Muslims and Mormons: A case study in deception
By Peter Burrows 6/24/25
Muslims and Mormons: A case study in deception by Peter Burrows 6/24/25
“Muslims and Latter-day Saints: Beliefs, Values and Lifestyles,” is a 35-page pamphlet published in January of 2022 by the Mormon church. Its stated purpose is to introduce Muslims and Mormons to each other.
www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/muslims-and-latter-day-saints?lang=eng
As is typical of interfaith efforts between non-Muslims and Muslims, there's not one word criticizing Islam. The Muslims have done a wonderful job convincing members of other faiths that to be critical of Islam is to be a bigot or a racist, facts be damned. I think this pamphlet shows the Mormons are no exception.
The introduction tells us pretty much everything we need to know about the pamphlet, namely, it’s an attempt to ingratiate Mormons with Muslims and foreclose any criticism of Islam by Mormons. It lists these important points about the pamphlet:
It is “a conscientious effort to provide dignity and tolerance” for Muslims; “Does not interpret the Qur’an” but instead relies on “Muslim scholars and religious leaders” to explain the tenets of Islam; It seeks “-- to portray these tenets in a positive and engaging manner." It “-- does not make judgments regarding these beliefs or practices.” It requests “forbearance and patience if any of its words or efforts fall short” of satisfying Muslims that Mormons are not doing their best to understand Islam in the way Muslims want them to.
As I read the above, Mormons are virtually begging to be deceived. They won’t question anything Muslims assert, and by some strange reasoning they seem to think that’s a virtue. This raises a fundamental question, one we can ask of all Muslim apologists: at what point does willful ignorance turn into stupidity?
The Mormons are making two fundamental mistakes, the first being to rely on Muslims to explain Islam, something that should NEVER be done because Islam obligates Muslims to lie to achieve Islam’s primary goal: a world ruled by Islam. (See Reliance of the Traveller(sic) A Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law, pgs. 745 and 600.)
In that world there would be no Mormon temples. The Tabernacle in Salt Lake City would be turned into a mosque, and its magnificent organ smashed into a million pieces and spread in front of the new mosque so that Muslims can show their contempt for The Latter-Day Saints as they walk in to pray. That’s what conquering Muslims did to Hindu Temples and their contents when Muslims invaded India. (See Robert Spencer’s book, “The History of Jihad,” pgs. 177-178.)
The second fundamental mistake is to stress apparent commonalities of Islam and Mormonism instead of the differences. This is like comparing a garter snake to a rattle snake. Yes, they have a great deal in common, but don’t you think we should concentrate on howthey differ? In fact, don’t you think NOT being aware of the differences could be, literally, a matter of life and death?
That’s very much true with Islam. If Mormons read the Koran, they would learn that Allah sent Muhammad the True Religion, Islam, with the guidance to “make it prevail over all religions, howsoever those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity might detest it.” (Verse 9:33) That's probably an understatement, since Verse 9:5 directs Muslims to KILL such people “wherever you find them” unless they become Muslims.
Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians and other “people of the book,” i.e., the Bible, get a third option. Since they follow Allah’s pre-Koran revelations and Allah’s pre-Muhammad prophets, those backward souls are allowed to live in an Islamic society if they adhere to a very strict set of rules.
This life-saving option, however, does not extend to “those who do not have a Sacred Book or something that could have been a Book. --- As for the psuedoscriptures of cults that have appeared since Islam, such as the Mormons, they neither are nor could be a Book since the Koran is the final revelation.” (Reliance of the Traveller - pg. 607, slightly edited for brevity.)
So, Islamic Sacred Law considers Mormons a cult and The Book of Mormon a psuedoscripture. I doubt if this little detail was mentioned in the “hours of conversation and study by religious scholars and others” that went into the making of “Muslims and Latter-Day Saints.”
