ISLAM’S DOCTRINE OF ABROGATION

Gene Gurganus, former missionary to an Islamic country, explains the “doctrine of abrogation” in the Islamic religion. According to this doctrine, Allah causes some parts of the Quran to be abrogated or abolished by later commandments. This is taught in the Quran as follows: 

“Whatever a Verse (revelation) do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring a better one or similar to it. Know you not that Allah is able to do all things?” (Surah 2:106). 

Mohammed’s life and ministry was divided into two parts: the tolerant years in Mecca and the aggressive years in Medina, and earlier commandments are superseded by later ones. In Mecca, Mohammed used teaching in an attempt to convert the people. During that period, he wrote prophecies along the lines of being at peace with non-Muslims and not forcing your religion upon others.  

For example, consider the following messages that were given in Mecca and soon after his arrival in Medina, when he was still vulnerable: 

“We know of best what they say; and you (O Muhammad) ARE NOT A TYRANT OVER THEM. But warn by the Qur’an, him who fears My Threat” (Surah 50:45). 

“THERE IS NO COMPULSION IN RELIGION. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower” (Surah 2:256). 

When his peace plan failed, Muhammad picked up the sword, and for the rest of his life he used the sword to force adherence to Islam.  

Many of the prophecies Mohammed gave during this latter period contradict the earlier prophecies and demand war against unbelievers.  

“And FIGHT THEM UNTIL THERE IS NO MORE FITNAH [worshipping others besides Allah] and the religion will all be for Allah Alone” (Surah 8:39). 

“When the sacred months are passed, kill the unbelievers wherever you find them. Take them as captives, besiege them, and lie in wait for them with every kind of ambush. If they submit to Islam, observe prayer, and pay the poor tax, then let them go their way (Surah 9:5). 

“FIGHT AGAINST THOSE WHO BELIEVE NOT IN ALLAH, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth among the people of the Scripture [Jews and Christians], UNTIL THEY PAY THE JIZYA WITH WILLING SUBMISSION, AND FEEL THEMSELVES SUBDUED” (Surah 9:29).  

Those who quote from Surah 2:256 and similar ones from Mohammed’s early life ignore the fact that these were written before he changed his policy. 

“The practice of this principle is that when there is a contradiction between two verses in the Quran, the newer revelation overrides the previous revelation. Then the new cancels the old. You can still read the words, ‘There is no compulsion in religion’ in the Quran, but they no longer have authority because Surah 2:193 says, ‘And fight with them until there is no persecution, and religion should be only for Allah, but if they desist, then there should be no hostility except against oppressors.’ So the ‘no compulsion in religion’ verse has been mansookh (canceled) by revelations that came later. 

“Professor Gabriel helps us understand how Muslims interpret the Quran in this way: ‘This principle of abrogation is known in Arabic as nasikh. It means that Allah led Muhammad in a progressive revelation. Many copies of the Quran have a table that shows whether a surah is from Mecca or Medina in order to help readers know which is a newer revelation’” (Gerganus, Peril of Islam, p. 69).  

“The Quran’s commandments to Muslims to wage war in the name of Allah against non-Muslims are unmistakable. They are, furthermore, absolutely authoritative as they were revealed late in the Prophet’s career and so cancel and replace earlier instructions to act peaceably. Without knowledge of the principle of abrogation, Westerners will continue to misread the Quran and misdiagnose Islam as a ‘religion of peace’” (“Islam 101,” JihadWatch.org).

---------------

See also: 

• BASIC FACTS ABOUT ISLAM: PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE 
• THE RELIGION OF PEACE - The politically incorrect truth about Islam
• DEBUNKING THE EUROPEAN ANTICHRIST
• THE ISLAMIC ANTICHRIST (Scroll down to the bottom of the page.)

CHURCH NEWS NOTES

CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES CRUCIFIED BY ISIS AFTER REFUSING TO DENY CHRIST

Ten Christian missionaries and a 12-year-old boy lost their lives in August after they were executed by the barbaric Islamic group ISIS because they refused to deny Christ.

Christian Aid Mission (CAM) reports that on Aug. 7th, the indigenous missionaries were captured near Aleppo, Syria after rejecting advice by their ministry director to leave the area due to violence. The men chose to stay to share the gospel with those suffering from the ISIS insurgency.

“Every time we talked to them, they were always saying, ‘We want to stay here. This is what God has told us to do. This is what we want to do,'” the unidentified director told CAM. “They just wanted to stay and share the gospel”.

The director later learned of the plight of missionaries from relatives who had been in hiding. He states that on Aug. 28, two of the men were pressured to renounce Christ and return to Islam. They refused.

“In front of the team leader and relatives in the crowd, the Islamic extremists cut off the fingertips of the boy and severely beat him, telling his father they would stop the torture only if he, the father, returned to Islam”, the ministry reports. “When the team leader refused, relatives said, the ISIS militants also tortured and beat him and the two other ministry workers. The three men and the boy then met their deaths in crucifixion”.

