Jesus was quoting the first verse of Psalm 22. He understood that the Jews around him would recognize this messianic verse, and he was clearly applying it to Himself.

Take a close look at His words as they are recorded in Scripture: He quoted the Psalm to say “Why hast thou forsaken me?” He is not asking for help. He is not seeking mercy. He is crying out in agony as He became sin for us. Remember, this was all planned. Jesus came to earth for this very purpose. And here, as He bore upon Himself the sin of the whole world, it felt like the Father looked away from that sin.

Those who think He was looking for help, or felt abandoned, don’t understand that Jesus was carrying out a plan which was formed since the foundation of the earth, doing what He had agreed to do. His cry on the cross demonstrates the agony of substitution when Jesus took our place and paid the price we could never pay.

It’s also important to note that there was no abandonment of Jesus on the cross. Psalm 22:24 says, “For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.”

Jesus’ work and sacrifice on the cross was seen, recognized, and accepted. He alone paid the price that was ours to pay and died the death we deserve.

For Muslims, the Bible is viewed as another holy book, but with less authority than the Qur’an. They also view Jesus as a good, holy man, but they do not believe he was perfect or that he was God in the flesh. They view him only as a prophet who had a message for humanity.

What’s amazing about this belief is that, if you can show them that Jesus did claim to be God, then they are forced to examine who Jesus really is. He cannot be both a prophet and a liar. If he is a prophet who said he was God, then he must be God. But if he is a liar, then he is no prophet at all.

Many Muslims are very open to conversations about Christianity, the Bible, and the gospel. They are willing to consider another point of view, have their understanding of Islam and Christianity challenged, and dialogue openly about it. If you don’t know the answer to a question they ask, they are understanding and respectful of your need to say, “Let me find the answer and get back to you.”

Religious Muslims love Islam and will often speak about its tenets with reverence, warmth, and even excitement. If we display this same type of enthusiasm and love for the Bible, for Jesus, and for the gospel, they will know that we are serious about our faith and genuine in our discussions.

Non-religious Muslims are often looking for something more than Islam after seeing the strife, unjust treatment, hate, fear, and despair caused in the name of Islam. They are usually open to hear about Jesus, the gospel, and how God has changed your life.

No matter how religious or not a Muslim is, they are typically open to having a conversation with someone who is serious about their faith. This means that Bible-believing Christians often receive a wide-open door to share the gospel. We should not hesitate if we have an opportunity to engage a Muslim in a conversation about the gospel.

Would you like some ideas on how to do this? Read When the Mosque Comes to Town, available from Chick Publications.

  • See more articles on related topics:
  • Islam

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