Quran - The God of the Quran and the God of the Bible: their similarities and differences

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Quran
Quran - The Perfect Quran: The Past Perfect Torah and Gospel
Quran - An Overall View
Quran - Revelation of the Quran: The Founding of Islam
Quran - The God of the Quran and the God of the Bible: their similarities and differences
Quran (Koran) - Research Resources

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Similarities between the God of the Quran and the God of the Bible

Both are One
Both are transcendent Creators of the universe
Both are sovereign
Both are omnipotent
Both have spoken to humanity through messengers or prophets, through angels, and through the written word
Both know in intimate detail the thoughts and deeds of men
Both will judge the wicked

Differences between the God of the Quran and the God of the Bible

The God of the Quran is a singular unity; but the God of the Bible is a compound unity who is one in essence and three in persons (Matthew 28:19; John 10:30; Acts 5:3-4)
The God of the Quran is not a father, and he has begotten no sons (Surahs 19:88-92; 112:3); but the God of the Bible is a tri-unity who has eternally existed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; Luke 3:21-22; John 5:18).
Through the Quran, God broke into history through a word that is written; but, through Jesus Christ, God broke into history through the Word who is a Person (John 1:1, 14; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; 1 John 1:1-3; 4:9-10)
The God of the Quran "loves not the prodigals"(Surahs 6:142'7:31, Ali; 'Ali has "wasters"); but Jesus tells the story of a father, a metaphor for God the Father, who longs for the return of his prodigal son (Luke 15:11-24)
"Allah loves not those who do wrong" (Surah 3:140, Ali), and neither does He love "him who is treacherous, sinful" (Surah 4:107, Ali); but "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
"Allah desires to afflict them for their sins" (Surah 5:49, Ali; also see Surahs 4:168-169; 7:179; 9:2; 40:10); but the God of the Bible does not "take any pleasure in the death of the wicked" (Ezekiel 18:23) and is "not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9)
The standard for judgment for the God of the Quran is that our good deeds must outweigh our bad deeds (Surah 7:8-9; 21:47); but the standard of the God of the Bible is nothing less than perfection as measured by the holy character of God (Matthew 5:48; Romans 3:23)
The God of the Quran provided a messenger, Muhammad, who warned of Allah's impending judgment (Surahs 2:119; 5:19; 7:184, 188; 15:89-90) and who declared that "No bearer of a burden can bear the burden of another" (Surahs 17:15; 35:18, Ali); but the God of the Bible provided a sinless Savior, Jesus, who took our sins upon himself and bore God's wrath in our stead (Matthew 20:28; 26:28; Luke 22:37; John 3:16; 10:9-11; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13, 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10)
- Source:Dean C. Halverson, The Compact Guide to World Religions. Bethany House Publishers, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1996, pages 110-111

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