8.83. I have Muslim friends—we believe in the same God, just in different ways. Aren’t we all Abrahamic believers worshiping the same Creator?
The Catholic Church teaches that there is only one true religion, and only one true God: the Most Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. To deny the Trinity or reject Jesus Christ as God is to reject God Himself. That is why the Church has always taught: Islam is a false religion, invented by Muhammad (if he even existed, as some scholars propose) in the 7th century to oppose Christianity, and Muslims do not worship the true God.
Yet Vatican II falsely teaches that Muslims “adore the one God” (Lumen Gentium §16). This is a grave error, and one that has led to religious indifferentism, false ecumenism, and the betrayal of countless souls.
Comparison between true Catholic teaching on Islam and the Vatican II heresy:
| Category | Traditional Catholic Teaching | Vatican II / Modern View | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| God | One God in three Persons: the Holy Trinity | Muslims “adore the one God” with us (LG §16) | Islam explicitly denies the Trinity and Christ’s divinity; they do not worship the same God |
| Jesus Christ | True God and true man, the only Savior of mankind | Seen as only a prophet, not divine or crucified | Rejecting Christ is rejecting the Father (cf. John 5:23) |
| Holy Trinity | Central dogma of the Christian Faith | Explicitly rejected as blasphemy in Islam | Cannot claim to worship the same God while rejecting His essence |
| Salvation | Only through Jesus Christ and His Church (EENS) | Implied that Muslims can be saved through “sincere” worship | This promotes indifferentism and contradicts defined dogma |
| Mission of the Church | To convert Muslims and all infidels to the Catholic Faith | Dialogue and mutual respect; no call to conversion | Christ’s command to “teach all nations” is abandoned |
| View of Islam | False, heretical religion; deceives souls | “They together with us adore the one, merciful God” (*LG* §16) | This heresy is condemned by Scripture and tradition |
| Scriptural View | “He that honoreth not the Son, honoreth not the Father” (John 5:23) | Implied that honoring the Father alone is sufficient | Scripture clearly refutes this modernist error |
| Historical Magisterium | Popes (e.g., Callixtus III, Pius V) condemned Islam as diabolical | Vatican II and modern “popes” praise Islam’s faith and practices | Stark contradiction reveals rupture with the true Faith |
| Fruits | Martyrdom, conversions, doctrinal clarity, missionary zeal | Indifferentism, doctrinal collapse, interreligious apostasy | “By their fruits you shall know them” (Matt. 7:16) |
Comparison between the Holy Bible and the Quran:
| Category | The Holy Bible (Catholic) | Quran (Islam) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Divine Origin | Inspired by the Holy Ghost; written by men moved by God | Claimed to be dictated word-for-word by Allah to Muhammad | Catholic view upholds inspiration, not mechanical dictation; Quran’s dictation model lacks depth and coherence |
| Authorship | Over 40 authors across 1,500 years, from different cultures and backgrounds | One claimed recipient (Muhammad), via angel Gabriel | Bible's human-divine cooperation reflects divine wisdom over time; Quran’s single-author model invites scrutiny |
| Compilation | Canon formally declared by the Church (Councils of Carthage and Trent) | Compiled under Caliph Uthman decades after Muhammad’s death | Quranic compilation involved burning variant texts—highly suspicious historically |
| Textual Preservation | Extensively preserved through manuscripts (e.g., Dead Sea Scrolls, Codex Vaticanus) | Claimed to be preserved exactly, but early variants existed (Hafs vs. Warsh versions) | Thousands of Biblical manuscripts confirm its authenticity; Quran's variants are minimized in Islamic apologetics |
| Historical Verification | Many events and people corroborated by archaeology and secular sources | Very little outside evidence supports Quranic events or even Muhammad's life | Jesus and Bible figures are well-attested; Muhammad’s historicity is debated even by some scholars |
| Eyewitness Testimony | Gospels written by or based on eyewitnesses (e.g., Matthew, John, Peter, Luke) | No eyewitnesses; all "revelation" given in private to Muhammad | Christianity is public and verifiable; Islam is private and unverifiable |
| Prophecies Fulfilled | Over 300 prophecies fulfilled by Christ alone (e.g., Isaiah 53, Micah 5:2) | No clear fulfilled prophecy in the Quran or about Muhammad | Biblical prophecy confirms divine origin; Quran lacks predictive fulfillment |
