On a website that I was doing research on regarding Islam, there was a place for chatting with a staff Muslim who could then answer questions. So, I decided to jump in and have a dialogue. Below is our chat. The topic? “How do you know Islam is true?”

• Muslim: Hello. Welcome to our live chat. How can I assist you today?
• Matt: Hello
• Matt: How do you know Islam is true?
• Muslim: There are several ways to look at the proofs of Islam, for example: Scientific proofs in the Quran, scientific proofs in the hadith (the teachings of prophet Muhammad), prophesies in previous scripture of Prophet Muhammad, miracles and prophecies made by Prophet Muhammad, the wisdom behind the permissible and the prohibitions in Islam, the wisdom in the laws and penal code system of Islam, and the simple logic that there has to be One God who is the Creator of the universe.
• Matt: But there are also scientific proofs in the Bible. So by that logic, the Bible is true.  Also, saying that the wisdom of the laws and penal system is rather subjective. I’m looking for something more solid. Do you have anything better than that?
• Muslim: Bible has many things which are true.  So having scientific miracles in the bible does not contradict Islam. But the bible also has errors made by scribes and writers.
• Matt: I have looked at a website that shows errors in the Quran. 
• Muslim: Yes, many websites make such false claims. A deeper study will tell you such contradictions claim in Quran is false
• Matt: “But does not man call to mind that We created him before out of nothing?” (19:67, Yusuf Ali). Also, 52:35. “He has created man from a sperm-drop; and behold this same (man) becomes an open disputer! (16:4). I’m confused. If you say the Bible is not trustworthy because it has contradictions, then the Quran is not trustworthy because it has contradictions, too.
• Muslim: OK.  Then let me answer these simple ones for you.
• Matt: If the same standard is applied to both, then neither can be demonstrated to be true… So far as it seems.
• Muslim: But we do believe that bible has truth in it. But many other things which are errors. As for the creation of man.
• Matt: I’m sure the Quran has truth and it also has errors. But it cannot be the case that man is created out of nothing but also not out of nothing as the Quran teaches. How do you explain that?
• Muslim: Creation out of nothing refers to the fact that nothing existed. And then man and other creation was created.  Sperm refers to the reproductive part of the creation. So, this is not a contradiction. Rather talking about two different stages in creation.
• Matt: That’s not what it says in the text. In Surah 19:67 Allah says that he created man out of nothing. In 16:4 it says that God created man out of sperm. In 15:26 it is clay. This is a contradiction.
• Muslim: No, this is not.
• Matt: Nothing is not sperm and is not clay which in turn is not sperm. So, that is a contradiction.
• Muslim: The clay part refers to construction of Adam. So these three verses are referring to three different stages of creation. Not a contradiction.
• Matt: Surah 19:67 is not just about Adam. 64. (The angels say:) “We descend not but by command of thy Lord: to Him belongeth what is before us and what is behind us, and what is between: and thy Lord never doth forget— 65. “Lord of the heavens and of the earth, and of all that is between them; so worship Him, and be constant and patient in His worship: knowest thou of any who is worthy of the same Name as He?” 66. Man says: “What! When I am dead, shall I then be raised up alive?” 
• Muslim: This would be contradiction if they are exclusively referring to a single stage of creation.
  Matt: Surah 19:67, “But does not man call to mind that We created him before out of nothing?
• Muslim: It is about Adam. 
• Matt: So that is not about Adam
• Muslim: Allah is reminding people that if Allah can create Adam out of nothing, then why cant Allah give life to humans after death. It is very simple if you wish to understand
• Matt: Verse 65 is saying that all people should worship God. Then it says in verse 66, “Man says: “what! When I am dead, shall I then be raised up alive?” That is not about Adam.
• Matt: I do have a question, now that I’m thinking about it, about how in Islam you are forgiven of your sins. Can you please tell me how that works?
• Muslim: Please, I don’t have time for your missionary preachings
• Muslim: You can’t understand a simple thing.
• Matt: Do you have time to tell me how salvation works in Islam?
• Muslim: Yet you feel you can understand this.
• Matt: If you don’t want to tell me about salvation, are you saying you want me to go to hell?
• Muslim: Please… give me a break
• Muslim: Don’t waste my time.
• Muslim: I have been taking this chat since 6 years now.  I know who talks what and when. So don’t waste my time
• Matt: I guess if I don’t agree with your interpretation of the Quran then I don’t want to learn? After you said what you said about “man” being Adam I went and looked at the context and I did not see that.
• Muslim: Go to a mosque near by and debate there.

• Chat session has ended. Thank you for giving us this opportunity to assist you.

Well, I tried to have a discussion with him and I tried to talk about salvation.  But by then, he was fed up.