Why is the Sermon on the Mount so impactful for Muslims? Direct side by side with Quranic teachings
- 15 hours ago
- 6 min read
Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount has been one of the most transformational and eye-opening passages for Muslims who want to learn more about Jesus as they try to discover the true God. This is because what Jesus says is unlike anything that Muslims have ever heard before.
To take every verse and topic in the three chapters of Matthew 5 through 7 that make the Sermon on the Mount, and compare them to Islamic teachings would take up an entire book, but for now we will study the most important and impactful sections that highlight the relationship Jesus offers us which is opposite to what Islam offers.
Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount truly set Him apart from any other earthly teacher, just as we read in Matthew 7:29 at the end of the Sermon on the Mount: “He was teaching them as one who had authority…”
Why does the Sermon on the Mount impact Muslims deeply?
Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount focuses on the heart and the spiritual state of believers’ lives, instead of merely checking off a list of good deeds like what Muslims are told to do in Islam.
Every single teaching sets Jesus apart because of one thing: He does not ask His followers to save themselves or earn God’s favor or love. No statement He made goes, “When you do this, God will finally love you.” Instead, His entire message is, “Because God loves you, you should do this (or not do this).”
That is the core difference between Jesus, the Son of God, and any other earthly teacher like Muhammad, who built Islam to be a ritualistic religious system set on do’s and don’ts to earn Allah’s favor.
This is why the hearts of Muslims who hear and read the Sermon on the Mount are opened, because the Word of God is living and active (Hebrews 4:12). The Holy Spirit uses Jesus’ teachings to cut through the falsehoods of Islam and pierce the Muslim’s heart to see and hear that Jesus is the true God, and Muslims are moved to surrender their lives to Him!
When you are sharing the gospel with a Muslim, encourage them to read the Sermon on the Mount or even read the verses with them. Ask them how they feel about the teachings and how they compare to what they are taught in Islam. Pray for them as the Word begins to move in their heart!
The meaning of “poor in spirit” - The Bible versus the Quran
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3
What does it mean to be “poor in spirit”? It means to be completely humbled because we know we are unable to save ourselves from our own sin. This is the exact opposite of what Muslims are told to believe – they are taught they can pay for their sins and wipe them out by doing enough good deeds.
Muslims are not promised a spot in paradise, instead, they must earn it with enough good deeds to outweigh their wrongdoings. There is not one guaranteed blessing or gift from Allah unless they die in the act of jihad. Some Muslim teachers instruct Muslims to be humble, but the rewards are temporary.
What Jesus teaches about loving your enemies – Sermon on the Mount versus the Quran
Perhaps the most impactful verses for Muslims who hear or read the Sermon on the Mount are in Matthew 5:43-48:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 5:43-44
These words from Jesus about loving our enemies set him apart from any other “prophet” or “teacher” in Islam. The Quran and Hadith are very clear that when Muslims encounter enemies, they must subdue and conquer them and bring them to submit to Allah. There is no mention of love or prayer for them, only subjugation and conquering:
“Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, nor comply with what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, nor embrace the religion of truth from among those who were given the Scripture, until they pay the tax, willingly submitting, fully humbled.” Surah 9:29
“They (The Jews and Christians) wish you would disbelieve as they have disbelieved, so you may all be alike. So do not take them as allies unless they emigrate in the cause of Allah. But if they turn away, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them, and do not take any of them as allies or helper.” Surah 4:89
Read more about true Islamic teachings on jihad and enemies:
Loving your enemies is one of the hardest instructions for many Christians to follow, but it also shows the love that Jesus has for us. The Bible calls us God’s enemies when we were living in sin instead of under Christ, and yet, God loved us then. “For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!" Romans 5:10
Christ’s command to love our enemies is His instruction to follow in His example and love as He loves, which we can only do when we are saved and reborn through Him. Muslims are amazed by this teaching, and their hearts are drawn to the person of Christ.
What Jesus teaches about giving generously – Sermon on the Mount versus the Quran
In Matthew 6:1-4, Jesus talks about the humble heart that believers should have when they give to help the poor. He says that our generosity should never be for show or proving how good we are; instead, it should be out of a true, generous heart to honor God, not for appearances in front of others.
In the Quran, it is clear that it does not matter whether a Muslim gives publicly or secretly. Actually, many Islamic teachers will instruct Muslims to give their zakat publicly, to remind their fellow Muslims of their obligatory task to give to Allah.
“Those who spend their wealth in charity day and night, secretly and openly—their reward is with their Lord, and there will be no fear for them, nor will they grieve.” Surah 2:274
Read more here: What Giving means in Islam versus Christianity
What Jesus teaches about prayer – Sermon on the Mount versus what Islam teaches
The overarching theme of Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount focuses on one thing: heart posture. His main goal is for His audience to understand that God does not want us to check off lists of good deeds, but rather wants us to go through an entire spiritual resurrection from our dead, sinful hearts to transformed minds (Romans 6:11-14).
In Matthew 6:5-15, Jesus’ teachings about prayer focus on the same thing – it is not about the pageantry of praying in front of others or following a perfect script. Prayer is supposed to be a private conversation with God, and it can be in simple conversational language, since we are talking to our Heavenly Father.
On the complete opposite, prayer in Islam is a large show of recitation and ritual movements for Muslims.
Muslims are required to pray five times every day, perform ablution cleaning before every prayer, and if a prayer is missed, they have to make it up before sunrise of the next day. They must pray in Arabic, recite the Quran in Arabic perfectly, and move through the proper physical movements for the prayer to be acceptable for Allah.
When Muslims read how Jesus talks about prayer, they are amazed by what He says. They often have not known anything other than the pageantry of Islamic prayer, and the idea of a simple and unscripted conversation with God is foreign and appealing.
Read more here: Prayer in Islam vs Christianity: What's the difference?
What Jesus teaches about fasting – Sermon on the Mount versus what Islam teaches
Another major act that Muslims believe determines their relationship with Allah is fasting, specifically during Ramadan, the mandatory month of fasting for all Muslims.
In Matthew 6:16-18, when Jesus talks about fasting humbly and secretly, His focus is on the one-on-one relationship the Heavenly Father has with His children.
Muslims are astounded by this thought because they are used to fasting collectively with their entire family and community for an entire month, from sunrise to sunset. Then, as a group, they all feast together as soon as the sun sets, and the cycle continues for 30 days. The point of Ramadan is to wipe out their sins for an entire year and give themselves a clean slate in front of Allah.
The Sermon on the Mount continues to introduce Muslims around the world to Jesus, the Lord and Savior. Remember to introduce your Muslim friend and neighbor to the greatest teaching in this world.
How to pray for Muslims as they read the Sermon on the Mount
Dear Lord, thank you for calling me your child. Thank you for rescuing me from a life enslaved to sin and transforming my heart. Please open up my Muslim friend’s heart to see the truth in Your Word as they read it and accept You as their Savior. Amen.
