Mark Tabata’s Weekday Devotionals
Monday July 27 2026
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Romans 3:8 (ERV)-It would be the same to say, “We should do evil so that good will come.” Many people criticize us, saying that’s what we teach. They are wrong, and they should be condemned for saying that.
There is some good that may be found in all religions. However, the only way to be saved eternally is through submission to Jesus Christ and His Word (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
Recently, I have noticed a disturbing trend in much of social media. Apparently based on efforts to demonize Jewish people, some have embraced the erroneous idea that Islam is inherently a religion of peace. Of course, a casual and in-depth reading of Islam’s holy writing (the Quran) quickly debunks this notion. The prophet of Islam, Muhammad, wrote a great deal about jihad (an Arabic word meaning “holy struggle” or “holy war”). Consider the following sampling of references from the Quran.
Sura 2:19-Slay the unbeliever wherever you find them.
Sura 3:28-Muslims must not take the infidels as friends.
Sura 3:85-Any religion other than Islam is not acceptable.
Sura 5:33-Maim and crucify the infidels if they criticize Islam.
Sura 8:12-Terrorize and behead those who believe in Scriptures other than the Koran.
Sura 8:60-Muslims must muster all weapons to terrorize the infidels.
Sura 8:65-The unbelievers are stupid; urge the Muslims to fight them.
Sura 9:5-When opportunity arises kill the infidels wherever you find them.
Sura 9:30-The Jews and Christians are perverts, fight them.
Sura 9:123-Make war on the infidels living in your neighborhood.
Sura 22:19-Punish the unbelievers with garments of fire, hooked iron rods, boiling water, and melt their skin and bellies.
Sura 24:4-Do not hanker for peace with the infidels; behead them when you catch them.
These verses could easily be multiplied nearly a dozen times over. The point is that Islam authorizes its’ followers to practice holy war in many ways. Indeed, there are many recruitment tools used by jihadists to try and entice followers into murdering their fellow man. Promises of sexual gratification play quite a role in that regard.
“Sexual enticements play an integral element in recruiting Jihadists. The late author and journalist Muhammad Galal Al-Kushk wrote; “The men in Paradise have sexual relations not only with the women who come from this world and with ‘the black-eyed,’ but also with the serving boys.” (Walid Shoebat with Joel Richardson, God’s War On Terror: Islam, Prophecy, And The Bible-A fresh understanding of Biblical prophecy from an Eastern perspective as viewed by an ex-Muslim terrorist, 2123 (Kindle Edition): Top Executive Media)
One of the most common forms of jihad in Islam is waging war through deception. Personally, I believe that many Islamists are using the claim that Islam is a religion of peace to try and deceive naïve Americans and Christians who have not looked into the matter. Indeed, that is also the opinion of many scholars who are well-versed in jihad!
Mark Gabriel is a former professor of Islamic theology who taught at one of the largest schools of Muslim thought in the Middle East. He eventually became a follower of Jesus, and had to flee to the United States because of the threats to his life. Shortly after 9-11, he wrote a book about the dangers that jihadists continue to pose to America.
Philosopher Ibn Taymiyah (1263-1328) wrote a book titled The Sword on the Neck of the Accuser of Muhammad. In it he described how Muslims should live in the weakened stage. Believers when in a weakened stage in a non-Muslim country should forgive and be patient with people of the book [i.e., Jews and Christians] when they insult Allah and his prophet by any means. Believers should lie to people of the book to protect their lives and religion. i In other words, it’s OK to lie to non-Muslims to protect yourself when you are a minority in their country. There’s a simple Islamic proverb that says, “If you can’t cut your enemies’ hand, kiss it.”2 This is clear in the prophet Muhammad’s life and his teaching in Mecca and after. The peaceful lamb of Mecca, after immigrating to Medina, became a roaring lion that threatened the whole Arabian Desert….The first time that the prophet Muhammad permitted denying Islam or him as a prophet was with Amar Ben Yasser.3 Yasser, who was one of Muhammad’s friends, was captured and held hostage by the tribe of Quraysh. The tribe tortured Yasser, so he denied Muhammad and Islam to gain freedom. As soon as they set him free, he went back to Muhammad and confessed what had happened. Prophet Muhammad told Yasser that if that ever happened to him again he should do exactly what he did with no shame. At a different time, the prophet Muhammad heard that one of his enemies (Sha’ban Bin Khalid Al-Hindi) was preparing his troops to fight the Muslims. Muhammad sent Abdullah bin Anis Aljohani to assassinate this enemy. Aljohani asked the prophet Muhammad to describe the man that he was supposed to kill. Muhammad told him to go and join the enemies’ troops, curse Islam and Muhammad, and that he would find Al-Hindi that way. Prophet Muhammad’s messenger went to the enemies’ camp. When he identified the leader, he struck up a conversation and cursed Muhammad and his people. To make a long story short, Aljohani was able to build a close enough relationship with his victim to cut off his head when he was sleeping. He brought the head to the prophet. We see here that the prophet Muhammad’s messenger used lying-denying the faith and cursing prophet Muhammad-in order to accomplish his mission.4 (Mark A. Gabriel, Ph. D., Islam And Terrorism: What The Quran Really Teaches About Christianity, Violence, And The Goals of The Islamic Jihad, 792-821 (Kindle Edition); Lake Mary, Florida; Frontline)
In fact, there are two well-known Islamic branches of thought which describe in detail the uses and methods of deception in Islam.
