Really? Is that true? Do Muslims have Intense Hatred for St Paul? If you have not read the previous post to this sequel, please click here to read that. Muslims were given to understand by Muhammad that his Qur’an is a book that lines up with the Christian Scriptures. However, when they read the New Testament, they found out that, it was not so. This is the classical Islamic Dilemma. Now, what do they do? They rather put the blame on Paul who is the writer of a majority of Christian Scriptures. The Intense Hatred for St Paul by Muslims started only after the 10th century.
Table of Contents
Salvation by Grace vs Salvation by Works
You might have heard people saying that Islam is closer to Judaism than Christianity. The way you obtain salvation is at the core of this thought process. Christian doctrine teaches Salvation by Grace through Faith. Our works do not count for our salvation.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Eph 2:8-9
know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
Gal 2:16
27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
Romans 3:27-28
With verses like the above and the overarching belief of Salvation by Grace through faith, there is no way any reconciliation can be done with the spirit of Qurán. In reality, Qurán drags people to the law of the stone age which is barbaric in nature.
While the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews showcases the excellence of the New Covenant and the New Priesthood, we have this Barbaric concept introduced by an Arabian Caravan robber telling us that his revelation is better. I will be even surprised if any Christian would want to even listen to this Arabian doctrine. Predictably, Muslims respond with Intense Hatred for St Paul who wrote those scriptures. The Islamic Dilemma does not end here.
Qurán Affirms Paul’s writings
The problem for Muslims compound with the Qur’an affirming the genuinity of Paul and the followers of Jesus Christ. Consider the below verse from their own Qurán. It says that the followers of Jesus will continue to be superior till the day of Judgement.
˹Remember˺ when Allah said, “O Jesus! I will take you1 and raise you up to Myself. I will deliver you from those who disbelieve and elevate your followers above the disbelievers until the Day of Judgment. Then to Me you will ˹all˺ return, and I will settle all your disputes.
Sura 3:55
The Islamic god Allah re-affirms it in another place.
O, believers! Stand up for Allah, as Jesus, son of Mary, asked the disciples, “Who will stand up with me for Allah?” The disciples replied, “We will stand up for Allah.” Then a group from the Children of Israel believed while another disbelieved. We then supported the believers against their enemies, so they prevailed.
Sura 61:14
We know that Christianity has continued to be elevated over Barbaric Islam for the last 1400 years. And the basis of this Christianity as alleged by Muslims are the writings of Paul. How can Muslims escape this Islamic Dilemma?
Islamic Scholars Affirm that Paul was Indeed Jesus’s Follower
Al-Qurtubi, Tabari and Ibn Ishaq are well known Islamic Scholars. Notice the below quotes in which they confirm who is Paul.
“It was said that this verse was revealed about the apostles of Jesus, may peace and blessing be upon him. Ibn Ishaq stated that of the apostles and disciples that Jesus sent (to preach) there were PETER AND PAUL WHO WENT TO ROME; Andrew and Matthew who went to the land of the cannibals; Thomas who went to Babel in the eastern lands; Philip who went to Africa; John went to Dac-sos which is the tribe to whom the sleepers of the cave belonged; Jacob went to Jerusalem; Bartholomew went to the lands of Arabia, specifically Al-Hijaz; Simon who went to the Barbarians; Judas and Barthas who went to Alexandria and its surrounding regions.
Allah supported them (the apostles) with evidence so that THEY PREVAILED (thahirin) meaning they became the party with the upper hand. Just as it is said, “An object appeared on the wall” meaning it is clearly visible (alu-wat) on the wall. Allah, who is glorified and exalted, knows the truth better and to Him is the return and retreat.”
Tafsir al–Qurtubi (تفسير القرطبي) regarding Sura 61:14
When faced with a Dilemma, it is natural for Muslims to discount the Tafsir. But how many times they will discount their own scholars? Neither will the Islamic Dilemma go away nor will their Intense hatred for St Paul. Let us check another of their scholar’s work.
Those whom Jesus son of Mary sent, both disciples and those who came after them, in the land were: PETER THE DISCIPLE AND PAUL WITH HIM (Paul belonged to the followers and was not a disciple) to Rome. Andrew and Matthew to the land of the cannibals; Thomas to the land of Babel, which is in the land of the east; Philip to Carthage and Africa; John to Ephesus the city of the young men of the cave; James to Jerusalem which is Aelia the city of the sanctuary; Bartholomew to Arabia which is the land of Hijaz; Simon to the land of Berbers; Judah who was not one of the disciples was put in place of Judas.
Ibn Ishaq’s Sirat Rasul Allah (English translation, page 653)
If you still don’t believe, at least believe Tabari. Quoting the Islamic Historian Tabari below.
“Among the apostles, and the followers who came after them were the APOSTLE PETER AND PAUL who was a follower and not an apostle; they went to Rome. Andrew and Matthew were sent to the country whose people are man-eaters, a land of blacks, we think; Thomas was sent to Babylonia in the east, Philip to Qayrawan (and) Carthage, that is, North Africa.
John went to Ephesus, the city of the youths of the cave, and James to Jerusalem, that is, Aelia. Bartholomew was sent to Arabia, namely, the Hijaz; Simeon to the land of the Berbers in Africa. Judas was not then an apostle, so his place was taken by Ariobus. He filled in for Judas Iscariot after the latter had perpetrated his deed.”
Al Tabari’s History (Volume IV, p. 123)
If you still don’t believe, here is Ibn Kathir’s commentary about Sura 36:13-17. He says the following
فَعَزَّزْنَا بِثَالِثٍ
(so We reinforced them with a third,) means, `We supported and strengthened them with a third Messenger. ‘ Ibn Jurayj narrated from Wahb bin Sulayman, from Shu`ayb Al-Jaba’i, “The names of the first two Messengers were Sham`un(Simon Peter) and Yuhanna(John), and the name of the third was BULUS(Paul), and the city was Antioch (Antakiyah).
Ibn Kathir Commenrary on Sura 36:13-17
Conclusion
By whatever name the Muslims would like to call us. Pauline Christianity or any other Christianity, they cannot get out of the Islamic Dilemma. To attack Paul, they will have to disregard their own Qurán and the Tafsirs of their Scholars. Moreover, Christianity will continue to be Dominant till the Last day. Meanwhile, Islam will get back into the hole like a snake from where it came. I am not kidding. I am quoting from Sahih Muslim.
It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Verily the faith(Islam) would recede to Medina just as the serpent crawls back into its hole.
Sahih Muslim 147
The above verse from the Hadith is a double confirmation for Christians. Even though we do not believe in the Islamic scriptures, we know that the devil knows his own end(Rev 12:12). Muhammad compared Islam to the SERPENT that CRAWLS BACK INTO THE HOLE. The Old Serpent/Dragon that deceived Eve will finally be shut down into the bottomless pit.
And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that OLD SERPENT, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And CAST HIM INTO THE BOTTOMLESS PIT, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that, he must be loosed a little season.
Rev 20:1-3
End of “Intense Hatred for St Paul by Muslims 2“