| View of God | One God in Three Persons (Trinity); God is love | Absolute oneness (tawhid); God is unknowable, not relational | Trinitarian God reveals Himself in Christ; Allah is distant and impersonal |
| Salvation | By grace through faith, sacraments, and obedience to Christ | By works and submission to Allah; no assurance of salvation | Christianity offers personal redemption; Islam offers a legalistic system |
| Role of Women | Women made in God’s image; honored in Mary and female saints | Women subordinate, can be beaten (Quran 4:34), inherit less | Vast moral disparity between Biblical and Quranic treatment of women |
| Miracles & Revelation | Multiple verifiable miracles by Jesus and apostles | No miracles by Muhammad; Quran itself claimed as the miracle | True miracles are public, prophetic, and divine; Quran offers none |
| Language and Transmission | Translated into all languages; Church defends meaning across cultures | Claims inerrancy only in Arabic; translation discouraged or considered lesser | God's word is meant for all; Quran restricted by linguistic legalism |
Comparison between Jesus Christ and Muhammad:
| Category | Jesus Christ (Catholic View) | Muhammad (Historical Islam) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | Eternally begotten Son of God; born of the Virgin Mary | Born c. 570 AD in Mecca; no divine origin | Christ is divine; Muhammad was a mere man |
| Nature | True God and True Man (Hypostatic Union) | Merely human; explicitly denied divinity | Islam rejects the Incarnation—central to Christianity |
| Mission | To redeem mankind by His Passion, Death, and Resurrection | To spread submission to Allah through law and conquest | Christ saves; Muhammad subjugates |
| Teachings | Love your enemies, turn the other cheek, forgive always | Fight unbelievers (Quran 9:29), impose jizya on non-Muslims | Divergent moral systems: one rooted in love, the other in domination |
| Miracles | Healed the sick, raised the dead, walked on water | Claimed miracles like moon-splitting (unverified) | No witnesses to Muhammad’s miracles; Christ’s were public |
| Moral Example | Sinless, celibate, poor, obedient to death | Multiple wives, including a child; led violent raids | Christ’s purity contrasts Muhammad’s controversial actions |
| Attitude toward Women | Elevated and honored women (e.g., Our Lady) | Permitted polygamy, beatings (Quran 4:34), concubinage | Islamic texts devalue women; Christianity defends their dignity |
| Death | Crucified to redeem mankind; rose on third day | Died of fever; no redemptive purpose | Only Christ offers salvation through His death |
| Resurrection | Rose bodily from the dead; over 500 witnesses | No resurrection claimed | Christianity depends on this miracle; Islam has no equivalent |
| Worship | Trinity: Father, Son, Holy Spirit | Allah; pilgrimage to black stone in Mecca | Catholic worship is spiritual; Islamic rites trace to pre-Islamic paganism |
| Salvation | By grace through Christ and His Church | By personal merit and legal submission to Sharia | Islam denies original sin and the need for a Redeemer |
| View of Heaven | Eternal union with God (Beatific Vision) | Sensual paradise with 72 virgins for men; unclear reward for women | Islamic view favors male pleasure; Catholicism seeks God |
| Scriptural Presence | Name “Jesus” ~970 times in Bible; countless other titles | Name “Muhammad” 4 times in Quran; 1 as “Ahmad” (Quran 61:6) | Jesus dominates Scripture; Muhammad barely appears in the Quran |
| Prophecies Fulfilled | Over 300 OT prophecies fulfilled (e.g., Isaiah 53, Micah 5:2) | No clear fulfilled prophecies; none foretold his coming | Fulfilled prophecy proves divine mission; Muhammad has none |
| Legacy | 2000 years of Christian civilization, charity, culture | Islamic Caliphates, conquest, suppression of dissent | Christian legacy built hospitals, universities; Islam built empires |
Summary:
Catholics and Muslims do not worship the same God. Islam denies the Trinity, rejects Christ as God, and preaches a false gospel. It is a man-made religion, inspired by error and deception, and cannot lead to salvation.
Vatican II’s claim that Muslims “adore the one God” is heresy. It contradicts the First Commandment, leads souls to indifferentism, and betrays the mission of the Church.
As Pope Eugene IV taught:
“The Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes, and proclaims that none of those existing outside the Catholic Church… can have eternal life.”
This includes Muslims, and all those who reject the divinity of Christ.
To truly love our Muslim friends is to pray for their conversion, preach the Gospel, and bear witness to the one true God—Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Further reading:
Did Muhammad Exist?: An Inquiry into Islam’s Obscure Origins by Robert Spencer