Luther on Islam

“I have some parts of Mohammed’s Koran…he greatly praises Christ and Mary as being the only ones without sin, and yet he believes nothing more of Christ than that he is a holy prophet, like Jeremiah or Jonah, and denies that he is God’s Son and true God. Furthermore, he does not believe that Christ is the savior of the world who died for our sins, but that he preached to his own time and completed his work before his death, just like any other prophet.

“On the other hand, Mohammed highly exalts and praises himself and boasts that he has talked with God and the angels, and that since Christ’s office of prophet is now complete, he has been commanded to bring the world to his faith, and if the world is not willing, to compel it or punish it with the sword; there is much glorification of the sword in it. Therefore the Turks think that their Mohammed is much higher and greater than Christ, for the office of Christ has come to an end and Mohammed’s office is still in force.

“From this anyone can easily see that Mohammed is a destroyer of our Lord Christ and his kingdom, and if anyone denies the articles concerning Christ, that he is God’s Son, that he died for us and still lives and reigns at the right hand of God, what has he left of Christ? Father, Son, Holy Spirit, baptism, the sacrament, gospel, faith, and all Christian doctrine and life are gone, and instead of Christ only Mohammed with his doctrine of works and especially of the sword is left” (LW 46:176-77).

“In short, enthusiasm clings to Adam and his children from the beginning to the end of the world – fed and spread among them as poison by the old dragon. It is the source, power, and might of all the heresies, even that of the papacy and Mohammed” (Smalcald Articles III/8/p.323, Kolb/Wengert edition).