The men and boy were left hanging on the crosses for two days with signs hanging overhead that read “Infidels”.

The same day, eight others were brought out before a crowd of witnesses and also asked if they would renounce Christianity. When they explained that they were there to share God’s love with the people, two women missionaries were raped publicly.

All eight were then beheaded.

“Villagers said some were praying in the name of Jesus, others said some were praying the Lord’s prayer, and others said some of them lifted their heads to commend their spirits to Jesus”, the ministry director relayed to CAM. “One of the women looked up and seemed to be almost smiling as she said, ‘Jesus!'”

Their headless bodies were hung on crosses.

As previously reported, ISIS has targeted those who profess Christ, executing 30 Ethiopian “followers of the cross” in April.

“You will not have safety, even in your dreams, until you accept Islam”, the fighter, who resembles “Jihadi John”, threatened. “Our battle is a battle between faith and blasphemy, between truth and falsehood”.

In February, 21 Egyptians were also marched to their death and beheaded.

“All crusaders: safety for you will be only wishes, especially if you are fighting us all together”, the ISIS fighter declared. “The sea you have hidden Sheikh Osama Bin Laden’s body in, we swear to Allah we will mix it with your blood”.

MUSLIM JIHADISTS INTENDED TO CAPTURE EUROPE AND ALL OF “CHRISTENDOM” 

The Muslim jihadists after Muhammad had the objective of conquering all of Europe and setting up a caliphate headquartered in Rome. Not knowing the difference between false and true Christianity, and not caring that there is a difference, they thought that by conquering Rome they would conquer “Christianity”. They attacked Europe almost simultaneously from the east and the west and were halted at the battle of Constantinople in 718 and at the Battle of Tours in 732. When the army of the sultanate of Cordoba invaded the territory of the Franks in 732, he “promised to stable their horses in St. Peter's at Rome” (Serge Trifkovic, The Sword of the Prophet, p. 96). As they made their way north from Spain, the Muslims “burned churches and slaughtered the population” (Susan Bauer, The History of the Medieval World). They were stopped by Charles Martel (“Hammer”) and his army of Frank soldiers. In the East, when Mehmed II finally captured Constantinople in 1453, he took the title Kayswer-i Rum (Caesar Romanus) and intended to conquer Rome. His army invaded Italy, but withdrew after his death in May 1481. Mehmed's son Suleiman also took the title Caesar Romanus, but his advance into Europe was halted with a defeat at Vienna in 1529. The last major Islamic military invasion into Europe occurred in the 1680s and was again halted at Vienna when they were defeated by a Polish-German army. Today Islam is conquering Europe by immigration, and there are no “Christian armies” to stop them. At the same time, we know that Islam will not conquer the world, because Bible prophecy presents quite another picture.

LUTHERAN LESBIAN BISHOP CALLS FOR REMOVAL OF CROSSES 

The following is excerpted from “World's First Lesbian Bishop”, Breitbart, Oct. 5, 2015: “The Bishop of Stockholm has proposed a church in her diocese remove all signs of the cross and put down markings showing the direction to Mecca for the benefit of Muslim worshippers. Eva Brunne, who was made the world's first openly lesbian bishop by the church of Sweden in 2009, and has a young son with her 'wife' and fellow lesbian priest Gunilla Linden, made the suggestion to make those of other faiths more welcome. ... The upper echelons of the Church of Sweden, much like other national churches across Europe, seem to be fully invested in the diversity mission. Back in February, a parish church in multicultural paradise Malmö declared it would be holding a service in solidarity with the local Muslim community as a protest against a march by anti-Islamisation movement PEGIDA in the city. ... As a major bottleneck into the region, with a single bridge and ferry route connecting the country to the rest of Europe, the arrival of these [Muslim] migrants has heralded an unprecedented level of criminality in the city, as explained to Breitbart Londonby a recently retired senior police officer last month. Describing the 'no-go' zones that have sprung up around the city and calling for greater border controls to get criminal migration under control, Chief Superintendent Torsten Elofsson said: 'Years ago you could go with two officers, no problem. Now you have to send four officers and two cars--if the fire brigade want to go, they have to take a police escort. They throw stones and try to stop the fireman from putting out fires.'“

RATIONALISTS AND THEOLOGICAL LIBERALS INVENTED THE TOLERANT ISLAM MYTH 

The popular myth that Islam is fundamentally a peaceful and tolerant religion that created a “golden age” of learning and science beginning in the eighth century was invented by prominent rationalists and theological modernists more than a hundred years ago. Men such as Voltaire claimed that Europe fell into a dark age because of “Christianity” (Catholicism) and was rescued by an enlightened Islam. “In time, some scholars began to see almost all European science and learning as an Arab creation, or at least something that appeared only under the influence of the Arabs. This opinion took root in the nineteenth century, and by the early years of the twentieth century had become, in some quarters at least, part of received wisdom” (Emmet Scott, Mohammed and Charlemagne Revisited). A prominent historian in 1919 said that “Spain, not Italy, was the cradle of the rebirth of Europe” (Robert Briffault, The Making of Humanity, p. 189). This has always been complete nonsense. A “Golden Age of Islam” in Baghdad was not because of Islam, but in spite of it. Tolerant, educational-minded Muslim caliphs are not the rule in history, but the extreme exception, and they were tolerant and educational-minded by not being strict followers of the Quran. Further, most of the inventions that have been promoted as Muslim inventions were actually inventions of China, Persia, and India. 

