Most people hear the word “Sharia” and immediately picture something threatening — a narrative carefully crafted by mainstream media and political commentators who rely on fear rather than facts. But what if the very concept they demonize is woven directly into the pages of the Christian Bible? In this powerful episode of The Deen Show, Imam Bilal, a respected scholar formerly based in Dearborn, Michigan, reveals a truth that dismantles the manufactured hysteria: the term Sharia appears more than 250 times in the Arabic Bible, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. For the estimated 40 million Arab Christians worldwide who read Scripture in Arabic, Sharia is not a foreign threat — it is simply God’s law, the divine instructions and rulings that guide human life.
What Sharia Actually Means in Islam and Christianity
Sharia literally translates to “the way” or “the path” — a set of divine instructions covering how we worship God, treat our parents, interact with neighbors, handle marriage and divorce, and live with purpose and mercy. Arab Christians themselves refer to the “Sharia of Musa” (the law of Moses) without any controversy. Every prophet in history — Moses, Jesus, Abraham, Noah, and Muhammad (peace be upon them all) — brought Sharia to their people, calling humanity to worship the Creator alone. The Ten Commandments? That is Sharia. The teachings of Jesus on mercy and compassion? That is Sharia. The guidance of Prophet Muhammad on justice and community? That is Sharia. The core message has always been one and the same: submit to the One God, respect your parents, be just, be merciful, and live a life of purpose.
“The term Sharia is mentioned more than 250 times in the Arabic Bible. If you go to any Arab Christian and ask them, if they are honest they will say yes — it exists, and it means the way. They call it Shariat Musa: the rules, the way of Moses, peace be upon him.” — Imam Bilal
How Misconceptions About Sharia Spread
- Cherry-picking the penal code: Out of 6,236 verses in the Quran, only a tiny fraction — roughly 1% — address punishments. Opponents of Islam obsess over this sliver while ignoring the overwhelming majority of verses about mercy, purpose, worship, family, and community.
- Taking verses out of context: Verses about self-defense were revealed in specific historical circumstances when Muslims were being persecuted, killed, and driven from their homes. God explicitly limited the permission to fight to self-defense only, stating “Allah does not love those who transgress against other people.”
- Targeting uninformed people on camera: When Fox News sent reporters to Dearborn asking random passersby about Sharia, they deliberately avoided scholars and community leaders. As Imam Bilal explains, if you genuinely want to understand any faith, you go to a reliable source — not random people on the street.
- Ignoring the shared heritage: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all carry the concept of divine law. Demonizing “Sharia” while celebrating “God’s commandments” is a contradiction that reveals bias, not legitimate concern.
- Judging the many by the few: Extremism exists in every religion and ideology. A small group that misquotes and misrepresents the Quran cannot define 1.8 billion Muslims any more than extremists in other faiths define their entire communities.
The Quran’s Message of Mercy and Coexistence
“God does not forbid you from showing kindness and being just with those who have not fought you nor driven you out of your land.” — Quran, Chapter 60, Verse 8
Building Bridges Instead of Walls
Imam Bilal shared a moving story about an elderly man who walked into the mosque and asked point-blank: “Are you here to kill us? Are you here to take over this country?” After a patient, honest conversation, that same man returned a second time — not out of fear, but out of genuine curiosity and respect. In another encounter, Imam Bilal recited verses of the Quran in a church, and Christian congregation members wept, calling it “the most beautiful thing I have ever heard in my life.” They invited him back specifically to hear more. These real-life encounters prove what happens when people move past the fear-driven headlines and actually engage with Islam and its teachings directly. The Quran is a blessed book that speaks for itself — pick it up, read it, and let the words of God reach your heart before letting anyone else tell you what to believe about the faith of nearly two billion people.