Admittedly, that’s not something that reading just the Koran would have revealed. However, the Koran is all anybody needs to show Muslim deceit in a couple of verses quoted in the pamphlet section, “Love for God and Humanity:”
“Muslims and Latter-day Saints believe that by loving God and all humankind, peace and goodness will ultimately prevail. They devote their lives to living and teaching these principles. The Qur’an teaches Muslims, “Whoever saves a life, it will be as if they saved all of humanity” (5:32) and “Indeed, God is with those who are of service to others” (29:69).”
Quoting Verse 5:32 out of context is one of the oldest tricks in the Muslim book. That they would do so shows their confidence in the gullibility of the Mormons. Here’s the quotation in context of both the complete verse AND THE FOLLOWING VERSE, slightly edited for brevity, my emphasis:
Verse 5:32: “We ordained for the Children of Israel that he who slays a soul unless it be in punishment for murder or for spreading mischief on Earth shall be as if he had slain all mankind; and he who saves a life shall be as if he had given life to all mankind. And indeed, again and again did our Messengers come to them with clear directives, yet many of them continued to commit excesses on earth.”
Verse 5:33: “Those who wage war against Allah and his Messenger and go about the earth spreading mischief - indeed their recompense is that they either be done to death or be crucified” or have their hands and feet cut off.
In other words, Allah warned the JEWS not to kill without reason, and Muhammad also gave them “clear directives,” which means he told the Jews to accept Islam. Most Jews refused and fought the Muslims. Muslims can kill anybody who wages “war against Allah and His Messenger” and have been doing so for 1400 years, not showing any love whatsoever for “all humankind.”
Verse 29:69 also has a different meaning when quoted in full: “As for those who strive in Our cause, We shall surely guide them to Our Ways. Indeed, Allah is with those who do good.” “OUR cause” and” OUR Ways” refers to Islam. “Strive in our cause” includes jihad in the name of Allah. In other words, Muslims will kill Mormons when the time comes because that will be doing “good.”
As an aside, in three of my four translations, 29:69 ends with “Allah is with those who do good,” the fourth ends with “Allah is with those who do right.” I don’t know which translation the pamphlet quoted to get “God is with those who are of service to others,” but regardless, you can be sure “others” means “other Muslims.” Allah, you see, does not “love all humankind,” only Muslims. (See Verses 3:31 and 3:32.)
Allah also warns Muslims not to befriend non-Muslims such as Mormons: “Believers! Do nor take the unbelievers as your allies in preference to the believers.” (V4:144) That includes “People of the Book”: “Believers! Do not take Jews and Christians for your allies!” (V5:51) That’s understandable. After all, Jews and Christians are “the worst of creatures.” (V98:6)
I could find fault with many more things about the pamphlet, but I’m afraid it would be a waste of time. People brimming with Beatific self-righteousness are fact-proof. Hopefully, a Mormon here and there will learn the reality of Islam and begin the long process of educating other Mormons. We need strong religious as well as secular opposition to the spread of Islam.
The Koran is a good place to start. I strongly recommend the translation by Pakistani scholar and political leader Sayyid Mawdudi. It has extensive explanations of many verses from the perspective of a devout Muslim, not gullible non-Muslims, of whom Mormons are only a tiny fraction. It’s available on Amazon. It helps greatly if you know HOW to read the Koran. For that, go to Amazon and look formy book “How to read the Koran (and understand Islam).”
On a personal note, my wife and I had never met any Mormons until we moved to Silver City. One of the first people we met was the Mormon lady across the street, the late Sharon Anderson. She quickly became the best friend we've ever had and we miss her every day. Other Mormons we've met are also wonderful people, and it’s distressing to see their church led estray.
Addendum: Here’s a 30-minute video of two Elders in the Mormon church introducing the pamphlet when it was published. If you can find 30 minutes of sanctimonious ignorance that equals this, please don’t share it with me. This is enough to last a lifetime or two.
www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/interfaith-relations-videos?lang=eng