DOCTOR FIRED FOR VOICING THE TRUTH ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY 

The following is excerpted from “Leading U.S. hospital fires doctor”, LifeSite News, Jun. 25, 2015: “A well-loved and respected doctor with a background in sexual-risk behaviors has been expelled from one of the United States' most prestigious and top-ranked medical centers after he raised evidence-based health risk concerns over the center's decision to endorse and celebrate the homosexual lifestyle. Urologist Dr. Paul Church, a 65-year-old grandfather of 6, was expelled from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston, Massachusetts, in March ... Dr. Church, a member of the Harvard Medical School faculty, has worked as a urologist at the center for nearly 30 years, conducting research on prostate and bladder cancer. He has also offered his medical talents to the poor on numerous occasions during volunteer missions to Mexico and Africa. It was 11 years ago that Church began to experience censorship and suppression from BIDMC officials, reported Mass Resistance. At this time, Church and other like-minded colleagues repeatedly raised concerns with officials over the center's decision to not only endorse the homosexual lifestyle by hosting an annual 'Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Achievement Award ceremony,' but to involve staff in LGBTQ events including participation in Boston's annual 'Gay Pride Week.' 'The evidence is irrefutable that behaviors common within the homosexual community are unhealthy and high risk for a host of serious medical consequences, including STD's, HIV and AIDS, anal cancer, hepatitis, parasitic intestinal infections, and psychiatric disorders”, Church submitted to officials via the center's communication system after receiving an LGBT-related communication. ... In April 2012, Church requested that BIDMC's communications department not send him further notices regarding LGBTQ activities. His request was ignored. ... To one such communication received in 2013 he responded ... 'Leviticus 18:22.' To another that same year: 'Romans 1:26-28.' It is for these ... responses that the medical center decided to take action this year and expel Dr. Church. ... He told LifeSiteNews his case proves that what the LGBTQ movement wants is not simply 'coexistence' with the rest of society, but total affirmation without a single voice of dissent of what the movement not only believes, but also what it practices in the bedroom”.

A CONTEMPORARY STYLE WILL ALWAYS CONQUER “TRADITIONAL” SACRED MUSIC

The following quotes are from Why I Left the Contemporary Christian Music Movement by Dan Lucarini, 2002. Speaking as a former insider, the author said that he defended CCM primarily because he loved rock music. In chapter 17, Lucarini describes his part in moving two churches from “traditional” to contemporary. It was done incrementally, beginning with soft rock. “Traditionals are initially assured by the Contemporaries that the two styles can co-exist peacefully. In reality, what happens over time is a steady slide down the slippery slope, away from all traditional music into the latest, 'edgiest' contemporary styles” (Lucarini, p. 119). “With blended services, we have created two sets of musicians with different skills. Now began the competition for the hearts of the congregation: the battle of the bands, so to speak. … Contemporary always prevailed over Traditional, because it fed the sinful desire of our flesh. Add to that the veneer of respectability given to CCM by the leadership, and many believers gladly traded the old music for the new. … the blended service is not a long-term solution … Rather, it is quite simply a transitional phase to gradually move a church service from all traditional to all contemporary. … even this separation of services [in those churches that attempt to have two different services, one traditional and one contemporary] will not remain sharp for long. Soon it will blur, and the blurring is almost always towards contemporary shades” (Lucarini, pp. 122, 123). 

DEFENDING ALL OF THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORD 

The following statement by Sir Robert Anderson (1841-1918), from The Coming Prince, refutes the heresy of “non-essentials”: “When David reached the throne of Israel and came to choose his generals, he named for the chief commands the men who had made themselves conspicuous by feats of prowess or of valor. Among the foremost three was one of whom the record states that he defended a tract of lentiles, and drove away a troop of the Philistines (2 Samuel 23:11-12). To others it may have seemed little better than a patch of weeds, and not worth fighting for, but it was precious to the Israelite as a portion of the divinely-given inheritance, and moreover the enemy might have used it as a rallying ground from which to capture strongholds. So is it with the Bible. It is all of intrinsic value if indeed it be from God; and moreover, the statement which is assailed, and which may seem of no importance, may prove to be a link in the chain of truth on which we are depending for eternal life”.