What Are Some Questions About Islam? A Three-Faith Comparative Guide
Judaism
אֲלֶם תֵּדַע כִּי לַיהוָה מַלְכוּת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ — "Do you not know that to the LORD belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth?" (cf. Quran 2:107 Quran 2:107)
One of the most common questions people ask about Islam from a Jewish perspective is: how does Islam's concept of tawhid (divine unity) compare to Judaism's Shema? Both traditions are fiercely monotheistic and reject any partner or intermediary alongside God. Jewish thinkers like Maimonides (12th century) argued that God's unity is absolute and incomparable — a position that resonates strongly with Quranic declarations that sovereignty over the heavens and earth belongs to God alone Quran 2:107.
A second major question concerns prophethood. Judaism recognizes a long chain of prophets culminating in the Hebrew Bible but does not accept Muhammad as a prophet. The Quran itself acknowledges that opponents challenged prophets by calling them mere humans Quran 26:186, a critique that Jewish tradition also applied historically to figures claiming new revelation after the biblical canon closed. Scholars like Jon Levenson (Harvard, 1993) have noted that Judaism's 'sealed prophecy' concept makes accepting post-biblical prophets theologically difficult.
Questions about scripture preservation are also relevant. Judaism holds that the Torah was given at Sinai and carefully transmitted through the Masoretic tradition. The Quran asserts that God sent down the Book and wisdom to the Prophet Quran 4:113, a claim Jews would evaluate through their own criteria of prophetic authentication.
Christianity
وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَآ أَشْرَكُوا۟ ۗ وَمَا جَعَلْنَـٰكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًا ۖ وَمَآ أَنتَ عَلَيْهِم بِوَكِيلٍ — "Had Allah willed, they would not have associated [anything with Him]. And We have not appointed you over them as a guardian, nor are you a manager over them." (Quran 6:107) Quran 6:107
Christians frequently ask questions about Islam that center on the nature of Jesus. Islam honors Jesus as a prophet and the Messiah but firmly denies his divinity and crucifixion — a point that cuts to the heart of Christian soteriology. The Quran's rhetorical questions about who truly controls harm and mercy Quran 39:38 reflect Islam's insistence that no intermediary, including Jesus, shares God's sovereign power.
Another common question is whether the Bible has been corrupted (tahrif). Islam teaches that earlier scriptures were altered, which is why the Quran was sent as a corrective. The Quran states that God sent down the Book and wisdom and taught the Prophet what he did not know Quran 4:113, implying a fresh and complete revelation. Christian scholars like N.T. Wright dispute the corruption thesis, arguing manuscript evidence supports the Bible's integrity.
Questions about salvation also arise. Christianity teaches that salvation comes through faith in Christ's atoning death and resurrection. Islam teaches that God guides whom He wills and that humans are accountable for their own deeds Quran 6:107, with no need for a sacrificial atonement. This is perhaps the deepest theological disagreement between the two faiths, and it's one theologians like Miroslav Volf (Yale, 2011) have explored at length.
Islam
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ — "And if you asked them, 'Who created the heavens and earth and subjected the sun and the moon?' they would surely say, 'Allah.' Then how are they deluded?" (Quran 29:61) Quran 29:61
Within Islam itself, believers and outsiders alike ask foundational questions about God's nature. The Quran repeatedly uses rhetorical questioning as a teaching device — for instance, asking whether those who deny the Prophet can at least acknowledge that God created the heavens and the earth Quran 29:61. This Socratic method invites reflection rather than mere assertion, and it's central to Islamic apologetics.
A key question concerns the authenticity of Muhammad's prophethood. Opponents in the Quran challenged him by saying he was 'nothing but a human like us' Quran 26:186, and the Quran's response is that God confirmed his mission through revelation and divine protection Quran 4:113. Muslim scholars like Ibn Khaldun (14th century) and, more recently, Tariq Ramadan argue that the Prophet's character (sira) and the Quran's literary inimitability (i'jaz) together constitute compelling evidence.
Questions about worship and reflection are also prominent. The Quran praises those who remember God standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and who reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth Quran 3:191. This verse, cited by scholars of Islamic spirituality like Seyyed Hossein Nasr, shows that Islam encourages intellectual questioning as an act of worship — not blind acceptance. Finally, the Quran asserts that if people cannot respond to the challenge of the Prophet, they should know the Quran was sent with God's knowledge and that there is no god but Him Quran 11:14.
Where they agree
- All three faiths affirm that God alone created and governs the heavens and the earth Quran 29:61 Quran 2:107.
- All three traditions value prophetic narrative as a source of moral instruction and spiritual strengthening for believers Quran 11:120.
- All three agree that humans are not ultimately in control of one another's guidance — God's will is sovereign over who accepts or rejects faith Quran 6:107.
- All three traditions use questioning and reflection as legitimate tools of religious inquiry; the Quran explicitly praises those who contemplate creation Quran 3:191.
Where they disagree
| Issue | Judaism | Christianity | Islam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muhammad's Prophethood | Not accepted; prophecy is considered sealed after the Hebrew Bible | Not accepted; Jesus is the final and fullest revelation of God | Affirmed as the seal of the prophets, confirmed by divine revelation Quran 4:113 |
| Nature of Scripture | Torah (Written + Oral) is authoritative; later texts not binding | Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God | The Quran is God's final, preserved word; earlier scriptures are seen as altered Quran 4:113 |
| Jesus's Identity | A historical figure, not the Messiah in the Christian sense | Son of God, Savior, second person of the Trinity | A revered prophet and Messiah, but not divine Quran 6:107 |
| Salvation / Atonement | Repentance, Torah observance, and God's mercy | Faith in Christ's atoning death and resurrection | Submission to God, righteous deeds, and divine mercy; no atoning sacrifice needed Quran 39:38 |
| Rhetorical Challenge to Opponents | Not directly applicable in the same Quranic sense | Focuses on fulfilled prophecy and resurrection as evidence | The Quran challenges opponents to produce a comparable text, citing God's knowledge as proof Quran 11:14 |
Key takeaways
- Islam uses rhetorical questioning as a core teaching method — the Quran asks 'who created the heavens and earth?' to expose the inconsistency of polytheism Quran 29:61.
- All three Abrahamic faiths affirm God's sole sovereignty over creation, but differ sharply on whether Muhammad is a legitimate prophet Quran 11:14 Quran 26:186.
- The Quran praises believers who combine constant remembrance of God with intellectual reflection on creation Quran 3:191, suggesting Islam frames questioning as worship.
- Islam's claim that God sent the Quran with divine knowledge and taught the Prophet what he didn't know Quran 4:113 is the central Islamic answer to questions about the religion's authority.
- The biggest cross-faith disagreement isn't about God's existence — even Quran 29:61 notes that polytheists admitted God created everything Quran 29:61 — but about the nature and finality of revelation.
FAQs
What are some basic questions about Islam that beginners ask?
Does Islam encourage asking questions about faith?
How do Jews and Christians respond to questions about Islam's claim to be the final religion?
What does the Quran say about people who question the Prophet?
Do all three Abrahamic faiths agree that God controls harm and mercy?
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