W. Robert Godfrey

He was a prophet who taught from God.

He had miracles.

He was virgin-born, but He did not die for the sins of His people, and He certainly was not divine.

From a Muslim point of view, the claim that Jesus is divine is polytheistic.

And they continue to insist that however much Christians claim to be monotheists, their doctrine of the Trinity is inherently tinged with polytheism.

And so that's part of the conflict, part of the contrast that exists between Christians and Muslims.

Now the theology of Islam is based on the Quran, which it is claimed is immediately inspired by God.

It is written in 114 chapters or surahs.

It is basically poetic in its character, but it is a book of directions.

It is not a book of history.

It doesn't have a clear logical development.

It is discrete statements of revelation, not necessarily clearly related to one another.

And from a Christian perspective, though not a Muslim perspective, it seems to have contradictions within it.

From that, the basic theology of Islam emerges, the radical monotheism, but the monotheism of a God who is primarily conceived in terms of transcendence, primarily conceived in terms of power.

There seems to be little love in the conception of Allah.

He is the Great One.

He is the Majestic One.

He is the One who must be obeyed, who must be served, who must be submitted to.

And that's the basic meaning of the word Islam.

It's submission.