To know the only true God, honor and obey Him, and make Him known.
Basic Teachings of the Koran (Qur’an) according to traditional Muslim interpretation:
- The Koran is the inerrant and perfect Word of God [15:9]. The Bible is only the Truth in the parts where it is in agreement with the Koran.
- There is only one true God. There is no Holy Trinity [4:171-172].
- Jesus is not God [5:72]. Anyone that believes that will go to hell.
- There is no original sin. God forgave Adam. For that reason there is no need for a Saviour [2:36-37].
- Jesus did not die on the cross, and Jesus was not raised from the dead [4:157-158].
If you would like to have a general understanding of how a traditional Muslim thinks, you can check out this article about the Muslim mindset.
One example of a progressive Muslim interpretation, concerning the Bible
A GOOD MUSLIM MUST BELIEVE IN ALL THE BOOKS THAT CAME DOWN BEFORE MUHAMMAD (SAW).
2-177. It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces towards East or West; but it is righteousness- to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend of your substance, out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer, and practice regular charity; to fulfill the contracts which ye have made; and to be firm and patient, in pain (or suffering) and adversity, and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the Allah-fearing.
2-285. The Messenger believeth in what hath been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith. Each one (of them) believeth in Allah, His angels, His books, and His apostles. “We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His apostles.” And they say: “We hear, and we obey: (We seek) Thy forgiveness, our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys.”
4-136. O ye who believe! Believe in Allah and His Messenger, and the Scripture which He hath sent to His Messenger and the Scripture which He sent to those before (him). Any who denieth Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messenger., and the Day of Judgment, hath gone far, far astray.
THE BOOKS THAT GOD SENT DOWN BEFORE WERE:
to Moses – the Torah
21:48. In the past We granted to Moses and Aaron the criterion (for judgment), and a Light and a Message for those who would do right,
to David – the Zabur
17:55. And it is your Lord that knoweth best all beings that are in the heavens and on earth: We did bestow on some prophets more (and other) gifts than on others: and We gave to David (the gift of) the Psalms.
to Jesus – the Injil
5:46. And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Law that had come before him: We sent him the Gospel: therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law that had come before him: a guidance and an admonition to those who fear Allah.
GOD’S WORD CANNOT BE CORRUPTED
17:77. (This was Our) way with the apostles We sent before thee: thou wilt find no change in Our ways.
6:34. Rejected were the apostles before thee: with patience and constancy they bore their rejection and their wrongs, until Our aid did reach them: there is none that can alter the words (and decrees) of Allah. Already hast thou received some account of those apostles.
The Bible that exists today is exactly the same as the Bible in the time of Muhammad (SAW). It has not been changed or corrupted. Manuscripts exist from before the time of Muhammad, and they are the same as the Bible that exists today. That is proof that the Bible that exists today is from Allah. Perceived problems in the Bible text are problems of interpretation, not of corruption of the text. All good Muslims must believe in all the Books that were sent down by Allah.