TRUTH Kithman is a command to deliberately conceal one’s beliefs. Primarily practiced by the minority Shi’a Muslims, this doctrine is articulated by Imam Jafar Sadiq, the sixth imam of Shi’a Islam: One who exposes something from our religion is like one who intentionally kills us. 2 You belong to a religion that whosoever conceals it, Allah will honor him and whosoever reveals it, Allah will disgrace him. 3 So Shi’a Muslims are commanded to hide what they truly believe in order to mislead outsiders as to the true nature of their religion…There is essentially no difference between the doctrine of kithman and the doctrine of taqiya. Taqiya is defined by one Shi’a Muslim commentator thusly: The word “al-Taqiyya” literally means: “Concealing or disguising one’s beliefs, convictions, ideas, feelings, opinions, and/ or strategies at a time of imminent danger, whether now or later in time, to save oneself from physical and/ or mental injury.” A one-word translation would be “Dissimulation.” 4…The doctrines of kithman and taqiya are often said to be strictly Shi’a doctrines, and Sunni Muslims deny that either doctrine is part of their tradition. Unfortunately, this is merely another deception. Next, we will run through some of the Sunni traditions that prove the universal application of taqiya within Islam….As long as a Muslim lives in a country where Islam exists as a minority, in “a weakened state,” then deceptiveness is allowed. When challenged by non-Muslims to blaspheme Allah, they “went along with them.” The nonbelievers arrested ‘Ammar Ibn Yasir and tortured him until he uttered foul words about the Prophet [Muhammad], and praised their gods and idols; and when they released him, he went straight to the Prophet. The Prophet said: “Is there something on your mind?” ‘Ammar Ibn Yasir said: “Bad news! They would not release me until I defamed you and praised their gods!” The Prophet said: “How do you find your heart to be?” ‘Ammar answered: “Comfortable with faith.” So the Prophet said: “Then if they come back for you, then do the same thing all over again.” Allah at that moment revealed the verse: “… except under compulsion, his heart remaining firm in faith…” 6 (Surah 16: 106) So Muhammad actually encouraged Muslims to lie and blaspheme and deny their beliefs if that would protect them, as long as they remained “comfortable with faith.” Ibn Abbas, the most renowned and trusted narrator of tradition in the sight of the Sunnis, confirms this notion. “Taqiyya is [merely] the uttering of the tongue, while the heart is comfortable with faith.” 7…We see that taqiya is indeed a doctrine for all Muslims that allows them to deny any aspect of their faith in order to protect themselves from harm. (Joel Richardson, The Islamic Antichrist: The Shocking Truth About The Real Nature Of The Beast, 152-156 (Kindle Edition); Los Angeles, CA; WND Books)
We may oppose war crimes committed by the Israeli government while at the same time standing against antisemitism, and without falling to the lie that Islam is a religion of peace.
We do this while also acknowledging that there are many Muslims who are not “out to get us” because they reject the violent tenants of their religion. Prejudice and bigotry are as opposed to the teaching of Jesus as is the terroristic nature of jihad itself. Jesus calls His people to love all of our neighbors.
Matthew 5:44-45-But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
What are some ways that we can share the Gospel with our Muslim friends and neighbors?
Father, grant us wisdom and balance in regards to Islam. Help us to see the good in all religions, and the bad: and to reach out in love with the Gospel of Christ to everyone. Amen.